How To Make Your Own Electric Bike
BY DIEGO RODRIGUEZ-AMEZQUITA — Staff Writer
Recently, electric bikes have become more popular than ever. They’re fast, cool, clean, and green! Despite all of that, there is one major downside: they cost a lot of money. A good quality, full size e-bike can run from $700 -$6,000! There is one solution to the price, you can make your own e-bike for cheaper. Now, you might be thinking “I’m not good at making things’’, or “I can’t do this’’. The process is actually rather simple, and everything you need will be here.
Disclaimer
This is meant to be a fun project; only do this if you really want to. If you just want to unbox it and ride (and are willing to spend the extra money), go ahead.
Aside from that, this project is for basic commuting purposes, as the kits/parts run on a 250 watt motor. It should top out at about 15–20mph throttle only. If you want a bike for raw speed, you can look at 1,500w kits and above, which will go about 35mph and up. If you choose this, you should invest in a good bike to handle the higher speeds, and also keep in mind that 750w is the highest street legal wattage for an electric bicycle without registration. The process should be done carefully with some research. Do so at your own risk!
How it Works
To begin with, we need to understand how it works. There is a motor, speed controller, battery, speedometer, and throttle (Depending on what kit you chose, there might be other parts like electric brakes, pedal sensors, etc, but they are not necessary for the bike to function).
The motor spins the wheels so the bike can accelerate. In our case, we will use a hub motor and friction motor configuration. Hub motors are located in the wheel hub, around the axle, and rotate the entire wheel. They also require less maintenance than other motor configurations. The Revos kit is not a hub motor, but rather a friction motor. This motor is a single unit (motor, battery, and controller) placed behind the seatpost. It touches the tire and rotates the entire wheel.
The battery simply powers all of the components. The speed controller regulates the current from the throttle to the motor. All the components connect to the controller to receive power from the battery. The controller will likely look like this.
The throttle is used to adjust the speed of the bike. There are two main kinds of throttles: twist throttles and thumb throttles. Twist throttles replace the right grip on the handlebars and twist like a motorcycle throttle. They usually come with a matching left grip.
Unlike twist throttles, thumb throttles are pushed down like a lever to accelerate. They do not require you to replace your grips.
The display provides the power button for the bike, speed and pedal assist levels, and battery percentage. It varies in appearance depending on what kit you choose. The speed sensor attaches to wheel spokes to give an accurate reading of your speed. This component is not necessary for the bike to function.
The pedal sensor mounts outside crankshaft and gives motor assistance based on your pedaling (pedal assist). This component is not necessary for the bike to function.
Put it Together
For this project you have a few options. The first one is a video that did a great job explaining the process of the conversion. It has links in the description of individual parts that can be assembled into an electric bike. You can also find other kits/parts online. To attach the parts to the bike, you can buy bike bags that simply use Velcro straps, or you can fabricate your own mounts.
Your second choice is the Swytch kit. This kit comes with a hub motor and a single battery+controller+display unit. This unit attatches to the handlebars with a mount provided in the kit. There is more information provided on the website link below.
Your third option is the Revos kit. This kit is a friction drive motor as a single unit with the battery and controller. The unit mounts to the seatpost, having the motor rest on the tire. There is a link to the website and to a review video below. Aside from that, you will also need some tools to put these kits together.
Tools
- Adjustable wrench
- Multi tool/Allen keys
- Plus-head screwdriver
Assembly
- Obtain bike of choice.
- Replace wheel for new hub motor wheel or mount friction drive kit behind seatpost.
- Place display in desired location (if separate).
- Replace old grips with the new twist throttle and grip, or remove right grip to place thumb throttle, and then place it back on the handlebars.
- Mount speed controller to frame (if separate).
- Mount the battery to the frame (if separate).
- Plug the components to the speed controller.
- Charge the battery.
Links
E-bike Parts (individual parts assembly)
- Video (has links in description) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r12IrYTqvas
Extra parts (not necessary)
- Speed controller bag https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tebru-Electric-Bicycle-Bag-Plastic-Black-Bike-Electric-Bicycles-Controller-Box-Bag-Storage-Bags-Accessory-Bike-Controller-Bag/892447837?athbdg=L1700
- Alternative speed controller kit (seller raised price) https://www.amazon.com/Dioche-Electric-Controller-Brushless-Scooter/dp/B07JWK1BWX/ref=sr_1_15?crid=15UOLMXSA2Y5T&keywords=ebike+controller+kit&qid=1649777049&sprefix=ebike+controller+kit%2Caps%2C40&sr=8-15
Swytch E-bike Kit
- Swytch Kit https://www.swytchbike.com
Revos E-bike Kit
- Revos Friction drive video review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNpOVbI0sSY
- Revos Friction drive kit https://revolutionworks.com/products/revos-with-200wh-battery
