Hi Tezdread,

 

I wouldn't worry too much about warranty, once you start to modify by adding electric or attacking with an angle grinder it will almost certainly be invalid if something should break.

 

At £299 it's not a huge investment and mid drive with a BBS 01 / 02 is probably a good route to go depending on the dimensions of the BB shell and the chain alignment.

 

The shell needs to be 64 to 68mm wide for a BBS kit.

 

Just out of curiosity I'm tempted to pop round to Go Outdoors with a Vernier gaugeo_O

Hi Tezdread,

 

I wouldn't worry too much about warranty, once you start to modify by adding electric or attacking with an angle grinder it will almost certainly be invalid if something should break.

 

At £299 it's not a huge investment and mid drive with a BBS 01 / 02 is probably a good route to go depending on the dimensions of the BB shell and the chain alignment.

 

The shell needs to be 64 to 68mm wide for a BBS kit.

 

Just out of curiosity I'm tempted to pop round to Go Outdoors with a Vernier gaugeo_O

i'd be grateful if you do, thanks to tezdread's review (sounds a lot better than i imagined, i can see fat tyres might make for easy offroad relaxed cruising) i cant help but being tempted (specially if a BBS kit slotted straight in), the last hurdle, in my case, is that the locals in my neck of the woods sometimes respond strangley to unfamiliar experiences (abuse etc)

Hi Tezdread,

 

 

 

The shell needs to be 64 to 68mm wide for a BBS kit.

You can fit a BBS on a BB up to 73mm.

i'd be grateful if you do, thanks to tezdread's review (sounds a lot better than i imagined, i can see fat tyres might make for easy offroad relaxed cruising) i cant help but being tempted (specially if a BBS kit slotted straight in), the last hurdle, in my case, is that the locals in my neck of the woods sometimes respond strangley to unfamiliar experiences (abuse etc)

I have had no chance to get to Go Outdoors, today has been manic and it looks like tomorrow will be too.

Thanks for the link Geebee, interesting but I can't see me cutting up the frame (I've never replaced\removed a BB!)

 

John, you think an electric kit would void warranty? Guess I'd forgo it to have an electric kit

 

California Ebike have a 100mm conversion option for the Bafang 8FUN Mid Drive so it's close. They have said that the only way they could do it for a 120mm would be if they could sell 20 units, due to costs.

 

http://california-ebike.com/fat-bike-diy-modification-package-bafang-bbs-02-mid-drive/

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjK2CretaaI

 

If there isn't a mid drive kit that fits ATM (I'm still looking), I'm confident that there will be soon(ish) as I think that fat bikes will become more popular.

 

It was only a short time ago that I had never been on an electric bike. Before I knew about kits and the bike options available now, I thought that all ebikes were not for me...then I learned about the kits and really nice bikes, tried a few out and knew I wanted one but I was never really going to experience how good they can be without riding one. My experience with the fat bike was similar but the only way to try was to buy. I bought, rode and knew the benefits\issues and loved it. I think that the more people that try them will like them but they're not for everyday use like a MTB etc. It's a tractor-bike!

Why don't you tell us what bike you have, and then we can advise you how to convert it.?

Why don't you tell us what bike you have, and then we can advise you how to convert it.?

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/2768168.htm?CMPID=GS001&_$ja=cgid:18091976845|tsid:59156|cid:189949525|lid:101861243365|nw:g|crid:61293026725|rnd:4286812918949378953|dvc:c|adp:1o2|bku:1

Thanks John, maybe two pages is too long.

Thanks for the link Geebee, interesting but I can't see me cutting up the frame (I've never replaced\removed a BB!)

 

John, you think an electric kit would void warranty? Guess I'd forgo it to have an electric kit

 

California Ebike have a 100mm conversion option for the Bafang 8FUN Mid Drive so it's close. They have said that the only way they could do it for a 120mm would be if they could sell 20 units, due to costs.

 

http://california-ebike.com/fat-bike-diy-modification-package-bafang-bbs-02-mid-drive/

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjK2CretaaI

 

If there isn't a mid drive kit that fits ATM (I'm still looking), I'm confident that there will be soon(ish) as I think that fat bikes will become more popular.

 

It was only a short time ago that I had never been on an electric bike. Before I knew about kits and the bike options available now, I thought that all ebikes were not for me...then I learned about the kits and really nice bikes, tried a few out and knew I wanted one but I was never really going to experience how good they can be without riding one. My experience with the fat bike was similar but the only way to try was to buy. I bought, rode and knew the benefits\issues and loved it. I think that the more people that try them will like them but they're not for everyday use like a MTB etc. It's a tractor-bike!

how about this (if you could mount a double chain ring upfront):

http://www.ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-products/stoke.html

it may be obvious - but it looks very hackable (one could by the looks of it really manipulate the chain line) and it would suit the aesthetics and grunt of a tractor bike

Thanks selrach, I found this

http://mrbill.homeip.net/albums/stokemonkey_and_ping_battery/index.html

Having the motor in that position would work I guess but if it would fit in the limited space there, I would have an issue of where the controller and battery would go.

 

Bionx do a rear wheel motor on the Surly Moonlander and that has wider tyres than my bike, but whether or not they could\would send me a kit and whether it would fit I will try and find out but I did read they don't currently ship outside the USA

Hi tez,

 

Initially I didn't realise that you had actually bought the bike, but as you now have it I would suggest that you measure the front and rear dropouts to see if a hub motor conversion would be suitable.

 

Regarding a BionX direct drive kits, you can get them from the UK, but the starting price is £1600.

In contrast, the Heinzmann direct drive kits we sell start at £1160 http://www.cyclezee.com/heinzmann-conversion-kits.html

I thought that the moonlander would need a wider hub than the standard kit? If not how would you get a standard hub motor to fit the wider wheels?

 

"A rough measurement of the dropouts puts them at about 150mm front and 180mm rear."

You could fit a rear hub to the front then.

What rear hub would fit the front?

What rear hub would fit the front?

this guy did it

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=55002&hilit=beast&start=50

BUT, 130mm not 150mm and having been on a bike with a BPM2 (500W) I'd agree with not putting it in a front wheel (it would be way overpowered)

Most are 135mm so you need a 7mm spacer each side.

I have a 1000 watt hub on my front steel forks and it works perfectly.

Almost 1000 miles on it,just make sure you use torque arms