Considering building a E-bike, Need Advice.
 

I'm considering this and am not ready to make the plunge. I have a old road bike that I would like to convert into a e-bike with 700c wheels. First thing is I want to make this bike look stealthy as possible since I will be just leaving it in the NYC streets. I was just thinking the 800$ lithium tube battery package from papamotor but then I also stumbled on this website with this battery http://www.bmsbattery.com/36v/466-24...tery-pack.html that looks like a great deal and just getting the 374$ Jaded package from papamotor with the 36v350w rear motor. It also has a hidden compartment for a controller which seems awesome. If I bought this other battery will it be plug and play?

Ideally I would like to be doing about 10-20 miles a day without peddling and don't need to be going more than 20mph. Just something to run errands around when I don't want to use my car.

Budget - 700$-800$

Thanks for any help.

This forum is great, but the hardcore builders are over at endless-sphere.com.

I don't think a 12 ah battery is going to get you 20 miles at 20mph without pedaling. You are looking for an electric scooter.

Agreed. I have a 12ah battery myself and that nets me about 13 miles on motor power alone. (but I stop and charge after 10 miles to ensure the battery will last longer) Though mine can go to about 25MPH. But most of the time I am running it around 18 to 20MPH. So you'll need 15ah or higher to get 20 miles out of it. :P

Also mine is a mid-drive system which is known to be more efficient then hub motors. So you will probably get even less then that with a hub motor paired with 12ah battery.. :P

I live in a small town so the battery is more then enough for me. But for you...definitely will fall short. :P

Hello, MastaDizasta.

Go with Papamotor, you won't be sorry. I know your budget is $700-$800 but save up a bit more like I did and get the 48v 1000w Papamotor package. Use the Cycle Analyst to control the power output; then if you ever feel the "need for speed" all you have to do is change the settings on the CA with the press of a few buttons. Check out the thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...onversion-kits and take a look at the Jandd grocery pannier on page 8 which folds up when not in use. If you had these on both sides, they would hide the hub motor and your battery and controller would be in the cargo cache.

What make and model is your "old road bike"? Pictures?

Yeah if you can, get the 48 1000 setup. Also make sure they ship you a controller with a limitor on it. The limitor will when plugged in, limit the top speed to 20mph. Since they don't put what motor size on their system, just ride it at 20. When you want to go off road with more speed, unplug the limitor plug.

If your paranoid about your e-bike being stolen, as cutting through most security chains you can do with a butter knife, Slap a tracker inside the steel frame that's what i'm going to do, and on the center of the handle-bars let them know theres a tracker on your bike with a big red warning sticker, you'll notice you won't even need the chain :)