If you already own a bicycle, it might be hard to think about buying a new one just to have the electric function and the features that the electric bikes come with, however, what if I told you that you could turn your standard bicycle into an electric bike?
The demand for electric bikes has recently soared, especially during the pandemic where people wanted ways to travel that required being away from others and not in close proximity, commuters especially started to find the benefit of electric bikes. A conversion kit won’t give you the ability to go mountain biking if that is what you are looking for, but it will get you from A to B, getting you to and from work, allowing you to pick up groceries or just to go on a leisurely ride.
With the prices of train tickets soaring and fuel prices going up and down daily, an electric bike is one price with benefits of travelling away from others, not paying for fuel or tickets and also being able to balance a healthier lifestyle. Right now though, there are not a lot of conversion kits but the ones out there are worth a try.
In this article we will talk about the kits that are already out, the points you need to consider when thinking of fitting a kit to your bike, including motor and battery options, we will also look at ones that are soon due to be released.
Bafang Front Hub Motor and Battery
SPECIFICATIONS
Wattage: 250, 500, 750 Battery Included: Yes Motor Position: Front Hub
Pros
- Easy setup
- Powerful when converted
- Components are high quality
Cons
- Untidy cables, management can be an issue
The Bafang Front Hub Motor kit is the ideal conversion kit for those who do not want to deal with the complications of setting up a mid-drive kit. This kit has everything covered and gives you a lot of options. First you must choose your wheel size and preference of the display, then you need to include your battery size and shape – this will be different for most people as you will need to consider how often the bike will be used and if the terrain you are on is hilly in places.
The one in the link below comes with a 48V 500W Motor kit for a bike with 26” 27.5” 700C Wheel. The size of your wheels will be imprinted on the tires of your bike.
Bafang Mid-Drive Motor Kit and Battery
SPECIFICATIONS
Wattage: 500 Battery Included: Yes Motor Position: Crank
Pros
- Lots of choices
Cons
- Instructions are difficult
With two Bafang conversion kits it may be difficult to choose which one to go with, the mid-drive motor is positioned in the middle of the bike, it sits inside the cranks and can apply the force straight to the mechanical drivetrain, this can provide a more responsive ride.
You will need to make sure that the bike you want to use it on has a bottom bracket sized between 68mm and 73mm, and after you have figured that out you can then go on to choose the chainring size, battery size and display that works best for you.
TongSheng Mid-Drive Kit with Battery
SPECIFICATIONS
Wattage: 500 Battery Included: Yes Motor Position: Crank
Pros
- Torque sensor
- More comfortable and natural acceleration
Cons
- Poor instructions
This conversion kit is the most natural of them all, it is a mid-mounted motor that provides very good assistance and has a torque-sensor to allow for this.
Max torque on the TongSheng kit is 80 Nm and depending on the level of assist you choose it will add between 36% and 300% to your pedalling power. So if you find you are pedalling harder you will find that the assistance will kick in favourably and help you out.
Swytch (2022)
SPECIFICATIONS
Wattage: 250 Battery Included: Yes Motor Position: Front Hub
Pros
- Small battery
- Can move between bike frames
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Ordering process is confusing
- Short range
With Swytch, the way they have approached the conversion kit market is by swapping out the front wheel, providing a great system that isn’t just a motor and battery. The kit goes through the whole system, the battery can be mounted to the handlebars so that it is easy to disconnect when parked up and carry with you therefore it won’t get stolen when you are making multiple stops or if you park your bike outside when working and can also help make the bike lighter for when needing to lift it.
The updated system has a tidy LCD display system instead of buttons so that you can see everything in front of you.
The only thing with the Swytch kit is that you need to join a mailing list to be notified when stock drops so that you can purchase it, but it is a nifty little option to look at when considering conversion kits.