Dumb Question: 16" front hub motor on kids bike?

[DMpro]

http://www.goldenmotor.ca/products/16-Inch-Front-Smart-Pie-Conversion-Kit-with-External-Controller.html

Its pretty tough to find any real 16" hub motors but this is one I saw, and putting a 24v battery and limiting the speed might make it safe for the kiddo.

My son is 4 and is riding a bike with training wheels, but has a hard time getting up hills, if he is moving he can keep pedaling, but he gets frustrated and just quits riding. everywhere we go is hilly around my house :| I originally wanted a rear hub motor so we had the option of pedal assist but he still needs training wheels and I do not think those would fit. plus they all seem to be coaster brakes.

I got him a real strong bike, and he is not allowed to ride it without us being there.

Anyways, is there a different/cheaper/less powerful option I could have on a kids bike? I did not find any topics like this, maybe that means its just a BAD idea or not possible. I do not wish for him to be moving faster than 10 mph (he has a gokart that goes that fast and works well on it)

 

[motomech]

http://www.goldenmotor.ca/products/16-Inch-Front-Smart-Pie-Conversion-Kit-with-External-Controller.html

Its pretty tough to find any real 16" hub motors but this is one I saw, and putting a 24v battery and limiting the speed might make it safe for the kiddo.

My son is 4 and is riding a bike with training wheels, but has a hard time getting up hills, if he is moving he can keep pedaling, but he gets frustrated and just quits riding. everywhere we go is hilly around my house :| I originally wanted a rear hub motor so we had the option of pedal assist but he still needs training wheels and I do not think those would fit. plus they all seem to be coaster brakes.

I got him a real strong bike, and he is not allowed to ride it without us being there.

Anyways, is there a different/cheaper/less powerful option I could have on a kids bike? I did not find any topics like this, maybe that means its just a BAD idea or not possible. I do not wish for him to be moving faster than 10 mph (he has a gokart that goes that fast and works well on it)

Four seems kind a young, but then again, my Dad built me a hand-built Briggs & Stratton powered tractor when I was five;


Your pic is chopped, so it's hard to see what there is to work with, but I would go with a Q75;
http://www.elifebike.com/peng/iview.asp?KeyID=dtpic-2015-1H-26S0.599XJ
Use the 201 speed version
They have a 10 A controller with a 3-speed speed limiter.
They don't have a 24V battery though.
Maybe better to contact BMS Battery and see if they can get you a Q75 and use their SO6S programable controller and one of their 24V batteries.;
https://bmsbattery.com/73-24v-battery
I suspect the throttle would be a loose fit on kid's bike bars, maybe PAS only.

 

[nutnspecial]

A 24volt hubmotor for a kid on training wheels? :lol: Matt Hoffman or Evil Knevils kid right? (if even they were so bold with their children)

I'm sorry if this is politically incorrect, but it seems bass ackwards to power up a kids bike before they are even riding it on their own.

I won't condemn it as a bad idea, but most people probably want their kids to learn how to ride a bike and physically mature before allowing the e supplemental there?

 

[SlowCo]

Wouldn't it be wiser/cheaper/easier to just change the gearing? I.e. fit a smaller front or a bigger rear sprocket so your child could get up the hills better? And then when he gets bigger and stronger and doesn't need the training wheels you can change back to the original gearing.

 

[dogman dan]

Not sure of the size of kid. At one point they had cool 24v razor electric bikes for small kids. Pretty low tech, brushed motor to a chain to the rear wheel. But god, how much fun for a small kid, to have power! Surely they are still around, or a copy of it.

For a kid who is off the training wheels though.

Downside, one year later and you are looking at an Osset for him. $$$

Seriously, this year just avoid the steep hills. Next summer, him double the size, he'll go up them. Not sure how easy to find a smaller front chain ring will be for that kind of kids bike. But maybe something out there if you look hard enough. But really, he'll go from struggling to leaving you behind in an eyeblink anyway.

 

[cal3thousand]

For the backyard, I could approve, but for the streets, I have to say: Nay!.

How many fully grown adults that have ridden pedal bikes before but get on an ebike and have a 'throttle incident'? I'd be too concerned with my kid having a moment while around an inattentive teenage driver. But having said that, my daughter is 7 at the moment and I will be investigating a slow motor in a 20" or 24" tire bike for her 8th birthday. I would only turn on the electric portion when we are on a bike path away from any cars. Likely to be a geared hub to allow freewheeling when not powered.

 

[r3volved]

I'm looking to do the same on a 20" box for my 8yo ...and admittedly myself. Just for something that holds a cruising speed in my case. Easy enough to raise limits for boy as he gets better.
I woulda killed for a motor at 8!

 

[1JohnFoster]

he is not allowed to ride it without us being there. ... (he has a gokart that goes that fast and works well on it)

"Not allowed", eh?! How'd that work for _you_ before 18? What, did you put the kid in obedience class with your rotti?

How about this for him; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwvkFwhCGjI (Trail-A-Gator kid's bike towbar)

On the flats you can unhook them, free range. Up the hills if my daughter slacked off I'd turn back and yell "turbo!" and she'd kick in. Downhill up to you... we stayed hooked, because I wanted to keep her. I only dumped her sideways once. She didn't cry.

... and for you an ebike conversion kit

+ maybe an RC car for "both of you"?

 

[r3volved]

I used a gator bar for a couple years with my boy. It worked real well! He's too old to be towed around now though