ebay 500watt/1000watt kits

[subevo]

anybody bought one of these kits.£200 seems a bargain.i know its above the legal limit.but would they be any good.cycle on an off road path so would like to get 20-25mph if possible.

 

[aaannndddyyy]

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/4238-1000w-48v-hub-conversion-kit.html

anybody bought one of these kits.£200 seems a bargain.i know its above the legal limit.but would they be any good.cycle on an off road path so would like to get 20-25mph if possible.

Motor and controller still running strong.
reliable and cheap if your a DIYer.

 

[eddieo]

As a DIY project all well in good. Tell me you will not be tempted to use on the road though. BUT if you were involved in an accident (even if not your fault) the other side could sue you for everything you own.......this society is becoming like America and far more litigious then it used to be.

 

[subevo]

thanks for the reply.what made you choose the 1000watt kit over say the 500 or 750.out of interest.

 

[NRG]

I bought one (24v 500w), experience here:

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/4984-my-first-entry-into-world-e-bikes.html

 

[Footie]

I've had a 500w for a while but I have to say I'm not that impressed by the overall experience.
The intention was to use it off road but it's never been robust enough for enthusiastic use. It’s ok for gravel paths but that’s about all.
Regrettably, when fitted to an ordinary (flimsy) mountain bike I personally feel its OTT for the frame/bike.
It’s not a good option if you can’t afford a decent battery.
SLA's can be heavy for an ordinary frame and you will need a really strong rack (seat post type don't work too well) - ideally need one that fix’s at the top and bottom.
I use SLA and a DIY pack (depending on the length of the ride). I made my pack from 4300mAh race-packs that I got from The Component Shop.
Charging my DIY race-pack is a bit “Heath Robinson” (I have to dismantle the pack to charge it) but it seems to work ok for me. The Component Shop - Large Packs
The other problem (I had) was with the wheel ripping it's self out of the front forks due to too much power.
A torque arm/arrestor is a must with these powerful motors.
I made my own out of 5mm steel plate.
They slot over the spindle and bolt to the fork ends effectively stopping the wheel from spinning out.
Picture of my DIY torque arrestor can be found here - Torque Arm on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
There’s a thread on torque arms here - http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/4866-torque-arms-where-can-i-buy-them.html

-----------------------------------------------
Bike #1
Cougar Mountain Electric Bike 36v 200w rear wheel Hub motor (Jul07)
fitted with 10 Ah LiFePo4 battery (Apr08)
Maximum range (road/hills - Cornwall) 18 miles
Maximum range (on flat) 25 miles

Bike #2
20 year old 18 gear mountain bike 36v 500w front hub motor (Jun 09)
fitted with 9 Ah diy race-pack or 15 Ah SLA (depending on trip).
Used off road
.

 

[GT3]

48V 1000W, on SLAs here, built three or four months ago and will pass 2,000 miles before Christmas. Other than some quality issues (easily resolved) I am completely satisfied. You need the attitude and tools to let nothing stand in your way.

I chose max power as my weight, fitness, commute length and topography are all at the top end of ebike capabilities.

if you were involved in an accident (even if not your fault) the other side could sue you for everything you own

They could sue, but illegality has no bearing on liability. If I am knocked off my bike by a negligent motorist, he is as liable as if I were on foot. My position with the Police is another matter.

 

[Django]

They could sue, but illegality has no bearing on liability. If I am knocked off my bike by a negligent motorist, he is as liable as if I were on foot. My position with the Police is another matter.

Strictly true, though am I not right in thinking that if the form of illegality could be argued to have contributed to the accident, such as in the case of excessive speed, then it makes negligence a lot easier to prove to the satisfaction of a civil court?