Warning: e-bikes are contagious! Having been infected by a member here, now I have passed it on to someone myself. He bought a Dillenger conversion kit off Ebay, and today we had a showdown between it and my 44v LiPo commuter.
It's a comprehensive kit (including battery), the only thing missing is the rear cassette. But his existing 6 speed MTB cassette bolted straight on, so no dramas there. The kit included a pedal assist sensor, but he couldn't be bothered installing that (like me, he prefers a throttle) so I can't comment on that aspect. Also, he's running rim brakes, so we also don't know the compatibility with disc brakes. The kit installed onto a mountain bike without dramas (no soldering required), and so far has been totally reliable. In my opinion, the wire thickness and connectors are a bit poxy for pumping 20 amps through, it is working fine for the moment though. Given the low price, it will be interesting to see how it goes in the long run.
The power display for the handlebars gives inconsistent readings, but the readout on the battery itself seems accurate. Speaking of the battery, it's a very nicely packaged unit which sits in an inconspicuous bottle-esque container. The only downside is that it's only 6Ah, which isn't really enough range (after just a couple of days with it, my friend is already looking at adding capacity). Replacement batteries cost a surprisingly high proportion of the total kit cost. But the battery packaging is really neat and it fits nice and low on the bike, therefore the handling isn't compromised. Charging is easy, with a connector on the bottom. It is also easily removable and is key locked onto the bike. Very nice.
I'd assumed the motor was a direct drive unit (it's bigger diameter than my BPM 36v500W), but it freewheels nicely so it might actually be clutched. There's enough acceleration for the average commuter, at low speed it had a slight advantage over my 44v 30A bike. As the speed increased, my bike started pulling away, probably exaggerated by my 700C wheels vs its smaller 26" MTB wheels. Top speed was around 35km/h, certainly enough for getting from A to B. While my friend was deciding which kit to buy, I warned that 36v would not be enough for him, and I think he's glad he went for a 48v setup. My opinion is that the brake lever motor cutout function is pointless, but others might appreciate the extra protection against a runaway bike! The throttle control was very smooth, and the electric setup felt perfectly healthy at all times.
Very impressive, especially considering the price.
It's a comprehensive kit (including battery), the only thing missing is the rear cassette. But his existing 6 speed MTB cassette bolted straight on, so no dramas there. The kit included a pedal assist sensor, but he couldn't be bothered installing that (like me, he prefers a throttle) so I can't comment on that aspect. Also, he's running rim brakes, so we also don't know the compatibility with disc brakes. The kit installed onto a mountain bike without dramas (no soldering required), and so far has been totally reliable. In my opinion, the wire thickness and connectors are a bit poxy for pumping 20 amps through, it is working fine for the moment though. Given the low price, it will be interesting to see how it goes in the long run.
The power display for the handlebars gives inconsistent readings, but the readout on the battery itself seems accurate. Speaking of the battery, it's a very nicely packaged unit which sits in an inconspicuous bottle-esque container. The only downside is that it's only 6Ah, which isn't really enough range (after just a couple of days with it, my friend is already looking at adding capacity). Replacement batteries cost a surprisingly high proportion of the total kit cost. But the battery packaging is really neat and it fits nice and low on the bike, therefore the handling isn't compromised. Charging is easy, with a connector on the bottom. It is also easily removable and is key locked onto the bike. Very nice.
I'd assumed the motor was a direct drive unit (it's bigger diameter than my BPM 36v500W), but it freewheels nicely so it might actually be clutched. There's enough acceleration for the average commuter, at low speed it had a slight advantage over my 44v 30A bike. As the speed increased, my bike started pulling away, probably exaggerated by my 700C wheels vs its smaller 26" MTB wheels. Top speed was around 35km/h, certainly enough for getting from A to B. While my friend was deciding which kit to buy, I warned that 36v would not be enough for him, and I think he's glad he went for a 48v setup. My opinion is that the brake lever motor cutout function is pointless, but others might appreciate the extra protection against a runaway bike! The throttle control was very smooth, and the electric setup felt perfectly healthy at all times.
Very impressive, especially considering the price.
