Amazon bike conversion

[Duo Realis]

Want to convert this cheap bike on Amazon for my 13 year old son to ride. I’ve been hauling my son using my Himiway Cobra Pro mid-drive to our hunting spot since he was younger. Now he’s older I want him to ride his own bike. I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube videos especially Johnny Nerd Out about mid-drive conversion. Will this bike and frame be a simple conversion? Thinking of using a Bafang BBS02 motor 7/8 speed drive train 42T chainring and a 12-46T cassette. Main purpose of the bike is to ride national forest logging roads behind lock gates to get to and from hunting ground. There are some climbs involved. I figured if I can get motor and drive train figured out I can upgrade brakes and other components at a later time. We don’t need it for speed. We just need it so we can get to our hunting spot which is 3 miles from the locked gate.

If you can recommend any other cheap bike for short riders (5 feet tall) and a list of preferred components that would be great.

 

[Nix Liou]

Want to convert this cheap bike on Amazon for my 13 year old son to ride. I’ve been hauling my son using my Himiway Cobra Pro mid-drive to our hunting spot since he was younger. Now he’s older I want him to ride his own bike. I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube videos especially Johnny Nerd Out about mid-drive conversion. Will this bike and frame be a simple conversion? Thinking of using a Bafang BBS02 motor 7/8 speed drive train 42T chainring and a 12-46T cassette. Main purpose of the bike is to ride national forest logging roads behind lock gates to get to and from hunting ground. There are some climbs involved. I figured if I can get motor and drive train figured out I can upgrade brakes and other components at a later time. We don’t need it for speed. We just need it so we can get to our hunting spot which is 3 miles from the locked gate.

If you can recommend any other cheap bike for short riders (5 feet tall) and a list of preferred components that would be great.



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This would probably be a relatively easy conversion, assuming it's a standard bottom bracket. However, I would recommend getting something a bit sturdier, when you plan to put a motor on it. Cheap derailleurs can get messed up by the torque and alignment differences with a mid drive, and the fork looks a bit skinny.
A bike like this would be fine for a conversion on road, but on trails it might not appreciate the extra torque and weight of a conversion kit.

However I don't have a lot of experience with bikes for short riders, and some of the weight concerns may be negated by a lighter rider. If you do end up staying with this frame, you might as well upgrade the brakes and the motor kit together, since with more power you do also want better brakes...

 

[lnanek]

Yeah, I bought a cheap Amazon bike once and with just my own human power managed to shatter some plastic portion of the cheap Shimano Tourney derailleur that was on there. Thing threw the remains of itself into the rear spokes after I stood hard on the pedals.

Those bikes really cut every corner to get down to that price point. I replaced the broken derailleur with a Shimano Altus derailleur that cost $18 new and the replacement was clearly metal in a lot of spots the original wasn't and much stronger. Just goes to show how cheap every single part is spec'ed if an $18 part was an improvement.

I'd hate to even think of putting electric motor power through it. I'd take even a thirty year old used bike from a known brand over a new amazon bike for the same price. Kids bikes are easy to get cheaply on the used market because they quickly grow out of them.

 

[2old]

Get the motor from AliExpress in the next few days and save maybe 40% (as I did a few days ago with a BBSHD). Since you're in CA, Craigslist, FB (or equivalent) might have a decent used bike which far exceeds the quality of an Amazon bso IMO.

 

[99t4]

Nobody has mentioned the battery yet. Main problem with converting a small frame bike is often inadequate space for the battery.

Presumably he is still growing. Could he possibly ride a (currently) slightly too-large bike for now until he grows into it? Might also save the task of having to repurpose into a larger bike soon also.

Will the 3 mile (each way) hunting trips be the only use for the ebike?

 

[Nix Liou]

Nobody has mentioned the battery yet. Main problem with converting a small frame bike is often inadequate space for the battery.

Presumably he is still growing. Could he possibly ride a (currently) slightly too-large bike for now until he grows into it? Might also save the task of having to repurpose into a larger bike soon also.

Will the 3 mile (each way) hunting trips be the only use for the ebike?

True, but there are some smaller form factor options at least.

 

[Duo Realis]

Nobody has mentioned the battery yet. Main problem with converting a small frame bike is often inadequate space for the battery.

Presumably he is still growing. Could he possibly ride a (currently) slightly too-large bike for now until he grows into it? Might also save the task of having to repurpose into a larger bike soon also.

Will the 3 mile (each way) hunting trips be the only use for the ebike?

Yes, the bike will be mainly for riding the 3 miles behind locked gates. We have ATV's to get around if we wanted to hunt different areas which doesn't have any locked gates.

 

[Duo Realis]

What are some budget bike brands that fit the criteria listed above that can be converted easily into an electric bike? I don't need it for speed. I just need it mostly for climbing a few hills to get to the spot.