If you’re looking for the best electric bike kit, you've come to the right place! An electric bike conversion kit allows you to turn any bicycle into an electric bicycle. BikeBerry offers the largest selection of quality electric conversion kits for bikes. But with such a large selection, choosing the right one for you can be a difficult decision- we’re here to help! Below we’ll go through some considerations in picking the right one for your specific riding style and needs. There are two main considerations that should be made when choosing the right electric bike kit:
1. E-Bike Wattage: how much power do you need for an electric bike?
2. Electric Bike Motor Position: Front hub vs Rear hub?
E-Bike Wattage- how much power do you need for an electric bike?
We offer electric bicycle kits in 4 different sizes- 250 Watt, 500 Watt, 750 Watt and 1000 Watt. Below we’ll go over the best option for you depending in your needs:
250 Watt Electric Bike kit - Our 250W electric bike wheel kits are ideal for those looking for an electric bike for extra assistance when pedaling. Due to their low power consumption, a 250 Watt motor can travel the furthest out of all of the wattage options. When paired with a 11 Ah battery a 250 Watt motor can travel up to 50 miles on a single charge using pedal assist only. With throttle only, a 250 watt motor can travel up to 25 miles with an max speed of 15 MPH.
500 Watt Electric Bike Kit - The 500W electric bicycle kit is our most popular wattage option, and for good reason- these kits are the perfect balance between power and distance. The 500W motor is enough power to interchange between pedal-assist mode and throttle only mode with ease. When paired with a 11Ah battery, the 350W an electric bike fitted with a conversion kit can travel up to 40 miles on a single charge using pedal assist. Using the throttle, you can expect a maximum distance of up to 17 miles with a max speed of 21 mph.
750 Watt Electric Bike Kit - Looking for more power and don’t mind a lower distance? The 750W ebike kit option may be the best choice for you. If you live in a hilly area and are looking for the extra power to traverse those hills, the 750W motor can easily power over inclines up to 30 degrees with ease. This motor provides enough power to climb a 30 degree hill with throttle assist only. Paired with an 11AH battery, you can reach distances up to 30 miles with pedal assist mode. With throttle mode, you can travel up to 15 miles with a max speed of up to 25 mph.
1000 Watt Electric Bike Kit- the most powerful electric bike conversion kit available. For those looking for maximum power from an electric bike! The 1000W motor can travel over even the steepest of hills with ease. All 1000W ebike kits require a 48 Volt battery. Voltage translates to the number of cells contained in the battery. Higher voltage translates to a higher torque from the motor. Now, there will always be a sacrifice of range when increasing power. However, to combat this, we offer a larger 11.6 Ah battery option. With a 1000 watt electric bicycle kit, you can travel up to 30 miles with pedal-assist mode and up to 14 miles with throttle only.
Electric Bike Motor Placement- Front Hub vs Rear Hub?
When deciding between a front or rear hub motor, there are a number of considerations. These include weight distribution, ease of installation, traction, maintenance.
Weight Distribution: Weight distribution is an important consideration since a properly distributed bike weight can dramatically improve rideability and comfort on an ebike. On the majority of bike designs, the weight is distributed normally towards the rear of the bike. As such, when considering weight distribution, choosing a front hub will help to distribute the total weight across both wheels.
Ease of Installation: Although both front hub and rear hub wheels are easy to install, the front hub configuration takes the cake when it comes to installation difficulty and time. Installation of a front hub electric bike kit can be completed in as little as 30 minutes.
Traction: When it comes to traction, the rear hub motors easily win over the front hub. Because the rider’s weight sits predominantly on the rear wheel, by having a rear hub electric bike, the motor will have maximum traction to the road. As such, for higher powered motors (750W and 1000W), we recommend a rear-wheel configuration due to the higher chance of losing traction.
Maintenance: When it comes to maintenance items such as replacing the inner tube on your electric bike, the front wheel hub has a slight advantage. Similar to its ease of installation, it is equally easy to remove the front wheel to replace the inner tube.
