E-Bike Conversion

[RelaxIN2]

Come on... Lets get that thing up and running..!! -

[6oclockshadow]

Awesome--would love to hear your thoughts after your first ride. Also--go through the whole bike tightening all the nuts and bolts. Mine shipped with a bunch of loose ones-even on the pre-assembled parts.

[vreihen16]

Funny that you mentioned fasteners. When I was browsing the reviews of another e-bike that looks like it was manufactured in the same factory, one buyer reported that his front wheel fell off because they didn't include the tabbed safety washers in the quick-release hardware despite having the hole for the washer's tab in the front fork.

No surprise from looking at several unbox/assembly videos on YouTube, Metakoo apparently also omitted them.

I still have not had the energy to open the box, but I did order the over-priced washers from Amazon just in case they aren't there in the hardware kit.....

[RelaxIN2]

We need to have some pictures of you riding by the end of the week, or we'll have to ask you to turn in your user ID and car...

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by RelaxIN2

We need to have some pictures of you riding by the end of the week, or we'll have to ask you to turn in your user ID and car...

As I've posted here numerous times in the past, I seriously do not know if I *can* ride any more! Ever since they electrically hot-wired my ticker five years ago, my internal gyro has been completely out of whack. I probably couldn't even pass a roadside sobriety test these days, and literally bounce off of the walls when walking down a hallway on many days.

The only thing that may come out of this whole e-bike experiment will probably be a viral YouTube video and an ambulance ride to the hospital, but I have to do something for entertainment after my doctors ended my amateur motorsports career in 2016.....

[6oclockshadow]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

As I've posted here numerous times in the past, I seriously do not know if I *can* ride any more! Ever since they electrically hot-wired my ticker five years ago, my internal gyro has been completely out of whack. I probably couldn't even pass a roadside sobriety test these days, and literally bounce off of the walls when walking down a hallway on many days.

The only thing that may come out of this whole e-bike experiment will probably be a viral YouTube video and an ambulance ride to the hospital, but I have to do something for entertainment after my doctors ended my amateur motorsports career in 2016.....

lol. Well, I hope you can ride it safely, but take your time. Good Luck!

[RelaxIN2]

Yes, good luck... and keep us posted...

[vreihen16]

I honestly thought that my ambulance ride was coming before I even opened the box yesterday (Thursday). Woke up barfing, and was still tossing my cookies after midnight without even being able to hold water down. Finally had a semi-solid food meal for dinner tonight, after chicken soup for breakfast and lunch.

On the e-bike front, I opened the box, pulled everything out, and assembled the front wheel (mounted disk and installed quick-release axle). The battery is on the charger now.

The "Metakoo" branding on the front rim is some sort of one-piece industrial-strength decal. It looks like it will come off with some moderate heat gun persuasion, but I think that I'll leave it on for now rather than risking damage to the black rim's (apparently) anodized finish and mounted tire/tube.

The packaging was excellent. So far, the only thing that I have found that was damaged in transit is an adjusting screw/nut that fell out of the rear reflector. Both were rolling around the bottom of the small parts box, and it was a quick fix even with their included cheesy phillips-head screwdriver.

Fingers (and stomach) crossed, I'll be able to finish the assembly tomorrow and see how far I can ride without winding up in a ditch!

Oh, I did add a few extra steps to the assembly process. I ordered a bell, headlight/taillight, and quick-release rear cargo rack, so the ambulance crew will know that I'm old and fragile when they are carrying me out of that ditch.....

[vreihen16]

E-bike -- 1
vreihen - 0

The bike is 100% assembled, minus air in the tires. Didn't even make it out of the house before my first fall. I have come to grips with the fact that I am not able to ride any more.....

[6oclockshadow]

Here is the current build. Almost done. Waiting on mud guards, a rear cargo rack, a pair of quick release pedals, Ergon GP1 handgrips, and a kick stand. Total weight with current accessories: 24 lbs (featherweight in the E bike world)

I settled on:

A 1200w Ebikling direct drive rear hub motor
Ebikling S830 controller
54.4v custom battery
Custom machined toque arms

Build was fairly simple once all parts arrived. Probably about 3 hours. Took for a preliminary test ride, and hit 27mph before I dialed it back. Could probably hit 35mph, but that's just nuts on a bike.

Very happy with the build--so light weight and stealth!

[6oclockshadow]

Just realizing I have no space on the frame for a bottle cage. Will have to McGuyver something.

[vreihen16]

Is regular lubing of bicycle chains and cables still a thing these days? I have gone through the manual twice now, and there is absolutely no mention whatsoever about lubrication as part of the inspection/maintenance procedures.

I've had a spray can of that Boeing stuff in my toolbox for decades, and used it regularly on my motorcycle chain and cables back in the day. I also used it on the throttle/shifter/steering cables on my boat, our lawn tractor's control cables, car door hinges, etc.

I strongly doubt that the bike came with a sealed, permanently-lubricated chain at this price point, but want to confirm that modern science didn't eliminate the need for lubricating chains/cables before I spray them.....

[RelaxIN2]

Bike looks good..!! - I can't wait to see more ebikes out there... Post them up..!

Yes, depending on the type of riding and how frequent, the checking and lubrication of chains, bolts, brake fluid, etc... is a still needed. In fact, I just changed and bleed my Magura MT5 brakes over the weekend.

[6oclockshadow]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Is regular lubing of bicycle chains and cables still a thing these days? I have gone through the manual twice now, and there is absolutely no mention whatsoever about lubrication as part of the inspection/maintenance procedures.

I've had a spray can of that Boeing stuff in my toolbox for decades, and used it regularly on my motorcycle chain and cables back in the day. I also used it on the throttle/shifter/steering cables on my boat, our lawn tractor's control cables, car door hinges, etc.

I strongly doubt that the bike came with a sealed, permanently-lubricated chain at this price point, but want to confirm that modern science didn't eliminate the need for lubricating chains/cables before I spray them.....

Yeah, I lube after every second or third ride. It is a must--still. Once a month I de-grease the chain/cassette, and re-lube, but I am riding 5 days a week.