All in all, it is easy to find them for prices between 600 and 2,000 euros, although there are other more sophisticated and higher level ones that can comfortably reach 4,000 euros. In those, and in the same way that was done initially with the scooters, the possibility arises of doing convert our old stock bike in an electric It’s not crazy, it’s more; this is quite a crowded way in countries like Germany, France or Belgium, countries where the conversion of vehicles is something almost daily.
What is it about
And it is that, with the improvement of batteries and other electrical systems, there have been many who have gone to the already famous ‘e bike’ and many others who are thinking about it a lot. The problem is that, as we say, despite the fact that cities like Madrid have announced aid to boost their sale, their prices are still quite high.
So in most cases what is needed to access them is a large investment to get one. So all is not lost. because there are others much cheaper alternatives and less well known. Which? Well, converting your traditional bicycle, that of mechanical movement, into an electric one. And we can do it ourselves.
In those, luckily, if we are in love with our bicycle, we have to know that it will no longer be necessary to change it for the cheapest one, but that we will be able to adapt it to even more beneficial use For the enviroment. How? With a simple transformation technique.
It is true that there is not only one technique and that the one that we show you below is not the only one that we can find. In fact, it is much more likely that you have heard of pedaling kits, common elements to incorporate and immediately convert the common bike and make it electric. However, there are other ways that are just as precise and even cheaper.
One of them is the one that has to do, in its best expression, with individual pieces for different types; These can be for an urban, mountain, road, sports or, for example, competition.
How are your techniques?
As we mentioned before, one of the main problems that we find ourselves with right now if we want to go from one place to another avoiding contamination, is that certain routes can be lengthy or inappropriate for common bicycles, and that forces us to opt for the car or public transport in certain cases.
Therefore, with techniques such as conversion or transformation, we will make our two-wheeled friend feel completely like one of Last generation. Even if we choose to change its appearance or add extras such as sports handlebars, for example, we will have an electric bike that will not notice anything that has had another life before.
First of all it is important to pay attention to details such as their Technical specifications. Or what is the same; know the power, what autonomy it has and what is the maximum speed it can reach, although the autonomy and top speed will depend on the use you make and the terrain where it is circulated. From then on, and paying close attention to the parts that we will mount on our vehicle, we will find everything just and necessary for its installation.
Types of conversion and what we need
Thus, if what we want is to adapt our normal bicycle and turn it into an electric one, we recommend that you take a look at the different manufacturers of specified materials. Both for those that are the battery equipment, the motor, controller, accelerator…
In the market we can do it through different kits, perhaps one of the most practical ways, although also, as we highlighted, we can do it freely with the individual pieces for each element. In the case of the former, the prices are somewhat higher than with the latter, although we will also find everything that is essential.
Those known as ‘kits’ start at 500-600 euros (you can always find cheaper options if you are looking for products of Asian origin), although there are other very complete ones that have a higher price. At Amazon, for example, we find the following equipment for about 200 euros.
- Bafang BBS01B kit 36V 250W. Without a doubt the best approved conversion kit that exists. Has 250W so it is totally legal to carry anywhere. It includes all the necessary mounting accessories, so in a couple of hours if you know how to do it, you will have it ready.
- BBS02B 48V 750W. Also from Bafang, it has a base 48V and 750Walthough several models can be selected, each one with a different power, in addition, several of them contain the included battery.
- sfeomi 36V 500W. It comes with all the necessary parts, including a rear wheel, a motor, two brake pullers, an electric controller and a twist throttle.
Likewise, you can always resort to loose pieces that, if we do an intensive search, can be much cheaper than if we did it with the sets. We see and distinguish them below.
The motor
To be able to say that we have transformed our old bicycle into an electrified one, we have to do it by integrating its motor, which, of course, must be electric, but specific for a bike. In your case, this can be located in different locations: either in the hub, which is the central part of the two wheels, or in the own pedal axle.
Normally, if it is in the axis, it is where the effect of the engine is more forceful, providing greater power, which is why its placement in that place is indicated in models such as the mountain ones. On the other hand, if it is used for the city, where the unevenness and the physical demand are less, it is more appropriate to place the engine in one of the wheels. In any case, it is important to acquire one that, as you have, 250 W maximum. They can be given for prices close to the 300 euros.
Battery
Like any new generation vehicle (cars, motorcycles, scooters), the battery is essential, which it will do, in the same way, because we finally manage to convert the bike into an electric one. It is one of the most sensitive elements, so special care must be taken during installation.
The most used are the lithium-ion ones, which allow a more recharge cycles and, in addition, they are much lighter than those of lead. The key point of the battery is the autonomy, which is calculated by multiplying the volts, the amps and the maximum speed and dividing this result by the engine power. In addition, it is highly influenced by exogenous elements such as weather conditions, the user’s driving style or the weight they have to support. Their prices can be around 150 euros.
The screen
Unlike a traditional one, the new generation ones imply the need to have a screen. The reason is that with it we can observe the amount of energy consumed and see how much time and distance we have left until the battery charge runs out.
With it, it is observed as one of those parts in which the difference in investment is most noticeable. If we want to have a good LCD screen with its button panel so that, installed on our handlebars, it helps us to know at all times how our equipment is doing, we will surely have to make a somewhat more important investment. But in the long run, it’s appreciated. The best thing is that it has everything you need to show (speed, range, temperature, engine power, mileage…). They usually have prices between 60 and 90 euros.
throttle and controller
These two are more than correct and useful elements to get the most out of our new bike that we have converted to electric. The first, the accelerator, and although it is not a strictly necessary component for the operation of this two-wheeled vehicle, many users use it to have a greater control over traction.
can be from trigger typethat is, a button that is close to where the hands are placed, or fist, similar to the mechanism that most motorcycles have to accelerate. There are those with a higher specification or, on the contrary, something more basic. But in general, their prices do not usually exceed 30 euros.
There is also the controller. This is a device whose function is to incorporate all the electronic part, so it is key for the engine to work without failure. It is key to anchor the bicycle very well, since many cables start from it. Unlike the motor, it does not have a fixed location, but can be placed where it is believed that it will bother us less. It is small in size, which means that it can be placed almost anywhere. Their prices usually range from 20 and 40 euros.