Question on if my bike will work

SICKdimension

10 µW
Joined
Aug 5, 2007
Messages
6
Location
California
Hi all, new guy here. I've been researching converting my bicycle to electric and am liking the WE BL-36 (36 Volts, 400 watts w/ 35 amp controller unit, 12 amp/hr batteries X 3) which seems to have good specs and the lowest price, which is important.

My bike is a GT Saddleback, which has a steel frame, but has front shocks. From what I've read, it's not recommended to install a front hub motor to a bike that has front shocks. Is this a big concern? Should I get a different bike for converting to electric, or at least a different front fork? I will be using it on flat, paved roads nearly all the time, but might take it up some paved hills.
 
from what I've been reading I figured I could get a deal on some stuff.

turns out batteries are gonna run me like 500 bux
 
dexgo said:
from what I've been reading I figured I could get a deal on some stuff.

turns out batteries are gonna run me like 500 bux

thats cheap for batteries... my pack is going to run me about $2000 AUD :(

it all depends on range and speed :S

(and weight)
 
SICKdimension said:
My bike is a GT Saddleback, which has a steel frame, but has front shocks. From what I've read, it's not recommended to install a front hub motor to a bike that has front shocks. Is this a big concern? Should I get a different bike for converting to electric, or at least a different front fork? I will be using it on flat, paved roads nearly all the time, but might take it up some paved hills.

At 36 volts, it might work without a torque arm. Do you know if the fork is composite or aluminum?
 
I've read that it is steel, and a magnet works on it, so I guess it is not aluminum.

I can understand them giving this warning for safety and liability issues, but I'm wondering how much of a concern it really is. If there's a chance it will snap my fork, I'll find another solution, but if it should be fine, I'll install it and just monitor it to see how it holds.
 
BiGH said:
dexgo said:
from what I've been reading I figured I could get a deal on some stuff.

turns out batteries are gonna run me like 500 bux

thats cheap for batteries... my pack is going to run me about $2000 AUD :(

it all depends on range and speed :S

(and weight)

I am starting to realize that some people are building their bikes to do traveling. like a replacement car.

I just want my bike to drive around town so I don't have to pedal.

and it's kinda cool too.
 
dexgo said:
BiGH said:
dexgo said:
from what I've been reading I figured I could get a deal on some stuff.

turns out batteries are gonna run me like 500 bux

thats cheap for batteries... my pack is going to run me about $2000 AUD :(

it all depends on range and speed :S

(and weight)

I am starting to realize that some people are building their bikes to do traveling. like a replacement car.

I just want my bike to drive around town so I don't have to pedal.

and it's kinda cool too.

awesome :)

so in that case it kinda would be like a replacement car.

you've nailed exactly what i want to use the bike for. I've already got a good MTB and a good road bike that i can commute on. (and do - look for a post coming later today about that). The ebike will be for when i can't be bothered riding to uni/work and would have taken the car. This way works out cheaper and better for the environment, and parking :p
 
I had a Wilderness Energy BL-36 - I bought their refurbished kit as well.

I was impressed with the kit - when it arrived it definitely didn't look refurbished at all. Definitely the batteries and battery bag were brand new (either that or their previous owner rode his bicycle indoors or something - there were no marks, dust or dirt on any of it).

I put it on an ancient cheap Specialized mountain bike that I had - it was a steel frame and was old enough that it didn't have shocks of any kind on it.

I rode the kit to work and everything was fine. Top speed without pedalling was about 18mph, pedalling a bit, it was more like 20-21mph.

Despite the fact that I liked the kit well enough, I almost immediately started modifying. I added another battery and went to 48V - top-speed jumped to about 24mph, 26-ish when pedalling. But then I worried about the controller getting destroyed or something due to the voltage and replaced it with an instant-start Crystalyte 36-72V 20A controller. The BL-36 kit that I got had the hall-sensor plugs and I took a chance that they were functional... and they were. I liked instant-start a lot more, but within a week or so of flying around at 48V with instant-start, I gunned it coming out of a stoplight and the motor just fell out of the front drop-outs. The drop-outs were bent pretty badly. I tried to fix the bike, but I couldn't unbend the dropouts - and I worried about metal fatigue. So I ended up buying a new bicycle, replaced the BL-36 kit with a Crystalyte 5304 (this whole e-bike hobby thing can get a bit addictive by the way). And then I sold the kit to a gentleman down in Denver who, last I heard was using it with great success commuting down there.

So, my suggestion - the BL-36 is a good kit. It's solid, well-made, and the refurbished kit in my experience was virtually the same as new. The torque is good - better than a 5304 at 36V. Top speed is ok - about 20mph. The SLA batteries are heavy (of course), but the bag is fairly well made, but it's a very snug fit with the batteries and the zipper broke eventually. The charger is good - although mine didn't like charging at in my hot garage (but worked fine when I took it into my cooler house).

I think it's fine on a good steel fork - even with shocks. With a pedal first controller, the motor doesn't pull as much as it does with an instant-start in my experience. I have my Crystalyte 5304 at 44V on an instant-start on a cheap Columbia Trailhead ( http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/sm-buy-the-columbia-trailhead-sport-mountain-bike-on-wwwdickssportinggoodscom--pi-2435910.html ) and it's been fine for over 1000 miles so far. Not that my one example is a testament to the safety of the whole thing, but so far I've been ok. I wouldn't hook one up to an aluminum fork - steel bends, but aluminum breaks.

Edit: I noticed after writing the above that this is the 35A controller. I had the 20A WE BL-36 - the 35A should have a fair bit more torque (almost twice as much, one would guess). If I bent the forks on mine at 20A, then at 35A, I guess there's a much higher likelihood of it being a problem. I tend to agree with everyone who says that you should be careful regarding the forks. I think it will work ok, but check them periodically, and I wouldn't recommend going off-road without a torque arm. And you may want to purchase a separate torque arm - like the one from powereridestore.com.
 
So do you think a torque arm would give enough support to the fork that it would be OK, even with the shocks?

If not, it looks like I could pay >$200 more for a rear kit or get a second bike for converting. Out of those options, I think I'd get another bike.

Actually, I'll probably just get a different bike anyway, or a different fork. Since I'd like to take it up in the mountains, although paved, I'm sure that would add to the torque and I'd rather feel safe with it.

Thanks for all the input!
 
Back
Top