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Old 09-01-21, 07:51 PM
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Doc_Wui
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Chicago Suburbs
Posts: 1,406

Bikes: GT Transeo & a half dozen ebike conversions.

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They were selling those big DD motors in front and rear drive versions when I converted my first ebike in summer of 2015. However, I wanted the freewheeling of a geared motor, and all the veterans suggested rear drive as better/safer for the newbie. Too easy to rip out alloy forks with a strong motor.

As I gained some experience, I did put a 250W motor on a 20" bike with alloy forks, The bike had a sweet 8 speed cassette and trigger shifter, and I didn't want to lose it, I used double torque arms, and this year I finally found a steel fork to replace the alloy. I feel safer.

Also this year, I came across an inexpensive 500W front motor/wheel/tire (used) for 45 bucks, and I put that on a bike that also had steel forks, What is in common with both bikes is tire slip when starting out on loose surfaces, or wet pavement, especially when I hook up a trailer that weighs around 75 pounds with load. It it were wet leaves, I'd probably fall over, but I've been wary of wet leaves ever since I almost fell on a motorcycle years ago..

On both bikes, I used torque arms or torque plates. I used to mark the nuts with ink on the first bike, and they never moved. With the 500W motor, because the cable did not go thru the axle, I was able to use a torque wrench to set the axle nuts. I did a long search, but found nothing definite. It seems like one bike maker tells his customers to go 25 ft-lbs. Seems light to me, but in truth, it was more than what I was doing on all my bikes with a 10 inch 17mm wrench.

I'd still suggest to the OP that he switch it to the rear. 1500W, even if it's only a peak number, is a lot of force to put on a fork,
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