If you have a bike and want pedal assistance, here’s what you should do! We explain how to build an electric bicycle with the best ebike conversion kit.

It is now there for everyone to see: the bicycle, especially if electric, can be a solution for urban mobility.

However, for those who have an old bike in the garage that they haven’t used for a long time, there is also another cheaper solution: transforming it into electric through special ebike conversion kit. There are various types, designed to make electric walking bikes, mountain bikes and even racing bikes, therefore designed to obviate the need to purchase a specific vehicle. Let’s see how they work.

Basic characteristics and types

There are different types of conversion kits on the market, but in essence, they all perform the same task: transforming a standard bicycle into an e-bike, without particular effort. The only note to remember is to stay in the class of velocipedes, opting for an electric motor that does not exceed a nominal power of 250 watts. Incidentally, almost all the ebike conversion kits on the market fall within this range, but beware of the exceptions.

What changes between the various kits is the type of assembly, usually front, that is, with the motor positioned on the wheel hub. However, there is no lack of alternative solutions with the rear units, battery packs positioned in plain sight on the handlebar or on the down tube of the bike. In most cases, these are plug & play solutions or almost, simple to assemble, with fairly low weight, from 3 kg of ST3IKE eBike Conversion Kit upwards and complete with everything needed to transform any “normal” bike into electric.

Motors and batteries

Speed ​​sensors, displays, apps and buttons apart, the main components of the electric bike conversion kits are the motor and the battery. As for the first, as we have said, the limit of 250 watts of power applies, which we find in any case also on the factory e-bikes.

A power of this kind is enough for every situation, to assist the bike both uphill and in the flat up to 25 km/h – 15.5 mph (the limit allowed), especially if supplied by valid units and with a suitable torque depending on the use that if he intends to do it (for off-road journeys it is evident that much higher values ​​are required than on the road).

On the autonomy side, beyond the values ​​of the batteries mounted, usually included in the conversion kits, a lot changes according to the terrain, the wind, the weight and the muscular support of the rider. The parameter to be taken into consideration is the battery capacity in watt-hours. Here, factors related to the needs of each one and the use they want to make come into play.

Replace the wheel

If the mid-drive kits require, in most cases, the intervention of a mechanic, the wheels equipped with a motor are instead easy and almost immediate to assemble: just replace the rear or front wheel and you’re done. In practice, these are wheels with an integrated motor, which react according to the traction received through the transmission, thus adjusting the assistance provided.

How is a conversion kit made?

What might be ahead when purchasing a conversion kit? The basic pieces are 5:

1- Battery

One of the basic elements on which the efficiency of your future electric bike depends. Today there are mainly lithium batteries on sale, but it is always good to check and choose one of this type since thanks to a greater energy density they allow greater autonomy and less weight.

2- Engine

Also for the engine you will find that you have a rather wide choice of models.

3- Control unit

The element that has the task of managing battery and power.

4- Display

It is the control console that will be installed on the steering.

5- Cutoff brake levers

They are able to lock the current at the moment braking is detected.

How to assemble an electric bike kit

The installation of the conversion kit depends above all on the model chosen.

The battery can have various positions and also the engine and stability, the type of driving and so on can depend on this.

Once you have chosen the kit, installation is actually quite simple, especially if you have already changed a tire on a bicycle before.

To install the hub motor, simply remove the old bicycle wheel and transfer the tire and inner tube to the electric hub motor wheel.

Then screw the speed controller (the brain of the ebike) onto the frame and add the accelerator to the handlebar. ST3IKE eBike Kit is equipped with compatible plugs to facilitate connections.

Once the battery is installed and connected to the speed controller, your e-bike should be ready to ride.

Simply make sure all the wires are out of the way and zipped or velcro fastened to the frame so they don’t get caught on the pedals or other obstacles, and then you’re ready for a test drive.