With the Current Market, Are Conversions Worth it?

[PedalUma]

I have been doing conversions for eight years professionally. I believe in good conversions, one reason is the recycling/cycling concept. Why throw away something perfectly good when it can be updated and its imbedded carbon pushed forward? I have made some very nice all through frame pro conversions with no visible connectors and stealthy batteries. In fact many hundreds. I have also done many new bikes as conversions because of the price spread. But now prices have fallen for new eBikes and quality and feel have vastly improved for many. Even some $1200 bikes are very nice in terms of fit and finish, components, and come with hydro-brakes assembled, such as the Ride1Up Portola. A Specialized Vado that was $4200 dropped to $4000 US and now sells for $2750. It is powerful beyond specifications, well built, quality, and quiet beyond expectations. An Aventon Pace 500 is $1700 assembled and tuned with a torque sensor, 500W motor and a free second battery. And can come with local support if you have a nearby dealer. Can conversions still make sense given these market forces? I am now working 50 hours per week at an all electric bike shop. I have gone to the dark side and today am riding a red Vado 3.

 

[Slaphappygamer]

I got the Ride1Up 700 Series a few years ago. Converting a bike to electric was way beyond me. Really, I never thought about an ebike until I started to see them more. They look alright and traffic is horrid. It constantly takes me 40 minutes to travel 4 miles. I knew nothing about where to begin. I spent months looking at different e-bikes and many reviews.

Now that I have had my bike a while, know way more than a few years ago, the warranty is void and gone, I am always looking to something else to the bike. Actually I started this venture 8 months after I got the bike, so yea, voided the warranty. Anyhow, I love this bike. It never hit me to dive into e-bikes earlier. I wish I would’ve got one years ago. I’m getting right into my bike. Upgrading and changing things. Im installing a BaseRunner and CycleAnalyst on the bike now. I don’t have much fear that I could successfully convert an ebike now. I’ m DIYing my box bike.

I also have a Vado right now. It’s burning nice and slow.

 

[DaveMatthews]

I guess it was inevitable that major players prices came down as the ebike industry stabilizes, and they become more of a commodity...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I have gone to the dark side and today am riding a red Vado 3.

The Hell has frozen.

Congratulation Uma on your new e-bike!

 

[linklemming]

Congrats on your new Vado 3? I love Brose powered bikes (I have owned 3). I have recommended Vados to many people although most want to spend less (about $1500)

Good to see prices coming down these days although it might be due to overstock from overproducing bikes in response to the covid shortages. I got a turbo levo alloy comp a year or so ago at 40% off for the same reason. Aventon has also upped the game adding torque sensors.

My only issue with 'factory bikes' is high prices of things like battery replacements (check the price of a Vado battery). Battery prices can easily exceed $1k. Most factory ebikes just replace motors instead of rebuilding although there are rebuilding services. My turbo levo is the pride of my ebike fleet.

That being said, I also own two DIY 52V ebikes based off surly ogre framesets which comprise 80% of my riding. One is rocking a BBSHD and the other a CYC Photon(previously a Grin GMAC and 9C RH212) and I will be trying a ToSeven DM01 soon. 52V batteries from em3ev which are the best DIY solution due to individual cell fuses and are 1/2 the price of euro based factory ebike batteries. The basis for owning these DIY bikes is performance that exceeds that of any euro based factory ebike by a considerable margin (think 'smoking vados' with 36mph top speeds). A used euro baed ebike with a failed battery is pretty much not worth anything (based on actual experience) but my surly bikes can be converted to analog with a simple BB and chainring swap and be sold for $1.5k+

Do what works for you, but DIY is the performance king

 

[6zfshdb]

Yes, the prices are coming down on new bikes, but it is still difficult to find one equipped exactly the way you want. For my next bike, I was planning a conversion, but most kits lack the sophisticated features of the newer e-bikes. Instead, I may purchase another e-bike and modify it instead.

Many of us, including myself, work on bikes as a hobby. I find it enjoyable to cobble on a bike, particularly during the off season when I can't ride. Personally, I think conversion kits are here to stay.

 

[harryS]

I agree that for the average rider, it's not worth converting, It's not a new thing, When I converted my two folding bikes, I had over a thousand bucks in each and that was back in 2017, My conversions were still lighter than what I could have bought, unless I wanted Go-cycle lightness, but that's a $2500-3000 bike,

This may be my final conversion. It's a Biria model. $699 shipped.


I had hoped that there was room behind the pedals for a mid drive motor, but it looks like I would have to cut off the kickstand bracket, and even then, it looks tight.

Biria sells this bike with a a front motor, rack battery, and disk brakes for $1999. I am going to install a rear motor/wheel I've had sitting around for several years. Probably put a small battery on the front downtube for better balance, I have a bottle battery and a Hailong. If they're painted, it should look OK. They won't interfere for getting on the bike, Most of my new expense then was the cost of the bike. I already had the e-components paid for long ago.

Easy on, easy dismount. Cruiser speeds. I think my wife will like riding it,

 

[Slaphappygamer]

Instead, I may purchase another e-bike and modify it instead.

This has been exactly what I've been doing. Now that I've had my bike for some time and had seen some other features that other users have on their rides, I know what else I would like in a bike. So, I'm slowly adding them to make my existing ebike better for me.

 

[PedalUma]

I got the Ride1Up 700 Series a few years ago. Converting a bike to electric was way beyond me. Really, I never thought about an ebike until I started to see them more. They look alright and traffic is horrid. It constantly takes me 40 minutes to travel 4 miles. I knew nothing about where to begin. I spent months looking at different e-bikes and many reviews.

Now that I have had my bike a while, know way more than a few years ago, the warranty is void and gone, I am always looking to something else to the bike. Actually I started this venture 8 months after I got the bike, so yea, voided the warranty. Anyhow, I love this bike. It never hit me to dive into e-bikes earlier. I wish I would’ve got one years ago. I’m getting right into my bike. Upgrading and changing things. Im installing a BaseRunner and CycleAnalyst on the bike now. I don’t have much fear that I could successfully convert an ebike now. I’ m DIYing my box bike.

I also have a Vado right now. It’s burning nice and slow.

I of all people am riding a Vado today. The belt drive motor is so quiet and smooth. Last week I unlocked an R1 DRT while I was bedding the brakes. It did 35 up hill. The Globe Haul is very popular. For about half the money on a Turn or Yuba, it does more, hands down.