e-bike

[Anna J]

I am considering turning an old 26" mountain bike into an e-bike. I have read a little on the 3 types...front hub, center mount and rear hub. Also that I can go with the lead acid batteries or the lithium (a lot lighter abut a lot more $$). If you have an e-bike, any suggestions or feedback is appreciated

 

[Avalon]

I don't have any personal experience with e-bikes, but this sticky thread on Bike forums may be of help to you.
https://www.bikeforums.net/electric-bikes/759297-building-new-electric-assist-bike.html

 

[Sunset]

No experience, but I do know lithium are lighter and more powerful per lb. which would mean more distance.

However to my novice thinking, one could go with a lead acid battery and if everything was great, in a few years when the battery starts to wear out, replace it with a lithium one.

Let us know what you find out, and decisions on your build.

 

[justlikebike]

I am currently in Europe, here every second bike seems to be an electric bike. Almost exclusively Bosch center hub. My wife rented one that had an odd gearing system set up in the rear hub that I managed to break trying to take the back wheel off. My suggestion would be to see how difficult it is to change a flat tire, that may help with a decision.

 

[pmac]

My wife, a long-time biker, has had a haibike with a bosch mid-drive for about 18 months. It is a very nice bike. I think your best choice is a high quality manufactured ebike instead of a kit. There are many quality ebikes on the market and some real deals with a bit of searching.

I think you would be unhappy with any bike using a lead battery due to the weight and limited range. The range of pedal assist ebikes using lithium based batteries is very good to excellent and getting better all the time. And lithium batteries are substantially lighter. Newer ebikes are also increasingly adopting a "stealth" look which incorporates the battery into the frame.

The best source I have found for ebike information and reviews is electricbikereview.com

Good luck on your search.

 

[Big_Hitter]

we are getting a lot of ebikes on the road here, also lots in the foothills doing mtb

word is they may be banned from the trails though

 

[Anna J]

I finished my e-bike!

I decided to convert my hybrid 700cc. I went with the 500 watt front hub motor for easy install and 2WD. I also got the 36v, 10amph lithium battery instead of the lead acid batteries. The 3x12 volt batteries would have weighed 24lbs compared the the 8lbs of the lithium.

I have rode it 3 times and like it very much. The total cost was $429...including a handle bar add-on to put the system monitor, light and thottle onto. Now I ca kepp up with DW when she gets too far ahead

 

[braumeister]

Great job. Got a picture of it?

 

[Anna J]

https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.mitchelllacy/videos/10210079941710086/

Here is link of me in action...sideways

 

[Kelor]

Based on that video, the bike is just going straight downhill. No Ebike necessary!!

(tongue in cheek because of the sideways video)

 

[Anna J]

haha ...It's a g-bike!

 

[Anna J]

My DW had the video setting on her phone rotated when she was filming! Good thing she didn't do the conversion

 

[zinger1457]

Is the intent of a kit like that to be a pedal assist or full time motor drive? What kind of distance would you expect to get on a full charge, flat roads?

 

[audreyh1]

https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.mitchelllacy/videos/10210079941710086/

Here is link of me in action...sideways

LOL! Great! At that speed you need to get off the sidewalk!

 

[Anna J]

Is the intent of a kit like that to be a pedal assist or full time motor drive? What kind of distance would you expect to get on a full charge, flat roads?

I didn't attach the "peddle assist" option. I have it to where I am using it as a regular bike and only manually engage the motor, through the thumb throttle. I didn't want the motor to auto engage.

 

[DAYDREAMER]

We converted our tandem to electric assist with a geared rear hub motor. We made 56 volt lithium ion battery packs from 28V Milwaukee tool batteries in series. Made hills a breeze. The downside of our e-bike, the assist was so addicting, we used the juice more and more, making our legs less and less. When we started using it, we used half the battery to commute to work. After a year, we got so lazy, we were using the full capacity, and adding more batteries!. We removed the system do to us getting so lazy.

 

[Anna J]

We converted our tandem to electric assist with a geared rear hub motor. We made 56 volt lithium ion battery packs from 28V Milwaukee tool batteries in series. Made hills a breeze. The downside of our e-bike, the assist was so addicting, we used the juice more and more, making our legs less and less. When we started using it, we used half the battery to commute to work. After a year, we got so lazy, we were using the full capacity, and adding more batteries!. We removed the system do to us getting so lazy.

I thought about using 2x18v milwaukee for the 36v total but it would have only provided 5Ah and I didn't want to have to charge the batteries as often. The Lithium battery I got has 10Ah. It was more $ than if I were to go with the milwaukees' though....so far I haven't had to recharge yet, mainly since I peddle more than I use the motor. It is nice to know that I can tire myself out far away from home and then just use the motor to get back if I want to

 

[hesperus]

cheaters

 

[Anna J]

^^^

I had to find a way to keep up with DW

 

[DAYDREAMER]

If I remember right, we had batteries configured both in series and parallel and around 32 amp/hours. By the time we finished, we had the equivalent of 8 28v Milwaukee batteries. We started out as very avid riders, reducing ourselves to weak riders. Had good intentions at first, but the juice is like crack to sore legs. Can't resist.