New, Nervous & Hoping for a Vintage Ride

[Callard]

Hello,

ebikes are a new field for me and there are some questions I thought you folks may be able to answer. I'd like to do a conversion on a vintage bike and my budget is at the low end for this project.

There are three bikes that could be used towards this project but I lean towards converting a 1989 Miyata 618GT, its already sitting in the garage, has a steel frame, 700x35c tires, and is comfortable to handle. It would certainly require a tune-up, a brake update and possibly new shifters at some point but otherwise it’s in decent condition.

I was hoping that something like a front wheel motor, 400nm, could be used to provide a budget introduction; and in this way gain some experience before doing anything more complicated or expensive. The bike would be used to commute to work (14K round trip) and around town, nearly always on asphalt; the e-aspect providing a boost as it’s a bit hilly and I’m often hauling cargo or dogs.

Ya'll seem to know what your up to around here, what do you think? Could a front hub be mounted on something like a 618GT safely?

(obvs not my bike, but basically the same idea)

Kind Regards,
Callard

 

[indianajo]

I've put front hub motors on 1. a huffy savannah from 1990? and 2. A 2017 yuba bodaboda (shown in avatar). Both front forks were steel. Neither was a problem on front fork durability. I've got ~8000 miles on the bodaboda. I had to grind out the slot a little on the savannah. Use safety glasses using power tools. I made torque arms 3" long clamped to the fork with a 1" strip of box fan shell. Use a worm hose clamp on torque arm at a risk of twisting your wire off. Torque arms were 1" bed frame rail stock drilled & filed to fit the flats on the shaft. I double nut the motor to keep it from working loose.
I don't know where you're going to buy 400 nm torque. Usually hub motors or 40 or 80 or whonose? (the ones I own).
In my opinion, rim brakes don't work in the rain. I hit a car side @ 2 mph when she ran a stop sign after I had stopped & restarted. Lots of blather about premium pads by others, ignoring the tendency of puddle water to lubricate rubber. I ride in the rain. Disk & drum & coaster brakes work in the rain. You could mount an IGH on the back with an internal drum brake. Don't buy a Sturmey Archer S80, mine the shift pawl fell
off every mile. Shimano 8 speed IGH has some fans on mtb forum. IGH drag about 10% compared to derailleur setup, due to the 8 or so gearsets whirling around.
Don't use front hub power on ice, wet rock steel or lumber. Pedal or walk the bike. Textured steel manhole covers are not as dangerous as flat plates. Beware slots in sewer grates.

 

[Callard]

Thanks so much for the input indianajo, some of your posted builds look great - that yuba can haul! I'd heard about aluminum fork issues and haven't seen too many conversion for this style bike, being the cautious sort, thought it prudent to do a check-in. It was taken for a spin the other day, for the first time in years, and I'd forgotten how fun the Miyata was to ride. She gildes on ashphalt, the frame stiffness is noticable over bumps but nothing some post-hydraulics can't fix.

*blush* 40nm torque. My fingers must have got a bit trigger happy there. TBH I'm hoping to try a Swytch as its low-profile and, at least theoretically, has an easy to install factor. The less drilling and filling the better. From what I understand around here the motor is a bit low on the watts but the intention, anyhow, is more to aid on the local hilly terrain then take-on any full throttle. But who knows how that will reassess once its kit and gets taken for a spin.

The daily commute is typically ashphalt to asphalt as they paved over the previous dirt/gravel bike path in 2020. What an improvement. And any treks are largely asphalt with a short wood bridge here or there, so fairly civilized. But yes, we learnt the front wheel drive lesson on our vehicle, old school front does not drive well in the winter (it got stuck in the drive-way this year *eye roll*).

My body doesn't take well to anything but fair-weather cycling but who knows, if it goes well, maybe a mid-drive all-weather rig can be set-up to ride through the Canadian winters. Something with more of a motorized feel to keep the heavy breathing in cold air to a minimum. As for upgrades it shall be as the need appears so shall any investments.

 

[tomjasz]

An aluminum force with stout torque arms can be a workable conversion. But I’d limit the motor size. That said my pal has a aluminum fork and 750W MXUS direct drive hub motor with two eBikes.ca torque arms.
5 years of city riding issue free.