A quick update.
Took the plunge & ordered the 'Woosh' XF07 front hub conversion kit with 17Ah battery pack for the tandem.
Fitted it all tentatively today & took it for a quick 20 mile jaunt with the wife. I am a reasonably fit & experienced cyclist but unfortunately the wife has never quite mastered the balance for solo cycling. Having spent a while in hospital she has also lost a fair bit of fitness thus I have recently found even quite mild uphills a bit onerous, especially with a nipper in the child seat. Although I was advised that the XF07 probably wasn't the best option for a relatively heavy tandem I am very very pleased with the performance today. Admittedly we chose a gently undulating route and there is a certain 'novelty' to the whole thing but 'wow'!!......why do people need cars?
Again, very pleased and I can't fault the assistance from staff at 'Woosh' who have displayed great customer service, highly recommended.
The only real 'difficulties' were:
1. having to drill into the frame to fit a couple of rivnuts for the battery/controller (had to drill at a bit of an angle as the location was a bit tight - I realise right angled drill attachments are available cheaply but I am a little impatient).
2. Initially I couldn't get the hub between the forks as the clearances are very very tight. 100mm OLN but the tandem has very fat forks. Managed to just get clearance by manipulating the spacer washers & removing the not used disc brake ring/bolts (good advice from Woosh here - I was about to give up & purchase some different forks!)
3. Having to get rid of the original integrated brake/gear trigger shifters & source some separate gear shifters (eBay cheapies) to use with the Woosh supplied brake levers (motor cutout). Entailing rerouting all brake & gear cables which is a bit of a pain. In hindsight I would probably have been better ordering their 'hydraulic brake cut off' switches at £23 & retaining my original shifters! Ho hum.
4. One of the supplied cables, from the controller to the front hub motor was about a foot too short. Advised Woosh by email yesterday (Friday) afternoon & the new longer cable was with me this morning (Saturday). I am up in the Highlands, I think Woosh are in Essex!!
5. Fitted 2 new (very cheap, probably I will regret this) longer square taper bottom brackets 127.5mm to facilitate fitment of the pedal assist sensor.
So, on the whole nothing too extreme. I hope once the novelty wears off a bit I am still as pleased with the outcome as I am at the moment. It really does take the sting out of the hills but you still get a good workout if that's what you want. I don't think I would fit a motor to my solo steeds but for the tandem I wish I'd done it a long time ago!
A few pics if anyone interested, still not finished securing all the cables etc, job in progress:
Any comments or constructive criticism welcome.