Sell my urban ebike and build new from scratch??

[wdwrkr51]

Friends and fellow enthusiasts: I'd like a quick poll to help me decide.

I have a perfectly functioning front wheel drive 60-volt 20" bmx/urban ebike conversion, (featured here in the general discussion thread and also in the e-bike testing and review thread) which I am in the midst of converting to rear wheel drive. This requires a new frame, new fork, and the exchange of one side cover on the Ampedbikes/9C direct drive motor. I am also going to a new Lyen 72 volt controller, front disc brake and front suspension fork, etc. The new frame and fork are ready, and I am standing hesitantly at the point of no return.

Point is, I am really bugged about tearing apart something I put together that functions so well. I could afford to sell this bike w/o the battery pack for not much more than the cost of a new rear drive motor kit, (less than $500) and somebody else could be riding high on the electric bike groundswell of pleasure. IF anyone would be interested in buying???

On the other hand, I could simply proceed by removing the motor from the old frame, exchange the side cover and convert to rear wheel drive, then finish the new frame into a complete 72 volt urban bike. This would be quicker, but I'd be stuck with 90% of the old bike and no use for it.

What should I do? Anyone out there interested? I'd like to hear your opinion.

Wdwrkr51

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

Selling used is always a loosing proposition if you're looking to get close to what you paid, however, you might look at the for sale section and see if someone has a rear amped motor they would trade, or just sell your left-over parts there individually.

Personally I would keep the front motor and buy a rear rather than just a case for the motor, because if you sell a functioning bike even used, you're going to have a better chance of selling it VS a used kit.

Just think of it this way, even though the used value of most things is close to 50% of new, it's less stuff that you will have just lying around collecting dust, or just leave it together as a second bike for a friend to ride with you.

 

[Rassy]

I'm still confused about the ability to just switch the side plates. Isn't the front axle shorter than a rear axle? It seems to me there would not be room for even a track cog, let alone any type of freewheel, either single or multiple cogs.

 

[wdwrkr51]

Hey, LightCycle, thanks for chiming in.

That's only part of the issue: I'm not really trying to get back all I spent setting the bike up, just the cost of the rear DD kit and maybe the lights I just hate tearing down a really good bike that is already set up and running. It has well proven itself as a practical machine. I think maybe I'd rather sell it as a whole rather than part it out.

wdwrkr51

 

[wdwrkr51]

Hey, Rassy:

Thanks for your reply. Yep, space is an issue, but I have an answer.

The standard spacing for a front fork is 100 mm between the dropouts. The standard ampedbikes/9C Direct Drive front mount motor is set up for that 100 mm spacing.

In another post on this forum I mentioned purchasing a (right) side cover for a 9C DD motor. It is all-but-identical to my original cover, but is threaded to receive a freewheel and sprocket. Using only a single speed freewheel, there is (barely) enough room on the front axle for the single speed setup WHEN USING A BMX FRAME.

A BMX frame is only 110 mm between the dropouts vs. the 135 mm spacing on a standard frame. This means I can get the front mount motor to fit the rear dropouts on the BMX frame! Woo-hoo!

wdwrkr51

 

[dogman dan]

You know what I'll recomend. Two functioning ebikes. More money of course.

 

[wdwrkr51]

Hey, Dogman;

I look to your posts, more than any other on this forum, for reasonable, thoughtful, considerate and practical insights into our chosen hobby activities. I always appreciate your input. Thank You! Just wanted you to know.......


wdwrkr51

 

[dogman dan]

Aww shucks. Of course, nothing wrong with rebuilding your bike as many times as you feel like, and trying everything.

I sure as heck have done that about 15 times myself. My wife just wishes I liked doing the dishes as much as I like farting around in the garage with bikes. For awhile there, every weekend I came home with a new bike from the flea, and either stripped it for parts or moved one of my motors over to it.

 

[wdwrkr51]

OK, after much consideration, I have decided to order a rear-drive amped bike kit for my new BMX frame. I'm going to hang on to the original front wheel drive "urban bike" in fully functioning condition for now. I will figure out what to do with it later. There will be a delay of several weeks, as AmpedBikes is out of the 20" rear drive motor kits, but they are already on order. I have pre-ordered one to be shipped when the next batch comes in.

I just couldn't make myself tear down something that was functioning so well, and so reliably, just to build something else quite similar. Hey, it is only money

wdwrkr51