Which Hub Motor Kit to buy?

[marose1]

I am looking for a quality front or rear Geared Hub Motor Kit that will climb fairly steep hills without pedaling and achieve speeds of 15 to 20 mph or more on a flat without pedaling.

So far, I am considering the following 26" Crystalyte & BMC Kits from Electro Ride:

Crystalyte Roadrunner 4825 with Ping 48V 10 or 15 AH LiFePO4 Battery ($800 - $950)
Crystalyte Roadrunner 3625 with Ping 36V 10 or 15 AH LiFePO4 Battery ($700 - $800)
BMC V1 400W with Ping 36V 10 AH LiFePO4 Battery ($1100)
BMC V2 600W with Ping 36V 15 AH LiFePO4 Battery ($1300)

I have also looked at Amped and eZee bike kits. I may wish to also do limited trail riding (not too bumpy trails) and want a hub with durable gears.

I would appreciate recommendations for quality kits from reliable suppliers.

 

[dogman dan]

Both of those crystalyte motors are direct drive motors, not planetary gearmotors. Don't buy a pingbattery less than 15 ah in size. The 10 ah will be discharged at a higher rate, causing it to wear out faster.

 

[snowranger]

I'd recommend Ilia. He has great prices on BMC and sells better batteries than Ping. If it were me, I'd buy the v2 bmc and get headways or lipo separately.

 

[TPA]

More specifically the V2 torque version.

+10000000 for Ilia.

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=11024

Read the very first post.

That is $690 for a bmc motor, an awesome controller, a cycle analyst ($130 by itself elsewhere), and throttle. Plus Ilia makes sure it all plugs together trouble free and CA is calibrated to controller.

 

[marose1]

Great info from people at this site -- thanks.

It looks like my choice is boiling down to Electro Ride v ebikesf.com (

Battery choice - size & brand headways 10a50v lifepo4 enough
Rear Motor Only - weight 185 ib
Rim & wheel lacing
wiring

 

[marose1]

Great info from people at this site -- thanks.

It appears that my vender choices are boiled down to Electro Ride v ebikesf.com (ilia)

The following questions remain concerning the BMC 600W v2 setup:

1. If I go with ilia, where is the best place to get the rim/rim lacing?

2. Is the 10 AH 50V LiPO4 sufficient and is the one from ilia (headways?) worth the additional cost over the Ping? Are the BMS equivalent?

3. It looks like the ilia Motor only comes in Rear configuaration. I weigh 180 lbs and with the battery on the rear rack is this too much weight on the rear wheel?

4. Can I get a full wiring harness from ilia?

thanks

 

[seanreit]

Great info from people at this site -- thanks.

It appears that my vender choices are boiled down to Electro Ride v ebikesf.com (ilia)

The following questions remain concerning the BMC 600W v2 setup:

1. If I go with ilia, where is the best place to get the rim/rim lacing?

2. Is the 10 AH 50V LiPO4 sufficient and is the one from ilia (headways?) worth the additional cost over the Ping? Are the BMS equivalent?

3. It looks like the ilia Motor only comes in Rear configuaration. I weigh 180 lbs and with the battery on the rear rack is this too much weight on the rear wheel?

4. Can I get a full wiring harness from ilia?

thanks

Great questions! Especially on which rim to choose.

 

[TPA]

Great info from people at this site -- thanks.

It appears that my vender choices are boiled down to Electro Ride v ebikesf.com (ilia)

The following questions remain concerning the BMC 600W v2 setup:

1. If I go with ilia, where is the best place to get the rim/rim lacing?

2. Is the 10 AH 50V LiPO4 sufficient and is the one from ilia (headways?) worth the additional cost over the Ping? Are the BMS equivalent?

3. It looks like the ilia Motor only comes in Rear configuaration. I weigh 180 lbs and with the battery on the rear rack is this too much weight on the rear wheel?

4. Can I get a full wiring harness from ilia?

thanks

1. Support you local bike shop. If you want someone here, see johnrobholmes. Ilia could lace it as he states in his post.

2. 10Ah lifepo4 is insufficient for most hub motors. 10A on a 10Ah battery is 1C discharge rate and 20A is 2C. Most lifepo4 is only rated for as much as 2C. If you discharge more than 20A then you are stressing the battery. Best to go with at least 15Ah or 20Ah is even better. you could look into different chemistry of lithium, but you will have some learning to do.

3. I weigh 275 pounds and have a rear clyte 406. I have no problems. If you worry, try not to mount the battery back there as well. Your bike frame quality is a large part in determining if you will have problems.

4. If you bought the entire kit (with battery) from Ilia, then the whole thing should be plug and play right out of the box. If you get the battery somewhere else, you will simply need anderson connectors on it.

You will want to contact Ilia with questions via the email he posted in that 1st post. He only comes around every now and then to look here. The first post of that thread is updated regularly, so the prices you see there are likely current.

 

[snowranger]

Great info from people at this site -- thanks.

It appears that my vender choices are boiled down to Electro Ride v ebikesf.com (ilia)

The following questions remain concerning the BMC 600W v2 setup:

1. If I go with ilia, where is the best place to get the rim/rim lacing?

2. Is the 10 AH 50V LiPO4 sufficient and is the one from ilia (headways?) worth the additional cost over the Ping? Are the BMS equivalent?

3. It looks like the ilia Motor only comes in Rear configuaration. I weigh 180 lbs and with the battery on the rear rack is this too much weight on the rear wheel?

4. Can I get a full wiring harness from ilia?

thanks

1. Ilia will build the wheel for you for an additional $115.
2. The 10ah 50 v life is from BMC. They are prismatic, but I don't know much about them. I do know about Ping batteries because I had one. Mine is a $750 paper weight right now. The headway packs are 1000% better constructed and hold voltage under load much better. My 48v 20 ah pack cost me $630 which is less than a ping battery. There is no customer service with headway batteries though. Go with 20ah if you can.
3. You should be fine with the rear hub as long as the wheel is built well.
4. It's pretty much plug and play.

 

[tycreek]

I would NEVER buy from betterbikes (Electro Ride LLC) again. That's putting a long costly story short! YMMV

I echo that Ilia has been great ...

 

[snowranger]

I would NEVER buy from betterbikes (Electro Ride LLC) again. That's putting a long costly story short! YMMV

I echo that Ilia has been great ...

+ 1 on that. I've never done business with betterbikes because that Brian Howell guy turned me off.

 

[tycreek]

... but that Brian Howell guy turned me off.

I can laugh about it now... but everybody should really listen to him talk before purchasing. Talk is certainly one thing he can't stop doing!

 

[marose1]

I talked to Brian Howell at electric-bikes.com a few days ago. I can say that he tried to be helpful but it was difficult to get an answer to a specific question without repeatedly interrupting his non-stop dialogue. Other than that, I cannot say anything negative about his business, because I have not had any dealings there.

Your responses have been very informative in helping me to choose an ebike conversion kit. Yesterday, I ordered a BMC 600W High Torque Kit from Ilia, along with a wheel build. Thank you.

 

[999zip999]

Marose,Yes yes yes. I think I would make the same choice. What battery ? 48v ? I had great trouble keeping brain on my track. He wanted a 36v12ah I wanted a 48v20ah I'm the customer as to later buy a second for 72v12ah O.k. his a better battery than ping on the phone. O.k. he was right. I would love a 4c discharge or better for longer battery like. Also I chose com-cycleusa.com .I was the test guinie PIg BIG headahce. BMC 600H.S 48V40amp. cystalyte con. ping 48v20ah batt. Perfect kit ? the jump wires were between the throlle and controller no go exchange. the wiring was 6ft. long for the bmc got very hot. Had to cut with volating the warranty insane. The wires melted had No choice. Ran good for 2 mos. twisted my gear reduction. Dennis at comcycle-usa.com told me to call Camdu at BMC ( 818 ) 576-0505 O.K. Camdu side me a new so as I could fix it ( WHAT !) O.K. 2 weeks later it came I know bmc got the part from itila Yes the wholesaler Camdu the man. Got my part for Itilia. Repaired with a three leg puller, had to cut the thee big wires. BMC and cystralyte Have y-b -g color wires but the colors are not to be hook up matching. O.K.!!! Than a blow up my Battery after 5mos. Because of the 40amp. controller. Ping is great BIG help Lots suport, will walk you trough it. Sold a monster bms to replace the 40amp. to 60 amp. bms sounds like to many amps. to me. I had it working for 7mos. now and my ping is getting strongger like new after the last two mos. But I did have a nightmare with my plug and play kit it demands a good vedor with expertise. but I learn a lot and think you made a good choice. Get a true 4c or better battery. Good luck! P.s love my bike 37mph 48t- 11t rear tooth

 

[999zip999]

Sorry my old computer jumps all over the place and my spelling is bad, But Camdu the impoter of bmc got the part from Itilia. the gear redution, So he could send it to me yes it was free. And I could see the differance maybe it's a v3 I don't know but is of better quality.

 

[tycreek]

I talked to Brian Howell at electric-bikes.com a few days ago. I can say that he tried to be helpful but it was difficult to get an answer to a specific question without repeatedly interrupting his non-stop dialogue. Other than that, I cannot say anything negative about his business, because I have not had any dealings there.

Your responses have been very informative in helping me to choose an ebike conversion kit. Yesterday, I ordered a BMC 600W High Torque Kit from Ilia, along with a wheel build. Thank you.

If my experience is any indication of his business you just saved yourself a long long (very long) chain of emails and phone calls full of mindless rattling on about how great ... blah blah ... etc... (you get the picture you talked to him) ... must purchase other different components even though you followed his advice and purchased from him exactly what he recommended "is simply wrong". It sucks to discover that underneath the seemingly knowledgeable talk he's clueless, the self-proclaimed expert somehow chose the wrong parts or that it's some other vendor's fault or or or always some excuse other than the fact that he simply had never actually got a V3 to work right! Sure I had got to learn a hellofalot quickly ... but could have done so at half the time and cost if I didn't listen to the talking expert!

Anyway... sorry for the bit of soap box ... I toast a "good choice" to you!

 

[Mark_A_W]

Great info from people at this site -- thanks.

It appears that my vender choices are boiled down to Electro Ride v ebikesf.com (ilia)

The following questions remain concerning the BMC 600W v2 setup:

1. If I go with ilia, where is the best place to get the rim/rim lacing?

2. Is the 10 AH 50V LiPO4 sufficient and is the one from ilia (headways?) worth the additional cost over the Ping? Are the BMS equivalent?

3. It looks like the ilia Motor only comes in Rear configuaration. I weigh 180 lbs and with the battery on the rear rack is this too much weight on the rear wheel?

4. Can I get a full wiring harness from ilia?

thanks

1. Support you local bike shop. If you want someone here, see johnrobholmes. Ilia could lace it as he states in his post.

2. 10Ah lifepo4 is insufficient for most hub motors. 10A on a 10Ah battery is 1C discharge rate and 20A is 2C. Most lifepo4 is only rated for as much as 2C. If you discharge more than 20A then you are stressing the battery. Best to go with at least 15Ah or 20Ah is even better. you could look into different chemistry of lithium, but you will have some learning to do.

3. I weigh 275 pounds and have a rear clyte 406. I have no problems. If you worry, try not to mount the battery back there as well. Your bike frame quality is a large part in determining if you will have problems.

4. If you bought the entire kit (with battery) from Ilia, then the whole thing should be plug and play right out of the box. If you get the battery somewhere else, you will simply need anderson connectors on it.

You will want to contact Ilia with questions via the email he posted in that 1st post. He only comes around every now and then to look here. The first post of that thread is updated regularly, so the prices you see there are likely current.

I don't agree with a number of these statements TPA.


2. Yes, 10Ah 50V is sufficient (but more volts is fun!). I run 10Ah 64V Headways and a 50A peak discharge is ok, but not ideal. The problem with going to more AH, or a Ping pack, is they won't fit in the triangle. I can fit 20 Headway cells in my battery box in my frame triangle, but not more. 30-40A on a planetary geared motor will have you out-accelerating cars. 50A is major wheely time.....but the motor will break.

3. A rear motor is definitely the way to go. But don't put the battery on a rear rack. Please. A rear battery sucks, it sucks arse. The handling of the bike is terrible. But if you insist on a rear battery, then a front motor is a better compromise (please don't do it).

The difference between a generic build, and a great build, is great builds put the weight in the middle. You don't see a motorcycle with the motor on the rear rack.

 

[999zip999]

I do like my bmc 600h.s. rear but like 20ah batt. if at 25amp. ping ok. Small cushion. on that battery for hills at 220lbs. plus 58lbs. of bike it's a lot. Hay Brain was the frist one to tell me to use a 40amp. controller, but it was with his one and only battery coming next week they all just sold out, But if if you send me the money you will be almost frist on the list. Ha Ha that's how he talks