Front wheel electric bike conversion kit?

December 4, 2019 5:03 AM

Trying to find a decent lower-price conversion kit for a fixed 28" bicycle online. Looking for a simple front wheel replacement kit like the swytch, that would be perfect except for the $1.5k pricetag. Alternatively, are the no-brand China-kits safe possibilities?
posted by dorothyisunderwood to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (1 answer total)

I just purchased a front hub conversion kit here in Canada from a company in Vancouver. The price tag was just under $2000 with taxes and delivery. Prior to this purchase, I did some research and it seems the China kits are mostly safe but there are a lot of issues to consider when purchasing a kit. Important factors are type of bike fork (steel vs aluminum), the placement of the battery (downtube/rear rack), distance and type of riding. I think going the China-kit route is fine if you don't mind tinkering and trouble shooting and doing a fair amount of research.

Looking back, I would have gone with a pre-made ebike from one of the big companies (Giant, Trek) as I found trying to find a place to attach the battery was a big headache. Price wise, it is more money, but worth it.
posted by drug_dealer73 at 2:36 PM on December 4, 2019