CHOOSING A DIY CONVERSION MID-DRIVE MOTOR
This article will FOCUS on the six popular mid-drive motor kits used for ebike conversions. They are popular because they are all excellent motor kits. Each has its advantages. Check out the chart at the end of the article for a comparison of the key points of each.
Mid-drive Motors vs. Hub Motors
Mid-drive motors are found on higher-end ebikes and come with distinct advantages over hub motors. There are five primary reasons to choose a mid-drive motor for your ebike conversion.
- Center of Gravity: Low and centered for a balanced central motor placement
- Easier Maintenance: Replace flat rear tires hassle-free with no motor in the wheel, just like a regular bicycle.
- Motor Efficiency: Able to be appropriately geared for speed and hills
- Torque Performance: Geared for uphill terrain and riding into the wind
- Longer Battery Life: Doesn’t bog down from being geared too high
The last three advantages all come from having a transmission. the motor drives the chain and gets to use the gears on your bike. Hub motors are stuck in one gear and cannot use the bike’s gears. Because mid-drive motors drive the bicycle chain, the bike’s gears effectively become the motor’s transmission allowing the rider to climb hills in a low gear and then shift into a high gear where it is downhill or flat to go fast.
Bafang Mid-drive Motor Conversion Kits
The BBSHD and the BBS02 comprise the Bafang powerhouse family of mid-drive motors. Between these two, nearly every bottom bracket for bikes is covered from 68 to 120mm. From comfort cruisers to colossal fat bikes, Bafang mid-drive motors will bring a smile to any rider. Tackle any hill or mountain. Heck, you can even climb stairs.
Bafang mid-drive motor kits are some of the most popular motors on the planet for DIY ebike conversions and with good reason. They are solid, reliable, powerful, and the quietest mid-drive motors we have found. They are quieter than geared hub motors and the big brand mid-drive motors like Bosch, Yamaha, and Brose. And are almost as silent as direct-drive hub motors. If silent running and power are high on your list, then Bafang mid-drive motor kits are a clear winner.
Bafang BBS02
Bafang makes the BBS01/02 motor in a 250-watt, 350-watt, and 500-watt mid-drive configuration, but at Electrify Bike Co., we only carry the BBS02 750-watt. Why is that? The 250-watt and 350-watt motors are primarily for countries with e-bike laws limiting the maximum watts to those wattages. In the USA, the e-bike watt limit is 750 watts, so the Bafang BBS02 kit is perfect. For some bikes, customers, and riding conditions where less power is desirable, the 500-watt motor makes more sense. But the 500-watt motor is the same price as the 750-watt motor, and we can configure the 750-watt motor to be a 500-watt motor when needed. A 750-watt motor can become a 500-watt motor when 750 watts is too powerful for the bike or the rider. A 750-watt motor will also last longer when run at the lower wattage.
The BBS02 only comes in a single bottom bracket size. It fits threaded bottom brackets that are 68mm and 73mm wide. If you have a press-fit bottom bracket of this width, we have adapters that can convert your bottom bracket to the threaded standard so the BBS02 can fit. With the new Lekkie adapter, you can also install it on BB86/92. If you have a wider 100mm or 120mm fat bike bottom bracket, you need to use either the Bafang BBSHD or CYC X1 Pro, or X1 Stealth.
The BBS02 is our go-to Bafang mid-drive kit for most bikes and customers. Quiet and powerful, the BBS02 cranks out 120Nm of torque. Compare that to most high-end factory e-bikes with mid-drive motors having torques topping out at 65Nm to 80Nm. It is affordable and fits almost all older bikes and newer bikes that don’t have a wider bottom bracket. It can now fit BB86 and BB92 bottom brackets with the introduction of Lekkie’s new BB86/92 adapter for BBSxx.
Bafang BBSHD
The BBSHD is a 1000-watt beast of a motor. It is about 3.5lbs heavier than the BBS02 and delivers a peak power of over 1500 watts. Although weighing in at about 13lbs, this motor is super silent and has a massive torque of 160Nm. There are small cars with the same amount of torque.
Given its full power range, this motor is strictly for off-road use where motorized vehicles are allowed. However, it can be programmed to be street and bike trail legal if you want to use it everywhere because you like this motor’s ruggedness and reliability. For those that want street-legal and full power, we also sell a unique display, the Eggrider V2, that can reprogram the motor on the fly for a street-legal, power-limited mode and an off-rode, full-power mode depending on where you are riding.
In addition to the 68/73mm bottom bracket sizes that the BBS02 fits, the BBSHD also comes in 100mm and 120mm BB widths. These are typically used exclusively on fat bikes. The BBSHD is always an excellent choice for a fat bike because they are heavier and often used in sand, snow, or steep terrain. However, The 100mm also bridges the gap to 83-92mm bottom brackets. These are popular BB widths for high-end mountain bikes. To fit the BBSHD, these typically require press-fit adapters and 8-16mm of bottom bracket spacers, and these conversions are solid. When possible, the spacers should go on the non-drive side to help equalize the Q-factor. Exceptions are when some spacing is necessary on the drive side so that the “gear reduction housing” clears the right chain stay. As with the BBS02, with the new Lekkie adapter, you can install the 68mm version of the BBSHD on BB86/92.
Bafang Mid-drive Motor Issues
The BBS02 and BBSHD are tried and proven but older designs. Their single-piece construction has simplified DIY conversions but has some limitations for modern high-end bikes. Most newer mountain bikes have a downtube that extends out from the bottom bracket nearly horizontally before curving up to the headtube. Bafang designed the BBS motors 6 to 8 years ago when almost all bikes’ downtube came straight down from the head-tube to the bottom bracket without curving horizontally. This geometry allowed the motor to rotate up against the downtube when installing it to get good ground clearance. When you put a Bafang BBS mid-drive motor on a newer, more modern mountain bike, it can’t rotate up, and as a result, it hangs down with less than optimal ground clearance and less than optimal appearance. CYC Motors designed the new CYC X1 Pro and CYC X1 Stealth to eliminate this problem and to have excellent ground clearance and a sleek appearance on all frame types.
Carbon frames often cannot accommodate a Bafang mid-drive motor because the bottom bracket shell casing is too thick. Bafang mid-drive motors have a 12mm clearance between the motor housing and the spindle. Most carbon frames have a BB shell casing thicker than this, and the motor won’t slide into the bottom bracket. The newer CYC X1 Pro and X1 Stealth design eliminates this problem.
Bafang mid-drive motors are cadence only, meaning that the motor knows when and how fast you are pedaling. But it doesn’t know how hard you are pedaling. It has 24 magnets to detect cadence, but it doesn’t have a torque sensor to detect your effort. The TSDZ2, X1 Pro, X1 Stealth, and Photon mid-drives have torque sensors.
Many Bafang users complain that it is more like a motorcycle than a bike. It’s no wonder they say this because Bafang configures these motors at the factory to have about 50% power in assist level one. That is attenuated by the speed % also set to 50%, but that is still crazy. When you start pedaling in level one, you have over 200 watts on a BBS02 and over 300 watts on a BBSHD. That is close to the same power factory e-bikes have on their highest level of assistance, typically 250-350 watts. The Electrify Bike Co. secret sauce for Bafang includes programming each motor we sell to start at around 100 watts and then increase linearly with each assist level to full power at the highest level. This way, the Bafang mid-drive assists at a low enough level that it still feels natural despite not having a torque sensor. A low level of assistance makes it feel like a bike, not a motorcycle. It extends battery range and lets you get as much exercise as you want.
Lastly, the all-in-one mid-drive motor design that Bafang has a patent on has a flaw that plagues every install to some degree. Some bikes hardly notice while others have difficulty shifting into the lower gears. The issue is the chain line. Because the gear reduction housing sits between the bottom bracket and the chainring, it pushes the chainring outboard ~20mm. Bafang compensated for this by providing a dished chainring that is 46T. This is ok for commuter and cruiser bikes but is too high of a gear for MTBs. Lekkie, a New Zealand company, came to the rescue with two dished chainrings that are 42T and 40T. If you want to go smaller, Lekkie makes them down to 28T, but they cannot be dished because the gear reduction housing is too big, and the smaller gears can’t be dished around it. Many still choose to ride with those lower gears, but they do so at the expense of their chain line. The chain can be very noisy and wear out cogs and chains much quicker.
BBS02 vs. BBSHD Summary
If you have a 68/73mm bottom bracket (or 86/92 press fit with the Lekkie adapter), then the chances are that the BBS02 will be what you want. If you have a fat bike with a 100-120mm bottom bracket or want extra power with a smaller bottom bracket, you will need the BBSHD. If you carry lots of weight, have a cargo bike, a heavy cruiser, or just want all the torque you can get for steep terrain, you may also want to lean toward the BBSHD. However, keep in mind that many people underestimate the BBS02 750-watt motor. They convince themselves they need the BBSHD but have never ridden the BBS02 to know just how powerful it is. In our parking lot on flat terrain, we let customers ride bikes with each motor, and they often come back and say they couldn’t tell the difference between the BBS02 and the BBSHD.
Bafang M625
The M625 is Bafang’s newest DIY mid-drive motor kit. It is an upgrade to the 1000W BBSHD. There are also 500W and 750W versions introduced as upgrades to the BBS02. Unfortunately, the major upgrades also have a downside, making them less suitable for most DIY conversions and custom ebikes. What are the upgrades that are downgrades? First, they changed their communications protocol to CANbus. CANbus is a peer-to-peer network protocol used in cars to communicate between ECUs and MPUs in various subsystems. That would be good, except Bafang decided they would lock in the factory configuration settings and not allow customers to configure their motor to a different bike, rider, and riding style characteristics. That configuration flexibility is still available with the BBS02 and BBSHD and is a big deal to DIYers. Second, they upgraded to a magnesium case. Magnesium is lighter, which would be good if the motor was lighter. It is not. What it is, is expensive. The M625 is more expensive without offering any substantial improvements. If Bafang had taken the opportunity to improve the chain line and add torque-sensing, the M625 mid-drive motor kit would be a big upgrade and a real contender in the 2022 DIY mid-drive motor space. Instead, they created a huge opportunity for newcomers like CYC Motor LTD.
There are a few other minor cosmetic improvements but nothing to overcome the major detractors. The new features above appear to have bigger downsides than upsides. In addition, the M625 inherits all the major deficiencies of the BBS02 and BBSHD. These are bad chain lines due to the gear reduction housing pushing the chainring out, no torque sensing capability, and poor ground clearance.
Another huge problem with the Bafang M625 is that Bafang decided to make the motor only work with a specific battery and charger from Bafang. You must buy the entire motor and battery system from Bafang. Other mid-drive motor manufacturers like Bosch, Yamaha, and Shimano also have proprietary battery and motor combinations. Using CANbus protocol, the motor controller and battery talk to each other to ensure they are both from the same manufacturer before the motor turns on. The battery also talks to the charger to ensure they are both from the manufacturer before charging. This limits choice, upgrades, and the ability to get the right size battery for what you need.
The batteries Bafang designed to be sold with this motor are big and bulky and don’t fit many bike frames. There are almost no full-suspension frames that can fit these batteries. The only option if it won’t fit in the frame is to put a huge heavy battery on a rear rack. When you do this, it throws the balance of the bike off. It is much better to choose a motor that gives a broad choice of third-party and custom batteries to suit the needs of the rider and the bike. The M625 is the only DIY motor in this article requiring a proprietary battery to be used.
Bafang mid-drives vs. TSDZ2
Ok, let’s cut to the chase on this one right up front. Both the BBS02 and the TSDZ2 are close together in price, and they are both mid-drive motors. That’s about as far as their similarities go. They each have their place, and choosing one over the other simply matters what features you value the most.
Advantages of the TSDZ2 over the BBS02
Those drawn to the TSDZ2 usually come to it by searching “torque sensing mid-drive motor.” Until the CYC line of mid-drive motors came out, the TSDZ2 was the only game in town for torque sensing, which is its primary advantage over the Bafang mid-drive motors. With torque-sensing, the motor not only senses that you are pedaling but also senses how hard you are pedaling and can respond accordingly. It can feel very natural to have the ebike respond by magnifying your effort with motor power and not just put out a constant amount of power whenever you are pedaling as the Bafang motors do,
The TSDZ2 is also lighter than the BBS02. If you are trying to respect a lightweight bike and keep your electric conversion’s weight to a minimum, the TSDZ2 will help.
The TSDZ2 also comes in a coaster brake version. If you have a coaster brake bike, this is the only game in town. No other mid-drive or rear hub motors can work with a coaster brake. You could put a front hub motor on a coaster brake bike, but front hubs have their own issues. The TSDZ2 coaster brake motor opens up a lot of fun bikes to the possibility of an even more fun ebike.
One of the best-kept secrets regarding the TSDZ2 is the Open Source Firmware (OSF). Electrify Bike Co. collaborated with some excellent European engineers to replace the firmware in the TSDZ2 to accommodate many different bikes and riding styles. OSF replaces the factory firmware and extensively customizes how the motor responds. Those that like to fiddle and fine-tune the performance have a vast array of options with this firmware.
OSF performs very well right out of the box. Still, suppose you want to make adjustments like changing the power performance on each level or increasing the torque sensitivity. In that case, OSF gives you many configuration options to make it exactly how you want it.
The latest version of OSF also works well with the coaster brake version of the TSDZ2. It works much better than the stock firmware. As a result, we have decided only to sell the TSDZ2 with OSF. Eliminating the stock firmware streamlines our product offering and allows us to provide consistent support to all of our TSDZ2 customers.
Advantages of Bafang mid-drives over the TSDZ2
Bafang motors are quieter and more powerful than the TSDZ2. Some TSDZ2 motors are more silent than others, but it is the luck of the draw. You don’t know beforehand if you will be lucky or not. But even the more silent TSDZ2 motors are not as quiet as the BBS02 or the BBSHD.
Comparing the motor components of the BBS02 and the TSDZ2, it is striking how much beefier the BBS02 is. The more substantial BBS02 parts provide more power, better heat dissipation, and reliability, giving it the advantage in robustness.
Bafang vs. TSDZ2 plastic gear
Both of these excellent tried, and proven motors have their place. The above discussion should put one or the other ahead on your preference list based on what features you value the most. If you want the natural feel of torque sensing and don’t need lots of power, the TSDZ2 will take the lead. However, if you want lots of power and a robust motor to back it up, the BBS02 is the clear winner. If you value both torque sensing and power, you should take a look at the new CYC X1 Stealth.
CYC Motor Mid-drive Conversion Motors
In 2018, CYC Motor Ltd was born; they gathered a talented engineering team and launched a new generation of DIY mid-drive motors with the CYC X1 Pro. Since then, they launched the X1 Pro’s baby brother, the X1 Stealth, and now one year later, they have launched the third generation of both motors, with still more amazing products yet to come. CYC Motor Ltd. brings steady improvement and excellent support to the DIY mid-drive motor market. Two critical things ebike conversion DIYers have desperately needed.
This next generation of DIY motors from CYC solves many problems inherent in previous mid-drive conversion kits from other manufacturers. With the bottom bracket separate from the motor, it has the fitment flexibility to accommodate over 90% of all bike frames, including carbon frames. Additionally, unlike other mid-drive motors, the chainring is on the inside of the gear reduction gears, allowing you to have a perfect chain line without the typical offset you’d find on similar motors.
The real difference with CYC motors comes from its industry-leading controller technology and torque sensing capability, The natural feel coupled with extreme power is unprecedented. The CYC engineering team found the sweet spot between natural riding and pure power to open a new dimension for DIY mid-drive conversion kits. You have the natural feel of riding a bike, but you can fly up mountains like you have superpowers.
CYC Photon
The CYC Photon mid-drive motor is the creation of CYC Motors in Hong Kong. The CYC Photon is the newest entrant into DIY mid-drive motors. The Photon sets the bar higher than it has ever been for DIY mid-drive motors. It has a finely tuned response to meet the demands of the most discriminating cyclist or MTBer. On top of that, it sets a new precedent for power and quietness in a lightweight motor kit.
This motor preserves a perfect chain line on any bike down to a 34T chainring and has great ground clearance. With its torque sensing and cadence sensing bottom bracket, it delivers power at the cadence you choose and senses when you crank up your effort and delivers more power on demand.
This versatile motor fits most frame types, including fat bikes and some carbon frames. It can be set up as a class 1, class 2, or class 3 ebike from 250 to 750 watts. Off-road modes go from 750 to over 1,000 watts.
CYC X1 Pro
The CYC X1 Pro is the original powerhouse motor now in its third generation. CYC struggled with some issues early on but listened to users and steadily improved it. The newly launched Gen 3 is the culmination of several years of engineering and dozens of improvements. Now that CYC has developed its own controller, the X1 Pro has smooth power delivery and performance that responds naturally to human effort.
The new X6 controller can deliver up to 3000 watts of power, more than most riders need, and requires a reasonably high-powered battery to achieve it. Our 52v 50A Shark batteries and 52v 50A Mini-max battery can deliver 2600 watts and are an excellent match for this motor/controller combination.
Very soon, CYC will release the X12 controller for the X1 Pro, increasing the power to 5000 watts. To give you an idea of the battery required for that much power, you would need a 100 amp 52-volt battery or a 70 amp 72-volt battery to achieve 5000 watts. Those batteries will be huge if you also want some range. For 5000 watts, we only have one 72v 80A 12AH battery, which is limited in range unless you are not pulling near that many watts. At 864 watt-hours, it is still has a respectable capacity as ebike batteries go, but if you pull 5000 watts continuously, it will completely drain in less than 10 minutes. Best to ride it like a sports car and use that power sparingly for bursts of speed when you need it.
Please read this Gen 3 Feature Summary for details on the new X1 Pro Gen 3 upgrades.
CYC X1 Stealth
CYC Motor Ltd. wanted a motor that could fill the need for a less powerful DIY motor that still had all of the architectural and performance benefits of the X1 Pro. Hence, they brought out the X1 Stealth. Where the Pro is an in-runner brushless motor, the Stealth is an outrunner brushless motor. Outrunner motor designs allow for maximum torque in a smaller package. Although less powerful than the Pro, the Stealth can still deliver up to 1500 watts of power and 120Nm of torque. That puts it right between the BBS02 and BBSHD for raw power. Add torque sensing and the X6 VESC controller, and you have an all-new, game-changing entry into the DIY mid-drive motor space.
Please read this Gen 3 Feature Summary for details on the new X1 Stealth Gen 3 upgrades.
CYC X1 Pro vs.CYC X1 Stealth Summary
These two motors are part of the same family. Just like the Bafang BBSHD is the big brother of the BBS02, the X1 Pro is the big brother of the X1 Stealth. Between these two motors it all comes down to power, a little bit of weight, and the bottom brackets they will fit. The Pro can bridge from 68/73mm BB regular bikes to 100/120mm BB fat bikes. The Stealth can do regular 68/73mm BB and has a special version for BB86/92 bottom brackets.
CYC vs. TSDZ2
Before CYC, if you wanted a torque-sensing mid-drive motor, the TSDZ2 was the only option. Although it is a great little motor for the price, due to design shortcuts, the TSDZ2 has a wide variance in things like noise and torque sensitivity. There is a wide variance between motors in the voltage range for the torque sensor and its response curve. OSF can address these issues, but it can require some tedious configuration.
Besides reliability and build quality, the obvious differences between CYC and TSDZ2 are in power and price. You must run the TSDZ2 below 500W, or it will overheat. It is a much smaller motor.
Best Mid Drive Electric Bike 2023
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Mid-drives can give unrivaled climbing ability and efficiency on an e-bike, so for high-performance e-bike fans we’ve selected EBR’s best mid-drive electric bikes of 2023.
The ranks of e-mtbs are almost exclusively populated with mid-drives and some of the most high-performance ones at that. However, our selection covers just about all genres of e-bike, from compact cargo models to commuters, as well as offering options for throttle lovers and class 3 speed fans.
So it’s likely that whatever kind of e-bike you are after, there will be a mid-drive option out there for you.
How we picked the best Mid-Drive electric bikes
Our team of experts here at EBR have ridden a lot of e-bikes so these e-bike choices are the product of many collective thousands of hours of riding and comparing performance in detail.
With some e-bikes their reputation as one of, if not the best in class precedes it. After all, you would expect to find names like Riese and Muller, Specialized and Tern on many people’s list of their best e-bikes, even if that’s based only on a prestigious online image.
This article isn’t just about high-end mid-drives though; EBR has done the real world testing not only on premium-priced mid-drives but on the whole gamut of e-bikes, so, whatever the price point, our picks stand out from the competition.
But in all cases, we evaluated the bikes based on a few key criteria, mainly:
- Value: How much e-bike are you getting for your dollar? The e-bike market has grown flush with overpriced and under-spec’d electric bikes that don’t offer much value. Every bike on this list we’d call fairly priced.
- Components and extras: What else comes with the e-bike? Does it come with racks, bags, lights and fenders, and do those accessories make sense? Is there anything else that should be included but isn’t?
- Does it offer something unique?: In a market chock-full of options, what’s unique about this bike that sets it apart from the competition? There are many categories of e-bike — particularly at the more affordable end of the spectrum — that are flush with copycat brands and e-bikes that just aren’t that special. We’re looking for the ones that are.
- What does the manufacturer say it was built for?: What was this bike designed to do, and how well does it execute that purpose? Of course you can choose to use your bike however you’d like, but we want to make sure the e-bikes on this list function as advertised.
- How does it actually ride?: Last but not least, the most important question: Does the e-bike ride well? Many of these e-bikes we know intimately through rigorous testing.
Ride1UP Prodigy
Best Affordable Mid-Drive Electric Bike
Starting off our list of the best mid-drive electric bikes is a great value option. Mid-drives at this price are pretty rare – especially ones with a premium, German-manufactured mid-drive like Brose, whose moniker proudly adorns the motor casing on Ride1Up’s Prodigy. In short, mid-drive models with this quality of mid-drive are typically a thousand bucks more, clearly making this an e-bike of absolutely outstanding value.
It’s not just the quality of the motor that makes it standout value; there is a reasonably-sized 504Wh frame-integrated battery, dual piston hydraulic brakes, 9-speed Shimano Alivio gearing, front and rear LED lights, sleek Brose full-color display, full length mudguards and kickstand. Now that’s value!
The mid-drive itself is a Brose TF, actually one of their higher-specced mid-drives, with an amazing 90Nm of torque and featuring Brose’s trademark virtually silent belt drive technology. Smooth power responds intuitively to your pedal pressure, and being a speed pedelec, class 3 model you can keep up the assisted pedaling all the way up to 28mph. There is no throttle, but of course that makes it a good machine for both exercise and for extending the range on rides (typical stated range is 30-50 miles).
The ST and XR variants feature step-thru and lowered top tube style frames respectively. Both make ideal commuting and leisure bikes for smoother surfaces as both lack any kind of suspension. They also look like capable load carriers, with an impressive 300lb rider-plus-cargo capacity.
However, there is a ‘cross country’ XC variant that for an extra 100 bucks adds in a 120mm travel air suspension front fork. Air suspension forks are certainly a big step up from steel sprung budget forks in terms of quality and ride performance. The XC variant also has 2.4” wide knobby tires to make it a truly capable off-road e-bike. Note there are no mudguards, rack and kickstand included as standard with the XC variant.
We’re actually mid-way through testing the XC version as of this publication, but we’re already so taken with the value and performance of this bike we had to include it on the list of best mid-drive electric bikes.
How to convert a bike to electric power | Electric bike conversion kits explained
The best electric bike conversion kits will enable you to add a motor to your existing bike simply and relatively cheaply – at least compared to the price of buying a whole new electric bike.
There are an increasing number of ebike conversion kits out there, and they’re getting more sophisticated and easier to install on your bike, making for a practical alternative to a new purpose-built electric bike. An electric bike conversion kit will include the motor to drive you along and the battery to power it. It also needs to include the apparatus to control the power output level. This usually takes the form of a bar-mounted display.
In addition, a kit will include sensors to detect how fast you’re travelling and your level of pedal input to ensure the power supplied matches your needs. We’ve tested a few electric bike conversion kits here at BikeRadar, but there are lots more we’re yet to try. A full test of the best electric bike conversion kits is in the works – stay tuned. If you want a more detailed explanation of the different types of kit available and things to consider when purchasing an electric bike conversion kit, then head to our explainer further down the page.
Best electric bike conversion kits 2022: our picks
Swytch electric bike conversion kit
Swytch says its electric bike conversion kit can convert any bike into an electric bike. Stan Portus / Our Media
- Pros: Very compact; easy to install; variety of range options
- Cons: 100mm threaded front axle only; not compatible with thru-axles
London-based Swytch makes a conversion kit that, it says, is the lightest in the world at 3kg total weight. It can convert any bike into an ebike.
The kit includes a 40Nm brushless hub-based motor that comes pre-laced into a replacement front wheel. The lithium-ion battery pack connects to your handlebars and also acts as the system controller and LCD display.
There’s a crank-mounted cadence sensor, and that’s all you need to fit to your bike to get going.
There’s a Brompton-specific kit available too, with an adaptor for the Brompton’s front luggage mount.
Depending on the range you want, there are three sizes of battery pack available, which provide a claimed range of 35km, 50km or 100km.
Swytch has recently unveiled an even more compact kit with a.sized battery that weighs just 700g and, Swytch says, gives 15km of range.
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Cytronex electric bike conversion kit
Cytronex makes electric bike conversion kits for Bromptons, as well as standard bikes. Russell Burton / Immediate Media
- Pros: Clever sensor tech; decent range
- Cons: Not much onboard info on battery level and range
Weighing between 3.2kg and 3.6kg, the Cytronex ebike conversion kit is another front-wheel conversion to house a hub motor, but in this case, the battery is designed to fit in a standard bottle cage.
We tested the kit on a Cannondale Quick hybrid and reckon that conversion takes around 30 minutes. The charge level is displayed via LEDs on the battery, which also houses the system controller. We got up to an impressive 48 miles on a charge.
We’ve also tested the kit on a Brompton P Line lightweight folder, where the total weight undercut the C Line-based Brompton Electric. Fit it to a C Line and it’s also cheaper than the Brompton Electric.
Electric bike conversion kits: different types explained
Electric bike conversion kits come in styles to suit all types of bike. Russell Burton / Immediate Media
There are a number of ways to electrify your existing bike for assistance up those hills: you can fit a powered wheel, either front or rear; you can attach a drive unit to the bottom bracket; you can fit a motor above the rear wheel and drive it via friction; or, most sneakily, you can conceal a motor in the seatpost.
Whether you ride a hybrid, mountain bike, road bike or even a folder, tourer or gravel bike, it should be possible to convert your bike.
Many can even be fitted by a competent home mechanic if you’re feeling handy and have an afternoon spare.
So, what are your options? Let’s take a look at the different ways to convert your non-assisted bike into an electric bike.
Powered ebike wheels
The Swytch is a good example of a readily available universal electric bike conversion kit that uses a motor at the front hub. Swytch
Fitting a powered ebike wheel is probably the most practical option for many people.
A powered ebike wheel is built around a special hub that contains a motor. This is usually powered by a separate battery.
This sounds simple, but the main downside is that it adds rotating mass to your bike, which feels harder to accelerate than non-rotating mass.
There’s a steady stream of front- and rear-wheel conversion kits on Amazon and eBay, all looking suspiciously similar, priced from around £150 and with names you’ve probably never heard of.
Be wary of systems controlled by a throttle (also called ‘twist-and-go’) though. Legally, they’re classified as electric motorcycles rather than ebikes, and need to be taxed and insured. Take a look at our guide to ebike laws for more information.
Rear-mounted friction drive ebike conversion kit
Readers of a certain age may remember earlier incarnations of these in the 1980s/90s: a box that sits on your rear wheel and powers it via friction with a rubber flywheel driven by a motor.
The idea hasn’t gone away, and lives on in devices such as the Rubbee, which promises bolt-on electric assistance for nearly any bike.
Rubbee’s base model has a claimed weight of just 2.8kg, with a 16km range that can be extended up to 48km with the top-spec, 4kg version.
It works with any wheel diameter between 16in and 29in, has an integrated carrying handle and clips on and off your seatpost. start from €579.
Concealed ebike conversion kit
The Vivax Assist hid a motor in the seat tube of the frame and applied power directly to the axle of the crank. Vivax
Now we come to the low-key way to do it – hiding a motor inside your bike so no one knows it’s there.
The Vivax Assist was the best-known device for doing this, although the company has now ceased trading. It’s the system that was used by Belgian cyclocross pro Femke Van den Driessche in 2016 to power her way to victory in her home championships. She was found out at a subsequent race, got a six-year ban and quit racing.
Vivax Assist may be no more, but we reckon this idea still has legs – at least for the budding cyclocross cheat.
Mid-drive ebike conversion kit
eBay and Amazon are awash with mid-drive motor electric bike conversion kits like this one from TongSheng. TongSheng
Many commercially available ebikes are powered with motors mounted around the bottom bracket, near the pedals.
These have the advantage of placing the weight low down on the bike, making it more stable.
This isn’t just a ready-made option though – you can also buy aftermarket conversion kits with mid-drive units.
Bafang is a brand that is increasingly focusing on complete ebikes, but it also offers a mid-drive conversion kit on Amazon, as well as wheel hub motors.
Priced from £360, Bafang says the conversion is easy to install using only a few tools to remove the bottom bracket and fit the drive on the front of the down tube.
As above, be careful of throttle-controlled kits that won’t pass the UK ebike regulations and will legally be considered a moped.
You’ll find other mid-motor systems on Amazon too, such as that from TongSheng, which is claimed to fit 95 per cent of standard bike frames and be 30 per cent lighter than a Bafang unit.
It uses a torque sensor, so should fall within the ebike regulations, and is priced from around £350 – although that doesn’t include a battery.
German brand Pendix has a mid-drive system priced from €999 to €2,190 that weighs from 5.4kg for a 28km range. It replaces a BSA bottom bracket and can be fitted to folding bikes as well as a wide range of regular machines.
Folding ebike conversion kit
The Brompton electric conversion from Electric Concepts is one of many kits available to electrify an existing Brompton. Electric Concepts
What can you do if you’ve got a folding bike and want to join the electric revolution?
Well there’s good news if you’ve got a Brompton – a number of ebike conversion kits are available. They generally work with a powered hub in the front wheel and a battery carried in a bag mounted on the front.
As discussed above, Swytch and Cytronex can both be used to convert a Brompton. Swytch’s Brompton kit is priced at £999, although discounts of up to 50 per cent are sometimes available on the site.
As with its other systems, there’s a front wheel hub motor, a clip-on power pack and a bottom bracket torque sensor. Quoted range is up to 50km.
Swytch will also build wheels for folders with other wheel sizes and different fork blade widths, such as Dahon’s models.
Are electric bike conversion kits legal?
If your electric bike uses a throttle, it is technically classed as a moped, and must be taxed and insured as such. Simon Bromley / Our Media
Most electric bike conversion kits are legal to fit to a bike, although the precise rules differ depending on where you live.
In most of the world, the motor needs to be limited to a maximum of 250 watts of continuous power output, unless the electric bike is only used on private land.
You also need to be pedalling for the motor to work – a throttle can only operate at low speeds and assistance needs to cut out once the speed exceeds 25kph. There may be a minimum age to ride an electric bike: in the UK it’s 14.
The rules are different in the US, where higher power outputs and higher speeds are usually legal, while Australia has some variants as well, so it’s worth checking that your electric bike conversion kit is legal where you live before purchasing.
Is converting an electric bike worth it?
An electric bike conversion kit is not cheap, so you want to be sure it’s going to work for you.
You need to have a candidate bike in decent condition to justify taking the kit route.
If you’re going to have to buy a bike to fit the kit to, or going to need to make a lot of repairs to your bike to make it roadworthy, the total cost is probably going to mean it’s not a lot cheaper than buying a complete electric bike.
You need to be confident you can fit the kit yourself as well. If you’re going to have to pay a shop to fit the motor or sort things out if the conversion goes wrong, your savings over purchasing a new electric bike may dwindle quickly.
It’s also worth noting that an electric bike conversion kit may affect your bike’s handling, particularly if there’s a heavy motor and battery mounted somewhere where the bike was not designed to carry it.
Drivetrain components may not be adequately beefed up for the extra power they need to transmit and may wear or break. Factors such as torque steer may be a problem, and cabling and sensors can be unsightly.
In contrast, if you buy a complete electric bike from a reputable brand, it will have been engineered around the motor and battery, and you’ll know what the finished product looks like.
Can you convert any bike into an electric bike?
There are designs of electric bike conversion kit that will work with pretty much any type of bike. Kits are available that are engineered specifically for certain bikes, such as the folding bike conversion kits we’ve talked about above.
A design such as the Rubbee should be mountable on most bikes. However, tyre wear may be an issue with a road bike with narrower tyres, and wet-weather grip between the motor’s drive wheel and the tyre may also be a problem.
But some kits, such as those that work with a specific bottom bracket configuration, may not fit on some bikes. An unusual wheel size may also limit available options, so it’s worth checking the compatibility of your planned solution before buying.
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Read Electrek’s Write Up on the Fixed Here
Cleanest Ebike Ever
Luna is proud to offer the cleanest production ebike ever for under 2000. If you know of a bike that is cleaner at a comparable price please let us know and we will do public challenge. This is not the fast and powerful ebike Luna is well known for selling. in fact, this is the lowest power bike we have ever offered. This is one clean ebike.
Note this bike is fixed meaning its electric and sneaky about it so you can win races. IT IS NOT a fixie bike. it does freewheel. In fact it has a silent freewheel built into the rear hub.
This is why we think the Fixed is probably the cleanest:
- NOW WITH FREE SHIPPING
- Battery built into the downtube frame and based on high capacity Panasonic GA cells
- Carbon Gates Belt Drive group set: 22T rear and 55T front
- Only 39 pounds
- Fixie minimalist frame style
- 700x35C tires (Kenda tires, threaded) 50-85PSI, 21.4mm outer rim width
- Internally routed wires and cables
- Torque sensing Mid Drive
- Shimano NEXUS 3 speed SG-3D55 Internal Geared Hub
- Elegant black on black color scheme
- Silent motor that is totally stealth
- Legal in all 50 states
- Easy on the book as it is on the eyes
- No oily chain mess on your fingers or carpet, carry this bike up your stairs without a problem
For those that thought Luna bikes were too fast, too heavy, too fat, too big of a battery, too expensive, we got you the Luna Fixed.
This is our answer. The Fixed is our hipster electric bike that is so stealth it will really be hard for anyone to tell your riding an ebike.
This is not a high power bike, this is for all the people who want an extra 500 watts of power and keep their bike with bike like qualities. It has no throttle, torque sensor only.
That being said this bike has 3 speeds, in gear #3 you should be able to reach 24mph The power does not shut off at a certain speed in the highest PAS level so if you are already pretty fast on your road or fixie bike you will be scary fast on this bike.
Click here for a Close Up
Space “Tube” Battery
36v 7ah 250 watt hours Panasonic GA cells.
This bike does not have a giant battery, instead it has a very small Panasonic 18650 battery built into the alloy downtube, and the battery is in its own alloy tube (battery case is pictured above). This is the ultimate in stealth and also safety since the battery is fully enclosed in double tubed aluminum. Because this is a very efficient lower power mid drive (500w) with road bike tires and a torque sensor (no throttle), you will be able to go many miles on a single charge despite the batteries small size. We estimate around 20 miles per charge although your milage may vary somewhat.
Ultra efficient road bike with Gates CDX belt drive group set and Shimano internal gear 3 speed built into rear hub for the ultimate in smoothness and efficiency. Add a torque sensing mid drive motor and a completely stealth built into the bike battery to the mix, and you have probably the cleanest production ebikes ever made for under 5000 and we have decided to sell it at a fraction of that price.
Gates Carbon CDX Group Set
This bike features the very latest in belt drive technology using the patented Gates CDX group set with center spline which holds the belt on tightly with no slippage. This clean set up practically guarantees never replacing the belt for the life time of the bike.
- 22T Gates CDX rear sprocket, Surefit 3-Lobe
- 55T Gates CDX front sprocket 104 BCD
- 120T Gates CDX Belt
- The belt is rated for 20,000 miles
- No more worry about chain grease
- No more worry about caring for your chain
- No more worry about rusty chains
- Slightly more efficient than a chain
- Stealthy quiet when compared to a chain
- Smooth as silk
Really on a road bike with the super slick internal gear 3 speed Shimano Nexus with silent clutch technology, this system is as good as it gets.
Read a review on why belt drives are the best thing ever for an Electric Road Bike Here.
Exceptional Value
The Luna Fixed is 1900. You will not see a bike with these same components for anywhere near this price. How does Luna keep their so low? By selling direct to you with no dealers in between. We want to offer never seen before bikes at ridiculously good value (different than just being cheap).
Totally Quiet and Stealth
Because the Panasonic GA battery pack is built into the downtube and the motor is built into the bottom bracket, you can barely tell this bike is an ebike, this is the stealthiest bike we have ever built. This bike can only be detected to be an electric bike if you look at it from the left side and see the over-sized bottom bracket, and that would take a second glance to see that. No hub motor give away, no hanging mid drive. This is the most stealth ebike on the market without buying an expensive Grueber assist (like the professional road bike racers use to mechanically dope and win races).
With its belt drive, internal gear hub and small road bike tires, this bike is quieter than 90% of pedal bicycle. You will not hear annoying clanking and clicking even when you switch gears. The motor noise is barely hearable when running, road friction and chain clatter are all gone.
Read our article on IGH’s and why the 3 speed is our favorite.
Mid motor and an internal gear hub are a really sweet solution for an electric bike. This Shimano 3 speed internal gear hub is the latest version with a “Shimano silent clutch technology” to help reduce the clicking noise of a bike freewheel, it’s not silent but it’s as good as it gets for 3 speed IGH. It is small and lightweight, and is known for taking more power than its more expensive 8 speed counterparts. We believe that 3 speeds is enough for a road electric bike, in fact 3 speeds is the sweet spot in an electric assisted bike. Shifts are done silently and smoothly and quiet, no derailleurs, no chain to upkeep and grease, no annoying chain line problems. The belt drive and IGH fixes many of the annoying problems of a multiple speed derailleur bike.
Lightweight and Simple to Ride
Our goal of the bike is to capture all the simplicity and fun of riding of a fixie in an electric bike. This bike only weighs 39 pounds. which makes it one of the lightest production ebikes on the market and still is a sweet luxury to ride, even without the motor this bike would still be a joy to ride. Add the motor and battery, and you get an extra 500 watt bonus which should triple the output most riders can put out on their own.
Internal gear hub means you have 3 speeds without the hassle of gear clutter, and when you want to change speeds you change them no matter if your stopped or moving.
Torque sensing pedal assist means no extra wiring or complications of throttle, when you want to go faster you just pedal faster. You have 3 levels of pedal assist which you can easily change on the display which will give you more or less power based on how hard you are pedalling.
This ride is street legal in all 50 states and at these lower power levels (under 500 watts) you will have a very dependable system that should last for years to come.
- 6061 aluminum frame
- 500 watt mid drive motor
- 36v 7ah battery (250 watt hours)
- Gates CDX belt drive group set (55T 104 BCD / 22T 3-lobe / 120T belt)
- Kenda ebike rated tires
- Wide double wall alloy rims for strength and stability
- Shimano NEXUS SG-3D55 IGH with silent clutch (186% Total ratio, 0.733, 1, 1.360), 135mm O.L.D. dropout
- 100mm O.L.D. front hub.
- Tektro hydraulic brakes with Tektro F10BS pads
- Front 160mm disck 6 bolts pattern
- Rear 160mm disc with Shimano Centerlock.
- Tiny OLED Display
- Saddle with 30.9mm seat post
- Riser style handlebar with a 31.8mm clamp
- Fender or rear rack mount holes, M5x1.0 threads near the rear axle, M6x0.8 for the seat stay threads
- 170mm long crank arms
Click Here For a Close Up
Shipping notes:
WE SHIP BIKES TO USA ONLY. FOR HAWAII AND ALASKA PLEASE CONTACT US TO ARRANGE THE ORDER. Your bike will be shipped as freight from our Southern California warehouse so it’s not your usual small packet delivery truck that will handle it. If the shipping address you used is a residential one then the delivery date that is shown on the tracking system is likely not the day that they will deliver it to. It’s the day that FedEx will call you to schedule the delivery appointment. Best is to call them a day ahead of that date! We generally ship this bike on Friday after the stated lead time for your particular order. For lead time estimates see this page
The Mid Drive Ebike Kit You Should Never Buy (and the 3 Best)
E-bike kits, which generally refer to the mid-drive ebike kit and the hub-drive e-bike kit, have come a long way since the days of Michael Kutter who created a throttle-less E-bike controlled by pedaling in the early 1990s.
These days, the E-bike conversation has evolved into debates about the mid-drive E-bike kit vs the hub-drive E-bike kit, and which of the string of E-bike options available today has the best features and the most power.
But, which mid-drive e-bike kit is the best? And, is there one you should never buy?
This review outlines three of the best mid drive ebike kits and offers insight into costly, low-performance ones you should avoid.
Electric Bicycle Conversion Kits: Reviews
The best performing and favorite overall e-bike conversion kit with battery to date in 2022 is the Bafang BBS02B 48V 500W Mid Drive Conversion kit. 5
The others are listed below.
Best overall: Bafang BBS02B 48V 500W
Also ranks for best offroad ebike for it’s outstanding performance and reliability.
Most Powerful: AW 26” x1.75 Rear Wheel 48V 1000W
Uncomplicated speed control, durable, stable with improved safety due to hand brakes.
Best Premium Ebike: Ebikeling Waterproof 36V 500W 700C, Geared
Can be installed in the front or the rear and this kit goes faster and further than most thanks to the 500W motor.
Best Affordable: Bafang E-bike Front Hub Motor 48V 500W Bafang Brushless Gear 20/26/27.5/700C inch
Affordable, and ready to go in one hour. Includes pedal assist.
Best Mountain Terrain: Jaxpety 48V 1000W Electric Bicycle Cycle E-bike 26” Wheel Hub Motor
Top speed 28mph. Works very well with 26” mountain bike tires. E-bike mode and pedal assistance. Front or rear wheel installation.
Best for Commuting: Swytch Universal
Lightweight and easy to install, but very powerful.
What Mid Drive Ebike Kit Should You Never Buy?
When considering a conversion kit, understand that the types that rely on “friction drive” should be avoided. Once the tires become wet, the friction won’t work.
For mid-drive solutions, the worst kit is also the one that doesn’t work with your current bike. So, pay close attention to the mounting and other requirements before buying.
Electric Bicycle Conversion Kits Ranked
Over the years, slow and bulky E-bikes have paved the way for the manufacturing of several powerful E-bike options that provide a faster alternative to navigating grid-locked traffic and help reduce the heavy carbon footprint brought about by cars and even some electric vehicles. Aside from e-bikes, purchasing carbon offset programs like a daily driver carbon offset has helped reduce the environmental impact of cars.
Related Reading : Carbon Footprint of Electric Cars vs Gasoline (The Truth No One Admits)
Electric Bicycle Conversion Kits
While custom-made E-bikes are the most popular and sought-after, electric bicycle conversion kits allow for non-electric bikes to be converted into e-bikes. This is done by adding a battery, motor, and electric controls to a traditional bicycle.
All types of bikes, including road bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, and hybrid bikes can be converted to E-bikes with the help of an electric bicycle conversion kit.
E-Bike Conversion Kit With Battery
E-bike conversion kits include a motor and a battery to power it, as well as a bar-mounted display to control the output level.
E-bike conversion kits must cut out when not pedaling and the automatic speed limit must be 25kph in Australia, Europe, and the UK. In the US, E-bikes must be speed-limited to 20mph.
Bafang Mid Drive Kit With Battery
Bafang also provides batteries and replacement batteries for their mid drive kits. Most of the complete kits include the battery (Image: Bafang 28 ).
Mid Drive Ebike Kit
Along with the highly sought after Bafang mid drive E-bike kit, the company also offers rear motors and front motors of the same high quality. 19
Bafang BBSHD
The Bafang BBSHD E-bike kit is the best option for hill climbing and is mounted in the bottom bracket of a bike. 29 It replaces the crankset and front derailleur. The motor offers throttle and pedal assist power.
Bafang BBSHD 1500w
The 1000W Bafang BBSHD mid-drive E-bike kit will top out at a 1500W peak and works with fat bikes.
Bafang 250w Mid Drive Kit
The Bafang (M820) 250W mid-drive kit is one of the most popular E-bike kits manufactured by the company. It is a lightweight option for E-mountain bikes and controls the exact power according to pedaling force.
Bafang Mid Drive Kit 750w
Most E-bike riders agree that the Bafang mid-drive kit 750W is superior to both the rear and front hub motor options, as it offers a balanced and low center of gravity and subsequently an improved riding experience.
Bafang 1000w
The M620 Bafang 1000W E-bike mid-drive kit is well known for its powerful performance. The motor is perfect for premium electric mountain bikes, electric tandems, and electric cargo bikes, and doesn’t slow on inclines. The dual sensors always allow the rider full control.
Bafang 1000w Mid Drive 52v
With a near-perfect rating on Amazon, the Bafang 1000W mid-drive 52V E-bike kit has been designed to fit most bikes and includes one of the most powerful motors on the market today.
Bafang 1000w Mid Drive Kit With Battery
The battery is generally included in the complete Bafang 1000W mid-drive E-bike kits, with replacements available from Bafang as well.
Bafang 1000w Top Speed
The average top speed of the Bafang 1000W is around 35 miles per hour and the motor will hold steady at 20mph on an incline.
Bafang 1500w Mid Drive Kit
The Bafang 1500W mid-drive kit produces a maximum torque of 160Nm and operates silently, with the max drive system keeping the ride in control. The kit includes a torque sensor and two-speed sensors.
Bafang 1500w Top Speed
The 1500W Bafang motor yields around 40mph over a level surface.
Bafang 2000w Mid Drive
The Bafang M615 system proves up to 2000W of geared power with minimal pedaling effort.
Bafang Ultra Max
The Bafang company is also the mind behind the Bafang Ultra Max, which is the most powerful E-bike drive system available. It can run at 2000W or more, with the stator containing 12 concentrated coils and the rotor holding 8 magnets.
At the time it was introduced to the market in 2019, it was more affordable but less expensive than the Bosch mid-drive system. 20
Bafang Mid Drive Kit
Bafang is the overall most popular mid-drive E-bike kit manufacturer this year. They have several mid-drive kit options under their M-series as laid out in the following table: 18
| Bafang Mid Drive Kit | Rated | Max Torque | Weight |
| M820 | 250W | 75Nm | 2.3kg |
| M800 | 200W | 55Nm | 2.3kg |
| M620 | 1000W | 160Nm | 5.3kg |
| M615 | 1000W | 160Nm | 5.6kg |
| M600 | 500W | 120Nm | 3.9kg |
| M510 | 250W | 95Nm | 3kg |
| M500 | 250W | 95Nm | 3.4kg |
| M445 | 250W | 50Nm | 5kg |
| M420 | 250W | 80Nm | 3.6kg |
| M410 | 250W | 80Nm | 3.4kg |
| M400 | 250W | 80Nm | 3.9kg |
| M315 | 500W | 100Nm | 4.3kg |
| M300 | 250W | 80Nm | 3.6kg |
| M215 | 250W | 80Nm | 3.8kg |
| M200 | 250W | 65Nm | 3.2kg |
Ebike Conversion Kit With Torque Sensor
Torque sensors are included in E-bike conversion kits for the purpose of measuring and multiplying the pedaling power of the converted E-bike. Torque sensors come with 5 assist levels for E-bikes with different-sized wheels and different powered batteries (Image: AWInternational 30 ). 2
Rear Wheel E-Bike Conversion Kit
A rear wheel E-bike conversion kit comes with a rear-hub motor that is clipped or attached to the rear wheel of a bicycle. A rear-hub motor uses derailleurs with three chainrings, giving the E-bike a wide selection of gear ratios.
The Rubbee E-bike conversion kit is a rear wheel conversion kit that weighs 2.8kg and can reach 48km with the premium 4kg version.
It works with wheels that are between 16” and 29” in diameter and comes with a carrying handle and an easy clip-on/clip-off function. 3
E-bikes are all the rage right now as the conversion towards greener efficiencies continues around the globe. 25
The demand for electric bicycle kits is increasing year after year, the latest round of ‘best E-bike conversion kits’ have been ranked according to the benefits and features they offer. 4
Related Reading : 8 Top Ebike Conversion Kits (Mid Drive vs. Rear Hub vs. Front Wheel) – 2022
Mid Drive Ebike Kit
Whether shopping for a mid-drive E-bike kit, hub-drive conversion kit or friction drive conversion kit, the most crucial factors to take into consideration is the power of the motor, whether the battery is included and what the local laws are regarding E-bikes in the relevant city or town (Image: Ebikeling 32 ). 6
Mid Drive Ebike Conversion Kit
A mid-drive E-bike conversion kit allows for the motor to be positioned between the pedals at the bottom bracket of the bike. 26 The position of the motor allows for even load balancing, and the stability of the motor without the weight being felt.
Mid-drive E-bike conversion kits are instrumental in working in tandem with a bike’s gears to allow for higher efficiency and increased range with every charge.
Mid Drive Ebike Kit Bosch
Bosch only uses mid-drive motors for their mid-drive E-bike systems, which include three sensors that measure speed, cadence, and pedal power and a Smart system that connects an E-bike’s components with digital functions (Image: Bafang 33 ).
Bosch Mid Drive Kit
Bosch offers 7 different mid-drive E-bike motors, each with its own benefits:
- Active Line – lightweight and quiet
- Active Line Plus – mobility
- Cargo Line – powerful support for eCargo bikes and heavy loads
- Performance Line – sport cycling-friendly
- Performance Line Speed – top speed of 28mph
- Performance Line Sport (NZ/US) – sporty riding
- Performance Line CX – compact and connected 7
Bosch Mid Drive Kit Price
Bosch mid-drive kit are in the higher bracket, because of the quality of the drive systems the company manufactures.
In 2019, an E-bike was created with a Bosch Active Line motor in the Class 1 E-bike range with pedal assist and a top speed of 20mph, for 1999. This was the exception to the rule as the cost of the systems far exceed this figure. 8
Best Electric Bike With Bosch Motor
There are several electric bikes with Bosch motors that are at the top of the stack when it comes to rankings. The following table highlights the type of electric bike containing a Bosch drive system. 9
| Best Electric Bike With Bosch Motor | Bosch Drive System |
| Electric Mountain Bike | Bosch Performance Line CX |
| Cargo Bike | Cargo Line |
| Road Bike | Active Line Plus |
| Folding Bike | Active Line |
48v 2000w Electric Bike Kit
A 48V 2000W electric bike kit allows for a peak power of 2000W and an average rated speed of 4300rpm/min. A 2000W E-bike can reach a maximum speed of 43mph on level terrain and have an average riding range of 15-35 miles per charge.
48v 1000w Electric Bike Kit With Battery
The charged battery of a 48V 1000W electric bike kit should last around 30 minutes at a time. This means the battery allows for a riding distance of up to 60 miles on a single charge. 10
v Mid Drive Motor
E-bikes fitted with a 72V mid-drive motor are generally 50% faster than those fitted with a 48V motor. These motors are limited to 20mph and electronically limited to a 750W street mode, in keeping with E-bike laws. 27
Mid Drive Ebike Kit 2000w
A mid-drive E-bike kit that produces 2000W power will allow an E-bike to reach speeds of up to 43mph on level terrain.
2000w Electric Bike Kit
Scoring 4½ stars on Amazon is the Electric Brushless DC Motor Complete Kit with a 48V, 2000W 4300RPM high-speed motor.
Most of the positive reviews state that this conversion kit allows for good speed while holding up under pressure.
2000w Ebike Kit With Battery
2000W E-bike kits usually include the battery. Batteries can also be purchased separately. 11
Mid Drive Ebike Kit 1500w
The Bafang range of E-bike kits includes the M620 1000 – 1500W mid-drive 160nm motor kit. The motor digests relevant information at 80k Hz with the help of a torque sensor and two speed sensors (Image: Jaxpety 34 ).
Furthermore, the motor, which provides a maximum torque of more than 160N.m is virtually silent and easy to install. 12
00w Mid Drive Kit
The Cyclone Mid Drive 3000W Planetary E-bike Kit is the perfect 3000w mid-drive kit for experienced off-road E-bikers.
It requires a high amp battery (not included) to power its 40-amp high-performance E-bike controller and includes a 6 to 1 planetary gear reduction.
The 3000W mid-drive kit is a far cry from the BBSHD 1000W which is usually recommended for beginners. However, there are some buyers who are unhappy with the noise from the motor and the complex drivetrain on the BBSHD 1000W. 13
00w Mid Drive Motor
Many E-bike riders prefer a 3000W mid-drive motor for their conversion kit over any other. 3000W mid-drive motors are great for cargo bikes, which are on the heavier side.
3000w Ebike Kit
Another, very popular, 3000W E-bike kit that scored a full five-star rating on Amazon is the programmable 3000W Electric Bike Conversion Kit with Brushless DC Motor / E-Bike Conversion Kit, 72V, 80A Sabvoton Controller with PAS and Alarm.
Buyers are mostly highly impressed with the motor and controller combined function, the power of the motor, and the color digital display screen.
Mid Drive Ebike Kit 5000w
A 5000W mid-drive E-bike kit will allow an E-bike to travel at a top speed of 65mph. It is important to note at this point that some E-bikes, which have their speed limit lifted, can exceed the highest legal speed of 28mph.
The following table indicates the max speed of electric bikes. 14
Mid Drive Ebike Kit With Battery
A popular mid-drive E-bike kit with battery options is the Bafang BBS02B 750W 1000W mid-drive with optional tracking function battery 8fun conversion kit with LCD Display.
The Tong Sheng mid-drive kit with battery is an E-biker favorite because of its natural acceleration and torque sensor-based pedal assist. 28
Mid Drive Ebike Kit With Torque Sensor
The Pendix eDrive 300 is a torque-sensing mid-drive E-bike kit that is on the higher tier when it comes to pricing but fits most bikes and is installed by a dealer.
Cheap Mid Drive Ebike Kit
While a more expensive mid-drive E-bike kit is in greater demand because of its extensive features, there are those who would be satisfied with a balance of features and price.
While a cheap mid-drive E-bike kit can be found in abundance on websites such as eBay, they usually include cheap controllers that won’t last under off-road riding.
Cheaper hub motors, like the Bafang geared hubs, are sturdier, but when it comes to the mid-drive kits, the Bafang 48V 500W kits are around the middle range of price and performance.
The Swytch Universal conversion kit is usually panned for being the kit that should be overlooked in favor of a better, higher-performing option. 15
Yamaha Mid Drive Kit Price
In 2018 Yamaha entered the US market with its own series of four pedal-assist electric bikes namely:
In 2022 they unveiled two new 28mph electric bikes for road and gravel riding. These bikes include their new mid-drive motor and come at an average cost of 3,099 and 4,099, respectively. 16
Mid Drive Ebike Kit
Yamaha also manufactures drive units for those who want to convert their non-electric bike with a Yamaha mid-drive E-bike kit.
These are available as follows: 17
| Type of Bike | Yamaha Mid Drive E-bike Kit |
| Mountain Bike | PW-X3 – 85Nm |
| Sports Trail Bike | PWseries S2 – 75Nm |
| Trekking Adventure Bike / Commuting Bike | PWseries TE – 60Nm |
| Daily Ride Bike | PWseries CE – 50Nm |
CYC X1 Pro vs Cyclone
The CYC X1 Pro Gen 2 is a high-powered mid-drive E-bike conversion kit, 30 which offers up to 5000W of power and 250Nm of torque.
The Cyclone mid-drive kit motor allows for power up to 3000W and comes in single and double chainring versions. The Cyclone motor is said to put out power comparable to an 8000W hub motor when considering gear ration utilization.
CYC X1 Pro Gen 2 Battery
The best battery for use with the C X1 Pro Gen is one of the X-Series batteries. These batteries are available for the following Cyc kits:
Cyc X1 Pro Gen 2 Top Speed
The Cyc X1 Pro Gen motor can reach a top speed of more than 49mph.
Cyc X1 Pro vs Stealth
As mentioned above, the Cyc X1 Pro has a power output of up to 5000W and a torque of 250Nm.
The Cyc X1 Stealth on the other hand is a lightweight mid-drive conversion system that offers 1500W power output, torque sensing abilities and 9 assist levels to complement the two rider modes: street and off-road. 21
Cyc X1 Pro Gen 2 Review
E-bikers and reviewers agree that the high-powered, mid-drive E-bike kit, 31 the Cyc X1 Pro Gen 2, comes with an improved motor core and rotor over its predecessor. The more powerful system now includes waterproof Julet connectors and cable shielding, while remaining lightweight.
The controller options allow for two set modes and 9 assist gears, and the system comes with a torque sensor and throttle.
Tongsheng TSDZ2
Tongsheng is the manufacturer of the following E-bike kits:
The company also manufactures the affordable Tongsheng TSDZ2 mid-drive e-bike conversion kit.
Tongsheng TSDZ2 Ebike Kit
The Tongsheng TSDZ2 mid-drive E-bike kit is waterproof and easy to install and there is no need for a separate controller box. The downside to the kit being more affordable than most is the untidy cabling, unattractive display, and the additional requirement of a crank arm and bottom bracket removal tools to make the kit fit. 22
Tongsheng Mid-Drive Kit With Battery
The Tongsheng mid-drive kit usually includes the battery – much the same as the other types of mid-drive kits discussed above.
Electric Bike Kits With Battery
Electric bike conversion kits including a battery are available worldwide, with one of the most popular in the UK being the Swytch conversion kit which the company claims is the lightest in the world weighing in at 3kg. 24
Another hub-motor-based E-bike conversion kit namely Cytronex comes with a battery that fits inside a bike bottle cage. This kit can convert a regular bicycle into an E-bike within the span of half an hour and the battery life lasts for up to 48 miles (Image: Swytch 35 ).
Consequently, the batteries of the more expensive types of kits will last longer, as will the overall more expensive mid-drive e-bike kit.
It is clear that the more expensive mid-drive e-bike kit is the favored option for E-bikers, and that their components last longer than the cheaper kits.
What Are the Most Important Things To Consider When Buying an E-Bike Conversion Kit?
Compatibility with the non-electric bike, whether a front hub, rear hub, or mid-drive motor will work best and what the desired power output is.
What Exactly Is an E-Bike?
E-bikes have battery-powered motors that provide pedal assistance.
What Kind of Maintenance Is Necessary for an E-Bike?
The same as a regular bike, an E-bike requires tire and brake checks and regular cleaning. The battery should be kept charged to ensure longevity.
Is a Driving License Needed To Ride an E-Bike?
Generally speaking – no. However, exceptions might apply for E-bikes with a higher-than-average top speed.
What Is the Best Mid Drive E-Bike Kit in 2022?
Any of the options offered by the Bafang company, including the highly popular Bafang 250W mid drive ebike kit.
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References
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