I know i know, they are not liked, but i’m thinking of converting my spare road bike for the winter break,
i’m working nights alot and am all over the city lately carrying a fair bit on my back and panniers in tools and ppe so i want to make my journey a bit easier whilst still avoiding the transport network.
have been looking at some kits, not sure whats best and was wondering if anyone has done similar to a bike here? i’m fairly good mechanically wise so the work isn’t too bad, just want to get through those long commutes around london without sweating tonnes and having an easier time doing it.
Like all powered vehicles, the battery is going to be a major part of the puzzle.
Size/Weight/Fit:
Where is it going to fit, how big is it and is it easy to remove/swap/charge. Is it secure against theft. Does it get in the way of you or the loads you need to carry. Is carrying a spare or slave battery an option. Is the battery weight so heavy that it makes the bike unwieldy, especially if it is dead and you have to provide your own power.
Capacity/charging:
Enough charge in a single pack for your usage requirements on the coldest, longest, hilliest and most overloaded day you can envisage? Are spare chargers readily available and cheap enough that you can have one at home and one at work. Is charging time short enough that after a long day you can get it (or multiple packs) fully charged before needed again.
Cost:
How much are replacements in case of theft, need for a spare, degradation over time.
Availability:
Is the battery pack a sealed proprietary unit that comes at a price premium and may not be available in a couple of years, or is it something that is easily re-furbishable using widely available cells. You don’t want to be hundreds in a few years for something that is really not worth it.
I almost wonder if it’s worth waiting for ebikes to come onto the S/H market, with winter coming and people generally feeling pessimistic and in need of the cash for Christmas etc.
There’s been a huge increase in the number of e-bikes around London this year. The Deliveroo and Uber Eats riders all seem to have gone electric this year.
There certainly seems to be a lot of demand generally for e-bikes (and scooters) in London, probably driven to a large extent by people not wanting to use public transport.
So all these aftermarket conversions are basically illegal and you could get your bike seized. Clearly enforcement of this is unlikely but would be a factor if you had any kind of accident.
I saw that post this morning. The illegal bodges on bikes by the Manchester delivery crowds is frightening. They absolutely have just converted their push bikes to motorbikes. The police do nothing though. Round our office is a prime location for the homeless and delivery guys (takeaways and students - amazing combo ), police are pretty slick in shifting the homeless, they do absolutely nothing about the illegal e-bikes that surround them.
I just hope the fuckwit that rides around Winchester on a scooter that does about 50mph hits a pothole. Which is likely because his vision is impaired by wearing a ski balaclava.
In one US state they gave several hundred (thousand?) free baseball tickets to the last known address of loads of crims…and simply arrested them at the game…
), police are pretty slick in shifting the homeless, they do absolutely nothing about the illegal e-bikes that surround them.
… oh wait 
