Summary
Pros
- If you’re fitting it to your existing bike, you know the bike will fit you properly
- Can be accessible on a tight budget
- Easily ordered online
Cons
- Can damage a conventional bike that’s not built to withstand the power
- Typically will not give as much uphill power nor distance per charge as factory-built e-bikes.
- Changes the ride characteristics of your bike
Let’s get into the details…
For many people who come into our shops, spending a four-figure amount on a bicycle is a large leap from what they are accustomed to. So it’s not uncommon for them to ask us if we sell conversion kits. (We don’t, by the way).
Climbing ability
The main reason we don’t sell them is that, side by side with factory-built e-bikes, they don’t compare well. A conversion kit can offer 30-50Nm of torque to help you uphill, but many of the factory-built e-bikes in our showrooms give 85Nm; some even give 100Nm.
Miles per charge
Battery size is also factor. The battery is the fuel tank. The higher the capacity of the battery, the more mileage you get per charge. Since so many of our customers ask for as much mileage per charge as possible, they’ll need a 500Wh battery and above. Conversion kit batteries typically come in at around 300-400Wh.
Our Mechanic’s Opinion
Workshop manager Rob has seen many conversion kits over the years. He warns people against fitting them to bikes that do not have a strong enough ‘rear drop out’ or front forks (depending on the . This is the part of the frame where you insert the wheels. On conventional bikes, these can get deformed or damaged by the high power of an e-bike motor. The same goes for the axle of the rear wheel if it’s simply a quick release skewer.
Ride Characteristics
If you are adding the motor to a bike that you already have and like, that bike will not ride the same way once it has been converted. The weight distribution of the bike will change which will alter the handling of it, and there is a chance that you won’t like that. If the weight distribution is too heavily skewed to the rear wheel, this can make the bike feel less stable.
Economical?
There are conversion kits online for a few hundred pounds, and others that are around £1500 or so. If you are a competent mechanic, and are happy to do the conversion yourself, this can be an economical way to try electric biking. If you will be paying someone to do it for you, then the labour charges will typically take you up to the price of a factory-built e-bike when all is said and done.
Conclusion
There are many happy users of electric bike conversion kits (even some of our own customers have converted their old conventional bikes) but the reason we don’t stock them is that their overall performance is lacking when compared to their factory-built counterparts. We think that for value over time, and ‘value over mileage’ a factory-built e-bike is a much more reliable investment.
Alternatives to Conversion Kits?
A budget-conscious way to get into electric biking is a second hand electric bike with a well-known power system that's repairable. Look for second hand electric bikes with a Bosch system, and a reputable bike dealer will be able to get technical support for it, and able to use official diagnostic software to check for any issues.