What can I say? I was bored last year!
Bike In Nature (media by JC)
Jeffrey Clos is a participant in the Amazon Associates LLC associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. There are some links within this article to the described product.
As many attest, 2021 was a year we don’t want to relive. Traveling was put on the back burner, and many of us spent most of our time at home. When I am at home, I tinker. Around this time, I got this idea in my head that my bike needed to be electric.
Please don’t ask me why! Once the idea enters my thoughts, it starts to grow. I research the heck out of an idea and then spring into action. I started with a 2006 Trek Mountain bike, and I ended up with this.
Electric Trek Bike (media by JC)
Now let me tell you how I got here without bogging you down with installation instructions. There are plenty of installation videos and instructions available throughout the internet.
I found a company that was reasonable in price and had plenty of options. I bought the Ebikeling 48V 1500W conversion kit and never looked back. There are other options, but this one seemed to be the best for what I wanted. It hit my immediate needs, including speed, price, and ease of use. Also, more importantly, it was in stock and ready for order. There is actually quite a bit of involvement when converting a bike to an E-Bike.
Rim from Ebikeling (Media by JC)
I opted for a rear tire with the motor over the front tire option. Overall I expected a better ride experience with the rear motor, in addition to better traction. It is also important to note the conversion kit does not come with a tire, and you will have to remove your existing tire from the bike’s existing rim and transfer it to the pictured rim. My bike had a standard 26″ mountain bike tire, not a “Fat” tire.
Ebikeling LED Display (media by JC)
The kit includes the S830 LCD display, fully programmable and compatible with various batteries. Located just underneath is a USB port for an easy phone connection to charge on the go.
With the kit, you also have a throttle for motor-only biking, cadence control for pedal assist. Pedal-assist levels for all types of assistance to make bike riding as easy or as demanding as you want.
Ebikeling has a few kit options, including batteries, but I opted to go with a “beefed up” CO-Well 52V 20AH battery purchased separately. One of the number one complaints I have read in news threads has been, “I wish I had bought a bigger battery.” A 52-volt battery will give you more efficiency, speed, and range, all of which I find essential.
Battery in Case affixed to bike (media by JC)
To tidy up the package, I ended up buying an encasement bag by NBPOWER to conceal the battery. It also ensures the battery stays in place.
Overall I am pleased with the final product. What I am not happy with is the weight of the unit. Don’t expect to be throwing an E-bike up on your shoulders or slinging it to and fro. This particular bike easily exceeds 60 to 70lbs. I have made it fast and powerful, but I have also made it cumbersome. For this reason, I invested in a more portable bike for other instances, as I wrote in an earlier article.
When I say my old bike is fast, I am not exaggerating! On a full charge, this bike will exceed 40MPH on a straightaway. I do not recommend this on a standard mountain bike like this. It’s nice to have the power, especially on steep inclines, but no standard bike needs to go this fast, and it certainly is not “Street Legal.”
It wasn’t long after finding out how powerful this bike was that I had to invest in a nice helmet. When you are flying down the road at excessive speeds, negative thoughts start to enter your brain. The least I can do is protect my head! This particular helmet also came equipped with automatic brake light.
Make note: I added on an IBERA bike rack along with saddlebags. I figured with this much power; I should make the bike do some heavy lifting occasionally.
As stated in a previous article, I am never quite satisfied, but between these two bikes, I should be distracted for the time being.