Would a Dawes Karakum be a reasonable donor bike for use when using an e bike conversion kit.

[Simon Lightning]

Hi all
I am considering aquiring a Dawes Karakum for use as a donor bike for an e bike conversion kit.
So I am wondering if anyone has used the same bicycle and were they happy with the conversion?
It will be a gents frame, 700c wheels and 700 x 32C tyres. It has an alloy frame but steel forks as standard.
It will be for a 10 mile round trip into Norwich (so mainly flat terrain) with the ocassional longer round trip of about 35 miles. I am used to a front hub motor and happy with it. I anticipate mounting the battery on the down tube. I am 64 years old, weigh about 13 stone and ride a few miles each day on either an old e bike or an ordinary bicycle.
I won't fit a throttle ( are they illegal anyway? ) and so won't need brake sensors.
Thank you in advance for any helpful comments.
Regards Simon

 

[Woosh]

Hello Simon,

Your Karakum is straightforward to convert with an XF07 front hub and a downtube battery.
For a 20 mile round trip, you'll need about 5AH so anything from 10AH will do. If you want to explore your project with a Woosh kit, please email kits@wooshbikes.co.uk

 

[Simon Lightning]

Hello Simon,

Your Karakum is straightforward to convert with an XF07 front hub and a downtube battery.
For a 20 mile round trip, you'll need about 5AH so anything from 10AH will do. If you want to explore your project with a Woosh kit, please email kits@wooshbikes.co.uk

Hello
Thank you very much for your information, I am very impressed withthe very helpful and clear Whoosh website. I will be in contact soon.Kind regards Simon

 

[Moecycle]

From what I can tell that frame doesn’t have mounts for disk brakes. That’s something I always look out for in a donor frame.

Not sure how powerful a motor you’re going with, but something to consider.

I converted a Dawes Discovery with a YOSE 350W kit and was very pleased with the results. I personally think rear-wheel drive is the way to go.

Dawes Discovery 201 + YOSE 350w 700c Kit + Samsung 25R 10s4p

Hi Folks, I'm working on a conversion for my partner. She wanted a very light bike that could maintain speed so we could bike together (she has a smaller pedelec now with 20" wheels) I'm going to be working off of a Dawes Discovery 201 donor I've picked up for 90GBP. From what I can tell, an...

www.pedelecs.co.uk

Good luck!

 

[Simon Lightning]

From what I can tell that frame doesn’t have mounts for disk brakes. That’s something I always look out for in a donor frame.

Not sure how powerful a motor you’re going with, but something to consider.

I converted a Dawes Discovery with a YOSE 350W kit and was very pleased with the results. I personally think rear-wheel drive is the way to go.

Dawes Discovery 201 + YOSE 350w 700c Kit + Samsung 25R 10s4p

Hi Folks, I'm working on a conversion for my partner. She wanted a very light bike that could maintain speed so we could bike together (she has a smaller pedelec now with 20" wheels) I'm going to be working off of a Dawes Discovery 201 donor I've picked up for 90GBP. From what I can tell, an...

www.pedelecs.co.uk

Good luck!

Hello
Thank you for your advice.
The Karakum uses V brakes and although not as powerful as disc brakes I think for my light loading and low speeds the V brakes will do. The motor would be 250W. What advantages would a rear wheel motor have over a front hub motor please.

 

[StuartsProjects]

Hello
Thank you for your advice.
The Karakum uses V brakes and although not as powerful as disc brakes I think for my light loading and low speeds the V brakes will do.

I would agree, for sure decent hydraulic disk brakes are good to have, safer no doubt, but I would definetly not be put off by a lack of disk brakes. Rim brakes on wheels of that size are in use all over the World and have been for many many years.

A million 16" wheel Bromptons have been built, they have rim brakes.

 

[StuartsProjects]

I converted a Dawes Discovery with a YOSE 350W kit and was very pleased with the results.

Glad you were happy\pleased.

But its not road legal in the UK.