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| Bill Stites, c. Stites Design |
At Southeast Sunday Parkways, as our Intersection Superhero shift drew to a close, our replacement rode up on an impressive recumbent tricycle. Closer examination showed that it was also a mid-drive ebike. It's rider, Bill Stites, and I exchanged contact info, in hopes of talking ebikes again soon.
Bill is more than an ebike rider; he's an accomplished designer and builder of ebikes and trikes. His company, Stites Design, shares a workspace in Southeast Portland with several design and fabrication companies, and enjoys the synergies that often emerge from sharing space with people with a mix of skills and experience.
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| The New Truck Trike, c. Stites Designs |
His latest design is the Truck Trike, a modular trike with a flat bed that can be reconfigured specifically to carry heavy or bulky loads. The each rear wheel is driven by a 36 volt motor, while the front wheel is driven through Bill's own StitesHub. This unique product transmits pedal power to the front wheel via a top-mounted universal joint, which has also appeared in other Stites-designed bikes. Photos from the design and build of the Truck Trike can be found
here - fortunately, the prototype was sold to local bike delivery service B-Line that I wasn't able to see one on this visit. B-Line has been putting the Truck Trike through vigorous testing - in fact, early testing of the Truck Trike suggested improved rear brakes. While we were speaking, Bill demonstrated his solution, a motorcycle-grade disc brake, mounted to the hub via a bracket and plate he designed and machined himself. The disc is nearly as large as the 20-inch BMX-style tires used on the Trucker Trike. When asked if he'd producing more Truck Trikes, he said, "Yes, I plan to build them in-house, leveraging Portland's great network of bike and part builders. For example, the Truck Trike uses Epic Wheelwork's products."
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| "I have to run in a meeting." |
Bill started his second career designing ebikes after leaving his previous one as a chiropractor. Once you know this, a lot of little touches in his workspace make a lot more sense - for instance, a model of a human spine occupies a prominent position on one of his workbenches, workstations include mats for better comfort while standing, and his preferred desk work position - while walking on his treadmill. "Sitting is really the worst position for your spine; it's basically direct compression. Besides, it's good to get some additional exercise in while working," he said.
His early designs included a variety of recumbents, trikes, and a very interesting modulated trike. This design combines the benefit of trike stability with the efficiency of being able to lean into a turn. The pivot can also be locked out, turning it into a traditional trike. Past designs are literally hanging from the rafters; indeed, it obvious that Bill is as prolific as he is focused.
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| Increased swept area should improve brake performance. |
While the brake upgrade continues on the Truck Trike, Bill's not losing momentum on other projects, including mounting an ebike kit midframe on a smaller-framed bike, and designing a new, more ergonomic front end for the Truck Trike, which will feature a more comfortable riding position without sacrificing any power. "We're seeing a lot of different forces come together at the same that increasingly make light electric vehicles valuable solutions. An aging population, increasing petroleum-based transportation expenses, and denser urban living are just a few of these. It's going to be exciting to see how the industry evolves."
