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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