The mountain bike events getting children into the great outdoors

“Two years ago I was at a mountain bike race listening to the noise of a generator and struggling to hear the Public Address system; says Ed Jones from Off-Grid Power Systems.“I decided there and then that I was going to build a power generation trailer so they didn’t need a generator. My son races – he’s just finished his third season with the Ohio chapter of NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) and I wanted to do my part to support their mission to get more kids on bikes.

NICA began 13 years ago with the mission to build ‘Strong minds, bodies, character and communities through cycling’. Today there are 32 leagues across America.

Approximately 200 student athletes (SA’s) in grades 6-12 took part in the Ohio 2024 season just ended. Five races, fortnightly, from August to early October sees volunteer crews set up on Friday after work until dark, and up again on Saturday morning around 6:30am to prepare for the ‘Coaches Ride’ course inspection at midday and cycling events at 3pm.

Friends-and-family ride from 5:30-7:00pm. There are family entertainments – cycling and non-cycling – throughout the weekend.

Sunday sees more events, with the awards ceremony at 3:30pm until about 4:15pm – then it’s clean up, pack up, and head back home before dark. A packed weekend for volunteers and participants alike

During the professionally organised event power – which used to be provided by a noisy generator – is needed for a whole load of functions:

• • Push-to-talk two-way radio transceivers as well as amateur radio
  • Automated timing equipment at the start/finish line
  • A floor fan to keep the timing system cool in the summer
  • A floor fan to keep the two timing judges cool
  • Inflatable finish line (which doubles as a backdrop for the awards ceremony)
  • Laptops.
  • Laser printer
  • Large screen TV for race results
  • PA system for music, race announcements, and awards ceremony
  • Starlink & WiFi
  • Charging e-bikes (some of the Course Marshalls and Sweeps use e-bikes)
  • Providing power to the Trek tents (they are a league sponsor and also do on-site bike repairs for SA’s)
  • Provides device charging (phones, tablets, etc) to staff, teams, and spectators
  • 120V air compressor for tyre repairs at the race
  • There is a refrigerator/freezer inside the trailer to provide refreshments

Ed says: “Now that we offer ample silent and sustainable power we notice that every time there’s a race, more uses are added to the list!”

The towable solar power generator is larger than needed for the OMBL races because the trailer is available to rent for other events and is also used for on-site installation work by Ed’s installation team.

The set up inside the trailer looks like this:

• • 2x MultiPlus-II 48/5000 120V – 10kVA, 8kW continuous rating
  • 1x Autotransformer 100A in a 120V/240V split-phase configuration
  • Cerbo GX MK2 + GX Touch 70 communication centre device and touch-screen user interface. There’s a GPS receiver to allow for Victron Remote Management VRM solar forecast updates and geofencing – so the trailer can be tracked if it’s ever stolen.
  • 8x Lithium Battery Smart 200Ah 25.6V battery modules (40kWh total)

• • Lynx Smart BMS 500A takes care of the battery management for Victron Lithium batteries; there’s a Lynx Power In for connecting the DC power distribution and two Lynx Distributors with monitored fuses.
  • Smart BatteryProtect 48/100 disconnects the batteries from non essential loads before they become excessively depleted.  The system includes a 48V air conditioner via ATD on the BMS
  • 2x Orion-Tr Smart 48/12-30A DC to DC power supply provides 12V power for ham radios, vent fan, and electric jack
  • 1x SmartSolar MPPT 150/45 Solar Charge Controller maximises the power harvest from solar panels.
  • 6x Merlin Solar TBS240L (240W) flexible adhesive panels on the roof
  • 8x Merlin Solar Panther 200 (200W) portable panels connected to a Hoymiles HMS-2000-4T-NA four port microinverter (two panels per MPPT) for a total of 1600W of AC-coupled solar on the ground when needed.

• • • These back-feed the AC output of the inverters

• • A VM-3P75CT Energy Meter to measure the output of the Hoymiles inverter so VRM accurately accounts for the AC-coupled PV production
  • 1x Starlink Gen3 Standard antenna mounted flat on the roof to provide Internet access in remote locations

• • • This network is used as a WLAN at the race infield to network the computers, timing system, and a large-screen TV for live results to the spectators, SA’s, coaches, etc.
    • It also provides Internet access for live race updates online for people not at the race to keep up-to-date on race results
    • It also provides public WiFi access when cellular service isn’t available.

Copyright: NICA

The National Interscholastic Cycling Association’s mission has been very successful in getting more children outside, away from screens, and on bikes. The race league gives them the opportunity to challenge themselves mentally and physically, while teaching them how to handle adversity and progress at the pace that works for them.

The OMBL volunteers work their arses off each of the five weekends! says Ed, who is really keen to spread the word about NICA who are now reaching across the Atlantic in order to replicate their successful events in Europe.

Let’s take a look at Off-Grid Energy’s mobile power set up – as seen at an event:

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