Falco eBike Drive System Testimonial - Jim Wilkes

Jim was kind enough to write about his purchase. Thank you Jim!

--------------------------------------

My name is Jim, and I have had to ride hand trikes for years.  I tried a device called a pusher to help me us the hills and it was not easy to operate or connect.

I have a bad right leg and could not ride a regular bicycle or even a recumbent trike.  I recently had a surgery that fixed my right leg so that I could ride a recumbent trike.  With the help of Utah trikes and Falco Electric Motors, I am now riding a bicycle again.  My recumbent bike is so much easier to ride with the Falco motor.  The Motor and trike are integrated and for the first time in 33 years I am riding again.  I have been extremely pleased with the customer service at Falco and Rakesh has been so easy to work with. He has helped me in understanding how the motor works.  Plus he helped me with the wireless integrated control unit, which makes riding much easier.  I can tel you that this has changed my life. 

I live in a town that has 40 + miles of bike trails and we also have a number of hills to climb. But with the trike and Falco integrated motor and control, it is so easy to now get around.  You have to remember this is still a bike, you still need to pedal and with the assist of the motor, even I can keep up with the folks I ride with.  The Falco unit, it very responsive and offers a number of features that other electric motors could only dream of.  For example, when I ride up a hill, on the way down the hill the motor has a built in charging unit, that extends the time on my battery.   Making the ride capable of longer distances.  You can set the motor to automatically assist you or you can tap the throttle and off you go.

I choose the 500 Watt motor for the power, and this motor provides that power, and at the same time is efficient as the other motors offered. The power and torque of the Falco motor is amazing and it was the Best choice I could have made.  And Yes there is plenty of power.  Life really is about choices and I for sure made the right choice by purchasing a Falco integrated system.  I had done a lot of research on electric motors and the Falco system is the right choice.

I would encourage you to check out the Falco web site and see for yourself this amazing company.  I am a believer in Falco and happy to have a integrated system that really works.   

Jim Wilkes

Ride With Pride

Useful Links:

1. Utah Trikes
2. Electric Bicycle World
3. Falco eMotors

Training Documents for Falco Dealers and Customers

Dealer application can be found here.

Spoking Information:

For Spoking Hx 2.0 500W Motors, review the following documents:

500W Front Wheel Installation with 100 mm Spacing: 
http://falcoemotors.com/dealers/500W%20Front%20Wheel%20Installation.jpg

500W Rear Wheel Installation with 135mm Spacing:
http://falcoemotors.com/dealers/500W%20Rear%20Wheel%20Installation.jpg

For Spoking Hx 3.0 750W Motors, review the following documents:

750W Front Wheel Installation with 100 mm Spacing: 
http://falcoemotors.com/dealers/750W%20Front%20Wheel%20Installation.jpg

750W Rear Wheel Installation with 135mm Spacing:
http://falcoemotors.com/dealers/750W%20Rear%20Wheel%20Installation.jpg

For Spoking Hx 4.0 1000W Motors, review the following documents:

1000W Front Wheel Installation with 100 mm Spacing: 
http://falcoemotors.com/dealers/1000W%20Front%20Wheel%20Installation.jpg

1000W Rear Wheel Installation with 135mm Spacing:
http://falcoemotors.com/dealers/1000W%20Rear%20Wheel%20Installation.jpg

 Troubleshooting the motor:

In a rare instance where motor is not working with throttle or torque sensor or crank sensor, the following things should be checked:

1. Is motor receiving power? How do you check that? Check voltages on the 6-pin and 4-pin motor connectors. 6-pin connector voltages are documented here. 4-pin connector voltages are documented here. Also, make sure the battery connector is installed as per this document. Check to make sure battery fuse is not blown and the battery connector is outputting correct voltage. Motor will not work beyond 55V as an internal safety mechanism.
2. Is motor locked? If the wheel is stiff to rotate, the motor is most likely locked. It should be unlocked using the console or the Falco Interface. If motor is locked, some versions of Falco Interface (1.4.2 or lower) will show the Hall Code (Err) as 255.
3. Is motor in mode 0. If the connected console or the Falco interface is in mode 0, motor is automatically in non-assist mode.

Hx Motor Wiring Diagram can be downloaded here. (Note: A number of brake sensors can be interfaced with the Hx motor. The 6-pin connector has the default provision to connect to a brake sensor (for OEM applications). Also, crank sensor connection can be reprogrammed to act as a brake sensor or reverse function).

Falco Interface :

Falco interface serves two main purposes: one to adjust the torque sensor settings and secondly to diagnose any issues with the motor and the console. The third and least used purpose is to be used as a way to connect to an ANT+ heart rate sensor while using the bike as an indoor exercise machine.

Falco Interface 1.4.2 version can be downloaded here. How to use Falco Interface? The YouTube videos can be seen here: Part 1 and Part 2. You can also review this video published by Court Rye of Electric Bike Review.

 How does Falco Torque Sensor work?

Review this document.

Falco Quick Start Installation Guide

Falco Quick Start Guide can be found here.

Falco's Simplified Console for US Customers

Learn about Falco's simplified console here.

 Other Dealer Training Documents

http://falcoemotors.com/dealers/dealer_training_documents.zip

Images for Your Website

http://falcoemotors.com/dealers/Dealer_Photos.rar

 http://www.falcoemotors.com/?page_id=43

Falco Press Images

Upgraded and Simplified Console for Falco's US Customers

The console has been upgraded and simplified as follows:

1. Internal Battery Charge Indication: The bars on the top left hand side show charge of the internal battery at ZERO speed. Six bars indicate full charge. When charge is less than full and the console is hooked upto a USB charger, the bars will increment and decrement indicating that the cell inside is being charged.
2. ODO is shown at all times. Clock has been permanently removed.
3. MPH is permanently set for the US models.
4. Upper segments show battery voltage when console is paired with a motor.
5. SLEEP time has been increased from 20 seconds to 300 seconds.
6. BACKLIGHT time at ZERO speed has been increased from 20 seconds to 300 seconds.
7. HRT function for pairing a heart rate monitor has been eliminated from the console for US models.
8. Charging the Console: Please charge the console when not in use either using your computer USB port or any other USB charger.
9. Storing the Console: While storing the console, please be sure to TURN OFF the console from the back of the console.

Quick Start Guide for Falco eBike Drive System (Bottle Battery Configuration

Quick Start Guide for Installing a Falco eBike Drive System (For Bottle Battery Configuration) PDF

Step 1: Flip the bicycle upside down and install the small torque arm as shown below using an M6 bolt. 

Flip the bike and install the torque arm.

Step 2: Before sliding the wheel into the frame, make sure that the rear derailleur is in the lowest gear. Pull back the idler/shifter and slide the spoked Falco wheel into the frame as shown below. Red mark on the axle on the drive side should be pointed to the back of the bicycle.

Before sliding the wheel into the frame, make sure that the rear derailleur is in the lowest gear. Pull back the idler/shifter and slide the spoked Falco wheel into the frame as shown below. Red mark on the axle on the drive side should be pointed to the back of the bicycle.

Step 3: Tighten the wheel into the frame as shown below. Recommended torque for the M12 hex nut is in the range of 30 to 45Nm. Please refer to your frame manufacturer’s recommendation to make sure that the frame care guidelines are followed.

Follow the specific torque tightening requirements.

Caution: The axle flats are machined to 10mm to allow for a tight fit into the drop-outs. Caution should be taken to ensure that the drop-out is deep enough (> 14mm) to accommodate the Falco wheel securely and properly.

Caution: M12 hex nut should be tightened from 30 to 45Nm. Be sure to follow your bike manufacturer’s frame care guidelines.

Caution: M6 and M5 bolts should be tightened to 3 and 6 Nm respectively.

Step 4: Install the battery as shown below. Install the holder and thereafter insert the battery and lock it.

Caution:

M5 bolts should be tightened between 3 to 6 Nm. Please be sure to follow the bicycle manufacturer’s frame care guidelines.

Step 5: Install the Console and the PLUS-MINU button as shown below.

Step 6: Install the throttle as shown below. Procedure is similar for the thumb throttle.

Step 7: Route the wires (this step does require some planning and thoughtfulness)

Caution:

While using zip ties, make sure the zip ties are not too tight as they can dig into the cables and damage the cables.

The optimum position of the wireless module and connectors is shown above. Some models have longer cables for the wireless module. In that case wireless module should be re-positioned.

Step 8: Make the connections. Make sure battery is OFF before making the connections.

Caution:

While using a NON-FALCO battery, caution must be taken not to reverse the connection to the motor. A reverse polarity will damage the motor controller permanently and will void the warranty.

Step 9: Adjust the torque sensor parameters.

We strongly recommend that the torque sensor be calibrated and adjusted for your frame before your first ride. Use the Falco Interface and Falco USB stick to connect to the motor wirelessly through your PC or a windows laptop (Currently Mac version is under development). Also, be sure to understand how does the Falco torque sensor work by reading this document.

Additional Resources: 

1. Falco You Tube channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/falcoemotors
2. Falco Site – http://www.falcoemotors.com/
3. Call us toll free (US and Canada): +1 877 278 6323
4. Download PDF.
5. Falco Open Propulsion Systems.
6. Falco Lithium Batteries.
7. Falco Five Phase Motors.
8. Falco Components.
9. Email