Top 5 Electric Bike Conversion Kits
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Phoenix System 3640P Phoenix Brute System on 26 inch Front Wheel |
  There is a vague reference to “watts” but not what the watts come from or go to. No mention of the size or wattage of the motor. No mention of the type battery and its rating. No mention of the charger specs and whether it is self-regulating. For $1,000 I think we deserve more info. |
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Currie EZip Trailz Men’s Electric Bike |
 A small plastic part broke with the 4th ride sending me to the ground, breaking my cell phone causing me to be late for work and unable to call in. skinned my knee so bad it became infected sending me to the doctors for antibiotics…all costing me a ton of money. Not that the company can resolve all of that, but when calling them to ask if they could just send the tiny plastic part, they acted as if I was lying, and told me I would have to send the whole bike back and pay shipping. The worst was the attitude they had that I was trying to pull a fast one on them. Wouldn’t do business with them again. |
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Convert Your Bike to Electric/ Forget High Gas Prices |
 For the amount of info covered here, it could have been a 5 min. video, or even a 2 page PDF. Lots of fluff. |
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Sparrow Motor for Front Wheel |
 ElectricRider’s Sparrow motor is based on the Crystalyte 409 brushed motor. Brushed motor systems are less sophisticated than brushless systems, so Sparrow is a great value for occasional riders. Sparrow comes in front (100mm) version only. Rear version is available in our Phoenix and RoadRunner brushless motors. Sparrow motor is compatible with our X-CT3625S or X-CT4825S controller and can be laced to rim sizes 16, 20, 24, and 26 inch. Fits mountain bikes, cruisers, and recumbents that have standard 100mm wide front fork. |
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Currie Technologies Power Kit |
 This new Currie Electro-Drive Conversion Kit easily transforms a standard bicycle and converts it into a modern electric powered ride. |
All About Electric Bike Conversion Kits
Ever wished you had a little bit more “oomph” riding your bike up a big hill? Or have your legs gotten tired and you needed a rest, but were riding into the wind and couldn’t stop peddling? Have an extra bike sitting in the garage that you’d like to make a fun project of? Or maybe you’ve seen a motorized bike around town and think it just looks like fun.
The electric bike conversion kit is a great answer to people who find themselves in any of these scenarios. The bicycle itself has been around since first conceived in France in the 1860s. And while you may think that adding a motor is something that came around much later (say the 1950s, at the earliest), you’d be wrong. In fact, people were adding motors to bicycles as soon as 1896 (the year the first of such bikes was patented), so even before the turn of the century!
Now, you can go out and buy a brand new electric bicycle with all sorts of features (and at a pretty hefty price), or you can take the simpler (and generally more affordable) route of buying an electric bike conversion kit to build one yourself.
The electric bike conversion kit lets you take an existing bicycle and add power in a way that best suits your desires for the bike. You get to choose where it is mounted, how much power and speed it’s capable of putting out, and even how that power is controlled (in response to pedal force, kicking in when needed, or through a throttle on the handlebar, when you decide you want extra power).
The great thing about electric bikes in general is that they are a great hybrid between people power and electric power. Unlike a scooter, the electric bike has pedals and can be powered partially, or entirely, with those pedals, just like a normal bike. You can then add power as needed or desired to give you the speed or momentum you’re looking for.
And the genesis of the electric bike conversion kit added even more flexibility, by allowing people to have the option of building the bike (as power is concerned, at least) on their own. So if you want a motorized bike without having to buy a fancy one, the conversion kit is definitely the way to go.
So you’ve heard of the electric bike, or maybe you’ve seen one around, or perhaps someone you know even owns one. If you’re decided that the motorized bicycle is something that you’d like to have, you now need to decide how you’re going to acquire it. Are you going to buy a bike that comes motorized, or are you going to buy an electric bike conversion kit, to add power to a bicycle you already own.
Once you decide which way you’re going to go, there are a lot of features, options, and types that you will need to choose between. But let’s focus on one thing at a time. Here are the top three advantages of both electric bike conversion kits and pre-built electric bikes; it’s up to you to decide which fits better with your needs.
Electric Bike:
This bike comes powered with a battery from the very start. It’s ready to ride right when you get it.
- PRO: Ready right ‘out of the box’, so to speak, a bike that is designed to be run on electricity requires little to no assembly or maintenance (aside from making sure the battery is charged) to get going.
- PRO: Takes minimal technical knowledge. To troubleshoot your bike, it’s good to have a working knowledge of engines, but you don’t have to be a mechanic or even a tinkerer to get it to work if you buy it already converted.
- PRO: Design. Electric bikes that are designed to be electric, so the components are often concealed more tastefully (and are better protected) than when they’re affixed from the outside, as in a kit.
Electric Bike Conversion Kits:
- PRO: Price. Conversion kits are almost always much more affordable than a whole new bike, adjusting for which end of the quality spectrum you seek in each, of course. A kit can cost anywhere from $200-$1500, while a motorized bike will range $350-$3,000. And if you already have a spare regular bike (or can find one at a garage sale), it’s even more cost effective.
- PRO: A good project. People who appreciate motors like putting together their own machines, and for many people, that’s a fun part about the conversion kit.
- PRO: Flexibility. Instead of buying something “out of the box,” you get to decide which parts you want to use, how it will be configured, and how much power you’re going to get. An electric bike conversion kit is one of the best ways to get a bike that really works for you.
If you are looking to use an electric bike conversion kit to change your standard bicycle into one with a bit more power, you’ll need to decide what type of kit (and essentially, which type of operation) is best for your needs.
One of the biggest decisions you’ll make is whether you want a kit that gives power to the propulsion of your bicycle on an on-demand basis, or whether you want generalized electric assist. Let’s look into the differences between the two, to help you decide what exactly makes sense for you.
If you are planning to convert your bike to run on electricity in addition to just pedals, think about why you want this. Do you want to be able to achieve a faster speed than you can do pedaling? Do you get tired and need something that can keep you moving while you take a break from pedaling? Do you live someplace that has hills or inclines that can be difficult to climb, and you could use a little boost? The answers to these questions will help you decide which type of electric bike conversion kit will work for you.
If you are looking for more speed in general, know that an electric bike can achieve speeds up to 20 miles per hour. This is faster than the casual biker achieves on his or her own, and the type of electric bike conversion kit you want to buy is one that gives you what is called “electric assist.” For this, you simply flip the switch to “on” and your electric engine is set to give you a boost whenever you need it based on the speed you are going or how you are pedaling.
If you just want some help with certain situations (like going up a hill), the electric assist can work. Or you can go with the other choice, the “on demand” option, which has a throttle on the handlebar by which you choose exactly when to initiate power from the engine to increase your speed or torque.
Either way, buying an electric bike conversion kit gives your bike—and you—more capability and more options with how fast, how far, and even where you ride your bike. You can still pedal all you want (and can turn it off so you are only pedaling and it becomes a normal bike). The conversion kit just gives you the option of more power without the speed and risk of a bigger motorized vehicle.
If you are thinking of buying an electric bike conversion kit but aren’t quite sure if it is the right decision for you, go through the following checklist. We’ll look at the purpose these kits serve, who would most benefit from them, and then which type of power control is the better option for your purposes.
What Does It Do?
Simply put, these kits take a standard, pedal bicycle and add an electric motor for extra power and speed when needed.
Why Will You Use It?
For kids who have no health problems or physical challenges, the purpose of an electric bike is largely just because it is fun. It gives kids a way of going faster than they do on a bike, but it is much safer than the motorized vehicles that adults drive (and that kids, of course, cannot).
An electric bike conversion kit can also be helpful for adults who find that they are having trouble always getting the power that they need while out riding. Of course, an electric bike is not a substitute for a motorcycle or scooter; they generally go a bit slower, and they cannot put out the power to get the distance that a motorcycle gets.
But say, for example, that you ride your bicycle to work. Yet there is a big hill or two that always forces you to get off and walk. Using an electric bike conversion kit gives you the flexibility to use your bike just like normal, and then hit the throttle when you come to the hill, to give you that extra “oomph” you need.
What Styles Are There?
There are generally two types of power delivery control for these electric bike conversion kits. One delivers power by detecting the amount of work you are doing. From pedal speed or pedal force, the engine gauges how much help you need and delivers that help accordingly. Your other choices is having a throttle or similar control mounted on the handlebar. This gives you more manual control of when the engine delivers power, and how much power it delivers. So if you’re going up a hill, you can decide to get as far as you want to on your own and then add power to help you finish, or if you are getting tired on a flat route and need to rest your legs, you can have the engine take over for awhile. The choice is up to you.
History Of The Electric Bike Conversion Kit
As modes of transportation go, the bicycle has been one of the most important small-scale inventions ever made, second only to the automobile. Long distance travel requires trains and airplanes, but for every day use, the bicycle has made a huge difference in the way we get around. It is used by children who are too young to drive cars, and by adults who appreciate the affordability, fuel economy, portability (don’t have to pay for parking), and health benefits of the bike.
Now, there are bicycles that are improved by offering some power in acceleration, without losing convenience and portability. To convert your own beloved bicycle to one that runs on power, you’ll need to buy an electric bike conversion kit.
You might think that the electric bicycle is something that just came about in the past decade or two. But actually, the first patent for an electric bicycle was filed in 1895, a good 30 years after the first manual (non-powered) bicycle was made, but still more than a century ago.
Since those early models, motorized bikes have gotten much more advanced. You can buy them pre-assembled in a number of different setups, or you can buy just the electric bike conversion kit to add power to your existing bike.
One thing that all electric bikes share is the basic source of their added power: a small electric motor that is fueled by a rechargeable battery (or batteries). If you buy an electric bike that is designed to be such, it may have the engine or battery built in someplace that is a little harder to see. It can be covered near the rear wheel.
But with an electric bike conversion kit, you can’t add on a covering. You will have to attach the battery someplace where it can rest (such as in a rear basket, for example).
Think an electric bike conversion kit is a cheap way of getting a motorcycle without having to pay a bigger price? Well, you may have to adjust your expectations. Whether with a kit or not, a motorized bicycle usually goes no faster than about 20 miles per hour. Plus, the difference between a motorized bicycle and a motorcycle or scooter is that the bicycle still relies on pedals as its primary source of propulsion. So getting a conversion kit to add power to your bike is fun, and a good way to add power for inclines, but doesn’t replace a full blown automobile.
