e-bike: waiting...

Currently my e-bike project is on "pause" while I wait for packages to arrive and figure out how I'm going to reduce the frame weight.

Package #1 is coming from Taiwan, and is four "LM2596HV DC-DC 4.5-55V Adjustable Power Supply Converter Step-down Modules" from ProDCtoDC.com  I plan to use these, perhaps in conjunction with other electronic components, to convert my battery pack's mighty DC voltage to something that won't fry the other components I want to use in my build.

Package #2 is coming from the US and is a bunch of electronics from SparkFun, including an IOIO board which I plan to use to connect via Bluetooth with an Android phone, to provide a new dashboard for the bike.  I'm going to experiment with various sensors on the board & phone.  I'm also planning to use the IOIO board to help with things like driving the turn signals.. I'll be replacing the stock bulbs with LEDs.

Frame-wise I'm leaning towards getting a small, portable oxy acetylene torch kit and learning to braze bike bits together.  The idea being to scavenge some old, worn out (and cheap!) bike frames for useful and lighter components and assemble a new frame, something like the old one but lighter.

There's a bunch of other things I'd like to try as well:  Rewinding the wheel motor to try and improve it's efficiency, rebuilding the battery pack so it's more aesthetically pleasing, vacuum mould my own plastic body panels, etc., etc.

Hopefully it will keep me amused for a while. :)