momsonherbike

Let's see if I can help give some guidance:

1. Your bike itself is going to determine what type of ebike Kit you will be able to use. Aluminum frames are not designed for the type of torque and force that a front hub drive will have on the forks. Which means you are limited to either a pedal-assist, or a rear electric hub.

2. Now, since you know you can have only a pedal assist or a rear electric hub, you will want to decide exactly how fast you want to go. If you want to go at the maximum 28 mph, which would be a class 3 electric bike, I would strongly suggest the pedal assist. The torque from speeds that quick are pretty hefty, even on the back forks, so I would say that it would be a no go for a hub drive for that speed. That speed is also a no-go for any MUPs or bike paths off of the main roads. You will be limited , generally by law, to staying on the public roads if you use assisted speed up to the max 28mph. If you want to limit yourself to an assisted 20 miles per hour, and don't care if the electric power shuts off after that and leaves you on your own to increase the speed under your own power, then you can use either rear hub drive, or pedal assist. You can also choose if you want to use a throttle only, or a throttle with pedal assist, or pedal assist only. You are also free to use the MUPs

3. Since you are in the US, then you can use an electric motor up to 750 watts. Keep in mind that the bigger the wattage, the deeper/faster the drain on your battery, which means you'll need a bigger battery to accomodate the motor which means more weight carried on your bike. I would suggest 350w to be your maximum choice, based upon what you plan to do (commuting). Less weight overall, yet still plenty of power.

4. Do yourself a favor - if you want a kit then buy a complete kit from a reputable dealer. The motor, the batteries, and the controller that are already fitted for one another . That dealer will match the proper components and will usually have a good warranty on everything. If this is your first ebike, then you really want a plug-and-play kit. If you are handy enough to do a conversion yourself, putting the pieces together, then more power to you. If not, then search out a dealer that will not only sell you the kit, but will also install it on your bike for you. Lithium batteries are not something you want to fool around with unless you know exactly what you are doing.

5. Keep in mind that a mid drive motor is hard on your drive train, and may shorten the lifespan of your chain due to the torque for which the bike itself was not designed. Keep in mind, also, that a hub drive is hard on the bike's forks, and you may well need to use torque arms for any hub over 250 watts especially on an aluminum frame.

6. If you are serious about using this bike for daily commuting, save the hassle of converting your old bike and spend your money instead on a good quality commuter ebike from a reputable manufacturer. As in all things "you get what you pay for", and a solid bike designed for a motor - while initially expensive to buy - may well be the cheapest option in the long run.

7. The nice thing about a bike over a motorcycle is: you can often take your bike inside your workplace to keep it secure. Also, if your battery craps out, you can still ride your bicycle home. It can also be put inside a car for emergency transport. Can't do that with a motorcycle.

8. You don't need vehicle insurance. You don't need a driver's license. You don't need state inspections, or registration. It's a bike, and is treated like every other bicycle in the eyes of the legal system.