February 19Feb 19 Hi There I am sure, indeed have seen, that variations of this question have been covered before but technology moves on..... I am looking to convert my wife's Pashley Britannia - what would you recomend. She does not like hills and it is a beautiful but very heavy bike already. Lightish irregular use in hilly Scotland. Many thanks Nick
February 19Feb 19 Hub brakes ? I think that would rule out a hub motor conversion. Possibly a mid motor conversion if it is a standard bottom bracket, but it would ruin the looks. I would say sell it and buy something easy to convert on facebook ! (but I do have a utilitarian streak, and I can see it is a lovely looking bike) something like this would be much easier to convert https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1669985031021700/
February 19Feb 19 You could always get some of these, fit a V-Brake on the front and get a front hub conversion kit (it would need a wheel that can use rim brakes, most do). Just make sure her life insurancee is up to date first.
February 19Feb 19 You could always get some of these, fit a V-Brake on the front and get a front hub conversion kit (it would need a wheel that can use rim brakes, most do). Just make sure her life insurancee is up to date first. Somebody did that and fitted a front hub motor https://www.reddit.com/r/ukbike/s/MMbrd9uB5A (My reservation would be the brakes wouldn't be great and wear quickly on a big heavy bike being propelled by a motor) Maybe new forks with disc brakes mount ?
February 19Feb 19 I would recommend the XF07 front hub kit. Talk to Andy@Wooshbikes.co.uk 01702684444. https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?hubkits
February 20Feb 20 Forget it. It's the sort of bike that somebody with a lot of experience of conversions could do as a challenge. You can't fit hub-motors and there's nowhere easy to fit a battery. For the price of conversion, you can buy a ready-made ebike : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326756887948?chn=ps&_ul=GB&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-166974-033325-9&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=326756887948&targetid=2304343365564&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9045437&poi=&campaignid=22533169369&mkgroupid=179817604752&rlsatarget=pla-2304343365564&abcId=10303670&merchantid=7383464&geoid=9045437&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22533169369&gbraid=0AAAAAD_Lr1c5Ng2W9ekQ07Bc3wI6m-LGX&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhtvMBhDBARIsAL26pjF5ytlLB2u0Om-jDNuMwxTG0CT1Vxmtlz2iK2yNah-fbuQG3kedqPkaAonTEALw_wcB
February 20Feb 20 Forget it. It's the sort of bike that somebody with a lot of experience of conversions could do as a challenge. You can't fit hub-motors and there's nowhere easy to fit a battery. For the price of conversion, you can buy a ready-made ebike : You can use a rack battery or a bag battery or bring your bike to our workshop and watch it being converted.
February 20Feb 20 I think one difficulty is the hub brakes, you could possibly convert to cantilever brakes, but that's not ideal for a heavy powered bike
February 20Feb 20 I would recommend the XF07 front hub kit. Talk to Andy@Wooshbikes.co.uk 01702684444. https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?hubkits What would you do for a front brake?
February 20Feb 20 What would you do for a front brake? You could use a disc brakes converter. Something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B098QK6KW6 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09X2M5Z1K https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B2D7DNGZ I would need some close up pictures to see which one is more suitable. Projects like this may need end to end support and are better with local suppliers than ali. Edited February 20Feb 20 by Woosh
February 20Feb 20 You could use a disc brakes converter. Something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B098QK6KW6 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09X2M5Z1K https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B2D7DNGZ I would need some close up pictures to see which one is more suitable. Projects like this may need end to end support and are better with local suppliers than ali. First and third won't fit the Pashley and the second is for a rear brake that probably won't fit either, and even if it did, you'd lose the gears.
February 20Feb 20 First and third won't fit the Pashley and the second is for a rear brake that probably won't fit either, and even if it did, you'd lose the gears. this picture comes from the third model. There are similar models on the amazon website. This one costs £4. https://www.amazon.co.uk/AASHOPPERS-Bicycle-Modification-Bracket-Mounting/dp/B07G4LNR7X/ref=pd_ci_mcx_di_int_sccai_cn_d_sccl_1_2/257-8199860-0374521 edit: I now think Saneagle is more right than me. Buy a ready made bike. Edited February 20Feb 20 by Woosh
February 20Feb 20 Author Thanks to all for your knowledgeable and timely responses. Were it for me i would indeed probably buy a ready-made bike or better conversion candidate....but my wife love the Britannia - colour, style,basket, quality etc. Am minded to look at the bottom bracket fitment with rack battery mount and so lose only the chain guard (possibly adapt / replace) I guess rather than wider conversion options. If so what would the Bafang BBS01B 250 be the way to go on a bike of this weight? Thanks all.
February 20Feb 20 Thanks to all for your knowledgeable and timely responses. Were it for me i would indeed probably buy a ready-made bike or better conversion candidate....but my wife love the Britannia - colour, style,basket, quality etc. Am minded to look at the bottom bracket fitment with rack battery mount and so lose only the chain guard (possibly adapt / replace) I guess rather than wider conversion options. If so what would the Bafang BBS01B 250 be the way to go on a bike of this weight? Thanks all. It's a possibility, but need to check the bottom bracket is "standard" threaded and nothing in the way. I know it sounds dramatic but I think it is dangerous to have a motor powered heavy bike with just drum brakes. I would change the front forks to some that properly support disc mounts (and are strong enough) and use a front motor and hydraulic disc front brake
February 20Feb 20 I know it sounds dramatic but I think it is dangerous to have a motor powered heavy bike with just drum brakes. I would change the front forks to some that properly support disc mounts (and are strong enough) and use a front motor and hydraulic disc front brake That's what we'd want, but I'm not sure it's achievable. Look at the length of the steering head tube!
February 20Feb 20 If so what would the Bafang BBS01B 250 be the way to go on a bike of this weight? The weight is no problem. Personally, I'd fit a TSDZ02 rather than a Bafang. The Bafang is more reliable, but the ride isn't as good and she might not like it. Before anything, you need to look at the bottom bracket. It doesn't look too bad, but these sort of bikes often have weird ones. Ideally, you need to remove the cranks completely and look at whether you have the correct BSA/Shimano type BB and whether there is anything on the frame that's going to interfere with the motor. The cables would probably need to be re-routed around the motor. One issue that you will need to solve is that you have horizontal drop-outs for chain adjustment. The torque of the motor can make them slip inwards, making the chain loose. You probably need restrainers to hold the axle back, like motorbikes have to adjust the chain - this sort of thing, but you have to check how they fit to your bike both at the back of the frame and on the axle, or whther you can make some modification to make them fit: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193393400247?_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339019732&toolid=10001&customid=eb%3Ag%3Avms%3Aeb%3Ap%3A193393400247%3B I'm not sure about a rack battery. A smaller toolbag battery or one like this adapted to fit to the seat stays above the mudguard: https://www.yosepower.co.uk/products/36v10ah-seat-tube-li-ion-e-bike-battery?currency=GBP&variant=43425296089308&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=3c53e71ffe78&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22087960003&gbraid=0AAAAAomzHmyqadUHF8279dSe4s6DniACS&gclid=Cj0KCQiAqeDMBhDcARIsAJEbU9TiQS3zOQoH53Unzd-JcL6urzZ3G0cv6IAoqmsNCOWMCvqTxnjtjL8aAlx-EALw_wcB Edited February 20Feb 20 by saneagle
February 20Feb 20 One more thing you need to check if you want to fit a crank-drive is the chainline. Check the distance of the chainring centre from the bottom bracket. It'll probably be close enough, but if it's not in line, you might need to add a chain-guide to stop the chain from jumping off, which is very common when you fit a crank-drive with a single chainwheel to a bike with derailleur gears. TSDZ2B is 55mm from the BB. Bafang BBS01 is 50mm.
February 20Feb 20 If so what would the Bafang BBS01B 250 be the way to go on a bike of this weight? Weight wouldn't be a problem with a fully programmable UART BBS01B (and a big battery), but those are now extremely rare. Pricey if available, this is the only UART kit I can find. States "UART", but imagine having to return it to China, if they send you a CAN bus BBS01B kit instead. https://www.aliexpress.com/i/1005005865920998.html Nearly every kit I've seen is CAN bus, which haven't been fully hacked yet, might not ever be. Edited February 20Feb 20 by guerney
February 20Feb 20 Author It's a possibility, but need to check the bottom bracket is "standard" threaded and nothing in the way. I know it sounds dramatic but I think it is dangerous to have a motor powered heavy bike with just drum brakes. I would change the front forks to some that properly support disc mounts (and are strong enough) and use a front motor and hydraulic disc front brake Thanks for this. The brakes seem pretty good but I hear you. A badly maintained drum is pretty bad though - had a couple of big V8 1960's US cars long ago that proved the point quite dramatically.
February 20Feb 20 Author The weight is no problem. Personally, I'd fit a TSDZ02 rather than a Bafang. The Bafang is more reliable, but the ride isn't as good and she might not like it. Before anything, you need to look at the bottom bracket. It doesn't look too bad, but these sort of bikes often have weird ones. Ideally, you need to remove the cranks completely and look at whether you have the correct BSA/Shimano type BB and whether there is anything on the frame that's going to interfere with the motor. The cables would probably need to be re-routed around the motor. One issue that you will need to solve is that you have horizontal drop-outs for chain adjustment. The torque of the motor can make them slip inwards, making the chain loose. You probably need restrainers to hold the axle back, like motorbikes have to adjust the chain - this sort of thing, but you have to check how they fit to your bike both at the back of the frame and on the axle, or whther you can make some modification to make them fit: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193393400247?_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339019732&toolid=10001&customid=eb%3Ag%3Avms%3Aeb%3Ap%3A193393400247%3B I'm not sure about a rack battery. A smaller toolbag battery or one like this adapted to fit to the seat stays above the mudguard: https://www.yosepower.co.uk/products/36v10ah-seat-tube-li-ion-e-bike-battery?currency=GBP&variant=43425296089308&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=3c53e71ffe78&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22087960003&gbraid=0AAAAAomzHmyqadUHF8279dSe4s6DniACS&gclid=Cj0KCQiAqeDMBhDcARIsAJEbU9TiQS3zOQoH53Unzd-JcL6urzZ3G0cv6IAoqmsNCOWMCvqTxnjtjL8aAlx-EALw_wcB Thank you. Good input into the debate and indeedy Andy at Whoosh recommended the TSD too. Will have to look at chain issue indeedy.
February 20Feb 20 Thank you. Good input into the debate and indeedy Andy at Whoosh recommended the TSD too. Will have to look at chain issue indeedy. Woosh have the bag battery to go with the motor kit. You need to check whethere there's room for it, especially if she has the seat right down. Their frog battery might be OK mounted in front of the seatpost, which woud be great for balance. When I look at this picture, I can see some maroon bulging out beyond the bottom bracket on the far side. Hopefully, it's the chainguard bracket. If it's part of the frame, it's going to be a problem:
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