Gravel - Cruiser bike conversion help & suggestions

[Niner63]

Hi everyone

My heads spinning with all the available options to convert my old 29” 08 Singular Cycles Peregrine Gravel - All Road bike.

I‘d like to build a cruiser style bike, possibly as a 27.5” for wider tyre options or a mullet with 27.5” rear 29” front.
I can fit a max 2.1” rear and 2.2” front 29ers

The eccentric BB shell makes a mid drive conversion difficult, or too expensive to fit a CYC or similar MD motor.

The rear dropouts make fitting a conventional TA challenging, though it’s been suggested that a TA could be fitted between the rear forks and motor. Though I have now reached the point that I will consider grinding/filing the dropouts to fit a TA.

Motor wise I’m considering a DD 48V 1000W - 1500W rear motor and possibly running it with a 52V battery.

I would also consider fitting a front motor.

I’m 6‘ 4”, 1m 93cm tall nearing 60 yrs old carrying a few pounds too many at around 252 lbs 114kg
I‘m asthmatic and in the last 12 months my condition has worsened and excepting myself while climbing triggers attacks

I‘ve been car free for 9 years and use my bikes to run around collecting groceries etc in saddle bags and use an axle mounted Burley coho trailer for heavier loads such 5 gal kerosene bottles, throughout the winter months, and taking trash to the dump.

Typical, current unaided, rides out rarely exceed 6 miles, 10km loaded with moderate hill climbs and occasional short steep climbs.
Fair weather trips of 18 miles, 30km unloaded.
With a possible maximum ride of 36 miles, 60km.
Though I’ve not ridden that far in one go for some years now and it’s unlikely that I will.

When it comes to batteries I’ve run a ebike battery simulator with extreme and eco values to gauge the max/min values, while understanding that there’s many values that can affect battery usage, including dubious vendors and sub par battery cells.

with the simulator suggesting that a

48V 13Ah extreme 10m 16km vs eco 36m 60km
17.5Ah extreme 14m 22km vs eco 42m 66km
20Ah extreme 18m 28km vs eco 33m 52km

52V 10Ah 14m 22km vs eco 25m 40km
20Ah 20m 32km vs eco 56m 90km
25Ah 43m 32km vs eco 70m 112km

while researching batteries I came across some DIY builds using the smaller 52V batteries that sparked my interest as they can be used very stealthily which interests me, with a 52V 10Ah saddle bag battery, or similar appearing to meet my average 6 mile, 10km trip requirements without the need for a bulky DT mounted battery.

Everytime that I’m close to pulling the trigger to purchase a kit from a EU bulk supplier, with or without a battery, I find myself searching the internet yet again second guessing what to buy and looking at other folks DIY conversions

I‘d love to hear your thoughts and or experiences fitting both front and/or rear DD hubs and whether a small 52V 10Ah saddle bag battery would indeed meet my typical daily short ride requirements

Cheers everyone

#adhd

 

[lnanek]

I've fit torque arms inside the drop outs before. Not really a big deal:


Some motors have built-in torque arms as well, like the Grin All Axle:


That means less hardware needed at the drop out.

 

[docw009]

How does your country treat bike conversions? Over in England, they seem to enjoy going after ebikers. How about high power ebikes?

Derby: Almost 100 e-scooters and illegal e-bikes seized

Police say 99 illegal e-scooters and e-bikes were seized in the first month of a crackdown.

www.bbc.com

The DD 1000W motors are cheap where I live in the USA, and there are no real laws against them, but they are heavier and don't allow coasting. They are fast and simple though,

I'm not sure you can get a 52V10AH under a seat. I've owned 48V10AH in 21700. THey're big, You would have to get one that can deliver 30A to run a 1000W DD motor.


,

 

[Niner63]

I've fit torque arms inside the drop outs before. Not really a big deal:
View attachment 366777

Some motors have built-in torque arms as well, like the Grin All Axle:
View attachment 366778

That means less hardware needed at the drop out.

Thank you,

Especially for the picture with the TA fitted inside the forks

The Grin all axel is also very nice and neat looking but importing it from Canada plus taxes puts it out of my budget otherwise it might have been nice on my Ti adventure bike (which also won’t fit a BF or TZ MD) and/or Gravel bike

 

[Niner63]

How does your country treat bike conversions? Over in England, they seem to enjoy going after ebikers. How about high power ebikes?

Derby: Almost 100 e-scooters and illegal e-bikes seized

Police say 99 illegal e-scooters and e-bikes were seized in the first month of a crackdown.

www.bbc.com

The DD 1000W motors are cheap where I live in the USA, and there are no real laws against them, but they are heavier and don't allow coasting. They are fast and simple though,

I'm not sure you can get a 52V10AH under a seat. I've owned 48V10AH in 21700. THey're big, You would have to get one that can deliver 30A to run a 1000W DD motor.


,

Thank you

I’ve only just started looking at saddle bag batteries and thought that this 52V 10Ah might fit my short ride requirements ?

I’m not too concerned about the flic, there’s lots of cycle paths around me, I rarely see them and I’m not popping wheelies and or cutting in and out of traffic to draw attention to myself or my bike.

But I’d still like the bike to be somewhat of a “sleeper”

I could use a rear rack battery as 99.9% of the time I have my Ortlieb panniers attached to my rack which would help hide/disguise/distract from a RR battery and the hub motor.

 

[Niner63]

Max discharge current listed as 60A for the 36V and 48V battery but no details about the 52V

 

[2old]

Your frame appears large enough for at least a 10 ah battery. I've been mounting a 52V, 8 ah battery (rectangular shaped) on the down tube of a couple of bikes with a Blackburn water bottle cage. One of the bikes is a small Specialized MTB used for errands.

 

[Niner63]

Johnny Nerd-Out 52V 8ah 49t High performance Pack

Battery weighs in at 4.6lbs, 2kg



Model:48v/ 52V 8Ah battery pack

Cell: Samsung40T-4000mah 21700

Configuration: 14S2P

Charge port: 3 pin high current

BMS: 50A continuous discharging current

Discharge:20cm long length with Anderson

​

 

[Niner63]

Your frame appears large enough for at least a 10 ah battery. I've been mounting a 52V, 8 ah battery (rectangular shaped) on the down tube of a couple of bikes with a Blackburn water bottle cage. One of the bikes is a small Specialized MTB used for errands.

Cheers

There’s more than enough room for a huge battery in my triangle but having seen the small saddle bag batteries I’m rather taken by them.

I‘ll take a look see at the Blackburn water bottle cages later

 

[ScooterMan101]

Niner63 you said ... " The eccentric BB shell makes a mid drive conversion difficult, or too expensive to fit a CYC or similar MD motor. "

I had my Befang BBS02 on my steel 29 er hard tail for a while, I did it by taking the dremmel tool with a cut off wheel and cutting off most all of one of the bolt protrusions . the one on the side that you mount the BBS02 or BBSHD through.
I knew I would never use it as a single speed. so I am Ok with what I did. Also I only cut off enough to just barely slide the BBS02 on, so it still has the one bolt there as well as the other one so someone could go to single speed in the future.
Since I only use the 29 er hardtail for running errands and long only road riding , I took off the BBS02 and put on a small rear hub that uses less energy . Although If I could find a low cost used BBS02 I would go back to using it that way. The BBS02 is now on a MTB that 95% of the time only sees dirt trails/fire roads.

 

[amberwolf]

Though I have now reached the point that I will consider grinding/filing the dropouts to fit a TA.

Keep in mind the ridge on there is probably not decorative; it's probably structural. Without it there may be stresses on the dropout tabs / frame tube interface point (especially with an axle twisting them back and forth on every acceleration/deceleration).