would it be possible to put electrics on this

[annsimpson]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221891122305?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Nealh]

That looks simple to power up a front hub may make the wheel spin to easy and cause wheel spin with loss of traction not enough front end weight so a crank drive looks like a good candidate, they have an intergrated controller, the battery could go on the down tube or be fitted on the rear axle out of the way. BBS is the obvious CD however there is the GSM CD to consider which is rated 250w with 18a controller so should have good torque for climbing. Woosh sell both.
An advantage of crank drive is there are no issues with wheel building or using a built rim that is different to the rest of the bike and punctures would be easier to fix with no electric disconnection to make.

 

[annsimpson]

oh dear it seems everyway I look there's problem, would fitting a crank drive be hard or exspensive

 

[RobF]

oh dear it seems everyway I look there's problem, would fitting a crank drive be hard or exspensive

Yes, probably, and about £700.

The conversion looks professional, but crank drives can be sensitive to chain line.

There's no way of finding if a crank drive could be made to fit the trike other than trying it.

It's also not clear from the pics if the bike has a standard bottom bracket.

It probably has, but there has been some welding to the bottom of the seat tube for the conversion which might, or might not, impede the fitting of a crank drive.

 

[Nealh]

I don't see it problematic. According to the seller the bike is a normal frame where the rear axle has been welded to the rear drops outs and 2 calipers fitted, the bottom bracket area should be untouched so standard 68mm or maybe 73mm. Hub kit/battery will be about £500 Panda sell a front Xiongda 2 speed kit which has very good climbing ability or Woosh do the bpm kits, my only concern is that most of the bikes weight is central or bias to the 2 rear wheels. A crank drive kit/battery can is £550 - 680 ish depending on the model you choose, again look at Panda bikes and Eclipse for BBS CD or Woosh for BBS & GSM. Woosh now use the nice sleeker battery. The crank drive takes about 1/2hr to hour to fit and about an hour to fit the other items, a pedal or speed sensor is not needed as these are intergarted within the CD unit and all the riders power is driven through the rear axle. A fiiter will charge about £100 if you or your other half are unable to carry out the work.

 

[annsimpson]

can I ask then how this bike has a front drivhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271990735930?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITe with no probs

 

[RobF]

Difficult to tell from the pics, but the drive side chain stay looks non-standard.

The extra width between the two chain stays has been achieved somehow, I suspect by some welding to the bottom bracket shell.

I might be wrong about that, or it might not make any difference to fitting a kit.

But it doesn't look like a project for a novice.

 

[Nealh]

A crank drive needs the existing pedal crank arms removing and the bottom bracket shell, a crank drive unit then just slides in and is tightened up with the locking nut on the opposite side, sometimes some filing is needed to the internal bottom bracket shell to remove some over weld or slight obstruction if fitting is tight, grease will help it to slid in easier. Also the bottom bracket needs measuring to make sure it is not larger then 73mm in length, I suspect it will be 68mm. The wiring is peasy it is all plug and play and colour coded so just fit the waterproof connectors together as per instructions.

 

[RobF]

can I ask then how this bike has a front drivhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271990735930?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITe with no probs

A front hub could be fitted to the second hand trike.

Neal pointed out the general disadvantages with hub motors, and quite fairly made the point one might get some wheel spin, depending on the weight distribution.

 

[Nealh]

can I ask then how this bike has a front drivhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271990735930?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITe with no probs

That bike is a shopping bike rather then a mtb trike touring/excursuion bike so ok to pootle to the shops or locally around town or village but not much kop to go for a 20-30 mile ride and cope with hills, it has a lightweight front hub.

 

[annsimpson]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301745805311?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
now I'm probably being really silly but I do like this much lighter bike but is it to light to do what I want and to add electrics to it, it only needs a tidy and claud butler is a decent make

 

[annsimpson]

my son has just told me it has to be step through he says I'd never manage a cross bar

 

[Kuorider]

Without a counter shaft for the gears, and differential unit, a rear wheel driven e trike will be a pure dog to ride. Both those you link to are conversions using the same kit. If you wonder why they both have little use it's because they are pigs to ride and potentially dangerous. Stick to front hub drive on a trike but watch your cornering as it will pitch you off in an instant with a tad too much power on. Keep a close eye out for adverse camber on roads & tracks and stay well away from dropped edges where Tarmac meets grass as either will have you on your side with a leg trapped under a crank.
A nasty trike will end up rusting in the shed from where most seem to emerge.
Look again at the link I gave you ,these units are on sprung flexing arms which allow you to lean into corners, you can set them a shade high and ride normally with the support wheels just off the road, when coming to rest lean on either side for support. An elastomer steering damper will improve the overall feel when cruising along. Safety on mounting/ dismounting can be assured with a latching brake. Using these the cost should be less than £200 and you keep your bike then switch them too another bike if upgrading.