Conversion Kit Suggestion for my Situation

[poken1151]

Hi All,

So I've made a couple posts now, and here's where I am.

My first conversion is laid out here: https://electricbikereview.com/foru...king-input-direction.16153/page-3#post-136147
I made another post talking about how that got stolen and whether I should do another conversion or buy a full bike.
I'm leaning towards a kit and need some suggestions for this bike.

I have an opportunity to redeem some rewards specifically for this bike:
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...trail-mountain-bikes/roscoe/roscoe-7/p/23444/

It's 10-speed, and a plus bike (about a ~3-inch rim).

I'm thinking to look for a rear, heavy-duty DD motor for a hilly city (Seattle) and my weight (330lbs, yes I still expect to pedal, but I want to be able to not completely kill the motor/myself). I have the battery still from my first conversion (this one: https://www.ebikekit.com/collections/48v-lithium-batteries/products/blue-li-ion-battery-48v-20ah)

I could get the same kit again, sans battery, from ebikekit, but it'd be a 7 or 9 speed casette (the stock would be 10) and the rim would be way smaller than stock.

Any idea of something that would be a closer fit to both the stock tire and something that matches the battery I have? I really don't know things in this realm outside of what I put together, so I could use some input before I pull the trigger on that bike (as much as it looks nice, I doubt I'll be riding it without a motor up these hills at my weight).

 

[J.R.]

Hi All,

So I've made a couple posts now, and here's where I am.

My first conversion is laid out here: https://electricbikereview.com/foru...king-input-direction.16153/page-3#post-136147
I made another post talking about how that got stolen and whether I should do another conversion or buy a full bike.
I'm leaning towards a kit and need some suggestions for this bike.

I have an opportunity to redeem some rewards specifically for this bike:
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...trail-mountain-bikes/roscoe/roscoe-7/p/23444/

It's 10-speed, and a plus bike (about a ~3-inch rim).

I'm thinking to look for a rear, heavy-duty DD motor for a hilly city (Seattle) and my weight (330lbs, yes I still expect to pedal, but I want to be able to not completely kill the motor/myself). I have the battery still from my first conversion (this one: https://www.ebikekit.com/collections/48v-lithium-batteries/products/blue-li-ion-battery-48v-20ah)

I could get the same kit again, sans battery, from ebikekit, but it'd be a 7 or 9 speed casette (the stock would be 10) and the rim would be way smaller than stock.

Any idea of something that would be a closer fit to both the stock tire and something that matches the battery I have? I really don't know things in this realm outside of what I put together, so I could use some input before I pull the trigger on that bike (as much as it looks nice, I doubt I'll be riding it without a motor up these hills at my weight).

You can buy a hub motor (sans wheel), sized for the dropouts of the bike you like and have the motor laced into the stock wheel. Should cost less than $100, likely around $60, plus the cost of the spokes of your choice.

 

[tomjasz]

Ebikekit offers great support but high prices for what you get! Use the ebikes.ca calculator to sort geared drive choices. NOT a DD unless you go for one of the monsters available. Otherwise, I'd look at a BBSHD.

 

[AHicks]

I can share with a high degree of certainty, that a DD hub, 330 lbs, and big hills are NOT going to get along well. I have a 26" bike (RAD City) that I've installed a 1500w DD kit motor on (didn't care for the RAD electronics at all). Controller is a KT based 35 amp, and I weigh 315. This combo can be left really grunting hard on longer (1/2-3/4 mile) big hills without some serious help from it's rider in a very low gear (like 5-6 mph low gear). My battery is not a super heavy duty, so I try to keep the load on it at 20 amps or less, but a big hill scenario can have it drawing 30 temporarily. If the wiring and cells would allow the full 35 amp output, my experience with this setup might be a little different.

I'm currently checking out, and will likely try one of these days, a MAC 12t geared rear hub for increased performance on some of these hills, while using power similar to what I am using now. The down side to the gear drive is that they cannot get rid of heat as easily as a DD can, so a certain amount of caution is required. You need a cool down period after one of those big hills... My experience, FWIW, -Al

 

[tomjasz]

will likely try one of these days, a MAC 12t geared rear hub for increased performance on some of these hills, while using power similar to what I am using now.

ebikes.ca similator now has MAC motors. It's amazingly accurate. I'm slowly building a step through with a MAC 10T. A good balance for me fast enough but faster than a 12T. 6T and 12T I think are a special order. https://www.ebikes.ca/tools/simulator.html

• 8T – 40kph (36v) , 50kph (48v)
• 10T – 32kph (36v) , 40kph (48v)

 

[poken1151]

Thanks all, I appreciate the comments so far. Seems if I want to do this as a build, a simple kit won't be enough and I'll need to learn a fair bit more (I honestly don't understand much of what's been said so far except that I need to go wholly custom...).

Perusing the site on ebikes.ca, should I start looking for a hub and spokes and just reuse the rim that comes with the bike I mentioned? Is that where I should start this search? Should I forget about re-using the battery I had from my previous kit?

The "MAC 12t geared rear hub" that AHicks mentioned seems to be the start, I just have to figure out what that all means, lol. Any further help or guidance?

 

[indianajo]

Lunacycle in LA stocks MAC 12T. Just ordered one. My bike grosses 330 lb with 170 lb me + supplies. The $200 gearmotor I bought in 2017 is starting to make loud noises on steep up hills. White noise is new.
I built a wheel out of a Sturmey Archer IGH. Took 3 orders to get the spoke lengths right. What worked is not what the spoke calculator recommended. I have a dial indicator to take measurements accurate .002". I ordered the motor built in a wheel for $65 extra. Luna charges same freight for a small box with motor+controller or a huge box with a wheel in it.
If you live in Canada, by all means use ebikes.ca he's really nice. But crossing the border is too complicated for me. A Luna battery performed okay for me after trash batteries via ebay & amazon vendors.

 

[AHicks]

I can't find a 135mm rear hub MAC 12t state side (the only source I've found is Em3v), so I checked the above links.

Indianajo, you must be going with a MAC 12t front hub install?

Tom, I emailed ebikes about a 135mm 12t and they just said they don't have them. There was no offer to order one.

Poken, the MAC is supposed to be one of, if not THE best gear drive setups around, and they're not so proud of it they charge an enormous price for it. They're also the only ones that offer anything like the 12t which is set up for low speeds and higher torque. This means it's not going to heat up as quickly. My bike rarely sees anything over 20 mph while under power, so I figured a motor capable of more than that is a waste.

The other parts required to install are the same as those to do a DD kit. You're familiar with those. Personally, I go with the KT controllers so I can use the LCD3 display, but that's a personal call. I wouls encourage you to get some type of display that has advanced functions - in addition to the standard wheel size, max speed, etc. -Al

 

[tomjasz]

I can't find a 135mm rear hub MAC 12t state side (the only source I've found is Em3v), so I checked the above links.

Indianajo, you must be going with a MAC 12t front hub install?

Tom, I emailed ebikes about a 135mm 12t and they just said they don't have them. There was no offer to order one.

Poken, the MAC is supposed to be one of, if not THE best gear drive setups around, and they're not so proud of it they charge an enormous price for it. They're also the only ones that offer anything like the 12t which is set up for low speeds and higher torque. This means it's not going to heat up as quickly. My bike rarely sees anything over 20 mph while under power, so I figured a motor capable of more than that is a waste.

The other parts required to install are the same as those to do a DD kit. You're familiar with those. Personally, I go with the KT controllers so I can use the LCD3 display, but that's a personal call. I wouls encourage you to get some type of display that has advanced functions - in addition to the standard wheel size, max speed, etc. -Al

eZee from Grin May be a better motor by some accounts, but looking at 10T compared to 12T... 12T isn’t much of a gain when comparing on the motor simulator. With eBikes.ca you have premium support. EM3ev OK support. With Luna you have to use forums for support.

 

[indianajo]

I can't find a 135mm rear hub MAC 12t state side (the only source I've found is Em3v), so I checked the above links.
Indianajo, you must be going with a MAC 12t front hub install?

Yeah. I had a DD rear hub and it was too wide for an 8 speed freewheel. Nobody stocked an 12-32 or 13-32 7 speed, and 28 won't get me up a 15% hill with 60 lb supplies and no power. Hated the 7 speed 14-28 freewheel, 14T also too slow to help motor by pedaling over 11 mph. $200 geared front motor is working fine on the bike left except it's wearing out (gears?) at 190 miles use . MAC might have metal gears. 18 mph max is fine with me, no suspension on cargo bikes. I'm grinding up steep hills @ 6 mph with 1200 watts geared already. DD 1000 W was no faster & took 2.5 times the battery AH. Had a flat (cut tube stem) last week and it was on the rear as usual; ++ for having the motor on the front.

 

[poken1151]

Wow, all this help and info is great to have! Ok, I've at least decided to go for that bike and ebikecanada for the 10T, I just need to figure out the rest of the componenets and fit. I'll return to this post once I have the bike in hand.

 

[tomjasz]

MAC motors have a very wide power range.