Is this upgrade safe?

[davidsafford]

Hello,
I’ve got a 26" MalTrack blue/black bike. If I clean it up, it should be fine, but I’m thinking about installing a 2000W 52V conversion kit with a 52V 20Ah or 25Ah battery, and I’m not sure which battery size to choose. Would this setup work if I also upgrade to hydraulic brakes? AI told me I’d need torque arms, but I don’t even know what those are. I’m planning to ride at around 50 km/h and want enough power to handle steep roads without struggling — not insanely steep hills, but definitely the kind that would be difficult without a conversion kit.
Does this sound reasonably safe, or is it just a bad idea and not worth doing?

 

[Chargeride]

Its an aluminium frame and I presume youre referring to a large direct drive hub.
You really should fit at least one torque arm, the dropouts will quickly fail and leave you with ripped out motor cabling.
2000w isnt crazy power anymore, hydraulic brakes would be good, but the quality and disc size is more important.

It will easily do 30mph, but its not really a big climber, though the 26 inch wheel size will help.

Of course you are taking a lightweight mtb to its structual limit and need to keep an eye on every bolt and check the frame daily

 

[davidsafford]

Its an aluminium frame and I presume youre referring to a large direct drive hub.
You really should fit at least one torque arm, the dropouts will quickly fail and leave you with ripped out motor cabling.
2000w isnt crazy power anymore, hydraulic brakes would be good, but the quality and disc size is more important.

It will easily do 30mph, but its not really a big climber, though the 26 inch wheel size will help.

Of course you are taking a lightweight mtb to its structual limit and need to keep an eye on every bolt and check the frame daily

Thanks for your suggestion.

 

[RunForTheHills]

For long, steep climbs, you would be better off with a mid-drive motor kit rather than more power that can use the gears on the bike. 1000 watts can get you the speed you want. 750 watts can too. Even a DD hub motor will overheat on a long and steep enough hill. You can use the Grin motor simulator to model that.

Keep in mind that 52V X 20A is only 1040 watts. Most people building 2KW+ e-motorcycles are using higher voltage and very big batteries. Bicycle components aren't designed for that kind of power.

 

[RunForTheHills]

Grin Motor Simulator