Tired of sweating when commuting to work on your bike or want to use less gas? With ebike conversion kits, it's now possible to transform your regular bike into an electric bike without having to spend too much. You can now enjoy the convenience, environmental benefits, and versatility of ebikes.
There are many benefits to an electric bike, and an ebike conversion kit makes it possible for you to enjoy these benefits. Ebikes not only assist your pedal power, but some even omit the need for pedaling.
It's possible to travel faster and farther with ebikes. All you need now is an ebike conversion kit, and you are good to go.
There are many ebike conversion kits available in the market, varying in power and quality. Read our review to know which one will be the best for you.
How to Choose the Best Ebike Kit for Your Existing Bike
To enjoy the benefits of an ebike, you need the right conversion kit for your existing bike. The best way forward is to make a list of the conversion kits that match your bike so that you do not end up buying an ill-fitting kit. While making the list, take the specifications of both your existing bike and the conversion kit into account.
The specifications include:
The freewheel types and cassettes of your existing bike
The rear frame width of your existing bike
The front fork or shocks width
The wheel diameter of your existing bike and the rim dimensions
The type of brake you have and its configuration
In addition to the specifications taken into account while making the list, it's important to consider certain other features. These include:
Cost of the Ebike Conversion Kit
Cost is an important factor when it comes to investing in a conversion kit. Figure out how much you can invest before taking the plunge. Since conversion kits are priced differently, you can go for a conversion kit depending on your budget.
Drive Location
There are usually three types of drive locations available when it comes to ebike conversion kits:
The front hub motor type
The rear hub motor type
The mid-drive motor type
When it comes to ease of installation, a front hub motor is ideally what you should go for, followed by the rear hub motor type. The mid-drive motor type is usually much more complex than either the front hub motor or the rear hub motor type.
Also, the mid-drive motor type might not fit well for all bicycles. However, you can always go through the specifications to find out whether a particular ebike conversion kit is compatible with your bicycle.
Battery Type, Voltage and Range
Look for lithium-based batteries when it comes to purchasing an ebike conversion kit. Lithium batteries are usually 36-volt or 48-volt, giving a power that lies in the range of 300-600 watts. It's important to choose a conversion kit that has a minimum rating of 10ah.
The battery specifications usually depend on a lot of factors like rider weight, rider use, the terrain of use, and more.
Additional Features
Some additional features and components may be present in some ebike conversion kits. You can do research and find out which kits come with these additional components.
The most common additional components present in ebike conversion kits are speedometers, odometers, wattmeters, trip odometers, headlights, back-lit LCD controller screens, tail lights with brake light indicators, etc.
The specifications present on websites usually contain information about what the components present in the entire package.
Customer Support and Warranty
Customer support and warranty are of utmost importance when it comes to purchasing any product online. Often, once a purchase is made, the manufacturers become unreachable. It's important to buy an ebike conversion kit from a reliable manufacturer that provides good customer support.
Also, make sure that the kit comes with a proper warranty so that in case of any untimely dispute, you can get proper support. The manufacturer should be reachable by email, phone, and website for replacement of parts, customer service, and any other problems that you might face.
Top 5 Ebike Conversion Kits
Here are our top five ebike conversion kits:
The motor kit features a 48V 1000W hub motor that is both gearless as well as brushless, making it noise-free and highly efficient. The frame of the hub is made of an aluminum alloy which offers durability and stability.
The thumb throttle has three different indicators keeping you updated on the battery status, including the remaining charge. The kit's bundled with several components that simplify the process of installation and assembly.
Specifications
Overall dimension: 25 13/16" x 1 9/16" (65.5 x 4.5 cm)
Controller power: 1000w
Motor voltage: 48V
Motor rotating speed: 440 RPM
Motor torque: 33.2 ft-lb (45 Nm)
Recommended battery: 48V/30A
Pros
Powerful motor
Convenient and durable
High compatibility
Safe and environmentally friendly
Cons
No battery bundled
The kit offers a dual-riding mode that means faster traveling while getting the required workout. The 750W BBS motor is the most efficient and gives maximum power for the cost.
There are 10 different kinds of LCDs to choose from.
Moreover, it comes with eight different battery types, four chainwheel types, and the option of choosing a brake lever or a sensor.
Specifications
Item package dimensions: 12.56 x 10.51 x 9.57 inches
Package Weight: 6.28 kilograms
Item weight: 4.3 kilograms
Suggested user: Unisex-adult
Size: 44T chainring doesn't include battery
Pros
Double riding mode
Wide options available
High compatibility
Easy installation
Global support
Cons
No battery included
This ebike conversion package bundles in a hub motor and an aluminum double-walled rim along with a host of other components. This makes the process of converting your standard bike into an ebike an easy one.
The included LCD is easy to plug in and convenient to use. It shows all relevant information, including battery percentage, speed, total and single trip distance, wattage, and PAS levels. Moreover, it also shows error codes to simplify troubleshooting in case of an issue.
Specifications
Recommended tire width: 1.75", 1.95", 2.125"
Rim width: 19mm
Spoke: 159mm 12G Carbon Steel Copper Nipples
Rear dropout: 132mm
Kit weight: 22lbs
Pros
Easy installation
Comprehensive assembly kit
Convenient LCD
Pedal assist sensor
1-year warranty
Cons
Wider rear speed cassette
This ebike conversion kit consists of a 48V 1000W brushless and gearless motor that is highly powerful and capable of reaching speeds as high as 28 mph (45 kph). However, the road-legal pedal bike conversion kit is limited to 24 mph (38 kph) to ensure maximum road safety.
The inbuilt pedal assistance system (PAS) facilitates easy biking with loads as heavy as 330-440 lbs or 150-200 kgs. The package is fairly comprehensive and comes with all the required components.
Specifications
Package dimensions: 23.6 x 23.6 x 9.5 inches
Item weight: 10 kilograms
Materials: Plastic, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, steel
Type: Road cycling
Style: Rear wheel
Pros
Powerful motor
Pedal assist system
Battery level display
Safe power cutoff
CE, EN15194 approved
Cons
Limited informative manual
This ebike conversion kit is specialized for mountain bikes with wheel frame sizes between 132-145 mm, making it applicable for 20”/24”/26”/27.5”/28”/29in/700C mountain bikes and offering wide compatibility. Moreover, the high-quality 36V or 48V motor offers unmatched performance on difficult terrains. The top speed can be altered between 20-60 kph to suit different landscapes.
The bundle also consists of an SW900 LCD that keeps the rider informed on the available battery power, time, speed, mileage as well as the applied gear.
Specifications
Bike type: Mountain
Number of speeds: 7
Wheel size: 26”
Frame material: Aluminum
Suspension: Rear
Pros
Powerful motor
Pedal assist system
Battery level display
Safe power cutoff
CE, EN15194 approved
Cons
Limited informative manual
Conclusion
If you’re still confused about which ebike conversion kit may be the best for you, here’s a summarized recap of the options we discussed:
If a noise-free motor is your choice, try the AW Electric Bicycle Motor
If you’re not willing to sacrifice working out, then you should go for the BAFANG Mid Drive Motor.
If you will be operating in wet or humid areas, then go with the waterproof option, the EBIKELING Waterproof Ebike Conversion Kit
If you’re worried about road safety, then your choice should be the Voilamart Electric Bicycle Wheel Kit
And, if you’re looking for a mountain bike conversion kit, then the easy choice would be the CSCbike MTB Ebike Conversion Kit
In any case, all of these ebike conversion kits are highly rated and known for their quality, affordability, and reliability. You can not go wrong with any of them.