Building my first bike - A few questions

Dostoevskie

Dostoevskie

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Mar 30, 2020
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Hi ES :)

After having tried a few ready-build ebikes and not really being completely satisfied with their performance I have decided to build my own.

I feel like I have found a decent combo of bike and conversion kit, but I am not sure if they really fit. Apart from the wheel size on the kit and the bike, what am I looking for? Any small things, or large for that matter, that might be easy for a beginner to miss?

I have found these 2 on amazon and will buy them tomorrow if everything looks good.

Link 1: 1500w Conversion kit https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HZ274DH/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A6XQPVRXUZ1KA&psc=1

Link 2: Bike
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07MLBYGC9/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3O4P6TA14DDPT&psc=1

Also, is there anything I 100% need to buy besides those 2 things to get off to a good start in building my bike?
 
There’s no good reason to use larger than a 26” wheel with a hub motor. If 24” wheels were more common, I’d advise using one of those. But 26” has all the advantages of best price, best variety, and smaller diameter than other MTB wheels. Hub motors are more efficient and more potent the smaller the wheel diameter. To top it off, 26” bikes are out of fashion right now, which makes them more economical to buy.

Do you fit on a one-size BSO like that? They’re usually sized for adolescents. They are also cruddy quality; you would be much better off spending 300 quid on a used bike that was of better quality originally.
 
Thank you for the answer.

So if I go for the 26" version of the kit instead, and stick to the cheap kind of bike ( I fit and I'm ok with my first build being kind of a test) is all I have to look for the wheel sizes?
 
Buy a USED brand name bicycle, like a Trek, Rocky Mountain, Specialized, Kona in a 26" wheel size. You can find them in the online classifieds and pawn shops. There would be plenty of selection for a used brand name bicycle for 300 quid.

Get a corresponding ebike kit in said bicycle wheel size.

Put it together and ride your ebike.
 
Thank you for your answers!

Is there anything I need to know before I put it together? Like tips and tricks you think would have been handy to know for when you first assembled an e bike.
 
Assembling bikes is straightforward. The trick comes before that: getting the good kit, battery, and definitely finding a deal on a used bike. Like they said don't buy new.
 
As to what others have said, buy a good used donor bike. Used means you will get more bike for your money. Better suspension is a real good thing. Next I would have the bike go to a good shop for a rune up if you cannot do it, especially if you are keeping the running gear. Last, I would stick with a mid drive kit from Luna. Only reason I say this is they actually have customer support that will stand behind their product. also if you go with a BFANG mid drive they give you an updated controller that is way stronger, which means it will last longer, and they will program it for you. Nothing against Amazon, but if this is your first bike you are building this will save you some headaches
 
Dostoevskie said:
Hi ES :)
I feel like I have found a decent combo of bike and conversion kit, but I am not sure if they really fit. Apart from the wheel size on the kit and the bike, what am I looking for? Any small things, or large for that matter, that might be easy for a beginner to miss?
Click to expand...

The 142mm hub spacing is odd. That spacing is common for 12 mm thru axle setups. The bike on your link likely has 135mm spacing with a QR hub.
 
well, my first thought is: are you matching the stuff you're buying to your actual needs and wants?

meaning...what exactly was it about the prebuilt bikes you didn't like? very specifically, make a complete list.

if the new stuff doesn't correct all of those...then it's not the right stuff. ;)


if you tell us what you need the bike to do, we can help you find stuff that will do that. i'd go to this thread
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66302
and copy all the questions from there, paste them here in this thread, and answer them in as much detail as possible.

then we can help you figure out if the stuff you're getting will do those things, and if not, what stuff you need to do those things.
 
An older bike with steel frame would be a good host bike, especially with respect to rear dropout strength to resist hub motor axle torque and dropout twist out. Be sure and use a torque arm, Grin in Canada makes good torque arms. I'd go with a popular, high quality, brand. Used great quality is better than cheaper new.

A rear rack with a bag is a good place to put the battery. Rack, plastic cutting board on top and bag on top of that. Put some cushioning material in the bag to reduce jolting fatigue on the battery.

If a geared hub, get a name brand so you can get gears and other parts when needed. Direct drive hubs don't have gears, so that worry is avoided.

A suspension seatpost minimizes wear on the spine, even a cheap one is better than none.
 
What type of riding will you be doing hills flatland and how far do you need to drive on your commute..
You want a good battery not some cheap maybe battery 48 volt or 52 volt I would suggest a 15ah pack. There's a lot of good battery out there with known cells do not buy a battery that says Tesla like cells. Buy a battery who tells you exactly what cells you have inside like Panasonic 29e take a look at em3ev. Plus Europe must have a lot of good resellers by now also.
 
amberwolf said:
well, my first thought is: are you matching the stuff you're buying to your actual needs and wants?

meaning...what exactly was it about the prebuilt bikes you didn't like? very specifically, make a complete list.

if the new stuff doesn't correct all of those...then it's not the right stuff. ;)
Click to expand...

“To go wrong in one's own way is better than to go right in someone else's.”
- Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment

sorry, couldn't help myself...
 
MikeSSS said:
Forgot to mention, a suspension fork is a great thing. My ebike uses a rigid fork and that's not a good thing.
Click to expand...

that depends on your needs and conditions.

a suspension fork (even a really good one) has more wiggle than a typical rigid fork and is heavier, and more complex.

so if you need less wiggle, or less weight, or simplicity, a suspension fork can be a bad thing, and a rigid fork can be a good thing. ;)

other reasons and conditions might make one better than the other for various setups and uses.
 
As said before an old chromoly frame mtb specialized giant ect for under a hundred to start 7 spd is fine. Lots of room for a battery in the triangle strong rear axle. Not aluminum. Best to find separate brake and shifter or friction shifter is fine rim brakes work great just use Kool stop v brake.
 
HalloMotor ebike 48V 1500W 27.5" Rear Wheel Conversion Kits + 48V 14.5AH Panasonic Cell Tiger Shark Frame Case Battery with 5A Charger
by HalloMotor
Price: £728.00
Click to expand...

Who knows if Hallomotor builds good batteries or not?
Better perhaps, then an ebay basement built battery, perhaps, who knows, do you gamble much?

Maybe get the kit without the battery and find a reputable battery somewhere, em3ev, osnpower, unitpackpower, ebikes.ca.....
 
Unitpowerpack has the cheaper battery without balance circuit but you can pay extra for a BMS that has a balance scene circuit in it.
 
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