E-Bike conversion kit and help/supervison with assembly

LNiceGuysFinishLast on 19/07/2018 - 15:43
Last edited 19/07/2018 - 15:48

Hi folks,
I have a been a long time lurker and first time poster. I have not been able to find any ebike conversion kit deals locally and I would like to ask if any knows of a bike mechanic that can help source second hand or cheap e-bike conversion kits and if I buy it from them, will they be willing to supervise me while I assemble it in their workshop/garage?

I'm trying to find the cheapest way to convert a vintage bicycle into an ebike for a daily 2km commute to my local train station. Please point me to deals like this:
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/25297
, mechanic you know and trust, or solutions (like Airtasker the job for supervision and consultation) to get this bike converted on a shoestring or ozbargain budget! Thanks in advance!

P.S. I have done my research and found DIY conversion kits on EBay for around $110 but I would like to consult an expert for the best bang for the buck type of kit. I also have several battery packs used to power an AR 2.0 drone that I want to ask if it's possible to convert into a ebike battery.

Budget for the project:
$120 for the kit including my spare drone plane battery
$30 for advice and supervision during the assembly.

Find Me A Bargain Electric Bicycle

Comments

  • tsunamisurfer on 19/07/2018 - 16:02
    +3

    All this effort for 2 kilometres?????

    At a leisurely 20kph thats 6 mins of riding, you can still ride in work gear and not work up a sweat.

  • TheBilly on 19/07/2018 - 16:17

    Do you have any physical injuries that would prevent you from cycling this distance under your own power? 2km is absolutely nothing. Within 1 week of doing it you will be perfectly adjusted. When I first started I couldnt cycle 5km. But now on a cold winter morning I dont even warm up until 15km mark and can then push on to 100km no worries. It seems highly unnecessary to get an ebike unless you have some prevailing physical injury or disability. But each to their own.

  • DarthAntz on 19/07/2018 - 16:24
    +1

    vintage bike and e-bike kit is probably not the way to go. plus if you're leaving it at a train station all day and theres extra parts/mods on it, it will be a magnet for thieves. It can be a few hours, so $30 is not going to cut it for the supervision technical advice. You're best bet is to find a similar project on youtube that you can follow.

    as above, for 2km, you're much better off just using it as a bike, or search for a ready-made ebike that can take you all the way to work. a few years ago i paid $1100 for a panasonic e-bike, and rode it 32km a day (16km x 2, about 45 minutes each way, a similar amount of time as the bus in traffic). saving me $10 a day in public transport. the bike paid itself off in 6 months, reduced stress and improved my fitness. bike lasted over 2 years before i sold it to move OS.

    welcome to ozbargain

    • ATTS on 19/07/2018 - 16:30

      Isnt motor powered push bikes illegal?

      • trongy on 19/07/2018 - 19:07
        +2

        Electric motors of less than 200W are generally legal as are 250W assist motors in a Pedelec system.

        Petrol internal combustion motor assisted bikes are illegal in some states.
        See http://www.zbox.com.au/legal.htm for some more information.

        • ATTS on 19/07/2018 - 19:16

          Oh right..thanks for the info

  • gnarkill on 19/07/2018 - 17:02
    +1

    Not that I have experience in e-bike conversions but as it's a vintage bike there's likely going to be a lot of compatibility issues. Industry standards have changed numerous times over the years and nothing is compatible. It pays to have a good understanding about the parts and compatibility before buying them and starting any project or the budget can balloon. There's a legend called Sheldon Brown who's done a great job of documenting all this in an easy to understand website.

    • tebbybabes on 19/07/2018 - 17:26
      +2

      Sheldon Brown is certainly missed.

  • JIMB0 on 19/07/2018 - 18:41
    +2

    I live 2km from the train station and don't bother with the push bike. It only takes 15 minutes of fast walking to get there and I don't have to worry about locking up a bike in public or even having to come back via the station to pick it up.

  • nizzkid on 19/07/2018 - 18:46
    +4

    I have built an ebike.
    From my experience I can confidentially say "you're dreaming".
    It's clear you have little to no knowledge of batteries, controllers, motors and how they all work together.
    The cheapest you could probably buy the parts would be around $400. Then you would need the mechanical knowledge to build it yourself. Then you would need the strength to lift it high enough to throw in a bin because a $400 ebike would be rubbish.

    The cheapest, easiest quality kit to buy and fit would be the 250w bafang bbs01 or 02 with 36v ebike battery. Looking at around $800-$1000

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join