Retro E-Bike conversion.
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Spankyfart
Marin Fan
It'll be a "Speed Pedelec", you'll never get a homebuilt one registered as it needs to be cleared to be road safe.
You can run the higher motor, but in an accident there will be no insurance coverage.
You can run the higher motor, but in an accident there will be no insurance coverage.
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As son as you go over 250W and not pedal assisted and a ~16mph cut off etc, you become a motorbike.
So the same applies as would a motorbike or moped, any possibly require registration (plates) , VED, lights/indicators, speed limits, cannot use cycle paths/bridleways, whatever they else. Is need, tyres,.. Sufficient helmet.
Electric bikes: licensing, tax and insurance
Electric bikes meeting the EAPC regulations can be ridden on the road without being taxed, licensed or insured
While a blind eye tends to be given to them at the moment (aka Just Deliveroo bikes) your licence and hence any car insurance may well get hit too if they stop that blind eye or are given a reason to.
We don't currently have any other categories.
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We don't have "Speed Pedelecs" in the UK, there is no such category, they are classed as motorbikes or moped over here. The EU does though (they can confirm or deny that).
Yosepower stuff is good. I've got their kit on one of my bikes - and I know of plenty of others that have fitted them. Wouldn't get hung up on mid drive v front v back wheel. Mid-drive will give you the very best performance, but front will be perfectly OK for a 4 mile commute.
For a 4 mile commute (and if you have the space) I might be tempted to keep an eye out on Amazon & some of the cycle sites. There have been fairly decent ebikes that would do that job appearing sporadically for around £400.
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Spankyfart
Marin Fan
Keep in mind the no LBS will touch it for repairs.
Cheap internet ebikes are a no go for LBS' as they cannot source parts for most.
(my LBS is a friend I've known for 45 years)
Also the Yosepower stuff is on par with the PSWpower, I assume it's all from the same factory.
Keep in mind the no LBS will touch it for repairs.
Cheap internet ebikes are a no go for LBS' as they cannot source parts for most.
(my LBS is a friend I've known for 45 years)
Also the Yosepower stuff is on par with the PSWpower, I assume it's all from the same factory.
How many bike shops are capable of repairing any kind of ebike if the motor goes wrong? My local one will only do the high end mountain bikes where all they do is warranty and swap the mid-drive motors out. Seems to happen very regularly. I go out mountain biking with a group of about a dozen - and 3 have had motor problems in the last year needing a full replacement. These are Levos, Cubes etc running Bosch & Shimano motors so presumably not junk.
I can't see them touching any home made conversion either. Chain reaction had an excellent looking belt drive bike for about £450 a few weeks ago, and I got a great italian(?) ebike a year ago for the same. It's all standard parts apart from the front wheel and motor.
Yes, if you import a Chinesium special it'll come with non-standard parts you might run into issues. But often there are communities that grow up around them to support with any problems.
Spankyfart
Marin Fan
Well it's a two fold thing, they don't repair them as they were bought for pennies on the internet instead of supporting your LBS.
Second is the bikes are held together with duct tape from the start.
Second is the bikes are held together with duct tape from the start.
highlandsflyer
Retro Wizard
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There are some very nice conversions around here; but the units designed in house with commercial R&D often have a less 'cobbled together' appearance. Running internal cables and a more slender battery can approximate their svelte vibe. I don't generally have mechanics work on my vehicles, so doing our own e-bikes will be guilt free from a 'support your local bike shop' perspective. Still use them for as much as I can otherwise, but I am 'adding' a completely different thing, a bit like putting a winch into my Range Rover, or an LPG kit. When I had problems my head couldn't get around with those I went to a 'specialist', and my money was the same as anyone else's, who may have had their winch or LPG installed by that specialist.
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It's a DIY conversion, why would the LBS even get involved for servicing it. If you can buy it DIY fit it, you can probably fix it or look for DIY parts yourself.
It's the main point of DIY, you Do It Yourself.
Otherwise, you wouldn't be DIYing it..
I'm pretty sure Trebz, who has been on RetroBike for ages, even on retro rides, who builds and changes parts and even thinks about doing dodgy crossbar welding conversion and ebike conversion for fun, can fix the brakes on the bikes, mend a puncture, tweak the mechs or follow the Chenglish instructions to tighten a few bolts on the wheel and battery holder.
It would probably be cheaper to buy a new kit that have LBSs service a bike nowadays. ;-)
It's the main point of DIY, you Do It Yourself.
Otherwise, you wouldn't be DIYing it..
I'm pretty sure Trebz, who has been on RetroBike for ages, even on retro rides, who builds and changes parts and even thinks about doing dodgy crossbar welding conversion and ebike conversion for fun, can fix the brakes on the bikes, mend a puncture, tweak the mechs or follow the Chenglish instructions to tighten a few bolts on the wheel and battery holder.
It would probably be cheaper to buy a new kit that have LBSs service a bike nowadays. ;-)
