ericmark
Senior Member
- Location
- Llanfair Caereinion, Mid Wales.
Moving house new one up hill from main road so to get home seems ebike is the way to go, wife has an ebike centre motor from halfords the Carrera Crosspath Electric Hybrid Bike - 18" which I have tried and like, however it is £1600 which is not cheap, I already have quite a good bike, so question is do I convert that bike or buy new?
Looked at kits, the Bafang BBS01 seen at £350 to £450 and battery another £175 so even a conversion not cheap, and I can't really work out why a range in the price, it seems I remove the crank bearings and the kit replaces them I lose the three cogs at front and have to select, and to be frank I am a little uncertain about getting a kit which does not then do as expected, I see why to use kit for non road legal so one can in essence build an electric motor bike, but I am looking at street legal so not so sure if worth modifying existing bike?
OK existing bike old but good quality reasonable light but no disc brakes and looking at Halfords prices mid motor ebike start at £850 or £950 with disc brakes, and suspension and I can get a folding ebike for £500 with no gears which would mean could take on the bus, but not as good for riding.
At the moment the Carrera Vengeance E Mens Electric Mountain Bike seems about right as larger wheels more suitable for canal tow path however not mid motor so motor does not drive through gears like wife's. hers does seem the first in Halford range with centre motor, disc brakes, suspension however converting my mountain bike is heavy and cheap both wheels with suspension and disc brakes but so heavy with motor added could not carry on bike rack, and road bike calliper brakes no suspension already broke a rear wheel I assume because I am too heavy, so with extra weight of motor and battery would it take it?
Clearly no answer expected saying do this, but would like some feed back from people who have fitted mid motor kits, or used other ebikes, specially considering complete ebike has a frame designed to take the mid motor so alloy constructed frame rather than steel.
Thoughts please.
Looked at kits, the Bafang BBS01 seen at £350 to £450 and battery another £175 so even a conversion not cheap, and I can't really work out why a range in the price, it seems I remove the crank bearings and the kit replaces them I lose the three cogs at front and have to select, and to be frank I am a little uncertain about getting a kit which does not then do as expected, I see why to use kit for non road legal so one can in essence build an electric motor bike, but I am looking at street legal so not so sure if worth modifying existing bike?
OK existing bike old but good quality reasonable light but no disc brakes and looking at Halfords prices mid motor ebike start at £850 or £950 with disc brakes, and suspension and I can get a folding ebike for £500 with no gears which would mean could take on the bus, but not as good for riding.
At the moment the Carrera Vengeance E Mens Electric Mountain Bike seems about right as larger wheels more suitable for canal tow path however not mid motor so motor does not drive through gears like wife's. hers does seem the first in Halford range with centre motor, disc brakes, suspension however converting my mountain bike is heavy and cheap both wheels with suspension and disc brakes but so heavy with motor added could not carry on bike rack, and road bike calliper brakes no suspension already broke a rear wheel I assume because I am too heavy, so with extra weight of motor and battery would it take it?
Clearly no answer expected saying do this, but would like some feed back from people who have fitted mid motor kits, or used other ebikes, specially considering complete ebike has a frame designed to take the mid motor so alloy constructed frame rather than steel.
Thoughts please.