First off - I have only posted here a few times, but this forum and the folks who share their knowledge have been instrumental to getting me where I am today with ebikes and for that I am so grateful because ebiking is the best thing in my world since sliced bread! Thanks!
So I have a conversion kit from Em3ev - MAC 10T with 30a infineon controller and 50v 24.8AH Triangle Battery. This kit has worked out great for me, except I mounted it to my 1980's Panasonic Touring Bike. This conversion works okay, but I have realized that I need to mount my kit on a bike with suspension and mountain bike handlebars. For my 42 year old body, riding 30-40 miles @ 23mph on a bike with no suspension is just too rough. So I need a new bike to put my kit on and could really use the guidance of you experienced folks.
So I was thinking I would get a bike with front shocks and use a Thudbuster under my seat (with my sprung Brooks B67) for the suspension. My MAC 10T is currently mounted to a 700c DM24 rim that is designed for cantilever brakes. I want the bike to have comfortable geometry and be durable enough to carry 30-50 lbs in panniers (I weigh around 185lbs) on top of my heavy battery. I like to cruise around 20-25mph - about 20% of my riding is done on gravel roads.
So there are so many moving parts, I just don't know where to begin. Not only that, but I am really out of the loop with modern bike technology. Should I look for something that can fit my 700c rim (it looks like a 29er does this)? Or should I look for a 26" rim mountain bike and get my motor built into new wheel? Is it easy to switch my rim over to disc brakes - should I? My budget is $750 (but rather spend less) and I am open to new or used bikes. I am just not sure which kind of bike (hybrid or mountain) and what size tires make the most sense in my situation. My battery is big and heavy and needs a triangle that can fit it, so rear-suspension bikes seem out of contention.
Any suggestions for my situation would be great! I am looking for something that will last and will work out well for my situation so I won't have to go through this again in future and can just enjoy my awesome electric bike. Thanks!
So I have a conversion kit from Em3ev - MAC 10T with 30a infineon controller and 50v 24.8AH Triangle Battery. This kit has worked out great for me, except I mounted it to my 1980's Panasonic Touring Bike. This conversion works okay, but I have realized that I need to mount my kit on a bike with suspension and mountain bike handlebars. For my 42 year old body, riding 30-40 miles @ 23mph on a bike with no suspension is just too rough. So I need a new bike to put my kit on and could really use the guidance of you experienced folks.
So I was thinking I would get a bike with front shocks and use a Thudbuster under my seat (with my sprung Brooks B67) for the suspension. My MAC 10T is currently mounted to a 700c DM24 rim that is designed for cantilever brakes. I want the bike to have comfortable geometry and be durable enough to carry 30-50 lbs in panniers (I weigh around 185lbs) on top of my heavy battery. I like to cruise around 20-25mph - about 20% of my riding is done on gravel roads.
So there are so many moving parts, I just don't know where to begin. Not only that, but I am really out of the loop with modern bike technology. Should I look for something that can fit my 700c rim (it looks like a 29er does this)? Or should I look for a 26" rim mountain bike and get my motor built into new wheel? Is it easy to switch my rim over to disc brakes - should I? My budget is $750 (but rather spend less) and I am open to new or used bikes. I am just not sure which kind of bike (hybrid or mountain) and what size tires make the most sense in my situation. My battery is big and heavy and needs a triangle that can fit it, so rear-suspension bikes seem out of contention.
Any suggestions for my situation would be great! I am looking for something that will last and will work out well for my situation so I won't have to go through this again in future and can just enjoy my awesome electric bike. Thanks!