Front Motor and Battery Kit

Electrically assisted bikes, trikes, etc. that are legal in the UK
Teggletone
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Joined: 9 Mar 2021, 1:31pm

Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by Teggletone »

"Twin lateral tubes - they look pretty but do nothing for lateral torque" Touring Bikes - A Practical Guide by Tony Oliver 1990.
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Mick F
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Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by Mick F »

Good morning guys, and thanks for the continued supply of info.
Not cheap! :shock:

Looking at that Amazon offering and having done a bit of Googling, they all seem to be horrible black.
I know it's fashionable .......... coz it's cheaper ................ but I really detest black components.
Give me shiny alu any day.
Mick F. Cornwall
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Mick F
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Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by Mick F »

Well .....................

Been out walking today and been thinking. 6 miles with the doggie, and he talks sense perhaps. :wink:

I reckon (and the doggie does too) that it would be better to strip Barbarella and sell the Nexus 8sp stuff including both hubs and both levers, the Stronglight 99 chainset with all the different chainrings ( 36t, 38t, 40, 52t and 53t) as well as the Stronglight 651 BB, and sell the completely unworn 27" alu rims (unworn due to hub roller brakes), the stem and handlebars, the saddle, and the rear rack .............. and then the lovely powdercoated Mixte frame.

Sell that lot and then buy a complete new eBike ............... even if it's BLACK. :shock:
Mick F. Cornwall
hemo
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Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by hemo »

if one wants a nice shiny silver/ ali hub then get a nice Bafang swxk2 or GBF 100 from Green bike kit both are 250w.
https://www.greenbikekit.com/electric-m ... tml?cat=19

For a controller kit one can get everything from Ali express for abut $80, the KT current control kits are by far better then the crappy 3 spd speed control ones.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003 ... 9951d89-39

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002 ... 107fwAAY3Q

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001 ... 79951d89-7

All the kits are simple plug and play, the only wiring to do is controller v+/v- to battery.
stodd
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Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by stodd »

Another potential issue with crank drive motors is that they often won't work with back pedal brakes.
I'm not sure if that bike has these, but OP did mention hub roller brakes, which on a Nexus probably are back pedal brakes.
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Mick F
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Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by Mick F »

Thanks for the info on the kits.
More food for thought.

The Nexus roller brakes are basically drum brakes bolted onto the sides of the hubs.
There is a grease port as the brakes need lubrication to work properly. Sounds counter-intuitive, but it's true.

When I did my Raleigh Chopper JOGLE, I borrowed the front hub off Barbarella as the brakes on a Chopper are awful.
Coming down fast hills and needing to brake, the hub would almost lock up unless there was plenty grease in there.
Choppers have small front wheels so they spin fast per ground speed, so the locking up effect was greater.

Sheldon has all the gen.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/rollerbrakes.html
Mick F. Cornwall
stodd
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Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by stodd »

Mick F wrote: 31 Aug 2021, 9:08am The Nexus roller brakes are basically drum brakes bolted onto the sides of the hubs.
The critical thing from the crank drive perspective is whether they are brake handle operated (OK), or back pedal operated (may be OK, but check details of the motor). I know drum brakes can be either (we had hand operated drum brakes on an old tandem).
fivebikes
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Location: West Yorks

Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by fivebikes »

Out on my Swytch Brompton today met another eBrompton with a kit conversion. Looked neat and on searching the web discovered they do hub only options as well as all sorts of permutations re batteries, controllers etc.
The owner was very happy. He chose it because, apart from the power lead to the motor hub, all other connections were wireless.
Might be of interest Mick F?
https://vekkit.com/
hemo
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Location: West Sussex

Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by hemo »

Woosh do a Brommy kit using the AKM 74 and also can 3D a battery cradle to take power tool batteries.
mattsccm
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Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by mattsccm »

That mixte frame look as if a battery pack would fit very nicely under the twin lats. Or on top if stand over isn't an issue. The lines just seems to suggest that.
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Mick F
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Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by Mick F »

Hi guys, still not done anything with this. It's on the back burner now I think, though it's all still a good idea.

............. as well as a very interesting project. :D
Mick F. Cornwall
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Cowsham
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Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by Cowsham »

Wouldn't use a bb kit cos it spoils the look of a bike.

I'd buy a factory electric bike with one as long as it was part of the design of the frame like many are and if the motor kit could be renewed.

A hub kit is the best solution to keep the bike looking good -- I've fitted a front hub to the wife's bike but needed the brake cut off switches cos of the delay when you stop pedalling which can lead to going deeper into corners than you intended.

Looking for a rear hub kit for my brothers bike -- I don't need one yet but will fit one or buy a factory ebike when the time comes.
I am here. Where are you?
TonyN
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Joined: 18 May 2020, 11:15am

Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by TonyN »

Hi Mick, It will be very difficult to buy a hub motor separate from the rim but why bother. It will not be any cheaper and the rim/spokes supplied are all tougher than on a normal wheel Cheers TonyN
hemo
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Location: West Sussex

Re: Front Motor and Battery Kit

Post by hemo »

Most China built wheels use13g spokes the one I had on a kit was awful so I ended up rebuilding it with 14g's and never looked back, since then I have built several rims with hubs using only 14g's. Often one will find it is a lot cheaper to buy a bare hub via China then a built wheel, the killer is the package weight/size and the excessive p&p charged. Luckily it seems that getting stuff from China is still vat free and little in the way of duties with no serious price hikes including buying ebike batteries.
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