Hub motor kit transforms normal bicycle into ebike

I’ll show you exactly how to make an electric bicycle using a hub motor kit. 

You can probably complete this project in one afternoon.

 A couple tips and tools and you’ll be on the fast track to cruising town on your new ebike. 

There are different types of kits.

The two that I will show you today are the Voilamart rear hub conversion kit and the Bafang mid drive conversion kit.

 

What’s the difference between the two you ask? 

Having recently installed both motors on bikes, I’ve come up with a list of the pros and cons of each motor. 

Long story short- The Voilamart rear hub motor kit ebike functionality is amazing and cheap.

The Bafang mid drive motor functionality is amazing and has impressive engineering and minimal design. This kit is priced higher than Voilamart rear hub.. 

With a 48V 15AH Battery, both kits take me faster and further than I want to go! 

We would love to see a photo of your ebike conversion. Tag us in a photo on Instagram.

 

Choosing your rear hub motor kit  

The total cost of this 28mph 1000 Watt ebike build was $500.

The motor is on the back wheel and the battery located in rear bag.

 

Voilamart 1000 Watt Rear Hub Drive Motor- 

 

Pros-

• Your bike doesn’t need to be fully taken bike apart to complete the conversion.
• For me this kit reached a top speed of 28mph
• The motor is completely silent while operating
• The kit works well with gear system and chain
• Lower Cost Hub motor kit
• I was able to contact the seller for additional questions

Cons-

• You must find a place to secure the computer on your bike 
• The motor is not very well hidden on the back wheel
• The wire and battery connections are less convenient than the mid drive kit
• The display doesn’t provide speed or distance. (I use a gps app on phone for this anyways)

 

Bafang BBSHD 1000 Watt Mid Drive Motor 

 

Pros-

• This kit has a nice feel of a low center of gravity
• For me this kit reached a top speed of 28mph
• The motor is completely silent while operating
• This system has a programmable computer
• You do not need to attach an additional computer to your bike
• This unit feels like a higher end conversion than the hub drive
• I was able to contact the seller for additional questions
• The wiring is really easy to connect and hides well on your bike
• There are multiple display options that can provide many details

Cons-

• This kit is more expensive than the hub drive 
• Additional tools are required to take apart the bottom bracket of your bike

Make your own ebike

 

Today I will show you how easy it is to covert your bike using the Voilamart 1000 Watt Rear hub drive motor.

 

To learn more about the Bafang Mid Drive 1000 Watt ebike conversion click click here

Let’s get started with the Voilamart 1000W rear hub drive install. You will first need to have a bike for the conversion. 

 

Check out the step by step tutorial. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!

Preparing your cycle for install

 

In this blog I’m using a cycle with 26 inch tires. For the conversion, I made sure to purchase the 26 inch hub motor kit 

These hub conversion kits are also available for bikes with different tire sizes.

Your bike should be equipped with multiple gears. A bike with several gears has a better chance of fitting the electric wheel motor into place.

The space needed for the wheel in the 26 inch kit is 5.12 inches.  Make sure to measure these distances on your bike before purchasing a kit. 

There are two ways to measure-

1. Use a phone app that allows you to draw in the points of measurement (somewhat accurate)
2. Purchase a caliper measuring tool that will provide spacing distances (very accurate)

Here is an inexpensive and accurate digital caliper measuring tool.

 

Since both of these kits can take you at speeds faster than a professional cyclist, you must have the power to stop! 

I recommend using a bike with disc brakes and calipers or hydraulic brakes.

 

These braking systems typically have great stopping power and are the gold standard for most commercial ebikes.  

If you have any additional questions about selecting a kit for your electric bike conversion, let me know in the comments. 

 

Testing your kit

 

Before disassembling your bike you should test your kit.

You will need a battery in order to test. For this ebike conversion I used a Unit Pack Power 48Volt 15 Amp Hour Lithium Ion Battery.

 

This battery works well for me and has more power than I need. 

Once you’ve picked a battery, you will need to charge it fully to test.

Check for LED indicators by clicking the test battery button to see if your battery is fully charged.

If it is, turn the power OFF with the red switch.

Next hook the red and black wires of the computer to the red and black wires of the battery.

Hook the yellow to yellow, blue to blue, and green to green wires.

Connect the wheel wire end to the correct fitting connector on the computer. 

Plug in the twist throttle handlebar. 

Turn on the throttle with the red switch to test if you have power. If you don’t have power, check your connections and battery charge. 

If you have power, lightly turn the throttle to test if the wheel moves.

If the wheel moves, your hub motor kit sounds like it is ready for install.  Be Careful not to overrun  the throttle with the wheel in this position, you could damage the cord. 

 

How to remove bicycle rear wheel

 

Now that you’ve tested your hub motor kit, you’re ready to remove the rear wheel of the bicycle. 

I recommend to turn your bike upside down first. This helps with balance during the disassembly. 

If the wheel has a quick release lever, simply unhook the lever and turn to loosen the wheel. If your wheel is held on with bolts, you will need a wrench or ratchet.

 Here is the tool I used for the job.

 

If you get stuck removing the back tire from your bike, check out this blog. 

You do not need to take off the bike chain, but you will need to move the chain out of the way of the tire that is coming off. 

 

Now that you’ve removed the back tire, you are ready to remove the rubber tread and bike tire tube.

To do this, use a large flat hard surface. Put a towel underneath the tire to prevent grease or surface damage. 

Deflate the tire completely before trying to remove it. To most easily and consistently remove the tire tread, I recommend using tire levers.

Here are the tire levers that I use for changing tires.

Some tires are easier to work with, some are very stubborn!  

Here is the kit 

Install your diy ebike kit

Once you have removed the tire and tube you are ready to install them on the electric wheel. 

You can now put a small amount of air into the tire tube to give it shape. This will make the install easier.

With the tube in place, use your hands to carefully work the edge of the rubber tire tread into the rim wall.

Rotate the tire to completely insert the rubber edge into the rim. Once you’ve completed one side, turn the tire and repeat the process for the other side. 

After the entire rubber each is evenly inserted into the rim, begin to fill with air.

As you put air in the tire, check to make sure there are no bulges in the tube and that the tread remains even around the tire. 

If you have any additional questions about how to change a bike tire tube, check out this blog 

Now you have a tire that is ready to be installed on your hub motor kit. 

 

Installing the motorized wheel on ebike kit

 

To get the electric motor in place, find the dropout on your bike frame.

(The indentation in the metal frame where your wheel will fit) Notice which way you will need to rotate the tire to best fit into the bike frame.

Make sure the place the wheel in the same chain position as you removed the original wheel.

One washer will remain on the inside of the dropout while the other side of the dropout has a washer and bolt.

Before tightening the bolts, I recommend adding a torque arm.

The torque arm is not included in your hub motor kit, but is an important safety feature that I highly recommend installing on your bike.

The torque arm can better prevent the axel of the wheel from ripping off of the frame dropout.

Yes, we’re talking about some real power here! 

 

To install the torque arm, simply insert the end through the wheel axel while tightening the metal band around the frame of your bike.

Check out this blog on how to install the torque arm. 

Use a screwdriver to tighten the metal band. 

Once the torque arm is installed, tighten the bolts of the wheel with a wrench. Make sure these bolts are securely fastened.

As a safety precaution, I recommend double checking to make sure these bolts are securely fastened before every ride. 

 

You’ve successfully installed the electric motor, you are one step closer to a finished ebike! 

 

Completing the handlebars with your install

 

Next let’s flip the bike back to right side up. This position will make is easier to work on the handlebars.

In order to install the brakes and throttle you will first need to remove your old brakes and grips. 

Some grips can be removed by pulling and twisting.

Other grips might require more convincing. Soap or wd-40 can be inserted in between the grip and handlebar to loosen.

In the bike in the example the grips were easily removed with hex keys.  Every bike is different, and I’ve had grips that needed to be cut off the bike before. 

 

Once the grips are removed, make a mark on your bike to remind yourself exactly where the shifters are located.

Remove the shifters by loosening any bolts and then turning your handlebars so that the shifter cords have the most slack. 

Putting on the brakes

After you’ve removed the shifters, loosen the brakes. This is usually done with a hex key. You will need several sizes of hex keys while installing your hub motor kit. 

In order to fully remove the brakes you will need to loosen the part of the brake that attaches the brake cable to handle.

In the photos you can see that once the brake is loosened you can remove the cable ball from the handle. 

The electric bike conversion kit contains brakes that will stop the bike by connecting to your normal brakes.

This hub motor kit also features a brake system with an electric cord that connects to the computer.

This safety feature cuts the power to the motor as you press the brakes.

Without installing this feature, it could be like driving with a foot on the gas and a foot on the brake.

 

You’ve put the brakes and shifters back on, your now ready to install the throttle. I recommend using the right handlebar for the throttle.

There are different types of throttles in ebike conversion kits.

The kit that I provide links to uses a twist throttle. The twist throttle is a comfortable way to control the bike for short and long distances.

Make sure install the throttle in a position where it is most comfortable to operate with your on the grip.

Now that the throttle is installed, you’re ready for the finishing touches on your ebike. 

 

Finishing touches of your ebike

Grasp the two brake cables and the throttle cable.

Connect these cables to your bike frame as shown in the photo.

You will need zip ties to do this. I purchased these industrial zip ties for maximum cord security. 

 

 

Use the provided cord manager to wrap the cords, securing them together.

Hidden cords help give your hub motor kit more of a stealth look.

A hanging or loose cord could also get worn by rubbing on your bike or be a safety hazard. 

Spend the time to make sure this looks minimal.

Send me your photos of your stealth ebike, I’d love to see! 

 

Now you need to decide where you are going to put install your battery and computer.

You can see in the photo below I’ve given you examples of two different set ups. In one example the battery is mounted on the downtube and the computer is mounted near the seat.

The computer wouldn’t fit in the triangle where the battery is located, even though this was the smaller of the two batteries I owned, (48V 13ah) . 

With a smaller battery,( 48V 11Ah) there might be enough room in this bike for both to be located in the triangle. 

Instead I put the battery and the computer in a rear bag. I was able to fit the 48V 15Ah battery in the bag, although it’s a tight fit!  

This battery will provide more power and take me further distances without pedaling.  I kept the computer in it’s own bag to prevent heat transfer from the battery.

This waterproof and reflective bag sits on a rear rack. It has a few extra pockets for small tools or tire changing gear. Here is a link to the rack and bag I used for this project. 

 

Where would you have placed the battery and computer?

 

Once you’ve connected the wires on the computer and wheel, you’re ready for a thorough final inspection.

Check the wheels, brakes, handlebars, chain, shifters and seat. Bike parts may have come loose or shifted slightly during installation of your hub motor kit.  

 

If you’re inspection passes, you are ready to turn on the battery. Give it some juice! 

Now before hopping on your fast new electric bike, you might want to check out these ebike safety tips. Most importantly, always wear a helmet. 

 

Riding your new hub motor kit bike

Whether cruising on roads, trails, or making your own path, It’s crucial that you be seen as early as possible from pedestrian and vehicle traffic. 

I recommend using front and rear flashing lights while ebiking.

This will give people more time to safely see you and avoid you.

Here are the rechargeable front and rear lights that I installed on this bike.

These were really easy to install and are a necessity for any serious ebiker. 

 

In this ebike conversion I didn’t install the pedal assist.

The ebike functions really well without it installed. Pedal assist is required by law in some countries. 

Have you installed this kit with pedal assist, I’d love to hear how this functions for you. 

Since the installation, I’ve ridden this ebike about 50 miles.

 

 

Here’s what I think is so amazing about ebikes.

You can get in the zone with a great workout just as you would with a normal cycle.

But additionally, you can get in the zone and enjoy the surroundings as your energy is focused on the coasting ride.

Sometimes it’s fun to pedal and sometimes it’s fun to just using full electric and appreciate the power that these amazing conversion kits and batteries provide. 

Right now I mainly ride ebikes for pleasure. Why do you ride? 

I hope that I’ve helped transform your regular bike into an fully electric cycle with a hub motor kit.

In these simple steps, you’ve added another dimension to your bicycle.

How long did your conversion take you? Is your conversion ongoing?

I continually find some cool upgrades for the bikes that I’ve converted

I added a rear view mirror to my other other ebike.

This allows you to see who is behind you at all times, rather than when you just turn around to look. 

I also recommend installing a bell or horn. This way you can inform people that you are near so that they can provide space for you. 

 

Now that you’ve got the information. Get your bike and purchase a hub motor kit.

If you have any questions, I’m here to answer them.

I’m excited to see the photos of your finished projects.