5 ms·

I'm really impressed by the kits from ebikes.ca. The owner, Justin, innovates several of the components sold through there and other retailers. Specifically t

I'm really impressed by the kits from ebikes.ca. The owner, Justin, innovates several of the components sold through there and other retailers. Specifically their "cycle analyst", which is a multi function ebike computer controller. For my needs, I ended up with a geared rear-wheel hub kit, as the motor is smaller and hidden by the gears and disc brakes. The battery came from Luna Cycle.

sudosysgen 6y ago
I will say though, buying the controllers or motors straight from China is cheaper by a factor of 50-80%, and allows you to get more headroom. Though I wouldn't trust Chinese batteries, and shipping can be slow.
- jholman 6y ago
  How can something be 150% cheaper?
  - sudosysgen 6y ago
    Ah sorry, I meant the reverse, that Luna cycles is more expensive by 50-150%. Will fix.
- jbay808 6y ago
  It's a different price for a different product. Grin Technologies does their own design, and makes great stuff.
  - sudosysgen 6y ago
    Not for the motors, and the Grin ESCs are not the only ones available. In any cases, Chinese Kunteng ESCs are also very well made, with an open-source firmware available and provide pure-sine wave control as well as regenerative braking for less than a third of the price of a Grin ESC, and also have headroom (people have been overvolting them by significant margins without issues).
    - jbay808 6y ago
      Yes, Grin has its own custom motor designs.
      - sudosysgen 6y ago
        Yes, and they are pretty bad. For the price of a Grin motor you can buy a much better, fully custom QS Motor with components and windings of your own choice, and have enough money left to buy a second one. The Grin motor will be slightly lighter but will also overheat earlier, so there's really no advantage - you can just get a smaller motor and push it harder. Nothing is free - Grin motors aren't really better than anything out of China and for the outrageous price they sell at you can literally get a motor custom made.
eepp 6y ago
Justin from a .ca website: nice.
- derekp7 6y ago
  He is also really active on some of the ebike forums.

sudosysgen 6y ago

I will say though, buying the controllers or motors straight from China is cheaper by a factor of 50-80%, and allows you to get more headroom. Though I wouldn't trust Chinese batteries, and shipping can be slow.

jholman 6y ago
How can something be 150% cheaper?
- sudosysgen 6y ago
  Ah sorry, I meant the reverse, that Luna cycles is more expensive by 50-150%. Will fix.
jbay808 6y ago
It's a different price for a different product. Grin Technologies does their own design, and makes great stuff.
- sudosysgen 6y ago
  Not for the motors, and the Grin ESCs are not the only ones available. In any cases, Chinese Kunteng ESCs are also very well made, with an open-source firmware available and provide pure-sine wave control as well as regenerative braking for less than a third of the price of a Grin ESC, and also have headroom (people have been overvolting them by significant margins without issues).
  - jbay808 6y ago
    Yes, Grin has its own custom motor designs.
    - sudosysgen 6y ago
      Yes, and they are pretty bad. For the price of a Grin motor you can buy a much better, fully custom QS Motor with components and windings of your own choice, and have enough money left to buy a second one. The Grin motor will be slightly lighter but will also overheat earlier, so there's really no advantage - you can just get a smaller motor and push it harder. Nothing is free - Grin motors aren't really better than anything out of China and for the outrageous price they sell at you can literally get a motor custom made.

eepp 6y ago

Justin from a .ca website: nice.

derekp7 6y ago
He is also really active on some of the ebike forums.