December, 2013
Back in July, we wrote a story on Harrison E-bikes from Finland. Then, as I began scrolling the internet over the next few months for other reasons…I began stumbling across more board-track racers. Some have been around for a long time, and some are fairly new. Most are low volume producers. There didn’t seem to be enough material to do a complete story on any one of them, so I thought I’d bundle them here together.
Board-track racing was very popular in the US between the first and second world wars (1918-1939, though it started earlier than that). After WW-one, the Ford Model-T was selling quite well to middle-class Americans, and ex WW-one pilots cheaply purchased surplus “Jenny” airplanes so they could make a living by traveling the country selling rides and performing stunts. Dashing young men who couldn’t afford a car might buy a Harley-Davidson or Indian motorcycle.
There’s an old saying: “The first car race happened…about ten minutes after the second car was purchased”, and motorcycles were no exception. At the time, using wooden boards to pave a race course was actually cheaper than paving it with asphalt, but the boards were also very dangerous. They frequently loosened during a race with one end lifting up, leading to terrible injuries. Here is a video of a boardtrack race film from 1921, TV had not yet been invented, so see how the crowds at these races are enormous!
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This beautiful custom build is from David Farish, he calls it the C-271.
The C-271 from David Farish.
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Enorm Ebikes are from Austria. They use a simple, reliable, and very quiet rear direct-drive hub-motor (from Golden Motor),and the motor they use is capable of a fairly continuous 1,000W (1.3 horse power). The wide rims use a very fat 3-inch tire, and the roomy battery compartment can easily hold their largest optional 48V / 15-Ah lithium battery.
The frames are powder-coated (much tougher than common paint), and Enorm provides a very wide selection of models and colors to choose from. I encourage you to look at their website. They also have many models that have a more modern and artistic style, compared to the classic board-tracker shown here.
Enorm E-bikes from Austria. This model is the BoardTracker Black Classic.
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Tomrider Corso is from Germany. The motor shown is small and stealthy “mild assist” 250W geared unit that is mounted in the front wheel, and the rear wheel uses a Nexus-3 IGH for a clean and uncluttered chainline. The battery is a 36V / 11.6-Ah pack made from Panasonic 18650 cells, using the Li-NCM chemistry. They also have options that include a 1,500W BMC rear hub using 36V, and batteries as large as 18-Ah.
It is noteworthy that Tomrider Corso also makes leather accessories for E-bikes, like classic saddles, tool-bags, and saddle-bags. Here is their Facebook page.
Tomrider Corso. This model is (obviously) the Boardtracker White Swan.
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Ace Electric Motorbikes.
Ace Electric Bicycles, this one in yellow, and they have several color choices. The front drum brake and the girder suspension are a nice touch.
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This uncluttered Boardtracker is from Oto Cycles, who is based in Barcelona, Spain.
Oto Cycles
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Here is the Marrs M-1. I almost didn’t include it because the handlebars aren’t quite right for a boardtracker, but I liked how they used a leaf-spring on the front suspension. Its the piece just above the front tire that is almost horizontal. It almost looks like a short fender, but it is a functional component, and not just decoration.
Marrs M-1
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Voltage Cycles makes this one. the wiring and controller are hidden well along with the batteries inside the “fuel tank”.
Voltage Cycles
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I never felt a tribute E-bike needs to copy the shape of a gasoline engine, but this style certainly has an appeal for some enthusiasts. This bold racer is from Caterham. It comes with a Panasonic 250W mid-drive motor and a 36V / 12-Ah lithium battery. It uses a Shimano 3-speed internally geared rear hub.
Caterham
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The Icon E-flyer. The motor is a Crystalyte HT and the battery is a 50V / 12.5-Ah
Icon E-Flyer
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Phoenix bike works has an optional electric drive that is a simple rear hub, but their main line is retro-gasoline mopeds from the board-track era. Click on the link to see the electric version, but it is a simple rear direct-drive hub with the controller and battery in the fuel tank.
Phoenix Bike Works
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This design is the winner from a crowd-sourced competition by Local Motors in Las Vegas, Nevada. They also have a gasoline version to go along with their electric model.
From Local Motors
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If you want to find a board-track bicycle to add your own E-bike kit to, here is a beautiful example that anyone could be proud, called the 1935 Ward Hawthorne Duralium.
The 1935 Ward Hawthorne Duralium.
Click on the link to see a close-up of the Art Deco tail-light.
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