Thanks
To be quite honest, your thumbs up for my post is a boost to my ego; however I want to make clear that I don't claim to be an expert at this, I'm just relaying what worked for me and what didn't and hope it helps somebody out there. Had I known what I know now, I would be with fewer bruises.
But heck, I'm here to tell the tale and what didn't kill me has surely has made me wiser
So far, what I've learnt about building or buying an ebike and how to choose the components:
Modularity:
On a custom build like this, if any single component were to die, it can easily be replaced. That's reassuring. Also, if at any point I opt to use a different battery (say longer range, more ampHour) or a different power controller, not a problem, the Crystalyte 408 motor is versatile and has been proven successful on builds using 72 volt 40 amps... and if I get tired of the 408 motor and wish something else, well, that can also be done. Can you do that with a scooter?
Versatility:And when you run out of power, can you peddle on a scooter with the same power transfer as on a bike? A scooter is actually heavier and requires more Wattage to run at the same speed. Funny thing, the first day I took my bike for a ride, I went to see my brother 10 km from me. While on the road, I met a gentleman on an electric scooter who was blown away by the acceleration of my bike and when he finally caught up with me at the light he asked: "this is a custom build, isn't it?". I smiled. He admitted that his scooter has no peddles, is slower than my bike and there isn't much he can do to make it go faster, other than lower his head to reduce air drag. Plus he has to pay for licence and insurance. We parted smiling and wished each other a safe ride.
I'm not about to compare a scooter with a bike, like was mentioned wisely by BroadwayJoe, they are two different classes of vehicles, and it's obvious from this story that to get a performing electric scooter, you'ld be paying far more than $1700.00.
Theft:
I invested in a good Kryptonyte lock (
http://www.kryptonitelock.com/Outlet....aspx?pid=1093), just because I want to secure the hubmotor, which costs $280.00. So, I make sure I lock the hub motor wheel with the frame to a secure bike rack. Some things people may not know is that some bike thefts in Toronto were not due to bad locks, but due to bad bike racks (
http://torontoist.com/2006/08/toronto_bike_po.php). I must admit that picking up a scooter is not as easy as picking up a bike. But who said you need to convert a high end bike? My bike costs $100 and is the cheapest component in the entire build. In fact, the lock costs as much as the bike and like BroadwayJoe mentioned, the most costly component is often the battery, which you normally would not leave on the bike anyways.
No licence or insurance required for en ebike:
If you live in Ontario, this link tells you what is considered an ebike:
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dan...bike-faq.htm#1
My build is probably not fully street legal, but as long as I don't bring attention to myself by breaking road laws and I abide by the safety requirement such as wearing a helmet and having Proper lights , Proper brakes and Proper bell, I should be fine.
I've had cops pass me many times, not event looking twice at my bike. I'm not breaking speed records and certainly am not out there to cut cars and cabs. I just want to get to work safely and cheaply.
Another thing that some bikers do, which I cannot see happeing on an ebike is riding on sidewalks or against traffic. I mean, you have nothing to gain first of all, since at the speeds you are going, a few meters on a sidewalk isn't going to get you there any faster and the last thing you want is to hit someone with a bike that's 40 lbs heavier.
Savings
An ebike that costs $1700 pays for itself after the first 18 months. If you ride 9 out of 12 months (snows here in Toronto, in fact more since I moved to Toronto.. funny eh?) each month that you're not commuting you're saving $100. And at the end of all that, you still got your bike. It just makes good business sense if you work within a 30 km radius. I actually wish I'd be working further so that the trip doesn't end so quickly, but that may just be the newbie thrill of riding an ebike having its effect
