Looking for help with first kit!

[Ludzee]

Hey! I hope i post in the right section, tried to read the stickies and this seemed like the right place. I've been looking more and more into building/converting my bike into a EBIKE. Mostly for fun, but also to give me some extra help for longer runs which tend to get rather sweaty..

Current bike
Right now i have a Marina Fairfax SC1, some kind of basic hybrid bike.

It has 700c wheels and a 22" frame, 21 gears and V-Brakes. It has been working well for me as i mostly travel on roads. The fork has no shocks, is it necessary for a good ride quality?

Need of range and power
I can basically charge my battery everyday in my garage and i wont usually travel more than 20km or around 12 miles in a day. So a wide range i guess is nice but i dont think it's super necessary.

When it comes to power i'm about 80 kg and 184cm tall. I have some hills to ride but most of them are not longer than like a 100 metres. I also have no problems with pedaling a bit extra there. In terms of speed i think that around 30km or something like that is a good speed. I don't ride that much on long, straight roads, so going up to even higher speeds will be hard anyways. I've heard that 250W is the only road legal wattage but as i understand it u could use more to get better hill performance and such? Even if the max speed is not alot higher. My bike is not steel either so im a bit concerned if it is even a good idea with a stronger kit.

Type of enginge

Well i have looked a bit on kits with the motor in the front wheel and thought that it seemed neat because the installation seemed so simple. But looking here rear engines seem to be more popular. Maybe its not to hard to change? I just dont really get how you make the gears work properly with the new kit but maybe it's not as hard as it seems. So i gladly take advice here.

Other upgrades
I understand that my 32C road tires will be too small so if im upgrading im getting some better tires aswell. Some Shwable or Continental. 622-42 seems nice but im not sure if 42 will work on my rim, but 37 seems to be a bit low. Im also getting new blocks for my V-Brakes and some new grips.

Budget

Well i want to keep it as low as possible. At first i looked at a front Wheel "Dillenger" branded kit. It had a 250/350W motor and a 13Ah Samsung battery. I liked how everything seemed simple and well-fitting. But at 600 Pounds i started to think that other solutions might be cheaper or that i can get more for my money. If nothing good can be bought at that price then i probably will just upgrade my bike a bit and skip the E-part. But i really think it seems fun and a good way to travel those longer trips.

Questions
Can the kits handle rain ok? Sweden does not have the best weather. I have seen that some people have covers for their batteries though, that seems like a good idea.

Thanks in advance! Im not a native english speaker i just study it in school so i apologize for any misses there. I hope you guys can recommend what could be a suiting kit for me!

 

[dogman dan]

Your needs are not extreme, so a low power rear hubmotor will be fine. Same type you looked at with a front, just the rear version.

Hub motor, because they tend to be a bit less expensive than a mid drive, and your hills are not mountains. So keep it simple with a hubbie.

21 speed bike is perfect, 7 rear gears. Your motor will come with a 7 gear freewheel on it that work normally just like your original wheel. No problem with the gears.

You might want to add some more waterproofing to the kit, extra sealant around the controller, tape up the seam on the display. The motor itself can run underwater, but do try to keep the axle above the water line of puddles. Put fenders on the bike, so the controller is not sprayed by the wheel. The bottom line with e bikes is keep the battery dry in a battery bag, and keep the controller dry. Modern kits have water tight plugs on the wiring, but if you get an older version, just tape up the plugs.

Budget,, well,, because a quality battery is expensive, it always costs more that you first thought.

But it can be worth it, especially if you can drive a car less, or not at all. I personally paid off $22,000 USD in debt by riding an e bike to work, instead of spending that same money on keeping a junked out old car running. Took 5 years of commuting to do it, but each day I rode the bike put $15 in my pocket, vs buying another car. The old car got easier to keep running, since I drove it 75% less per month. So I was able to get it to keep going 5 more years, instead of one.

 

[Ludzee]

Your needs are not extreme, so a low power rear hubmotor will be fine. Same type you looked at with a front, just the rear version.

Hub motor, because they tend to be a bit less expensive than a mid drive, and your hills are not mountains. So keep it simple with a hubbie.

21 speed bike is perfect, 7 rear gears. Your motor will come with a 7 gear freewheel on it that work normally just like your original wheel. No problem with the gears.

You might want to add some more waterproofing to the kit, extra sealant around the controller, tape up the seam on the display. The motor itself can run underwater, but do try to keep the axle above the water line of puddles. Put fenders on the bike, so the controller is not sprayed by the wheel. The bottom line with e bikes is keep the battery dry in a battery bag, and keep the controller dry. Modern kits have water tight plugs on the wiring, but if you get an older version, just tape up the plugs.

Budget,, well,, because a quality battery is expensive, it always costs more that you first thought.

But it can be worth it, especially if you can drive a car less, or not at all. I personally paid off $22,000 USD in debt by riding an e bike to work, instead of spending that same money on keeping a junked out old car running. Took 5 years of commuting to do it, but each day I rode the bike put $15 in my pocket, vs buying another car. The old car got easier to keep running, since I drove it 75% less per month. So I was able to get it to keep going 5 more years, instead of one.

Okay, well i found this kit which seems nice imo:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500W-Elec...-Wheel-/111887599062?var=&hash=item5fa8b147e4

But as i understand it the grey "box" is some kind of controller. Im not really sure where u are supposed to put that. Also my brakes are "integrated" with the speed system. The pack seems to include new brake handles but im not sure how to solve that. I have seen these sensors you just put on your existning brakes which seems very neat. However the pack with shipping only cost me 5000 Swedish kronor which leaves me with around a 1000 more to upgrade tires, brake bits, better waterproofing which is nice.

U seem like you know this business, is this an ok "starter" alternative for non-heavy use and are there any other things i should get at the same time?

 

[Tats]

+1 dogman comments.

I owned the Dillinger front wheel hub kit on a giant talon 29er. Nice easy setup, works in the rain. I think it's a q100 motor and is a good place to start and learn from - however I recommend a rear hub motor instead mostly for peace of mind. Average speed was around 30kmh and 20km range with the new battery is fine. I recommend you figure out how to fit a front disc brake. And I also recommend you look for a 48v kit instead of 36v as you can do more with them later. 32c tyres are fine, just put in some liners, thornproof tubes, slime etc to avoid the hassle of undoing the wheel in the dark/wet.

Em3ev / grin and others recommended on this forum do some good kits that are reliable and can be upgraded such as Mac or bafang. My advice is to save a few more dollars and buy an entry level kit from there rather than eBay. I think it'll be cheaper in the long run.

 

[Ludzee]

+1 dogman comments.

I owned the Dillinger front wheel hub kit on a giant talon 29er. Nice easy setup, works in the rain. I think it's a q100 motor and is a good place to start and learn from - however I recommend a rear hub motor instead mostly for peace of mind. Average speed was around 30kmh and 20km range with the new battery is fine. I recommend you figure out how to fit a front disc brake. And I also recommend you look for a 48v kit instead of 36v as you can do more with them later. 32c tyres are fine, just put in some liners, thornproof tubes, slime etc to avoid the hassle of undoing the wheel in the dark/wet.

Em3ev / grin and others recommended on this forum do some good kits that are reliable and can be upgraded such as Mac or bafang. My advice is to save a few more dollars and buy an entry level kit from there rather than eBay. I think it'll be cheaper in the long run.

How come u dont prefer Ebay? I liked the fact that the kit above comes from UK so the Shipping is alot less. Also dillenger currently seems to have no good rear drive alternatives, but the one in my previous post had and was also alot cheaper. But maybe im missing something?

 

[Tats]

Hi, I like to know the model of the motor, the model of controller or mosfet, the model of the charger and the battery cell.

For example, Mac 8t, 6x3077 Infineon, kingpan, Samsung 22p - this information explains the quality of parts. Without this information the quality may be ok but it is unknown.

Hope it helps, rich

 

[Ludzee]

Hi, I like to know the model of the motor, the model of controller or mosfet, the model of the charger and the battery cell.

For example, Mac 8t, 6x3077 Infineon, kingpan, Samsung 22p - this information explains the quality of parts. Without this information the quality may be ok but it is unknown.

Hope it helps, rich

It seems like they use come kind of generic components, but i sent an email asking about the model names. Here are some specs i could find however

Motor:

• Rated Power – 500w
  Nominal Voltage – 36v
  Technology – Brushless Gearless Motor
  RPM – 100 – 380
  Max Torque – 32N.m
  Efficiency – 83%
  Hall Sensor – Yes

LCD: Nothing here eitherm, seems basic.

Battery:

• 13Ah/36v, made from Samsung cells
  Usb Charging port.

Controller:

• Noting here almost, seems generic 500W 36V ECU CONTROLLER 13a

Charger:

• 36volt 2Amp with 3 pin UK plug, says it has protection for overcharging and such.

http://www.electricbikeconversions.co.uk/ - Heres a link to their site. Thanks alot for the help with everything!

 

[Drunkskunk]

Welcome to the forum.

+2 to what Dogman said. Its hard to build a quality bike on a tight budget. That ebay kit looks fine, except the battery. While it might be perfect, it also might be a box of fertilizer.

it sounds counter-intuitive, but the quality of the battery is more important than the quality of the rest of the kit. A good battery can make up for a poor motor, but nothing makers up for a poor battery. The battery will eat most of your budget.

You can find many ebay motor kits for as low as $150 USD that will work very well for you.There is little risk, as most motors are overbuilt for the specs they are rated at, and there is so little involved in their construction that there is little to fail. a motor like the one you listed has 1 moving part.

However, the battery should come from a trusted vendor. Something like this: http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35_53&product_id=161
Paul, who owns EM3ev.com, is a trusted vendor who stands behind his product. Shipping is going to be expensive, but with the importance of the quality of the battery, that is well worth it to most. There are other reputable vendors, too.

As for the brake handles, you can just leave those off. While they add some functionality, they also introduce some complexity and a point of potential failure. They are simply an option.

As you guessed, 32c tires are going to be too skinny. It has less to do with going and more to do with stopping, however. a larger tire will have a larger surface area for better grip while stopping a heavier, faster bike. Also, larger tires give a much more comfortable ride.

 

[Ludzee]

Welcome to the forum.

+2 to what Dogman said. Its hard to build a quality bike on a tight budget. That ebay kit looks fine, except the battery. While it might be perfect, it also might be a box of fertilizer.

it sounds counter-intuitive, but the quality of the battery is more important than the quality of the rest of the kit. A good battery can make up for a poor motor, but nothing makers up for a poor battery. The battery will eat most of your budget.

You can find many ebay motor kits for as low as $150 USD that will work very well for you.There is little risk, as most motors are overbuilt for the specs they are rated at, and there is so little involved in their construction that there is little to fail. a motor like the one you listed has 1 moving part.

However, the battery should come from a trusted vendor. Something like this: http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35_53&product_id=161
Paul, who owns EM3ev.com, is a trusted vendor who stands behind his product. Shipping is going to be expensive, but with the importance of the quality of the battery, that is well worth it to most. There are other reputable vendors, too.

As for the brake handles, you can just leave those off. While they add some functionality, they also introduce some complexity and a point of potential failure. They are simply an option.

As you guessed, 32c tires are going to be too skinny. It has less to do with going and more to do with stopping, however. a larger tire will have a larger surface area for better grip while stopping a heavier, faster bike. Also, larger tires give a much more comfortable ride.

Hi, thanks for the input. I guess that samsung cell battery isnt enough to be sure about the quality. The problem is that i feel like this is a jungle. I really dont know exactly what or from where. What i like about Dillenger or that ebay kit is that they have chosen everything for me, all i have to do is order it. I just feel like there are too many options, and dont know what to get haha.

http://www.greenbikekit.com/36v-gbk-100r-rear-driving-e-bike-kit-including-lithium-frog-battery.html - Maybe something like this is better? I just feel like such a big part of the budget ís spent on shipping

 

[Drunkskunk]

I didn't mean to sound like that ebay kit is bad. I have no idea. But it is a risk. ebay vendors are notorious for the batteries they sell. Some of them are simply amazing, like Mr Ping, and his batteries. his customer service is first rate, and his batteries last for a long time. I think Dogman has one from many years ago. Other vendors, like Vpower are known for selling junk that doesn't always work, and when it does, it rarely works well. Just because they claim it uses Samsung cells, doesn't mean anything. The number of fake cells that simply don't perform may rival or exceed the number of genuine cells available on places like Ebay. a google search on fake 18650 cells can lead to some sleepless nights about your orders.

In short, Ebay is a casino. You're gambling your money. it's a risk with great rewards, but also real risks of losing your money. I will take risks with my own money, but I don't recommend it to other people. If you want to roll the dice with that kit, do so with full knowledge of the risks.

I have never dealt with Dillinger. I have read others' experience with them on this forum, and while I will risk Ebay with my own money, I won't risk Dillinger. There are many other options.

If you're looking for an all-in-one kit, You might consider something like : http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=50_45&product_id=179 The low cost is offset by high shipping, but worth it I believe.
Or something like this: http://lunacycle.com/hot-new/smart-pie-v5-golden-motor-hub-kit/Again, shipping costs will be high, but they are a reputable vendor.
Or, go for the Ebay kit. I have one of those motors, it makes for a great ride.

 

[Ludzee]

I didn't mean to sound like that ebay kit is bad. I have no idea. But it is a risk. ebay vendors are notorious for the batteries they sell. Some of them are simply amazing, like Mr Ping, and his batteries. his customer service is first rate, and his batteries last for a long time. I think Dogman has one from many years ago. Other vendors, like Vpower are known for selling junk that doesn't always work, and when it does, it rarely works well. Just because they claim it uses Samsung cells, doesn't mean anything. The number of fake cells that simply don't perform may rival or exceed the number of genuine cells available on places like Ebay. a google search on fake 18650 cells can lead to some sleepless nights about your orders.

In short, Ebay is a casino. You're gambling your money. it's a risk with great rewards, but also real risks of losing your money. I will take risks with my own money, but I don't recommend it to other people. If you want to roll the dice with that kit, do so with full knowledge of the risks.

I have never dealt with Dillinger. I have read others' experience with them on this forum, and while I will risk Ebay with my own money, I won't risk Dillinger. There are many other options.

If you're looking for an all-in-one kit, You might consider something like : http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=50_45&product_id=179 The low cost is offset by high shipping, but worth it I believe.
Or something like this: http://lunacycle.com/hot-new/smart-pie-v5-golden-motor-hub-kit/Again, shipping costs will be high, but they are a reputable vendor.
Or, go for the Ebay kit. I have one of those motors, it makes for a great ride.

Once again thank you for he amazing help. I've been looking in to the Ebay-sellers real site and they seem legit. On Facebook plenty of people have left good reviews (https://www.facebook.com/electricbikeconversion/reviews) and same thing for ebay. I feel like the price point almost makes it worth a shot, they seemed to have good warranty handling so maybe it will work out fine. But with that said im grateful for all the tips. If i lived in the States i probably would do another solution but Sweden makes the budget options a bit more limited. If i decide to buy it i will report in on my experience, and show some pictures ofcourse!

 

[ScooterMan101]

+ 2,

In addition , the list to buy quality parts from, which will be a little more money up front, but will save money in the long run , in order of where I would order from, if I was in Sweden is .

1) Grin Technologies, in Vancouver B.C. , Canada . website ...http://www.ebikes.ca
They have quality products, that will last longer , and give better performance per weight than e-bay stuff.
also if you plan on ever traveling and want to bring your e-bike along, they are the only ones that have designed and are making battery packs that are legal to take on a plane !

2) Em3ev.com , they have , and are getting in the improved Mac motor, with better clearance for disc brake calipers, for when you switch to a disc brake frame in the future, and a New Mac motor that will accept a cassette , instead of a cheep, less efficient freewheel.

3) Luna cycles LLC. in the Los Angeles , California . Area, they have great battery packs , if you never plan on traveling by plane ,
if traveling on a plane , see above ebikes.ca for those batteries that are legal .
Luna Cycles also has other parts that are good as well, and are selling a mid drive ( Cyclone ) for a good price . their website ... lunacycle.com
For anyone looking for a good turn-key full suspension e-bike , they just started selling a Giant Stance .. electrified .

4) BMS Battery . com , They sell the Q100 cst, if you do get it get the cassette one, and one with 32 spoke holes , that way you have better options for a rim . get the hub without the rim, and have your local bike shop lace up a wheel for you, it is a little more money, but you save on shipping costs and have a much better wheel.
Keep in mind though , trying to communicate with them is nearly impossible . only them for a very light weight e-bike conversion. and if you know what you are doing, and can understand computer programming , because their Display is very confusing, does not make sense on how to program it, is too complicated, and does not even have a good youtube.com video on how to do the many steps on how to program it . ( Better to have / get a kit with a Cycle Analyst, it is a good display, and Grin Technologies says they will have , or has now , a video on how to program it.

Option # 2

Hop on a ... WOW Air Flight to Vancouver BC, and buy your products from Grin, and or Fly to California and pick up some of what you need here .

What does it cost from Stockholm, ( or your nearest big city in Sveden ) to Reykjavik ?

If you come to California, I can help you with directions, where to go, and not to go, get you into campgrounds cheaper, even drive to Southern California with you if you rent a car.

+1 dogman comments.

I owned the Dillinger front wheel hub kit on a giant talon 29er. Nice easy setup, works in the rain. I think it's a q100 motor and is a good place to start and learn from - however I recommend a rear hub motor instead mostly for peace of mind. Average speed was around 30kmh and 20km range with the new battery is fine. I recommend you figure out how to fit a front disc brake. And I also recommend you look for a 48v kit instead of 36v as you can do more with them later. 32c tyres are fine, just put in some liners, thornproof tubes, slime etc to avoid the hassle of undoing the wheel in the dark/wet.

Em3ev / grin and others recommended on this forum do some good kits that are reliable and can be upgraded such as Mac or bafang. My advice is to save a few more dollars and buy an entry level kit from there rather than eBay. I think it'll be cheaper in the long run.

 

[Ludzee]

+ 2,

In addition , the list to buy quality parts from, which will be a little more money up front, but will save money in the long run , in order of where I would order from, if I was in Sweden is .

1) Grin Technologies, in Vancouver B.C. , Canada . website ...http://www.ebikes.ca
They have quality products, that will last longer , and give better performance per weight than e-bay stuff.
also if you plan on ever traveling and want to bring your e-bike along, they are the only ones that have designed and are making battery packs that are legal to take on a plane !

2) Em3ev.com , they have , and are getting in the improved Mac motor, with better clearance for disc brake calipers, for when you switch to a disc brake frame in the future, and a New Mac motor that will accept a cassette , instead of a cheep, less efficient freewheel.

3) Luna cycles LLC. in the Los Angeles , California . Area, they have great battery packs , if you never plan on traveling by plane ,
if traveling on a plane , see above ebikes.ca for those batteries that are legal .
Luna Cycles also has other parts that are good as well, and are selling a mid drive ( Cyclone ) for a good price . their website ... lunacycle.com
For anyone looking for a good turn-key full suspension e-bike , they just started selling a Giant Stance .. electrified .

4) BMS Battery . com , They sell the Q100 cst, if you do get it get the cassette one, and one with 32 spoke holes , that way you have better options for a rim . get the hub without the rim, and have your local bike shop lace up a wheel for you, it is a little more money, but you save on shipping costs and have a much better wheel.
Keep in mind though , trying to communicate with them is nearly impossible . only them for a very light weight e-bike conversion. and if you know what you are doing, and can understand computer programming , because their Display is very confusing, does not make sense on how to program it, is too complicated, and does not even have a good youtube.com video on how to do the many steps on how to program it . ( Better to have / get a kit with a Cycle Analyst, it is a good display, and Grin Technologies says they will have , or has now , a video on how to program it.

Option # 2

Hop on a ... WOW Air Flight to Vancouver BC, and buy your products from Grin, and or Fly to California and pick up some of what you need here .

What does it cost from Stockholm, ( or your nearest big city in Sveden ) to Reykjavik ?

If you come to California, I can help you with directions, where to go, and not to go, get you into campgrounds cheaper, even drive to Southern California with you if you rent a car.

+1 dogman comments.

I owned the Dillinger front wheel hub kit on a giant talon 29er. Nice easy setup, works in the rain. I think it's a q100 motor and is a good place to start and learn from - however I recommend a rear hub motor instead mostly for peace of mind. Average speed was around 30kmh and 20km range with the new battery is fine. I recommend you figure out how to fit a front disc brake. And I also recommend you look for a 48v kit instead of 36v as you can do more with them later. 32c tyres are fine, just put in some liners, thornproof tubes, slime etc to avoid the hassle of undoing the wheel in the dark/wet.

Em3ev / grin and others recommended on this forum do some good kits that are reliable and can be upgraded such as Mac or bafang. My advice is to save a few more dollars and buy an entry level kit from there rather than eBay. I think it'll be cheaper in the long run.

But if i just want to keep it as simple as possible? Im not intrested in the top-of-the line performance just in something a bit more basic. What would you say is a good alternative to a basic kit like the http://dillengerelectricbikes.co.uk...bike-kit-samsung-power-13ah-by-dillenger.html ?
- Rear motor with integrated controller
- Bottle battery
- Okay LED Screen
These things are pretty much all i want. Is the Ebay option still a bad choice?

 

[ScooterMan101]

e-bay stuff is not as good a option,
Because

The Hub motor there is Heavy, ( You can get a lighter weight hub motor by getting one from Grin Technologies in Vancouver B.C.
and/or perhaps even the Mac from Em3ev is lighter )

The Battery is sure to be of low quality, even very low quality. no saving there, in fact more expensive over a 2 year period .

The wheel build on those are not very good, many people have to constantly adjust/true them.

And what about customer service ?

There are very good and valid reasons why the companies that get the best reviews , and have the happiest customers are

1) Grin Technologies

2 ) Em3ev

3 ) Luna Cycles

4 ) BMS Battery ( they sell a simple Q100c CST hub motor kit , complete ) and fast delivery,
Just be sure that you enter all the right options in the shopping cart , cause it is nearly impossible to communicate with them
and even then they are not very helpful. Better if you are Chinese if you want to buy from them.

1-3 above is the better way to go. ( Grin sells a small / light weight motor, and has a better display, and will even talk with you on the phone ,
and make sure you get what you want and all parts you need , and even program / match the controller and Cycle Analyst for you )

 

[Tats]

Hi Ludzee, I think you have advice from Texas, New Mexico, California and Australia all saying pretty much the same thing sharing the mistakes we and others have made.

Your first ebike will be great, even an ebay one, because they open up a whole new area of knowledge - I guess what we are saying though is for only a few dollars more you can avoid some of the challenges and extra costs we have experienced and make your initial investment last potentially last a lot longer.

Grin, Em3ev and Luna provides excellent advice to a new ebike user and sell really good components that will last, have resale value if you want to upgrade in the future, install easily and are reliable - the battery being the most important part of the purchase.

May I suggest you email these three vendors asking them to recommend an entry level kit for your distance, speed, bike - they have great customer service and in my experience will not try to sell you a Rolls Royce when you need a Honda city car. They value repeat business.

I know Paul at EM3ev is offering discounts on his Samsung 22p battery packs and if you email may also have different shipping options to the ones displayed on his web-site to reduce your cost (Moon there really understand the shipping options well). I wouldn't make a decision based on shipping cost as this is zero value and there may be ways to reduce this if you ask.

Good luck and we're here to help on this forum. You are doing the right thing researching and asking the questions here. Rich

 

[Ludzee]

Hi Ludzee, I think you have advice from Texas, New Mexico, California and Australia all saying pretty much the same thing sharing the mistakes we and others have made.

Your first ebike will be great, even an ebay one, because they open up a whole new area of knowledge - I guess what we are saying though is for only a few dollars more you can avoid some of the challenges and extra costs we have experienced and make your initial investment last potentially last a lot longer.

Grin, Em3ev and Luna provides excellent advice to a new ebike user and sell really good components that will last, have resale value if you want to upgrade in the future, install easily and are reliable - the battery being the most important part of the purchase.

May I suggest you email these three vendors asking them to recommend an entry level kit for your distance, speed, bike - they have great customer service and in my experience will not try to sell you a Rolls Royce when you need a Honda city car. They value repeat business.

I know Paul at EM3ev is offering discounts on his Samsung 22p battery packs and if you email may also have different shipping options to the ones displayed on his web-site to reduce your cost (Moon there really understand the shipping options well). I wouldn't make a decision based on shipping cost as this is zero value and there may be ways to reduce this if you ask.

Good luck and we're here to help on this forum. You are doing the right thing researching and asking the questions here. Rich

Thanks for the great help. My intention was never to sound like i didn't care about the advice, the feeling i got was just that i got recommended a lot more premium products than what i was looking for. But the tip about EM3ev sounded great, i will definently look there for some good help. I would agree that some more basic components of good quality is better than a cheap generic thing with good specs. But as always with new things it takes a while before you stop looking blindly at the number.

Thanks to all of you for the great help

 

[nutnspecial]

These guys have valid points. . . . but I would buy the one from ebay as a start into ebikes. In US the kits are about half the price (with shipping) by comparison, and the ebay sellers generally stand behind their products if there's a defect. As said, motors and controllers are fairly simple at entry level, and I was impressed with the yescom 1kw kit I got this year. Yes, tech support will be non-existent from the seller, but the kits are pretty straightforward, and you have ES too.

Also, for any returns or issues that may arise, it's good to buy local when possible for returns etc. For a non-demanding kit and application I also wouldn't shy away from an ebay battery either, provided they claim it will be sufficient for the kit. Likely the cells will be just strong enough for the kit, so care in use is important (always is anyway). Maybe the batt will only last 2 yrs vs 4 yrs, but if it's half the price (with shipping) they're okay to get started on then.
If you have a little extra money though, a better quality/ more capable battery is the first place to spend it imo.

The yescom kit came all ready to go, and is made so controller and wiring connections and battery fit in a rear rack bag that is easy to cover/waterproof. It's also easy to change things and waterproof connections/controller/battery yourself. If you have integrated brakes/shifters, then just keep them. The kit should have a safety cutoff switch, but if you still want an ebrake cutoff switch too, the hwbs brake switch can be added to the bike.
Idk on tire size, but since it's an ebike I'd get the heaviest tubes and tires that will fit the bike and rim, for comfort, control, wear, etc. Put some tire slime/sealant in the tubes for extra flat protection.
If money is not as important, I'd probably go with a mac hub kit (geared) w/battery for the speeds and riding you describe, because they are peppy for their power consumption and weight.

 

[d8veh]

You're light and your bike is light. The weight of the motor in that kit with the big direct drive motor will spoil your riding experience. It's also illegal in the UK.

You would get more than adequate power by using any small 250w geared motor. For 20 mph, you need about 20 amps at 36v and a motor speed of around 260 rpm. Alternatively you van use any low-speed (201 rpm) 36v motor and running it at 48v, which will give you an easy cruising speed of about 20 mph (32km/h), or a 48v motor with a speed of about 250 rpm. The 250w restriction applies to the motor itself, not the way you use it. As long as it's marked 250w or shown in a catalogue as 250w, you're home and dry. No harm will come to a 36v motor when you run it at 48v.

You can mix and match the stuff from BMSBattery. They have nice downtube-mounted batteries that have included controllers of 18A and 20A, which would be perfect for what you want, and they make a very easy installation. You choose the battery and then any motor to go with it, and that gives you a complete easy to install ki, which isn't too expensive.

There's nothing wrong with those Ebay kits that you mentioned, but they just don't fit with the description of your riding.

Have a look at this Oxydrive kit. Note that the speed applies to 26" wheel, so you get a bit more with 700C. I built a bike for The Gadget Show with one. jason loved it. It would cruise easily at 20mph and topped out at about 26 mph.

http://www.oxydrive.co.uk/electric-bike-kit/oxydrive-cst-ht-13ah.html

Here's our video of what happened on the Gadget Show. jason beat Amy (on a Volt ebike) by a country mile over 1/4 mile race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RewCC2lqaS8

The bike:

 

[Ludzee]

You're light and your bike is light. The weight of the motor in that kit with the big direct drive motor will spoil your riding experience. It's also illegal in the UK.

You would get more than adequate power by using any small 250w geared motor. For 20 mph, you need about 20 amps at 36v and a motor speed of around 260 rpm. Alternatively you van use any low-speed (201 rpm) 36v motor and running it at 48v, which will give you an easy cruising speed of about 20 mph (32km/h), or a 48v motor with a speed of about 250 rpm. The 250w restriction applies to the motor itself, not the way you use it. As long as it's marked 250w or shown in a catalogue as 250w, you're home and dry. No harm will come to a 36v motor when you run it at 48v.

You can mix and match the stuff from BMSBattery. They have nice downtube-mounted batteries that have included controllers of 18A and 20A, which would be perfect for what you want, and they make a very easy installation. You choose the battery and then any motor to go with it, and that gives you a complete easy to install ki, which isn't too expensive.

There's nothing wrong with those Ebay kits that you mentioned, but they just don't fit with the description of your riding.

Have a look at this Oxydrive kit. Note that the speed applies to 26" wheel, so you get a bit more with 700C. I built a bike for The Gadget Show with one. jason loved it. It would cruise easily at 20mph and topped out at about 26 mph.

http://www.oxydrive.co.uk/electric-bike-kit/oxydrive-cst-ht-13ah.html

Here's our video of what happened on the Gadget Show. jason beat Amy (on a Volt ebike) by a country mile over 1/4 mile race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RewCC2lqaS8

The bike:

http://www.electricbikeconversions.co.uk/product/250w-rear-wheel-electric-bike-conversion-kit/ Maybe this is simple an good enough for me? The low cost will be some money i can save for a new battery if i still use the bike once it fails. Based in UK the shipping costs are really low and they seem to have ok support. The weight (around 3kg for the motor) dont seem to bad to me. Pairing that with some good puntcure proof and a bit wider tires i feel like it would be a good starting point for me, agree?

 

[LewTwo]

How come u dont prefer Ebay? I liked the fact that the kit above comes from UK so the Shipping is alot less. ...

Sure about that??? Many Chinese 'order takers' list their location in the US (or the UK) but the actual merchandise is shipped from Hong Kong. Now I do not have a problem with Chinese merchandise (most of the e-bike stuff comes from there anyway) or ebay. But I do hate deceptive marketing.

 

[Ludzee]

How come u dont prefer Ebay? I liked the fact that the kit above comes from UK so the Shipping is alot less. ...

Sure about that??? Many Chinese 'order takers' list their location in the US (or the UK) but the actual merchandise is shipped from Hong Kong. Now I do not have a problem with Chinese merchandise (most of the e-bike stuff comes from there anyway) or ebay. But I do hate deceptive marketing.

Im sure, they have a storage in the UK, at an expense they come and pick up your bike and convert it in their storage, so they have pre-imported their stuff.

 

[docw009]

http://www.electricbikeconversions.co.uk/product/250w-rear-wheel-electric-bike-conversion-kit/ Maybe this is simple an good enough for me? The low cost will be some money i can save for a new battery if i still use the bike once it fails. Based in UK the shipping costs are really low and they seem to have ok support. The weight (around 3kg for the motor) dont seem to bad to me. Pairing that with some good puntcure proof and a bit wider tires i feel like it would be a good starting point for me, agree?

We have two geared motor e-bikes, running 36V and 48V. The 36V bike was made from parts bought on ebay for a little less than your 400 £ kit shown above. That battery is 13 months old and still acts like a 10AH battery from China, meaning it's more like 8 AH. I recently had the bike running at 20 mph to see what the battery could do at 13 months. You may have to wait two years for a battery to fail That motor with wheel was 3.8Kg.

If you ride in cold weather, like 4-8 C, a 48V battery would give better range. Like I ride in winter. I don't. I did go out twice on dry days and my dear wife gave me #$%@.

Lots off good stuff to be said for direct drive motor simplicity, but the tradeoff is they are heavy and no fun to pedal home when you run the battery down.

 

[Ludzee]

You're light and your bike is light. The weight of the motor in that kit with the big direct drive motor will spoil your riding experience. It's also illegal in the UK.

You would get more than adequate power by using any small 250w geared motor. For 20 mph, you need about 20 amps at 36v and a motor speed of around 260 rpm. Alternatively you van use any low-speed (201 rpm) 36v motor and running it at 48v, which will give you an easy cruising speed of about 20 mph (32km/h), or a 48v motor with a speed of about 250 rpm. The 250w restriction applies to the motor itself, not the way you use it. As long as it's marked 250w or shown in a catalogue as 250w, you're home and dry. No harm will come to a 36v motor when you run it at 48v.

Hey again, i just have a question. The kit im looking at says its limited to 15.5 mph, the legal limit. But at the other hand it says that the max rpm is 235, and on a 700c that should be about 20 mph? So i was wondering if this restriction can be removed in the menus of the display or how that stuff works?

EDIT: Seemed to find it on my own, you change it in the display.

 

[999zip999]

It's usually a one wire plug from the controller you just unplug. I prefer 48 volts, but the oxy kit looks fine to start and upgrade battery in 2-4 yrs. When batteries improve. Like your iPhone. Will you be using it in the winter ? How cold and rainy is your region ? Have you tried an ebike ? You will love it. As its pedal optional .Great you are asking these questions before you buy.

 

[Ludzee]

It's usually a one wire plug from the controller you just unplug. I prefer 48 volts, but the oxy kit looks fine to start and upgrade battery in 2-4 yrs. When batteries improve. Like your iPhone. Will you be using it in the winter ? How cold and rainy is your region ? Have you tried an ebike ? You will love it. As its pedal optional .Great you are asking these questions before you buy.

Okay, thanks! I wont use it much during november-february as Sweden generally have alot of snow and icy roads. If i change my mind about that, i will get some good winter tires but at this point i can go by the bus as its very cold anyways. The rain comes and goes but my family has a carport where it can stay dry and clean.

Also if some of you wonder why i care so much about the price, im only 17 so i dont have an awful lot of money. That's why i feel like a battery that int top tier dont matter too much, if i still want to ride it in say 2 years i might invest in a new one Thanks to all of your tips i feel like im going to make a wise decision, and i will make sure to post some pictures and information about my experience