electric hub cost
- Thread starter Trey
- Start date
BarelyAWake
New Member
If it's about cost, then "complete" kits don't seem to be the way to go for anythin' other then SLA setups (which I wouldn't reco) - as far as I've seen all of the kits that include a lithium type battery pack charge significantly more for that pack then any of the better ebike battery retailers would for a pack of equal or greater capacity... sometimes far more.
The complete kit sites aren't all necessarily a rip-off, but you'll pay for the questionable convenience of an all-in-one order, often the kit retailers rarely know or provide the level of detail needed to know exactly what the battery might be, which makes it difficult to know if you're gettin' your pennies worth. At best you're paying extra for some groovy case which is nice n'all... unless there's not much and/or lies inside it lol
If your friend is really interested in keeping costs down to provide a more economical choice in ebikes for the college crowd, then sourcing a better retailer for just the batteries is defo the way to go - some of them also offer cases & rack mounts for that aesthetic appeal, bmsbattery.com & pingbattery.com are a coupla examples of better battery retailers.
Hubs/motors are common & even the cheap ones seem to work really well, it's the batteries that mean so much and can't really be scrimped on if it's about cost and customer satisfaction.... for ease of ordering the complete kits are good for the first-time builders as everythings matched & ready to go, but that's a very minor consideration for anyone that's built one before I figure
The complete kit sites aren't all necessarily a rip-off, but you'll pay for the questionable convenience of an all-in-one order, often the kit retailers rarely know or provide the level of detail needed to know exactly what the battery might be, which makes it difficult to know if you're gettin' your pennies worth. At best you're paying extra for some groovy case which is nice n'all... unless there's not much and/or lies inside it lol
If your friend is really interested in keeping costs down to provide a more economical choice in ebikes for the college crowd, then sourcing a better retailer for just the batteries is defo the way to go - some of them also offer cases & rack mounts for that aesthetic appeal, bmsbattery.com & pingbattery.com are a coupla examples of better battery retailers.
Hubs/motors are common & even the cheap ones seem to work really well, it's the batteries that mean so much and can't really be scrimped on if it's about cost and customer satisfaction.... for ease of ordering the complete kits are good for the first-time builders as everythings matched & ready to go, but that's a very minor consideration for anyone that's built one before I figure
Trey
$50 Cruiser
Thank you for that insight, that is quite helpful. I've never built an e-bike.
Quality is out the window with this deal. His only interest is profit. Knowing that I have the M.A.B. sickness, he offered to pay me to build them.
More interestingly, he offered me a small amount of floor space to sell my gas-bikes. I assume the percentage he'll want will be right about what my profit is... But the exposure, and chance for references to build and sell outside of his store will be nice.
Quality is out the window with this deal. His only interest is profit. Knowing that I have the M.A.B. sickness, he offered to pay me to build them.
More interestingly, he offered me a small amount of floor space to sell my gas-bikes. I assume the percentage he'll want will be right about what my profit is...
But the exposure, and chance for references to build and sell outside of his store will be nice.
kevyleven007
Active Member
I would recommend this kit http://www.ebay.com/itm/48V1000W-26...n-/231458649071?ssPageName=ADME:SS:SS:US:3160 and this battery http://www.conhismotor.com/ProductShow.asp?id=459
BarelyAWake
New Member
No worries Trey
Don't sweat it even a little bit as building a hub ebike is literally no more complicated then swappin' out any bicycle's rear wheel and adding a rack & handgrip/throttle...
...and yer done lol
I've actually had a couple few offers, folks that like my ebike & want me to build them one - but I balk at the idea every time as I'm not a businessman, I'm more interested in just riding then customer service & such shenanigans. So each & every time I ask them the honest question, "Can you change a wheel to fix a flat?" as if they can, they can build their own ebike & if they can't... well, should they really have an ebike yet? Shouldn't they learn that first & then wouldn't the other follow?
Weirdly, interest then seems to evaporate despite my ready offer to help for free - which ofc makes me wonder if they were all that likely to pay up in full or see even such a minor project to completion *shrug* but you've also a different customer base, college kids with disposable income that don't wanna get their hands dirty - I can see the attraction.
In any case, the only two "tricky" bits I've ever encountered with hub motor ebikes is axle thickness & width. You might need to file the dropouts to fit snug & flush with the oversized, flat-sided axle & it just might be a bit too wide to fit without spreading the stays a touch... but these are simple & easy tasks too, stay spreading is well covered on the forum if it's needful
Don't sweat it even a little bit as building a hub ebike is literally no more complicated then swappin' out any bicycle's rear wheel and adding a rack & handgrip/throttle...
...and yer done lol
I've actually had a couple few offers, folks that like my ebike & want me to build them one - but I balk at the idea every time as I'm not a businessman, I'm more interested in just riding then customer service & such shenanigans. So each & every time I ask them the honest question, "Can you change a wheel to fix a flat?" as if they can, they can build their own ebike & if they can't... well, should they really have an ebike yet? Shouldn't they learn that first & then wouldn't the other follow?
Weirdly, interest then seems to evaporate despite my ready offer to help for free - which ofc makes me wonder if they were all that likely to pay up in full or see even such a minor project to completion *shrug* but you've also a different customer base, college kids with disposable income that don't wanna get their hands dirty - I can see the attraction.
In any case, the only two "tricky" bits I've ever encountered with hub motor ebikes is axle thickness & width. You might need to file the dropouts to fit snug & flush with the oversized, flat-sided axle & it just might be a bit too wide to fit without spreading the stays a touch... but these are simple & easy tasks too, stay spreading is well covered on the forum if it's needful
Trey
$50 Cruiser
Shouldn't they learn that first & then wouldn't the other follow?
Truer words have never been spoken my friend.
How's winter this year in the Great North-East?
BarelyAWake
New Member
Unfortunately can't squeeze in a bike project this winter & fortunately Mongo the ebike jus' keeps kickin' on & keepin' on so as a result I haven't the shinys or projects to babble about as is my norm... but the next couple few days are gonna be a balmy 20-30 °F out, so I outa get some pleasant ridin' in for a change...
...soon enough it'll be spring again, I jus' keep tellin' meself that figurin' sooner or later it'll be true lol, thanks for askin'
Heck, you know man - it's not like Montana is the tropical southlands or anythin'
...soon enough it'll be spring again, I jus' keep tellin' meself that figurin' sooner or later it'll be true lol, thanks for askin'
Heck, you know man - it's not like Montana is the tropical southlands or anythin'
Trey
$50 Cruiser
You got that right! But it's the third mild winter in a row, so I ride alot. Of course, it ain't over till it's over.
I'm in a move so I don't have anything on the bench either (or even a bench)... getting closer every day to tearing into my bike with a leatherman!
It'll be spring again, it'll be spring again...
I'm in a move so I don't have anything on the bench either (or even a bench)... getting closer every day to tearing into my bike with a leatherman!
It'll be spring again, it'll be spring again...