E-BIKES KIT CONVERSIONS

[al_yrpal]

I have decided that I got my german sit up and beg trekking E bike all wrong. I am selling it and getting one of those racer type E bikes with drops and the batteries hidden inside the frame. I shall be painting a spider and its web on the back of my flourescent Altura jacket and swapping out my bike helmet for one of those German Jerry jobs bikers wear and attaching a very loud transistor radio to the rack which will be played at maximum volume as I belt along

As a stereotype I shall fit right in!

Al

[colin54]

To the original poster TonyN, many thanks for your recounting your experiences, most interesting.

[markjohnobrien]

To the original poster TonyN, many thanks for your recounting your experiences, most interesting.

Yes, I agree and Tony N’s comments were positive and helpful. E bikes are wonderful to keep people cycling.

[Mike Sales]

I'd like to say a word for Cyril.
Eccentric he may be, and sometimes absurd, but the forum would be duller without him.
He is certainly a cyclist, and this is a forum for cyclists.
If I do not agree with him I can say so, or ignore him.
I would not like to see him driven away.

[Oldjohnw]

I'd like to say a word for Cyril.
Eccentric he may be, and sometimes absurd, but the forum would be duller without him.
He is certainly a cyclist, and this is a forum for cyclists.
If I do not agree with him I can say so, or ignore him.
I would not like to see him driven away.

I completely agree. I have no issue with Cyril. I just wanted to address the ideas he introduced about ebikes, none of which bear scrutiny. It was Cyril who, rather vehemently, introduced the concept of hate. I dropped out of the discussion when the technical points had been made and the personal began.

[Bonefishblues]

I'd like to say a word for Cyril.
Eccentric he may be, and sometimes absurd, but the forum would be duller without him.
He is certainly a cyclist, and this is a forum for cyclists.
If I do not agree with him I can say so, or ignore him.
I would not like to see him driven away.

He'd very much hate that

[al_yrpal]

Cyril took a bit of a long sabatical from the forum a few weeks ago. I contacted him by PM because I was worried that he might not be ok. He was and now hes back occasionally trotting out what is in many peoples view provocative nonsense. No one should be surprised at the reactions here. If they are rather negative the answer is simple.

Al

[Antbrewer]

Well said Al.

[Cyril Haearn]

I'd like to say a word for Cyril.
Eccentric he may be, and sometimes absurd, but the forum would be duller without him.
He is certainly a cyclist, and this is a forum for cyclists.
If I do not agree with him I can say so, or ignore him.
I would not like to see him driven away.

Prynhawn da Mike, diolch yn fawr iawn, I wanted to send you a pm
May I recommend a book I am reading now: Penguin Book of Welsh Short Stories? Re-reading after 17 years, da iawn!

[Sweep]

Thanks for the initial post tony.

I made a rare visit to this bit of the forum thinking of starting a thread on ebike kits and where they are at and was pleased to find that you had started such a thread, until it was highjacked and the info quotient of the thread plummetted.

I myself have views on the mis-use of ebikes but that's a debate for elsewhere.

Am interested in kits for in the future as many/maybe the majority of marketed ebikes don't interest me for various reasons.

Many are road bikes - not me
Many many have pointless (for me) suspension.
Many/most have disc brakes (I can do without)
The majority seem to be ally.

My ideal bike is what I ride at the moment - various flat-bar steel hybrid style bikes, three self-built (not the frames) made up as fast day bikes, urban bikes, tourers.

I don't want to pay extra for a load of other features on a new bike I basically don't like, and also want to be able to fix the bike myself - don't want to be beholding to the original supplier of the bike to fix stuff.

So am very interested in how kits are progressing/how easy they may be to fit/which are good companies/which products might be best if any future spares are needed, including of course the battery.

What I am not interested in (unless someone comes up with something very close to my ideal bike) is complete ebikes, or ebike retailers with the attitude of a big seller of them near me - I wandered into his very impressive showroom in the south london suburbs, was impressed, but when I asked what folks did about continued supply of spares/batteries, he said that after a few years folk bought another ebike. Sod that.

So thanks tony - and to anyone else who has anything useful to say about the ins and outs of kits. And hopefully progress.

[stodd]

Thanks for the initial post tony.

I made a rare visit to this bit of the forum thinking of starting a thread on ebike kits and where they are at and was pleased to find that you had started such a thread.
So am very interested in how kits are progressing/how easy they may be to fit/which are good companies/which products might be best if any future spares are needed, including of course the battery.

If you haven't found it already there is lots more at https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/catego ... n-kits.52/
Check in all the categories on that forum; people don't always post on the appropriate one.
As on many forums you will find a range of posters, from extremely knowledgeable with great technical detail to almost completely mindless (and sadly sometimes abusive).

[Nigel]

Thanks for the initial post tony.

...........

Am interested in kits for in the future as many/maybe the majority of marketed ebikes don't interest me for various reasons.

.........
My ideal bike is what I ride at the moment - various flat-bar steel hybrid style bikes, three self-built (not the frames) made up as fast day bikes, urban bikes, tourers.

I don't want to pay extra for a load of other features on a new bike I basically don't like, and also want to be able to fix the bike myself - don't want to be beholding to the original supplier of the bike to fix stuff.

So am very interested in how kits are progressing/how easy they may be to fit/which are good companies/which products might be best if any future spares are needed, including of course the battery.
.............

A pal of mine has built a bike which sounds like it would suit Sweep: 1970's steel decent frame, 7 speed rear, double front, manual gear shifting, upright swept-back bars, etc.. Carefully selected components so rides really well as a light bike.

Added a chinese bottom bracket motor which fitted into the standard threaded shell. That has option for one or two chainrings, on standard ring pattern. He's decided to stick with one ring for now (lives in East Anglia, so few steep hills and no long hills). Added a simple speed controller to handlebars (on/off and amount of boost through a few preset levels - can faff in some firmware settings to fine tune this if wanted). A battery of his chosen size (trading weight vs. distance travelled), either frame bottle mountings or rack mount rectangle. Cost about £650 all up, plus his time to fit it - his comment was it was simple stuff provided you know how to change a bottom bracket and can do very basic electrical wiring.
He describes it as wonderful, on the lowest setting you don't really notice it, except feeling 15+ years younger when going uphill or into the wind. Hasn't changed the fundamental feel of the bike. Bike is a bit heavier than before, primarily the battery, but still much lighter than most e-bikes.
Should anything go wrong, he can remove the motor drive unit, service the motor/bearings, etc.. The speed control system is separate, so easily replaceable, and the battery not tied into fancy electronics and again simple to either get faulty cells replaced, or a new unit.

If wanting to do one now-ish, I could ask him for a shopping list. But the list will be out of date after a year or so.


- Nigel

[francovendee]

I'm in the same position as Sweep. The ebikes on offer have features I don't won't and I think a converted normal bike may be the answer.
I'm 78 so expect I'll have to get one soon if I want to continue cycling, just not yet.
I think for many ebike cyclists it's the ease rather than the need that going electric gives.
Judging by the large number of middle aged and older people now cycling, the manufactures are on a winner and must be making good profits.

[al_yrpal]

Yes, the Continental E bike is a bit formulaic. Principally made in Germany they all go for suspension forks which add a bit of unecessary weight. From what I have seen German trekking bikes are the same. You do always get suspension forks mudguards lights stand and rack which add a bit of weight too. Of course these have to be purchased as additions here in the UK.

Bafang seems to be the goto Ebike bottom bracket mounted conversion kit but exactly what to buy seems to me a bit confusing?

If somebody could put up a basic list of parts and then a detailed list of optional parts that would be grand?

Al

[Red Kite]

May one ask why the thread was titled 'ebikes for all?'

Because it's about affordability and access to bikes for those either without a thousand or two to spend, or who want something other than the typical off-the-peg offerings, e.g. Sweep.