new ebike build
 

I started taking the train to Seattle, and riding a bus the last 3 miles.
Last week I started using the ride share bikes, in this order.
https://www.ofo.com/us/en
LimeBike
https://www.spin.pm/

Ofo was way too short for me. I had not been on a bike in 10 years, and that killed my knees with the wrong seat height. Nonetheless, I kept riding.
The Limebike had slightly better ergonomics, still a little short.
The orange Spin bikes had been the worst, but they retrofitted the fleet with super long seat posts.
Thursday I got on a Spin, set up the seat properly, and blew the doors off everyone but the guys with real bikes. The two guys I work with said they saw me disappear around the first corner, never to be seen again, LOL!
It's only a three mile sprint from the train to work, so why an E-assist?
I currently drive 15 miles to the train station, with a 500+ foot elevation gain on the way back home after a long day of work. I don't think I can do that yet. With E-assist, I think it is doable. I can recharge at work for a full battery for the climb.
The market is changing so fast these days, old threads are not as much use on the ebike technology.
I am hoping to hear suggestions.
I propose more than 350 watt but less than a 1000 watt hub motor, probably a front drive, on a Raliegh MTB bike I have had for several years. I could get another bike but there is nothing too wrong with this one.
specs: 32.5 pounds as equipped.
1) 26x1.5 rims with decent 2.0 hybrid street tires.
2) 7x3 shimano deore LX for 21 gears.
3) nerf risers for a few hand positions
4) aluminum rear rack for batteries
5) tire pump on the downtube.
6) upgraded saddle.
7) undersaddle tool kit.
8) plastic fenders front and rear for Seattle rain.

You have somewhere secure to park it on either nd of your commute?

work is secure, inside gates. home is home.
I rode a specialized new bike with the bionx kit on it today, and that was a blast.
It has a 350W hub motor with torque sensing, 4 levels of assist, and a throttle lever. I think I'd rather have more than 350w after that ride.

It was a blast, but you want more? No satisfying some people! :p

My electric assist bike is 300 watts. Its the right combination of assistance an exercise (and i can adjust how much assistance it gives when it isn't).

500w is a nice number. Rarely makes it so that I feel I need "more". (ie, it can conquer most hills and acceleration isn't sluggish). 800w is really quick off the line and can tackle any hill.

Tomorrow I test ride a specialized rockhopper hybrid MTB with the same kit.
The Seattle commute is about half excellent smooth trail, and half 'potholed rough as pavement gets' obstacle course. Front suspension might be a welcome option. The rideshare bikes have hard narrow tires and it's a pretty rough go.
I am taking my MTB up there Monday with the 2" tires @ 65 PSI. That should help things and let me evaluate that end.
The 15 mile commute at the home end is not too bad, some loose gravel nuggets and a few bumps but nothing like Seattle.
I am looking at the options at ebike.
http://www.ebikes.ca/shop/electric-b...ect-drive.html
They have some excellent info there. I could drive up and get my kit in person if I get to that point.

there's Golden Motor, if you wants lots of torque at (china-made) reasonable prices.

Thank you!
The magic pie vector @ 48V is a 1000 watt option. I can build up a kit for around 1300 with torque sensing crankset and smart display/controller.
The more I think about it, the less I want to use my old bike with a kit. It is really dated, and a good used replacement is not that much.
I will report back after the rockhopper demo ride.

Your proposed build is really similar to mine, except that I used a road bike. And your commute is very similar to mine. I do 12.5 miles each way to work and back, with a couple climbs a few hundred feet high--one just under five hundred. Here is what mine currently looks like, except that I have done some wiretucking to improve the look a little.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post542573

I have the front hub motor totally independent of the rear pedal hub, for simplicity, lower cost, and flexibility. Yesterday I took it 21 miles and did very little motor. Sometimes I am nearly all motor.

My battery was initially above the rear wheel too. Not a great location. I moved it to the triangle for less rattle and MUCH better manuverability.

Also seek puncture resistant tubes, tires. Necessary because of all the weight and miles and heavier use of roads dominated by cars and trucks with their sharp debris.

I LOVE IT. Nearly 4800 miles on it now.

Looking at the panasonic shark pack for the same placement.
48V11.6AH Panasonic Shark Pack - GOLDENMOTOR.BIKE
I am also sold on the front hub placement. It does not mess with the gearing, makes tire work easier, gives you all wheel drive.

Yes. And the all wheel drive, when you have the right gear selected for the rear, gets you through an intersection from a full stop faster than anyone there. Being in front and not be pushed or crowded by the cars is a god send. (It also feels cool being the quickest to 22 mph. I hear people rev hard to the side of me a moment after I take off sometimes and it feels like they decided to roar past the quick bike. Hahaha!)