DIY electric mountain bike
Discussion
tommobot said:
Nope, just angle grinded existing pedal arm and left the central crank element in place...
On spare / older bike completely grinded off the pedal arm and crank and just smashed out remains of crank from the pedal arm in a vice..
Then pedal arm back on the new ebike..
Got busy with the angle grinder and just grinded off the brake levels and remained the gear selectors in place, bit bodgey but everything filed down nice and smooth.
Ultimately, form over function with the bike... Not at all fussed how it looks as long as it gets me to work and back....
Improvise-tastic mate!On spare / older bike completely grinded off the pedal arm and crank and just smashed out remains of crank from the pedal arm in a vice..
Then pedal arm back on the new ebike..
Got busy with the angle grinder and just grinded off the brake levels and remained the gear selectors in place, bit bodgey but everything filed down nice and smooth.
Ultimately, form over function with the bike... Not at all fussed how it looks as long as it gets me to work and back....
I bet there are zero videos out there showing, "How to fit an e-bike kit with an angle grinder" LOL
tommobot said:
Nope, just angle grinded existing pedal arm and left the central crank element in place...
On spare / older bike completely grinded off the pedal arm and crank and just smashed out remains of crank from the pedal arm in a vice..
Then pedal arm back on the new ebike..
Got busy with the angle grinder and just grinded off the brake levels and remained the gear selectors in place, bit bodgey but everything filed down nice and smooth.
Ultimately, form over function with the bike... Not at all fussed how it looks as long as it gets me to work and back....
On spare / older bike completely grinded off the pedal arm and crank and just smashed out remains of crank from the pedal arm in a vice..
Then pedal arm back on the new ebike..
Got busy with the angle grinder and just grinded off the brake levels and remained the gear selectors in place, bit bodgey but everything filed down nice and smooth.
Ultimately, form over function with the bike... Not at all fussed how it looks as long as it gets me to work and back....
Senex said:
hab1966 said:
My wife has a Bird Aeris 145 full suspension mtb. Its a small size frame as she is vertically challenged!
Due to ill health, she can no longer ride it over the terrain or distance she used to be abe to.
She longs to get back on a bike but the only way we think this will work is if she has assistance using an Ebike.
Having been to the local shop and identifying a rather nice bike at £5k i thought id look around and seek cheaper options!
What 'equipment' would i need to look at to attach a motor to the frame? I believe the bike has a 73mm threaded bottom bracket but i believe the issue will be mounting the battery on the bottle mounts given the frame size?
You don't say if you would prefer hub drive or mid-drive.Due to ill health, she can no longer ride it over the terrain or distance she used to be abe to.
She longs to get back on a bike but the only way we think this will work is if she has assistance using an Ebike.
Having been to the local shop and identifying a rather nice bike at £5k i thought id look around and seek cheaper options!
What 'equipment' would i need to look at to attach a motor to the frame? I believe the bike has a 73mm threaded bottom bracket but i believe the issue will be mounting the battery on the bottle mounts given the frame size?
The hub drive would be easier and the equipment needed (apart from general tools) would be a crank puller and possibly a bottom bracket removal tool.
There are options for battery fitment depending on the frame of the bike.
This one has the battery squeezed into the frame triangle, you would need a cardboard cut-out of the battery dimensions you are considering to see if that would work.
This one has the battery slung from the front of the downtube.
Woosh are now providing this option with their kits, could be an option depending on how much the rear wheel moves under suspension compression.
I like the idea of mounting the battery on the underside of the downtube but theres no underside mounting points.
I'll see how much space there is between the saddle and wheel under compression to see if thats an option.
hab1966 said:
Id be looking for a motor that mounts at the pedals so thats mid-drive?
Yes, definitely need a bottom bracket removal tool for that, easy enough though, it's all on Youtubehab1966 said:
I like the idea of mounting the battery on the underside of the downtube but theres no underside mounting points.
You could drill holes in the frame and fit Rivnuts or you could buy one of these and just use cable ties (better make them strong ones mind) 
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Wolf-Tooth-B-RAD-Mounting...
I have seen batteries hung off the underside of the downtube so it is doable. But I would be wary because:
It will collect a lot of muck and spray there that is unlikely to do it any good. Also more vulnerable to impact damage.
The battery mounts are not designed to have the fairly considerable weight of the battery hanging off them like that. You could add tie wraps for extra support, but you'd have to cut and replace them every time you take the battery off. Could be a pain depending on whether you charge it on or off the bike.
People do do it, but it's not ideal IMO.
It will collect a lot of muck and spray there that is unlikely to do it any good. Also more vulnerable to impact damage.
The battery mounts are not designed to have the fairly considerable weight of the battery hanging off them like that. You could add tie wraps for extra support, but you'd have to cut and replace them every time you take the battery off. Could be a pain depending on whether you charge it on or off the bike.
People do do it, but it's not ideal IMO.
dontlookdown said:
I have seen batteries hung off the underside of the downtube so it is doable. But I would be wary because:
It will collect a lot of muck and spray there that is unlikely to do it any good. Also more vulnerable to impact damage.
The battery mounts are not designed to have the fairly considerable weight of the battery hanging off them like that. You could add tie wraps for extra support, but you'd have to cut and replace them every time you take the battery off. Could be a pain depending on whether you charge it on or off the bike.
People do do it, but it's not ideal IMO.
He’d be cable tying the battery mount not the battery itself. If they still wanted peace of mind, a Velcro strap around the whole battery and frame would do the trick.It will collect a lot of muck and spray there that is unlikely to do it any good. Also more vulnerable to impact damage.
The battery mounts are not designed to have the fairly considerable weight of the battery hanging off them like that. You could add tie wraps for extra support, but you'd have to cut and replace them every time you take the battery off. Could be a pain depending on whether you charge it on or off the bike.
People do do it, but it's not ideal IMO.
But I too wouldn’t mount it under the frame, for the reasons mentioned above (and it looks rubbish)
First commute on the E-bike today... Took pretty much 15mins off my usual time on my old crappy road bike.
Flat speed was about the same but on the hills the new bike destroyed it.
Probably going to get moaned at here, but is there a way to change the settings on these basic controllers to continue the assitance at higher speeds as it seems to cut out at 30kmph which is a bit frustrating..
Flat speed was about the same but on the hills the new bike destroyed it.
Probably going to get moaned at here, but is there a way to change the settings on these basic controllers to continue the assitance at higher speeds as it seems to cut out at 30kmph which is a bit frustrating..
tommobot said:
First commute on the E-bike today... Took pretty much 15mins off my usual time on my old crappy road bike.
Flat speed was about the same but on the hills the new bike destroyed it.
Probably going to get moaned at here, but is there a way to change the settings on these basic controllers to continue the assitance at higher speeds as it seems to cut out at 30kmph which is a bit frustrating..
Have you read this https://www.revsebikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021... there seems to be a setting for max speed.Flat speed was about the same but on the hills the new bike destroyed it.
Probably going to get moaned at here, but is there a way to change the settings on these basic controllers to continue the assitance at higher speeds as it seems to cut out at 30kmph which is a bit frustrating..
tommobot said:
Excellent, thanks for the spot and generally thanks for the help everyone! Been amazingly helpful...
I've upped the top speed slightly, will be interesting to see what its like on the return leg...
I'm glad you like your conversion and it's not just hills but also strong headwinds that get defeated by a motor.I've upped the top speed slightly, will be interesting to see what its like on the return leg...
On my LCD screen I have set the speed to the max 40KPH.
It won't actually do 40KPH but it stops the cut-out.
Mine is a 250w motor and maxes out at about 17/18 MPH.
I spin out of gears at that speed so I am planning on fitting a bigger front chain ring soon.
Couple of weeks running with this, has now made the cycle to work an absolute doddle.
Averaging about 18mph over a 13mile journey, which is absolutely fantastic as far as I'm concerned. In the car the journey took about 30mins door to door on a usual day; can do the journey in 40mins on the bike and not turn into a totally sweaty mess!
Probably was faster in a straight line on my old crappy road bike but the battery just helps to demolish the hills.
So far, very happy!
Averaging about 18mph over a 13mile journey, which is absolutely fantastic as far as I'm concerned. In the car the journey took about 30mins door to door on a usual day; can do the journey in 40mins on the bike and not turn into a totally sweaty mess!
Probably was faster in a straight line on my old crappy road bike but the battery just helps to demolish the hills.
So far, very happy!
ruwokeenuff said:
Rear hub or front? My wife has decided that she now wants to convert her existing bike, but I am a tad confused on the battery voltage...and power.
This is her bike.
That bike would be very suitable for a rear hub conversion with a rear rack mounted battery.This is her bike.
The motor should be 250w if you would like to stay legal (mine does about 17-18MPH)
A 36v kit with a 13ah battery would be fine.
The kits normally come with purpose made rack for the battery.
Two of the main providers of kits are Woosh Bikes in Southend or Yose Power on eBay
tommobot said:
...good enough to acheive a solid 20mph on just about any incline, which to me (I'll probably get slated for this) but feels safer on the open road..
Nice one mate, I am not brave enough to break the rules but I should think the chances of actually getting caught must be close to zero. The police in my town have so far caught a total of one (1) person and that was some disgusting chav who was totally asking for it, riding a lashed together 1500w death trap. No prosecution or anything of course, they just seized the bike.
Senex said:
ruwokeenuff said:
Rear hub or front? My wife has decided that she now wants to convert her existing bike, but I am a tad confused on the battery voltage...and power.
This is her bike.
That bike would be very suitable for a rear hub conversion with a rear rack mounted battery.This is her bike.
The motor should be 250w if you would like to stay legal (mine does about 17-18MPH)
A 36v kit with a 13ah battery would be fine.
The kits normally come with purpose made rack for the battery.
Two of the main providers of kits are Woosh Bikes in Southend or Yose Power on eBay
Driver101 said:
Senex said:
ruwokeenuff said:
Rear hub or front? My wife has decided that she now wants to convert her existing bike, but I am a tad confused on the battery voltage...and power.
This is her bike.
That bike would be very suitable for a rear hub conversion with a rear rack mounted battery.This is her bike.
The motor should be 250w if you would like to stay legal (mine does about 17-18MPH)
A 36v kit with a 13ah battery would be fine.
The kits normally come with purpose made rack for the battery.
Two of the main providers of kits are Woosh Bikes in Southend or Yose Power on eBay
Photos dead, but from memory it was V-brakes front and rear.
This is what I'm using on mine, and tbh its no bad thing as it almost acts as a self deterent on the road not too go toooo silly.
A 250w motor with a 15ah battery would be fine, the 350w on mine is plently, plenty adequate for me I think
This is what I'm using on mine, and tbh its no bad thing as it almost acts as a self deterent on the road not too go toooo silly.
A 250w motor with a 15ah battery would be fine, the 350w on mine is plently, plenty adequate for me I think
Senex said:
ruwokeenuff said:
What power/voltage should I go for.
Mate, not trying to be funny but this question has been answered twice now.250w motor (if you are going for a hub motor), 36v system, 13 or 15ah battery
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