What would you do with this donor bike?

[Arbol]

I have been given this bike:

It is an old 90s MTB, all steel (I have checked with a magnet), O.L.D. of 130mm, apparently with those brakes called cantilever (I had never seen them before), and with horizontal dropouts, something really strange in a 3x6 speed bike.

For some time I have been thinking in having an urban e-bike, and this could be a reasonable donor.

What configuration would you add?

I was thinking in putting a rack and a basket, and put inside a battery and the controller.

Maybe a singlespeed, using the horizontal dropouts? Or would it be worth keeping the gears?

What would you use? A Xiongda? a XFL xofo with torque sensor? A cheap q100h bmsbattery? Nothing, because the bike is too bad?

 

[trex]

XOFO XFL kit, bottle battery but with new hydraulic brakes.

 

[Arbol]

Thanks, trex!

Better a bottle battery than a rack and a basket, containing both controller and battery?

 

[allen-uk]

Funnily enough, the sort of specs you describe are just what the Electric Transport Shop specify for bikes taken to them for the BOSS conversion, i.e. steel frames and horizontal drop-outs, amongst other 'tough' specs like good disc brakes.

They don't flog the conversion kit separately, but others might. It has top reviews, although not road-legal in the UK. Too powerful, which might put you off (oh yeah?)....


A.

 

[Arbol]

Funnily enough, the sort of specs you describe are just what the Electric Transport Shop specify for bikes taken to them for the BOSS conversion, i.e. steel frames and horizontal drop-outs, amongst other 'tough' specs like good disc brakes.

They don't flog the conversion kit separately, but others might. It has top reviews, although not road-legal in the UK. Too powerful, which might put you off (oh yeah?)....


A.

Thanks allen-uk. Do you know why the horizontal dropouts are important?

 

[Arbol]

XOFO XFL kit, bottle battery but with new hydraulic brakes.

New hydraulic brakes is going to be tough ... I would have to buy a new fork (possibly not a bad idea), and I believe there is some kind of adaptor for the rear wheel for frames without the disc slot.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

1" steerer means you can't really fit decent forks, but you can get cheap disc brake ones. The rear brake should be OK, but I'd definitely fit a decent brake to the front if you go electric.

Forget a Xofo motor unless you can find a distributor. Did Woosh have one?

Any rear motor will fit so make your choice.

 

[Alan Quay]

Cantilever brakes are where I draw the line. V brakes is the bare minimum I will accept for a conversion.

It may be possible to add V brakes, but you might need new levers.

 

[allen-uk]

Not a clue Arbol. But when I took my bike to the London shop for the conversion, horizontal drop-outs were one of the 'must haves'.
The motor itself is pretty hefty, so it might just be a matter of getting it in and out. (There are pics of converted bikes on their website).
I'll post a pic tomorrow-ish of the back wheel and motor on mine in case it provides clues.
A.

 

[trex]

Thanks, trex!

Better a bottle battery than a rack and a basket, containing both controller and battery?

a basket may be a tad cheaper than a bottle or a rear rack battery - if you use a front basket, you'd have to tell XOFO to prepare the cables to your length.
The Woosh TS uses the same Lishui 14A controller built into the base of the bottle carrier as on their Sport CD, the output of the torque sensor is connected to the throttle input.
a bit like this one from BMSBATTERY but with a waterproof 10 pin cable.

http://www.bmsbattery.com/controller/668-36v-s06p-integrated-controller-for-new-bottle-case.html

Woosh Sport TS: controller at the base of the bottle

 

[Arbol]

I am not so concerned about bottle batteries being a tad more expensive than a rack + basket, but about the issue of stealthiness. I am thinking in putting the battery and controller at the base of the basket, and cover that with hard plastic.

But my main target, once I have already built a couple of e-bikes in this simpler way, is to have a friend make a transformation of the style:

into:

 

[NZgeek]

What would I do?

That IS what I do!

One of two things would happen:

Another Frankentraption - my daily is a 1996 Daimondback Outlook! All steel, masses of weight added, handles awesome....

or the other option. Find another one and break out the hacksaw and gas set. longtail cargo! I'm working on a longtail Giiiiiant Iguana, I guess is from the early/mid 90's - it's a tough bike!

In the last week, I've brought 3 bikes and a rear mount kiddie seat for a bit over 20 pounds in equivalent local currency

 

[trex]

I am not so concerned about bottle batteries being a tad more expensive than a rack + basket, but about the issue of stealthiness. I am thinking in putting the battery and controller at the base of the basket, and cover that with hard plastic.

But my main target, once I have already built a couple of e-bikes in this simpler way, is to have a friend make a transformation of the style:

into:

the basket is a very good idea for stealth, only the extra light bikes from annad would beat it for styling. How would you stop water ingress and how will you secure the battery box? lock it to the base of the front basket?

 

[Arbol]

What would I do?

That IS what I do!

One of two things would happen:

Another Frankentraption - my daily is a 1996 Daimondback Outlook! All steel, masses of weight added, handles awesome....

or the other option. Find another one and break out the hacksaw and gas set. longtail cargo! I'm working on a longtail Giiiiiant Iguana, I guess is from the early/mid 90's - it's a tough bike!

In the last week, I've brought 3 bikes and a rear mount kiddie seat for a bit over 20 pounds in equivalent local currency

I like Frankentraption. I have to google to see some pictures of your bike.

 

[Arbol]

the basket is a very good idea for stealth, only the extra light bikes from annad would beat it for styling. How would you stop water ingress and how will you secure the battery box? lock it to the base of the front basket?

I am concerned about putting so much weight rear (I only consider a rear basket, not front ones), for this reason I like having the triangle modified.

About water ingress: I have not thought about this issue, in Barcelona does not rain much. And we are a bunch of cowards, if it rains or there is the likelihood of raining, we leave our bikes at home

But yes, there is always the possibility of suffering rain, or even when cleaning the bike. I believe cwah posted a link for a waterproof fabric to wrap the battery.

How to secure the battery (without a box, I will buy a PVC / shrink tube one, without a box): with something like this (I do not know the name in English):

Anyway, if I move towards a full alloy box in the middle of the triangle, these two problems (water ingress and fixing the battery and the controller) will be handled in an easier way (and more specifically to that build).

 

[flecc]

(I do not know the name in English):

Those fastening straps are called either tie-wraps or cable-ties. Link

 

[Deleted member 4366]

....or zip ties.