California solar bike tour: Oakland to San Diego

Рет қаралды 10,747

3 жыл бұрын

What with the wildfires resulting in road closures and terrible air quality, record high temperatures and the pandemic, this seemed like a terrible time to take a ride down the coast to visit relatives. Then again, it's going to be another 6 months before we have more than 12 hours of daylight so I decided to go for it.
All complaints aside, this is an epic bike ride and would normally be populated with travelers from all over the world who've come to experience the sights. This year, I nearly had it all to myself. In 12 travel days, I encountered 2 groups of cyclists making short, local overnight trips and one guy from Arizona who started in Reno, Nevada and was making his way down the coast "until temperatures in Arizona drop below 100°."

Пікірлер: 73

@craigrmeyer 11 ай бұрын

That "human power = 1/3rd of net mechanical power" is a very valuable statistic. Thank you.

@wolfgangzettner2951 2 жыл бұрын

Respect-by all what I have seen- the best set-up for a solar powered bike- never mind the miles you did 😀

@TheWolfmanMachinima 2 жыл бұрын

Man, this is sooo cool :) Kudos.

@telocity Жыл бұрын

Awesome video! Was confused on a few clips where ocean was on your left, which means you were going north. Probably to visit a site. Saw video of new solar panels that use small prisms to capture light better at different angles, multilayer so 2x+ power from a panel. Will be great for bikes when panels come out in a few years.

@jgarcia8817 3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations on a successful trip! It may be early, but what's your next planned trip? I hope to travel across the continental US in a similar fashion one day, and your videos are inspiring me to do so.

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

That's great. Go for it! I had been considering a larger US loop before winter but days are getting shorter and the pandemic is complicating everything so maybe something smaller in the US Southwest. Amazing landscapes and cooler desert temperatures might be just what I'm looking for.

@iblankedurmommy 2 жыл бұрын

What a great journey

@DePrepper 2 жыл бұрын

good job!

@chadorico2480 Жыл бұрын

I absolutely LOVE your bike and the entire design. Do you have any plans on how I could attempt to do this? Obviously, I respect your time and attention to detail in your entire R&D strategy, but I have loved and attempted many different scenarios of this myself and yours is obviously way more thought out and efficient than anything close to what I have done. If so, please let me know. This has been a dream of mine for many many years and I just don't have the knowledge of how to do it as exceptional as you have. Maybe someday I can build something close to what you have. Thanks in advance! Your build is epic! Cheers and GOD bless! Chad

@solarEbike Жыл бұрын

Hi Chad. Thank you for your kind words. Below is a link to a page of the most useful technical information that I have posted over the years. I’ve never attempted to create any kind of detailed plan for others to follow up. Partly because I’m usually dissatisfied with the current design when I’m about halfway done building it and have a list of half-baked ideas for the next iteration so documenting a completed prototype feels like a step in the wrong direction. Also, the audience for building a one-wheeled, carbon fiber trailer with fully automated tracking from scratch seems too small to justify the effort? If this is your first solar bike build, I recommend keeping it as simple as possible. Just use a any cargo bike trailer, a SunPower panel and start riding. You will soon know which upgrades are most important to you and can build from there. Good luck! solare.bike/technical-stuff/

@zZz777 3 жыл бұрын

You are great, and your leatherman hammer too.

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. Hoping to inspire more people to try similar projects.

@smallnuts2 Жыл бұрын

I'm starting to get into recumbent bikes. I want a catrike. There so comfortable.

@lcdemack Жыл бұрын

Greetings from San Diego. ahh Mark, your solar e-bike build is top notch and super compelling. At first glance it seems to tick off many of the key choices I have started to decide I will also choose. I love your pursuit of a light weight build/config along with your choice of a recumbent bike vs. trike. Trikes are great, but after driving sag wagon for friends who street rode from San Diego to Pueblo CO, there were plenty of roads traveled where there was absolutely no shoulder whatsoever, so I think I'd rather a recumbent bike for long days I otherwise could not do on a saddle. Otherwise it seems so many others don't understand the need to keep weight to a minimum for efficiency, and then I find you. Nice build. I haven't seen it clearly noted yet, but do you ever/sometimes/always charge your batteries at your overnight stops? I realize your goal may be not to, but some days just aren't sunny elsewhere in the world besides San Diego. How well is the carbon boom solar trailer and rotate kit holding up on OFF road sections? My goal would be to be able to ride as much off road as possible on the better trail sections available. Wish I could have met up when you were here, but I see from IG that you've begun a (The!?) Big ride. I will be following intently. If you're riding back to San Diego sometime, let me know and I'll lend you a nice roof and bed to sleep under. Take care and safe sunny travel days

@solarEbike Жыл бұрын

Thanks, Lawrence. > Otherwise it seems so many others don't understand the need to keep weight to a minimum for efficiency I knew from the beginning that there would be stretches of cloudy days when I would need to mostly ride on pedal power so keeping the rig light(ish) was important to me. Still, climbing hills without electric assist is difficult. Climbing steep hills w/o assist is impossible. > do you ever/sometimes/always charge your batteries at your overnight stops? I haven't done any plug-in charging in the last 7,500 miles but I carry a small 2A charger for emergencies. > How well is the carbon boom solar trailer and rotate kit holding up on OFF road sections? I've generally planned my route along paved roads. All three wheels have a suspension and I've recently swapped out my 1.75" tires for 2.35/2.15" for less terrible handling on the occasional gravel road. Bike and trailer do well off road but it's slow going. > I see from IG that you've begun a (The!?) Big ride. Keeping the plan loose to adjust to changing world travel conditions. Heading to Alaska now, then Australia and then likely South America as Asia overland is not good right now.

@LeesChannel 3 жыл бұрын

I really wonder how different it would be with a smaller solar panel on a fully enclosed fairing, with a geared hub motor just for inclines.

@professorfukyu744 2 жыл бұрын

Working on it. Gotta gear things weird. Top speed is not priority.

@Jordyperson Жыл бұрын

Working on it here too, mine with a Terratrike rover tandem

@RideBicycleUSA 3 жыл бұрын

Riding 12 days is not easy especially riding on the road with cars and trucks passing. Nice ride...

@herenowlife 5 ай бұрын

Tried to find how your trips been going because a friend said he crossed paths with someone he thought must of been you doing the mundi to bindi in western australia ? Is that true and have you got any updates about how the trip is going ? Be great to hear an update on your journey :)

@MrFancaR 2 жыл бұрын

thank you for sharing statistics

@SandyWalsh 3 жыл бұрын

Wow!

@dj-aj6882 3 жыл бұрын

Great Bike Trip! I did +2600km in Europe this summer without Motor😉 I would love to see some documentation on the solar tilting system!

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

Documentation is on Endless Sphere. Unfortunately, it’s spread out over 13 pages of posts. endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=94721

@trampan6377 2 жыл бұрын

La idea me parece muy buena, pero creo que mejoraría si en lugar de llevar la placa solar a remolque la llevara como techo; de esa manera además de generar electricidad, daría sombra al conductor. Esa misma idea se me ocurrió hace mucho tiempo para aplicarla a los coches eléctricos, pues estarían generando electricidad siempre que hubiera luz solar estuvieran en marcha o parados. Seguro que también se les ha ocurrido a los fabricantes de coches eléctricos, pero si no la aplican será por alguna razón que desconozco.

@LeesChannel Жыл бұрын

It's approaching 1 year, will you be going on another excursion?

@solarEbike Жыл бұрын

Hi Lee. I’ve concluded that I don’t have the time and energy to make KZfaq videos while bike touring. I’ve traveled 7500 touring miles in the past year. I’m posting updates on my personal blog: solare.bike There’s a great KZfaq video on the Grin Technologies channel that we shot 10 months ago and we just shot another one which should be released soon. m.kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l5NkfbOKrcnKqIU.html I’m also posting on Instagram: @solarebike

@theworldturns 3 жыл бұрын

I saw a few years ago you had a fairing with solar cells attached. I am researching something similar. I wonder why you don’t use that anymore? Also what brand of recumbent bike are you using? Thanks

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

That's right. Link below for anyone who's interested. It worked well enough. I had it on the bike for a few months and it provided enough energy for commuting about 100 miles per week without needing to plug in. It kept my feet warm and dry during the winter rains we get here but it provided no measurable aerodynamic advantage. As my focus shifted to designing and testing ideas for an ultra long distance touring machine which could be transported over oceans on commercial airline flights, it did not meet my design requirements. With the polycarbonate clear bubble in front and the mounting hardware, it was relatively heavy for a 50 watt panel. The bend in the panel significantly reduced daily Wh and eventually caused the solar panel to fail due to the cells cracking. It interfered with getting on and off the bike quickly as it had to fold up to mount/dismount. It also slightly obstructed my view of the road but that was manageable. I'm currently considering bringing back a smaller version with a thin, flat panel and no front bubble to keep the sun and rain off my feet. The idea is to experiment with some new ultralight supports and to add a few more Wh/day. My current bike is an HPVelotechnik Grasshopper fx. solarpoweredbike.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/img_0016.jpg

@sundvisson Жыл бұрын

cool setup! Is it really 6,8% from regenetive breaking? I thougt it was very very little....but its nice because it saves the diskbrakes

@solarEbike Жыл бұрын

I’m currently in Whitehorse, Yukon on my way to Fairbanks, Alaska from San Diego, California and I have averaged 8.4% on this route so far. That’s with 833 m of climbing per day and never descending hills faster than 30 km/h to help maximize regen. My daily local ride in the Oakland Hills would net up to 20% regen. On a long ride on flat terrain with no stops you may only get 1-2%.

@sundvisson Жыл бұрын

@@solarEbike cool!

@rdkuless 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent... Next time, ride SanFrancisco to Portland ... I'll host.. :) I have a complete solar trailer and etrike system. I am set up for solar cooking/camping..

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Rob. Sounds great! You wouldn't happen to know of someone else touring through California two months ago on a solar bike? A park ranger at Pinnacles told me someone passed through there with an "A frame" solar panel setup on a trailer. Said he had travelled 2000 miles.

@rdkuless 3 жыл бұрын

@@solarEbike I don't know of any other solar riders on the west coast... Here is my Solar Etrike and trailer (it isn't as amazing, certainly not as efficient as your system) I really wish the Hwy101 on the Oregon coast was wider (or bike lane)... if looks very dangerous... I'm planning to do a transcontinental tour. Seattle-DC on the new rails-to-trails. It isn't 100% completed yet. And that means i need to find some alternative detours around construction. I have tent, water filtration system, and solar water/food cooker. I have been planning for a couple years. Maybe you want to join me. :) Here is a video by EBR Court Rye that reviewed my system. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/i7mJpr19rZ22Y58.html

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

@@rdkuless That's a great build. I hadn't seen that video. Court's enthusiasm and sense of wonder is always dialed up to 11. Are you planning to add more solar for long distance touring? What kind of daily distance are you hoping to do?

@rdkuless 3 жыл бұрын

@@solarEbike I routinely ride upwards of 80 miles on day trips around town. I think once i get going, there will be days as high as 125+ miles. ( I really don't know distance, those are just guesses that may vary) I don't look at this experience as a race. I look at endurance and comfort. We know that recumbent is far more comfortable on all your joints. And i plan to stop and smell the roses :) I want to visit an old friend in Wisconsin that i worked with years ago. (stay over for a couple days) I also plan to eat really well, i'm a raw-vegan chef. I taught classes on vegan nutrition. I have been shopping the local organic farmer's markets for fresh blueberries and herbs. I have dehydrated14 flats into 2@ 1 gallon bags. (great source of energy and multi-vitamin and minerals) I carry soaked/dehydrated walnuts, pecans and pistachios for important healthy fats that give a long glucose load with low glucose index. My solar cooking system will allow for decontamination of water. And i can stop near the end of a day for potatos, onions, garlic, herbs and rice to make a pot of stew. I'm planning for many good meals on the road. My name is Robb... if i remember correctly, are you Michael or Mike.. (oh..i'm probably completely off base) please don't take offense if i got that wrong. I admire and am inspired by what you have done. Cheers

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

@@rdkuless Sounds like a good plan. I was only asking to help set realistic expectations. I set a rather aggressive pace for this trip because I had some time pressure and wanted to get a better idea of what it would be like to try to do over 100 miles per day on solar and pedal power alone. Frankly, 80 miles a day would have been much more enjoyable on this route at this time of year (2-3 months past the summer solstice) with a 315 watt solar array. Also, I've done my own analysis of the SunTrip 2018 log files and the group average over many weeks of touring would suggest that 170 watts is likely to average 600-700 watt-hours per day. Using the average 14.5 Wh/mile energy consumption, that translates to around 40-50 miles per day, probably a little more since you're likely to be able to contribute more pedal power on shorter days. These figures are useful for logistical reasons (planning your route and itinerary) or for deciding if you want to add another solar panel. If you plan to do any plug-in charging along the way, your daily mileage will be different. You were close with the "M" names. I'm Mark. Justin did a feature video with me back in 2018: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bbh3daV_yNq7fnU.html

@ExplorinDoranRBrown 9 ай бұрын

Mark are you still going? I tried to message you on instagram but your account is gone. Just checking in on you . Hope you’re doing well wherever you are today! Wondering if you’re okay, it’s been a long while since an update.

@herenowlife 3 жыл бұрын

How does it go with side breeze ? Guess with abit if wind you have to keep it level.!!! Can see with the latest cells you could probably get about 500w out of that area also. Like the idea and could adapt it to be over the bike also. Also can the bike use motor and charge battery at the same time if there is excess from the solar ?

@sietuuba 3 жыл бұрын

I've not yet built anything like this but I've kept an idea on the back burner and been sketching about a small array over the rider's lower body like a fairing; it would introduce extra structure and I don't know how much it would compromise visibility or whether it could be kept perfectly edge-on so as to appear as thin as possible in the field of view. No idea if the front of it right above the pedals and low in front of them should (or could) be a see-through fairing, or ought to be open... Yes this system puts any excess unused solar array production right back in the battery while you ride.

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

> How does it go with side breeze? I get this question a lot so I added a more detailed answer in my FAQ. In short, it's less of a problem than you might imagine: solare.bike/faq/#wind

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

I've done this before and I'm considering trying it again with this bike. The panel/fairing has to stay above the rider's knees so the visibility issue gets worse as the seat height gets lower. solarpoweredbike.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/img_0016.jpg

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

> Can see with the latest cells you could probably get about 500w out of that area also. This is a 315W array and is already using the highest efficiency commercially available cells. The bare (unlaminated) cell efficiency is 24%. To get 500W using the same area would require 38% efficiency. Today's best satellite-grade triple-junction GaAs cells have efficiencies in the mid-30% range and would cost around US$200,000 for an array of that size. I wouldn't pay that much even if I had that kind of disposable income. At the current pace of progress, such efficiencies might become affordable in 20-30 years but I'm not willing to wait that long.

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

> Also can the bike use motor and charge battery at the same time if there is excess from the solar? On a clear day, I get more solar power than I can use at mid-day so yes, my battery's state of charge slowly increases while riding. In fact, I can seamlessly use any combination of 0-100% motor power, 0-100% solar power, 0-100% pedal input and 0-100% regenerative braking... at least until the battery is fully charged and then solar charging and regenerative braking stop because the energy has nowhere left to go. On days when I'm trying to cover very long distances, I have to carefully plan my power consumption, my rest breaks and my route to get the highest possible energy harvest.

@24glow31 3 жыл бұрын

Wow . Can we now details about your bike

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching. Details here: endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=94721

@StartledPancake 3 жыл бұрын

Great engineering, great choice of music! Ill go read your site/thread before bugging you with tech questions...

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Have fun.

@FlockingmMollifordsonite Жыл бұрын

Anything new coming up?

@SolarizeYourLife 2 жыл бұрын

So did you fiberglass the back of the non 'flexible' panels???

@solarEbike 2 жыл бұрын

The support panels are hand-made sandwich panels with carbon fiber skins and Nomex honeycomb cores.

@animal494 7 ай бұрын

What is the brand of the tail light bar that first appears in the Grin Technologies video?

@solarEbike 7 ай бұрын

Spur? I’ve recorded three separate videos with a Grin Technologies over the years and each time the lighting setup had some upgrades so I’m not sure which one you saw. My current favorite is Feniex T3. Before that, I used RadiantZ AmpD. Links below. You’ll need a 12V source for both. I use a buck converter connected to my ebike battery. www.feniex.com/perimeter/t3 www.radiantz.com/Ampd-Flex-strips-p/288.htm

@animal494 7 ай бұрын

Thanks for your reply! As many others have said, your setup is amazing!! I was referring to the rear light bar at 13:13 of this video kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l7llicuXqNuveok.htmlsi=7HbtDnGVJKLG8ZZI. Looks like it might be two Feniex on the license plate bracket?

@yalandunya6091 3 жыл бұрын

How many Miles can be driven per Day?

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

It depends on the time of year and how early I'm willing to get up in the morning. I averaged 110 miles per day on this trip. My personal best is over 200 miles in one day but for long distance touring I would estimate 80 miles/day is probably a more reasonable goal.

@kaikart123 2 жыл бұрын

How do you track the sun?

@solarEbike 2 жыл бұрын

Light sensors embedded in the panel.

@kaikart123 2 жыл бұрын

@@solarEbike is that panel specific or you're doing it yourself?

@solarEbike 2 жыл бұрын

I wanted lightweight and hidden so it’s completely custom built but the basic function is the same as commercially available “solar tracker controllers” you can research/buy online.

@kaikart123 2 жыл бұрын

@@solarEbike I see, thanks a lot

@yalandunya6091 3 жыл бұрын

Can we buy it?

@solarEbike 3 жыл бұрын

This is a one-off prototype. I post information about making your own here: solare.bike/