Recommend an E-Bike Conversion Kit?
11-19-18, 01:54 PM
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Recommend an E-Bike Conversion Kit?
Hey Everyone,
I was in Austin, TX, last week, and tried a Jumpbike for the first time. Previously, I didn't really "get" the reason for a pedal assist e-bike. Now I have to say it was REALLY COOL cruising around town effortlessly! Now I'm contemplating converting the following bike to an E-Bike:
https://www.bikeforums.net/18554378-post827.html
Can you recommend some kits that don't break the bank? I know the bulk of the price comes from the battery pack. I don't anticipate needing a lot of range...I'm not even sure how I'll use the bike, but I do have experience coming from the r/c control hobby with big electric helicopters, so I'm not opposed to building a better pack down the road...
Pete
I was in Austin, TX, last week, and tried a Jumpbike for the first time. Previously, I didn't really "get" the reason for a pedal assist e-bike. Now I have to say it was REALLY COOL cruising around town effortlessly! Now I'm contemplating converting the following bike to an E-Bike:
https://www.bikeforums.net/18554378-post827.html
Can you recommend some kits that don't break the bank? I know the bulk of the price comes from the battery pack. I don't anticipate needing a lot of range...I'm not even sure how I'll use the bike, but I do have experience coming from the r/c control hobby with big electric helicopters, so I'm not opposed to building a better pack down the road...
Pete
11-22-18, 10:25 PM
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Bikes: K2 (Marzocchi/Fox), Trek 6000 (red) MARS Elite up front, Specialized Hardrock Sport -> eBike (R7 Elite up front), lastly TREK 820 loaner. Recently sold Peugeot du Monde Record and 1956 Schwinn (owned since new).
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My process so far ...
I'm going through the same process. While riding up in Mendocino two weeks ago, I stopped by a LBS and asked about eBikes. The owner was adamant that I stick with mid-drive. Not that he was selling me anything, but offered some strong'ish arguments (like CG, smallest change to bike as in just the bottom bracket) and off I went. He also wanted me on a full suspension bike. I have ridden motorcycles for over 50 years (still do), so that made sense to me.
I looked at all the big dealers of quality kits (Dillenger, Luna, Grin, etc.) and settled on EMPowered in Castro Valley, Calif. I started the discussion by email with the owner - Matt. Very knowledgeable guy and he stocks everything you need. Passionate guy with a strong feeling for what works and what does not. Seems he ends up retro-fitting other conversions to make them actually work ... He sells kits mail order and does on-site builds.
BUT, the full suspension bike I bought off CL for the project turned out to be such a sweet pedal bike when I got through sorting it, I just could not do it to that one. It's a older K2 (Al frame, carbon swing arm) with upgraded Marzocchi fork and Fox shock. The PO was a weight weenie, so everything was as light as possible down to the Ti seat post and Ritchie tires. As received it was about 24 pounds. Prolly about 28 with my mods, but still the lightest thing I own, for $100 buy in. I'll keep it as a pedal bike for the duration. It has won me over
So while I was working out the possible build based on the Bafang 8Fun BBS02 mid-drive, I just did not want to load the rear cassette and light weight Mavic wheels that hard (motor TQ multiplied by gear selection). I'm not going to be challenging any steep off road trails, etc. And that is what these kits are really designed to do. And, if your rear hub is a freewheel, the motor torque can really crank that onto the threads ... So I stepped back and rethought my process. I don't want a fragile swing arm taking that load, or vertical 9mm QR alloy drop-outs taking it either ...
So I decided to look more closely at geared rear hub drives. Most rear hubs are direct drive and have a magnet induced cogging effect when not powered. So if anything goes wrong with your system while out and about, you have to pedal over that plus the ebike kit mass added to your machine ... BUT, Bafang has a geared hub that does freewheel when not powered, so that is where I'm headed. It's a small hub, so no great weight penalty. I bought a well used Specialized Hardrock Sport for $70 and am getting it sorted and ready. I'll get a variation on the rear G310 Advanced PAS kit from Grin Technologies (eBikes.ca) and add the appropriate additional TQ arm to the beefy HR Sport drop-out section. Grin have been very good about answering serial questions, and they have all the right parts too
I would suggest you look at something similar as it would do that bike nicely IMHO
I looked at all the big dealers of quality kits (Dillenger, Luna, Grin, etc.) and settled on EMPowered in Castro Valley, Calif. I started the discussion by email with the owner - Matt. Very knowledgeable guy and he stocks everything you need. Passionate guy with a strong feeling for what works and what does not. Seems he ends up retro-fitting other conversions to make them actually work ... He sells kits mail order and does on-site builds.
BUT, the full suspension bike I bought off CL for the project turned out to be such a sweet pedal bike when I got through sorting it, I just could not do it to that one. It's a older K2 (Al frame, carbon swing arm) with upgraded Marzocchi fork and Fox shock. The PO was a weight weenie, so everything was as light as possible down to the Ti seat post and Ritchie tires. As received it was about 24 pounds. Prolly about 28 with my mods, but still the lightest thing I own, for $100 buy in. I'll keep it as a pedal bike for the duration. It has won me over
So while I was working out the possible build based on the Bafang 8Fun BBS02 mid-drive, I just did not want to load the rear cassette and light weight Mavic wheels that hard (motor TQ multiplied by gear selection). I'm not going to be challenging any steep off road trails, etc. And that is what these kits are really designed to do. And, if your rear hub is a freewheel, the motor torque can really crank that onto the threads ... So I stepped back and rethought my process. I don't want a fragile swing arm taking that load, or vertical 9mm QR alloy drop-outs taking it either ...
So I decided to look more closely at geared rear hub drives. Most rear hubs are direct drive and have a magnet induced cogging effect when not powered. So if anything goes wrong with your system while out and about, you have to pedal over that plus the ebike kit mass added to your machine ... BUT, Bafang has a geared hub that does freewheel when not powered, so that is where I'm headed. It's a small hub, so no great weight penalty. I bought a well used Specialized Hardrock Sport for $70 and am getting it sorted and ready. I'll get a variation on the rear G310 Advanced PAS kit from Grin Technologies (eBikes.ca) and add the appropriate additional TQ arm to the beefy HR Sport drop-out section. Grin have been very good about answering serial questions, and they have all the right parts too
I would suggest you look at something similar as it would do that bike nicely IMHO
