Geofencing Rental E-bikes

Video:

A non-destructive installation method is demonstrated where no original wires or components get cut, soldered, or altered. It's all plug and play for the e-bike.

Purpose:

The Strand near our store is a pedestrian walkway.  Conventional bikes are allowed, but motorized vehicles of any kind are prohibited with motors on.  The average speed of a pedaled bike is about 8 mph, while e-bikes average 14 mph, about double the speed.  We respect the community, its laws, and the safety of pedestrians.  So the motors on our rental e-bikes automatically turn on after a nice and easy 6-minute pedal with motors off in either direction on the Hermosa Beach Strand.  The rest of the 22-mile Strand has dedicated bikeways (no pedestrians), and so there and in the city, it's motors on!  Six months in action, the feedback from renters has been very positive, we are pleased to report.  They are impressed with our efforts and supportive of the safety it provides.

Resources and Background:

• E-bike Electronics Consultant: Micromobility Connect.  We vetted our geofencing plans for our rental e-bikes with owner Michael Pasquali, a National Bicycle Dealers Association contributor and internationally known and respected for his e-bike electronics service training.

• White Paper: "Geofencing Small E-bike Rental Fleets." This brief report explains our original plans for geofencing a small e-bike rental fleet, prepared June 2024.

• Local Press Coverage: Easy Reader Geofence Article 4/18/24,  Easy Reader Geofence Article 6/6/24,  Daily Breeze Geofence Article 6/6/24,  Easy Reader Geofence Article 12/23/24.

Tracker, cables, and plugs:

A non-destructive installation method is demonstrated where no original wires or components get cut, soldered, or altered. It's all plug and play for the e-bike.  All of the plugs and cables used were purchased at Amazon and are inexpensive.  Decent timing and better prices were found for Julet splitters and cables at https://www.aliexpress.com.

• Tracker Geofence Device and Platform: TrackHawk.  In this video, we used the Trackhawk VL03 - Hardwired GPS Kill Switch Tracker.

• Y-Splitter cables for brake sensor:  Search Julet Y-Splitter Extension Cable 1T2 (1 female to 2 male plugs). Some are 3-pin and 4-pin, check your brakes. Amazon purchase link.

• Cables to connect tracker's yellow wire (killswitch/relay wire) to the Julet brake sensor cable (via the above Y-splitter): Search Julet 2-pin.  Some are 3-pin and 4-pin, check your brakes.  Usually sold sets of male and female. Amazon purchase link.

• Plugs, battery power splitters, and solder connectors are all available on Amazon.  E-bikes use different plugs, so just get the ones that match yours.

Geofenced rental fleet e-bike brand:  Electric Bike Company (EBC) Model E / Model R.

Our e-bike rentals fleet: E-bike Rentals

Geofence Questions:  Email us your questions.