Hi from me in Essex

Ebyke

Pedelecer
Mar 9, 2018
146
15
60
London
Hi looks like I'm in the right place..and maybe I can get some useful tips..anyways I'm looking at building an Ebike as I'm getting a bit old for cycling now..Well my knees are..I have a Carrera Kraken 20" bike it's a few years old 1999 vintage ..I was thinking of converting it..and as I like me cycling I'm thinking of a mid drive system..But what and where does one start..I'm very good with the spanners having built bikes in the past.
Any help or information would be much appreciated..
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,988
8,170
60
West Sx RH
For local support then Woosh bikes in Southend sell hub and mid drive kits as well as new bikes at a very good price.
By the time you have paid £600 for a kit a new bike isn't much more.
 

Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
2,459
1,675
69
West Wales
If you go the conversion route you end up with a bike that you understand and is, therefore, esaier to fault if anything should go wrong.
As you've got a Kraken I'm guessing you're mainly tracks etc.? So a mid drive would be the thing. If you're looking at road riding I'd suggest a rear hub, less hassle all round.
All kits have pas not torque sense, so you get power as soon as you peddle. This has the advantage of being able to get home if your knees give out. Plus you can fit a throttle as standby.
If you buy a complete kit (from the likes of Woosh) everything will be plug and play. You can go to people like BMSB, or many others, and buy component parts. Can be more of a challange but it's great to put bits together to get what you want.
So - mid drive or hub (front or rear)
Frame battery or rack.
To get more targeted advice we'll need to know what type of riding you'll be doing, terrain etc.
Are you an energetic cyclist (high speed) or a pootle along leisure cyclist.
And how heavy you are.
 

Ebyke

Pedelecer
Mar 9, 2018
146
15
60
London
Thanks for the info. I tend to ride both on and off road..and at the moment
I'm running slick tyres..I keep looking at the mid drive system because everyone says they don't use as much energy..as for my weight I'm 16 stone. So not so small..I just want some type of system to take the load out of hills and just make it a bit easier on my knees..I ride about 40 mile on average outings..
 

Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
2,459
1,675
69
West Wales
I keep looking at the mid drive system because everyone says they don't use as much energy.
What yours or the battery?
I'm not sure either is true. With a mid drive you put both your input and the motors through the drive train, so extra strain there and, as you say, you're a big lad.
Hubs drive the wheel via their own reduction gearbox. My experience is that they're pretty bullet proof.
I would say that one of the bigger hubs would suit you. Something like the Bafang BPM. Rated at 250w (so road legal) but able to take 600-700watts given the right controller. They are very torquey motors and prodigious hill climbers. My missis has one in her Big Bear.
For 40 miles you're going to need a decent battery. Something like a 15 or 17Ah battery. You can reckon on consuming 10-20Wh/mile. A 17Amphour battery is 612Watthours at nominal 36v, so will give you between 30 and 61 miles ish. Depends on terrain, wind, your fitness etc.
You may think that you'll only be using the assist on hills (could be true) but I'm guessing that given the extra weight of the bike you'll end up using it all the time.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,988
8,170
60
West Sx RH
TSDZ2 mid drive is torque sensor not pas.
For Uk sourced legal hub drive then suggest looking at the 48v SWX02 kit from Woosh bikes.