Converting Road Bike

[Graham Roberts]

Can anybody recommend a kit that will give a decent range, either front or rear wheel hub assistance, that could be used to convert a Dawes Audax with drop handlebars?

I've been looking for a while now and they just don't seem to exist, except perhaps some sort of botched job.

Thanks, Graham

 

[Graham Roberts]

In the absence of any answers, I take it my original presumption that they don't exist is correct?

 

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[Woosh]

Can anybody recommend a kit that will give a decent range, either front or rear wheel hub assistance, that could be used to convert a Dawes Audax with drop handlebars?

I've been looking for a while now and they just don't seem to exist, except perhaps some sort of botched job.

Thanks, Graham

you can have front motor, rear motor or middle motor.
They all give decent range, audax bikes are quite economical on battery. You use typically about 8-10WH per mile on flat roads at around 15mph. A 36V 17AH battery (36V 17.5AH, 630WH) gives about 60-70 mile range on a full charge.
The drop handlebars is a challenge to most kits because things like throttle fit only 25mm tubes and the supplied brake levers can't go on drop bars.
The mid drive kit I would recommend first is the Tongsheng TSDZ2 kit.
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-207-tsdz2-12ah/tsdz2-cd-kit-48v-12ah

The rear hub kit I would recommend is the XF08C.
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-121-xf08c-13ah/xf08c-rear-hub-kit-with-13ah-battery
or
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-177-xf08c-17ah/xf08c-rear-hub-kit-with-17ah-battery

 

[Graham Roberts]

Many thanks that looks very interesting. though I wouldn't want to carry the battery power around on my back, the throttle lever on the brake is particularly nice. Is this basically standard kit or your own design?

 

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[Graham Roberts]

you can have front motor, rear motor or middle motor.
They all give decent range, audax bikes are quite economical on battery. You use typically about 8-10WH per mile on flat roads at around 15mph. A 36V 17AH battery (36V 17.5AH, 630WH) gives about 60-70 mile range on a full charge.
The drop handlebars is a challenge to most kits because things like throttle fit only 25mm tubes and the supplied brake levers can't go on drop bars.
The mid drive kit I would recommend first is the Tongsheng TSDZ2 kit.
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-207-tsdz2-12ah/tsdz2-cd-kit-48v-12ah

The rear hub kit I would recommend is the XF08C.
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-121-xf08c-13ah/xf08c-rear-hub-kit-with-13ah-battery
or
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-177-xf08c-17ah/xf08c-rear-hub-kit-with-17ah-battery

I had a knee replacement 3-years ago and I've already converted my Trek MTB with front hub drive for touring, which has turned out great.

As I have integrated gear / brake levers I did not change them for the e-bike conversion + was able to add the thumb operated throttle on flat bars. As you point out drop handlebars pose a problem - how would you deal with these?

Ideally I'd like a similar set-up to the MTB i.e. front drive + throttle (as well as control panel) + decent range e.g. at least 50 to 60 miles using low to mid power most of the time + obviously a bit more on hills.

I'm a long standing cyclist and the e-bike has literally kept me on the road given my knee problems but I'm missing drop handlebars and a lighter road bike set-up and such a conversion would be a game changer.

Thanks, Graham

 

[Frank D]

Hi , I run all three types mentioned above, front , rear and mid motor , if you can advise on your aims ie lots of power etc , or road legal 250w the guys on here can point you in the right direction.

 

[Graham Roberts]

Road legal is fine, or at least it is on my MTB. As I said, something comparable would be great:

1. Front wheel drive - if that works OK on thinner 28mm tyres?
2. Long range.
3. Throttle control as well as control panel using drop bars
4. Easy to fit
5. If possible rack battery mounted - so as to take panniers

 

[Frank D]

Yes the front hub would work fine as well as the respected Woosh kits check out yosepower , big information on here about them , but please note that it is the front hub that is 250w the rear is 350w.

 

[Graham Roberts]

OK but how do I deal with the throttle etc with drop handlebars?

 

[Frank D]

Hands on top, just noticed your leg problem, if you go for mid motor use one as indicated by SW postings bbs, the other types is torque harder pressure needed, battery rear rack , no problem all my kits are now.

 

[Graham Roberts]

Hands on top, just noticed your leg problem, if you go for mid motor use one as indicated by SW postings bbs, the other types is torque harder pressure needed, battery rear rack , no problem all my kits are now.

Thanks,

You're saying just put the throttle on the top bar then?

If front wheel is OK, I'd probably go that way?

Can I ask what kit you have used in general to convert a drop handlebar road bike?

The one problem I do have with my rack mounted battery on the MTB is that it won't take standard fitting Ortlieb panniers, as the space between the battery and the top fixing rail is too small and won't allow the SQ2 fitting to clip over the rail - any ideas?

 

[Woosh]

I had a knee replacement 3-years ago and I've already converted my Trek MTB with front hub drive for touring, which has turned out great.

in that case, forget the TSDZ2, it uses a torque sensor.
You can fit a front kit like my XF07.
The BBS01B mid drive kit uses cadence sensor and should be considered because it can climb steeper hills than the XF07.

As I have integrated gear / brake levers I did not change them for the e-bike conversion + was able to add the thumb operated throttle on flat bars. As you point out drop handlebars pose a problem - how would you deal with these?

You can mount the throttle on an extension to the handlebars and replace the brake levers with a kill button.

This is my Giant with the TSDZ2T, the throttle is on an extension which does not look very stylish but accessible.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/2018/tsdz2/giant.jpg

 

[Frank D]

Yes I would use shim to make the throttle fit the handlebars, a couple of my bikes are carbon hybrids.
I use any rack availble to fit any battery, I use five batteries and am making another now, also on each bike I run 36v and 48v .

I feel that on any kit you have to make comprises, the ready made bikes also.

 

[Graham Roberts]

Thanks guys, need to give this some more thought and will get back.

Here's the bike I want to convert on tour in France pre knee op - of that helps?



For simplicity I'm leaning towards front wheel conversion, two remaining niggles:

1. Will 28mm tyres provide sufficient purchase? My MTB has 26" x 1.50 and it's fine but with less surface area on the ground I wonder if the 'pull' is so good + tyre wear higher?
2. I presume I'd still need to fit a longer bottom bracket spindle to accommodate the sensor etc?

 

[Woosh]

1. Will 28mm tyres provide sufficient purchase? My MTB has 26" x 1.50 and it's fine but with less surface area on the ground I wonder if the 'pull' is so good + tyre wear higher?

that depends on your weight. The usual distribution is 30% of your weight goes to the front, 70% to the rear. Front motor wheel loses traction much more easily than rear motor wheel for that reason. Although the weight of the basket at the front helps with traction, I think if you weigh less than 16st, don't go for front wheel conversion.

2. I presume I'd still need to fit a longer bottom bracket spindle to accommodate the sensor etc?

you can fit a normal pedal sensor on the chain side if you have about 8mm gap between the bottom bracket ballbearing and the smallest chainring to accommodate the magnet disc. If you have less than that, you will need a drilled disc and cabletie it to the chainring.
The best pedal sensor is the left side one which fits old Shimano or Neco square taper BB 68 x 122 or 73 x 127.

 

[Benjahmin]

The bike in my avatar is front hub. I too use a handlebar box. Front hub is fine in all but extreme conditions. Some of the very steep west Wales climbs I do, produce a slight scrubbing on gravelly or mossy surfaces (Schwalbe Marathon plus tyres). Putting weight forward, ie standing up, helps.
I just returned from riding the trails of the Peak District, millstone grit surfaced rail tracks. This would produce some mild spin on acceleration (great fun actually and I really got into doing it deliberately). The 'two wheel drive' feel was quite interesting.
There are some handling perculiarities in tight low speed manouvering, but nothing an accomplished cyclist can't come to grips with.

 

[vfr400]

Front motors are not very good on road bikes. A rear motor is just as easy and much better. The front motors have two major issues. Firstly, thin road bike tyres can't get enough traction, so they slip and spin and wear out rapidly. Secondly, they spoil the steering. That affect is much more pronounced on a road bike than an MTB.

 

[Frank D]

Huge Spanish bike company Orbea agree with vfr, rear motor on their road model.

He is probably the tech guy for them!