Total justification for e bikes

[raleighnut]

Thanks @raleighnut

Perhaps you've changed my mind (again)!

I might well give them a call, although their website is very comprehensive.

One of the problems I was having was finding a front wheel motor to fit the narrow drop out on my Dawes folder,I did find one supplier but I can install rear anyway if push comes to shove.

I'm starting to think it might be best to fit the motor to one of my other stronger bikes which are not folders and don't have hydraulic brakes.

Ones my old Pioneer, the other is my 1980's steel framed Rockhopper Comp, currently being set up for short tours. Frames are ok, but it seems a lot to spend on thirty year old bikes!

The kit can be removed and put onto another bike with the same size wheels whilst the first bike can be returned to standard, it is only a bolt on so there are no frame mods needed.

A steel framed MTB/Hybrid (with steel forks) is perfect for conversion.

 

[Phil Fouracre]

Yup, these are the kits I used, for the same reason, you can easily swap the kits to a different bike. They do offer the option of buying just the motor and respoking your own wheel to suit. Even though the wheels on our bikes were nominally different sizes I've kept them complete, just in case!
Re; Cyclotricity, they reply pretty quickly to email, but, don't bother phoning, complete waste of time.

 

[Salar]

Thanks Both,

As the wheels are standard on the steel frame bikes I did expect / consider removal and fitting on something else in the future.

I think the bike to convert will be the Pioneer, I'd like to keep the Rockhopper as standard as possible, although it's a solid bike more suited to my weight!.

Maybe an early Christmas present then, courtesy of my plastic friend.

 

[voyager]

Here are a pair of small wheel e-bikes we built a couple of years ago , both still running okay but the e-shopper frame ( 30 years old )is starting to weaken , currently it has done over 4000 miles in the last 2 years , motor and controller still doing well but the throttle has been changed twice and this week the chain broke ,it is now using slime tubes and marathon tyres .

The single speed BMX is still OK but it only doubles as a reserve machine .


https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/my-folding-e-shopper.166954/

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-electric-bmx-conversion-the-build-blog.187808/#post-3911019

BMS of china make a good setup but the problem is carriage to the UK ( q100 motor )

 

[Pleiades]

The Cyclotricity thing sounds intriguing but being totally non-technically minded I could never fit such a device myself! Do you think a LBS could do it?

I have 2 candidate bikes: A GT i-Drive 2.0 full sus (16 years old so the only things original are frame and front sus). This is actually a comfy road bike (with semi-slicks now) as it soaks up all the enormous potholes around here with ease and isn't too heavy; the clever i-Drive seems to do its job in making sure energy isn't wasted bouncing around too much.

The other newer bike is a 13 Intuitive Gamma from Halfords - a Shimano Alfine (hub geared) hybrid.

Both are quite heavy enough to begin with (tho it doesn't bother me) so adding all that extra weight is a concern (if it's do-able in the first place)...

Any ideas as to the possibilities? Cheers!

 

[raleighnut]

The Cyclotricity thing sounds intriguing but being totally non-technically minded I could never fit such a device myself! Do you think a LBS could do it?

I have 2 candidate bikes: A GT i-Drive 2.0 full sus (16 years old so the only things original are frame and front sus). This is actually a comfy road bike (with semi-slicks now) as it soaks up all the enormous potholes around here with ease and isn't too heavy; the clever i-Drive seems to do its job in making sure energy isn't wasted bouncing around too much.

The other newer bike is a 13 Intuitive Gamma from Halfords - a Shimano Alfine (hub geared) hybrid.

Both are quite heavy enough to begin with (tho it doesn't bother me) so adding all that extra weight is a concern (if it's do-able in the first place)...

Any ideas as to the possibilities? Cheers!

Suspension and electric kits, not a good idea unless you opt for a crank drive and I wouldn't fit a front kit to a bike with a carbon/aluminium fork.

Ideal bikes to convert are rigid MTBs or Hybrids with a CrMo fork.

 

[Pale Rider]

To expand a bit on what @raleighnut says, mounting a battery is the problem with a full sus because there's not enough room in the triangle and rear carrier doesn't work well with the suspension.

If you can somehow solve the battery mount problem, a crank kit is not an option on the GT due to the i-Drive.

Which leaves hub motors.

A rear could be done, but may limit your cassette options.

Some people do fit front motors to suspension forks, but the drop outs need to be meaty, and you would need to tether the motor to the fork legs with torque arms.

It should be possible to fit a crank kit on the 13 bike.

A rear motor is not possible due to the hub gear.

Front motors in carbon forks are an absolute no-no.

It looks like the 13 bike has those, so the only option is a crank kit.

 

[Pleiades]

To expand a bit on what @raleighnut says, mounting a battery is the problem with a full sus because there's not enough room in the triangle and rear carrier doesn't work well with the suspension.

If you can somehow solve the battery mount problem, a crank kit is not an option on the GT due to the i-Drive.

Which leaves hub motors.

A rear could be done, but may limit your cassette options.

Some people do fit front motors to suspension forks, but the drop outs need to be meaty, and you would need to tether the motor to the fork legs with torque arms.

It should be possible to fit a crank kit on the 13 bike.

A rear motor is not possible due to the hub gear.

Front motors in carbon forks are an absolute no-no.

It looks like the 13 bike has those, so the only option is a crank kit.

Thanks for the info, very helpful!

 

[Pleiades]

Suspension and electric kits, not a good idea unless you opt for a crank drive and I wouldn't fit a front kit to a bike with a carbon/aluminium fork.

Ideal bikes to convert are rigid MTBs or Hybrids with a CrMo fork.

Thanks for info. I googled crank drive and one of the results was this: https://www.electricbike.com/mid-drive-kits/ which showed some nice full-suss bikes with the mod. Seems like they have a lot of downside though...

 

[Pale Rider]

Thanks for info. I googled crank drive and one of the results was this: https://www.electricbike.com/mid-drive-kits/ which showed some nice full-suss bikes with the mod. Seems like they have a lot of downside though...

Worth bearing in mind that site is aimed at those wanting bikes that are far more powerful than is legal in the UK, so some of the advice doesn't apply.

For example, changing gear on a legal crank drive motor is no trouble at all.

Either a hub or crank will do the job.

Cranks other a more authentic cycling experience in that you go up and down the gears just like an ordinary bike, you have to because there's not enough poke to do otherwise.

The power (such as it is) delivery from a hub motor can feel disconnected from the riding of the bike.

 

[Pleiades]

Worth bearing in mind that site is aimed at those wanting bikes that are far more powerful than is legal in the UK, so some of the advice doesn't apply.

For example, changing gear on a legal crank drive motor is no trouble at all.

Either a hub or crank will do the job.

Cranks other a more authentic cycling experience in that you go up and down the gears just like an ordinary bike, you have to because there's not enough poke to do otherwise.

The power (such as it is) delivery from a hub motor can feel disconnected from the riding of the bike.

Interesting. Dang it, I'd prefer to try a crank on the full-sus but as you say, the i-Drive is the obstacle.

PS I hadn't realised how many vendors there are! This must be a growing market, not just a niche? I know it's really taken off in China, unsurprisingly... pity they embraced the 'great car culture' of the US - now they have the longest traffic jams and worst smog in the world :-(

I remember those old films showing thousands upon thousands of Chinese workers on bicycles, which we thought was a sign of a backward society...

 

[Pale Rider]

Some stories in China of ebikes being banned in cities because there are so many of them.

They are dreadful contraptions, so I'm told, with heavy lead acid batteries, but the bikes are very cheap and commonly sold in supermarkets.

Ebikes in the UK are still very much a niche product, although it's not so unusual for me to see another one on my travels now which it would have been five years ago.

As regards vendors, BMS battery is one of the most reliable suppliers from China, and they have a large range of kits and components.

https://bmsbattery.com/

 

[MrGrumpy]

Had a conversation with my 78yr old father on an ebike for him, rides every day more or less on his hybrid taking the dog for a run currently . Still manages but this I can see as an option for him pretty soon. Not quite as nimble as he used to be !

 

[Pleiades]

Some stories in China of ebikes being banned in cities because there are so many of them.

They are dreadful contraptions, so I'm told, with heavy lead acid batteries, but the bikes are very cheap and commonly sold in supermarkets.

Ebikes in the UK are still very much a niche product, although it's not so unusual for me to see another one on my travels now which it would have been five years ago.

As regards vendors, BMS battery is one of the most reliable suppliers from China, and they have a large range of kits and components.

https://bmsbattery.com/

Now I come to think of it, I remember some of the first Chinese e-bikes that came over in any quantity, must've been over 10-15 years ago? They were pretty awful, and expensive for what they were too. I'm guessing new models are vastly improved LOL...

 

[welsh dragon]

Now I come to think of it, I remember some of the first Chinese e-bikes that came over in any quantity, must've been over 10-15 years ago? They were pretty awful, and expensive for what they were too. I'm guessing new models are vastly improved LOL...

I think you'll find they are a hell of a lot better. Better made, more stylish,and the batteries last a lot longer.