Electric bicycles are getting more popular, and if there’s something in you that wants to turn your conventional bike into an ebike, don’t worry because all it takes is to find the best electric bicycle conversion kit.
If you don’t want to splurge on ebikes, an electric bicycle kit will allow you to add an electric bike motor, electric bicycle controller, and other things you need to turn your good old bike into an ebike. These conversion kits work just like how you turn traditional skateboards into electric skateboards using conversion kits.
Why you should consider ebike conversion kits
Electric bicycle conversion kits have the following benefits:
- You can hold onto your existing bike: By adding an electric bike motor to your old bike, you don’t have to let go of the ride that you’re used to handling, but instead, boost its performance.
- More power and speed: With an electric motor on your bicycle, you don’t have to worry about climbing hills anymore. You get that good push from ebike motors that offer 250 watts of power or more. Commuting to work and going around the city will also be quicker and less tiring as you can easily reach up to 20 miles per hour on an ebike.
- Good for the environment and your health: You can hit two birds with one stone when converting your bike to an ebike. With a battery-powered bike, you can use it more often while using your car less. Additionally, you will still have to pedal, so it can serve as an excellent workout to burn some extra calories.
- An electric bike without the scary price tag: You can get the performance of ebikes without having to deal with the price tag of pre-made ebikes.
Before you click that buy button, check out our quick guide on what ebike features you need and what are some of the best ebike conversion kits you can buy today.
What to look for in electric bicycle kits
If you are looking for an electric bicycle kit, you need to consider how you will use your ebike.
City dwellers who will ride over flat urban terrain on short trips can look for a motor with lower power. In case you will use it for uphill rides and off-roading, you need to get a more aggressive ebike motor that can handle such terrains. For those who want to cover more distance, then one of the primary considerations will be the size of the battery. However, with a bigger battery, you need to see how you will attach it to your bike. Remember that the added weight of the conversion kit will also affect the handling of your bike.
Below are some of the ebike conversion kit features to look for.
- Type of motor: The most crucial component of any ebike conversion kit is the electric bike motor. You will typically have an option between brushless and brushed ebike motors. The latter could be quite on the noisy side. Brushless motors tend to be more expensive. They are used by more powerful engines and typically last longer than brushed motors.
- Motor power: If you will only use your ebike for light commutes around town, then lower performance motors with low wattage will do. However, more powerful motors will come in handy when you do off-road biking or when you often negotiate steep climbs.
- Battery size: You need to factor in the power of the motor because the higher power the motor has, the faster it will use up your batteries. Conversely, lower power motors will help you stretch your battery life. Of course, you also have to match the voltage of the ebike battery to the wattage of the motor to have an optimal setup.
- Components: As much as possible, get an ebike conversion kit that comes with everything you need to retrofit your conventional bike. Some electric bicycle kits will come with a wheel, electrical bicycle controller, mounting plate, and everything that you’ll need to put these parts together such as wires, nuts, screws, and bolts. Aside from that, the kit must come with detailed instructions that will be easy enough to follow.
The best electric bicycle conversion kits at a glance
- Complete Bafang 750W BBS02 Mid-Drive Motor Kit & Battery
- Yescom 26in Front Electric Bicycle Motor Conversion Kit 48v 1000w
- eBikeling Waterproof Ebike Conversion Kit
- Alizeti 300C E-bike System
- L-Faster eBike Conversion Kit
Below are some of the best ebike conversion kits you can buy today.
Complete Bafang 750W BBS02 Mid-Drive Motor Kit & Battery
Bafang is one of the most popular ebike motor manufacturers on the globe today. They have been in business since 2003 and have a wide array of choices of electric bike conversion kits.
This Bafang 750 mid-drive motor kit already comes with everything you need to convert your old bike with a 68 to 73 mm bottom bracket to an ebike. You will mount the motor to your bottom bracket to replace your bike’s crankset.
It’s a high-performing kit that is known for its hill-climbing abilities, speed, and quiet demeanor. The ebike motor comes with an upgraded integrated 25 amp electric bike controller and pedal assist sensors that allow you to choose the level of assistance the motor gives you. It also sports a throttle that lets you tap into the motor’s power when you want to take a break from pedaling.
The price of the Bafang 750W BBS02 Mid-Drive Motor Kit starts at $799.
Yescom 26in Front Electric Bicycle Motor Conversion Kit 48v 1000w
This more affordable electric bicycle conversion kit is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a front wheel kit. The Yescom front wheel ebike conversion kit comes with a brushless motor with high efficiency and a front wheel with a tire. In addition, the drive system has a lower risk for wear and tear because it has no chains or gears.
Out of the box, you also get an LCD showing the speed, battery power, time, and other useful information while you are riding. The setup also has a dual mode ebike controller.
Take note that batteries are not included in this kit.
Yescom 26in Front Electric Bicycle Motor Conversion Kit 48v 1000w’s price starts at $260.99
eBikeling Waterproof Ebike Conversion Kit
This easy-to-install electric bike kit from eBikeling comes with a wheel with an attached ebike motor. You will have the option to get a front or rear wheel setup and either a twist or thumb throttle control.
When you take the package out of its box, all you have to do is fit a tire onto the rim, and you’re a few steps away from converting your old bike into an ebike. The manufacturer also gives you the option to get either an LCD or LED display with Pedal Assist Sensor.
This waterproof ebike conversion kit is perfect if you love the outdoors or if you need to ride in the rain or snow.
Batteries are not included in this kit.
The eBikeling Waterproof Ebike Conversion Kit 48V 1200W 26-inch price starts at $395.99.
Alizeti 300C E-bike System
If you know how to install a bike rear rack, then you can install this friction drive 500-watt ebike drive motor in minutes.
The Alizeti 300C e-bike conversion system can be paired with a single lithium-ion battery pack that will allow you to travel 20 miles (32 km) on a single charge or two battery packs that will double the ebike range.
You can go 20 mph (32 kph) with this setup. It also features a built-in front light, an alarm system, signal lights, horn, among others.
The Alizeti 300C E-bike System price starts at $499.
L-Faster eBike Conversion Kit
The L-Faster eBike Conversion Kit is another cheap ebike conversion kit option you can grab today. This brush ebike motor kit is designed for bikes with electric gears.
It is not the most powerful of electric bicycle motors at 250 watts, but it provides enough power to help you go around the town on two wheels. Plus, you can easily convert your conventional bike without worrying about balance issues or extra wear and tear.
The package also comes with a chain, customized sprocket, ebike motor controller, twist throttle, among others. It does not include an ebike battery pack.
The L-Faster 24V electric bike conversion kit starts at $118.88.
This completes our quick rundown on the best ebike conversion kits you can buy today. We will keep you posted if there are interesting new ebike motors and complete kits available in the market.