RTR E-Bike or a good "FULL" Kit that has good instruction.

[Desert RC]

I am looking for a easy bike. Something RTR like

http://www.electricwheelstore.com/Electric-Bikes/EW-1200/flypage.tpl.html

or something with a nice complete kit with instructions and perimeters of what the donor bike needs to fit.

What do you guys think of the listed bike?? I wanted this for trails and going to work. My work is 10miles each way...20miles round trip. I work so many hours that I dont have time to build one from scratch.

I want as fast a possible (not picky) with good distance possibilities, and easy Lipo/ Litium/ or whatever is suggested for ease. I do have a few chargers capable up to 6s lipo.

I want this to be my next project or just fun. Please help me pick the right bike.

I dunno if this matters but I am kinda big guy weight wise. 250lbs

 

[spinningmagnets]

At the original $1500 price it was a poor value. 250W geared hub, 36V 10aH battery, at least it is lithium, but a more powerful motor (if you upgraded) would suffer voltage sag with that small a battery.

At the new $900 price its actually not bad. That being said you will still find the motor weak, but cell_man has a 500W 9C-clone for $150 including controller/throttle. As to a battery, you would be happier with the performance with 48V and with a direct-drive hub like the 9C you'll need at least a 15aH to avoid voltage sag. The battery would be the biggest upgrade expense. $500+

Sell the entire stock electric kit for $100, or perhaps just put it on a $20 craigslist bike?

The front disc brakes and front forks are likely to be low-grade units, but I think they will work fine for relatively smooth streets. serious offroad riding would kill both of them rapidly. Frame is aluminum, and I doubt the 250W has a torque arm, definitely, absolutely get a $20 torque arm. If you don't it will cost you many times that in trouble if you have an axle spin-out and the wires get pulled out by their roots.

These frames that have a little stretch in the frame behind the pedals are a good commuter fit for larger riders.

 

[Desert RC]

Is there a bike with higher grade options as a RTR kit....or a kit that can bolt to another bike??

I have my own old bike that is a full suspension Schwinn....from back before they started making the cheap versions for taget and walmart. It has some nice rock shox and a gas rear....only it does NOT have disc brakes and could definitely use a tune up. It has been sitting for 4 plus years. I just need REALLY good instructions...lol.

or is there a better option. I am only willing to pay up to about $1500....I dunno if that is good enough for batteries/chargers/and bike needs.

 

[spinningmagnets]

If you already have an adequate bike that fits you (you said you're a larger rider) then $1500 will get you a great kit. Whats the slowest top-speed you can be happy with? Start out comparing 48V performance, and the slower the top-speed, the better the hill-climber you will get.

Do you have lots of hills or only a few, mild or steep? If your commute is relatively flat, you have lots of great options, and higher speeds are available in your price range.

 

[Desert RC]

Well I have no really hilly areas. Top speed I actually dont know....I worry its like RC's where you just keep upgrading until you get faster and faster....then again I am not really the biggest thrill seeker. I dont want to be "scary" fast. I just want some get up and go...I have no idea where that scary point is on one of these. I also want to be as salf as possible not only with the batteries but also the bike itself.

Are the disc brakes necessary for brushless. Because mine is old shimano "normal brakes".

So what kit would you point me towards with some kind of instruction...

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

Well I have no really hilly areas. Top speed I actually dont know....I worry its like RC's where you just keep upgrading until you get faster and faster....then again I am not really the biggest thrill seeker. I dont want to be "scary" fast. I just want some get up and go...I have no idea where that scary point is on one of these. I also want to be as salf as possible not only with the batteries but also the bike itself.

Are the disc brakes necessary for brushless. Because mine is old shimano "normal brakes".

So what kit would you point me towards with some kind of instruction...

With good quality pads IMHO, your brakes should be fine, shoot for something that will get the average rider around 30MPH, since you are a bit heavier than average so you can get a solid 20-25 MPH, I would think a 9C 9 x 7 (2807) motor kit from ebikes.ca with a 48V 15AH battery would be a good starting point for you, but since you already have a LiPo charger, maybe some Hobby King LiPo would be even better for you, and build a 14S pack, so around 52V nominal (calculating for sag, still keeps you at a solid 48V range) and you can go cheap with zippy's but I'd recommend the 25-50c Turnigy nano tech. http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=11941
And then buy the Cell man or other vendor's 9C (Amped bikes, Ebikekit.com, Etc.) or even a used one from one of us and you're on your way!

I think the Schwinn that you have should work fine, I prefer rear motors, but definitely get a torque arm (my kit came with one) and avoid putting a front motor on aluminum forks, especially suspension ones if you must use a front motor, and most people put two torque arms on the front (Ebikes.ca and Amped Bikes sell good reasonably priced ones) and a battery stored in the front triangle generally gives better balance (all the weight in the back is no good for handling).

Some of the better support can be had from Amped Bikes, Ebikes.ca, and Ebikekit.com. These are solid companies that will stand behind their products, and offer videos showing installation, and warranty.

 

[spinningmagnets]

If no hills, I agree with LI-ghtcycle. Heres a popular 7-winding (9X7, 2807) 9C kit with no battery or charger for $400-ish (when tax + shipping is included). An appropriate 15aH battery @ 48V will be just under $600 with charger.

http://www.e-bikekit.com/shop/index.php?p=product&id=110&parent=4

 

[dogman dan]

Can hardly go wrong with the ebikekit. Very trusted vendor.

For an easy install on a first bike, a good choice for the bike is the Trek 820. Or any similar steel frame hardtail mountain bike. Rear motor, and put the lipo up front.

For a strictly street bike, then front motor gets nice. The motor in front allows decent handling when carrying a larger battery in back. A pingbattery.com 36v 20 ah or 48v 15 ah will carry nice on a rear rack making a great commuter with range about 25 miles. The trek 820's have a steel front fork that will accept a motor nicely.

At your weight, and really at mine too (170) it's hard to make a good trail bike that doubles as a commuter. So you should start by making the street only front hub bike. That opens up bike selection to include a beach cruiser with a rear motor. you have room to carry the battery in the frame with the cruiser.

Which desert do you live in? I'm in new mexico, and there are some good folks in Phoenix that could help if nearby.

Speeds on this kit are about 23 mph with 36v, and 27 mph on 48v. If you want to use lipo, 12s is a great voltage. You'd need a pile of 6s packs to go 20 miles and charge at home. 20 ah of 6s paralell connected, then series connected to another 20 ah of 6s. 8 6s 5 ah bricks total.

12s lipo would take you a perfect 25 mph.

 

[Desert RC]

I live in Utah now near Salt Lake.

Guys I really appreciate your help. I probably will just do the on-road thing for a bit. I will start putting something together. I have to say the beach cruiser thing does sound kinda nice....lol. I am getting older. Plus I have some Nano Turniqy 6s now but they are for my RCs. I would rather stay away from the lipos now. I have a baby and less Lipos in the house the better at this stage of life.

This looks like my winner battery
http://www.pingbattery.com/servlet/the-12/48V-15AH-V2.5-LiFePO4/Detail

Now just need to figure out front or rear and which donor. I actually kinda like the hard tail when riding and I wonder of the Full suspension without a lockout on the rear could be cumbersome. Just thinking outloud....

So I will be able to use either front or rear just normal peddling or it affected by the KIt....like harder to peddle or anything??

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

I live in Utah now near Salt Lake.

Guys I really appreciate your help. I probably will just do the on-road thing for a bit. I will start putting something together. I have to say the beach cruiser thing does sound kinda nice....lol. I am getting older. Plus I have some Nano Turniqy 6s now but they are for my RCs. I would rather stay away from the lipos now. I have a baby and less Lipos in the house the better at this stage of life.

This looks like my winner battery
http://www.pingbattery.com/servlet/the-12/48V-15AH-V2.5-LiFePO4/Detail

Now just need to figure out front or rear and which donor. I actually kinda like the hard tail when riding and I wonder of the Full suspension without a lockout on the rear could be cumbersome. Just thinking outloud....

So I will be able to use either front or rear just normal peddling or it affected by the KIt....like harder to peddle or anything??

Front or rear really won't make any difference on the street, if you are off-road and climbing really steep hills with limited traction, the fronts can be a problem as the weight is on the rear wheel, but on the street, not really an issue.

Yes, if you want to pedal a lot and have suspension, some of your energy will go into the suspension, but not an issue for the motor. If you're going to mount a ping on the rear rack, then a front motor might be a good idea, but not on a suspension fork, or aluminum (the forks are made differently than the frames and tend to crack rather than bend, and the suspension isn't designed to take the torque from the motor) I'm with dogman, pretty easy to find a used Trek 820,830 or 930 steel frame on Craigs List, I have found one for $20 that only needed minor repairs, so that would be my choice for a bike to put a front hub motor, or any kit really, can't go wrong with steel. If you want some cushion from the bumps, put some balloon tires on (CST Cyclops, Schwalbe Big Apple, Fat Frank, etc.) and you will have the best of both worlds.