Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Monday, May 29, 2017
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Install: Bafang BBSD HD 1000w Mid-drive electric assist motor on a Madsen Family Cargo Bucket Bike
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Testing Madsen Bucket Bike without mid-drive motor. Went great on relatively flat streets even with two kids but we live in a hilly town in Vermont. |
The Mid-Drive Kit
From Lunacycle.com:
- Bafang BBSHD 1000 watt Mid Drive motor. Bottom Bracket Size: 68-73mm (Standard).
- Battery: Side Shark 48v GA 10ah.
- Chain Ring: Stock 46T Steel.
- Luna Bafang Display DPC-10.
- Bafang BBSxx Universal Thumb Throttle.
- Bafang Handles with Built-in Ebrake cut off.
- Luna Wrench.
- Custom battery bracket by Karl Kemnizter, of VBike in Brattleboro VT.
The Bike
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The Box! Assembly is very easy, basically putting on the front wheel and a fender. |
Installing the mid-drive
Here's the manual, a list of different builds with motors like this.
Working on the rest now.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
We Decided! Madsen Bucket Bike with 1000w Mid-Drive. Family Electric Assist Cargo Bike Spec. here.
We've finally decided on a family cargo bike with electric assist
Here's the test ride that convinced my wife this was the bike for her.
Lot's of research and actual test rides of a Radwagon, Yuba Mundo, and Bike Friday Haul-a-Day later, we pick Madsen Cycle's Bucket Bike! Here's our developing spec sheet with help from Dave at vbikesolutions.org
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Testing VT Bike Solutions test Madsen with Befang 1000w mid-drive. We'll get Red I think. |
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The bucket, with my son and his "fancy dress" clothes from the thrift store. Not sure where he came from! |
Mid-Drive Electric Assist Specs on this Bike.
- Bafang 1000 watt BBSHD kit.
- 14 amp hour battery
- Battery bracket: Karl Kemnizter custom makes it locally in Brattleboro.
- Gear sensor, a gear sensor extension wire, and a speed sensor extension wire.
- Lekkie Bling ring. It's smaller and stronger, stock chainring worked ok on the test bike.
- Night lights.
- Front rack/basket from Madsen Cycles
Friday, May 5, 2017
Wife test rides Madsen Cycle's Bucket bike and Bike Friday Haul-a-Day Mid-Drive Electric Assist Family Cargo Bikes
Today, Dave, chief evangelist at Vermont Bike Solutions brought over a Bike Friday Haul-a-Day with a 750watt Bafang BBS02, 750W mid drive electric assist and the next day, a Madsen Bucket bike, with a Bafang BBSHD 1000 Mid Drive electric assist motors. I bought out my used Radwagon for size comparison. My wife is doggedly testing bikes out for taking our 2 kids to school. One kid is still too young for monkey bars so would need a strap in seat, which he don't like so far. She's tried the Yuba Mundo (great bike but a bit too heavy and big) and the Radwagon with a Yepp seat (too high seat, too heavy, fell over and fractured our daughters arm!) I love my used Radwagon with monkey bars only though, no strap in baby seat.

And the winner is...Madsen Cycles Bucket Bike.
More photos below.
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Madsen is her pick after testing for months. She wants our 2 kids and no strap in high baby seat. |
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Runner up. Dave from Vermont Bike Solutions with my wife on a Bike Friday Haul-a-Day |
Bike Friday Haul-a-Day Test Ride and Comparison with Radwagon
Great American made bike. Light, small, sturdy. Unlike the Madsen, this can be used more easily as a one person bike when needed.
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Bike Friday Haul-a-Day. Our son loves to dress up. |
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Bike Friday Haul-a-Day is shorter lighter and lower then the Radwagon. |
Madsen Cycles Bucket Bike
To my surprise she felt the Madsen rode the best with the most stability. It's a big bike and the bucket makes it really a hauler. The nice part is that it's like a pickup truck, always ready to simply use to carry things. And it keeps the kids inside something and low to the ground like all bucket type bikes
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With Radwagon in background, even on back |
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It's a big long bike, like the Yuba and XtraCycles. The Radwagon is shot and stocky. |

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Optical illusion here, the Madsen is a bit lower then the Radwagon due to a 20" rear wheel. |
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It's a big bucket |
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"Oh my god, momma picked the Madsen as her favorite!" |
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Our son loves to dress up "fancy" with his clip on tie...not sure where this boy came from! |
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