Suggestion to make my Ebike look nicer?

[cody196]

hey anyone got any suggestions to make my ebike look nicer? I have it working and everything is hooked up and working right, I have it on a full suspension bike frame and so far so good, but I am wondering on what I could do to make it look more nicer mainly for where the wires come out the controller inside that wooden box. And the battery box sits on top of that and it gets strapped down. Anyways here is a picture of it, any suggestions on painting, managing and other stuff please reply below. I feel like this looks either rushed or just crappy.

 

[pwd]

The wood box (I know it works) really makes it tough to look nicer, maybe some paint on that would help the aesthetics. As for you cables, try shortening any excessively long ones and bundling them together with some split-loom or spiral cable wrap. Make sure to secure cables along the frame too, that would be fairly easy.

I also recommend browsing though the sticky "Before and After" photo thread to give you some inspiration.
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=235

Good luck and enjoy your ride!

 

[skeetab5780]

Take this with a grain of salt because im not one to be a bike snob, but you should work on getting another bike as a platform for your build. The front motor is dangerous on a cheap suspension fork and can hurt you at a moments notice. and the rear shock of that bike will be a useless pogo stick with your weight and a battery on top of it. Also the design of that bike doesnt allow you to mount the batteries centered and low to the ground so its basically useless.

Id put the regular wheel back on it and craigslist the bike for $50 and save for a better find

 

[2old]

+1 with above, and I wouldn't take it with a grain of salt. Looks like a reasonable-size motor with no torque arm and a cheap fork. I think you would be better off with a hardtail, and if you need to hide the wires shorten them as indicated or hide in a frame pack (but not the controller; better to place it where there is air flow).

 

[cody196]

Are there other bikes with full suspension? Cause where I am in Michigan, the roads are terrible and there is cracks and holes in the roads everywhere. I rode on a no suspension bicycle before and it is horribly uncomfortable.

 

[2old]

Most (all) decent bikes with front suspension have aluminum or magnesium lowers and IMO not suitable for a front hub motor (except the "all axle" one from ebikesca). You're better off with a rear hub or mid-drive if you want FS.

 

[cody196]

Also the front hub is welded to the forks, so far it's doing well. I had to welded it cause the threads on the axle are stripped.

 

[Alan B]

That's one way to keep it from failing. Weld it to the forks.

How does one change the tire?

 

[docw009]

For the welded axle folks, they sell these at Meijers, and since Cody lives in Michigan, where the chain started out, he probably already has a set. They do work.

https://www.huffybikes.com/accessories-tubes-tires-wheels/26-huffy-quick-change-inner-tube-26-x-2-125-2-30/p-29280


For nicer looking, attach a luggage rack to the rear bouncy part. Some more welding might be needed. Then attach a pair of low hanging panniers. Make them out of wood and paint them, because the good looking ones are expensive.

 

[Alan B]

OK on the tube, but the tire?

 

[cody196]

I got aq self sealing tube with good tire on front wheel so I shouldnt have to worry about anything right now as long as i am on pavement and not gravel or the shoulders where there is a lot of debris

 

[footbaldd]

Use something like aluminum, HDPE, or Lexan for the enclosure and take your time on it. Work on some cable management. I still have a bit of rewiring myself to clean up on the handlebars. If you have crimpers and more pins, or just cut and solder, you could shorten any wires the the minimum length needed. That is what I am going to do with my wiring up front. Cut it down, repin the plugs, and then loom what I can. I have a couple bundles of PET woven loom and heatshrink I have used on most of my wiring. Its not waterproof or high temp like the expensive automotive looming, but it works well for the application.

 

[Raisedeyebrows]

Looks like it might be difficult to pedal with the box on there holding the battery? Bell seatpost racks are pretty inexpensive, get one of those and put the battery on that, crank the coil shock down so it's real stiff and put a piece of some kind of thick rubber under the seatpost tube to keep it from bottoming out, you can reinforce those racks with pieces of aluminum if you're crafty. Be careful of the front hub motor/aluminum fork situation, watch for stress cracks etc, never tried that arrangement but knowledgeable guys on here say it can be problematic.

 

[qwerkus]

Is it even possible to ride this bike with a wide wooden box between your legs ? My knees occasionally strife a 10cm diameter bottle battery placed much lower...