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SUN TRIP 2018

I was introduced to the Sun Trip rally by Bernard Cauquil who did the Sun Trip 2015 from Milan Italy to Capadocia Turkey loop, and finished in first place. His designed recumbent bike 'Dragofly' uses the eZee brushless permanent magnet planetary geared DC motor with very high efficiency and reliability. The balance within the PV panel out, electric power consumption and his legs power is almost perfectly balance.

Bernard Cauquil , champion of the Sun Trip 2015, who is participating in this Sun Trip 2018 rally with a tandem recumbent with his son Yann.

The eZee Longabike with PV panel of 260 watts fitted and that is Wai Won Ching on it.

THE IDEA

Being 68 years old with a weak disposition and slow reflexes , there is no need to participate in the challenge to arrive first in Guangzhou within the constraints of the rally rules. Therefore I disqualify myself from the challenge but just to participate as a fun adventure. To complete the journey is already a very big challenge.

I understand the energy or power requirement very well being in the electric bike manufacturing business for 18 years and have take taken several epic riding trips that was wired with the Cycle Analyst that measure and shows energy performance. In general to make an average speed of 25 kmph for the day, I would have to go at 35 kmph, with some stops and rest in between. The energy consumption would be about 400 watts, while the PV panel will provide an average of 200 watts, and legs will do 50 watts average for the day of 10 hrs ride, and I will still need another 150 watts which will be provided in reserves in the battery and charged at night. In any event, I am equipped to take measurement and record of the energy pattern for the entire trip and will report it here. To get 400 watts would require very large solar panels which I am not keen in because a very long vehicle would be cumbersome and I don’t have fast reflexes.

In any case I think my entire journey from Chamonix France to Guangzhou China will take more than 13500 km on the road. Another constraint is the days I could take off from work, and I would not want to miss the opportunities of touring some of the very interesting place, especially as I have extra ordinary interest in history.

THE PREPARATION

THE VEHICLE .

I use is a semi recumbent trike that is manufacture at eZee that was designed in essence by Vincent Longagna , France. On which I have added the electrical drive train, solar PV panel of 260 watts rated capacity. Vehicle specifications:

Frame

Hi Ten steel : colour option : Green

Fork - Cr Mo front fork

Chainwheel- Prowheel Alloy 48 T

Brake - 1 Front/2 Rear Shimano M375 Disc brake,

Wheel - 1 Front 20", 2 Rear 26 x 2" Marathon Plus tires, Stainless steel 13g spokes

Transmission hub- NuVinci N380 Right wheel, Left wheel eZee Motor

Electric System

Motor - eZee Brushless Planetary gear motor 250 watts , 250 rpm at 36V.

Battery - 36V 34 Ah , 48V 14.5 Ah

Charger - Satiator - Grin Technologies

Controller - 36 – 48V, Max Amps: 20 amps Field Orientated control by Eloquent Design

Display - LCD diplay,

User interface- Due mode, PAS sensor with 8 power level selection and throttle.

Lighting - Front Roxim X4E 400 lumen / Red LED Tail lights x 2

Performance - Average 10 - 12 Wh / km

Weight of bike - 45 kgs

Weight of solar panel & structure - 12 kgs

Vehicle spares parts:

Controller, brake caliper , brake pads, suspension shock, tyres and inner tubes, spokes, tools. Battery.

MATERIAL AND ACCESSORIES

Clothings: The usual and light warm clothing in the event of night camping in desert and mountain. Water proof Pakka, cap and gloves, slippers.

Light towels and lots of wet wipes.

Protective gears : Sun Glasses, Helmet, elbow guards

Camera : Canon EOS6 and zoom lens 200mm , Samsung

Action video camera : Sony XDR X3000 and Casio Exlim EX-IR100

Drone : DJI Mavic Pro

Mounting devices, chargers, Extension cord with USB and A/C ports.

Protegear GPS devices

Labtop, and cell phones –iphone / IOS and Oppo / Android

Bath gels, shampoo, and toiletries

Knife, spoon and fork.

NUTRITION SUPPORT, MEDICATIONS AND FIRST AIDS

30 sachets of Precision Hydration electrolytes drinks

2 tins of electrolytes with Amino acid

This1 energy food

Disinfectant, antibiotics, aspirin, Band aid of various sizes, insect repellents

Plasters for body aches and

The Sun Trip 2018 planned route for Wai Won Ching

DAY DATE Bike Route Total km Destination City Country remark

1 9-Jun Chamonix France

1 19-Jun 249 249 Vercelli Italy

2 20-Jun 267 516 Modena Italy

3 21-Jun 279 795 Ancona Italy

4 22-Jun allowance

5 23-Jun FERRY Bar Montenegro

6 24-Jun 226 1021 Elbasan Albania

7 25-Jun 189 1210 Bitola Mercedonia

8 26-Jun 197 1407 Thessaloniki Greece

9 27-Jun 261 1668 Xanthi Greece

10 28-Jun 226 1894 Edirne X Turkey

11 29-Jun 166 2060 Tekirdag Turkey

12 30-Jun Rest day Tekirdag Turkey allowance

13 1-Jul Ferry 11 hrs Bandirma Turkey

14 2-Jul 333 2393 Eskisehir Turkey

15 3-Jul 271 2664 Ankara Turkey

16 4-Jul 258 2922 Yozgat Turkey

17 5-Jul 296 3218 Sivas Turkey

18 6-Jul 250 3468 Erzincan Turkey

19 7-Jul 187 3655 Erzurum Turkey

20 8-Jul 274 3929 Gogubeyazit Turkey

21 9-Jul 57 3986 Maku Iran Visa obtained

22 10-Jul 270 4256 Tabriz Iran

23 11-Jul 180 4436 Mianeh Iran

24 12-Jul 220 4656 Abhar Iran

25 13-Jul 240 4896 Tehran Iran

26 14-Jul 216 5112 Semnan Iran

27 15-Jul 179 5291 Shahroud Iran

28 16-Jul 254 5545 Sabzerar Iran

29 17-Jul 149 5694 Quchan Iran

30 18-Jul 128 5822 Ashgabat Turkmenistan Visa obtained

31 19-Jul Camp Turkmenistan

32 20-Jul 352 6174 Mary Turkmenistan

33 21-Jul 275 6449 Farab Ubezkistan

34 22-Jul 77 6526 Bukhara Ubezkistan

35 23-Jul 258 6784 Samarkand Ubezkistan

36 24-Jul Rest day Samarkand Ubezkistan

37 25-Jul 318 7102 Tashkent Ubezkistan

38 26-Jul Rest day Tashkent Ubezkistan

39 27-Jul 236 7338 Kokand Ubezkistan

40 28-Jul 172 7510 Osh Kyrgyzstan

41 29-Jul 83 7593 Gulcha Kyrgyzstan

42 30-Jul 45 7638 kolduk Kyrgyzstan

43 31-Ju l59 7697 Sary Tash Kyrgyzstan

44 1-Aug 69 7766 Irkeshtam China

45 2-Aug 220 7986 Kashgar China

46 3-Aug 256 8242 Kargilik (Kagelekezzhen)

47 4-Aug 257 8499 Hotan

48 5-Aug 276 8775 Niya

49 6-Aug 312 9087 Qarqan

50 7-Aug 276 9363 Ruoqiangzzhen

51 8-Aug 323 9686 Luobubozhen

52 9-Aug 381 10067 Kumul ( hami )

53 10-Aug Rest day

54 11-Aug 203 10270 Xingxingxia

55 12-Aug 229 10499 Guazhou

56 13-Aug 274 10544 Jiuchuan

57 14-Aug 222 10766 Zhangye

58 15-Aug 239 11005 Wuwei

59 16-Aug 273 11278 Lanzhou

60 17-Aug 332 11610 Pingliang

61 18-Aug 292 11902 Xian

62 19-Aug 243 12145 Sanmenxia

63 20-Aug Louyang

64 21-Aug 269 12414 Xiatangzhen

65 22-Aug 232 12646 Xiangyang

66 23-Aug 205 12851 Jingzhou

67 24-Aug 303 13154 Changsha

68 25-Aug 239 13393 Leiyang

69 26-Aug 266 13659 Shaoguan

70 27-Aug 236 13895 Guangzhou ( Canton )

SP and SS roads allowed for cycling - Europe

E and D roads allowed for Cycling - Turkey


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