February 25, 20206 yr Ok new kits, choice has been made. Steve has fwd hubs if he is happy with the ride experience then it might be an idea to stay with that solution as the new hub wheel should simply slide in with no fettling needed and utilise the more relaxing cadence pedalling of a hub kit. For 12 -25 miles rides a fwd will be ideal for pootling around. The mid drive kit will mean Steve and Mrs.Steve having to input more effort then cadences sensing in as they utilise torque sensing for the PAS, the ride isn't as relaxing. Putting a mid drive on it would also mean the old redundant hub motor would remain , slight extra weight and mechanical complexity. Or extra cost replacing the wheel.
February 25, 20206 yr Or extra cost replacing the wheel. about £40 unless the OP finds the old wheel.
February 25, 20206 yr What would be ideal is the Aikema or Bafang G370 both lightweight and front wheel drive at about 42nm. The G370 I'm seriously considering on getting to mount on Swizzbee#1 to make the bike legal and quieter to ride.
February 26, 20206 yr Author Thanks again for all the replies. I watched a YT video of a guy fitting the kit suggested by Woosh a few years ago, it seemed fairly easy, or easier than some others I have watched. Still would want to find someone who knows more than me though, which won't be difficult. The video did, however, raise some questions...... In it he suggests that with any electric cycle you really should consider upgrading the brakes to hydraulic. Is this necessary or maybe recommended for our type of use? He lost a fair few gears during the install. When riding on my own, I tend to go through all of my gears, especially downhill to get up some speed, this is not a problem with my current on/off system. Do these new rules/regs stop you dong that, or do you 'leave the motor behind' in those circumstances and if you do, is reducing the amount of gears you have available a good idea? Not wanting the risk of getting stranded should the electrics fail, are any of the motor positions better or worse than others in terms of being able to ride the bike normally? Steve
February 26, 20206 yr Author about £40 unless the OP finds the old wheel. No old wheel, the Trek's came as you see them.
February 26, 20206 yr In it he suggests that with any electric cycle you really should consider upgrading the brakes to hydraulic. Is this necessary or maybe recommended for our type of use? it's recommended but your fork does not have postmount for disc brakes, that advice is not practical. Not wanting the risk of getting stranded should the electrics fail, are any of the motor positions better or worse than others in terms of being able to ride the bike normally? Middle crank drive motors and geared hub motors all have internal gearbox and clutch. They don't have noticeable drag. On a lightweight bike, you don't even notice the extra weight, either middle, front or rear motor. Yours has a front motor, similar to my XF07 kit. https://wooshbikes.co.uk/cart/#/product/uid-192-xf07kit-13ah/xf07-front-hub-kit-with-13ah-battery If the electrics fails, it's about the same as riding your bike at the moment. geared hub motors have the edge as they do not use the chain. Edited February 26, 20206 yr by Woosh
February 26, 20206 yr For road light trail use and low speed as per a normal bike and up to 15mph your brakes will be fine as they were previously for your use. The front brake could possibly be upgraded to Hydraulic rim brake using Magura brakes, HS11 or HS33 model cost though is about £75 - £85 each brake set. The only brake that needs upgrading if at all is the front brake only as it is effective for about 80% of the bikes stopping power. For your bikes the less fuss option is still a front wheel drive kit if you were happy with the bikes previously, the motor wheel should be a simple swap in /out option. The controller integrated with battery base mount plate so only a single multi core cable to run up to the handle bars and a simple push fit PAS wire connector to the battery controller.
February 26, 20206 yr Author I am leaning towards the front hub kit recommended by Woosh above (thanks for that). Mainly because of the reduced cost (as will probably do both), but also because it has been suggested here that it is what we are used to and also that the riding requires less effort, ideal for our usage. A couple of things I am still confused about is the Woosh site says that a thumb throttle comes with all kits. I had assumed that fitting this would make the bike illegal, whether here and/or abroad. Have I got my wires crossed somewhere? And the kit does not appear to have new brake leavers which I assumed had to be included to cut off the power. More wires crossed maybe? Is the woosh kit an easier fit, which I think has been suggested here? Steve Edited February 26, 20206 yr by Encantador
February 26, 20206 yr I had assumed that fitting this would make the bike illegal The change in pedelecs law since 1/1/2016 applies only to manufacturers. It bans the twist and go throttle. On bikes that I make, to comply with the law, the throttle is only activated after you pedal. Thus, if you just twist/push on the throttle while stationary, it won't start the motor. You pedal a bit, then the throttle will work all the way to 15mph. On the kits, the throttle is twist and go but it is not against the new law (1/1/2016) because the new law does not apply to you and kits. Even so, you don't have to fit the throttle. But if you do, you will need to fit the inline brake sensors, just in case the throttle jams. On our hub kits, we select and supply the pedal sensor and brake sensors to suit your bike. If you know what you need/prefer, just select the right type of sensors when placing your order. Is the woosh kit an easier fit, which I think has been suggested here? Not as easy as the Cytronex C1 on your bike. You need to pull the crank out, either the left crank or the right crank depending on the model of pedal sensor you have selected, to fit the pedal sensor. So this is a bit more work than the sensor that comes with the C1 and you will need a crank puller. The battery is larger and heavier (3.1kgs), you will need to add one or two M5 rivnuts to the downtube so that the battery cradle can be bolted at 3 places. There is nothing to buy, the rivnuts and all other small parts are supplied with the kits but you will need a 6.5mm or 7mm HSS drill bit. The front motor wheel is fitted in the same way as your Cytronex wheel and the cabling is similar. Hub-Kit-Manual-KM529-Feb-2020.pdf King-Meter KM-529-LCD-Display.pdf
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