Hi. I just picked up a couple of vintage Raleigh Rambler MX bikes. I'd like to convert them to electric. I have converted my parents trikes to electric, so I'm a little familiar with this, but still going into uncharted waters a bit.
My wife and I will primarily be using them to ride the trails around our home. Purely pleasure rides. We don't need tons of range or speed. I'm thinking 36v 500w should be good?
I'd like to keep the look of the bikes as original as possible. I was thinking about using a rear wheel conversion kit (for looks), but then started wondering about weight distribution when you add batteries.... Front would be o.k., if I could find a hub in chrome that doesn't look so big. I also am toying with the idea of getting a kit with a chrome hub with the same 36 spokes, and then getting some smaller spokes and reusing the nice gold rims that came with the bike. I have a friend who builds wheels who could help.
The bikes have coaster brakes. I'm not sure if adding a regular brake up front will be enough. Not sure what the holes on the fork near the axle are for.
I'll probably go with a simple thumb switch for the throttle, hide the LCD with the controller somewhere.
For batteries, not sure what to do. The bottle batteries look nice, but I'm not sure they have enough power. I'm not quite sure how many amps or whatever battery I will need for say 10-15 miles of assist or cruising. It's mostly flat here. Another option is to buy some pre-made battery packs (with the blue plastic around them) and hide them in some kind of case or bag.
I have a pretty complete shop here, plenty of tools and plenty of experience building and fixing things.
I'm mainly looking for some ideas from some experienced builders. Again, I want to keep it as stealthy as possible, keeping the original look as much as possible, even if it's at the sacrifice of some range or convenience.
Thanks so much!
My wife and I will primarily be using them to ride the trails around our home. Purely pleasure rides. We don't need tons of range or speed. I'm thinking 36v 500w should be good?
I'd like to keep the look of the bikes as original as possible. I was thinking about using a rear wheel conversion kit (for looks), but then started wondering about weight distribution when you add batteries.... Front would be o.k., if I could find a hub in chrome that doesn't look so big. I also am toying with the idea of getting a kit with a chrome hub with the same 36 spokes, and then getting some smaller spokes and reusing the nice gold rims that came with the bike. I have a friend who builds wheels who could help.
The bikes have coaster brakes. I'm not sure if adding a regular brake up front will be enough. Not sure what the holes on the fork near the axle are for.
I'll probably go with a simple thumb switch for the throttle, hide the LCD with the controller somewhere.
For batteries, not sure what to do. The bottle batteries look nice, but I'm not sure they have enough power. I'm not quite sure how many amps or whatever battery I will need for say 10-15 miles of assist or cruising. It's mostly flat here. Another option is to buy some pre-made battery packs (with the blue plastic around them) and hide them in some kind of case or bag.
I have a pretty complete shop here, plenty of tools and plenty of experience building and fixing things.
I'm mainly looking for some ideas from some experienced builders. Again, I want to keep it as stealthy as possible, keeping the original look as much as possible, even if it's at the sacrifice of some range or convenience.
Thanks so much!
