Bike to E-bike conversion kits - what are you running?

[Colin_P]

Apologies if there is already a thread running of this nature but after a half hearted search I couldn't find one.

First of all; E-bikes, factory built or converted - they are not cheating, they are just different and people choose them for a myriad of different reasons. And we cannot all be racing snakes!

The purpose of this thread is to discuss all things about converting your trusty steed into a E-bike.

I'll (obviously) start...

My reason(s), not that anyone needs a reason or is compelled to provide one, for going for an e-bike were / are;

1. My health took a nose dive. My heart more specifically, I've had heart electrical problems for many years but in 2020 they got worse. Some ablation minor surgery didn't go as planned and now I run on a pacemaker. If I run on batteries then so should my bike!
2. Cost, new factory built e-bike are outrageously expensive if you want anything half decent, utterly outrageously expensive and the bike overall is probably no better than your current human powered steed(s).
3. Adaptability, on factory built e-bikes, this is limited and having researched it, many if anything goes wrong means a return to an authorised dealer or back to the factory.

So, having done the research I came to the conclusion that a conversion kit was the way forward for me. Then it was a question of hub drive vs mid drive (which will hopefully discussed later).

After all that I opted for a Bafang BBS02b mid drive motor with a 17 amp hour (or 816 watt hour battery) at 48 volts.


More to follow....

 

[CXRAndy]

I bought a shopper bike for my wife a few years ago, bought a mid drive TSDZ2 kit with a 760Wh battery. She on first ride out did 20 miles and has done 46miles from 80% charged battery.

I opted for the Tsdz2 because its torque sensing motor

Ive now ordered an ebike for myself now, it will arrive sometime in spring

 

[Colin_P]

I was tempted to get one of those Tongsheng TSDZ2 kits, primarily for the torque sensing but went for the Bafang in the end due to (seemingly) better parts availability and aftermarket support.

What bike have you ordered @CXRAndy ?

 

[CXRAndy]

Frey

 

[Colin_P]

Frey

Top drawer!

 

[sleuthey]

I did some research into this recently and found the majority of the cheaper kits would not create an EPAC because some of the hub motor ones didn’t have PAS capability, some of the mid/rear drive ones didn’t have speed sensors and many of both types were above 250w. Avoiding this combination left me with few options or to up the budget. I have a single speed bike that I use daily and for which I have these in my watch list on eBay, they are not EPAC kits but I’m considering one as the vast majority of electric bikes I pass aren’t either:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/E-bike-C...-/143820305929?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RAZOR-E2...-/233887944202?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

 

[the snail]

I did some research into this recently and found the majority of the cheaper kits would not create an EPAC because some of the hub motor ones didn’t have PAS capability, some of the mid/rear drive ones didn’t have speed sensors and many of both types were above 250w. Avoiding this combination left me with few options or to up the budget. I have a single speed bike that I use daily and for which I have these in my watch list on eBay, they are not EPAC kits but I’m considering one as the vast majority of electric bikes I pass aren’t either:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/E-bike-C...-/143820305929?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RAZOR-E2...-/233887944202?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

If you want a legal kit, probably easiest to buy from a UK dealer who is more likely to stock legal kits. Shouldn't really be a problem

 

[sleuthey]

If you want a legal kit, probably easiest to buy from a UK dealer who is more likely to stock legal kits. Shouldn't really be a problem

100% correct. Legal kit through a UK dealer is relatively expensive though.

 

[the snail]

I'd be very wary of the kit you linked to, looks a bit cheapo crap to me. Most decent kits now are 48v or 36v. Those batteries look like lead acid which are pretty bad for ebikes. You probably need to be looking at £150 + for decent Li battery. If you want to go cheap, look at a decent hub drive.
https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?hubkits

 

[WILL911]

hi, advice from me who has now build maybe 2 dozen mid motor and one hub motor machine, now background would be a capable car rally mechanic, lifetime around fast machinery and love of cycling since my first machine, my mums light weight Rudge... Above the snail has mentioned 150 plus for a ''decent battery'' , friend ...that wouldn't buy the stuff to house or supply the decent cells and psa board , the nickel and the hours to build it.. how do i know, experience with the man that builds for me, hes UK based Durham area and he talks straight.. so january just past called [cycle trade is exempt] to my painter and sees him building a hub kit on another friends hybrid, who wouldn't spend Christmas , tight , water tight, wouldn't take it to me because i won't build on any run down crappy bike, yet the painter agreed with me and replaced everything . so his bill would have been a few hundred on top of the China kit Amazon price of 360 , so interested in the quality i asked my battery guy about it and he informed me that 200 quid wouldn't buy the decent stuff to build any quality battery he reckons this boyo will need a battery replacemnet in 6 months if it lasts until then.. you gets what you are prepared to pay for.. period... will

 

[currystomper]

I run a Swytch bike conversion for commuting, Commented in this forum

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/s...-pack-any-thoughts.260270/page-4#post-6742929

Opps see main post above the link