I have a Electra townie step through bike that I would like to convert into an bike. I am wondering what parts do I need, what would be the best motor for my bike, hub mounted or pedal frame type (sorry don’t know te technical name for it lol). My bike has the typical caliper brakes, will I need disc brakes? What am I looking at cost wise?
I want to add the motor to make it easier to go up hills and cycle in strong winds. I would like a battery that can last and I am wondering is there a system that recharges itself as you ride?
Thanks to everyone in advance :)
L -
hi I saw this article, is this the bike you have?
https://www.ebikeschool.com/review-the-electra-townie-great-for-comfort-electric-bicycle-conversions/
some of the townies have odd shapes and hard spaces to fit a battery, but this one has plenty of space. Looks like it can be done. Be aware though, it has no front or rear suspension, so only for flat commuting, easy trails, no big bumps, because you will feel them. We always promote mid-drive motors over hub motors which put the latter to shame in terms of performance and ease of install/maintenance. Cost is going to be like 1k ish depending on the motor and battery you choose. a bafang BBSO2 would do you well. battery size and capacity you choose depends on how much range you want on a charge which also depends on how you ride it and your terrain. 1000wattHour battery will get you about 30-60 miles of range depending on how you ride it and terrain. its heavy though about 15 lbs so you may want a battery half that size. ebike kit adds at least 20-25 lbs to the bike frame. most batteries get about 800-1000 charge cycles. not sure about the brakes and the cutoffs, could be worked out surely. my advice is always find the bike frame that best suits you in terms of comfort, features, and good performance for your preferred terrain. then look into converting. you may find that the roads or terrain you frequent is bumpier than you thought and a zero suspension bike might be less ideal as your body is what absorbs the shock. if your area is very smooth with little bumps then maybe its good for you. personally I like a hardtail with good front fork and suspension seatpost to smooth everything out, but im in a steep rocky terrain area. will add a sticky post with all of these factors to consider for newer folks just getting into ebiking. it can be a bit overwhelming at first.
Just noticed a word is missing my bike is a comfort strep through bike that I want to convert into an electric bike