The Q140MD e-bike is a complex machine with lots of set-up options. It gives riders the freedom to choose the perfect combo. But what if you're not sure what you need? No worries! Read the article below and if you're still not sure, contact us for individual advice.

The Battery Pack

We offer two battery sizes:

The size of the battery pack will affect you bike's: max. (peak) power, max. speed, range, max. torque, charging time, etc.

We, at Qulbix, assemble all battery packs in-house. Why?

Because that's the best way to control the quality. We only use high quality Li-Ion cells from renowned manufacturers. Cells are mounted in an ABS holder to allow the hot air to escape between the gaps and through the vents, out of the battery. This prevents the heat build-up inside the battery pack and increases the safety and lifespan of the cells. The individual cells are connected with the spot-welded nickel strips. The cross-sections of the nickel strips between the series are large, which ensures minimum resistance for higher current flow. High current BMS unit is placed outside the battery pack to minimize the heating of the cells and to allow for an easier servicing.

Foot Pegs or Pedals?

This is a personal preference.

It all depends on where and how you will do your riding. If your background is a push bike, then pedals might be a better option for you, and if you're used to a MX bike, foot pegs might be better. But the beauty of the Q140MD is that foot pegs and pedals can be switched at any time. Think you might need pedals for your forest exploration rides and pegs for your MX training? Sure, take both set-up and swap them as you go.

There's a few questions that come to mind, when thinking of pedals on a performance e-bike:

Can I move the bike only with pushing on pedals if I run out of the battery?

Can I increase the range of the ride if I pedal?

The answer to both is yes.

But because the gear ratio of the pedal overdrive system is very »long«, the pedalling of a 50+ kg bike can prove very difficult. Nonetheless, on the straight or slight downhill terrain moving the bike only with pedals is possible. Pedalling it uphill without the motor's power is not very probable. There is also a special technique called »active regeneration« which works like this: when you are going downhill push on the pedals and use the regen brake (moderate it) to increase the regenerative charging. Check on the display how much current are you »pumping« back into the battery. For greater effect stand-up during the pedalling. You will be surprised how much you will increase the range by using this technique!

The foot pegs are classic foldable steel MX pegs.

Moto Style Seat or Classic Bicycle Seat?

Again, it's up to you. But in our experience, most clients that have tried both, prefer the moto seat.

Why?

Because it's just so much more comfortable and it works not only with pegs, but also with pedals. Q140MD's cranks are modified (shorter) than on standard bicycles which allows for effective pedalling even if you do sit lower on a moto seat (compared to a classic bicycle seat).

Here's an explanation taken from downhill riding: if you want to pedal a DH (downhill) bike when the seat is low, your knees will be bent so much, you'll be almost hitting you chest. It's a very unnatural position and you'll get tired very fast. To avoid that, the seat on a DH bike is set very high and the cranks are typically 170mm long. With the Core's where the moto seat is lower, we created specialised, shorter cranks (120mm) that solve the same problem. Custom cranks give you a better control during cornering, jumps etc. You might still argue that 170mm cranks will give you more leverage and that that's an optimal length for effective pedalling ... yes, you are right, but you do not need optimal pedalling with 10+ kW bike, do you? It is much more important to have a better control of all that power and weight, during the ride.

PAS - Yes or No?

PAS or Pedal Assist System consists of the pedal cadence sensor and e-brake cut-off switches. The whole system gives you a control over the motor acceleration only through the pedals. The faster you spin the pedals the faster you will go. It is that easy. No need to twist the throttle.

Using the twist throttle is still the best way to fine-control the bike, but the pedalling gives it the special "I am a superhuman" feel. The PAS system can also be easily disconnected when you do not need it or you do not want it to interfere with the twist throttle.

Qulbix bikes standardly come only with the twist throttle control, but if you choose to add the PAS option, your bike will have three throttle set-ups:

(1) Classic moto style twist grip throttle - use only the twist grip to regulate throttle.
(2) Twist grip throttle AND pedal assist - use the pedals or the twist grip to regulate throttle. Using the twist grip will override the pedal assist throttle. This double throttle option is best for off-road trips, where you wish to have a workout, but also want to have maximum control over throttle in case the terrain gets too rough for pedals.
(3) Pedal assist - use only pedals to control throttle.

Throttle set-ups can be easily be regulated on your bike's display. You can also set up an end speed lock, at 25km/h.

Upgrading Brakes

The bike's stopping power relies on the front brake, rear brake and also on the regen brake, which is an effective secondary rear brake, as when engaged it will cause the motor to gradually slow down the rear wheel. The regenerative braking is very practical to use (as it is variable, smooth) and very useful for two reasons: it will save the brake pads and at the same time increase the range of your bike. This is especially useful on long downhill rides.

We also offer the double-disc front brake upgrade - quite a unique feature - for more advance riders.

Q140MD's Add-ons:

The gear ratio between the motor and rear wheel determines what the maximum rear wheel torque and speed will be.

The standard chain wheel ratio on the Q140MD Core is 22T/34T for optimum torque/speed (70-75 km/h) ratio. If you prefer a high speed option (80 km/h) you can choose an additional chain wheel size for the rear, the 30T to change to a 22T/30T combo.

Electric bikes have started off with the hub-drive designs (where the motor is positioned in the rear wheel) as the motor was meant to only assist the rider's pedalling. This concept still works well, for classic road pedelecs, with weak and light motors of 250 - 500W of power assistance. Performance off-road e-bikes, however, are another matter. Having a heavier, powerful motor placed in the rear wheel presents a serious disadvantage and drastically downgrades its over-all riding performance. 

In practice it means that the hub-drive bike's rear wheel does not follow the trail's surface, but bunces off on holes and bumps, due to its heavy weight's rebound. It is like comparing a hardtail bicycle (a bicycle without the rear suspension) to a downhill bike with a great rear suspension.

Mid-drive e-bikes on the other hand, have a much more balanced weight distribution and so minimal unsprung mass. This results in a much better riding stability and manoeuvrability. There is also much less stress on the rear wheel, which means less rim damage and tyre punctures.  

Mid-drive bike's advantages:

1. Minimal unsprung mass;

2. Better riding stability;

3. Better manoeuvrability;

4. Less impact on rear wheel (rim);

5. Simpler rear tyre change;