Folding bike DIY help

[PandaBear]

Hello! Newbie here.

I'm planning on converting a folding bike to an ebike. I am 5ft and 100lbs and plan on using the bike to commute to work (11kms) and back. Traveling on road, mostly flat roads.

I've been researching and i would like to get your help/input.
I live in Manila, Philippines. I'm planning to get a 20" Trinx Dolphin 2.0 so I can take it indoors with me.

http://www.trinx.com/index.php?ac=article&at=read&did=1820

I think a 36v 250w rear hub motor kit would be fast enough for me unless anyone has better suggestion.
Can anyone give recommendations for a kit and battery from aliexpress or a store that can deliver to/in the philippines?
Budget preferably under 400usd. Also are there lighter weight kits as i would like to keep the bike weight low.

Thank you 8)

 

[markz]

400usd is a no go, battery alone is $400+

Check out www.bmsbattery.com for wimpy low power motors. I'd suggest you go at least 36V25A=900W controller.

 

[goatman]

you can always use powertool batteries, heres vuaeco , lots of tips on his channel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izBDbKbOj9w

 

[PandaBear]

Thank you for the website link very helpful.
Is this website safe to buy from?
Why the need for a 900w controller when the hub motor is 250w?
Do you recommend sine wave controllers over normal controllers?

Sorry for the newbie questions!

 

[Dauntless]

6'2" 200 pounds, my eCycle Dash folding bike has not been missed since neighborhood kids took it and tore it up. Horrible seat, common to foldable for some reason. All around too small, also common. Lousy bars too low, common.

250w is a 10 mile an hour bike and the cranks were short and the gearing was too low, if you're buying similar, expect to take an hour to go 6 miles. Although that bigger controller he recommended will help some.

I don't know your chances for finding a comfortable folding bike. I recommend you be sure you won't be hating it a few weeks later.

 

[Balmorhea]

400usd is a no go, battery alone is $400+

That's not true. He or she weighs 100 lbs. You can get a 36V pack on eBay for like $100. One of my buddies recently bought a 36V 16Ah pack for $140 shipped, from a US seller. That's a much bigger pack than a 100 pound person with a 250W bike needs.

 

[docw009]

I've used Q100H from BMSbattery or a AK100 (similar or same) from topbikekit.com. These will take 500W out of a 20A sine wave controller on 36V. run up to about 18-20 mph, and your pedals can't keep up with a 20" bike at that speed anyway. You will want the higher rpm models (I think it was 260 rpm) to spin a 20" wheel.

Here are three DIY folders of mine.


If $400USD is needed to buy the bike, motor, and battery, you might just be better off seeing if you can get a complete chinese import folder. In the USA, they start around $500 and go up.

The motor costs me about $120 shipped without rim. I buy a 36H 20" rim for $25-30 and spoke it myself. So the wheel costs around $180. It would cost me $260 to have one shipped from CHina, so I like building my wheels The electronics are about $90 for a KT-controller. There are cheaper controllers, but at this point saving $20 on the electrics is no good if the documentation is bad.

In the above picture, the yellow bike has a 36V 10AH pack that cost about $300. The other two bikes are running 36V 10AH packs that came out of hoverboards and cost me less than $100. That means I did convert them for under $400 for the electrics, but I had a good electrical background.

I have faster and bigger bikes, but my wife/daughter like these little bikes. Range is about 30 miles.