You Have $1K-$2K to build an Ebike - What do you Build?

[teslanv]

So here is the topic:

Let's say your best friend has $1000 to $2000 USD (or the approximate equivalent in your own currency) that's just burning a hole in her/her pocket and wants you to build them an ebike so they can ride with you.

What do you build them and how do you spend the money?

Do you get the cheapest craigslist beater bike for $100 or less, and then spend the rest on the biggest, fastest Hub motor you can find. Or do you start with a Bad-ass full suspension frame and Mod a GNG Mid-drive for wicked trail riding? Or maybe a commuter set-up for Maximum range? LiPo or LiFePo4 or 18650/Lion Battery? Do you buy everything from one vendor or spread the love?

Please provide some links to the products you would buy, add up your items and tell us the cost, (Including shipping to your home Country)

Please Include:

1. The Base Bike/Frame
2. The Hub/Mid drive motor/kit
3. The Controller if purchased separately (or specify which controller you chose for the kit)
4. Battery & Charger
5. Any specific wiring, connectors, fittings, harnesses, battery housings, etc. that you might need

I am specifically hoping to get some feedback from ES members that have at least a couple builds under their belt, and know what they would "do different, next time"

OK GO!

 

[Willow]

take their money, and ride away at WOT.

 

[footloose]

We need details! Height, weight, tats, marital status, arrest history... And possibly photos. Can't possibly do right design without key info.

 

[deffx]

I would probably ask them what they would like. Not random strangers on the net.

Personally I'm happy with my bike, as an all round do anything machine. Not super high power but fast enough, off road capable, simple hub motor, nice urban commuter to

I wouldn't do anything different again, well saying that I would like a light mid drive bbs02 xc bike for trails, but for my urban assault commute the 60kp/h big hits the go

Not wanting anything faster or a big heavy hub in the arse

 

[dogman dan]

Insufficient data.

Who will ride the bike how, where?

In general, if you only have a thou, plan on a street ride. The bike will cost at most $200 even new. Get a beach cruiser with a 7 speed rear gear, or a 21 speed steel frame MTB. That leaves only enough money for a minimal motor and battery. A really good battery can easily cost a thou, so to get motor, bike, and battery for only a thou means cutting corners on the battery for sure.

Depending on the needs, it might be a tiny gearmotor and 10 ah battery, or a more powerful but still cheap dd motor such as from Yes.com. If you choose the dd, and the budget is only a thou, you only have about 400 left for battery and all charging stuff. This leaves just about your only choice to be some dirt cheap, nasty, ready to burn your house down RC batteries.

12 cells in series, 10 ah. Not much range, but able to pull a 30 amps controller. Read up on lico, or you WILL burn your house down.

If you have $2000, then you go straight to EM3ev. Get a 10t Mac, a 48v triangle battery, and the bag. Whatever money is left, buy the best used bike ( for a rear hubmotor) you can get. What kind depends, again, entirely on what kind of ride you will do. If it's for off road, then your full suspension bike still needs to have a triangle big enough to fit the battery. No Y frames.

 

[teslanv]

Just build the bike that YOU would want for whatever purpose if given this budget.
I know all of us have a project we would build for ourselves. What is that project to you?

 

[dogman dan]

That narrowed it right down. I have generally had at least 6 up and running ebikes at a time. Everything from 24v bb drive Think ebike that goes 15 mph, to a kart track race machine able to nearly go 50 mph. Commuters, dirt trail bikes, cruisers, trike, you name it if it has a hubmotor.

My favorite one has to be the frankenbike longtail cargo bike, bouncing betty. It started out as a pretty cheap bike in the thousand dollar price range, but then got added to. I paid about $400 for an old 5304, what used to be the biggest motor for bikes. Recently I added a shock that retails at about $600, and have at least $600 in battery at the moment.

I'm currently on a different computer, so I'll make you search for the build thread in Ebike pics section. Search for Bouncing Betty.

 

[teslanv]

Dogman,

What features of Bouncing Betty do you enjoy the most? if you were going to build another bike just like it would you do anything different or build it exactly the same?

 

[cassschr1]

.ld wait for lightning rods new kits.Read spinning magnets latest reviews on them.

 

[teslanv]

The Utility Ebike: General Purpose (Somewhat based on Dogman's comments above)

The Kit: em3ev Mac 10T http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=36&product_id=55
Options: 10T (255RPM Loaded @ 36V), 9fet 30A IRFB4110 Controller, rear Motor, 26" Wheel, half-twist throttle.

The Battery: em3ev 50V Triangle battery http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=158
Options: Upgrade to 16.5 Ah

Watt meter/lcd dsplay: Cycle Analyst V3 from em3ev http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=41&product_id=126

Cost for all of the above from em3ev.com Shipped to USA: $1474.50 (USD)

The Bike: Iron Horse on Ebay. Low-end Bike, but has front suspension, front disc brakes, and is easily upgraded.

Cost with Free Shipping: $229

+ $100 budget for Misc. incidentals, electrical connectors & wiring, bike tools for installing kit, etc.

Total Bike Cost: $1803.50 Shipped. (Taxes/Customs fees, if any, not included)

 

[Drunkskunk]

Ebay or Craigslist for a good cheap ( >$200 ) bike. A Trek 820 would be a good solid start, but i would hold out for the best bike i could find within budget.

Then I would mount a 500w motor from EM3ev along with a 52v battery, and call it good. for 90% of the people who come here, this ends up being the beast place for them to start.

 

[dogman dan]

For me, the big deal on bouncing betty is the bounce. It's the only full suspension longtail cargo bike I have ever seen. Front shocks are not uncommon, but rear ones are. And IMO, the rear shock is the one you need most.

Zero spoke, wheel, or pinched tire issues, in two years use. But the real reason I want the bounce is my thrashed lower back. I want off non suspension bikes in 8 miles. Full bounce, I can ride 70 miles. The shocks get even more important when you are riding some dirt trail shortcut.

But the catch 22 on full suspension is you lose battery space. On the longtail, I have a huge battery triangle and still have the rear shocks. The large front battery space is the second best thing on the bike.

Lastly, surprisingly, is the cargo carrying ablity. But though third in priority, it' still what make the cargo bike a real car replacement. I can shop at Sam's club, and still carry home the huge packages.

But that's me. If my back hadn't been ruined carrying plywood to build houses, I'd be fine with a non suspended longtail. Just get a real good rear wheel build. Maybe even moped wheel.

 

[friendly1uk]

The best bike to ride beside my bike would be my bike.

Then the thread twists and turns and the initial question slips from view. I can't answer too that.

 

[Racer_X]

The best bike to ride beside my bike would be my bike.

Total cost less than 1000
Cannondale F8 MTB, 9c 9x7, Regen,ThreeSpeed Cruise. with torque plates. 12s3p or 18s2p depending on mood.Maxxis Holy Roller in the summer and Schwalbe Ice Spiker in winter.
Smokes any cyclist OR e-cyclist in stockolm, maybe becuase Swedes are very law abiding people. I am just a black sheep

 

[teslanv]

The best bike to ride beside my bike would be my bike.

Total cost less than 1000
Cannondale F8 MTB, 9c 9x7, Regen,ThreeSpeed Cruise. with torque plates. 12s3p or 18s2p depending on mood.Maxxis Holy Roller in the summer and Schwalbe Ice Spiker in winter.
Smokes any cyclist OR e-cyclist in stockolm, maybe becuase Swedes are very law abiding people. I am just a black sheep

Sounds sweet. Any links?

 

[Jason27]

Wilderness energy kit with 48v all cell battery on a vintage Schwinn cruiser bike!

 

[999zip999]

So what is this for ??? Help.

 

[999zip999]

good choice with EM3ev volt or more battery. the battery is the heart. Plus old chromoly bike frame 100usd. To start add a cycle analyst.

 

[xenodius]

DIY Fatbike, + Bafang BBS02 + Cellman triangle pack.

 

[Racer_X]

The best bike to ride beside my bike would be my bike.

Total cost less than 1000, Cannondale F8 MTB, 9c 9x7, Regen,ThreeSpeed Cruise. with torque plates. 12s3p or 18s2p depending on mood.Maxxis Holy Roller in the summer and Schwalbe Ice Spiker in winter.
Smokes any cyclist OR e-cyclist in stockolm, maybe becuase Swedes are very law abiding people. I am just a black sheep

Sounds sweet. Any links?

Sorry no Links, I am constantly evolving so I keep making better ebikes. Soon will be building a full suspension. Will incorporate all my favorite accessories. If you want inspiration keep an eye on http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=6 E-Bike Photos & Video.

 

[dogman dan]

9c 2807 or 9x7 motor or similar copy is available so many places, where to get one may just depend on where you are.

But the oft recommended EM3ev has them. Grin stopped stocking 9c.

Nothing wrong with that motor for many, that's why it's the standard. I've had quite a few of them, but took to slower versions of the same motor for better performance on the big hills we have here in the rocky mountains.

 

[2shoes]

i built a ebikekit.com 48volt 100watt on a sun spider had to add 200mm front disc also about 2600 when done

 

[NomadChad]

The Kit: em3ev Mac 10T http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=36&product_id=55
Options: 10T (255RPM Loaded @ 36V), 9fet 30A IRFB4110 Controller, rear Motor, 26" Wheel, half-twist throttle.

Pleased to meet everyone,
I live in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Its not too hilly around here but there are a couple around my house. I would be using this bike basically to go get milk when we run out kind of riding.
Easy cruisin' will be most of my travels 25MPH or 40KMs is all I need. The grocery store and coffee shops are less than 5kms from my house. So round trip of 10KMs with only starting pedals. I would like 20KMs When assisting the motor.
I plan on selling both of my motorcycles in the spring, Versys 650 and CBR125R to save on gas and insurance. That will fund the $1000-2000 i have in mind. I have solar panels on the roof of my garage and plan to charge the bike using them.


As my first E-bike build I like the above suggestion. The wheels are a bit confusing but I like the shape of the BM24 26" rim.

I plan on using Six 4s 5000AHr as 12s10Amp or Four 6s 5000Ahr to do the same. Charging that many at once with a BMS still eludes me but HK has a 4X6s ballance charger that would work.
I have a watt meter for my Multicopters so I could use that for info. The CA is a bit complicated(robust) for a first time build.
The 9 fet IRFB4110 controller would allow me to add voltage in the future say 16S or 18S

I like the Giant team DH as a frame. I love the "fat bike" tires for the snow and it would be awesome to put them on a Full suspension frame. That is on my upgrade list for sure because I have no idea how right now.
I'm not a bike person but a lot of my friends are so I will have to pick their brains.

 

[ridethelightning]

tell your friend, you can build them a bike for 80km range, 80kph top speed but take the money first then tell them they will have to pimp out their grandmother for the rest of the cash.....

 

[Willow]

...go the Granny.