SnowFox102
New here
After the debacle of my Soumye etrike, I decided to write down everything I learned so other people don't make the same mistakes. Here's what I got, feel free to add on your own wisdom!
So you want an ebike, but can’t shell out a grand or more for a known brand. People keep telling you you get what you pay for, but there’s just no way you can spend that much. Can you still get a respectable ride? Well it’s like the cheap version of anything else: if you can’t pay with money, you can pay with a bit of effort if you know how and this guide aims to help!
Know thine bike: When shopping, try to know what you’re getting. Look for information on the motor, what the frame is made of, features the controller comes with (like pedal assist, LCD screen, etc), battery type, and so on. You won’t be able to know every tiny detail like what kind of connectors the controller uses, but basic data will help you compare models and make a decision. You want a frame strong enough to resist the torque of the motor, and a motor with enough power to move the amount of weight you’re going to put on it. Budget models generally have lower end motors, but even among these you can get decent performance. Make sure you know what kind of battery it uses, internal batteries can be proprietary or just annoying to replace, and you will have to replace the battery eventually. I personally favor a steel frame, though I have heard that aluminum is serviceable. Most budget models seem to be steel. Make a note of the motor voltage and wattage and battery voltage and amp hours so you can match them in the future if you have to. (Motors and controllers aren’t always interchangeable, but batteries are as long as they match the motor’s needs).
Torque arms and why you need them: Some models use frames designed for electric use, and additional torque mitigation isn’t necessary. This is fairly rare on the budget end, however. Most budget ebikes are essentially converted standard bikes, and as such their frames need extra support. A torque arm is a piece of equipment that bolts to the axle and transfers torque from the motor to another part of the frame, instead of having it all on the axle. This matters because even a lower end motor produces way more torque than a human can, enough to spin the wheel right out of the dropouts. That’s a big deal because axle spin-out almost always destroys the motor, so you want to avoid it. A torque arm (or two) protects against spin-out and is something you shouldn’t cheap out on. I recommend Grin Technologies torque arms, which are pricey but still cost far, far less than a replacement motor. Just make sure you get one that fits your frame, especially if you’re installing it on the brake side. I have a V5 on the motor side and a V6 on the brake side, because a V5 won’t fit on the brake side of my trike because the bolts make contact with the brake disc.
Related to torque arms, most frames have something called lawyer’s lips, which are supposedly meant to keep the axle nuts on even if they’re not tightened down enough, but in ebikes they get in the way of torque arms and therefore increase the possibility of accidents. A good torque arm kit will include a way to deal with this, like the C-shaped washer in Grin kits. Even with a torque arm, check your axle nuts after the first couple rides. Get a torque wrench to make sure they’re at the correct torque. I got one for about $15 on sale on Amazon, you don’t need a fancy one.
So you want an ebike, but can’t shell out a grand or more for a known brand. People keep telling you you get what you pay for, but there’s just no way you can spend that much. Can you still get a respectable ride? Well it’s like the cheap version of anything else: if you can’t pay with money, you can pay with a bit of effort if you know how and this guide aims to help!
Know thine bike: When shopping, try to know what you’re getting. Look for information on the motor, what the frame is made of, features the controller comes with (like pedal assist, LCD screen, etc), battery type, and so on. You won’t be able to know every tiny detail like what kind of connectors the controller uses, but basic data will help you compare models and make a decision. You want a frame strong enough to resist the torque of the motor, and a motor with enough power to move the amount of weight you’re going to put on it. Budget models generally have lower end motors, but even among these you can get decent performance. Make sure you know what kind of battery it uses, internal batteries can be proprietary or just annoying to replace, and you will have to replace the battery eventually. I personally favor a steel frame, though I have heard that aluminum is serviceable. Most budget models seem to be steel. Make a note of the motor voltage and wattage and battery voltage and amp hours so you can match them in the future if you have to. (Motors and controllers aren’t always interchangeable, but batteries are as long as they match the motor’s needs).
Torque arms and why you need them: Some models use frames designed for electric use, and additional torque mitigation isn’t necessary. This is fairly rare on the budget end, however. Most budget ebikes are essentially converted standard bikes, and as such their frames need extra support. A torque arm is a piece of equipment that bolts to the axle and transfers torque from the motor to another part of the frame, instead of having it all on the axle. This matters because even a lower end motor produces way more torque than a human can, enough to spin the wheel right out of the dropouts. That’s a big deal because axle spin-out almost always destroys the motor, so you want to avoid it. A torque arm (or two) protects against spin-out and is something you shouldn’t cheap out on. I recommend Grin Technologies torque arms, which are pricey but still cost far, far less than a replacement motor. Just make sure you get one that fits your frame, especially if you’re installing it on the brake side. I have a V5 on the motor side and a V6 on the brake side, because a V5 won’t fit on the brake side of my trike because the bolts make contact with the brake disc.
Related to torque arms, most frames have something called lawyer’s lips, which are supposedly meant to keep the axle nuts on even if they’re not tightened down enough, but in ebikes they get in the way of torque arms and therefore increase the possibility of accidents. A good torque arm kit will include a way to deal with this, like the C-shaped washer in Grin kits. Even with a torque arm, check your axle nuts after the first couple rides. Get a torque wrench to make sure they’re at the correct torque. I got one for about $15 on sale on Amazon, you don’t need a fancy one.
