Do rear hub conversion kits not some with rear sprockets?

Pinesal

100 W
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Jan 29, 2014
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Portland, Or
I have been checking ebay listings and almost all of them show the wheel missing the rear sprocket. Am I suppose to reuse the one from the donor bike? Is that easy to do?
 
Pinesal said:
I have been checking ebay listings and almost all of them show the wheel missing the rear sprocket. Am I suppose to reuse the one from the donor bike? Is that easy to do?

(Also, do rear hubs need torque arms?)

If yours is a freewheel, instead of a cassette, then maybe. Most kits are compatible with freewheels, and most are limited to 7 gears due to the width of the hub. I you don't have one already, then yes, you have to buy one.
 
Seems like an easy question for the seller. Seeing how responsive they are to a question like that not a bad plan either. It could give you some insight on the level of support available.
 
You might need the appropriate tool to remove the old one. In the case of a freewheel, a freewheel puller. The Park FR1-3 has a larger hole that will accomodate an ebike axle should you ever want to take it off again. and is only about 8 dollars. Freewheels need no tool to re-install, so you could go to a bike shop and have them remove an old freewheel, but the labor charge may be more than what the tool costs.

In the case of a cassette, you get a cassette tool.
 
I think its a safe bet to say that if its a cheap wheel, it will need a 7 speed or less, screw on freewheel. If your bike had cassette, then likely its an 8,9 or even 10 gear. Its pretty easy to replace the shifter for 9 or 10. If its 8 gear, you can just use your existing shifter.

More expensive motors can be cassette. but most are still screw on freewheel. They are cheap in any bike shop, or on line.
 
I spent a lot of time on this and here some foods for thought.

Freewheels are really cheap nowadays (often around 10 USD). In my opinion the item to watch out is the gearing. I would have loved a 10T, but could not get anything lower than 11T. 11T itself only seems to be available with 7+ gears. Being cheap I could afford to experiment around a bit with them.

I am now running a 11-28 freewheel. I had an 9 speed with a spacer on the axle before that. Might not be an issue if your rear dropout flexes around 1-2mm. I would not recommend flexing it much beyond that.

The next issue you might then run into is the rear derailleur and shifter combination. Modern rear derailleurs are for 10-12 gears and typically do not work with older shifters/freewheels. Clutch type derailleurs are only for 10 speed+. These are helpful to keep the chain tightened at all times.

Most of the cheap stuff is Shimano, but if you throw in Sram and Campagnolo, then it gets really confusing (generally freewheels, derailleurs and shifters cannot be combined).

There are adapters from a company Shiftmate. Those are supposed to help. I currently have a 9-speed shifter with a 10 speed derailleur and can use 4-5 of the 7 gears. I need 2 shifter pushes to change 1 gear. The 4/5 th is unpredictable. I am planning to get a 10 speed shifter and Shiftmate, once I am further along my build. I usually just run on the 11T anyway, so I am ok for now. I would only need the 6 & 7th if I run out of battery on the way home.
 
This is a lot of info for me and I am realizing I don't know much about bicycles.

So I got the hub motor and it did not come with sprockets. It has threads for the sprockets. A local bike shop told me that it's for a freewheel, the donor bike has a cartridge. What do I do? Just buy a freewheel from the bike shop?
 
Pinesal said:
So I got the hub motor and it did not come with sprockets. It has threads for the sprockets. A local bike shop told me that it's for a freewheel, the donor bike has a cartridge. What do I do? Just buy a freewheel from the bike shop?

Yes. Should be like $15-18 retail. You don't need a tool to put it on (but you need grease). You do need a special tool to remove it, that many bike shops won't have.

If you want your bike to shift like it's supposed to, you'll have to install a 7-speed shifter as well.
 
Chalo said:
Pinesal said:
So I got the hub motor and it did not come with sprockets. It has threads for the sprockets. A local bike shop told me that it's for a freewheel, the donor bike has a cartridge. What do I do? Just buy a freewheel from the bike shop?

Yes. Should be like $15-18 retail. You don't need a tool to put it on (but you need grease). You do need a special tool to remove it, that many bike shops won't have.

If you want your bike to shift like it's supposed to, you'll have to install a 7-speed shifter as well.

Wait what? I need a new shifter now? The part that goes on the handle bars? Is that hard to do?
 
Pinesal said:
Wait what? I need a new shifter now? The part that goes on the handle bars? Is that hard to do?

It is not hard at all. There are Youtube videos that will walk you through adjusting the derailleur if you haven't done it before. It is a good idea to replace the cable housing at the same time if the existing housing is old and worn. Replacing cables, housing, and adjusting brakes and derailleurs is basic bicycle maintenance you should learn to do anyway.

If you buy the shifter new, it should come with a new shifter cable. Otherwise you can buy a kit with new housing, ferrules, and cables. You will need a cable housing cutter or a dremel to cut the cable housing if you replace it. You may also need a flat file or bench grinder to clean up the end of the cut housing.
 
RunForTheHills said:
Pinesal said:
Wait what? I need a new shifter now? The part that goes on the handle bars? Is that hard to do?

It is not hard at all. There are Youtube videos that will walk you through adjusting the derailleur if you haven't done it before. It is a good idea to replace the cable housing at the same time if the existing housing is old and worn. Replacing cables, housing, and adjusting brakes and derailleurs is basic bicycle maintenance you should learn to do anyway.

If you buy the shifter new, it should come with a new shifter cable. Otherwise you can buy a kit with new housing, ferrules, and cables. You will need a cable housing cutter or a dremel to cut the cable housing if you replace it. You may also need a flat file or bench grinder to clean up the end of the cut housing.

Sounds like I should return the bike I bought.
 
Step up. This isn't rocket science. You can do it, and the reward is a better and more useful practical understanding of your bike. You bought a kit, remember? Not a complete e-bike.
 
Chalo said:
Step up. This isn't rocket science. You can do it, and the reward is a better and more useful practical understanding of your bike. You bought a kit, remember? Not a complete e-bike.

Yes but I have to buy more parts and tools now. This bike is nickel and dimeing me to the poor house.
 
Pinesal said:
Yes but I have to buy more parts and tools now. This bike is nickel and dimeing me to the poor house.

Well, you either invest in tools and learn how to use them or pay someone else to work on your bikes.
 
hang on a sec, and stop freaking out.

First of all, what do you have on the bike now. How many gears? if its 8 gears, you are ok with what you have. You need only make minor adjustments to the derailleur, so it travels only 7 spaces, not 8. The adjusters are two screws, usually on the back side of the rear derailleur.

You need no tool to put on the new freewheel. screw it on by hand. Pedaling will tighten it up fully. You only need the tool to get one off a motor.

If its a 9 or 10 gear bike, then you will need a new shifter. Get either a 7 speed shifter off ebay, or a friction type shifter that goes on the handlebar. Bear in mind, with the new motor, you won't shift much, maybe never.

Meanwhile, you can still ride. pick a gear to ride in, shift the bike to be close to fitting that gear. then use the barrel nut to adjust the length of the cable to set the bike perfect in that gear. Using the shifter will not keep the chain lined up right, but you can ride all you want in that one gear. Generally, this means just set the chain on the smallest, or next to smallest gear on the motor, and then ride all you want without shifting. You can do this for years, if you feel like it. Later, when you have a bit of cash, then get a new 7 speed shifter.


If you do decide to return the bike, then get something with 7 rear gears. 7 speed beach cruisers make great ebikes for commuting. So do some of the mountain bikes, that have decent frames and 7 or 8 gears.
 
Thanks Dogman.

The original tire has 7 sprockets and I plan to buy a freewheel with 7 sprockets. Sounds like I won't need a new shifter then?

I may need more detailed help later with adjusting the derailer if necessary.
 
Perfect. We just got confused, because typically bikes with a cassette have 9 to 12 gears these days. So for sure, I was assuming at least 8 gears, which was typical for cassette bikes 15 years ago.

You only need to install the wheel, use torque arms of some kind, and then make minor adjustments to the derailleur stops, and cable length, if any. In many cases the thing just installs, and fits from the start on a 7 speed bike.


A close up picture of your bikes rear end at the axle, will help us tell what you need for torque arms, if any. Steel bikes can often run without. Alloy bikes should have some steel at the axle to help the axle not rotate.
 
I bought the freewheel, it was $37. Pretty expensive. i wish I had bought a wheel that had one already.

I got it on and the gears shift just fine no adjusting necessary.

I out a torque are on but it was really not easily fitting on. I have it on basically the only way it could go on.

I out cruiser handle bars on this bike so I would have more room for stuff but it feels a little awkward to pull the breaks. Maybe I need to adjust the position of everything still.

Also do ebike "fit" differently than standard bikes? I think I might want the seat lower. I want to ride in a more upright position I think

Anyway here is a picture of it. It's not done I have to clean up the wiring still, think of a better place for the controller and I have some accessories coming in the mail still too.

xsobHky.jpg
 
Pinesal said:
I bought the freewheel, it was $37. Pretty expensive. i wish I had bought a wheel that had one already.

Everything that comes included with a cheap hub motor (including rim and spokes) is just as cheap and horrible as it is possible to make it. It's never best to have some important part of the system be chosen for you by a seller whose only imperative is to use the very cheapest item available.

I'm a little curious what freewheel you got. All the ones I can get from my distributors are either cheaper or more expensive than $30-40 retail.

Also do ebike "fit" differently than standard bikes? I think I might want the seat lower. I want to ride in a more upright position I think

The correct amount of leg extension for any bike you want to pedal effectively is the same. E-bikes are no different in this regard. If you don't pedal, it doesn't matter.

Your bike is much too small for you. That's one of the worst of the many problems with department store BSOs-- they only come in one size, which in most cases isn't your size. Another major problem is the same as what I was saying earlier about hub motor kits-- every part is the cheapest available, chosen to be cheap whether or not it works. By the way, I think your BSO probably came with a freewheel that could have been transplanted onto your hub motor. A little more information or pictures probably would have saved you some money.

Your cruiser handlebars might be huge, but the straight part you can mount grips, shifters, and brake levers on is too short to fit the things you're putting on there. The brake levers aren't on the straight section, which is why they sit at a goofy angle.

Before you spend more money trying to make this bike work for you, spend some effort finding a better bike to work with. The one you have is no good for you.
 
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