An electric bike kit is a solution for those who don’t have a large budget and want to transform their standard bike.
There might be different reasons why you should keep your bike, but the main question is, are e-bike conversion kits good?
You aren’t the first rider to ask this question. Most cyclists doubt these kits’ ability to convert into a powered one.
A valid point here is to give you more reasons to go for the change, so I recommend reading this article: 6 Reasons Why People Are Shifting to Electric Bikes for Commuting.
What you could get from them:
- Daily commuters can count on them to help sweat less on their way to the office.
- Sprinters can trust these kits’ ability to help them accelerate and reach top speed in less time.
- Climbers, meanwhile, can use them to conquer hills without setting their lungs and leg muscles on fire.
- For those with knee issues, it could be the solution to provide assistance when pedaling.
Table of Contents
What Is An Electric Bike Conversion Kit?
An electric bike conversion kit is precisely what their name implies; they help their users convert a traditional pedal bike to one with a motor.
Some kits offer the full package – a battery and a wheel with a hub motor embedded to replace your bike’s existing wheel, controller, and display.
Others, meanwhile, come with only a battery. You must then follow instructions to connect the battery with your bike’s existing wheel.
What Options Are Available In The Market?
As you may or may not know, there are two (2) main motor types: mid-drive and hub (front or rear located). As a result, there are two (2) main types of kits to convert a standard bike associated with the motor used.
Mid-drive e-bike kit type
As its name says, a mid-drive electric bike conversion kit requires you to place the motor and the battery in the middle of the bike’s frame.
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Benefits
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Limitations
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As mentioned, you must integrate the motor with the crank and a bottom bracket. They have a direct connection with the crank drive, which, the moment you start pedaling, allows them to drive the crank arm. This enables them to take full advantage of your bike’s gear range.
On the flip side, if you worry about aesthetics, these kits won’t make your bike look good-looking.
As far as I can see, there are three (3) main manufacturers that I could suggest trying.
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TongSheng 250W
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✅ : The fact that it is lighter than any other mid-drive motor kit by Bafang, and the included rear lights to travel at night.
X: It does not include a battery. I recommend checking the motor voltage and watts before buying one.
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TongSheng 500W
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✅ : All elements are included (e.g., front and rear lights and battery (optional)) for an easy and smooth installation.
X: The battery could be difficult to mount on the bike if the rear rack is not included. |
Bafang 250W  |
✅ : There are so many alternatives to choose from, so it is easy to find the most suitable alternative.
X: It may not be suitable for mountain biking as the ground clearance is low. |
Hub motor kit type
Electric bike wheel kits are possibly the most popular of the conversion alternatives.
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Benefits
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Limitations
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What makes them very popular is the versatility to accommodate any conventional bike.
This includes hybrid, road, folding, and, last but not least, MTB.
I have to say that they are very rare to power mountain bikes. The reason behind this is that some hub motors lack torque power and, therefore, are not great for climbing steep terrains.
Learn more about e-bike motors by reading this guide: Electric Motor Bike Guide: What to Know About Them.
How do hub motor kits work?
These kits combine a hub-mounted rotor with a replacement fork wheel and a removable power pack. As mentioned before, you must replace the old wheel with the new setting.
On top of that, you will need to accommodate the battery on the rear rack or down-tube.
Lastly, don’t forget the pedal sensor also plays an important role. That considers the level of cadence before delivering a dynamic level of assistance.
Rear and front wheel e-bike kit
If you have a city commuter or folding e-bike, you will have two (2) options to look for: rear and front-wheel electric bike kits.
The rear hub option is the most common one among riders since:
- it is closer to the rear rack where the battery is commonly placed,
- there are more products in the market to choose from,
- the torque would be more efficient as most of the weight sits on the rear wheel.
The front alternative is not bad, but there will be a few differences:
- Less traction and torque. This will be noticeable when going uphill.
- Most likely, the battery will have to sit on the down tube unless you have enough cable length to reach the rear end.
- It could affect the bike’s maneuverability since there is more weight at the front.
There are many options to look at, but I believe these two (2) are good:
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BAFANG REAR KIT |
✅ : This kit contains all that is required for an easy installation, including two (2) battery options (rear rack or frame’s down-tube).
X: It may not align with some countries’ regulations about maximum power output. |
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BAFANG FRONT KIT
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✅ : Similar to the above, it has all the elements; however, it also offers a 3rd battery alternative.
X: It could be a little pricey. |
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EBIKELING (FRONT AND REAR OPTIONS)
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✅ : What I like most about this brand is the numerous alternatives regarding throttle usage.
X: Ironically, it does not include the battery. |
Friction Drive Bike Kit
Friction-drive electric bike kits offer the simplest solution to assist in pedaling.
It is a bit difficult to explain, but it basically works by creating friction between an attached roller (powered by a motor) and your bike’s rear wheel.
As soon as you engage the throttle, both these components start to assist.
These kits are super cheap and are easy to install.
All you have to do is to attach them beneath the bike’s saddle. Their simple working principle is the reason why these kits are compatible with a wide range of conventional bicycles.
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Benefits
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Limitations
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Friction-drive bicycle kits are the least efficient than any other conversion e-bike kit you might find on the market. As an alternative, I know that the Alizeti 300c friction drive e-bike is one of the oldest ones in the market, and it has good improvements.
All in all, if you lack the budget, don’t want to stress out with complicated installations, and want to preserve all your bike parts, then this is the alternative to look at.
Benefits of Electric Bike Conversion Kits
Here are some of the benefits you can get from powering up your traditional bike:
It costs less than a new e-bike
Most cheap e-bikes cost at least $600. The ones with all the bells and whistles, like the Specialized Turbo Levo FSR Electric Mountain Bike, might set you back around $4000. The average mid-range e-bike could cost between $1000 and $2500.
Even the best electric bike conversion kits, on the contrary, won’t cost anywhere near that average price; however, you will find that some top brands would be around $1000 dollars.
Let you keep your beloved old bike
Are you lured by the idea of a powered bike but not willing to trade your beloved old model?
Then, a conversion kit offers you the perfect solution to keep the standard model you are used to riding and power it on the go.
How Much Do Electric Bike Conversion Kits Cost?
The cost of an e-bike conversion kit will depend on multiple factors, including the type of kit you’re buying and where you’re buying it.
For instance, front and rear-wheel conversion kits cost less ($300 to $500 dollars) than their mid-drive counterparts ($800 to $1000 dollars), which in turn, are less expensive than concealed conversion kits.
Another factor that jacks up the cost is the length of your trips. Those models made for inter-city commuting cost less than others made for longer trips.
We suggest to keep all these factors in mind when deciding how much to pay for a kit.
Buying an Electric Bike Conversion Kit?
When buying an e-bike conversion kit, you should know what to look for. Here are the key features that separate the best from the riffraff:
The Motor
It’s the electric bike’s motor that supplies it with enough power to climb over hills, traverse through rough terrains, and slalom through city traffic.
Check out how much power the motor can deliver (especially regarding the local law regulating their power output) and at what wattage.
Aside from the above, determine what terrains you’ll be tackling. For hills, it is better to use a mid-drive and geared hub motor, whereas just cruising a rear or front hub direct drive version would suffice.
RECOMMENDED EBIKE GUIDE TO READ: Electric Motor Bike Guide for Beginners.
The Battery
Three (3) factors related to the battery deserve your attention when shopping for an e-bike kit. They include:
- The type of battery chemistry (Li-ion vs. Ni-cad).
- The battery’s capacity (Watts-hour) and
- How long can it retain a charge?
The final factor will determine the battery’s range. Important to note that the battery voltage should match the motor specifications to avoid incidents of overcharging or underperforming.
RECOMMEND TO READ: eBike Batteries: The Beginner’s Guide.
The kit’s build-in materials
Check out the conversion kit’s description. Pay close attention to the material of construction and its components.
Try to get a model whose materials are double-walled and made of stainless steel or brass, as they will last longer.
Warranty period – Important
Almost all top-rated conversion kits provide a warranty on their components, especially the motor and the battery.
If you can afford to pay a little extra, prefer a kit that gives a lifetime warranty over one that includes a single-year warranty.
Some Other Conversion Kits For A Bike
As you have possibly seen, there are so many kits available to choose from. What to buy? It is a hard call, to be honest.
For now, these are some of the ones I believe are good quality and offer a reliable operation:
Bafang MM G510 1000W (48V – 52V) Mid-Drive Kit
This mid-drive Bafang electric bike kit offers many outstanding features.
Foremost among them is its high-wattage motor.
Without being too speedy, it provides just the right amount of speed and power to help you slalom through thick city traffic.
Also on offer are brake levers, waterproof cables, an LCD color display with Bluetooth, a chain wheel, lock nuts, cranks, and more items.
The best thing about this conversion kit is that it won’t take much time or effort to install. Those of you with basic mechanical knowledge could fit it without needing any external help.
Compared to other similar kits, this one has a motor chassis, which protects it from hard objects hitting the unit. This makes it ideal for mountain biking purposes.
JAXPETY 48V 1000W Front Hub Motor Kit – Throttle feature
What is there not to like about this e-bike conversion kit? It has stainless steel spokes and alloy rims that can withstand road abuse.
The rare-earth metal magnates built inside the motor allow the medium-wattage motor to produce immense power.
Equally useful is the aluminum alloy controller that ensures current supply with medium resistance.
And the best thing about this conversion kit?
Its twist throttle lets you check the battery’s current level and cut off the power to the wheels with a mere twist of your wrist.
AW 26″x1.75″ Rear Hub 48V 1000W
Failed to get impressed by the power ratings of the previous two E-bike conversion kits? Then, you might praise what this powerhouse of a model has to offer.
Its brushless hub motor can offer 1000 watts at 48V, enough to let you achieve a top speed of 31mph.
Then comes the dual-mode controller, which lets you switch the kit’s working between Hall Effect – for most speeds – and non-Hall Effect – for most ranges.
The controller is smart as well. It will automatically switch to the eco mode if the battery is about to die.
EBIKELING 48V 1200W 700C Direct Drive for Fat Tire Models
Here’s one of those conversion kits that come with all the components required for installation.
My favorite among them is the Pedal Assist Sensor, as it lets you ride anywhere for any length of time without worrying about throttle response.
It also gives you the option to upgrade to the LCD display. Doing so will allow you to see the current speed, trip distance, remaining battery percentage, and other useful indicators right next to your wrist.
The display will also offer potential error codes for hassle-free troubleshooting.
Last but not least, this brand also offers alternatives for fat tires. This is great for those that live in snowy areas.
Voilamart 26″ Rear Wheel Kit
The final item on our list is this premium kit from Voilamart.
It’s packed with a 48V, 1000W brushless motor. It is one that is capable of helping your bike achieve a top speed of 24mph and is fully integrated with the highly useful Pedal Assistance System (PAS) and throttle feature.
The brake levers help you cut off the power to the motor when something is amiss – this is called a brake sensor. Also on offer is a motor controller that lets you swap between the 1000W and 750W modes.
