Fit an Electric Bike Kit for Easy Cycling
Electric Bicycle Conversion Kits Offer Cheap Motorized Transport
Jul 15, 2009
The electric bicycle market is only in its infancy in the US and Europe although e-bikes are the most popular form of transport in major Chinese cities. Choosing a motorized bike can be a daunting task due to the long list of technical questions a potential customer inevitably has regarding size and weight of the bike battery, battery life, recharging times and motor efficiency. Not to mention bike design and a price range from just a few hundred dollars to over $3,500.
Buying a conversion kit is a simple method of trying an e-bike without having to buy a new bike, and anyone who doesn’t take to power-assisted cycling can just convert the bike back afterward if required.
How Electric Bikes Work
E-bikes as they are commonly known work by providing motorized assistance through a hub motor powered by a rechargeable battery. The amount of power required is regulated by the rider via a controller operated by a thumb or throttle shifter. It is important to remember that the motor does not do all the work; the rider must still pedal especially when setting off, traversing rough ground and when cycling uphill. The motor simply makes it far easier, taking the strain off the cyclist.
Electric Bike Conversion Kits
The most basic electric bike kit consists of a wheel with a hub motor, torque arms to secure the wheel/motor to the axle, a controller linked to some form of throttle to adjust the level of power, connecting wires to join everything together and a rack to hold the battery which powers the motor. Brake levers may also be supplied.
Kits can be bought with or without the battery offering the opportunity to upgrade to a battery that better suits the requirements of the rider, for example a lighter model with longer range and/or lower recharging time.
How to Fit an Electric Bike Kit
- First ensure compatibility of the bike. The wheel (normally a standard 20", 24" or 26” wheel) must be able to fit into the existing forks. The bike cannot have disc brakes and forks must be made of steel not alloy. Check the specifications on the electric bike kit carefully before purchase.
- Remove the existing wheel and brakes from the bike.
- Insert the new hub motor wheel, securing it tightly so that the torque arms stop the motor from spinning within the fork.
- Fit the throttle and, if supplied, the brake levers connecting the existing brake cables to the new brake handles.
- Install the battery rack. This is normally done by attaching the upper support to the seat post and lower support to the axle.
- Attach the battery.
- Fit the controller behind the saddle or on top of the battery bag but not inside the bag as this can cause overheating.
- Connect all wires from the motor, brakes and throttle to the controller ensuring that wires are not tangled up but secured with zip-ties in appropriate places. Good quality electric bike kits come with color-coded wires for easy installation.
- Plug the battery into the controller ensuring it is fully charged first.
- Check for any final adjustments and take the bike for a spin. Check all bolts for tightness after the first few miles.
Cost of Electric Bike Kits
Kits with cheaper but heavy lead-acid batteries cost around $440 up to $900 or more for kits with lightweight Lithium Ion batteries. Expect to pay around $350 for a basic kit without the battery.
Electric Bikes Make Cycling Easy
Converting an existing bicycle to an e-bike is easy with an electric bicycle conversion kit.
It allows less fit cyclists to sample the benefits of power assisted cycling without resorting to buying another bicycle which might sit in the garage if cycling sounds like too much hard work.
Related Articles
Read our article on Why Ride an Electric Bicycle? before investing in an electric bike kit.
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