GETTING STARTED

The journey down the path of a custom ebike conversion requires a few up-front decisions. We break them down for you here.

BIKE CHOICE

For most everyday riding around streets, greenways, gravel paths, and light trails, we recommend a hard-tail, front suspension mountain bike with disc brakes. Mountain bikes are built sturdier than road bikes to endure the rigors of trail riding. The sturdier frame is beneficial to handle the added weight of the motor and battery of an ebike. The front suspension absorbs the occasional bumps of the trail and provides better handling and a more comfortable ride. The disc brakes provide more effective stopping power. A high-end mountain bikes costing thousands of dollars is not necessary. A brand name basic hard-tail bike provides a great foundation of a good ebike, and these can be found locally for about $500-700. It’s possible to convert a full suspension mountain bike but optimal battery location might be compromised by the rear shock placement on full suspension bikes. However, many other types of bikes can make great candidates for conversions. Check out our gallery page to see all the possibilities.

MOTOR CHOICE

This is an easy one and not much of a choice. We strongly recommend the Bafang BBS02 750W mid-drive motor. In fact, we feel so strongly about this, it’s the only motor we use in our conversions. It’s the most powerful, street legal motor available for most of the US. It’s highly reliable and robust. In the rare occasion where service might be needed, repair parts are readily available. For more power and durability, the Bafang BBSHD is also an option.

BATTERY CHOICE

The primary choice here is the size of the battery in terms of the Amp/hours it has. This mostly determines the available range of the ebike. The standard here is a 48W/13amp/hour battery. With this battery, an average sized adult should get at least 40 -60 miles of range in pedal assist mode.

DISPLAY CHOICE

The display is the interface between you and your motor and battery. It will provide information on bike speed, pedal assist level, battery charge, time, and mileage. There are several options, in black and white and color. Our recommendation is the 500c color display. Compact but easy to use.

SHIFT SENSOR

A shift sensor detects when you are changing gears on the bike and momentarily cuts off the motor power to facilitate easier shifting and reduced load on the chain. It basically acts like the clutch of a manual transmission. A gear shift sensor is optional and not included in the Bafang motor kit but we recommend it for most riders.

WHERE TO BUY

You need to look no further than here. We have Bafang BBS02 motor kits with color displays in stock and ready to install. We also carry Unit Power Pack 48v 13Ah batteries with 4 slot mounting brackets for easy installation. We buy motors and batteries direct from authorized Bafang wholesalers in volume and can typically match or beat any deal you can find on the internet.