What eBike kit to get for my Electra Townie 21D?

[nukezero]

I have a 2012 Electra Townie 21 speed for men with Revo rapid fire shifters. No disc brakes but it Is pretty much aluminum.

I want to add some power to this thing and it looks like electric power is the way to go. Been researching that rear wheel is better than front wheel driver because it won't bend the fork but I should still buy a torque arm. My goal is to go atleast 28-30MPH. In California, the maximum you can have is 750 watt or 20mph so obviously I can't buy any bicycle off the shelf.

My budget is around $1200.

Now, most of the reviews and youtube video I found show that these kits can be had on eBay. Some made by a company called VPower.hk. They're not entirely complete, no battery. But some are variations of each other.
I would like to have the 1000 watt 48V one. Is this one good for 28-30mph and climbing small downtown LA hills?

So here are my questions:

1. I must get a torque arm for my electra townie right? since it is aluminum frame.
2. I like to get atleast 20Miles range. That means, for 1000 watt motor, is 10AH or 15AH Lifo4 made by Ping good enough?
3. Any other kits to recommend that may be better to purchase?
4. Do I need to worry about the fork width as some of these ebay kits have 135,140,145, and 150mm fork widths. I don't know what the Electra Townie fork width is.
5. Finally, is it even safe to put this on an Electra Townie? These bikes seem to be coasters and road cruisers.

I used to have a Diamondback Mountain bike full suspension and I remember taking it downhill in Fullerton, CA hitting speeds up to 37MPH and it was so scary the entire bike was shaking. Obviously, not designed to go that fast. That bike was stolen.

Thanks guys.d s d

 

[wesnewell]

1. If it has aluminum dropouts yes. Torque plates would be better imo.
2. Range is all about riding conditions. Probably can't go wrong with 20ah.
3. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-Conversion-Kit-24V-36V-48V-250W-500W-700W-800W-1000W-/290754592384 Selct 48V 1000W.
4. Possibly, but most can be made to fit one way or another.
5. Personally, I'd use a 26" steel frame bike. I have no experience with a townie.

 

[MD.]

Hi and welcome to the forums!

1. If the 21d has from suspension then yes I would recommend a rear with at least 1 torque arm. I would use 2 because they're cheaper than a messed up frame or worse.
2. For 20 miles on a 1000w direct drive kit, a 15ah ping should be good. 20ah is better and worth it if you want to take long rides.
3. Since you mentioned California I would recommend yescomusa for a budget non disc kit. They're on eBay too.
4. If suspension fork, I would do a rear kit. If not, check the fork with a magnet, it might be steel. USA bikes are 135 in the rear. Getting a 150mm kit will give you nothing but heartache. The yescom kits are a little wider than 135mm but will probably work. I'm sure someone else will respond.
5. I think it would make a great conversion. I've thought about one myself.

Best of luck!

If you want to skip a lot of heartache, San Diego Electric Bikes in Solana Beach has a special going on a really nice prebuilt in your budget. They call it the Del Mar cruiser but its more of an MTB. Looks just like the Volton Alation. I've built 4 of my own and then sold them all to buy this one. I have 50 miles on it and love it. Only does 20 on motor power and probably a max of 20 miles or so but it eats hills and is the funniest e-bike I've ridden.

 

[dogman dan]

48v 15 ah and 36v 20 ah are easy to carry on a bike. 48v 20 ah is harder, but it might fit fine in the townies larger front triangle space.

20 miles is definitely there with a 48v 15 ah, but more like 18 miles if you actually go 30 mph.

I would go with a muxus direct drive rear motor from EM3 ev. Cheaper kits are out there, such as from Yes com usa. But the EM3ev kit is still a bargain, and a very good motor. Cheaper kits tend to have a few odd quirks you have to deal with. The EM3 kit will drop right in with proper wheel alignment. The seven turn motor will hit 27mph. It's fast enough, without sacrificing range to slow starts like you would have with a faster turning motor. The yes kit will hit 30 mph, but stop and go riding will cost more watthours. The yes kit, or any other faster motor is a good choice if you have few stops and will cruise for miles at speed.

 

[nukezero]

Thank you guys for your help.

I was about to buy the CONHISMOTOR kit 1000w/48v until I found out that they may be "cons" and not of good quality. Some people say they copied Golden Motor. S

So what about Golden Motor Magic Pie 3? Is this a good kit and will the 10AH battery suffice?

I don't think I will not pedal but I would like to get atleast 20miles range with assist going up hill but for flat land, I will pedal a bit myself. So would 10AH be more than enough?

Also, when you hit the brakes, how does the motor slow down? Do you have to release throttle or do you hold the throttle like cars to accelerate?

 

[majornelson]

I bought the Ampedbikes kit with the water bottle battery (36v and 12 AH) for a 7 speed townie. Went with rear wheel drive. It's for the beach (east coast) and just to cruise around. I'll be installing it next weekend and can let you know the results.

My other bike is a Trek DS with an EM3 MAC motor and a 48v triangle battery. Just built it and the performance is great. The motor is a 10t and will do 30+. The battery will go for 35+ miles including hills if you keep the speed to 20 mph. It will pull up pretty steep inclines at 18 mph or more.

The nice thing about a kit is that they are much easier to install for a first timer... just my two cents. Wires match, controller matches, etc.

The other thing that I learned here is that you must have some type of torque arm (or better) regardless of front or rear install. (My original assumption was that only front fork installs where must haves- wrong!)

 

[nukezero]

I'm just wondering if whether or not I should just buy a new electric bike altogether or convert my electra townie 21d to electric.

Sometimes, it's nice to ride a standard bike without all that weight and gadgets. Other days, it's also nice to ride the electric. I guess it just comes down to cost. If it only costs $200-300 more for a bike, it might make sense for me to just buy a second electric bike and keep the townie 21d as it is.

I am going down to San Diego next week so I will definitely check out san diego electric bike and see what kind of stuff they have. Maybe I'll splurge on something.

For now, I keep on looking at eBay and see some interesting kits and what not. The main thing is the battery. These things are expensive and although Chinese-made, I can't help but imagine how long they will last and whether or not they'll fail in a short time. $400-500 dollars for these battery is hard to swallow, especially coming out of China.

 

[nukezero]

I found the yescomusa kit and I was looking at that since they are so close to where I live. However, it is not as fancy as the one's I saw from China as that doesn't have the LCD screen. The positive thing is I'll get it faster and probably better support.

NOw here's my question. The Townie electra 21d has a 7-speed gear thingy in the rear tire. Sorry, I'm not a bike expert. So, is it possible to pull off this 7-speed gears and slap it on the yescomusa kit and call it a day? How easy is this?

Thanks.

 

[DAND214]

NOw here's my question. The Townie electra 21d has a 7-speed gear thingy in the rear tire. Sorry, I'm not a bike expert. So, is it possible to pull off this 7-speed gears and slap it on the yescomusa kit and call it a day? How easy is this?

Mybe , maybe not. The gears on the motors are clled Freewheels and most bikes today come with a cassette. That is not able to be used on most motors. You will need a 7 speed freewheel from maybe the supplier. Many of the Ebay sales supply them some don't. They are 20 to 30 bucks.

Dan

 

[dogman dan]

Yes, the kit should come with a 7 speed freewheel on the motor. The yes kit will fit, but it will take just a bit of fiddling about to get it mounted and aligned. It's the earlier design motor similar to conhis and golden, which more or less fits a 135mm dropout. Look up a thread Wes wrote, which details the particulars of the yes kits.

Again, I think you will find it much easier to mount a kit from a dealer selling more recent designs, that have a few tweaks to them that make them easier to fit to a standard 135mm bike. Generally the rim has less dish and more reliably aligns correctly in the frame. Grin cyclery, EM3ev, E-bike kit, Amped bikes, etc etc.

If you really like your townie as is, then get a kit and put it on any decent MTB you get used for under $300. Or a new 7speed beach cruiser might be just the thing for example, and under $300 as well.

Get a good battery, it's where the real money is on any EV. Pingbattery , Grin, EM3ev, etc. Get one big enough to run your controller. Get that Yes 1000w kit with a 30 amps controller, and you will need a bigger battery than a 20 amps controller needs.

 

[dogman dan]

FWIW, the 7 speed gear thingy on your townie is very very very likely to be a screw on type freewheel just like the motors come with. Cassette is more likely when you have 9 speeds, on more expensive bikes.

 

[RLD70]

I own both cellmans MAC and a GM PRO 901 (yescom, amazon, etc) rear motors and you really cant go wrong either way. That said however you might find that the MAC would be a better choice if you want to use the 7 speed sprocket and still fit comfortably on your bike since with the 901 you will have to stretch your frame to make it fit plus youll need washers to keep the sprockets from hitting the frame. Youre also better off to change the sprocket on the 901 as its not the greatest in the world. And definitely dont forget a TA or 2 especially on an aluminum frame as I learned the hard way. 8)

 

[wesnewell]

The yescomusa kit comes with a 6 spd freewheel. When running electric, you really will only use the highest most, if not all the time. Only once or twice have I ever used a lower gear in over 8000 miles, and that was when I ran the battery down. Until I took a closer look not long ago, I thought I had a 5 spd frreewheel.

 

[dogman dan]

FWIW, if he really rides 30 mph all the way regularly, he'll be needing to learn a LOT more about bike maintenance. There is a reason pro racers who ride 30 mph 150 miles a day have a pro mechanic that follows them around. You may need stuff only weekly, but at 30 mph, stuff wears fast. Lot of wheel tweaking needed, brakes wear out fast, etc.

Part of why I recommended a slightly slower motor.

 

[nukezero]

Thanks guys for the advice. After doing more research, I learned a few of the following:

1. The yescomkits and everything else is mostly a direct drive, so when you lose power, then there is a ton of resistance. I don't really like that. I want atleast roughly 25mph speed but still be able to pedal effortlessly.

Then I heard about the BMS or the MAC motors. Are these a good design and direct fit (better fit) for a Townie 21D?

2. I also learned that Prodeco is quite a popular kit. Specificially, I am looking at the Mariner 7. I love its compactness, and gets 18MPH @ 36V and 10AH. Don't know if I can ever tweak that bike to go faster but it does seem nice to have a second bike I can throw in my trunk and leave the Townie as it is.

The Prodeco Phantom X2 I heard was popular. I like the speed of the Outlaw SS but hate its looks.

3. I also heard about this "Battery Operated Bicycle" by E-Mazing Innovations.

I guess, what I really want is :Compactness + Speed + Longevity + Ability to bike without resistance without powering off. I'll pay more money for it, not a problem.

4. I also looked at the Ying Chen from San Diego Electric. Those seem nice, like a knockoff of the Specialized electric bike with battery built-into the frame. But they told me they don't sell well and had to lower the price to get it to sell. I wonder how the support for that bike would be.

SO I guess I have a few options:

1. Spend $800 for yescomusakit + battery from ping.
2. Spend $1100-1200 B.O.B. bicycle or Mariner 7 and be happy with 20mph foldable bikes
3. Spend $1800 for a BMS hub kit with battery that can freewheel when I lose power.
4. Spend $1000 on a Ying Chen


So I guess my question is, guys, is 20MPH good enough? Would you guys say its more than adequate to get around town? Is that the best speed in terms of wear, maintenance, safety, and longevity or do you guys all do more than 20MPH?

I used to have a GoPed motorized and those were 20MPH. I thought it was adequate but of course, going 30MPH standing up is dangerous than sitting down on something. Plus those tires were horrendous.

 

[MD.]

48v Ying Chen is the way to go. It only does 20mph but it gets there fast. It's an xofo cassette geared hub motor(comparable to a bafang bpm) and has a super nice LCD computer. They have 3 different prices depending on how long of a warranty you want. I opted for no warranty and couldn't be happier. The battery integrated in the frame is awesome.

 

[nukezero]

The ying chen looks good for the price. But since I already have a full size bike, I would like a more compact (foldable) yet fast e-bike.

I'm looking narrowing down to:

1. Prodeco Mariner 7 (heard this company has good support as well as bad support - mixed review here)
2. Easy Motion Neo Volt Sport EN263 (UK owned company - more powerful than the mariner 7 but 2.5X the price!!)
3. Custom-built Leaf-bike 20-inch foldable 1000-watt/48v w/ 12ah pack. Only cost $1200 from: http://www.leafbike.com/products/electric-bicycle/20-inch-folding-electric-bike/new-20-inch-1000w-folding-electric-bike-957.html

 

[nukezero]

Guys, I've decided. I love my Electra Townie too much. It rides real well and the components are great. So I will be doing a conversion instead of buying a new bike.

After 2 days of research and test-driving some brand name e-bikes at local shops, I've decided on buying the 48V-500watt Mac motor kits from EM3EV in Shanghai. I will put the best controller on it, 4110 with the 10T gearing.

As for the battery, I'm not sure whether to just use EMV3EV's Samsung Li-ION pack or just go buy LiFEpo4 pack on eBay. The only problem is the connections.

Does anyone know if it is worth it to buy the EM3EV's upgraded MAC kit? Also, does the kit come with EVERYTHING you need? All the bits and pieces, connectors, splices, etc. to get it all working without having to go buy parts from a local shop?

Thanks guys, this will be my first build.

 

[majornelson]

I bought the same kit including triangle battery, mac motor, cycle analyst and torque arm for a Trek DS 8.4. I really like it for a first build. Paul answered the questions I had and kept me informed of shipping. I was able to assemble it with some work (biggest issue on the Trek were disc brakes, which is NOT an issue on the Townie). But all of the connections were obvious and worked...

What was great is that all wires were color matched and the connectors actually connected. Top speed on my 48v 18.5 AH battery plus MAC motor is mid-30's. Better, keeping it at a modest power level (Level I on the switch), the bike will cruise at about 19 mph and will give you 40 miles+ in distance. Pushing the motor to 27 mph (setting Level II) reduces range but you're cooking.

For a Townie, you may want to consider the 36V 15 AH battery which can be put in a rack bag in a rear rack. It won't have the torque or overall capacity of the triangle battery at 48V but will be pretty stealthy and weigh less, IMHO. You can mount the controller on the front of the rack. If you don't have a ton of big hills and are comfortable at about 20 mph, this is a great solution. I find that I typically run the Trek at 19 MPH using the first setting, only occasionally pushing it faster so that I can get more range.

As far as the bits and pieces are concerned, ask Paul. You'll want a thumb throttle, torque arm, 7 speed freewheel, motor, battery...upgrade options include Cycle Analyst, other throttle options and a more powerful charger.

PM me if you have more specific questions. I just finished this build last week and it was my first. Went up to the mountains (western Maryland) this week for the 4th and put 200+ miles in just a few days testing it. Just great stuff... put a smile on my face!

Although the ebay options can be less expensive, it's nice to have everything color coded and tested for your first build.

 

[e-biker]

I like the torque of the m/p motor and seems to be very durable, I ride 10 miles to work each way @ speeds of 45 mph and when I get there my zippy packs still have around 3.89 volts per cell, I use a 15 ah of 24s and 18 fet lyen controller to push me up these Ga hills. To prolong the battery life I charge at both ends. The same setup cooked two different motors very quickly one within a few miles riding with icecube57 on the hills by his house. the other after 8 miles into my work commute, so I think the m/p motor is very durable I have around 300 miles on it now.

 

[nukezero]

I like the torque of the m/p motor and seems to be very durable, I ride 10 miles to work each way @ speeds of 45 mph and when I get there my zippy packs still have around 3.89 volts per cell, I use a 15 ah of 24s and 18 fet lyen controller to push me up these Ga hills. To prolong the battery life I charge at both ends. The same setup cooked two different motors very quickly one within a few miles riding with icecube57 on the hills by his house. the other after 8 miles into my work commute, so I think the m/p motor is very durable I have around 300 miles on it now.

you're talking about the Magic Pie motor from Golden Motors right? I saw that and was about to get it but then I found out it is direct drive. Isn't it hard to pedal once you loose power? Sometimes, I still like to pedal like a bicycle on the beach without having that resistance there.

 

[wineboyrider]

I like the torque of the m/p motor and seems to be very durable, I ride 10 miles to work each way @ speeds of 45 mph and when I get there my zippy packs still have around 3.89 volts per cell, I use a 15 ah of 24s and 18 fet lyen controller to push me up these Ga hills. To prolong the battery life I charge at both ends. The same setup cooked two different motors very quickly one within a few miles riding with icecube57 on the hills by his house. the other after 8 miles into my work commute, so I think the m/p motor is very durable I have around 300 miles on it now.

you're talking about the Magic Pie motor from Golden Motors right? I saw that and was about to get it but then I found out it is direct drive. Isn't it hard to pedal once you loose power? Sometimes, I still like to pedal like a bicycle on the beach without having that resistance there.

That's a good case for geared hub motors, because they are lighter and don't drag you down if you want to pedal. The best candidate would be a min-motor from ebike-kit or the equivalent cell man motor aka not the mac.

 

[e-biker]

That is the great part about my bike , You can pedal it pretty easy with no power assist, Much better than any other motor I have tried, Except a heinzmann motor on my trek it pedals pretty much like a regular bike. Dont get me wrong I am not a m/p salesman but I am very impressed with there performance. I have tried just about every combo there is from clyte to gm and ebay and m/p has out performed all that I have had. Personaly I have had no luck with clyte I have had 4 different motors and the best one was a 408. which is a small motor but would do what you are asking from a motor @ 18 s. Anyway just adding mt 2 cents in for your question. Good luck!!