How to DIY Convert an Old Bike to ELECTRIC - with the Yosepower E-bike Conversion Kit
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
- How I recently converted my 25 year old hybrid mountain bike into an e-bike using a 250w Yosepower e-bike conversion kit (rear motor kit for cassette).
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0:00 Introduction
1:33 Buyers Guide
3:01 Freewheel Installation
4:16 Tyre Installation
4:21 Wheel Installation
4:32 Brake Lever & Throttle
5:23 Display Installation
5:39 PAS Sensor Install
6:42 Battery Installation
7:43 Panier Installation
7:51 Connecting the cables
8:38 New Seat
8:45 How it works
11:00 Throttle lever
12:10 The Big Road Test
18:00 Conclusions
20:18 Subscribe to Me!
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Charlie DIYte
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#ebike #conversionkit #yosepower 
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I bought a pedal assist e-bike and absolutely love it. Where I live the builders merchants etc are just to far to walk and I don't drive so I put some paniers on and now get everything I need. I've carried 4 litre tubs of paint, fillers wallpaper you name it and with pedal assist you don't even notice the weight. Also brilliant fun just to ride around on. Almost feels a bit naughty getting up massive hills without any problem😂
I'm on my 3rd ebike build now. My 1st bike was used whilst we didn't have a car. The amount of stuff I could cram into those panniers outside our local Lidl defied any logic! The rest would go in my huge rucksack. Blunted the speed & range though.
I've upgraded to the point where my current bike has a Bafang mid motor and I'm about to convert to 2 batteries for long distance runs this summer. They're just so addictive.
Charlie mate, you've done it again. This is exactly the video I've been looking for as I have a bike I've been thinking about converting! Thank you!
So glad to hear it. I've got to say, I'm loving this conversion. Any questions, drop me a line 👊
Hi charlie please can you confirm the SKU? the link doesnt take you directly to the product. thanks
I must admit, i dont normally comment on RUclips videos, but i have to make exception for you Charlie. The detail in your videos is nothing short of exceptional. They've inspired me to undertake some diy jobs around the house in the last number of years with great success. From mist coating, to installing skirting boards, i want to just thank you for your guidance. I look forward to tuning in to your videos for many years to come.
Did this to my Brompton with a similar kit and it was well worth it as i live at the top of a very steep bill. Mine had a clip on sensor. These guys have much quicker delivery than the kit i used which appeals.
Thanks for the video. Much appreciated seeing you work out the installation process for us!
Thanks Duncan. You're very welcome and I appreciate the comment. 👊
Great in-depth explanations, Charlie, thanks. I've been thinking about a conversion like this for a while.
Thanks Mandy. I had a lot of fun doing it - on a bike I probably wouldn't have used again if I hadn't. 👌
I have been looking at my never-used bike and thinking about getting rid of it. I didn’t even know that conversion was possible. Off to investigate costs properly. Thanks for the inspiration!
You're welcome. It's been a game changer for my old bike. 👊
Great video, hope you do more bicycle related ones in the future!
I actually chose an mtb to make fitment of the yose kit easy. I bought a kona fire mountain 27.5 with a 9 speed cassette second hand that was solid if well used. it was so easy to install and the only slight snag was the alignment of the bottle holder mounts I could only manage to use the one hole and strapped the battery with a a cable tie as a temporary measure but now have an adjustment bracket from yose to make a perfect fit. I can't believe just how smooth and punchy that rear hub motor is and the range from that 13ah battery is really good. the thumb throttle is really responsive too. a great kit for the money.
Thank you very much for your feedback. Yose Power will continuously improve quality to bring more affordable and useful products to our customers. Your support gives us the motivation to keep going.
Bang on! I've been hedging around this for at least 5 years. Perhaps this will give me the incentive to commit. Always good, as ever, to have the opinion of a trustworthy guy.
Thanks mate, really appreciate that. As I said, I've also been really interested in this, ever since an engineer friend did his own DIY conversion. I cycled over to see him the other day and he said his improvised battery wasn't powerful enough and he had problems with voltage drop so he'd abandoned it, so I'm pleased I've got a proper kit like this. 👊
I’ve had mine on the go for 5 1/2 years and almost at 10,000 miles on same battery and motor kit. Definitely worth the investment and if you use for commuting it pays for itself in a few thousand miles .
@@bgate1984 Thank you very much for your review and support for Yose Power.
Excellent as ever thanks and i think you can tweak settings to come in sooner as mine does .
I converted my old Raleigh 5 years ago & I'm now on my 3rd bike & 3rd conversion with a Bafang mid motor. I'd packed up cycling because of my arthritic knees. 5 years on, wirh low impact cycling, 30 mile rides aren't a problem & my knees are pain free. Once you've converted a bike, you won't look back. 👍
How did your old Raleigh cope?
That's awesome! Healing through exercise!
Thanks Charlie. I found it very interesting and useful.
Wishing your son will on his gold DofE
This is a kick-ass video, sir. I am clinging to my old beloved bike and would use it more with this system. You're the only person I trust to review this kind of product. Thanks so much.
Great video Charlie! Thanks for sharing it with us!💖👍😎JP
On my bafang conversion I made the mistake of using just the two downtube bottle rack bolts. The bike was leaning on a wall, fell over and the 17ah battery pulled out the riv nuts and distorted the alu frame a bit. So I would recommend putting more than two bolts to anyone do a conversion.
Thought that would be a problem, having the battery under a rear rack deck seems a better location to me.
Yeah I've strapped some velcro ties around as well (x3) because two bottle Mount bolts seemed a bit flimsy
This time last year I bought a ready made folding ebike quite unaware how heavy it was to lift into my car, btw I am 75. So after pulling my back it had to go after my first ride. As a home cyclist I was impressed by the power. So after waiting for 7 months for my back to become pain free, I decided to buy a lightweight folding bike to convert to an ebike. Spent a lot of time researching the best model as I was going to use the front wheel kit, so needed steel forks, frame in 6061 alloy. Chose the Dawes Jack as it had a rear carrier to mount the battery. I too went with Yosepower but as this bike had city tyres and I am solely using offroad, I changed the front tyre to a Michelin Country J trekking tyre, bit more nobbly. Installation was straight forward, did not use the thumb throttle, light, brake levers and controller. I chose the 36v 15.6Ah battery with the integrated battery carrier snd controller. For extra tyre security I added Mr Tuffy tyre liners. This bike has just 6 gears. Now all completed, just waiting for some better weather for the try out. It was interesting to see your instal which was similar to mine. Regarding the additional settings on the display. Apparently the default settings are OK for the left side PAS sensor, the first one about speed can be ignored. The last one is to set how quickly the power kicks in getting info from how many magnets pass on the PAS. I had no help from customer service on what I should do here, so left it at the default. I did run a no load speed test and all power settings worked fine. Cost wise, it turned out to be the same as the other ebike except now with both batteries off it weighs 8 kgs lighter.
Thanks for a great comment. Hope you enjoy using it. Took mine on a cycle round the Cotswolds last week with my son. Worked flawlessly and didn't lose one bar of power!
Thank you for sharing your detailed experience. We’re glad to hear that you found the installation straightforward and that the bike is performing well with the new setup. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out. We appreciate your feedback and support!
I used rivnuts to install battery holder on old bike with no water bottle bolts holes. Easier than tapping threads.
I bought a Bafang crank drive kit -it's a bit better on hills since the power goes through the gears.
A throttle is only allowed on a conversion kit such as your's. You don't get them on a factory ready made ebike.
I would have bought new wheels, new frame, new gears, new brakes, new saddle, new handle bars, new tires and innner tubes, new pedals and new chain ring, cassette and chain. Other than that the bike looks great.
There is a setting in the display that allows you to turn on or off the throttle and use it as a real throttle. There is also a setting for the sensitivity of the pas sensor.
Lovely job. Wish I’d gone to the trouble of a rear wheel kit. Front wheel just doesn’t cut the mustard!
Well I was humming and arring but you convinced me bought a kit used your code thanks for the handy video
Great work. You'll love it!! It's a fab bit of kit. Thanks for using the code too 👊
@@CharlieDIYte well yes enjoying it commuted to work on it last week 13 miles each way in 20mph+ headwinds (which effects battery life tremendously started to bring the charger) that would have been out of the question before. whilst it’s not totally easy it has doubled my range and wind speed id usually tangle with big thumbs up
@@seasiderjay5240 Thank you very much for your review and support for Yose Power. Hope you have a good ride.
You've convinced me. I've ordered the 27.5 inch full conversion kit using your link. Wish me luck :D
Any good?
@@abdullahabx1 it's been pretty great so far. Had some issues such as it didn't come with a rim guard so popped my tire immediately. Besides some other use errors I made it's done 70 miles without issue and ran through a very stormy day
Thanks for the update, good to hear. Hope it runs nicely
@@TheDaLynx Thank you very much for your feedback. We are sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience. The inner tube liner should be reused from the old wheel; otherwise, it can cause a flat tire. We will consider highlighting this important note in our manual.
Get a schwalbe marathon plus on the back , will save you from awkward puncture repairs on the move .
Great video and after seeing it I definitely won't be buying a conversion kit because I didn't have near that diy improv and skill so I will be just having to buy a whole ebike. I'm glad I watched first.
Due to differences in bike models, the compatibility of accessories can vary. However, most modern bikes can be converted with ease. For those with less technical experience, trying an easier-to-install front motor might be a good option. Nonetheless, I'm glad you have your new e-bike. Wishing you happy rides!
Awesome video Charlie - great to see you turning your hand to something else! eBikes are fantastic. Hub motors aren't so good and the exposed batteries now look very dated, but what a brilliant way to breathe life back into an old one. As you implied, why buy the non-ebike bits with a new eBike when you can re-use what you have.
It's also amazing the mis-conception that eBikes are just for lazy people. I now commute every day on mine (as opposed to driving) and 90% of the time it's in Eco so I'm doing most the work. The fact that I can up the power if tackling a hill, rough ground, head wind or just running a bit late means fewer excuses not to cycle.
👀 I have a bike I’ve had for years and rarely rode because I’m in a hilly area and have knee issues. This might be on my to do list
Volts = speed,
So as your battery starts to drain, youll lose top speed and power, i have a 48volt battery and i try not to let it drop bellow 45, fully charged tho its actually 54.6 volts,
Word of warning incase you dont know also, your battery will have a voltage cut off point to prevent the cells being drained too far, not sure what itll be but, like you say, peddling the bike with the power off is hard due to the motor resistance so you dont want your battery cutting out when your far from home, happend to me and i ended up pushing my bike, mind is a baffang mid mount motor so the resistance may be higher, hope you have fun mate ❤
Lithium batteries don’t behave like lead acid …their voltage output is very stable independent of remaining charge
Too be fair, iam using a high powered ebike for reference, so when the bike demands a LOT of amps, and the battery is a little run down, you really feel the difference, my understanding is that all ebike batteries use lithium also
great vid
Thanks 👊
I thought any electric bike is said to be illegal on the road if it has a throttle. But maybe they changed that if its a 250w motor. I had a fiido with its 500 w motor but its fitted with a 250w sticker 😉
Throttle can only assist to 6Mph.
You dawg
A throttle with a maximum speed of 6 km/h is not illegal.😊
Moving from the flat area of Heathrow, down to Somerset at the end of the year and I'm seriously thinking of converting my 22 year old Raleigh Gents Tourer. Where we're going is not massively hilly but it's definitely not like where I currently live.
Still loving this kit. Hasn't missed a beat. I'd definitely recommend. Hardest thing is getting the right wheel size, and that but if adapting on the Paz sensor 😉
Don't hesitate; let Yosepower surprise you.😊
Hi Charlie, great video as usual. I see on the site they also do front wheel conversion. Was there a particular rean you went for rear wheel kit?
Rear hub motors offer better traction and stability, especially during acceleration and climbing. However, front hub motors are easier to install.
😅Excellent review thankyou...
You're welcome.. Still loving my conversion 👌👊
👍👍👍.Thanks
Hi Charlie, not sure if its the same for this but on my electric mountain bike the "throttle" or a button on mine acts as a "walk mode" to propel the bike along if you are walking alongside it.
Just means you dont have to push the extra weight from the motor and battery around. Anyway, interesting video as always!
Thanks Andrew. Yes it would work well for that. 👊
Nice vid'. Can you leave a link for the gloves you're wearing please?
Hi Charlie,
Lovely video. Couple of questions:
1. I think you did say that the break handles are compulsory, for both?
2. Can you completely disable the power feature via the LED display and what does it feel like when you start using just the regular gears again?
Many thanks
1.For mechanical brakes, you will use the brake levers included in the kit. If your bike has hydraulic brakes, the brake levers in the kit will be useless, and you will need to purchase specialized brake sensors separately.
2.If you don't want to use the electric function, simply turn off the battery power. However, due to the weight of the electronic components, the bike will increase in weight by about 6 kg, making it a bit more challenging to pedal compared to a regular bike. Pedal assist means you still need to pedal to move forward, rather than relying entirely on the throttle, so you don't need to worry about lacking exercise.
What sort of fire extinguisher do you have near the bike storage shed.
E-Bikes are the future of this planet!
I have a wooden bike that I would like to restore and turn it into an e-bike.
That sounds amazing - go for it👌
The throttle lever is for walking with the bike uphill as an electric bike is usually a lot heavier than a normal bike.
Ebikes have a walk mode for that, press and hold the minus button and it will power it to 4Mph, the throttle is for pulling away at the lights/give way ect upto 6Mph.
didnt know that, thanks,@@Old_Man_Pete
That's true, sir.
Hi Charlie, the website is very confusing, can you let me know which actual kit you ordered and if the pas sensor is available to correctly fit the crank as I have the same bike and want to fit it without the faf?
The pas sensor included with the kit is for Square taper bottom brackets. If your bottom bracket differs there are alternate options to buy on the website
Thank you for this video, loved it! I am surely going to give it a try. I was wondering if you @charliediyte can advice on how safe against robbery is the system. I am afraid that I live in an area where it is not uncommon to have your bike stolen, an electric one would be very tempting, can you easily remove the battery or display? (if they cannot steal the whole bike maybe someone may attempt to steal the battery alone). Also, have you had a chance to test your converted bike on rainy days? Finally, do you know how long does it take to recharge the battery? Thank you very much for any thoughts on these questions!!
I'm afraid it's always a risk but I take the battery off as it's not too heavy - you could put it in a ruck sack. It probably takes about 3 hours to charge (can't remember exactly). I haven't tested it in the rain bit the connections are all water proof so it'll work fine.
The battery is equipped with a safety lock and key, so it’s not easy to remove without using force. As Charlie mentioned, the safest approach is to carry the battery with you each time. Our kit is waterproof, but users should still try to avoid riding in heavy rain for safety reasons. The charging time from 0% to full is about 6-7 hours. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us.
Putting my toe in the water on e Bikes..I got a Jose 26" wheel kit off Ebay for about £150 for my @30 yr old Raleigh MTB. Power comes from 2 x 18v 3amp drill batteries wired in series to give 36v still at 3amp (2 batts). The batteries and controller fit in rear rack bag which can be removed using a multi connector. That probably gives me 10 miles range. The only issue is that the new rear wheel rim doesnt line up with the legacy vbrakes which bind. I may change the rim assuming the spokes are the right length, a benefit of doing that is that it would minimize the appearance of being an e bike when its locked up at the station (and I have taken the rack bag off). Assuming this works out I can then either get a proper battery pack, or maybe carry spare drill batteries!
Nice toe dippage Simon. Does it have a pas sensor so it knows when you need the power, and how does it interact with the brakes?
There's clearly some noticeable noise from the motor but my main concern is that the power cable to the hub motor appears to be captive, i.e. connected inside the hub and through the cassette. Presumably this means that the 90 degree bend in the cable is an inherent weak point and/or easily damaged, and that the cable has to be disconnected from the battery each time the wheel needs to be removed. A reinforced and waterproof quick release power connector would make much more sense.
It's protected by a metal coil sheaf a bit like your SWA armoured cable so I don't think you'll have any problems on that front.
Thank you for your feedback. We understand your concerns. While such issues are generally uncommon, we will forward your suggestions to our product development team. Our goal is to enhance the durability and convenience of our products. We will consider making improvements in future product designs to enhance the user experience. Thank you for your valuable input.
Job well done but I have seen YT videos where they converted a bicycle to a jet powered bike, any chance to see you that as a follow up video to this one
Please please please
You're right. I need to channel my inner Colon Furze 😉👌
buenas pregunta quiero hacer mi trek de ruta en una electrica,cual motor me recomiendas soy de costa rica,y aca todoe s montaña...gracias y saludes
My workplace has banned self converted ebikes. A few of the batteries have exploded. Had some houses catch fire near me too due to people leaving then on charge over night
whoops
Having once owned a pedal assist bike it would be interesting to see how many charge cycles you will get, as sadly I paid quite a lot for my bike, since been sold, but was quoted at over £600 for replacement battery.
Blimey. Sorry to hear the battery failed. What brand was the kit?
It was a Kalkoff, German make. It didn't fail exactly but like most batteries they have only so many recharge cycles. I was getting a range of 30 miles per charge initially but this went down to 10 and at £600 for battery replacement got a bit salty for me@@CharlieDIYte
In comparison I have a Swytch bike kit on a 15 year old bike. From your video the Swytch bike is a simpler installation and operation and works well making all journeys seem like you're on the flat. Also, the finished bike is a lot neater and the battery is easily removable. The downsides are it's a bit more expensive and you often have to wait while they build your batch. My wait was a few months. One thing to look out for on any conversation would be odd sized parts. Mine was a German built bike that had narrow dropouts (the across flats bit where the axle meets the forks). BTW the Swytch kit operates on the front wheel, making the install easier.
Yes, I think the swytch is definitely a massively simpler option to all this!
Thanks Anthony, that's good to know 👌
@russdavey1919 Although the Swytch is easier to fit a rear hub motor is far superior and to a front wheel conversion
I assume it's possible to delimit and overclock it off camera? Like a car remap
Yes. Get 18mph and a fully working throttle. Its in the settings
Throttles are banned in the UK on ebikes they all need to be pedal asset (PAS) to be legal. That's why the speed is limited on throttle. It's designed as a walk mode to help pushing the bike around.
Thanks Chris. Yes I didn't know that before. I think I was hoping it would be like a DIY version an engineer friend did on his bike which was (by his own aviation) clearly illegal. The throttle is actually very useful particularly to get started on a slope.
No they are not banned, you can use them legally as long as it doesn't move the bike past 6Mph.
I don't think anyone will bother you about that throttle out in the sticks. Delivery guys in London ride around with 2000w motors and nobody stops them from what I can see.
Fine until you stove it into someone or something.
@@aaronharris5275 those 2000w motors can be a deathtrap if they're fitted to a bike not designed to go that fast. The police in Cardiff have started seizing illegal ebikes. Although it's a drop in the ocean given the number of them around now.
Quick question Charlie. Does the £375 include the conversion kit and battery.
Yes
Yes.
In ur parameters u can change it so throttle can go faster without pas system
Thanks. I'll take a look. 👌
Can I cycle on just the motor without pedaling for short durations of time??
Yes, that's exactly what the throttle is for. It helps you continue moving during brief breaks and reduces the effort needed to push the bike forward.
I wonder how you over ride it so you get more speed out of that toggle
I don't think you can do it through the settings because it's only designed to give you a small amount of initial power to get on when you start pedaling.
Looked at the website which I found really quite confusing.
We are very sorry for the negative experience you had. We will gradually improve our website.
Just a question on looking at the goverment site it says an ebike is limited to 15.5 mph yet in your test you did over 20mph, if the speedo is correct? were you breaking the law? or do you have a motorcycle licence and insurance?
No as the speed when using the motor will not go faster than the 15 mph. Unless you alter the wheel diameter. A normal bike can easily go faster than 20mph especially going down hill.
Hello, perhaps you didn't notice the units; the speed on the display is in km/h. Therefore, it is legal.😀
Forgive me Charlie but DofE Expedition participants aren’t supposed to be accompanied by adults. The main thrust of the program is that they learn to be self reliant and work together with their peer group.
Exactly, yes.
Thanks for that. I'll let him know. He's autistic so he may have not understood that. 👊
@@CharlieDIYte Hi Charlie. Sorry I didn’t realise. If it’s the expedition element we’re talking about, I’m sure the DofE supervisors, which is my role at times, will ensure safety and success. If, however, it’s the learning of a new skill element, which includes developing a new sport, then for sure his dad can go along and help with training. As a 67 year old avid DIYer who has recently rediscovered cycling(l’m the fat lad at the back!) I personally think e-bikes are cheating!🤣👍🏻
@@CharlieDIYte my daughters are too. Your son will smash it I am sure!
@@briansimon4363Yes it's just for the learning of a new skill element 👍 that I'm accompanying him.
That throttle is OK for uk, anything that powers you at more than start up is a no no... Good vid
Effortless he says , but he was wheezing
Im a firefighter and go to ALOT of fires caused by these. Please please please be careful with them. Try and charge thrm outdoors and dont leave them unattended. The batteries go up within seconds and then explode.
Fyi If left outside can get corrosion and water in them, making them prone to cause fault. Charge them with supervision.
Better than your house burning down or loosing a family member
Do you mean these exact batteries are dangerous? Or any electric bike battery?
Biggest pile of shit ever. Hard to fit.need to buy a freewheel cassette plus spacers. Need a cassette removal tool that never came with my kit. After 2 charges ,about 55 miles now it won't charge. Tried replacing the fuses. You try putting that case back together. Impossible. Dont waste your money. Just chucked mine in the bin. £400 gone.😂😂😂
Sorry to hear that. Mine's still working flawlessly.
What a waste of money!
Can you please elaborate? Why do you say that? Have you done this conversation.. I’d like to know how you got on
Why?
@@dallan7740 Affects the price of his oil shares lol
What a stupid uninformed comment
Agreed but this is a DIY channel so Charlie just wanted to show that anyone can do such a conversion without in depth mechanical knowledge