Reduce the top speed and power to make Surron legal eBycicle?

[Lukavac]

Hi everyone, I have Surron X

Is there a way to make a mode for:

Maximum power of 0.25 KW and max speed of 25kmh (15 mph)

Its OK for me if I can edit the "Eco mode" or create a new one.

Any ideas? (These are the requirements in my country for eBycicles, and also, I have a pedal kit)

Thank you

[AZguy]

Short answer - not really a practical thing to do

While I suppose it could be done it is hard to answer the question: "why?"

[73Eldo]

0.25 watts? That's barely enough to run a couple lights. Do you mean 0.25 KW? Which is 250w which seems like a number I have heard is a common limit for many parts of Europe.

[Lukavac]

73Eldo you are right! it is 0.25 KW

So practicality of this would be so I can be legal if needed on the streets of my town as a eBycicle, if I see cops I turn that mode on, something like that

[AZguy]

Ok - you want a "regular" mode and a "bicycle-legal" mode

I'm sure it can be done although you might need a different controller, but again, why?

Having a "bicycle-legal" mode won't make the bike legal if it's capable of more even if it's completely restricted to "bicycle-legal" power/speed all the time

You'd also need the pedal kit


From a practical standpoint it's not like any LEO is going to have you put it on a dyno or take a test ride to make sure it's legal so if you're a bike that can't be made bicycle-legal (this one can't ever be bicycle-legal), put pedals on it and just ride like it is power/speed limited - don't draw attention... although in some places riding something that just looks like a sur-ron is going to get unwanted attention... In the states there are legal requirements for labeling that has the limitations and that's what's intended to be relied on for determining the class/legality but a sur-ron will never pass for a bicycle here in the states... people have gotten them registered as pedelecs, e-mopeds and many have gotten them street-legal (plated) here...

[Lukavac]

Thank you for your answer AZguy

Yea, to change Eco mode to eBaycicle mode would be sweet spot.

I also have pedal kit and belt so my goal is to ride kind of slow.

I heard I need controller BCA4000 to be able to modify the Eco mod, but hoped to find another solution here

And, in my country, by law, if I have a electrical motor, pedals and this mode, its an electric bicycle category.

[AZguy]

Thank you for your answer AZguy

Yea, to change Eco mode to eBaycicle mode would be sweet spot.

I also have pedal kit and belt so my goal is to ride kind of slow.

I heard I need controller BCA4000 to be able to modify the Eco mod, but hoped to find another solution here

And, in my country, by law, if I have a electrical motor, pedals and this mode, its an electric bicycle category.

I'm not a sur-ron expert by any means - but a different controller doesn't sound wrong

I think you may need to look at the laws more closely regarding the legality.. just limiting it won't likely cut it as far as making it legal... every place is different but much of the states requires a manufacturer's identification plate that states the maximum power, etc. not that there's any enforcement... but I can say that if LEO has an opportunity to have a talking to with a sur-ron rider there's just no way it's going to pass for a class 1 or 2 electric bike if they know anything (plenty don't) and here in AZ laws are very loose but many places they'd expect an OHV sticker or license plate and riding one on the bike paths would get attention even if just going slow.

Also like I mentioned, how would they know what it's limited to? It's not like they have a dyno handy... That's why it's sort of pointless to limit it... limiting it won't make it legal... so why not just ride it as though it's limited and not bother putting limits on it since they don't help?

You can likely get away with riding it places where you aren't supposed to but thinking it will be legal seems like dreaming


YMMV - good luck

[73Eldo]

AZ was thinking the same thing as me, how do they inspect or enforce the law? I assume like other parts of the world your SurRon looks way more like a motor bike than a bicycle so immediately no matter what the laws are you are going to be drawing everyones attention if you are riding it in a place that typically has bicycles. That is why many of us went the conversion of a regular bicycle route. Legal or not they don't tend to draw attention. If you are operating them at speeds typical of bicycles people don't even give us a second look. Starting out with something that looks out of place even if it is legal seems like at the least would be a big hassle.

[calfee20]

I'm not a SurRon expert either but I seem to remember some models had a blue? wire under the seat that would turn on full power if cut or connected?

If your is like that maybe a switch could be hooked up or maybe that wire could be added to any SurRon.

[AZguy]

I hear you - in an ideal world they would require driver certification and recurring training for high performance things that are out in the public spaces but that's never going to happen


All I can say is that if around here they allowed unlimited electric to mix with bikes and pedestrians it would be a mess - far too many fools as it is and even the behavior of some on class 1 and 2 makes me wonder

Limited to 20mph/750W doesn't bother me where mixing with other bikes and pedestrians at all either... it seems reasonable from both perspectives - slow and limited enough to reduce the risk of serious injury (not get rid of, just reduce) to the other user (not get rid of, just reduce) but fast and powerful enough to be able to really take advantage of electric... granted the BBSHD is more but in all reality I very seldom exceed both those limits and they aren't severe enough to impact my riding.

Those european limits are terrible... 250W/25kmh? That would suck... pretty sure I'd be cheating with a BBSxx but definitely on something that at least looks like a bicycle


Out here I would never ride a sur-ron on the multi-use areas.. it just seems eventually it's going to draw far too much unwanted attention and if I'm wearing shorts I'm readily identifiable... I'd likely only use those in the desert/mountains where I can ride motos - tons of that out here... if I did use it in town at all it'd be plated...

I've seen pictures of your enduro - do you ride that where only class 1 and 2 are legal? It does look like it's pushing the boundaries there a bit

[calfee20]

Yeah I ride it on all of the regular paths. I keep it under 20 unless I am on the street and then I may get up to 30. I always pedal though. I have to keep my legs moving at my age.

[AZguy]

It'll pass better than a sur-ron I think - they just look too much like a conventional dirt moto

I was having the discussion about legs moving on another thread. Even if you aren't pushing just turning the pedals is so waaaay better than just sitting there.

When I first got into the electric bike thing what's left of my leg was getting super stiff and atrophies - couldn't bend my knee to even 90°... Rode a rear hub bike with lousy controller setup that did the speed control thing (vs. "unlimited" speed) so no motivation to pedal hard, just turn the pedals... but it was amazing how much better not only my knee was but how before I could barely walk a few hundred meters without getting short of breath and I was not getting winded so easily... compared to those first days I'm in so much better shape and it likely saved my knee from getting all arthritic... the remaining leg is still pretty atrophied but much better than it was back then...