Many people like bicycles for their comfort and the ability to exercise. They are used as a means of transportation in urban areas with difficult traffic. But not everyone wants to spend energy to reach the desired location.

Often the speed of a conventional device is not enough. Then ideas are born on how to create an electric bicycle from available materials so that it meets the requirements of environmental friendliness and is more functional. The fact is that purchasing a factory version is not affordable for everyone.

What are its advantages?

First of all, it is considered a mobile device for movement, since it can pass through the narrowest places of the road. And he is not afraid of traffic jams of varying complexity.

Let's consider all the advantages:

• Will be an excellent alternative to using public transport;
• An electric bicycle can be operated without the need to obtain a license;
• It does not need gasoline, however, the electrical voltage controller will have to be charged frequently;
• Helps you maintain physical fitness.

To decide that you need this type of transport, pay attention to the photos of homemade electric bicycles of various configurations.

They may differ in design features and functional characteristics: weight, available speed, driving range on one charge.

How to create it yourself?

First of all, let’s figure out what you need to assemble an electric bicycle yourself. It is very important to find a functional bike that can withstand heavy loads. A lightweight model will not work - it must be a strong specimen.

But the most important thing is to purchase an engine with sufficient power. In addition, you will need the following list of additional elements:

• Controller based programmability;
• Two mechanical disc brakes;
• Acid type batteries;
• Set of fuses and switches;
• “Star” based on 66 and 123 teeth;
• Stainless steel fasteners for secure engine installation.

But this is not enough, because without the necessary tools it is difficult to secure all the parts.

How to collect?

Step-by-step assembly of an electric bicycle with your own hands is carried out. It is necessary to modify the brakes and the front fork, then move on to the rear. After this, the following are connected to the bicycle: the engine, the battery and the resistor - this happens in turn.

The diagram of the simplest finished model should include:

• Reliable body from the regular version of the bike;
• Efficient engine;
• Power supply;
• Battery;
• Correct version of variable resistor;
• A chain similar to a moped version.

You can create many different circuits based on the same battery. But speed and functionality may vary. To correctly create a reliable option, you need to have knowledge from the field of physics. We are talking about Ohm's law, the possibilities of electrical conductivity of materials and strength of materials.

But the regular version is simple and easy to create yourself. During the assembly process, you can notice some shortcomings and eliminate them or identify a way to modify the electric bicycle.

Engine

When thinking about how to make an electric bicycle yourself, everyone comes to one thing - you need a reliable engine. In order for it to work efficiently, it is necessary to ensure that the voltage and current match.

If the model has a power of 400 W, then, taking into account a reliable gearbox, you can reach a speed of about 30 km/h. And, if you install a capacious battery, then the range can reach 30 kilometers.

Important: Do not forget about the balance between the battery capacity and its voltage, the capacity and voltage of the unit. For an engine with a power of 500 W, you will have to install a 12 V battery with 40 amperes/hour. In other words, rely on Ohm’s law and then the electric bicycle circuit will last longer.

Pay attention!

What kind of controller is needed and how to set the resistor?

The controller changes the traction level of the electric bike. And this is what primarily distinguishes it from the regular version. This device helps to optimally distribute traction to all wheels and ensure smooth operation of the unit.

For this version, throttle grips are required. Using a variable resistor, it is easy to regulate the speed and speed of the engine.

After calculating the required energy level, the opening contacts are mounted on the brake handle (in closed form). By pressing the contacts, the circuit will open or close, and the motor will slow down or speed up accordingly.

Conclusion

Now you have simple instructions on how to assemble an electric bicycle yourself. It remains to advise not to overstress the battery by increasing the maximum speed of the unit.

Keep your bike away from direct sunlight as the battery capacity will noticeably decrease due to overheating. We recommend accelerating with your muscles to save precious energy.

Photos of electric bicycles with your own hands

Pay attention!

Pay attention!

REG.RU technical director Valery Studennikov tried to solve the transport problem for himself, and then turned his hobby into an interesting startup.

We present to your attention the story of the founder of Electron Bikes about how to make a powerful electric bicycle with your own hands, why speed lovers are not satisfied with existing bike models, and what speed a seemingly ordinary bicycle can accelerate to.

First acquaintance with electric bikes

I first saw electric bicycles four years ago, in 2011, at a bicycle exhibition in Moscow. Expensive, unprepossessing, very weak in characteristics, but somehow they hooked me, I felt a desire to join this interesting type of transport. A market study at that time showed that it was simply unrealistic to buy a ready-made electric bike with good characteristics at an adequate price. The market offers either very low-power and low-speed bicycles with a small battery (“weak” in all respects China or expensive, glamorous, but equally slow-moving Europe), or super-expensive monsters, whose cost from the manufacturer starts from $10,000 (Stealth Electric Bikes, Hi-Power Cycles), which also have their drawbacks (inadequately large weight due to the heavy frame and heavy motor-wheel, weak traction at the bottom due to the use of gearless motors, small power reserve).
But the persistent desire to get a silent, lightweight and at the same time powerful and playful electric bike has not disappeared anywhere. Therefore, I had to choose the only available option - to assemble the bike myself from components available on the market, as many other enthusiasts do.

First pancake

The first “lump” was an attempt to assemble a bike based on a kilowatt MagicPie wheel motor with a built-in controller, purchased complete with a 10 Ah battery for installation on the trunk. It was possible to assemble the device, but the joy from the new bicycle, which accelerated to an unprecedented 42 km/h, was short-lived - the trunk, under the weight of the battery, lived for exactly three days, breaking down on the broken roads of Samara. Handling and weight distribution with this battery arrangement were also not very encouraging. It was also hard for the rear wheel, which had already gained weight - at speed in the next pit, you could easily break the tube or even bend the rear rim.

Therefore, during the next modification, the battery was moved to the down tube of the bicycle using homemade mounts. As a result, the weight distribution turned out better, but the design looked scary and indecent. To describe such creations of crazy hands, domestic bike builders even have an established term - “martyr design”.

It was already possible to ride a bike with a more correct weight distribution quite comfortably, but it became clear that a standard 500 Wh (50 V, 10 Ah) battery for a bicycle with above-average power does not last long - you can get from point A to point on electricity B, and back only on the pedals. As a result, a large 1000 Wh battery (50 V, 20 Ah) was purchased, which seemed to fit into the front triangle of the frame, but it had to be secured with electrical tape;) It all looked like this:

The resulting monster, due to the width of the battery, did not even have pedals to rotate.

It is clear that it was impossible to leave it like that.

It was necessary to come up with something with the battery - change its spatial layout so that the pedals would not touch it, and figure out its mounting, making a reliable battery box. To complete this task, after a long search and screening out candidates, Alexander Kostyuk was brought in, an acquaintance from the VeloSamara cycling club, who was also deeply imbued with the idea of ​​designing an electric bicycle. Having many years of experience behind him in designing and building various prototypes of everything that moves, he took on the task of building a box. It was decided to make it from AMG sheet (an alloy of aluminum and magnesium) 2.5 mm thick, connected with aluminum corners. Boxing is powder coated. The bike was also equipped with a Cycle Analyst wattmeter, which allows you to measure a bunch of indicators, including energy consumption in watt-hours per kilometer. With such a device, you no longer had to worry that the battery would suddenly run out at the most inopportune moment - every ampere-hour or watt-hour spent counted. The end result was this bike:

With such a device with a capacious, conveniently and securely attached battery, one could safely ride around the city without fear that something would fall off at the most inopportune moment. And the bike already looked more decent. The bike was ready just before the winter of 2012-2013 and showed excellent performance in winter conditions, including riding in snowfalls, blizzards and frosts of minus 35 degrees.

Just go ahead!

After the successful completion of the construction of the first device, the idea arose to continue designing electric bikes together with Sasha. I had a certain vision of what I wanted, and Sasha had vast design experience.
We decided not to stop there also because there were simply no electric bicycles on the Russian market at that time (and still aren’t) that we ourselves would like to ride. The niche of sufficiently powerful (comparable in speed and dynamics to a scooter or motorcycle) and at the same time light and affordable electric bicycles was completely empty. And Sasha and I were not at all interested in low-power bicycles, because we, active and young, wanted to ride “with the wind”, so that the bike would have decent mileage and a reliable design for riding on harsh Russian roads and off-road.

It was decided to create a universal electric kit that would allow you to turn any modern mountain bike into an electric one. Mountain bikes were not chosen as a base by chance - they are very popular in Russia (quantitatively they constitute the main class of bicycles for adults), universal (they allow you to ride both in the city and off-road) and reliable. It is also important that the parts and assemblies of mountain bikes are standardized, which also makes it possible to standardize the electrical kit.

It was necessary to select adequate components for the bike and solve a number of engineering problems:

• Choose a motor that can produce high power and torque, while being lightweight.
• Assemble a compact and lightweight battery of sufficient capacity capable of holding large currents.
• Strengthen the rear wheel dropouts so that the high-torque engine axle does not rotate in them.
• Develop response sensors for hydraulic brakes (serial hydraulic brakes with sensors are just beginning to appear on the market and have their drawbacks), because automatic shutdown of the motor when the brakes are pressed is one of the basic standard requirements for electric bikes. And mechanical brakes are no longer suitable for safe braking at the speeds we intended to achieve.
• Consider solutions for powering the front headlight and rear light (with a signal) from the on-board voltage of the electric bicycle, providing a built-in DC-DC converter.
• Decide on suitable connectors (preferably sealed), cycling computers, wattmeters, lighting equipment and much more.

But most importantly, it was necessary to develop a universal box for the battery and controller to quickly convert a regular production bicycle into an electric one. The previously assembled metal box was not suitable for this role, since it required too much labor to manufacture and was tailored in shape and size only to a specific frame.

The final solution had to be easy to install, technologically advanced and cheap to manufacture.

Here is one of the first stages on this path, a box built in the spring of 2013:

Here is another intermediate stage:

What happened?

As a result of a year of work and experiments, truly universal and much more aesthetic boxes, electrical kits and bicycles based on them were developed:

Characteristics of these devices:

• speed - up to 63 km/h;
• power - up to 2.5 kW;
• battery capacity - up to 1 kWh;
• range - 40 km at maximum speed (63 km/h) and up to 100 km in economy mode (30 km/h).

Here is a video of a powerful electric bike moving in the “urban jungle”:

In rough terrain, the bike also does not give up:

More videos

Bicycle or motorcycle?

The bikes based on the created electric kit turned out to be really very playful, capable of fully moving in city traffic at a speed of 60 km/h. According to the new rules governing the power and speed of electric bikes, they formally do not apply either to bicycles (whose electric power is limited to 250 W and 25 km/h), or even to mopeds (whose design speed should not exceed 50 km/h), but belong to the class of motorcycles. Despite the fact that the appearance of this bike does not cause any particular suspicion - it is an ordinary-looking bicycle with a box inside the frame. And the weight of the device has not increased much; the powerful electrical kit adds only 14 kg to the bike, resulting in the weight of the finished bike being around 26 kg. An adult man can easily lift such a device up stairs and carry it over obstacles.

So it turned out to be functionally quite a moped, but in a bicycle shell. As a result, you can take advantage of both types of transport: we have a “green light” for a bicycle everywhere (pedestrian zones, sidewalks, above-ground and underground passages, overpasses, parks, paths and simply off-road), while the speed and dynamics of a moped are available on the road / scooter (with greater maneuverability than any scooter or motorcycle), which makes a powerful electric bike in real traffic conditions the fastest urban land transport.

And although the power of our standard electric kits is already comparable to a moped, as a sport and an experiment (not a cheap one, as it turned out after calculating the cost of all components), heavy and powerful electric bicycles were assembled on the basis of specialized space frames from Qulbix:

And the Ukrainian “Chobotar frame”:

These 6-10 kW monsters are capable of reaching speeds of up to 90 km/h, while having the dynamics of a light motorcycle. And when you open the full throttle, they stand up “on the goat”. The 3 kWh battery allows you to travel 120 km at a speed of 40 km/h or 40 km at a speed of 90 km/h, so you can use this bike as a long-distance suburban transport and for driving on the highway.

What's next?

The design of Electron Bikes electric kits and e-bikes continues to continually improve. Two bicycle models will soon be ready for industrial serial production:

“Standard” (based on a regular bicycle frame): power 2.2 kW, battery capacity 1 kW*h, speed up to 63 km/h;

Electric choppers (without pedals) “Electro-classic”: power 6 kW, speed up to 85 km/h, capacity of two removable batteries up to 3 kW*h;

And "Electro-bobber".

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The latter is also equipped with a unique limited-edition titanium parallelogram fork.

A little about the design of an electric bicycle

In the end, a little about the structure and components of an electric bicycle, as well as about the technical difficulties standing in the way of the creators of a powerful bike.

Main electrical components of an electric bicycle

The “heart” or muscles of an electric bike is electric motor(more details about motors and their types below). Modern electric bicycles use brushless direct current motors (BLDC), allowing them to operate efficiently over a wide speed range with high torque. Occasionally, asynchronous motors are used as central ones. (A separate revealing material can be released about “Shkondin Engines”, about which there is so much noise on the Internet;).

The “brain” of the electric bike is controller. The controller controls the electric motor, supplying power to its windings at the right moment depending on the required rotation speed and power. The controller also controls the entire “logic” of the bicycle: at the input, receiving signals from the position of the gas handle, operating mode switches (you can, for example, limit speed, power in different modes, or even turn on reverse), cruise control buttons (very helpful when riding in suburban mode), signals from brake sensors (since you need to turn off the engine power when you press the brake handle or even turn on regenerative engine braking, if supported), etc.

The energy to power the heart and brain of the electric bike is stored in battery. The usual battery voltage for electric bicycles is from 36 V to 48 V. High-speed devices can be equipped with high-voltage batteries (up to 100 V).
Currently, the vast majority of electric bicycles use lithium batteries (more about their types below), which have the best energy capacity. Heavy lead batteries are used only on the cheapest devices.
The battery consists of individual battery cells connected in series/parallel.

The battery also has its own “brain” - this is the battery management system (Battery Management System or BMS). Protects the battery from overcharging, overdischarging, exceeding the permissible current, and also balances individual battery cells so that they are discharged evenly.

To display all the necessary information and accurately “calorie count” you need wattmeter, allowing you to tell exactly how much energy has been spent and how much is left. A specialized wattmeter combines the functions of a cycling computer, also counting speed, distance and derived indicators such as energy consumption per kilometer (Wh / km).

To power low-voltage consumers (headlight, taillight, horn, repeaters), it is necessary to reduce the on-board voltage to a lower one (5, 8 or 12 volts). For this purpose, highly efficient DC/DC converters are used ( DC-DC).

Difficulties of adolescence

The task of creating a powerful bike is complicated by the fact that the entire industry of components for electric bicycles is currently designed for low-power devices. The class of powerful and high-speed electric bikes, standing halfway to motorcycles, is just being formed, so the creators of such devices have to come up with something at every step.

Batteries

Commercially produced batteries for electric bicycles are usually created from cells that cannot withstand high currents. The C-rating (the ratio of the current that the battery is capable of delivering to the battery capacity, expressed in ampere-hours) of commercial batteries, usually composed of lithium-ion cells, is no more than 1, while for powerful bicycles, which we create, requires batteries with a C-rating of at least 2.5. That is, for example, with a capacity of 20 A*h, they are capable of delivering a current of 50 A for a long time. Which, with a 50-volt battery, would allow a power output of 2.5 kW - the minimum we are interested in. As a result, the batteries have to be soldered (and now welded using spot welding) independently from elements suitable for this. Searching and selecting elements suitable for their characteristics, testing them and rejecting them is also a separate task. Now we use prismatic LiFePO4 and LiNiCo cells, which allow us to create energy-intensive and compact batteries.

Main types of lithium battery cells

• LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate). They can be used in frosts down to -30 degrees, a quick charge is available in 45 minutes, they have the largest number of charge-discharge cycles (1500-2000), they can deliver more power, they are fireproof and non-flammable. However, they have twice the specific capacity of lithium-ion batteries (i.e., 2 times the weight for the same capacity), and are relatively expensive (but the specific operating cost is the lowest due to the large number of cycles).
• We use them as the main solution in kits for hardtail bicycles, however, due to their dimensions, they are not suitable for installation in the front triangle of the frame of double-cross bicycles, where there is very little free space.
• Li-Ion (lithium-ion). Classic lithium batteries used primarily to power electronics. They are the lightest and most capacious, the cheapest, and have the current maximum specific capacity (Wh/kg). However, they have a narrow operating temperature range (from 0 to +40 degrees Celsius), a small number of charge-discharge cycles (300-400), and do not allow high currents to be supplied. These batteries are most often used in low-power electric bicycles, but for high-power devices they are of little use due to their low C-rating.
• LiPo (lithium polymer). High energy intensity, almost the same as that of Li-Ion elements. Allows high discharge currents, high C-rating. However, like Li-Ion, they have a smaller number of charge-discharge cycles (300-700) and a narrow temperature range: when used below 0, they fail, and in the heat, from a short circuit or mechanical damage, they can ignite. Due to their high fire hazard, electric bicycles are only used by intrepid enthusiasts.
• LiNiCo / LiNiCoMnO2 (lithium-nickel-cobalt). Having the advantages of LiPo (high energy intensity and the ability to deliver high currents), they are free of their disadvantages: they have a wider temperature range, and, most importantly, are fireproof. As a result of their compactness, we use them in electrical kits intended for installation on double-suspension bicycles.

Motors

But the biggest challenge in creating a powerful and lightweight electric bike is the motors.
Serial motors are either too low-power, or heavy, or have low efficiency, or overheat, or all three at once;)

Motors used for electric bicycles can be divided into three classes, each of which has its own disadvantages when applied to powerful electric bicycles.

Gearless motor-wheels (direct-drive)

The force of the magnetic field is transmitted directly to the wheel, which is why they are called direct drive.
They are unpretentious and reliable, since they do not contain any wearing elements except bearings. Can be used as an electric brake for regenerative braking. But they have two big drawbacks.

The first is a lot of weight. For example, a motor rated at 2.5 kW will weigh on average 7 kg, and a motor rated at 6 kW will weigh as much as 12 kg. This greatly affects the weight of the finished bike. In addition, placing a heavy motor in the rear wheel shifts the center of gravity back (the bicycle becomes uncomfortable to carry, perform tricks/jump on it), and also increases the “unsprung mass” of the wheel, which has a worse effect on its survivability, increasing the requirements for rim strength , thickness of the spokes. In this regard, wheels with heavy direct drives are often spoked into motorcycle rims, because Finding bicycle rims of the required strength is difficult.

The second drawback is low efficiency when driving at low speeds. For example, when driving uphill, on mud, sand or off-road, where it is impossible to accelerate, such a motor will overheat greatly. For example, when driving up a 20% hill, a 6 kW direct drive spherical motor will operate at approximately 20% of its efficiency, and 80% will be lost to heat. In this mode, a powerful wheel motor can overheat and burn out in a couple of minutes if it is not turned off in time (usually the motor is automatically turned off based on a signal from a temperature sensor). Which is not surprising: with weak heat dissipation in the enclosed space of the motor and operation in low efficiency mode, the windings heat up at the speed of a powerful electric kettle (4.8 kW per heating in our example with a 6 kW motor). However, to make the “kettle” heat up more slowly, you can “pour water” into it - some enthusiasts solve the problem using water cooling.

Geared motor-wheels

They contain a built-in planetary gearbox, usually having a gear ratio of 5:1. They have less weight with the same power, greater efficiency “at the bottom” compared to gearless motors. However, they are mechanically less reliable (more moving mechanical parts) and do not support regenerative braking. But, most importantly, they are not mass-produced for powers greater than 1000 W.

Central motors (middrive)

Middrives, as their name suggests, are an external drive with a high-speed electric motor, usually installed in the area of ​​the carriage assembly, transmitting force through a system of chains, gears or belts. They allow you to achieve the best power-weight ratio (the higher the speed of the electric motor, the lighter it can be made with the same power). For example, aircraft model engines with a power of 6 kW can weigh only a little over a kilogram:


For comparison, direct-drive wheel motors of the same rated power (Cromotor, Crystalite, Quanshun) weigh 12 (!) kg. Also, the location of the motor closer to the central part of the bicycle gives a more correct weight distribution, allowing such bicycles to be used, including for jumps and tricks. They can work in optimal conditions even on steep slopes and deep mud.

However, the power of mass-produced central motors for electric bicycles is usually limited to 500 W. The most powerful solution currently available is a 1500 W kit from Cyclone:

More powerful solutions based on central motors are assembled by enthusiasts on their own; there are no ready-made serial offers. The creators of such powerful bikes face a number of technical challenges.

Reduction. For high-speed motors, to reduce revolutions (from several thousand to 500-700), it is necessary to use a gearbox (there are no ready-made specialized gearboxes, everyone invents it themselves) or a chain/belt drive with a high gear ratio (making your own sprockets of the required diameter).
UPD: However, solutions are starting to appear.
Broadcast. For high-power engines, a standard chain from multi-speed mountain bikes is not suitable - it will simply break or wear out very quickly. You should use a wide, strong chain for single-speed BMX bikes, a moped or minibike chain, or a high-strength belt. And this often leads to the need to manufacture non-standard gears, bushings and overrunning clutches.

Cooling. Compact high-speed motors (often model aircraft engines are used as middrives, designed for operation in conditions of very intense airflow), when used on electric bicycles, require a separate approach to cooling: forced airflow, installation of a radiator, treatment of the windings with a thermally conductive composition for better heat dissipation, etc. p.
Switching speeds. If a bicycle chain and a standard bicycle cassette are used for gear shifting, then when shifting under high load, the cassette will very quickly become unusable. Planetary bushings don’t help much either, only some of which are capable of shifting under load. A more durable option is NuVinchi CVT bushings, which allow you to smoothly change the gear ratio. Another problem is that in the urban cycle, constantly manually changing gears is inconvenient; you need to watch not only the gas handle, but also the gear shift knob, which reduces the simplicity and convenience of driving an electric bike. The solution here may be automatic planetary / variable-speed hubs, which have appeared recently. Nevertheless, in powerful (from 2 kW) bicycles with a central motor, gear shifting is often abandoned, which simplifies the design and control; fortunately, the high-speed synchronous motor with reduction allows producing high torque at any speed.

And high-speed engines, gearboxes and chain drives are noisy.

However, due to their advantages, central motors have enormous potential and will increasingly be used in high-power electric bicycles as ready-made components and solutions become available. For now, however, powerful middrives remain the preserve of individual enthusiasts or companies creating individual solutions for themselves.

Bicycle components

Bicycle components for a charged bike also experience increased loads and require careful selection.

Durable wheels

For motor-wheels, you need a reinforced rim (a regular one can wrinkle from the increased load on the wheel, high speed and “potholes” on the roads), thicker spokes. Often, a motorcycle rim is used with heavy motor wheels.

Powerful and durable brakes

To brake a heavy bicycle at high speeds, you need good hydraulic brakes with an increased disc diameter and a long pad life.
In fact, specialized brakes for high-performance electric bicycles do not exist or are just beginning to appear. Therefore, either conventional brakes are used, which have difficulty coping with the load and wear out quickly, or the most powerful brakes for downhill cycling, which are very expensive. You can also use brakes from a minibike, adapting them yourself to bicycle standards (by making adapters for attaching a brake machine, a brake disc, or even the brake disc itself).

Reinforced forks

Bicycle shock absorbers also experience increased wear when operating at high speeds with increased weight of the device. For the most powerful and heaviest e-bikes, the only choice for durability is dual crown downhill forks; however, designed to handle very large bumps, they are too soft for driving on asphalt.

* * *

Thus, the class of high-performance electric bikes requires special attention to components, many of which are too expensive or require modifications. Specialized components for bikes that fall in the middle between a bicycle, a moped and a motorcycle either do not exist or are just beginning to be produced. This creates certain difficulties, but also opens up room for creativity.

Transport or entertainment?

However, we believe that the powerful e-bike is the personal transport of the future and will continue to gain popularity. Having all the practical advantages and speed of a scooter, it is more versatile and passable, maneuverable, silent, environmentally friendly, and cheaper to operate. An electric bicycle can be stored at home; it does not require a garage or secure parking, like a motorcycle or scooter, which is dangerous to leave outside overnight.

However, this is not only a practical transport, it is also a great way to spend leisure time: riding a fast, silent bike over rough terrain in “enduro” mode is an endless source of adrenaline. Also, unlike a scooter or motorcycle, which is placed in the garage with the onset of cold weather, an electric bike

• Entrance
• Registration

The most important thing for me is the lack of registration of electric bicycles with a power of up to 250 watts, over which, as we know, they are equal to mopeds with all the rules and fees. It’s not that I’m against fees, transport taxes and other manifestations of the state, but when you can’t explain to yourself why the expensive cars of deputies drive on the broken roads of the city, you want to at least somehow help them. For example, if many people switch to electric transport, then there will be fewer traffic jams, the environment will begin to recover, and a city dweller will no longer feel dizzy in the forest from an overdose of oxygen. We constantly think that this will not be a dream, that it will be enough for our lifetime, that global changes are somewhere far away and not about us, but when in the middle zone you have nowhere to go fishing because there are no fish, and your children see a cow They scream like in a museum, you start to think, “Will it be enough?”

This electric bike was made from an ordinary one with the help of the Chinese site alliepress, not all goods arrived on time and were even shipped, but no money was lost, only time and nerves.

At the initial stage, you need to decide what kind of bike you want to build? This could be, as in our case, a minimal assistant with light weight, costing up to 20 thousand rubles. And a range of about 20 km on one charge, which was achieved.

The speed of the bike depends very much on the voltage of the electric motor and, accordingly, the battery. In our case it is 36 volts.

The resource, power, shape and fastening of the battery also depend on personal preferences; the larger the battery, the further you can travel on it, but it also weighs more, which means it takes longer to charge.

One way to save a little is to buy not a kit, but everything separately, motor wheel, battery, controller and controls, but here it is worth remembering that you may have to struggle with fitting the connectors and “do a little tinkering.”

Summing up the results of this project, we can safely say that it was a success and each new electric bicycle is a small victory in the environmental war with oil magnates and we hope that our officials will think about the future of their children and the ecology of the country before adopting the next package of amendments to Traffic rules

Good luck to everyone on the roads!

An electric motor for a bicycle - this is precisely the product that small workshops and online stores have begun to promote in recent years as an alternative to electric bicycles, which are already quite widely represented on the market. A separate motor can significantly reduce the cost and lighten the design of the resulting mechanism, because most electric bicycles are clumsy and heavy. They are not aimed at keen cyclists, but at a light walking style, so they are equipped with dubious frame configurations and very heavy batteries.

Why are engines needed?

While skiing, especially on long climbs, everyone thought about what they could connect to the chain in the hope of making their work easier and finally overcoming a difficult section. This is why electric motors are installed for bicycles. They allow you to supplement the athlete’s efforts to gain and maintain high speed, as well as maintain strength in problem areas.

Engines come in different designs and powers, but follow a single principle - they are installed on ordinary bicycles, after which they transmit force to the wheels in one way or another (depending on the type).

Types of electric motors

Electric motors for bicycles do not come in a variety of designs. In fact, due to the fairly simple design of the bike itself, there are three types.

Motor-wheel

The most popular and easiest to install engine.

Wired motor-wheel

In fact, the engine is installed on the wheel, or, in more expensive versions, it itself is supplied in the form of a wheel, with spokes attached directly to the engine. This arrangement has several advantages:

• simplicity of the device - minimum wiring and problems;
• good appearance - sometimes you cannot notice that the bike has an engine;
• high efficiency - minimal losses for energy transmission;
• low location that does not increase the center of gravity.

The list of disadvantages includes high weight and some difficulties in operation (replacing and connecting batteries).

Chain motor

This is the lightest engine. It is connected to the chain as an additional element, installed in the center of the frame and is very convenient to use, but installation will require precise calculations and the purchase of an additional chain.

Pros of this engine:

• low relative cost;
• light weight;
• ease of battery connection and maintenance;
• use of a common gear shift unit.

Disadvantages: labor-intensive installation and increased noise when the engine is running.

Friction drive

A legacy of “old” mechanics, when electricity on a bicycle was generated by a dynamo on the edge of the tire or rim. Similarly, an outboard friction drive transfers energy to the wheel using a pressure roller. Such engines are aimed at recreational and children's models, as well as non-professional buyers.

Friction motor from a famous brand

While the only advantages that can be highlighted are the absolute ease of installation and use, as well as (for some models) low cost, friction drives have many disadvantages:

• very low efficiency;
• noise during use;
• bulky and inappropriate appearance - usually instead of a trunk;
• tire wear during use.

Self-installation

Of course, it is easy to purchase a ready-made electric bike. It is more difficult to trust a workshop to install an electric motor on your classic bike. But the most inexpensive and, most importantly, interesting way would be to install the drive yourself.

Installation kits

The popularity of homemade electric bicycles is growing, and many manufacturers offer ready-made kits for installing an electric motor on a bicycle. Kits with a motor-wheel are especially popular. This type of drive does not require special knowledge for installation, it is easy to manufacture and sells well.

Bicycle conversion kit

There are also more serious kits intended for workshops, which include chains, additional rollers and other elements. Often motors come with extra batteries. In addition, a homemade chain motor can be made literally from available materials.

There are expensive kits with friction devices that are positioned as a ready-made “install and use” product for those who do not want to seriously understand mechanics. True, due to the price, such sets are not particularly popular.

Installation process

The most difficult part is the design and installation of a chain bicycle electric motor. If only the electrical part is supplied in the kit, then very serious preparation will be required before installation. So, the installation sequence:

• install the engine bracket;
• install the engine;
• install an additional star and pulley (or two, depending on the configuration);
• measure the required chain length;
• adjust the size of the chain and assemble the structure;
• check engine operation;
• check operation while pedaling.

If everything is successful, the chain motor is installed!

Layout example for installing a chain motor

For a set of motor wheels everything is simpler:

• remove the original wheel;
• install the wheel motor;
• secure the battery bracket;
• make wiring for the battery and for the control panel, if there is one.

As a matter of fact, after this you can go. If for a chain type installation (with preparation of materials) can take several days, then an hour will be enough to install a motor-wheel. In the case of friction mechanisms, some of them are removable in design, and even an elegant girl can install them with her own hands.

Manufacturers

Since the devices are not so complex, there are a huge number of manufacturers, and due to the limited popularity of their devices, many have not received the fame they deserve. Most companies producing electric motors for bicycles are located in China:

• Bafang is a fairly well-known company that produces a wide range of electric motors, not only bicycle ones;
• Cyclone is a Taiwanese company that stands out for the quality and power of its kits;
• Bosch – German quality, German prices. Manufactures chain drives. It has not been on the market for long, but has already gained recognition;
• Golden motor is a classic Chinese manufacturer (low prices, low quality, many nice additions and decorations);
• MXUS is a Chinese company that has been exclusively dedicated to electric bicycle drives for 20 years.

Conclusion

An electric bicycle motor is a great device for upgrading your bike. An inexpensive set will ensure fast driving and overcoming obstacles, and powerful devices will make riding unforgettable. The ability to install the motor yourself may appeal to anyone who is interested in technology and doesn't want to spend huge amounts of money on electric bikes.

There are two ways to convert your bike to electric. Purchased parts undoubtedly look more impressive, and the layout will be so dense that visually any changes in the design will be practically invisible. And yet, making an electric bicycle with your own hands provides many advantages, including in terms of its maintainability. The main thing is to understand what materials can be used and how to assemble it correctly.

Selecting components for an electric bicycle

Engine

Judging by the reviews on the forums, most home craftsmen are quite satisfied with the motor from a household washing machine of about 350 - 400 W. By the way, many industrial electric bicycles, for example, Wellness HUSKY (price around 51,000 rubles), are equipped with just such engines. The main thing is to choose the right type of electric motor. The commutator motor works equally well on both AC and DC power.

The pursuit of increasing power is a futile endeavor. The only advantage is that the traction force will increase when the electric bike moves uphill, but the speed is unlikely to increase significantly.

By the way, on the Internet there are homemade products based on a screwdriver. This experience should not be adopted - it is hopeless. Anyone who knows what kind of household power tool this is has already figured it out. Yes, and the price of batteries for it “bites”, and the service life with such use is 2 seasons, no more.

Battery

Before choosing a battery, you should decide what exactly the electric bike is for. For long trips, the battery capacity must be appropriate. What should I do? Combine several into a battery or choose one, but with a larger charge? In the first case, installation becomes more complicated, since all elements will have to not only be fastened, but also connected into a single power supply circuit. Secondly, there is a significant increase in the size of the battery. Therefore, finding a place for it will not be easy at all. But from the point of view of convenience of completing an electric bicycle, this option is preferable.

According to those who have already assembled an electric bicycle with their own hands, optimal battery parameters – 48 V (20 A/h, at least). The engine (380 W) is selected for it. It is quite enough to provide a speed of up to 40 km/h on rough terrain. The charge will last for a couple of hours. In terms of battery type, Ni-MH batteries are considered the best. In relation to an electric bicycle, its main advantages are large capacity and increased service life. And the price is quite reasonable.

If basically an electric bicycle can be assembled from scrap materials, then you should buy a battery. A 5,000 mAh product will allow you to travel up to 10 km without recharging at a speed of 20 km/h. When driving around the city (for example, to work and back) it is quite enough.

Transmission type

If the motor is from a household appliance, then there is already a pulley on the shaft. Therefore, it is a belt drive. This is the simplest solution, since all that remains is to install an analogue on the wheel (of course, the rear one). You can replace the pulley with a ring gear. The 52T series sprocket fits perfectly. It will turn out something like this.

Charger

You should also worry about this in advance. If the battery is selected, then it is not difficult to purchase the appropriate model that matches the parameters.

Features of assembling an electric bicycle

Any model of bicycle can be taken as a basis, so it makes no sense to describe the procedure in the form of step-by-step instructions. But it’s worth paying attention to certain nuances of making an electric bicycle with your own hands. Everything that is left unsaid will be clearly demonstrated by the illustrations.

• If the frame is metal, then most fasteners can be made by welding. With an aluminum or carbon version of the case it is more difficult. You will have to drill holes and use nuts and bolts to secure the components of the circuit.
• To make an emergency stop, the e-bike engine will have to be turned off. It is more convenient to locate the electrical circuit breaker in the brake handle.
• The optimal place for the “ignition switch” is the headlight. If necessary, you can also place a signal button in it, although this is unnecessary for an electric bicycle. Given the low speed, it will be possible to warn a pedestrian using your voice. And it is hardly advisable to complicate the circuit, since the sound signal is one of the consumers of electricity. But the battery capacity is not unlimited.

How can you equip an electric bike?

Those who understand electrical and radio engineering are trying to make the model more advanced. But it will not be possible to assemble it only from scrap materials - you will have to purchase something, which means spending money.

• Wattmeter. It will show exactly how much distance you can still expect, taking into account energy consumption. This will allow you to change plans and adjust your route if necessary. It is advisable to place the device on the steering wheel so that it is always in line of sight.
• Controller. There are several options for such devices. The simplest thing, serving only as a terminal box, is attached anywhere. But many of them are assembled, for example, on microcircuits. Regardless of the chosen solution, it must be taken into account that all radio components require effective cooling. And this is understandable - electric current passing through the circuit is partially converted into thermal energy (due to the internal resistance of its elements). This means that it is advisable to place the controller on the frame so that it is better blown by the oncoming flow. Some of the paint in this area needs to be removed, and an additional aluminum plate must be placed, the bottom of which (at the point of contact) is covered with thermal paste.