How to convert 16" folder in ebike?

papaformigas

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 20, 2018
12
0
54
UK
Hi,

I have just bought a Orbita Flex 16 folding bike. It is wonderfully made. It's a Portuguese brand that is making bikes since 1971 in their factories in Portugal. I preferred this one on the Dahons and other brands.

I want now convert this bike into an e-Bike and would like to know what I need, if there's a kit with battery or a wheel with motor and battery .

Any help would be appreciated.

Included attached are some photos of my folding bike.

Dimensions between forks= 100mm
Tyres= 16*1.75

One question: do you think it is worthy to spend time and money to buy a conversion kit or would it be cheaper to by a Chinese import for £350 and sell this one?

I ask this because where I live there are very steep hills with about 12 to 17% inclination. It's very hard to bike up these hills...







P_20180319_195104_p_1.jpg

Steep hill

Screenshot_20180319-195022.jpg

Inclination of 15.8%
 
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Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
20,213
16,815
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
you can install a Bafang BBS01B mid motor on it.
It'll climb any hill.
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
You can put just about any hub-motor in a bike with 16" wheels, and it will climb like a goat. I put the smallest one i could find at the time (Q85) in a Brompton. It could climb a 14% hill with a 100kg rider on board without pedalling.

The problem is always where and how to fit the battery and controller. If you don't need to go far, say 10 miles max, you can put a 20-cell battery in a saddle-bag along with the controller, like on this one. You can buy hoverboard batteries from Aliexpress and Ebay, which only weigh 1 kg:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/EU-US-No-tax-36v-5200mah-lithium-li-ion-battery-36v-5-2Ah-10s2p-XT60-connector/32849927320.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.123.3e1cf7afpUEUqk&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10152_10151_10065_10344_10068_10130_10324_10342_10547_10325_10343_10340_10548_10341_10696_10192_10190_10084_10083_10618_10307_10301_10303_5711216_10313_10059_10184_10534_100031_10103_10624_10623_443_10622_10621_10620,searchweb201603_2,ppcSwitch_4&algo_expid=c2397689-f4cc-4839-9827-739341e760e2-19&algo_pvid=c2397689-f4cc-4839-9827-739341e760e2&priceBeautifyAB=0

 

papaformigas

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 20, 2018
12
0
54
UK
Hi, so can you post a link of the kit that I should buy? I am confused ... So to convert my folding bike I need to buy a motor kit and a battery kit? Is that it?

Regarding the place to put the battery I really don't see where maybe tightened to the seatpost... I will be riding mainly in the hilly city but sometimes I will be do some 20 mile ridings with hills as well.. I live in a Vulcanic Island so the reason of so much steep hills... I think Iam the only one to have a bike because when I start riding I get immediate attention.. perhaps they say .. hey who's that mad man ridding these steep hills??? :))

Sorry for my lack of knowledge..
 
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D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
You have to make your own kit. have a look at this stuff:
https://bmsbattery.com/

There's some information we need to give specific advice: How many gears does your bike have and what are the distances between the front forks (drop-out to drop-out) and the same on the rear fork? You have to take out each wheel to measure. The next thing is the wheel size. There should be a number written on the tyre somewhere, not the one in inches. It should be something like 35-349, 32-340, 47-305 or something like that. Your weight will also help.
 

papaformigas

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 20, 2018
12
0
54
UK
Ok let go:

Gears: 8 Shimano gears with derailer
Distance of internal front forks: 100 mm
Distance of rear forks: 140mm
Wheel size: 47-305
Actual tyres: Kenda 16*1.75
My weight: 93kg
My height: 1.85m
 
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papaformigas

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 20, 2018
12
0
54
UK
Ok I have measured it:

Rear frame fork to fork distance: 140mm

But did not took off the wheel as I have not the tools.

P_20180320_203420_p_1.jpg
 
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D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
Ok, all sorted now. You want a 328 rpm 36v Q100C rear motor. Your wheel size is the same as the Chinese ones, so you can buy the wheel ready built:
https://bmsbattery.com/ebike-kit/617-q100c-cst-36v350w-rear-driving-e-bike-motor-wheel-ebike-kit.html?search_query=q100c&results=7

The controller is the S06S and you have to choose an LCD to go with it.
https://bmsbattery.com/ebike-kit/546-s06s-250w-torque-simulation-sine-wave-controller-ebike-kit.html?search_query=s06s&results=23

If you want a throttle, choose the basic thumb-throttle. You also need to choose a pedal sensor. I'd use this one:
https://bmsbattery.com/parts/570-eight-poles-pas-pulse-padel-assistant-sensor-parts.html

You don't need a speed sensor because there's one already in the motor. It's probably worth getting a pair of their torque arms, though only fit one and the spoke key is also useful.
 

papaformigas

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 20, 2018
12
0
54
UK
The motor you have me the link is a 350W ... I can't use it because it's only allowed 250W in my country. Can you see another one with 250W?

Also can you make a list with all I need to buy? Please put everything basic with links including battery as well please.

Then is there a manual to fit all these components in the bike because I never did this adaptation.

Here where I live there's a bike shop but the guy don't have knowledge to do this from what I have seen... Perhaps sending the bike over to you.. I would pay your service of course. Maybe would be costly cause Iam dar away and would go and come back by post.
 
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D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
The motor is tiny. It's rated at 250w to 350w, whatever that means. It's much smaller than most 250w motors and is labelled as 250w when used on OEM bikes. The label is easy to peal off, so take the label off and tell everybody it's a 250w motor. They won't argue.

If you don't have the practical skills and tools to fit a kit to a bike, you would be better off buying an OEM bike. To fit any kit, there's nearly always something that needs adjusting, so it's never a case of just installing the kit.

You don't need any special skills to fit an ebike kit, but you do need a basic understanding of bicycle mechanics and basic fabrication skills.
 

papaformigas

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 20, 2018
12
0
54
UK
Sure!!

Ok I will built my ebike. I have a friend that will help me out on this conversion. And if we have doubts I will ask you here .

So now please write a list of all material I need to buy to start building this up. If possible put a link of each product.

A throttle would be nice and a LCD panel to see battery level and changing energy power levels.

Can I still keep my 8 gear derailer with this adaptation?
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
I already listed the parts you need in my previous posts. You will most likely need a soldering iron and a digital multimeter too. The only other thing you need is a saddle tool-bag, which you can find on Ebay or at your local Cycle shop.

The battery will give you about 10 miles. If you need more than that, you'll need a bigger and heavier one or two.
 

papaformigas

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 20, 2018
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0
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UK
"It'sprobably worth getting a pair of their torque arms, though only fit one and the spoke key is also useful.".

And a basic throttle.

Can you give the link for these parts please?
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
20,213
16,815
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
alternatively, would you be interested in a second hand woosh 16" folding Gallego?
It's little used, in near perfect condition still under guarantee. The owner bought it for her boat. Offer around £600 is invited.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?gallego
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,128
30,555
"It'sprobably worth getting a pair of their torque arms, though only fit one and the spoke key is also useful.".

And a basic throttle.

Can you give the link for these parts please?
Torque arms link

That's the same supplier as the other parts in d8veh's list above.

The spoke key you can get from any good bike shop or online through a Google search.

I don't know about the throttle for that kit.
.
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
The spoke key and torque arms are available from BMSB, which is why you should add them to your order. Spoke keys sold at bike shops don't normally fit these spokes. Most Chinese Ebikes and kits use 13g spokes and nipples, which is bigger than normal bicycles. The BMSB key has every size on it, including 13g.
 

papaformigas

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 20, 2018
12
0
54
UK
Why do I need spoke keys if I am.receiving a ready prepared new wheel with built in motor??

Couldn't.fimd the torque arms in BMS website...
 

papaformigas

Finding my (electric) wheels
Mar 20, 2018
12
0
54
UK
Woh.. I just saw that BMS is in China. So I will need to pay high shipping charges and high custom charges.. these products are available in the UK or Europe?
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
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