My wife has mentioned a few times that she may come out for a few rides with me if she had an e-bike.

She has a (pretty much unused!) Kona Dew Plus, it may be better to just convert that rather than buy a ready made bike.

Has anyone had any experience with buying conversion kits?

I had a quick look at Dillenger kit (looks OK but not sure if it is disc brake compatible).

I have a mid drive Bafang one which has been very reliable. Bit ugly with all the extra cables and magnets if using disc brakes and it really needs a better mount for the bb but will do if not regular heavy usage I guess.

It is good being able to switch it to another bike (as I now am) or if you can’t get that bike specific bike with an electric motor, but otherwise I’d go for a purpose built one. Although not just yet, until they sort out the bb issues there seems to be.

I have a sunstar so3 kit which is unfortunately now discontinued. Its almost as good as a bosch bb mounted motor having a proper torque sensor and not needing the brake line switches of the bafung. Full bike builds using the bosch motor are far better to ride than most kitted bikes. Just nicer to ride IMO / IME

Thanks for the replies. Roughly how much were your different conversion kits?

i’ve been toying with the idea of converting my old Kona Smoke (29er commuter bike) thats now unused but is currently being re-purposed to a winter or possibly ebike.

As above the Bafang/8fun mid mounted units look the best solution from my googling and the route I might go down. The only problem is again as above in that the BB mounting of the Bafang is crap in that it relies on tightening the unit so it ‘digs’ into the BB face to stop torque reaction. I would tig weld a ‘reaction’ mount to the underside of my Kona’s downtube to solidly attach the Bafang and stop it moving but this is moving away from the realms of a normal DIY fitment.

I’ve also removed the existing cable guides and am brazing full outer/zip tie cable guides to the frame so no problem adding extras for cables as converted bikes always look untidy.

This guy is local and rides a converted mtb in pretty crap conditions so I’d assume the kit is fairly weather proof.

He does have a hand throttle fitted which is a bit naughty…

https://www.brightonebikes.co.uk/

Roughly how much were your different conversion kits?[/quote]

A Bafang 48V 750W BBS02 Ebike Kit with a colour screen,a gear change sensor and a 36tooth leccy bling

ring will cost just over £415 from Here

You could get the 1000w HD Bafang, but i think it will be far to heavy for your wife’s occasional bike ride.

You can then buy a data cable that gives you the option to reduce the top speed but still keep all the torque.

You then need a battery and charger, you could order from em3ev at the same time as they have a very good reputation in building batteries, i personally was just worried that if anything went wrong it was a long way to return it, and most couriers classed it as hazardous so was expensive to post.

In the end i used a company called Insat International click on BGA reworking/E bike have look at what cells they have and then email them.

A 48v copper connected 17.5 AH battery in a dolphin case is £400 to £500 depending on cells and charger.

Ive done nearly 1800 miles on my bafang in under a year and no complaints.

There’s a bike company in Winchester who do conversions, can’t remember their name though.

I have a sunstar so3 kit which is unfortunately now discontinued.

The battery on mine has died, wasn’t very old either.

Like MTBs, you get what you pay for – the Bafang etc are the equivalent of a Halfords MTB. They’re okay, but there are much better systems available. For retrofitting, I use Heinzmann, Go SwissDrive, BionX or Pendix depending on what’s needed.

Commuters, what sort of average speed do you end up doing?

I’ve got a 26 mile commute with relatively little climbing (about 900ft IIRC), doable by bike but a bit of a stretch, just wondering whether an e-bike restricted to 15mph would actually make it any easier seeing as I can already average over that.

He does have a hand throttle fitted which is a bit naughty…

no it isn’t – it is OK on conversions – I’ve got an email from the DoT (or whoever) saying so 🙂

Was querying it for the Sparticle kit for a Brompton, as considering it for London and the advantages of not having to breath the sh1t air deeply, i.e. just using the motor and not really pedalling 🙂

My old man’s done bikes for him& my mum. Normal bb& gears was ok. IGH and EBB was a real pain & involved lots of fettling/ bodging to get the bb sensors mounted. Now sorted they love them and have got rid of all their other bikes!

Mine was well over a grand inc battery – batteries are expensive

I really would go for a fully built bike – a much better riding experience

A conversion for a road/hybrid I reckon would be better as you can just use a throttle, as I said, rather than pedelec. I tried one years ago and the acceleration on such a light bike was funny.

Slight hijack and resurrect but – I’m debating getting a conversion kit for my other half for Christmas largely for commuting purposes.

Looking at kits i see there are front and rear options for the wheels, is there any benefit to one over the other?

It’ll definitely want to be pedal assist not throttled – the aim is to cut the time taken so as to make getting some exercise instead of the car a more viable option, extra benefit if it means not needing a full change of clothes, shower etc at either end.

A range of 30k on a charge would be enough, no idea if this is reasonable to expect at the cheaper end or not?

Price not withstanding, is there a major benefit to a bb motor (new bike) over a hub one or vice versa?

Mine was well over a grand inc battery – batteries are expensive
I really would go for a fully built bike – a much better riding experience

I seem to remember giving similar advice on the thread you posted before you bought that conversion…. I knew I was right at the time. 🙂

Just don’t buy conversions. Do or do not. Bosch are the best, Yamaha, Shimano and Specialized are second (depending on what your priorities are though to be fair) Eveything else is last.
I wouldn’t spend my own money on a conversation or a hub mounted motor ebike.

rice not withstanding, is there a major benefit to a bb motor (new bike) over a hub one or vice versa?

Yes. BB mounted motors are vastly superior in every way except cost. They sense torque/pedal movement instantly and the assistance is very smooth and linear. There’s no on and off effect, it’s just like having a firm but gentle push from behind. Also, all the other cycle parts are the same as a normal bike so wheels are easy to remove and parts easy to find.
Put the motor in the wheel and it doesn’t know when you’re pedalling until the wheel or crank sensor passes it’s magnet, so they’re very coarse to use. Stop pedalling to cost round a corner and the drive doesn’t stop immediately which is disconcerting. They’re also noisy and make wheel removal a pain. Cheap end bikes only really.
Also, the BB motors are made by the big players. So they’re tough, reliable and have proper backup. Sprockets are easy to get etc.

Hmmmm might have to try find someone with a decent one to demo then – big downside there being it’ll have to be a proper mtb so it gets used enough to justify the expense which means mucho hard work to keep up for me. (was thinking the conversion could come off at the weekend for proper use)

TurnerGuy – Member
no it isn’t – it is OK on conversions – I’ve got an email from the DoT (or whoever) saying so

Was querying it for the Sparticle kit for a Brompton, as considering it for London and the advantages of not having to breath the sh1t air deeply, i.e. just using the motor and not really pedaling

Cool – now to get one of those E-Go kit conversions on a Liteville 301. If it’s good enough for Tom Oehler……. 😀

No idea for proper mtbing, but for commuting a conversion kit seems perfectly fine. I have a bafung mid drive fitted to a big dummy and so far it has been great.

Given the cost of the mid drive kits and the bugery/bodgery to make it fit I’m not sure that’s any more sensible than an off the peg bike though.

Peter poddy you were not right. The kit I have is almost as good as a bosch bike and I wanted the ability to swap between bikes. Sorry dude but on e bike kits you were talking thru your hat.

Conversion kits don’t make sense when Cube do a wide range of well specced Bosch equipped bikes for ~£2k+
The only ‘benefit’ to conversion kits is that you are not bound by the 250w legalities in that you can buy whatever wattage you want, it’s still illegal however to use above 250w on the public highway.

Conversion kits have several benefits. You can convert a bike you already have. You can use a bike to the spec you want, instead of what happens to come with a fully built bike. You can convert a kind of bike that’s not available electric.

Fully integrated electric bikes are good too, but conversion kits have their place.

Just reviving this thread as I’m interested in current stw thinking on this.

My sister is in a terrible state really and none of us know what to do. Chronic fatigue, arthritis type symptoms and all sorts has got her almost house-bound with little daylight exposure and she’s terribly depressed understandably.

She enjoys very rare bike rides but it tends to ruin her after.

As I’m the official family cyclist I’d love to be able to help on this front.

I’ve got an ‘old’ Transition Transam steel hardtail with 26″ wheels and spring Pikes on it.

I’m tight on money but looking for any pointers on something I could convert this with?

I’ve looked a bit at Bafang and I think Cyclotricity but not much else. The cost ramps up pretty quick.

What’s about currently that’s worth looking at? It’s only really got to be relatively basic assist. She’s not going to be doing any Alps circumnavigations just now. However, I guess throttle only could be useful if she’s struggling more.

Any of the Amazon kits worth looking at?

Cheers.

Wheel kits are the simplest to fit and fine for pottering around on. The more sophisticated the electronics and sensors the better they ride. BB mounts are better if you are doing much climbing. You tend to get what you pay for. Batteries are expensive – have a think about capacity. Mines a 375 w/hr battery and range is 10 – 40 miles ( used a lot at highish power)

I would be looking to a specialist e bike company or someone like Ben for advice

Cheers TJ. I’ve seen you talk about your Bafang experience before.

its not a bafeng I have. I have the now discontinued sunstar kit which is great.

Oh. My imagination then.. 👍

I have blethered about kits before tho – its trailrat that has a bafeng that he enjoys. I have ridden bosch equipped bikes – the best I have ridden. I have ridden sophisticated add on kits – nearly as good. I have ridden cheap wheel kits – slightly weird to ride.

One key thing is torque sensing – it makes a big differnce to the ridability. One bike I rode the electronics where very basic so as soon as you turned the pedals not matter how hard the motor went immediately to the max power set.

I really suggest tying a few out if yo can.

My bafangs on a long tail cargo bike I already owned.

Show me one of those with a decent range for less than 2k…..

It does the job. My wife’s currently using it as her bicycle through pregnancy after having hired a Bosch haibike in Majorca.

She says she thinks the bafang control system allows more user control and let’s her set the pace better to match her friends than the Bosch system where she was constantly stopping and starting pedaling or unable to keep up if she went down a mode.

But if you just want to jump on and pedal then the Bosch probably for you, if you want full control to pace match then the bafang allows that.

We got 110km out of the haibike in Majorca from Pollenca to sa colabra and back

We regularly get 100km out of 2 bars/from 5 on the bafang set up we have – mainly overspecced as when it’s loaded up it rinses battery