Possible Donor Bike to DIY - Single speed, is it good?

[hoboin]

hey all i am starting to look for a used bike to make a DIY electric bike, i am looking for a step-thru model and preferably a japanese/dutch step thru /lady bike. I am tall, 6 foot 3 and already have 2 ebikes and want to have a 3rd that i build myself. This bike i found on craigslist seems to be in working order for $150 only which seems very good to me, but it's a single speed. I was hoping for something with more gears or IGH. But for $150 this could be a great start? I live in a VERY hilly area, my 350w mid drive struggles up the hills. So if i build a DIY 500w+ could i keep the single speed or would i have to change it out? Any thoughts on the quality of the bike or any questions i should ask specifically to get an idea if the bike frame will fit for my very long legs, i am 6 foot 3 and 36" inseam. Thanks guys.

Le Choix Fromage French Style Cruiser Bike with Add-Ons, Med -...

Selling a unique comfort cruiser/commuter bicycle. Has just been serviced this week and is working well. It’s labeled “Le Choix Fromage” (“the choice cheese” in French). It’s Chinese made most...

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[AHicks]

Hilly areas generally demand a mid drive. Just to be clear, that's what you are thinking of on this project as well, right?

What I have found, in my experience riding in a hilly area, is that you need brakes you can trust, for reasons very obvious to those that ride in hilly areas. For that reason, any donor/project bike I would select would have disk brakes on it. That's me though, FWIW. -Al

 

[hoboin]

I have a 750w hub motor bike and it does very well on my hills, so if it's cheaper I would prefer a hub motor at around 750w to 1000w if possible. You are right, disc brakes I would prefer. Are they difficult to install or costly? My biggest need is a decent frame, I haven't looked a lot but in my area it's hard to find a bike on this style which is the one I'm after for a diy build.

I just bought an Arial rider rideal 750w motor and it's bad ass, handles most tough hills at 17 mph. My goal is to build a diy to match that speed. I found the same battery for about $350 on Amazon so I would prefer to go with the same battery maybe.

 

[ruffruff]

Hilly areas generally demand a mid drive. Just to be clear, that's what you are thinking of on this project as well, right?

What I have found, in my experience riding in a hilly area, is that you need brakes you can trust, for reasons very obvious to those that ride in hilly areas. For that reason, any donor/project bike I would select would have disk brakes on it. That's me though, FWIW. -Al

And to add Ahicks, I think a single speed in hilly areas would not be a good idea. The beauty of the mid drive is you get to use the gears.

 

[harryS]

Disk brakes require the caliper mounts already on the frame. Sometimes, you can replace the front fork with one that has mounts, but such forks may not be available for many older models. Quite easy to install though, if you have the mounts, and a front disk, rear rim has good stopping power.

I suppose I could ride a more hilly area with a 750W geared motor and one gear, but I would hate it. My riding is a mix of pedal power and motor assist and I have to have gears. If your hills are enough to burn up your legs with a single speed bike, they will also burn up your mid drive with a single gear, unless you pick a climbing gear for your only gear. That will kill your cruising speed.

 

[hoboin]

could replacing it with an IGH be reasonable or easy to do? and maybe a front hub motor? Or i guess mid-drive motor at 500w or more but i'm not sure on the price and installation process of that. So unlikely but possible to install disk brakes which i would certainly prefer.

if the frame size is right, for $150 it seems like a really good price. But i'm not sure if i can find a new style like this and have it delivered for under $500ish.

 

[harryS]

It's worth the money to have better brakes and the security of a rear motor. Cost $400 more to start, but your front teeth are worth that.

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The Fromage only has a band brake in the rear. You don't want to put a mid motor on that. Front motors on spindly steel forks are always a risky proposition.

 

[ruffruff]

could replacing it with an IGH be reasonable or easy to do? and maybe a front hub motor? Or i guess mid-drive motor at 500w or more but i'm not sure on the price and installation process of that. So unlikely but possible to install disk brakes which i would certainly prefer.

if the frame size is right, for $150 it seems like a really good price. But i'm not sure if i can find a new style like this and have it delivered for under $500ish.

Well, just about anything is possible, but you get to a point where you stick a lot of money and time into it and you are getting close to the cost of an out of the box ebike.
Only you can decide if the amount of money and time you stick into is worth it. I built a DIY two winters ago. Everything went OK until I got to the torque arms. Because of the welds and some tubing configuration I could never get the torque arms to sit right.

You never really know what you are getting into until you get into it!
Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of very successful DIY ebikes and I am a BIG DIY guy, but summers are short and I want to ride...I walked into the LBS and plunked my money down on bike with a service shop behind it and warranty.

AND lastly, some of those batteries on Amazon/Ebay etc. are not good!

 

[RunForTheHills]

Since you have two working ebikes, take your time and wait for the right frame. Get the right size (XL), disc brakes, gears, and a front suspension. Just check Craigslist every day until you find what you want.

 

[hoboin]

thanks for the replies, i will most likely skip it but it was worth asking. if i find any others i might post them here

 

[hoboin]

Since you have two working ebikes, take your time and wait for the right frame. Get the right size (XL), disc brakes, gears, and a front suspension. Just check Craigslist every day until you find what you want.

sounds like the best way to go, thanks!

 

[WilliamT]

I would keep looking. Drum brakes don't work that well and require a lot more effort than even V-brakes.

 

[indianajo]

And to add Ahicks, I think a single speed in hilly areas would not be a good idea. The beauty of the mid drive is you get to use the gears.

You can use the gears on a hub drive too. Most rear ones come with a 7 speed freewheel, or you can do like me and use the front hub motor. That got me back to 24 speeds. Steel frames stand up to a front hub motor with a torque arm. My aluminum yuba has a steel front fork. Don't power a front hub motor on ice, mud, wet wood rock or steel. Hub motors will go 25 without speed increase sprockets, and if you want to go >25 you need a bike with a suspension.
The bike in post 1 lacks disk brakes which work in the rain, and I've lived in APG Md, it rains there. Hills requiring a mid drive are at least 2500 miles from DC. Geared hub motors don't do 1000' lifts in 40 minutes, they burn. I cross 80 hills twice with my geared hub motor weekly on my 30 mile commute.
Sizing of frame? a person that tall needs probably a 23" frame which drop frame bikes are rare in. I'd pass on this bike. Converting single speed to 7 speed is harder than adding a motor & battery. Rear flange is wrong.
I get better bike prices @ Salvation Army resale than $150. I've paid $15 for a 10 speed drop frame 27" tire bike with bad brake & shifter cables, and I bought a working Pacific Quantum drop frame MTB for $75 at the flea market. 21 speeds. I'm not seeing disk brakes at either location.

 

[AHicks]

Maybe consider a mountain bike from Walmart as a donor? My first DIY was a brand new Schwinn mountain bike (with disk brakes) that I bought from Walmart for less than 200. Biggest mistake I made with that project was going with a direct drive hub motor (gutless in the hills) and a WAY too big battery (50 mile range when my butt is good for only 20). A bike like that would make a good geared hub project, or a Bafang mid drive. Beauty of the mid drive is they do work so well in the hills, and they simplify the wiring a bit, with their built in controller.

 

[hoboin]

I was really considering using the gears from the motor. With my Arial Rider Rideal 750w motor with 6 speed, i could easily get away with just staying in 1 gear and using the throttle or high PAS for the rest. Only downside i could see is a lot of stress on the motor. Also i would consider starting with a walmart bike if that is the best option. I think realistically i should be able to find something good on craigslist if i just wait it out. Not sure what the best season to buy used bikes are, probably summer but not sure. It's just pretty tough being tall and having to seemingly always have to buy specially made, harder to find things like an XL bike. But i really want to have a back up to my Rideal that can match the speed, as my 350w mid drive motor wants to go about 13mph on average where as the Rideal 750w hub wants to go 17-19mph in my area. Mainly want to have a second bike to keep up if i let a friend ride with me and a good backup commuter bike as i see myself bike commuting 16 miles round trip everyday for the next year.

 

[hoboin]

Another angle i was considering, speaking of Walmart (or maybe amazon), was maybe buying a complete electric bike from them and purchasing a warranty. I read some others on here doing something similar and i believe it could be a good way to ensure that the bike will be in good working order for years, is that correct? as in if you purchase the warranty and the motor or battery dies they would replace the bike?

 

[AHicks]

This bike came up in a different conversation regarding inexpensive e-bikes. I don't know a thing about it first hand, and I'm NOT advocating fat tire bikes, but it looks to be a pretty good buy. Something like it would be difficult to duplicate for this kind of money. Some very careful shopping might find some other brands available.

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As far as extended warranty, I would not trust an on-line entity to perform well when it comes to replacing an entire bike. With somebody like Walmart you might stand a much better chance.

 

[hoboin]

that looks pretty good. Seems the frame is a bit small but i like the idea of a fat tire. Another angle could be alibaba if i could find a trustworthy dealer. I wouldn't mind waiting a long time to save money.

 

[AHicks]

that looks pretty good. Seems the frame is a bit small but i like the idea of a fat tire. Another angle could be alibaba if i could find a trustworthy dealer. I wouldn't mind waiting a long time to save money.

Good deal to be had there for sure, but very dicey from the stand point of a deal going sour or warranty expectations.

 

[hoboin]

hmmmm this might be a good option. $500 from walmart.

• Hydroformed aluminum dual suspension frame is perfect for taming the trails. 29-inch wheels fit riders 64 to 74 inches tall.
• 100 mm travel fork helps to soak up bumps in the trail for a smoother ride.
• 8-speed Pro Rush MTB drivetrain with 13-40 freewheel and 30 tooth narrow/wide front ring.
• Front and rear disc brakes deliver precise stopping power.
• 29 x 2.25 wheels provide grip and stability out on the trail. Aluminum double wall rims provide lightweight durability.

Robot or human?