B'twin Elops 940e + Gates belt drive?

[energyzer]

Hi everyone!

I'm looking to get my first ebike. Love the Riese&Muller's but they are too expensive, I can't really justify spending close to 4k€ for a bike. So I started looking for alternatives, and stopped on the B'twin top of the line model: Elops 940e. Price seems fair, components might not be the best in the world but they will surely do their job so, at 1600€ that seems like a nice alternative.

My question is: would it be possible to replace the chain drivetrain to a gates belt + shimano nexus or something like that? I hate having to mess with oil and all the maintenance a chain drive needs...

Does anyone know a good european online store to buy bike accessories and parts?


Thanks,
E

 

[Dewey]

Gates have Nexus sprockets in 20, 22, & 24 tooth count, Source: https://shop.carbondrive.net/shop/r...efit-3-lobe.html?___store=en&___from_store=de. To thread the continuous Gates Belt through the frame you need either a right side chainstay frame break or an elevated chainstay, which most prebuilt ebikes don’t have. You could convert an inexpensive Gates pedal bike like a Priority Classic with a front hub kit motor and have a new rear wheel built around a Nexus 8 IGH, but you would still need to buy and fit the kit motor and battery.

It would be less expensive and simpler for you to buy a prebuilt ebike near your budget with a Nexus 7 IGH, and enclosed chain case like the Qwic FN7 Lite. I see you are in Lisbon, there is a Qwic brand importer in Porto Easy Cicle who have an older model Qwic FN7 with the battery on the rear rack for 1899 euros, you might ask if they can match that price on the new model with the frame integrated battery. The B-Twin Elops 940e has the Shimano Steps motor and the pedal torque sensor is very good and feels bicycle-like to ride, but if you don't like the derailleur gearing the B-Twin Elops 920e has a Brose motor and Shimano Nexus 7 IGH. If you don't like the hockey-stick style chain guard on the B'Twin 920e you could take it off and enclose the chain with an Hebie chainglider 350, I just did this on my bike with a Nexus 8 IGH and I bought it from bike24.com - count the teeth of the front chainring to order the correct size.

 

[drewberz]

i googled and it looks like Veer Cycle offers a belt conversion, but it's $350 and you need a $30 riveting tool which is $100+ more than a Gates combo. it does save you from having to find somebody who can weld in a split on the seat stay which is aluminum and generally harder to weld than steel. it isn't cross compatible with Gates though

gates has some different providers on their site you can pick through

you'd probably be better off finding a different bike which is already converted or make the modifications as dewey suggested.

i've had really good success with both bike24.com and bike-components.de in order accuracy, pricing and timeliness.

however, when i ordered from bike-components earlier this year, the order was held up in customs for 1-1.5months to the USA. i imagine that is different to Lisbon.

 

[Dewey]

i googled and it looks like Veer Cycle offers a belt conversion

Thanks for posting, first time I've seen that. I hope its durable and won't break like Continental's belt did, time will tell.

 

[drewberz]

Thanks for posting, first time I've seen that. I hope its durable and won't break like Continental's belt did, time will tell.

interesting. I contacted Veer asking for clarification.