ELECTRIC BIKE
CONVERSION KITS - WORTH IT?
ELECTRIC BIKE
CONVERSION KITS - WORTH IT?
Electric bike conversion kits have been around for years, and they offer a quick and easy method to convert your existing bike, into an ebike. This is awesome as it allows you to keep your existing bike and get the benefits out of going electric. In saying this, there are some key points to take into consideration when it comes to making that decision.
Cost
Conversion kits are not cheap. They can range anywhere from $800 to well over a thousand dollars. With advances in this space, we have seen the cost drop, however the buyer is still left with a whole bunch of questions that need answering such as:
-What wattage motor is best? 250W, 500W, 1000W, 10,000W?
-How big a battery to go for? Is it worth coughing up the extra few hundred dollars to go bigger? Would you be happy with a bike that gets you from A to B or are you maybe considering an around the world tour?
-What voltage to choose?
-Rear or mid drive? They both have pros and cons – what is best for you?
-What display to pick?
The choices to a lot of these questions can significantly impact cost and what you end up putting together (including eventual ride quality) hence should be researched independently.
Design
Conversion kits are designed independent to bikes they are installed on. Imagine buying the body of a car, then installing an engine to it. Yes, it is done quite frequently however one needs to consider whether the frame is suitable not just to physically accommodate the conversion kit, but whether it would take added stresses as a result of the conversion. You might end up cracking your beloved bike – worse, the failure might happen when you are riding it causing a raft of unwanted consequences.
Batteries
There are conversion kits that come with quality battery packs – however, there are also shonky battery packs that have caught fire. Some cases, this is caused by overcharging however some were caused by a fault within the battery pack – from poor manufacturing practices.
Electric bike batteries store a lot of energy – and when they get going, they get going.
So, it’s important to pick a battery that has the relevant electrical certification approvals and one that uses quality batteries.
Are they legal?
A lot of conversion kits fail to meet legal road standards. This issue is on the rise and will only get worse (*). It’s vital to consider whether your electric bike conversion kit is legal as this will impact your insurance if you were to meet with an accident.
I’ll probably find insurers will not want to insure me if I drove a Cessna plane on the freeway. The same applies here -and the last thing you want is to meet with an accident and realise you are not covered.
Spares
When buying a kit, it’s important to remember that you are buying electric goods. No matter who the manufacturer is, you are bound to see failures with time.
Can you get your hands on the right part in a few years? What happens if you buy it from a store that normally sells produce? Will the cash assistant know what to do?
How easy will it be to replace? You’ll find a lot of bike shops (including electric bike shops) will turn you away as they are not trained to repair bikes using conversion kits.
This is a critical point to remember. Conversion kits are easy enough to get – but you want replacement parts or what you are buying is a single use electric bike.
Take away thoughts..
Cycling is not just about getting from A to B. You bond with your bike and it becomes your trusty horse that will not only improve your health, but will save you heaps of money in the long run.
Considering this, wouldn’t you think it would be better to buy a proper designed bike to meet your needs? Not all electric bikes are out of reach. Wedgetail offers a rent to buy model costing little over $5 per day. You could rent the bike, and if you love it – buy it!
Our batteries don’t blow up, our bikes are legal and designed to take you places. You don’t have to make a lot of decisions – just ride our bikes and you’ll see.
References
*https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-25/e-bike-market-booms-but-safety-concerns-rise/100318382