Electric bicycles - who buys them?
Discussion
Built my own ebike a couple of years ago. Took an old Felt Q650 hardtail MTB, had it powder coated, and then built it up with a 1200W motor from China, a battery (LiFePO4 - don’t want to burn my house down) from Hong Kong, and a set of motor mounts laser cut by a guy in the US. Goes like the clappers and is slightly illegal, so I added a cycle analyst computer from Canada that uses various sensors to add pedal assist, cruise control, throttle ramps, and can limit power down to a user selectable 250W/15MPH max, 600W, or 1200W unlimited. Enormous 6 pot front brake and very sturdy forks were also fitted.
It’s brilliant for commuting as it’s basically free, and if you shy away from riding it up flights of stairs, its reliable too.
It’s brilliant for commuting as it’s basically free, and if you shy away from riding it up flights of stairs, its reliable too.
Cupramax said:
Very constructive criticism 
my “crap” conversion has done over 2000 trouble free miles so far, only needing a new chain, sprockets and brake pads. I’d say how crap it is, is down to the components used and the skills of who built it.
They always have the batteries on a rack in a textile bag though, looks pants. If you managed to build one with a battery which is part of the frame like the one I had i'd be impressed. And those 2000 miles arent that impressive. Mine did 900 miles without any visible wear on the brakes, chain or sprockets. In fact all i did in that time was clean and oil the chain twice. And it was only a grand, and sold it for 750 my “crap” conversion has done over 2000 trouble free miles so far, only needing a new chain, sprockets and brake pads. I’d say how crap it is, is down to the components used and the skills of who built it.Cupramax said:
Battery was just over £300, ordered direct from one of the biggest ebike battery manufacturers in China on AliExpress, battery arrived in 10 days. Mid drive Motor kit (replaces the existing crank) was around £340 from a UK importer. You need a modicum of mechanical knowledge and a soldering iron, I bought a cheap bike tool kit and it was easy but I am fairly mechanically minded. The kit fitted my Specialized Crosstrail without issue.
Does that motor kit have all the torque sensing stuff like a Bosch/Specialised/etc to put in a force proportional to your pedalling, or is it handlebar controlled more like an electric scooter? If the latter have you also ridden on of the former to compare? I've only ever tried a Bosch powered pedal assist so interested in how a conversion compares.EazyDuz said:
They always have the batteries on a rack in a textile bag though, looks pants. If you managed to build one with a battery which is part of the frame like the one I had i'd be impressed. And those 2000 miles arent that impressive. Mine did 900 miles without any visible wear on the brakes, chain or sprockets. In fact all i did in that time was clean and oil the chain twice. And it was only a grand, and sold it for 750
I posted a pic of the bike on page 4 of the thread but just for you, it’s a shark type battery mounted on the bottle cage mounts. Short of buying a custom frame which accepts a battery, the price makes those not worth it as you can buy something like a Cube Reaction for similar money.
RizzoTheRat said:
Does that motor kit have all the torque sensing stuff like a Bosch/Specialised/etc to put in a force proportional to your pedalling, or is it handlebar controlled more like an electric scooter? If the latter have you also ridden on of the former to compare? I've only ever tried a Bosch powered pedal assist so interested in how a conversion compares.
No, the Bafang drives only do pedal cadence with 9 levels of pedal assist with a handlebar display plus thumb throttle. It’s not as sofisticated as the Bosch systems but then it only costs £400.They have recently released some new drives similar to Bosch ones with torque sensing but you need custom frames for them.
I did my own conversion using a kit from Panda and a battery from Insat International. Base bike was a Kinesis Maxlight I already had. It's not "Maxlight" anymore! The rear hub motor is a XIONGDA unit, nominally 250W and features two internal speeds, LO up to around 10mph then it changes up to reach the legal max. It achieves the gearchange by clever use of uni-directional clutches and an epicyclic gearset. The actual change simply involves reversing the motor, which can be done manually but I usually leave it in AUTO.
The battery is a 630Wh which gives excellent range. Today's ride was 36 miles mostly done in levels 1 & 2 which give 90 or 125W of assist. Half trail, half road. Battery still shows 50%. I was getting tired though, so I would have needed to up the assist to go further. I reckon 50 miles mixed trail or 60+ road miles are possible.
The bike doesn't have a torque sensor but the controller has what it calls " Imitation Torque Mode". When selected this seems to give more "oomph" at takeoff then steady assist after that. The assist bleeds off as legal max is approached. It doesn't just switch in and out. I have a thumb throttle for "boost". This was quite legal at the time, before anyone chimes in.
I built the bike having been diagnosed with a heart problem similar to arrythmia. I'm on various meds which limit my heartrate somewhat. Without the ebike I wouldn't be cycling much at all. It's one of the best thing I have ever built and I'm presently planning a " roadie" version. Can't wait for the annual holiday in the Glens in August...
IMAG0103 by Geoff Lee, on Flickr
008 by Geoff Lee, on Flickr
The battery is a 630Wh which gives excellent range. Today's ride was 36 miles mostly done in levels 1 & 2 which give 90 or 125W of assist. Half trail, half road. Battery still shows 50%. I was getting tired though, so I would have needed to up the assist to go further. I reckon 50 miles mixed trail or 60+ road miles are possible.
The bike doesn't have a torque sensor but the controller has what it calls " Imitation Torque Mode". When selected this seems to give more "oomph" at takeoff then steady assist after that. The assist bleeds off as legal max is approached. It doesn't just switch in and out. I have a thumb throttle for "boost". This was quite legal at the time, before anyone chimes in.
I built the bike having been diagnosed with a heart problem similar to arrythmia. I'm on various meds which limit my heartrate somewhat. Without the ebike I wouldn't be cycling much at all. It's one of the best thing I have ever built and I'm presently planning a " roadie" version. Can't wait for the annual holiday in the Glens in August...
IMAG0103 by Geoff Lee, on Flickr008 by Geoff Lee, on Flickr
It’s a Cube Acid Hybrid One - we got the 400 watt versions. They’re 29ers on 21 inch frames - we are both 6’2 or 3” and I’d not want to go bigger - big bikes.
They seem relatively trail biased as opposed to stuff you can do real rough stuff on, certainly compared to my normal MTBs (a Diamondback sync 4.0 hardtail and a Voodoo Zobop full sus) although that didn’t stop me yesterday.
They seem relatively trail biased as opposed to stuff you can do real rough stuff on, certainly compared to my normal MTBs (a Diamondback sync 4.0 hardtail and a Voodoo Zobop full sus) although that didn’t stop me yesterday.
ditto I bought a Cube Acid Hybrid too for the daily commute to work. I ride 20 miles a day, before I would ride 1 day drive one day, now with this I will ride proper bike one day and this the other. The added bonus this knocks off about 7 mins on the commute as well. from 35 mins to 28, that's with a headwind so more should come when the wind shifts.
My bike is going to be a commuter bike so a few changes have been made, its been slightly tweeked since this photo, I have road going touring tyres and a panier rack and mud guards, and a slight motor tweek.
on the original tests the range was 160Km and going up, in eco...and 85 km in touring mode...
top speed in turbo on the flat is 45km/h limited by the speed I can pedal.
bullit
My bike is going to be a commuter bike so a few changes have been made, its been slightly tweeked since this photo, I have road going touring tyres and a panier rack and mud guards, and a slight motor tweek.
on the original tests the range was 160Km and going up, in eco...and 85 km in touring mode...
top speed in turbo on the flat is 45km/h limited by the speed I can pedal.
bullit
75 miles on my Bergamont over the weekend. Mostly around Trefriw, Conwy Valley and very little on road but plenty of not too testing flat trails. Resorted to turbo for perhaps 8 of those miles to get some/preserve some energy. There's little more dangerous than being whacked out on the downhill sections, especially as a 50 year old.
I'm getting more and more adept at maintaining a cadence by use of the mechanical and electronic gears. Without a doubt the best money I have ever spent.
I'll be riding to my office after next week which is about 25 mile round trip. I'm just waiting on a spare second hand charger to keep in work.
Get up, get out, enjoy!!
I'm getting more and more adept at maintaining a cadence by use of the mechanical and electronic gears. Without a doubt the best money I have ever spent.
I'll be riding to my office after next week which is about 25 mile round trip. I'm just waiting on a spare second hand charger to keep in work.
Get up, get out, enjoy!!
Last weekend I met a professional dirt jumper, I was surprised that his sponsor Saracen has given him two ebikes a hardtail and a FS. He said he loves the hardtail and if riding messing about jumping just doing whips etc it’s his now go to bike whereas he only goes to his dirt jumper for bigger tricks. I think if your riding is sessioning a short steep downhill like he does mostly then an ebike makes a lot of sense, you get to do way more downs without getting so knackered doing the ups.
Dog Star said:
I don’t ride bikes to keep fit, I’m fit enough as it is. I ride them because I like riding them and to get to a destination.
If I didn’t think of cycling as what I do to keep fit then I think I could do an ebike and this would be it’s use / purpose. Used this way I don’t think better transportation exists.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff