First conversion - advice needed!

SusieM

Finding my (electric) wheels
Dec 18, 2019
7
0
Hi all,
I do a lot of cycling but am totally new to e bikes. My commute is too long to ride on a normal bike (25 miles flattish each way, mainly road but a couple of gravel tracks) so I’d like a bit of assistance. I want to convert an old Ridley road bike. I gather some will still give pedal assist at over 15.5mph due to an allowed margin for error? I really need to be able to do at least 17-18mph to make the commute viable. Can anyone recommend good kits? There seem to so many I don’t know where to start! I can recharge the battery at work if need be.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
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16,387
Southend on Sea
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how hilly is your route?
 

RichB

Pedelecer
Feb 12, 2013
143
15
At 25 miles each way you're probably at the limit of what most bikes could give you battery wise, unless your route is very flat or you are just engaging minimum asistance.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
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how many gears does your Ridley have?
drop bars?
tyre size?
 

SusieM

Finding my (electric) wheels
Dec 18, 2019
7
0
Yes drop bars, 10 speed, double chain ring. 700cc wheels, current tyres are 25s but we have assorted sizes in the garage.
 
D

Deleted member 25121

Guest
Hi all,
I do a lot of cycling but am totally new to e bikes. My commute is too long to ride on a normal bike (25 miles flattish each way, mainly road but a couple of gravel tracks) so I’d like a bit of assistance. I want to convert an old Ridley road bike. I gather some will still give pedal assist at over 15.5mph due to an allowed margin for error? I really need to be able to do at least 17-18mph to make the commute viable. Can anyone recommend good kits? There seem to so many I don’t know where to start! I can recharge the battery at work if need be.
You'd be pushing it to average 17-18mph, particularly with the gravel tracks. An ebike capable of providing that would certainly be illegal in the UK unless properly licensed and insured.
 

SusieM

Finding my (electric) wheels
Dec 18, 2019
7
0
The gravel tracks are only short. Ah well maybe I’ll have to accept a slower commute. Thanks for your help.
Any recommendations would be gratefully received though!
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,407
16,387
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
Yes drop bars, 10 speed, double chain ring. 700cc wheels, current tyres are 25s but we have assorted sizes in the garage.
I would recommend the XF08C with 17AH. You get about 70-80 miles on a full charge with your bike, plenty of reserve to get home even on a very windy day. The whole kit adds about 7.5kgs to the bike but as there is no drag when riding without power, it's not a big problem if you run into a problem with the electrics.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-177-xf08c-17ah/xf08c-rear-hub-kit-with-17ah-battery

If you don't want to fit the throttle (best because the diameter of the dropbars is too wide for the throttle), then you don't have to fit the inline brake sensor, simplifying the installation. One good thing with cadence sensor like in this kit is you can 'ghost pedal' if you are tired.
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
Just to clarify, have you got 5 gears at the back? Is it a free-wheel or free-hub hub? Do you know the drop-out width?

On a bike with rim brakes and thin tyres, you need to keep the added weight to a minimum. You can't convert a road-bike into a moped, but with a light weight motor and battery, you can get enough assistance to make your 25 mile journey a lot easier.

How much do you weigh? That's quite important for assessing power and battery size.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,407
16,387
Southend on Sea
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Just to clarify, have you got 5 gears at the back?
she's got a Ridley road bike, they aren't cheap. If it were my bike, I wouldn't want to spoil the look with a cheap ebay kit with wires everywhere.

something like this:

 

SusieM

Finding my (electric) wheels
Dec 18, 2019
7
0
Yep something like that but a bit older! It has a freehub currently with a 10 speed cassette on it. Not sure on dropout width, will check.
Keeping it as light as possible would definitely help I should think.
I weigh about 65kg, though Christmas is coming...
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
Yep something like that but a bit older! It has a freehub currently with a 10 speed cassette on it. Not sure on dropout width, will check.
Keeping it as light as possible would definitely help I should think.
I weigh about 65kg, though Christmas is coming...
OK, a 10spd cassette will be a 135mm hub, The free-hub makes things a bit more tricky because you can get get problems with the amount of wheel off-set (dish), especially with rim brakes, and the installation width of free-hub motors is nearly always more than 135mm.

Have you or whoever is going to install got experience in dishing wheels or wheel-building?

At only 65kg, power won't be a problem with any motor. Depending on how fast you want to go, I reckon that you'd manage it on a 12Ah battery (40 cells), which will get the battery weight down to less than 3kg.

A picture of your bike would help.
 
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Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,407
16,387
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
Have you or whoever is going to install got experience in dishing wheels or wheel-building?
if the OP bought my kit, I'll make sure that every project will work out as smoothly as possible. That's what support means to us.

PS:
MXUS XF08C: 140mm dropout (OLD)
Aikema 13.0 SX: 135mm dropout (OLD)
Same price.
 
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Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,407
16,387
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
How do you deal with dishing on the cassette motors?
the factory I use has their spoke machine for many years now. The wheels are the same as used on my Faro.
I can easily check by using the same frame as reference.
The side benefit of assembling our own bikes is we learn fast how to fix problems.
If my customers have any problem, we ask them send in pictures and or videos, assess the situation they are in, call their local bike shops, explain to the shops what needs doing and ask them if they can help. Most answer positively and we are slowly building up a network of sympathisers.
We then offer customers the guidance how to do this themselves or a place to take their bike in.
Next time you come to see us, there is a map on the kitchen wall with sticky dots where sympathisers and helpers are located. You'll see how much has been achieved.
 
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Fat Rat

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 7, 2018
1,903
726
UK
Welcome to the site and good luck with your upcoming bike build