4 ms·

You just pop off your current bike's front wheel and install theirs... And then you remove your bottle cage to install their battery (hope you don't ride a sma

You just pop off your current bike's front wheel and install theirs... And then you remove your bottle cage to install their battery (hope you don't ride a small frame). And then you install the speed/cadence sensor. Then you install the display/swtich/throttle assembly. Then you wire it all up. And then you get into all the compatibility problems - many e-bike conversion kits are sold with a freehub that's not the correct size for modern cassettes (comes with HG 9-speed, need an HG 11-speed, XD, XDR, or Microspline freehub). Axle widths and axle type (bolt, QR, thru-axle). Granted, all the above is easier than it sounds, but it's not quite as simple as "swap wheel, done". You need a working knowledge of bicycles to do this. Then there's the cost. Basic "unbranded" kits are $500 or so. Brand-name kits, larger battery, or mid-drive kits cost more. Is it worth putting a $500 kit on an old bike that's only worth $100? Or, are you better off buying a new bike with warranty and no need for service for years (which will cost $1500-$3000).

loeg 2y ago
Cassette compatibility isn't going to be a problem with a front wheel conversion kit.
- alistairSH 2y ago
  Fair, though you still have axle standards to consider. If it's a QR bike, it's pretty straightforward. But, most new bikes (in the US) are through-axle and disc brake.
  - loeg 2y ago
    Yes.
EncomLab 2y ago
Not to mention the fact that the last place you want to add a bunch of mass is the front wheel of a bicycle.
- recursive 2y ago
  I don't think it's that big a deal outside racing applications.
- lostlogin 2y ago
  Is the entirely correct? When there is side wind, a big guy on deep wheels sure has an easier time than a little guy on deep wheels.
  - ropejumper 2y ago
    The amount of braking you can apply before flying over the handlebars decreases significantly the more you move the center of gravity forward.
    - Toutouxc 2y ago
      People who can ride shift their entire body back when emergency braking, which is much more significant than some added weight on the front wheel. People who can't ride usually don't go OTB because of the torque around the front wheel (i.e. the entire bike rotating), they go OTB because they can't handle (or aren't ready for) the sheer force of the deceleration, it makes their hands fold.
peheje 2y ago
Well said. And then... even after all that, it's probably not legal, and no insurance company will insure the bike or you if you get into an accident.
- aoanevdus 2y ago
  I’m sure if I get hurt on my bike, my medical insurance coverage will not care at all whether the injury is from riding an e-bike. If I hit somebody else on my bike… I don’t think I have insurance for that liability? I don’t think my auto or homeowner’s insurance policy mentions me riding bikes at all, let alone an exclusion for DIY e-bikes.
  - alistairSH 2y ago
    Often, in the US, your normal home-owners/renters policy has some level of umbrella liability coverage. Check with your plan to be sure. The problem is (IMO) e-bikes that are more "motorcycle" than "bicycle". Which includes a massive number of the kits. There currently is no national framework for classifying e-bikes. There's the 3 tier system that some industry groups use, but it directly conflicts with most state's moped/motorcycle regulations. Safe bet for an e-bike is a "class 1" bike from a major brand. 20mph cap, no throttle, the most "bicycle" of the 3. Class 2 bikes keep the 20mph cap, but add a throttle (don't need to pedal). This probably makes it a moped or small (50cc) scooter in some states. Class 3 removes the throttle, but bumps the top speed to 28mph. Again, this speed probably makes it a moped or scooter (or possibly even a full motorcycle). And then there's the e-bikes that are more motorcycle than bike. 30+mph, powerful engines, and the pedals are truly vestigial. Supe73 and Surron bikes fall in this category.
    - fwipsy 2y ago
      IIRC The 3-tier system is law in California. Of course, many people use more powerful bikes and there's little enforcement.
    - brianaker 2y ago
      US Law, i.e. Federal Law, for e-bikes is 15 U.S.C. 2085(b) and additionally Title 28 Chapter I Part 36 Subpart A § 36.105. Pedaled vs throttle is an ablest issues; not everyone has picked up on this.
esperent 2y ago
> And then you get into all the compatibility problems - many e-bike conversion kits are sold with a freehub that's not the correct size for modern cassettes (comes with HG 9-speed, need an HG 11-speed, XD, XDR, or Microspline freehub). Axle widths and axle type (bolt, QR, thru-axle). To be fair, all of these problems exist when doing work on normal bikes too.
- semi-extrinsic 2y ago
  Yeah, I got so fed up with all that BS I just completely stopped riding bikes and went 100% longboard instead. They are so robust, simple and predictable.
  - morsch 2y ago
    Doesn't that just shift the increased maintenance burden to your body?
    - semi-extrinsic 2y ago
      My body tolerates water and mechanical stress significantly better than whatever poor excuse for metallurgy is coming out of Shimano these days. Apart from enshittification and MBA bullshit, there is absolutely no reason they can't make a bottom bracket last twenty years.
  - prmoustache 2y ago
    I own bikes and a longboard and the later is not really a replacement for the former anyway. You see a lot of skaters carrying their skate in a bikepack by bike to the skatepark. Surely if skating is their passion and the longboard would be a perfect medium/longer distance solution they would use one to carry their smaller skateboard to the skatepark. Yet you never see that.
    - semi-extrinsic 2y ago
      Of course it depends on your commute and the quality of the pavement where you live. Right now I'm blessed with smooth asphalt pavement and a nice gentle slope most of the way to work, and then I can skate flat + walk a steep hill going home. Previously I lived in London and commuted by longboard there as well. Obviously flat but the surface quality of the pavement was a lot worse, so my knees did complain more.
lostlogin 2y ago
> hope you don't ride a small frame That bike bottles are so small seems to be due to small frames. 750ml is about the max normal size. I’ve tracked down some 950ml ones, but I’m sure you could go larger with a decent sized frame.
- alistairSH 2y ago
  They make 1L bottles, but that’s larger than normal and probably special order. Most of the batteries for e-bike kits look to be at least the size of a 1L bottle, if not even larger.
tim333 2y ago
Or a used one. I mean if part of the bikes old anyway. I got a used one for ~$250 though I've since spent $100+ fixing stuff.

loeg 2y ago

Cassette compatibility isn't going to be a problem with a front wheel conversion kit.

alistairSH 2y ago
Fair, though you still have axle standards to consider. If it's a QR bike, it's pretty straightforward. But, most new bikes (in the US) are through-axle and disc brake.
- loeg 2y ago
  Yes.

EncomLab 2y ago

Not to mention the fact that the last place you want to add a bunch of mass is the front wheel of a bicycle.

recursive 2y ago
I don't think it's that big a deal outside racing applications.
lostlogin 2y ago
Is the entirely correct? When there is side wind, a big guy on deep wheels sure has an easier time than a little guy on deep wheels.
- ropejumper 2y ago
  The amount of braking you can apply before flying over the handlebars decreases significantly the more you move the center of gravity forward.
  - Toutouxc 2y ago
    People who can ride shift their entire body back when emergency braking, which is much more significant than some added weight on the front wheel. People who can't ride usually don't go OTB because of the torque around the front wheel (i.e. the entire bike rotating), they go OTB because they can't handle (or aren't ready for) the sheer force of the deceleration, it makes their hands fold.

peheje 2y ago

Well said. And then... even after all that, it's probably not legal, and no insurance company will insure the bike or you if you get into an accident.

aoanevdus 2y ago
I’m sure if I get hurt on my bike, my medical insurance coverage will not care at all whether the injury is from riding an e-bike. If I hit somebody else on my bike… I don’t think I have insurance for that liability? I don’t think my auto or homeowner’s insurance policy mentions me riding bikes at all, let alone an exclusion for DIY e-bikes.
- alistairSH 2y ago
  Often, in the US, your normal home-owners/renters policy has some level of umbrella liability coverage. Check with your plan to be sure. The problem is (IMO) e-bikes that are more "motorcycle" than "bicycle". Which includes a massive number of the kits. There currently is no national framework for classifying e-bikes. There's the 3 tier system that some industry groups use, but it directly conflicts with most state's moped/motorcycle regulations. Safe bet for an e-bike is a "class 1" bike from a major brand. 20mph cap, no throttle, the most "bicycle" of the 3. Class 2 bikes keep the 20mph cap, but add a throttle (don't need to pedal). This probably makes it a moped or small (50cc) scooter in some states. Class 3 removes the throttle, but bumps the top speed to 28mph. Again, this speed probably makes it a moped or scooter (or possibly even a full motorcycle). And then there's the e-bikes that are more motorcycle than bike. 30+mph, powerful engines, and the pedals are truly vestigial. Supe73 and Surron bikes fall in this category.
  - fwipsy 2y ago
    IIRC The 3-tier system is law in California. Of course, many people use more powerful bikes and there's little enforcement.
  - brianaker 2y ago
    US Law, i.e. Federal Law, for e-bikes is 15 U.S.C. 2085(b) and additionally Title 28 Chapter I Part 36 Subpart A § 36.105. Pedaled vs throttle is an ablest issues; not everyone has picked up on this.

esperent 2y ago

> And then you get into all the compatibility problems - many e-bike conversion kits are sold with a freehub that's not the correct size for modern cassettes (comes with HG 9-speed, need an HG 11-speed, XD, XDR, or Microspline freehub). Axle widths and axle type (bolt, QR, thru-axle). To be fair, all of these problems exist when doing work on normal bikes too.

semi-extrinsic 2y ago
Yeah, I got so fed up with all that BS I just completely stopped riding bikes and went 100% longboard instead. They are so robust, simple and predictable.
- morsch 2y ago
  Doesn't that just shift the increased maintenance burden to your body?
  - semi-extrinsic 2y ago
    My body tolerates water and mechanical stress significantly better than whatever poor excuse for metallurgy is coming out of Shimano these days. Apart from enshittification and MBA bullshit, there is absolutely no reason they can't make a bottom bracket last twenty years.
- prmoustache 2y ago
  I own bikes and a longboard and the later is not really a replacement for the former anyway. You see a lot of skaters carrying their skate in a bikepack by bike to the skatepark. Surely if skating is their passion and the longboard would be a perfect medium/longer distance solution they would use one to carry their smaller skateboard to the skatepark. Yet you never see that.
  - semi-extrinsic 2y ago
    Of course it depends on your commute and the quality of the pavement where you live. Right now I'm blessed with smooth asphalt pavement and a nice gentle slope most of the way to work, and then I can skate flat + walk a steep hill going home. Previously I lived in London and commuted by longboard there as well. Obviously flat but the surface quality of the pavement was a lot worse, so my knees did complain more.

lostlogin 2y ago

> hope you don't ride a small frame That bike bottles are so small seems to be due to small frames. 750ml is about the max normal size. I’ve tracked down some 950ml ones, but I’m sure you could go larger with a decent sized frame.

alistairSH 2y ago
They make 1L bottles, but that’s larger than normal and probably special order. Most of the batteries for e-bike kits look to be at least the size of a 1L bottle, if not even larger.

tim333 2y ago

Or a used one. I mean if part of the bikes old anyway. I got a used one for ~$250 though I've since spent $100+ fixing stuff.