advice on new build

[ebent]

I am considering buying the bike and adding a motor. I am looking for feedback if this is a bike that will accept a hub motor without problems. It is an aluminum bike so torque arms will be needed. All thought are appreciated. Also I'd like an opinion on the frame in general.

Thanks, Harvey

 

[USAEBIKECO]

I've converted a bike similar to that one. Very easy to build. The bike was a bit heavy but was able to carry cargo. I used a 750 watt motor with 48v20ah battery with it. Make sure the front hub motor can fit onto those front forks.

 

[slacker]

forget about a front hub as lester suggest's, rear hub is a much better bet. jmo. would not put a front hub on aluminum fork's as aluminum give's no warning when it break's were metal will give you a clue that it is failing. Good luck with your build, look's like a nice bike.

 

[USAEBIKECO]

I've never had a front hub motor fail. You're supposed to use a torque arm to keep the axle firmly in place. Having the motor in the rear puts too much weight on the rear tire and could cause it to pop. I've had that happen.

 

[e-beach]

You can convert that bike. When Yuba does there own conversions on that style they use a rear hub motor and put the battery pack behind the seat post.

http://yubabikes.com/boda-boda/elboda-boda-v3

Have you looked into a mid-drive motor for that bike?

Also, with the dropouts in the back a bit different then most diamond-frame style bikes, think about what kind of adaptation you would have to make for a dropout to work effectively.

I run a front hub motor on an alloy suspension fork with steel dropouts on both sides.

Find out the hub spacing in millimeters before you buy your motor. If the frame is aluminum, then it won't tolerate much stretching.

 

[slacker]

lester, regarding rear motor's i rode a surly big dummy cargo bike with a e-bike kit rear direct drive hub motor for over 3 year's and would haul 100 lb.s of water softener salt and i weigh 190 and never had a flat tire. I am guessing if you poll all the people on es 60% have rear motor's. Just a guess but in my opinion rear motor is safer. Again just my opinion. Good day and keep riding.

 

[ebent]

Thanks for the comments. I have never experienced a front hub but I think the steering would feel heavy. Because I have experience with a rear hub and liked it I'm thinking to go that way. I will find out the drop out before I buy it. I am short. This is 26 inch wheels. But it appears that there is room to lower the seat quite a bit so at 5' 6" I think it will work. I had a crystallite motor on my last ride and liked it. I might use the same. I'm thinking 500 watts. Being in flat Florida I'm thinking that a geared motor will not be needed. I'll avoid the issues of noise and needed replacement of the gears over time. The crystallite easily took me over some high bridges effortlessly. My rare and steepest needs.

 

[ebent]

The rear drop out is 135mm. What is required?
Thanks

 

[ScooterMan101]

Just a good rear motor/controller , and a good battery pack.

Since you are now going to have a heavy DD Hub motor , and a battery pack that will also put on an additional 6-12 pounds on the bike , you will/should be happier with the double stand . http://yubabikes.com/cargobikestore/boda-double-stand

The rear drop out is 135mm. What is required?
Thanks

 

[Chalo]

There's some misinformation here. First, that fork isn't aluminum, but steel. Aluminum forks still exist here and there, but they were never common and they're a lot more uncommon now than they were 20 years ago.

A front hub motor has little perceptible effect on steering. It's not like you can wheelie a longtail bike anyway, so it's unlikely you'll notice a difference one way or the other.

However, a hub motor wheel is weaker, like for like, than a normal bicycle wheel. So you might as well use it in the front of a longtail, where the rear wheel can occasionally be called upon to carry really heavy loads, e.g. an adult passenger.

Longtails distribute a higher minimum amount of weight to the front wheel, so traction/wheelslip of a front hub motor won't be an issue like it can be with a regular bike.

 

[ebent]

With 135mm drop out does that allow all combinations of motors and number of gears? Will I be able to use the transmission that comes with the bike?
Thanks,
Harvey

 

[Chalo]

135mm spacing is compatible with most rear hub motors, but some high powered ones are wider. Almost all of them are set up to accept at most a 7 speed freewheel. Using an 8 or 9 speed freewheel means you'll have to add spacing to the axle, which means the hub won't be 135mm anymore.

If the bike originally comes with 7 speeds in the rear, you're all set. If it has more than 7, well, you have more work to do. You'll need to swap shifters, or else swap freewheels, widen the axle spacing, and spread the frame to fit.

With a front hub motor, you don't have to do any of that.