New to pedelecs, wish to convert push bike

[HandsOffEngineer]

Hello,

I am completely new to pedelecs, but have cycled regularly all my life. I would like to convert my simple push bike and I am looking for advice on how to start.

I have a very small budget and have noted the ebike conversion kits on eBay, which are priced at around the £100.00 to £150.00 mark. Can anyone here recommend a particular supplier?

Based on my research so far, I think I should be looking for something at around 36V. I am planning to use the bike to commute to a part-time job, which will be a 40 mile round trip through hilly countryside.

Thanks

 

[soundwave]

not going to happen for that budget not even close for the range and mileage esp with hills the bat is going to be a fair chunk of the total price and 5x your budget on its own.

 

[Benjahmin]

A lot of those cheap e bay kits are heavy direct drive motors. They are highly inefficient at low speeds with little hill climbing torque and eat batteries. What you need is a geared hub motor. All in cost for a kit with a decent sized battery capable of getting you at least one way will be between £450-650.

 

[Fat Rat]

Hi welcome
I can only mirror the above
You going to need to dig a bit deeper I'm afraid

 

[vfr400]

The cheapest battery you can get that's adequate for your requirements would ne about £180, then you have to add the cost of the motor, etc, which will add about another £200.

Some of the cheap motor kits need expensive batteries, so it's not simple. If you have an eye on a cheap kit, show us what it is so that we can explain its good and bad points.

Please don't think that this is snobbishness. Some of us have made our life's work to find cheap solutions.

 

[Woosh]

Please don't think that this is snobbishness. Some of us have made our life's work to find cheap solutions.

you have already done a lot to help members converting their bikes and in the process, saving half the cost of a factory built bike. Sometimes the pursuit of the cheapest solution comes at some cost to the people you try to help, like warranty and support.

 

[HandsOffEngineer]

I bought a new e-bike in the end, as the trouble of buying and installing a kit doesn't seem worth it - no warranty, too much can do wrong, etc. (I may devise my own as a DIY project, but that's for another time).

The new bike has 36V battery and cost just over £500.00 (very cheap by e-bike standards). It goes well on normal roads over reasonable distances (30/40 miles), including moderate hills (up to 400ft. so far). It suits my purposes and I'm happy.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[vfr400]

Let's see it then.

 

[HandsOffEngineer]

No problem. Here's the product link:-

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8019378?cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59156|acid:444-797-0832|cid:598623051|agid:28645067605|tid:pla-415755446318|crid:96089172565|nw:g|rnd:3092071396422880965|dvc:c|adp:1o1|mt:|loc:1007010&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsvWt1orA4QIVar7tCh1j0QnCEAQYASABEgKuFvD_BwE

Delivered to my door part-assembled and it took me five minutes to complete the assembly, then 3/4 hours to charge the battery, and I was away. I've also had the tyres sealed, which means no punctures.

Downsides/quibbles with it are:

- not very robust, so only really suitable for standard roads, and even then I'm a bit nervous about durability given the state of roads locally;

- it's a bit 'thick' going at seventh gear, so I stick at fifth/sixth most of the time;

- [probably common to all e-bikes] I've also found the bike is a 'victim of its own success' in that once you've rode with the motor, it seems doubly-difficult to switch back to standard pedalling;

- the fittings (mud guards and brakes) get 'creaky' very quickly and so you have to adjust and oil regularly.

But no serious complaints so far - goes brilliantly.

Not that I wish to contradict the advice given above, and I do appreciate the help and tips, but I suspect the conversion kit would have sufficed functionally. For me, the issues were more legal and technical.

There is a technical risk in putting together a conversion kit. I’m not an expert on bikes. There’s also the legal risk of proceeding without a warranty. £150-175 is not a false economy I can afford.

This is a good forum. If I have any issues, will catch up again.

 

[vfr400]

It looks OK for the money. most of the complaints are around the battery mounting breaking.. If mine broke, I'd chuck it and stick the battery and controller in a bag instead.

The downloadable instruction manual has a Southend telephone number on it.