I did feel as though i had a passion for electric bikes,but my passion is killed when lots of money is needed,i still like to see a small saving over what i would of spent on the car in petrol,to help justify my hobby, over7 years i have spent probably less than £1200 net,including buying and selling replacement bikes, replaceing batterries and controllers,over the last three or four years i have probably spent less than £250,including a second hand bike to replace the old torq frame,£ 12000 to £15000 to spare and i would of have had some real fun with high performance motorbikes and cars.

So 2500 miles and a fourth snapped spoke means it's time for some maintenance on my first wheel build as I've run out of spare spokes. I am pleased with what it has done but time to build and fit the backup wheel, this time with heavier gauge spokes and a 2x pattern instead of 3x using a bafang 250w CST motor, this will then give me time to strip down/clean/grease and rebuild a wheel with the MXUS motor with the same heavier gauge spokes when I get time.

New bafang 250w CST wheel built and fitted in the easter sunshine, very similar to the MXUS in terms of power but I think the MXUS is a bit quieter and lighter. The ride feels more solid which gives me confidence in that my second wheel is better built. Also the gears got a good degreasing/refitting adjusting so pedaling and changing gears is smooth and quiet. Notice I've used d8veh's football boot bag idea on the rear shelf to house the controller and space for a future shrink wrap battery if needed. Cheap gel seat cover from Lidl fitted and added spd pedals which I think gains 1mph themselves.

Much more comfortable and pretty much feels like a new bike again. Bring on the next 2500 miles !!

1 year on and just short of 5000 miles covered commuting 20 miles to work and back daily, only occasionaly used the car although must admit the bike is my favorite mode of transport whatever the weather.

Original chain and cogs now worn but still work fine together so have decided

to keep using them as a set and carry a chain splitting tool for now until it starts slipping/snap instead of change all the gearing.

The motor is now a 8fun 250w cst because it was a spare wheel I had built up

and have since fitted the mxus motor in a wheel on another bike which I still need to post details about.

The brakes needed more power so have upgraded the calipers for avid BB7 which have helped alot.

All in all a good 1st year cycling and look forward to the next thousands of miles ahead.

A quick tip for users of Cree type headlamps fitted to the handlebar with the original equipment rubber band. Mount the lamp under the bar rather than above it. IT IS MUCH LESS INCLINED TO MOVE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS.

Don't catch my disease. In 3 1/2 years, I've been through more than twenty five motors. My BMSB orders alone come to $7500. I must have spent £12000 to £15000 in total during that time, and it still hasn't stopped.

Where do you keep all your bikes? Lol

Just enjoyed reading this thread. I too built a commuter e-bike. Based on full suspension hybrid. Was surprised about broken spokes, can they be over tightened?

Just enjoyed reading this thread. I too built a commuter e-bike. Based on full suspension hybrid. Was surprised about broken spokes, can they be over tightened?

I am new to building wheels and I believe it was caused by uneven spoke tension.

oh, ok.

I used the "tapping tone" method to try and equal the tension. No problems so far.

I have started using that 'pinging the spokes' sound idea to check the wheel every couple of weeks or so and so far my latest wheel appears to be doing ok

I've seen a tension measuring device but I'm sure pinging is just as good.

 

How "true" were you able to get the wheel? I cannot seem to get better than 2 or 3mm. I think this is where the skill comes in.

The ghost of Sheldon Brown is screaming "The perfect is the enemy of the good." If I remember right, in a motorcycle MOT you are allowed 2 mm wobble, and remember that motorcycle achieve some pretty high speeds. I would guess that the pinging technique is good enough.

 

I would also say that wheel building follows nature`s 80 / 20 rule. It will take 20% of the time to achieve only 3 mm wobble, and 80% to get it down to 2 mm. Whatever method you use to measure tension, always remember that in a dished wheel, the tension will be higher on the drive side.

 

Also consider this. Think of an engine cylinder head. To ensure a gas tight seal, all the head bolts need to be tightened to the same tension. How do we measure this? We use a torque wrench. So why are we not using a miniature torque wrench to check our spoke tension?

 

Here is another theory. If we have a perfect hub, a perfect rim and perfect spokes, we could achieve a perfectly true wheel with all the spokes at the same tension. All these components are mass produced. Variations are inevitable. How round is that rim, to start with. If you placed it on a surface plate, would it touch all the way round? Is the tensile strength of the metal uniform throughout? I doubt it.

 

Therefore, to achieve a perfectly round true wheel, the spokes will need slightly different tensions to hold it in shape. We are looking at a good old British compromise. Part science, yes, but importantly part art.

How "true" were you able to get the wheel? I cannot seem to get better than 2 or 3mm. I think this is where the skill comes in.

About the same as you Rob, within about 2 or 3mm.

2mm allowed on a motorcycle MOT, that's interesting to know for my future wheel builds afterall I'm not going quite as fast as those.

---Happy 5k miles----

Look what I spotted the other day, lucky I looked at the display just when I did.

Could I now consider the whole project paid for it's self by now?

My main battery is still the original 'cheapest at the time' 10ah bottle from BMSB doing me proud and although I've used others every so often (to keep them cycled) I am still using this charged more or less every day for 20 miles and it is still going strong lasting longer than I anticipated.

How many miles could I be likely to see out of it?

Don't catch my disease. In 3 1/2 years, I've been through more than twenty five motors. My BMSB orders alone come to $7500. I must have spent £12000 to £15000 in total during that time, and it still hasn't stopped.

 

At least you know how much you spent. I spent so much I decided to close my eyes so that I won't get hurt lol

My BMSB lifepo4 battery 36v 12ah is still going strong after 15000 miles. This battery has been on three bikes possibly 800+ cycles in total. The capacity still has around 10.5ah

2 years on... and 9000 Miles later ....

------------------

Am still commuting the 20 miles a day 5 or 6 days a week whatever the weather can throw at me on -

the same bike (very weathered)

the same chain from new(worn out)

same tyres from new(goosed)

same battery from new(very weak).

same LCD display from new(nearly died recently)

the same CSTmotor for the last 8000 miles.(seems fine)

but all still work and if it ain't broke(yet), don't fix it.

-------------------

as for maintanance, SHmaintanance, the chain gets cleaned/lubed only when needed as it's very worn but still works ok without skipping teeth and changes gears smoothly.

Have just changed the worn front hub bearings to get by until I can find an equivalent hub or wheel to replace it with.

The battery only gives about 12 miles now and passes out above PAS-3 going up any incline for more than a minute so I stick to PAS-3 now until it's completely expired, then I will continue with my 20ah breeze block which only gets used occasionally now.

All in all I'm very pleased and think it's surely all paid for itself by now.

I've noticed plenty of new member names appearing on here so I hope this gives any new pedelecers the encouragement to continue on and do the same.

After spending over an hour and a half everyday in all weathers on the bike, here is the same bike over 6 years and 25'000 miles later transported back to a normal bicycle.

If you start a conversion with a good-quality bike, you can’t go far wrong. And you get the added benefit of being able to sell the standard bike at a reasonable price if and when it is decommissioned or you upgrade.