Introduction
Although commercial eBikes are increasingly more popular, converting an existing bicycle is still the cheapest method of owning an eBike. It also the added advantage of flexibility and customization to meet your individual needs.
However before purchasing any conversion kit, there are some steps you should take to ensure you don’t end up with something that doesn’t meet your requirements or is incompatible with your existing equipment.
In the following article we look at the things you should be doing before purchasing an eBike conversion kit.
1. Prepare your bike for the motor
Is your bike frame made from steel, carbon-fiber, or aluminum?
If your bike forks and dropouts are solid steel, congratulations, you are good to go with any Calibike eBike kit.
If your forks and dropouts are made from aluminum or carbon, then you need to replace those forks with solid steel. It is also recommended to install torque arms to prevent the twisting of your forks or spinning out.
All CaliBike kits are rear wheel hub kits as they are too powerful for front wheels and may break the front fork.
2. Know what you will be using your eBike for.
To help you decide what type of kit to install, you need to have an idea as to how you will be using your newly converted eBike. For flat road commuting, any CaliBike kit will suffice. For longer distance or hills, you may want to use higher power 5KW kits.
3. How powerful a kit should you purchase?
How much power do you want? CaliBike offers kits ranging from 1500 watts to 5000 watts depending on your needs. The laws of your country also play a role in your choice. You should determine what the laws and regulations in your area allow for on-road or off-road ebikes.
Motor Rating
CaliBike eBike kits are measured in watts and amps. Power ratings in only watts may not give you a complete overview of a conversion kit’s performance. Other manufacturers do not necessarily use the same standards to label their motors. A 1000-watt motor from other manufacturers may not necessarily be equivalent to each other.
The amount of power (watts) used by an electric motor at any given moment is equal to the voltage (v) supplied by the battery multiplied by the current (amps) coming from the battery to the motor. i.e.: a motor connected to 52V 20A battery is equal to Watts = Volts X Amps = 52v x 20amps = 1040 watts.
Peak power of a battery is calculated as follows: voltage(v) times maximum current (amps) the eBike can handle. This maximum current (amps) is determined by the controller and is generally between 30 and 50 amps. eg a 48v battery and a 20-amp peak controller which in theory gives a nominal 960 watts of power.
However, due to legal restrictions, many manufacturers will underrate the motor’s power.
Amps = Watts / Volts
Some manufacturers get around these restrictions by rating the motor for continuous power instead of peak power. Continuous power means that theoretically the motor could run ad infinitum without ever overheating at the stated watts. However, any more power would overheat the motor. A 1000 watts continuous motor can actually handle more than 1000 watts continuously but is not advised due to the danger of the motor burning out.
Differences between motors
The major difference between motors is the power rating – this determines how quickly they can accelerate and how good they are at climbing hills.
CaliBike’s smallest motor is 1500 watts. It is fine for flat terrain but if you need more power for hills you may wish to look at our 2000 watts and 5000 watts options.
4. Hub Motor Considerations
As all CaliBike kits are rear wheel hub kits, you will need to know the size of the wheel you are replacing. Our kits come in 2 sizes for the standard bicycles currently available: 26 inch and 29inch (700C). If the kit does not match your existing gearing you may need to change your chain, shifter and maybe even your derailleur.
5. Check What Existing Users Think About CaliBike eBike Conversion Kits
6. Look into warranty policy and after sales support
At Calibike we pride ourselves on after sales support. We check each motor and controller prior to shipment. In addition, we ship from the US so you don’t have to wait for 6 week shipping.
We strongly believe in positive thinking and friendly cooperation and work hard to make sure our customers are satisfied even years after the sale.
Conclusion
Once you are satisfied with your choice, then you can order one of the kits from our website and start your journey into the world of eBikes!
So, to conclude, you should start by identifying your equipment compatibility and your commuting requirements. Based on these you can identify the how powerful a motor you should purchase and its compatibility with your bike. Next you should review the experiences of people who have already purchased the kits you are looking at and the state of the after sales support.
Whatever you decide in the end, we at CaliBike we wish you the best of luck!
