Show me what I haven't found

[rtz]

I've been interested in electric bikes off and on for years now. I live near a lake with a 9 mile paved trail around it. I like to get out and ride around the lake. It can get kinda dull though; pedalling around it. Plus it's time consuming getting around it.

I thought maybe having electric assist would add a bit more fun to it?

All the electric conversion parts are scattered all over the web and not all in one place. Also, the newest stuff potentially isn't proliferate anywhere and one has to know where to look to find it.

The sum total of all the parts has always turned me away.

I'm mechanically inclined and comfortable with electronics. I've assembled many bikes. I would have the wheel built if I got a hub motor though(not a problem).

Is there currently anything new on the market or maybe an item that is good that is at a lower price than it used to be?

I'm looking for: battery, motor, controller, charger.

Is there currently a hot setup or a good deal or something that is out now that is better than anything that has ever been out before? If the total cost of the parts was just a bit less; I think electric bikes would be wildly more popular. Also; it's my personal feeling that the early restrictions of "15 mph" or 1200 watts or whatever was imposed early on totally hindered and stunted the entire electric bike market from the start. If high power and performance stuff could have been made from the beginning; everything would be different. Who wants to pay $600 for a 500 watt hub motor?

 

[wesnewell]

Here's a good deal.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/48V1000W-Electric-Bicycle-LCD-Display-26-Front-Rear-Wheel-Motor-Kit-E-Bike-Hub-/291040998674
Or if you want 500W,
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-Wheel-Electric-Bicycle-Conversion-Kit-24V-36V-48V-250W-500W-700W-800W-1000W-/290754592384

 

[dogman dan]

The only thing new out there that might be "better" may be the new crop of bottom bracket drive motors. Bafang has some models out this year. What's different now is that they are part of the bottom bracket, rather than bolting to the frame and using a second chain to drive the bikes chain.

However, the use you have in mind, there is virtually no kit out there that won't work fine. Riding along the lake on a bike trail, I bet you have enough people on the trail with you to make you need to ride 20 mph or less much of the time. You won't get to use that trail for long, if you become the local hooligan.

On the other hand, if the trail is always deserted, lucky you!

Any typical hubmotor kit with a 48v battery will likely peak at 1200w or more. Plenty for your needs, even if you want close to 30 mph.

The motors are fairly cheap and unlikely to get a ton cheaper, its batteries supported by local customer service that gets really expensive.

 

[rtz]

Alright people; here we are almost a year later and I am still not riding an electric bike. I've had a lot of hobbies over the years and I've never seen anything like this that is so fragmented and scattered. Odds and ends on ebay, amazon, and countless hard to find and unknown sites all over the net.

Looking for a hub motor, a controller, and a battery setup with a good charger. Everything I have seen so far either seems over priced or of questionable quality.

Someone who is well versed in this market; what have you seen or know of that is available and proven?

 

[TotalConfusion]

I never found anything hard to find for my ebike build, Have you taken a look on here as there are so many vendors to buy from just by looking or maybe you want us to look for you.

My kit cost me close to 3 grand to build but i could have done it for under a grand but i new what i wanted from reading the forum alot.

a $600 hub motor? motors start at $99 and go upto $600 to $700 for the high powered stuff but you said you only wanted e assist to help you so your only looking at $300 tops for a highly regarded motor.

Wesnell gave you a great option and mine would be to pay $800 for a complete kit from EM3EV as you seem to want something you can just install and go.

Best of luck and if your not happy with these just keep looking as this site has so many options for you to go down.

 

[Ch00paKabrA]

rtz, if you have been unable to make up your mind in almost a year, then the problem is not the diversity or difficulty in finding parts on the internet; it is you.

For what ever reason, you have not made a decision. It is time to nut up or shut up. Exactly what is it that you are looking for? a small hub motor for assist or something powerful.

If you are truly serious then go onto Aliexpress or Ebay and get a $20 36v controller, a $10.00 throttle, a $150.00 motor and then go onto ebay and get 40 Samsung 18650 29E batteries for about $250 and wire them up 10S 4P. Slap that on a bike and go riding. That is $430.00 to convert a bike to electric. Add another $70 for misc. stuff like spokes, solder etc. ant it is $500.00 and you will be able to go around that lake twice.

This is what I did for my first bike and it is still running strong. No muss, no fuss. Your problem seems to be not so much a complication of parts acquisition but simply making the decision to do it and pulling the trigger. If you want links, PM me.

 

[dogman dan]

Sounds to me like what you can't find is your wallet. There are lots of reasonably priced kits out there, and at a higher price of course, lots of very good quality kits out there.

Since US based quality kit vendors do have higher prices, how about this one?

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=36&product_id=55


You just want a camry for the price of a focus.

 

[rtz]

That em3 kit is what I'm looking for. Thanks.

 

[dnmun]

i think numberonecruncher has put his collection up for sale. as i recall he was asking $125 for a ebikekit 9c front motor. as in cheap cheap cheap