Help Me Build My First E-Bike! totally newb :)

[ho3ein]

Hi, how are you all ?

I will be moving to Vancouver soon and I would like to build my first E-Bike as soon as I get there to use it as a transportation for going to University/work/friend's place etc , and maybe some off roads as well .

I have set my eyes on the bafang mid drive motor from Paul's em3ev.com ,however I cannot decide whether to go with the 36v 500w or 48v 500w . I only weight about 130lb but I am 6.1 tall .

I would like to keep the speed legal as much as I can ( between 32-40kmh ) and I would like to be able to go 60 km + for a single charge on the battery and I will be assisting the motor by pedaling most of the time .

I will be getting or probably build a Hardtrail mountain bike for the kit but I was wondering if its a good idea to go with a 27.5 wheel size or maybe a 29er , what are your thoughts on that ?

Also I was wondering if getting a 36v 500w motor with this battery http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=160 at 16.5AH would get me 60km or more on a single charge , since if I were to get a 48v motor , I would have to spend about $320 more to get a battery like this http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=158 at 16.5 AH to go with the motor and I would like to spend less as much as I can .

I kinda of like the idea of the water bottle battery pack since its removable and it has a usb port for charging your phone etc .


Any advice/help is much appreciated!

Thank you and have a nice day/night

 

[dogman dan]

Unless you just pedal around with the motor off, you will need about 700-800 watt hours of battery. 36v 20 ah, or 48v 15 ah. So it won't be the water bottle type for that length of run. The big triangle pack is the thing. But you could carry two batteries on longer runs, using the bottle type for daily rides. Add another battery on a rear rack for the weekend excursions.

Other than that, not bad choices. But before you buy anything, a visit to Grin in Vancouver could change your mind to a hub motor. Just saying, you will be in the city that's home to the best ebike hubmotor vendor in the world. So at least take a look at hub motors first.

 

[arkmundi]

Good choices. EM3ev sells the MAC rear hub motor kit, which is really awesome. Hub kits are a bit easier to install than a mid-drive. Most ES'ers that build up an eBike with kits & components tend to downsize the wheel size, going to a 24" or 20" wheel. Reason being torque,l and with the extra motive power, is a better match-up. But I'd stick with a 26" wheel, the most common size. Means greater choice and pricing for things like tires and tubes. And do get a really good tire & tube for your ride. I have Maxxis Hookworms and the Maxxis downhill tubes and am really happy with them. Also rims. I have the Alexrims DX32 and the tires are 2.5". Wider tires are good for eBikes because they add needed additional shock absorption. Good luck with your build!

Update: got that backwards, duh. Larger wheel = faster; smaller wheel = more torque.

 

[999zip999]

Vancouver www.ebikes.ca

 

[Drunkskunk]

+1 to everything said above. On the debate of 36 VS 48 volts, I can almost promise you that once you have the bike up and running, you'll wish you had gone for the 48 volt version. More power, more speed, more grins.

Before you place your order, Check out the Grin Cyclery, A.K.A. Ebikes.ca. They are local for you, and Justin is the true Godfather of all that is Ebike, world wide.
20 E 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5T 1E8

 

[ho3ein]

Unless you just pedal around with the motor off, you will need about 700-800 watt hours of battery. 36v 20 ah, or 48v 15 ah. So it won't be the water bottle type for that length of run. The big triangle pack is the thing. But you could carry two batteries on longer runs, using the bottle type for daily rides. Add another battery on a rear rack for the weekend excursions.

Other than that, not bad choices. But before you buy anything, a visit to Grin in Vancouver could change your mind to a hub motor. Just saying, you will be in the city that's home to the best ebike hubmotor vendor in the world. So at least take a look at hub motors first.

I see , thanks for clearing that out

I heard that the Grin is the owner of this forum as well right ? I see that their prices could be a little bit more expensive but then again you don't need to pay shipping , and I guess its better to have the supplier in the city if anything happened to the kit.

my concerns about a hub motor is the weight distribution, changing flats, use of the gears, off road rides , wheel sizes vs a mid drive like bafang , which eliminate all that , correct me if I am wrong .

That all being said what are the advantages/disadvantages of having a hub motor vs a mid drive ? also what conversion kit and battery would you recommend from Grin so I could find out how much it'll cost me to get a decent hub motor because my budget is very limited .

Thanks!

 

[ho3ein]

Good choices. EM3ev sells the MAC rear hub motor kit, which is really awesome. Hub kits are a bit easier to install than a mid-drive. Most ES'ers that build up an eBike with kits & components tend to downsize the wheel size, going to a 24" or 20" wheel. Reason being its a faster wheel and with the extra motive power, is a better match-up. But I'd stick with a 26" wheel, the most common size. Means greater choice and pricing for things like tires and tubes. And do get a really good tire & tube for your ride. I have Maxxis Hookworms and the Maxxis downhill tubes and am really happy with them. Also rims. I have the Alexrims DX32 and the tires are 2.5". Wider tires are good for eBikes because they add needed additional shock absorption. Good luck with your build!

Right I heard good things about the MAC kit from EM3ev as well .

Have you ever ridden a 27.5 or 29er e bike ? from my researches the 29er tend to have a smoother ride . Would you still recommend a 26 if I were to get the mid drive ? the wheel sizes doesn't matter when it comes to mid drives right ? I was also wondering if the display of the bafang supports the wheel size of 27.5 or 29 for the speedometer etc .

 

[ho3ein]

+1 to everything said above. On the debate of 36 VS 48 volts, I can almost promise you that once you have the bike up and running, you'll wish you had gone for the 48 volt version. More power, more speed, more grins.

Before you place your order, Check out the Grin Cyclery, A.K.A. Ebikes.ca. They are local for you, and Justin is the true Godfather of all that is Ebike, world wide.
20 E 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5T 1E8

Okay then 48v it is! I am hoping to use this bike for every day commute for the next least 3-4 years so I guess 48v would make more sense .

Fair enough , I'll visit them before . I kinda of wish that they had the bafang kit because buying online would mean no warranty and its kinda of a downside , specially for me just starting out .

 

[Drunkskunk]

In the interest of full disclosure, Justin of Ebikes.ca does own this website, but he doesn't advertise here, and doesn't run it as a forum for his business. It was actually founded by someone else, and Justin was just another member like the rest of us. He took over supporting it when the site ran into some trouble and needed a new sponsor.
And as insanely grateful as we are for that, we still won't recommenced him unless he's the vendor with the right equipment for your needs. Dogman, for example, works for one of Justin's competitors, Ebikekit.com, and yet he's a moderator here. Paul of EM3ev.com is another member here, though I haven't seen him post in a while. There are a bunch of other ebike business owners who post here regularly.

So we're not trying to send you to Justin just to give him more business. If your interest is in the BBS02, Paul is the guy to see. But Grin Cyclery is Mecca for most ebike riders. It will be a chance to see some top notch stuff first hand, and get a better idea what ebikes are all about.

 

[arkmundi]

Have you ever ridden a 27.5 or 29er e bike ? from my researches the 29er tend to have a smoother ride . Would you still recommend a 26 if I were to get the mid drive ? the wheel sizes doesn't matter when it comes to mid drives right ? I was also wondering if the display of the bafang supports the wheel size of 27.5 or 29 for the speedometer etc .

Rule of thumb is to get a bike that you're comfortable riding as a bike, then add a electric motor. If a 29'er is it for you, then do that. FYI, larger wheel = faster; smaller wheel = more torque. Yes, there are considerations if you're going to get a mid-drive, as the bike has to accept that. Some have found it difficult, others easier. Check the forum build threads of people installing a bafang mid-drive for tips.

 

[999zip999]

Bangfang middrive doesn't fit all new bikes. The bikes B.B. must be 68mm. 26" is more of a standard.

 

[ho3ein]

In the interest of full disclosure, Justin of Ebikes.ca does own this website, but he doesn't advertise here, and doesn't run it as a forum for his business. It was actually founded by someone else, and Justin was just another member like the rest of us. He took over supporting it when the site ran into some trouble and needed a new sponsor.
And as insanely grateful as we are for that, we still won't recommenced him unless he's the vendor with the right equipment for your needs. Dogman, for example, works for one of Justin's competitors, Ebikekit.com, and yet he's a moderator here. Paul of EM3ev.com is another member here, though I haven't seen him post in a while. There are a bunch of other ebike business owners who post here regularly.

So we're not trying to send you to Justin just to give him more business. If your interest is in the BBS02, Paul is the guy to see. But Grin Cyclery is Mecca for most ebike riders. It will be a chance to see some top notch stuff first hand, and get a better idea what ebikes are all about.

Thanks , I didn't think that you are trying to send me to him for business but I've seen his website before so I am sure he is doing something right that he is still in business and I'll make sure to stop by his store to get a better idea of hub motors because honestly I haven't looked into them much . Thanks !

 

[ho3ein]

Have you ever ridden a 27.5 or 29er e bike ? from my researches the 29er tend to have a smoother ride . Would you still recommend a 26 if I were to get the mid drive ? the wheel sizes doesn't matter when it comes to mid drives right ? I was also wondering if the display of the bafang supports the wheel size of 27.5 or 29 for the speedometer etc .

Rule of thumb is to get a bike that you're comfortable riding as a bike, then add a electric motor. If a 29'er is it for you, then do that. FYI, larger wheel = faster; smaller wheel = more torque. Yes, there are considerations if you're going to get a mid-drive, as the bike has to accept that. Some have found it difficult, others easier. Check the forum build threads of people installing a bafang mid-drive for tips.

You are absolutely right, I was looking at the other way what bike to go with the motor

I have never tried 27.5ers before but I find 29ers comfortable since I am 6.1 . I also have a %7 skoliosis which makes things a little bit more difficult to choose since I am going to use this bike everyday so I need to make sure what I am comfortable with .

Thanks for the advice

 

[ho3ein]

Bangfang middrive doesn't fit all new bikes. The bikes B.B. must be 68mm. 26" is more of a standard.

oh right I knew about that .though that is fine I guess . I also have seen 29ers with bafang system on them but not 27.5ers yet . maybe the display doesn't support that wheel size , not sure .

 

[Raged]

Get a 29er if you're that tall. Check my build (in Sig) to get some ideas for a fast commuter.

 

[tomjasz]

+1 to everything said above. On the debate of 36 VS 48 volts, I can almost promise you that once you have the bike up and running, you'll wish you had gone for the 48 volt version. More power, more speed, more grins.

Before you place your order, Check out the Grin Cyclery, A.K.A. Ebikes.ca. They are local for you, and Justin is the true Godfather of all that is Ebike, world wide.
20 E 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5T 1E8

Best advise! Man I'd be all over eBikes.ca if I lived there especially. I started reselling their goods and the service is stunning, and the product absolute first class. I the final review they are worth every premium paid. I'm in the pay now or pay later group. For every yescom cheap China rig we read about running for years there's a handful of burned out units in a garage where the owner lost interest after the great deal went south. And before I get jumped, I've run into exactly this scenario here in the land of few eBikes several times this spring. Get good gear up front. The best you can afford.

 

[ho3ein]

Speedo calibration for wheel size? This is not a problem to be concerned about.

What sort of hills will you be dealing with? Hill-climbing = torque requirement.

Well I would say 20-30% of my 25 KM ride will include hills , 5% of them being serious hills and the rest nothing that a human can't handle .

Have you looked at total weight? Will you be storing bike indoors? Upstairs apartment? Using mass-transit bike racks? For a toothpick with back problems, lifting a heavy bike on a regular basis might be an issue.

Yes , If I were to go with the Paul's 48v 500w Bafang and 50V 16.5 AH triangle battery pack the weight including the charger will be 13.10 kg according to Paul's website . and the bike I will be getting will weigh between 12-14 kg so we are looking at 27-30 kg including accessories . I will be storing the bike indoors in a house so there won't be any stairs to climb . and if I were to use the public transport , the metro has elevators that I could take my bike on and for the bus racks , I don't think once or twice lift will be an issue for me ( hopefully )

Canada = cold-weather, cold = reduced battery capacity. Justin's charger designed to be transported might be a solution for you. Most chargers not designed or constructed to be long-term reliable while sitting still. If you can charge at your destination, that cuts required battery capacity nearly in half.

Vancouver does not have a cold climate , it mostly rains and in the winters you. rarely see the temperatures go below minus 3-5 .

Hub motors are a relatively easy install. Crank drives are not. Are you comfortable with removing your crankset? Dealing with Chinese parts that don't quite fit other Chinese parts?

I'm not really a tool guy but I learn fast and I am also good at watching youtube videos my concern is not knowing what tools are required for the installation which I will have to look into but yes I am willing to learn to remove and install the parts myself .

Higher voltage = more speed, higher voltage at same amperage means more total watt-hours which THEORETICALLY should mean more range. BUT, higher speeds are less efficient and if you have it, you will use it, so you might actually get more range from a lower voltage, lower capacity battery. Not as much fun, though.

I am not really looking into going more than 32kmh , unless I had the opportunity to have a little bit of fun but I will be mostly assisting the motor so to me range is more important than speed. because sometimes I just take the bike out and ride to nowhere for hours so I would like to be less worried about my battery dying .

Emphatically agree with FIRST finding comfortable, reliable bike and AFTER THAT, deciding what motor and battery suits your needs. Consider comfort and reliability levels at higher than pedal speeds. You will be impressed at the difference of just a few KPH in terms of bumps, handling, and particularly brake wear.

Yes , I have a suspension seatpost on my list for any hardtrail that I will be getting which I believe will smoothen my ride and help my back a little bit . I wanted to ask you guys about getting a longer stem for the handlerbar , that means a more upright position , wouldn't that slow me down when going at 30-35kmh ?

The battery is where the money goes. Get more than you need, maxing out the battery on a regular basis will dramatically shorten it's useful life.

My budget is very limited since I am an student so I am kinda of hoping the Paul's 50v 16.5 triangle battery fulfill most of my needs for at least 1-2 years .

Big city, read up on theft prevention. Many threads on that here. Not sure an easily removable battery is such a great idea, unless you intend to ALWAYS schlepp a 15-20 pound battery with you everywhere you go.

That is my biggest concern . Paul's triangle pack battery comes in a bag so I'm thinking I should be able to remove the battery and take it with me if I wanted to lock the bike for buying groceries or leaving it for a few hours and if my destination is known for everyday like university/work , I could rent these bicycle lockers they provide in Vancouver for a monthly fee . There is also a bike theft device that I could buy for about $200 that hides in the handlebar stem and tracks the bike location live and lasts for a few weeks on a single charge , which I think is worth the price if my bike is going to worth $2500 .

 

[ho3ein]

Get a 29er if you're that tall. Check my build (in Sig) to get some ideas for a fast commuter.

Very cool bike mate! how does the Mac kit handle hills ? I heard a lot of good things about the Mac kit but I don't know why I do not like hub motors , and I haven't looked into them much . I just don't like the idea of the motor being on the rear wheel :S

I will definitely get a 29er , 27.5 are hard to find and some of them are overpriced .

 

[ho3ein]

+1 to everything said above. On the debate of 36 VS 48 volts, I can almost promise you that once you have the bike up and running, you'll wish you had gone for the 48 volt version. More power, more speed, more grins.

Before you place your order, Check out the Grin Cyclery, A.K.A. Ebikes.ca. They are local for you, and Justin is the true Godfather of all that is Ebike, world wide.
20 E 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5T 1E8

Best advise! Man I'd be all over eBikes.ca if I lived there especially. I started reselling their goods and the service is stunning, and the product absolute first class. I the final review they are worth every premium paid. I'm in the pay now or pay later group. For every yescom cheap China rig we read about running for years there's a handful of burned out units in a garage where the owner lost interest after the great deal went south. And before I get jumped, I've run into exactly this scenario here in the land of few eBikes several times this spring. Get good gear up front. The best you can afford.

I wish I could've gone with them but their prices seem to be way out of my budget ( max $1500 for the kit and battery ) for a decent conversion kit including a battery. Or maybe I have been looking at the top notch ones . Do they have anything in my price range that would fulfill my needs ?

 

[arkmundi]

You should be good with a battery from EM3ev along with the rest of the components. Its nice dealing with one vendor that sales reliable equipment and it all works together. You can't go wrong with either EM3ev or Grin Tech. I'd say just go for it now. Have you visited Justin yet? If not, please do, and say hi from all of us.

Over time you'll want to do some upgrades. I'd look into making that battery pack theft-proof. Especially if you're a student on campus, so in class a lot - perfect place for you to be robbed. You can easily make a better box from sheet PVC and bolt it on in such a way as to make it very difficult for the casual thief. Until then, you might want to just carry the battery pack with you to class and charge it up there. Good luck.

 

[ho3ein]

You should be good with a battery from EM3ev along with the rest of the components. Its nice dealing with one vendor that sales reliable equipment and it all works together. You can't go wrong with either EM3ev or Grin Tech. I'd say just go for it now. Have you visited Justin yet? If not, please do, and say hi from all of us.

Over time you'll want to do some upgrades. I'd look into making that battery pack theft-proof. Especially if you're a student on campus, so in class a lot - perfect place for you to be robbed. You can easily make a better box from sheet PVC and bolt it on in such a way as to make it very difficult for the casual thief. Until then, you might want to just carry the battery pack with you to class and charge it up there. Good luck.

Thanks I think I'll go with the Bafang from Paul's .I currently live in Toronto but I am moving to Vancouver in a month or so and the first place I'll visit after my cousin's is going to be Justin's I sure will mention you guys! thank you for being helpful !

And that is exactly something I had in mind though I had no idea to do it Thanks for the advice !

By the way do you happen to know whether you can take the bafang display on/off the handlebar , because the display is big and it'll attract thieves easily

 

[ho3ein]

Oh and I wanted to ask , what type of tires should I go with ? what thickness and what tires work well with slippery roads , assuming it rains a lot in Vancouver .

 

[Raged]

Get a 29er if you're that tall. Check my build (in Sig) to get some ideas for a fast commuter.

Very cool bike mate! how does the Mac kit handle hills ? I heard a lot of good things about the Mac kit but I don't know why I do not like hub motors , and I haven't looked into them much . I just don't like the idea of the motor being on the rear wheel :S

I will definitely get a 29er , 27.5 are hard to find and some of them are overpriced .

Check the 12% grade hill climb vid on page 3 of my build. I need to find a good android dashcam application to record and overlay GPS and speed readings though =(

My bike build experience is more of a road warrior/touring/cross country kit... It will eat roads, double tracks and fire trails with the right tires but it's a bit too fast for singletrack (it's way dangerous jumping logs on a narrow track with an unbalanced bike and twitchy throttle at speed... Trees jump out of nowhere and get in your way).

 

[arkmundi]

Oh and I wanted to ask , what type of tires should I go with ? what thickness and what tires work well with slippery roads , assuming it rains a lot in Vancouver .

You're getting a bike, yes? And doing a mid-drive, yes? I'd not worry about tires until you need to, as in when you discover they're not working for you, or need to replace. That said, I swear by Maxxis tires, which I get through Amazon. Look over the range of tires and pick the one serving your ride style. They can be had a lot of places, including online stores, eBay, etc.

 

[Ch00paKabrA]

You got a lot of good advice here. I tried a mid drive and wasn't really impressed. I run a MAC and if you are getting a 29er, try to find one that can accomodate the 29+ tires in the rear - most forks will already accommodate them.. I spent almost 2 years in Vancouver and the weather can suck. The larger tire will help and will also add some cushion if you get a Hard Tail.