Last Updated on June 12, 2023 by Emmanuel
This article examines how to add an electric motor to a bicycle to conveniently cover long distances and climb hills without being too tired.
We will discuss choosing suitable mounting components, tips, and tricks to start and finalize the process effectively.
Table of Contents
How does the process work?
At first glance, electric bikes are just like regular bicycles. You can pedal and control them like any standard bike because the essential parts are identical.
The only difference is electric bikes use motors to help riders travel further and handle steep hills and rather hard roads without getting as tired as when pedaling the bike.
By turning energy from a battery into kinetic energy, the motor turns the wheel around and moves the bike forward.
An electric motor suit is attached to the front or rear wheel.
You can also install an electric bicycle motor kit on most regular bicycles regardless of their type and size.
Finding the fitting kit.
You can choose from many available conversion kits, including a motor that cannot fit inside a wheel hub or bottom bracket.
Such a kit produces a very soft motor sound making other riders think that the power comes from you.
But you can also choose the bigger one that gives you more powerful acceleration.
Other than size, there are also lots of power classes.
The lowest one is 200W, but most electric bicycles use 250W.; there is also an option for a 1,000W power class and more.
Besides, know what yiur state says about the limit, typically 750W in the US.
Consider also the placement of an electric bike conversion kit and the design because they can impact how your electric bike works.
For example, putting the motor in the front can make your front wheel heavier, and you may feel resistant to your bike handling.
If you mount the motor in the rear, ensure it is compatible with the gearing and derailleurs.
RELATED: The five best Specialized Stumpjumper mountain bikes.
Installing the kit front wheel.
Front-wheel removal.
After flipping your bike upside down, use the handlebar and bike seat as support, and remove the front wheel.
You will either loosen the threaded nuts or open the quick release to remove them.
And reduce the brake cable to slide the wheel out from the brake pads if there is a rim brake.
Changing the rim.
First, grab your tire lever and carefully group up the tire from the wheel rim, be careful not to damage the tube inside.
After removing the tube and tire, get your motor wheel and install the tube and tire by reversing the previous process.
Installing the hub motor.
After perfectly installing the tube and tire on the motor wheel, put it back in the fork and slide the hub motor wheel into the division to reverse the process.
If the drop-out slot doesn’t fit the wheel, use a rasp or metal file to enlarge it until it’s wide enough.
Pay attention to the screws on one side; ensure that this site is on the left-hand side of the bike.
That is the correct way to install the hub motor in the fork. Otherwise, your bike would move backward instead of forward.
Torque arm.
You don’t need to install a torch arm is not obligatory., unless the power class of your electric motor is 750W or above,
But you can install it by screwing the nuts outside the drop-out to ensure a better and more secure axle hold.
Adjust brakes.
If your bike uses a rim brake, the pad position must be adjusted accordingly, as the electric motor rim is usually more comprehensive than the regular rim.
If you have a disk brake, adjust it accordingly so it spins perfectly without friction, and tighten the nuts or the quick-release axle once everything is in place.
Installing battery and thumb throttle.
Most bicycles have two mounting eyelets down the line to install the battery pack’s cradle.
If your bike doesn’t have water bottle eyelets or the battery pack doesn’t fit the location, use the bottle bob clamp to securely attach the cradle of the battery pack on the down tube or anywhere you like on the bicycle.
In the next step, install the thumb throttle by removing the handlebar’s grip before sliding the thumb throttle onto the handlebar.
And readjust the shifter and brake lever placement because the thumb throttle adds extra width to the handlebar.
RELATED: Why does everyone who uses a bike wear a helmet?
Cable routing.
Follow the route of the existing shifter and brake cables down to the down tube to the throttle plug on the motor controller.
- Use cable ties to tidy the cable securely and neatly tie it onto the passed tubes.
- Check a cable linking the engine and the motor controller for the front hub motor.
- Plug the cable into the motor controller and secure it using cable ties onto the fork and down tube.
Now that you know the basics of installing an electric motor on a bicycle, let’s discuss establishing a bike conversion kit on the rear wheel.
Installing the kit rear wheel.
Removing the rear wheel.
First, flip your bicycle, loosen the brake cable and the nuts or quick-release lever, and hold down the rear derailleur while pulling up the wheel.
A freewheel tool enables you to remove the freewheel, the tube, and the tire following step two in the previous section.
RELATED: Why are motorcycle jackets so expensive?
Installing the wheel.
Grab your motor wheel with the tube and tire attached, then install the freewheel you removed earlier onto the hub.
Insert the axle in the spot to stop the freewheel from untying. Use a torque arm on the other side of the axle for additional safety before adding the remaining nuts.
Afterward, follow steps six and seven to complete other installation steps.
Recheck if the motor axle and the brakes fit well and if your battery pack locks perfectly.
Lastly, turn the power on and press the throttle to enjoy the ride.
Final thoughts.
That’s what we can tell concerning how to add an electric motor to a bicycle; we hope this blog post is valuable.
Many prefer to purchase bicycles featuring electric motors and other components they favor to enjoy immediate rides.
The cycle industry has several options; famous brands offer top-quality E-bikes for all budgets.
This article is fantastic, and I will also invest in an electric motor kit for my bicycle. It is always frustrating when you’re hiking, and someone moves past you out of nowhere without knowing why you cant’ ride better than him. I have always felt like maybe I’m not strong enough without realizing there was a way to turn the tables.
Thank you, Paul, for your comment. It’s a pleasure to learn that this article was helpful for you.