Invisible battery / hub project - what would be your recommendations for this use?

[kyle47]

Hi All

Looking to electrify a urban commuter (26 inches wheels) and looking for a stealth set-up. The rear disc is 160mm so I'm looking for a hub of this diameter to be somewhat hidden between the disc and the cassette. I was thinking of a geared (more range with smaller battery) hub of 500 or 750w (I know it's not road legal) as there are hills on the commute. Throttle needed and hope to cruise at ~20 mph.

The battery and controller ideally would fit in a back pack or a panier placed on the rear rack. Waterproof setup is critical, happy to build my own battery however one ready made would be a tad easier. I am targeting a range of minimum 15 miles on full assist, any extra is bonus of course. Open to complete kits but I feel that individual components would allow a better setup (e.g. a controller allowing to upgrade later, or with specific function like having the display on my mobile phone rather than something else on the handle bar). I can lace a wheel.

With that in mind do you have any recommendation for the hub, battery (as compact as possible!) and controller?

Thank you!

 

[harrys]

The Q128H available from BMSbattery.com has a flange diameter around 140mm. It gets its name from the 128nn spacing between opposite spoke holes. Also available from topbikekit.com, as the Akeima 128. While the extra cost for a rim/spokes is low, the added shipping charges are high, I bought a bare motor and laced myself. Doesn't save much money, but I believe I have a better rim and spokes. I've seen BMSbattery provide the Q100 in a 20" rim with radial laced spokes to some members here. I wouldn't like that at all,

A Q128H is a 500W motor and should turn 20 mph on 36V. I never have mounted my wheel on a bike. It remains as a spare.

I've used the KT 20A sinewave controller in a half dozen bikes, usually with an LCD3 display, but the LCD1 is fairly small. A 15A KT controller comes in the same size case. One might try a 10A controller, but I've tried a unit that small and didn't care for it.

Batteries are a issue if you want unseen. Vfr400 made a small cylindrical one. I have bought several, but they're larger.

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[Scorpio]

I did something similar on a bike with 160mm rear disk, the battery was hidden behind panniers on the rear rack. Display is a neat compact KT lcd4.

The kit was a 350w/36v from Yose. It works well but if I was buying again I’d like a motor with more torque and a KT torque (not cadence) controller.
My 13ah battery does what I need - 20 miles throttle only on full assist inc hills - but more capacity would be useful.

Yose 350 rear hub kit - onto Spanish mtb by Mondraker

Background info about these kits (thanks to Nealh & others) see https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/yosepower-hub-kits.30061/

www.pedelecs.co.uk

 

[kyle47]

Thank you both for your replies. Scorpio do you mean that you have a battery which slides in the rear rack and you placed paniers on top of it to hide it?

I am looking at something similar. I also found someone who's managed to have this rather stealth look (pic attached). I wonder what are you thoughts about have a battery + controller placed in a bag like this?

It could also be placed: on the rack (fabric case like a shoe box) or on the side paniers (although I don't know if it would unbalance the bike on one side or another due to the battery).

Thanks