Yet another noob

I hate the word noob.lol

I would like to build an ebike and need some tips. I currently have a genesis v2900 mtb with only the front suspension.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/29-Genesis-Max-Air-Men-s-Moutain-Bike/34116305

Goals
25 to 30 mph
20+ miles range
able to go on light trails. Nothing really steep or tough. Just some dirt or sand when I go camping
my weight is 200lb
6 feet tall
budget is between 600 to 900 maybe more but initially would like to keep it there

I bought it for my nephew when he moved to Arizona but he didnt stay long so it just sat. I started riding it, its an ok bike, but now I want an ebike. The problem is the 29er wheels. I can not find a kit anywhere that has the wheels, the largest Ive found is 28. Ive also been checking out the fat tire bikes and really like them.

My questions are;

Does anyone know a place to get a complete rear hub wheel for a 29er.
Are there options to get one built?
If I do choose to get a fat bike (most likely one of the 7 speed mongoose versions) does anyone know of a kit that fits that? Ive only found 175 mm axle but I was told it would need to be at least 220mm
Are there any recomendations for bigbox bikes that are better or easier to convert?

Ive looked everywhere on CG for a name brand bike that fits me but they are all either 800+, road bikes or made for people 5" 8' and shorter. My only options are bigbox bikes with my budget.

Please read this and fill in location.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66302
Consider a 26" bike with steel dropouts. The aluminum frame and dropouts of the V2900 will require torque arms or plates. 26" kits are more common although you can get kits for the 2900 at a premium.

Well, yeah eventually you'll want to upgrade that bike, or at least upgrade parts of it, crank, seat, shock. I've never ridden a fat bike, but I do like a high quality full suspension bike for off road, with the fattest tire that will fit on it.

But for now, 700c, 28" and 29 er all take the same 700c rim.

You are a big boy, but not too big to use a 500w rated gear motor, and run it on 1000w, that is, 48v. Trouble is, the cheapest kits all have the direct drive motor, which can be a great off road motor, but not till you run them at 2000w. And, the really affordable 1000w kits on Amazon and Ebay are usually only in 26" wheel.

So, you have the usual noob conflict between wants and budget.

So, add money is one way to go, $1500 budget gets you into very nice stuff, including better shock on the bike.

But let's back up a notch. Does this bike have a rear disc brake? Or even just the mount for one? If so, BINGO. Get a cheaper rear direct drive 1000w kit, and then put disc brake on a 26" wheel in the back. Put a nice fat rear tire on it, like 2.5" wide, and it will be close enough to your 29" tire now to ride fine.

Those 48v 1000w kits can do 30 mph, or very close to it. About $250 for them, leaving you at least $500 for a mid level decent battery.

But if you have the budget, go get a nice 500w geared motor, like a Max 10 t, or similar other brand larger geared type motor. EM3ev, E-Bikekit, HPC, to name a few of the vendors. Cheapest is likely to be EM3ev.

Once you get into real kit vendor, as apposed to the cheap kits, you can get any wheel size you want. But if you do plan on a bike upgrade later, making a 26" fit what you have now would make the most sense.

Ok. Thanks for the replies. So if a 700c is the same I'm in luck.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/48V-60V-1500W-35A-700c-26-Ebikeling-Electric-Bicycle-Kit-ebike-Torque-Arm-Bag-/271913426454?nav=SEARCH&varId=570748411851

So my tube and tire should mount up to this wheel fine? And the wheel should fit my dropouts? Would I need to take the sprockets (cassette?) Off of my old wheel? Would 2.5 tires fit?

I would really love a fat bike but I know that would increase budget right away. So to get myself started I will keep the bike I have and from what I read it's very upgradable.

In addition to the kit I would need?
Torque arm
Batteries (I run rc cars and planes so I may already have enough to get started.)

Would that be it?

I really appreciate your help.

Ellou,

There are many things to address here :

First I have great news for you. Have you ever heard of Interbike ? it is happening in just one month from now in Vegas. So do not buy a newer bike just yet as the 2016 models will be available just after Interbike. ( Some Cannondale's and Specialized 2016's are available now )
And the Buzz with the people at the different bike shops I go to is ... A new bike that would Perfect for you , Many of the Manufacturer's
are going to be offering for 2016 a bike that has 27.5 wheels that are 3 inch wide ! Better for people who live in sandy and loose dirt areas !
Right at that sweet spot between a 26er with 2.5 inch tires and a fat bike . And I am sure that those bikes will be available at many different price points.
You can already, right now in 2015 get a disc brake 27.5 wheel bike for as low as $ 450 on sale. ( Giant / Diamondback / etc. ) with the lower spec. 7 or 8 speed gearing , which by the way , is what you want if you go a rear hub motor.

Now for a little reality in regards for your desire to do a e-bike for only $ 600- $ 900 ... That low of a budget will only get you a good e-bike kit ,
( motor/controller/throttle/batteries, etc, ) not the bike.
But ...
For now you already have a bike. and some other good news for you is that it is a 29 er. You see , you can take a 29 er bike and put 27.5 wheels on it , or even 26 inch wheel on the back with a fat/high profile tire ( as long as your frame has the tabs for a disc brake on the rear, you would then just need to buy a mechanical disc brake like the Avid BB7 ) . With a 26 inch wheel on the back you could just leave the 29 er front wheel on it , or buy a 27.5 inch wheel/tube/tire for the front . You will have a slightly raked out front end, but we are talking less than an inch so you will hardly notice any difference at all, in fact it might even be more stable .

Others here can give you a good Idea of what motor to go with.
I only have experience with one rear hub motor, I did however luck out and got a decent rear hub motor even though I was new at this myself just a year ago.
My set up/ hub motor , battery pack, Cycle Analyst , allows me to do many things, Keep the throttle low so as to only use 250-350 watts for great range of over 20 miles. or get on the throttle for faster speed or to go up hills, or push the cruse control button and go at a steady speed for even more efficiency.
There are other hub motors out there besides mine. so others here on E.S. can tell you what they like about their's .

You can see my build here : https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=71378&hilit=Just+finished+my+first+build

>
>

Ellou said:

I hate the word noob.lol

I would like to build an ebike and need some tips. I currently have a genesis v2900 mtb with only the front suspension.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/29-Genesis-Max-Air-Men-s-Moutain-Bike/34116305

Goals
25 to 30 mph
20+ miles range
able to go on light trails. Nothing really steep or tough. Just some dirt or sand when I go camping
my weight is 200lb
6 feet tall
budget is between 600 to 900 maybe more but initially would like to keep it there

I bought it for my nephew when he moved to Arizona but he didnt stay long so it just sat. I started riding it, its an ok bike, but now I want an ebike. The problem is the 29er wheels. I can not find a kit anywhere that has the wheels, the largest Ive found is 28. Ive also been checking out the fat tire bikes and really like them.

My questions are;

Does anyone know a place to get a complete rear hub wheel for a 29er.
Are there options to get one built?
If I do choose to get a fat bike (most likely one of the 7 speed mongoose versions) does anyone know of a kit that fits that? Ive only found 175 mm axle but I was told it would need to be at least 220mm
Are there any recomendations for bigbox bikes that are better or easier to convert?

Ive looked everywhere on CG for a name brand bike that fits me but they are all either 800+, road bikes or made for people 5" 8' and shorter. My only options are bigbox bikes with my budget.

Click to expand...

Yeah, 27.5 is the next big thing. But if he wants a cheap kit, he won't be finding that wheel size at all.

And since he's looking at cheap kits with cheap spokes and rims, I doubt a new bike is in his plans right now. If he gets a 2.7" bike later, he may be needing a new rim and spokes by then anyway, and could build his new wheel if he wants to.

From the look of it, that kit does not come with a freewheel. When it comes, if no freewheel, just go buy one at the local bike shop. Freewheel, not a cassette. If your bike is not a 7 speed, you will have to hunt down an 8 or 9 speed screw on freewheel, or convert the bike to 7 speed. 8 speeds, you can just run a 7 speed freewheel. By 9 speed, the chain is the wrong size to do that.

Whether a 2.5" rear tire will fit I can't say, I don't have that model bike. It won't fit on the earlier cheap walbikes, like mongoose and next, in 26" size. But 2.3 should. Buy the tire, find out. If 2.5 won't fit, sell the tire, or save it for a better bike later.

my preference in off road tires is 2.3 front, 2.5 back. My area is desert, so I need some float on the rear tire for the sandy spots. On good packed single track, 2" tires are fine. I found I did not like too big a tire in front, a 2.5 up front made me skid more. To cut a turn better, I need the front tire to dig in deeper in the softer sandy spots.

For this reason, I'm not sold on the fat bike, unless you do live on the beach, or in the snow. Fat bike rear tire, and 2.5 inch tire might be nice, but not both wheels, in my opinion. Fat bike with a regular front fork does interest me some, but not till fat bikes have rear suspension.

The bike does have a place for a disc brake in the back.

I've found hallo motor has all sizes and seems like a better kit. Ofcourse for a little more money.

I'm leaning for a cheap 26 inch rear just to see if I like and will use an ebike. If i do and upgrade I can just put it on my wife's 26 mtb.

I just realized my brakes and shifter are integrated. Shimano tourney. So I'll also need new shifters.

As far as cheap spokes what do you mean? Like won't stand up to everyday riding or won't stand up to trail/downhill real mtbing? The bike will mostly be for site seeing while camping, local trips(coffee shop, stores, possibly work if I stay at my current job) so no heavy duty stuff here.

Side note. I miss having a nice bike. I had a trek that was so smooth and an old schwinn that I rebuilt and barely had to pedal to get speed. Now this one seems heavy and far from dialed in. Im going to take it to the local bike coop and go through it and see if it feels better. I don't need top of the line but when you know how a good bike feels it's hard to go back.

Ellou,

I do not know that motor, have no time to look it up unless you can provide a link.

Looks like you are going to order a kit with the wheel already built up ?
It is the easier way to go, however, keep in mind it will be a cheep rim and spokes, so it will need going to the bike shop and
getting it trued more often, unless you are very good at that yourself, remember there is Truing and also taking out any hop on a rim.
There is a reason that a good bike shop charges up to 30 to do that.

If you do the math and are ok with having a custom built wheel, to find the cost, look up the cost of the
Rim
Spokes
Cost for your local bike shop to build it up.
now
Subtract the savings in cost of just getting a hub sent. ( a wheel is more expensive to ship than just the hub )
If you find out that you are ok with $ 100-$ 150 more, then go that way for a couple of reasons.
One, the bike shop that built it up could give discounts on future adjustments, and there would be less of them because
by asking us here we can direct you to good rims and spokes that will hold the wheel in better true for much longer.
So do the math, In the long run I am much happier having a custom built wheel for myself.
Also
At your height 6 foot, you are right where a 29 er wheel is rec amended , and right of the top of height for 27.5 inch wheels.
So if you want to move the wheel/controller/batteries , etc. over to a better bike in the future, Building up the wheel in 26 or better yet a 27.5 will give you a much better selection in regards to a future bike.
If you build a 26 inch wheel then get a 27.5 wheel bike in the future.
If you build a 27.5 inch wheel then you can get a 27.5 inch bike or even a 29 er in the future.
and
If you find that you like the new 27.5 x 3 inch bikes better than a fat bike in the future, which you probably will, then building up your/a custom wheel with a Down Hill Rim will enable you to even include those bikes into a prospect for your future/better bike.

>

Ellou said:

The bike does have a place for a disc brake in the back.

I've found hallo motor has all sizes and seems like a better kit. Ofcourse for a little more money.

I'm leaning for a cheap 26 inch rear just to see if I like and will use an ebike. If i do and upgrade I can just put it on my wife's 26 mtb.

I just realized my brakes and shifter are integrated. Shimano tourney. So I'll also need new shifters.

As far as cheap spokes what do you mean? Like won't stand up to everyday riding or won't stand up to trail/downhill real mtbing? The bike will mostly be for site seeing while camping, local trips(coffee shop, stores, possibly work if I stay at my current job) so no heavy duty stuff here.

Side note. I miss having a nice bike. I had a trek that was so smooth and an old schwinn that I rebuilt and barely had to pedal to get speed. Now this one seems heavy and far from dialed in. Im going to take it to the local bike coop and go through it and see if it feels better. I don't need top of the line but when you know how a good bike feels it's hard to go back.

Click to expand...

Ellou,

You have what some people call Biffters ( Shifter's and Brake Lever connected together. )
the only reason you would have to get new brake levers, and also shifters, is if you decide to buy Hydraulic Disc Brakes,
which you really do .. Not need unless you go very fast or very fast down hills.
the Avid BB7 is the go-to cable brake that will work fine with your Bifters.
You would only then need a longer cable and cable housing.
Last time I bought Avid BB7's they came with a rotor in the box. it is your best bet for many reasons.
And by having your local bike shop install the BB7's and cable / housing, included in that price is adjustment of the
brake which makes it worth it, unless you are very good at it your self.

The reason your 29er feels heavy is that all cheep mountain bikes are heavy !
add to that it has 29er wheels which take longer to get up to speed, are heavy, and has knobs for dirt riding,
The only 29er I rode that I liked/that did not ride like a slow cow, was a Carbon 29 er ( 2 different ones , high end ones ) that were almost as light as a road bike, and having better components the wheels were lighter, they were both however way over budget for me.

Also when you take that 29er to the bike Coop, have them take off the crank , and take out the Bottom Bracket, on cheep bikes they have
allot of friction, I buy the inexpensive Shimano BB-UN 55 , they around $ 25-$ 28 , and well worth it.

Thanks scooterman101:

Heres the link : http://www.ebay.com/itm/48v-1500w-700C-Rear-Wheel-Ebike-Conversion-Kit-with-Sine-Wave-Controller-LCD-/171787795815?hash=item27ff59bd67

The reason I asked about the biffters is because all of these conversion kits come with brakes that are supposed to cut the motor. If I can use my current brakes instead then great but since Ive never worked with a kit I wouldnt know if there just thrown in or necessary.

Also with that setup can anyone give a guesstimated top speed? Every youtube video I watch or forum post gives partial setup info. Im not looking for 40 or 50 mph but 25 to 30 would be nice to use sometimes. Id probably be staying around 15 to 20.

First about that motor.

Em3ev
and
BMS battery
have sold many units, they are in the business, not just a flipper of a product.
You would do good to check out them .
perhaps
greenbikekit.com as well.
But now that I see you are planning on spending over $ 400
The Befang BBS02 would be better , for many reasons.
with that $ 400 + dollars you could just buy a Befang BBS02 Kit from Lunacycles. it is $ 100 more but it is a good product for you since your bike has a threaded bottom bracket, and you would also not then need to buy a better BB like the Shimano BB-UN55 , so now you are at just about $ 75 more for a better product. easier to fix a flat on the rear as well with a mid-drive.
I just found out about lunacycles , and at that price they are on par compared to China,
and Their Battery Packs look good as well
looks like they have Quality 18650 cell packs.

I see what you are saying about the bifters now, I did not know you had planned on using the motor cut off brake levers.

You will then need shifters, Shimano or Sram, whichever derailleurs you have use the same brand name for the shifters.

Ellou said:

Thanks scooterman101:

Heres the link : http://www.ebay.com/itm/48v-1500w-700C-Rear-Wheel-Ebike-Conversion-Kit-with-Sine-Wave-Controller-LCD-/171787795815?hash=item27ff59bd67

The reason I asked about the biffters is because all of these conversion kits come with brakes that are supposed to cut the motor. If I can use my current brakes instead then great but since Ive never worked with a kit I wouldnt know if there just thrown in or necessary.

Also with that setup can anyone give a guesstimated top speed? Every youtube video I watch or forum post gives partial setup info. Im not looking for 40 or 50 mph but 25 to 30 would be nice to use sometimes. Id probably be staying around 15 to 20.

Click to expand...

I would rather stick to hub motors for the moment. I've found another American place that has 500w 700c kits for closer to the china kit price. Good reviews and lots of sales so im willing to chance it. Im debating if I want to commit and spend more then Im comfatorable with or order a cheap kit.

If I don't have to use the motor cutoff brakes I wont. Im just not sure if it's required or just a part of the package.

Re the brakes. just leave off the e brake levers. I rarely use them myself, so I can keep my good shifters and levers. Go for the 26" wheel and disc it, for now. Consider building a 29er wheel if the wheel does fall apart. Look for a cheap BB7 disc brake knock off on ebay.

Re the spokes, I know one guy with like 12000 miles on his wheel, and another who's wheel lasted a week. Maintain your wheel, and don't blast through potholes, and you should get at least a year or more from a cheap wheel. I found that for me, the cheaper kits wheels lasted around 4000 miles before they got too hard to keep true. Street miles. But a year of dirt riding, perhaps only 500 miles, is not unheard of for a shitty wheel. Or you can taco fold a wheel any day, riding dirt, including really good wheels. One good crash.

But sometimes, a particular run of china cheap spokes simply is shit. If you get unlucky, time to spend about $70 on a sturdy rim and better name brand spokes, and do er in 29er. About $150 if you have a shop build the wheel. Build it yourself, it's not that hard.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/bik/5155373149.html
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/bik/5178117152.html
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/bik/5172614782.html

Finally found some bikes that are closer to my size and 26 inch wheels. Can someone take a look? I should be able to sell my current bike for 125 to 150. It just seems simpler to get a bike that is compatible with more common e bike stuff.

Ellou,

I looked at all three bikes, and would say No to all three. The bike you have now is better than those.
If you want a 26 inch wheel fine, Just buy a Avid BB7 brake, and the 26 inch wheel will work.
Then just buy on craiglist, or from Performance bike a front disc 26 inch wheel. But I would just leave the 29 er wheel on the front and see how you like it. Look at the Harley's and other cruiser motorcycle's they have larger front wheels .
Remember you are not racing XC mountain trails , you say you will be mostly on the street or easy bike trails.


However if you do want something different here is one. and it already has the better disc brakes on it. It has some good components on it for the price.
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/bik/5181904330.html

This would be even better : http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/bik/5175556721.html
A very good bike for that price ! even has Avid Hydraulic brakes .

I could look for more, but you have two very good examples there of a great candidate for you e-conversion. ( I would even like the Gravity Bike )

B.T.W. I do not use those motor cut off brake levers, I am used to riding motorcycles I just let off the throttle. and with good disc brakes you do not really need them.


I was going to buy these for my next build, https://bmsbattery.com/ebike-parts/459-hwbs-hidden-wire-brake-sensor-1pcs-parts.html
however BMS battery wanted $ 35 for shipping for just 2 of those and a throttle and pas sensor. ( $35 shipping for $ 20 worth of parts )
If they were in America , and spoke English ( I even called them ) they could adjust the shipping for slower postage. But they could not even take my credit card over the phone , so as to send it regular post . Only online orders.
It is better to be able to call a vendor and speak with them about an order. If you can find these somewhere here in the States Let me know.

Ellou said:

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/bik/5155373149.html
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/bik/5178117152.html
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/bik/5172614782.html

Finally found some bikes that are closer to my size and 26 inch wheels. Can someone take a look? I should be able to sell my current bike for 125 to 150. It just seems simpler to get a bike that is compatible with more common e bike stuff.

Click to expand...

The more I look at this : http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/bik/5175556721.html
The more I see how it would work for you.
Besides the Great Upgraded Brakes already on it, it has 8 speed shifters, derailleurs, chain, etc.
Perfect for an Electric Hub Motor .
You could even do a front hub motor for a more simple first e-conversion, with the fork it has on it.
Most everyone uses a back hub motor, because of , Not , having a front steel fork.
A back is still better in any case, with this bike though you have the option.

I say go out and buy it, you can save on the e-kit and still come out the same as what you wanted to spend in the first place.
By selling the Slave-Mart 29er, that will lower the final price on the Gravity Bullseye .

Should you decide to convert any of your choices (with the possible exception of the Mongoose) make sure you've planned for the aluminum frame with one or even two torque arms. There are several members who will attest to problems they encountered with rear conversions on aluminum frames. The Mongoose APPEARS to have a steel frame. If it fits you well, you might consider it (offer $50 - $75).

Looking at the Mongoose , the rear seat and chain stay is small tubing like a steel bike, along with the seat tube ,
However the top-tube and down tube are very large to be steel. steel bikes are noticeable by the small OD size of the tubing.
If it was steel , it would be very heavy. And the Op already said he had better bikes in the past and is not happy with the heaviness
of the 29 er he has now, which btw is a better bike than those he listed on craigslist.
Also upon a closer look at the mongoose, and the others , they are in Need of adjustments, repairs, and parts.
and all that adds up to allot of $$$ .
Much better to get a new bike like the Gravity, when you factor in everything ( repairs/adjustments/tires/new brakes of the other bikes he listed ) the Gravity Bullseye is the best deal for him. In fact it is a great deal for a new 2015 bike, that needs no repairs/or tires/ or adjustments .
And
He said that he wants to try a fat bike in the future, well this bike is about as close as you can get to a fat bike, even better/lighter/will handle better/ much cheaper tire replacement. etc , so He can have what he wants , Now , with that 2015 Gravity Bullseye .

>

2old said:

Should you decide to convert any of your choices (with the possible exception of the Mongoose) make sure you've planned for the aluminum frame with one or even two torque arms. There are several members who will attest to problems they encountered with rear conversions on aluminum frames. The Mongoose APPEARS to have a steel frame. If it fits you well, you might consider it (offer $50 - $75).

Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll just keep what I have try out the cheap kit and see if use it enough to justify a better bike and kit. I will go with the 26 rear wheel and keep my current biffter setup.

Ok so the list is:
Genesis max air v2900
http://m.ebay.com/itm/48V-1200W-26-Rear-Direct-Drive-Ebikeling-Electric-Bicycle-Kit-ebike-26Amp-1000w-/141731864427?nav=SEARCH
Torque arm for rear wheel
Rear tire 26x2.7?
Rear brake caliper? If I just get the caliper can I use the same cable if length allows?
2x HK multistar 6s 16000mah

Anything else?

I'm pretty sure that kit comes with a 19mm rim. I wouldn't go over 2.125" tire on it. And that's pushing it imo. I use 32mm rims with 2.4" tires.

I didnt even think of that. Ill contact the seller.

Ellou,

Prepare the bike for the parts, First you can get the Disc Brake Caliper/Rotor/mounting bolts. When you order a Avid BB7 Rear disc, it comes with caliper/caliper mounting bolts, the rotor and rotor bolts .
You will need a longer cable and rear cable housing, easy enough , just ride down to your local bike shop for a cable $ 2 and some housing $ 1

Also that kit comes with a 7 speed freewheel. Is your 29er a 7sp or 8 sp rear ?

Since you are keeping your current 29er, you should do the BB upgrade , the Same Local bike shop can order you the right size, The Shimano UN-55 is very good for the price. It is a good idea to have them ( L.B.S. ) " Chase " the BB Threads, since on most cheep bikes the threads are ruff .

Yes something else, A charger for those Multisar Li-Po's , Hobby King will help you with that.

Ellou said:

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll just keep what I have try out the cheap kit and see if use it enough to justify a better bike and kit. I will go with the 26 rear wheel and keep my current biffter setup.

Ok so the list is:
Genesis max air v2900
http://m.ebay.com/itm/48V-1200W-26-Rear-Direct-Drive-Ebikeling-Electric-Bicycle-Kit-ebike-26Amp-1000w-/141731864427?nav=SEARCH
Torque arm for rear wheel
Rear tire 26x2.7?
Rear brake caliper? If I just get the caliper can I use the same cable if length allows?
2x HK multistar 6s 16000mah

Anything else?

Click to expand...

I don't think HK has any 12s chargers. If you want an rc charger, I'd suggest the Thunder 1220 if you can find one. However a 12s bms and bulk charger would probably be cheaper and make for simple charging.

Thanks guys. I'm good on a charger. I have a few that take up to 6s and if I just have 2 batteries from hk I'll be fine. Might take 3 hrs but that's ok. I usually take about 10 batteries with me to the flying field and it takes a few hours to get charged.

I probably won't mess to much with stick parts unless they become an issue. Besides the brakes ofcourse. By the time anything gets to worn I'll probably be upgrading to a better bike.

So I ended up getting a genesis v2100 for $50 on CG. As I added everything up and weighed the options for the ease of swapping parts and not having to buy additional rear disc brakes, tire and have the bike setup like a ghetto 96er. ( I like the 96ers the max air would have looked really odd with the 26inch wheel in the back.

I got this kit off Amazon just because there warranty process is much better then ebay.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Q8JT9H2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

New questions are:

What issue are people having with the pedal assist sensor? I keep hearing about people needing a washer but I watched a couple youtube videos and they dont. Just mount on the bottom bracket and ride.

How would I make the bike single speed? I havent really worked on a bike in a few years and forgot the process and cant find a clear one online. I rarely shift with a regular bike so Id rather shed as much weight and clutter as possible. If possible.

How can I tell what controller I have. They all look the same and the one I recieved seems bigger then others. I would like to be able to change some settings after I get bored with the stock config. Im fine with flashing new firmwares using ftdi and atmel connectors. I want to also be able to use regen and maybe increase volts and hopefully not have to buy a new controller. Not right away anyway.