Nothing fancy, Cyclotricity 250 watt front wheel kit:
Middle of the range 11AH pannier battery:
Kept things simple and not bothered with the pedal assist, can buy as an add on but am trying with just the thumb throttle for now.
Switched the carbon forks to a cheap steel pair offa ebay. One long evening later just need to tidy up the cabling and add my new seat:
First impressions not in the same league as the Bafang BB version I hired to ride round Grizedale, but then this didn't cost 2.5k.
Kit added about 10kgs, throttle is a bit all or nothing. Without pedal assist it is all too tempting to just repeatedly accelerate and coast. Supposedly tops out at 15mph but feels more like 20 on the flat. Will need to swap out the front chainset for something bigger to keep up.
Anyone else done a DIY?
Out of interest what made you go for the front wheel motor? I've been tempted by a DIY kit but I want torque sensing (cadence sensing is unlikely to work well for me, I spin slowly and I'm not sure I can change that) and nothing offering that seems reliable.
Mid drive would have been three times the price, rear wheel means new cassette and shifters. Front is cheapest, simplest and wont make much difference riding on the road. Plus balances the weight.
I suggest you try a mid drive, the ones I have didnt require much cadence to kick in, some of the Bosch ones talk about a minimum of only 20 RPM.
How much did it come to all told?
Have been considering something line this for OH's commute.
Be interested to hear how you get in with it
How much did it come to all told?
Wheel inc controller cables etc = £150
Battery inc rack and charger = £225
Feel that with the added weight pedal assist might be a good option for longer rides so you are not flat out all the time, they are about an extra £60.
2 wheel drive awesome
Nice bit of work there op. 👍
How long is the commute mate out of idle curiosity?
Interested for a 27km commute I might be taking on. Did you not wire brakes into the set-up using the supplied levers? Any reason you chose a rack battery over a frame mounted one?
The supplied levers are cable, mine are hydraulic. I may try to rig something up as they are just switches. Rack seemed less conspicuous, plus I use the panniers.
Commute is not far but I want to take the scenic route to avoid traffic.
Re: braking, does the throttle release when you take your thumb off it, or would have to co-ordinate that with the braking? And did you need to mod the fork dropouts?
Doesn't the throttle only operation classify it as a motorbike with all the insurance and registration hassles?
Not that anyone is likely to notice - but if something goes wrong, like an accident etc...
Look like a bargain though.
That looks pretty good, especially considering the price.
does the throttle release when you take your thumb off it
Yep you have to hold it down.
And did you need to mod the fork dropouts?
No they just fitted, but I tested against the old ones too and they would have needed making bigger.
Doesn’t the throttle only operation classify it as a motorbike with all the insurance and registration hassles?
Yeah I just checked. I'll need to take it off and fit pedal assist, which having tried previously seems like a better option anyway.
I look at those kits from time to time and think electric cyclecar. Those wheels are available with more power - I think up to 5Kw.
Stick one of those wheels on each corner and a big battery, and the possibilities for fun are enormous with skinny tyres.
Think a wee singleseater like a miniature 1930s race car or the old motorbike engined speedway cars (a la Cooper).
🙂
