Lowest cost build bike for the money

[allroads]

A friend of mine is looking for a low cost build ebike. Something in the range of under five hundred or less, is this possible?

 

[John in CR]

It's possible but not much battery range. With that kind of limit I'd look for a used ebike for dirt cheap, because the owner doesn't have a clue about battery and/or controller replacement to get it running. A $100 used ebike or scooter plus $400 of batts and controller could make for a useful ebike.

 

[Lebowski]

my ebike cost about $150 worth of magnets/axle for the home-made motor, has a home-made controller
with about $100 in parts and a $200 Lipo battery. Build time: 1.5 years

 

[John in CR]

my ebike cost about $150 worth of magnets/axle for the home-made motor, has a home-made controller
with about $100 in parts and a $200 Lipo battery. Build time: 1.5 years

and that's 1.5 years of genius level brain input during the project to accompany the physical construction.

 

[MadRhino]

Depending of how much you value your time, this might end up being the most expansive Ebike on ES

 

[dogman dan]

Cheapest thing of all that is not a frankenbike is the E zip. This sort of thing from Currie. Here's how to get one from Walmart, shipped to store free, if you live where there is walmart that is. Do they have em in Canada? Should be somebody selling them in Canada if not.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ezip-Trailz-Men-s-Electric-Bike/15773448

About $500 including a battery, so about as good as it gets in that price range. Slow ,noisy, but reliable. A good entry level ebike for the very poor.

Other options include a really cheap hubmotor kit from ebay or other sources. Could take months to boat ship from china if you pick economy shipping. then you need a battery, but some can get lucky and scrounge sla bricks from old emergency lights or whatever.

Budget for an economy hubmotor kit and a lithium battery in 15 ah size suitable to run it is more like $800-1000.

 

[dogman dan]

Hub kit options.

Muxus kits from cellman are a bargain. Recomended vendor, but sometimes slow. The gearmotor will take a less costly battery, such as 10 ah lifepo4. The big muxus needs 15 ah of cheap lifepo4, or cellmans battery. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ezip-Trailz-Men-s-Electric-Bike/15773448

Here's a guy in the USA that sells a bargian hubmotor kit. http://www.yescomusa.com/home.php?cat=91

Pingbattery is a well known and recomended battery vendor. This is a good size. http://www.ebay.com/itm/36V-15AH-LiFePO4-Electric-Scooter-E-Bike-Ping-Battery-/221041833798?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33771eb746

This guy is said to be reliable, but is cheaper. http://www.ebay.com/itm/36V-15AH-LiFePO4-Batterie-Ladegerat-Wiederaufladbare-Ebike-VON-SAL-Air-Fahrrad-/140737677068?pt=Motorrad_Kraftradteile&hash=item20c49e870c

Any smaller battery, and you better have a tiny 350w motor.

 

[d8veh]

I find that there's often ebikes on Ebay with batteries that don't work because the owner forgot to charge them. My last one was nearlly like new and only cost £112. You can get a pair of lipos and a charger for about £100, so that would get you about 15 - 25 miles for a lot less than $500 as long as you don't want to go too fast. This one would just about do 20mph with 12S lipos and a bit of solder on the shunt in the controller. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290726620183?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
Here's another, which is exactly the same as a Cyclamatic. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ProTeam-Electric-24V-Lithium-Ion-Battery-250W-Brushless-Hub-Motor-Mountain-Bike-/230816314218?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item35bdb9736aI got my Cyclamatic to do 32mph after gutting the battery case, and putting a $20 controller therin and a 12S pack on a rack. They must have similar bikes wher you live.

 

[allroads]

I think he wants to spend about 750- but not much more. A range of 25-30 miles, mainly flat area, speed is not a major factor, also wants to be able to ride in the rain. From what we have seen, one can put together a bike at a fairly decent price, as there are deals out there and prices are coming down across the spectrum. Just what is the ideal build.

 

[GCinDC]

SLA's die and after several years the owners unload them, all kinds of ebikes. i picked up a friction drive bike for free cause the battery died and the guy didn't want to pay to have the bike tuned up, and didn't have the conscience to sell as is! retailed for over $500. weighs nothing, totally silent, on off, nothing to maintain, very light, and if speed is not a factor, it's a no brainer.

oh, i didn't even mention, buy 2 bricks of lipos, get a charger and it'll better than new.

 

[amberwolf]

Just what is the ideal build.

There is no one ideal build--it depends on many factors. Read up on some of the various "what's the best bike" and "what's the best kit" and "what's the best motor" and so on threads that people have started, and you'll get an idea what information you need to have to begin asking the questions you need answers to to build the bike you are wanting.

If you don't mind lots of DIY and research you can build a bike for no cost but your time. (lots and lots of time.)

 

[ecowheelz]

Someone mentioned the EZIP Trailz... definitely a cheap way to go. An even cheaper way to go is to buy the Currie motor / drive system on this bike. It's sold as a conversion kit and retails for about $399.

As others have mentioned, it's not the fastest or most powerful setup. But it will definitely get the job done and provides a nice entry into e-bikes

 

[dogman dan]

Oh, well, now you only want 30 mile range for 500-750. Hmm, bolt cutters to steal an ebike are fairly cheap. Not that you have to use em, but I have scored some deals because they were non functional at the flea market.

If you were close to here, I could sell you a ford think ebike for about $40. I put a new controller on it that lasted a few weeks. Try again with a better controller might work.

Next post, the range will be desired at 30 mph no doubt. Sorry if I'm getting a bit snotty, but if you want good suggestions we need all the info. I made the mistake of assuming you'd know a 500 buck ebike never has 30 mile range.

So, anyway. For that kind of distance, I prefer a direct drive motor, that can go faster, and can shed some heat on a really long ride on a hot day.

So the DD muxus from cellman, or similar motor off ebay, get it wherever it can arrive on your doorstep the cheapest. Cheap may mean a slow shipping from china, but $400 should get you something in a kit shipped from closer.

Then you need a bigger battery, Either 48v 15 ah lifepo4, or 36v 20 ah lifepo4. Sun thing, or Daoj seem to be cheapest on Ebay at the moment. Your budget won't tolerate the pingbattery I'd buy. That size battery will get you about 18 miles if the speed is 30 mph, 22 miles at 25 mph, almost 30 miles at 20 mph. Typically the budget for quality stuff is about $1200 to $1400, including about $300 for a half decent bike.

But if you shop the absolute cheapest vendors on ebay or whatever, and use a crap bike, you should be able to get into the $900 price range.

If you don't mind going really slow for that long a range, The Ezip is still an option, but I'd be worried about melting it if you rode that far on one regularly. But you could try it, get an ezip, and then scrounge recycled lead to give it more range. 20 miles should be possible. Just take you forever at 15 mph or so.

 

[SamTexas]

I think he wants to spend about 750- but not much more. A range of 25-30 miles, mainly flat area, speed is not a major factor, also wants to be able to ride in the rain. From what we have seen, one can put together a bike at a fairly decent price, as there are deals out there and prices are coming down across the spectrum. Just what is the ideal build.

How much work is he (or you) willing to put in? Does he (or you) have the necessary knowledge about battery? If not, is he (or you) willing to learn? I have built many ebikes with a top speed of 22mph (PA: pedal assisted) or 18mph (MO: motor only) with range above 50 mile (PA) and 30 mile (MO) for less than $500. If he (or you) is able and willing to build the battery out of recycled laptop cells, the final cost can easily be cut in half.

That said, some people don't build recycled laptop packs to save money, they do it because they enjoy the learning experience and because they can. At least that's my case.

 

[dogman dan]

Yep, if you have the skills, and a source for the cells, then you can build a bike with range cheap.

It's mostly the battery that is the big ticket item for a bike with range. Range and speed, even more $$. Once people want 30 miles, they do tend to want to get there in one hour too. :wink:

But if you can earn the money at say, 10 bucks an hour, you might have less time invested in a good pouch cell lifepo4 pouch cell pack with 800 watthours in it.

A used battery can be an option too, Veloman has one for sale right now for example. You don't want to buy used from just anybody, but Veloman had cred here.

 

[SamTexas]

Once people want 30 miles, they do tend to want to get there in one hour too. :wink:

No, not all. I have one that can EASILY maintain 30mph average for 90 continuous minutes (1.5kwh battery), it mostly just sit in the garage unused.

 

[wesnewell]

$500 ebike with 30 mile range. Easy. CL bike $50. 500W motor kit $230. Nine 4s Turnigy packs for 15ah 12s lipo $207. Under $500. 30+ miles at 20mph.

 

[SamTexas]

Don't forget the shipping cost for HK RC LiCo. And if this is the first build, add the cost of a decent working LiCo charger.

On the other hand, at 20mph and a 1:1 pedal assist (half power from motor) only 300Wh is needed for 30 miles. So 6 of those RC LiCo packs are sufficient. So yes $500 is doable.

 

[dogman dan]

Yeah, and he charges it by sticking the leads into the ac outlet?

And I always recomend RC lipo to noobs myself. Different story if the guy says he's been doing RC toys for years.

Of course 30 mph and 30 mile range is possible. Just takes about 1.2kwh. That's around $1200 if you buy two pings. My point was, though 30 miles can be done with 500wh, most people don't want to take that long to do it. And if you aren't blessed with a source of free or very cheap cells, then you gotta fork out some cash.

How often do you do 20 mph providing half the wattage? You'd have to be pretty fit to keep that up for 30 miles. Fit enough to say screw the motor.

Maintianing 75-100w and traveling 15 mph is far more likely. And where I got the 500wh number. It's based on my own real world rides. You may be quite a lot more fit than I am. Lots of people are.

 

[SamTexas]

How often do you do 20 mph providing half the wattage? You'd have to be pretty fit to keep that up for 30 miles.

All the time for me (if/when I want to), and 30 miles is just one of the medium length ride. But I really prefer 18mph where I provide more than half the required power.

"Pretty fit" is relative. For me it means being able to cover 20 miles in 1 hour on my own power, which I cannot do. I can do 16-17 miles in one hour on my butt crushing, back breaking and teeth rattling road bike or 14-15 miles on my much more comfortable mountain bike. But then I would be completely exhausted at the end of that hour.

I would definitely say screw the motor if I was "pretty fit" (as I define it.)

 

[dogman dan]

Definitely fitter than me, even before I got the illness. About 6 miles at 150w effort levels, and I'd be saying I had enough. Go 60 miles though, if I only needed to pedal 75w. Pedaling 200 w, forget it. Haven't done that for one hour in 30 years.

I still have some doubt though. You really see 200w less on your CA when you pedal? I can drop mine at most 100w. So for me to pedal hard and be doing 20 mph, I'll be putting out 1/4 not 1/2.

Mabye the difference is just how non aero my street commuter is. It takes 400w to go 20.

 

[SamTexas]

I still have some doubt though. You really see 200w less on your CA when you pedal?

Yes, less. I actually get 9.1 to 9.5Wh/mile at 20mph. At 18mph it's only 8.5. But this is Houston. It's flat, and my riding routes are practically deserted, very few stops/starts.

Mabye the difference is just how non aero my street commuter is. It takes 400w to go 20.

I don't know. But I have tested and verified many times. Once I get up to cruising speed (no pedaling) on flat ground, power hovers around 350W. Weight = 135 + 55. I don't sit upright but slightly bent forward for optimal pedaling power. 1.95 street (not knobby) tires at 45psi.

And keep in mind that the power reported by CA (or any other meter) includes the motor/controller inefficiency. So actual power needed for 20mph is less than 300W, my share is only 150W. Nothing to write home about.

 

[akatherder]

Check your local walmarts for clearance ezips. I just got a "mountain trailz" 2008 model last week for $300 with a battery and charger. I went to 4 stores before I found one but you might get lucky. The battery seems fine so far for being 4 years old. I've gotten 10 miles out of it without it dying.

 

[dogman dan]

A steal that is. My locality, they've never stocked any electric bike except the dirt bike for small children. So the only option is ship to store. Still pretty cheap, and able to go at least 10 miles I think.

To Sam, 150w for an hour is damn fit in my book! I can barely drop my CA reading by 100w with a lot of effort. And sustain it for maybe 3 miles. Then it's back to the normal, 75w. Good for you!

Not the best way to measure it, but I figure if I cruise, look at the CA, then pedal and look at the CA the difference is my pedaling effort measured good enough.

 

[john7700]

You guys peddle ?


:lol: