Great review which has addressed my own dilemmas....I was going to get a 1500w conversion but at 25+mph you have to start thinking about wearing motorcycle gear. 500w is enough I reckon to keep the incentive to peddle and will get you around 30miles maybe more with peddling. 500w it is. Great no bullshit review. Love the style..keep em coming👍👍
Brilliant ! video Steve, so much so, you've managed to educate me even more and change my mind from a 1500 watt kit to a 500 watt kit. Keep the vids coming 👍
500/750w and that 25-28mph threshold on the flat is a good limit in my mind, its good enough with power to get you up hills at 20mph , good enough to stay with build up area traffic and not so fast you feel like you are going to die, but its also fast enough that it makes short work of urban journeys across town of like 10 miles or so. As you said, weight is a big factor too..My main ebike gripe is range, its never enough, id rather have a 50 mile range 28mph ebike than a 50mph 20 mile range one. A lot of built up area speed limits are at 20mph now anyway, long gone are those days of 40mph main roads past shopping centers or schools. Doing +30mph on roads full of potholes on a regular bike is gnarly, and i say that as a guy who used to motorcycle. I see ebikes as a good 50cc moped replacement, good for getting out of the car, ideal for short journeys, commutes, couriers and little shopping trips, but non of the hassle of insurance, road tax, ease of self maintaining the bike etc.. i dont know what our govt is playing at with 15mph limits, its dumb, its not reasonable imo, but neither is >28mph really without training/insurance etc, maybe 20mph/500w would be a good middle ground in the law i dont know.
i think you've hit the nail on the head, my uncle doesn't ride anymore but he does have a knack for ebike and he got me into it. He doesn't have the time or necessity for a 500cc anymore and just uses a 500w for his commutes round his area. Its a greener, quieter 50cc basically which is perfect
I'm with you on that one. Currently looking at converting my bike. Was looking at a 1500w kit, but aware that the hub motors on these are noticeable, and would draw unwanted attention. So am now looking at a 500w kit. All I need it for is to commute to work and back. So not much need to do crazy speed, more for just a gentle cruise to work. Carry on.....
I’ve got a 500w and i love it. The more power you have the more likely you’ll get pulled and in trouble (trouble being from the feds and coming a cropper against a car or something) I agree with you mate
Glad you cleared this up for me as I’m going build my own ebike soon with a Andy Kirby kit I just wanted enough power to get me up hills and to cruise at a reasonable safe speed and take in the sites thank you for this video explains it all as I did not really know what kit to get 👍👍
As someone that's never owned an ebike but doing a lot of research, what you are saying is resonating a lot with me. Especially here in Australia, the laws are really strict and I was looking at things like the Sur Ron and Stealth Bomber and drooling but realistically, a 500w hub kit would do me more than fine. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I’ve gradually gone from 250 watt to 1500 watts as I feel safer on the roads as I am keeping up with the traffic rather than potentially causing an accident by making traffic overtake me (which is sometimes done in dangerous places or without being given enough space). If you live in a town with good cycle lanes then go lower wattage. Horses for courses I suppose.
I sympathize 100%, imo its safer to keep up with traffic and ride with confidence if you absolutely must road ride..Somebody who isnt me might have a dongled ebike that is good for upto about 30mph, and has done 27mph on 20mph speed limit roads and still had dickhead drivers trying to barge past, because duh, bike.
it's cool of you to be respectful of other people on the bike path and give them space. there are several people i've encountered (and on youtube) that are way too reckless on these paths.
I'm glad to see this video love that you tell it how it is. I have been looking at buying a kit and I see how crazy they are getting and wondering how much I really need. After watching this I think I will try a 500w kit and I can always upgrade like you said if I feel I need a little more out of it. Thank you for setting it all strait on the information because most people do say that you need more and faster speeds.
I agree with you to some extent, for the majority of riders, 20-30mph is probably more than enough. Most people don't understand doing 30mph on a bike is like 45-60mph in a car. You don't have 4 cages of steel wrapped around you, and you don't appreciate how dangerous it is as other car users don't see you coming up that fast. For others, like myself who have rides superbikes with 180bhp plus a 30mph bicycle is like a Sunday stroll. The extra 10mph does make a massive difference to the riding experience. I guess everyone has their preferences, but for the most part would agree that a 20 - 30mph bike should satisfy the majority of most peoples needs, especially if they haven't been on the roads on two wheels on something that quick
I dunno if its the weight but >30mph on a lightweight bike 250lb motorcycle, it just doesnt feel stable. Ive took bends at 27/28 in the wet and it felt like the front was pretty close to slipping out, never experienced that on a motorcycle.
I agree. I've built two bikes now, firstly for me, then for my wife. Both 500w Voilamart, 36v, 16Ah. I think I accidentally hit the sweet spot first time out. Enough speed, enough range. Both less than £600, my wife's based on a brand new Decathlon bike.
In an inner city built up area id imagine ebikes that you can just kerb hop and go onto cycle lanes and such is a game changer, if there are knobhead car drivers about, you can always get off the road slow the speed a little to sub 20mph for safety and still get to where you are going pretty rapidly.. I dont get this notion of needing to do 50mph in the road either.. id take a 28mph 100 mile range sur ron over a regular 50mph 30 mile range sur ron all day if either were legal. That being said the 250w limit is crazy, its too low imo. Weight is a massive factor too. At least i can lift my ebike over a farmers fence, aint doing that so easily with a 150lb ebike.
@@CaledonianCoins rear hub motor for aberdeenshire hills :) One thing that has made a huge difference to my setup was a cycle analyst, I’ve just upgraded the controller also to a Phaserunner which is going well (y)
Got 52v battery and 1,500 motor any link for a good controller for my set up. Hitting 35mph which is fine but accelerating could Be faster and struggles uphill on big trails. Thanks
gREat Review Dude! i bought a 500w motor and give up the 1000w. My bike is like a normal bike, light, and the great point is that u can practice exercise when u want and carry out the bike when u need! 500w is undoubtedly the best choice !
Totally right Steve. I have a bafang mid drive 750w with a 17ah battery Samsung Q30 cells which I did myself. All the power I need and I commute to work as much as I can on it.
Bro on a normal bike I go like 18 20 bikes per hour my max was 24 miles per hour and 20 miles per hour is slow asf for an E bike bruh minus well buy a regular bike
@@daniellewis127 its not super fast but deffo not slow at all. 20 is fast enough that if you colide with anyone or anything at that speed, youre in serious trouble. My bafang 250w +36v batt easily does 20/22mph on a flat. Wil probs stick a 48v batt in there just to maybe get it to about 28mph. But i’d say anything more than 30mph on a bike is completely unnecessary in england. Hell when i go 25mph down hills in residential areas i’m like ‘this is nuts’, talk less of 30mph+ Unless you just want it for trails, no pushbike really needs to be going 40… 50… 60mph.
Mine is a 350w 48v. It's my first ebike. I ride into the city for work and back daily which I finish at 1am, it's a 22 mile round trip. It does between 23 to 28mph depending on the wind and road. Police at that time see me all the time and never bat a eye lid
my MTB is 15 years old and I've fitted a Bafang 750w mid-motor. It feels safe about 25 mph, approaching and over 30 MPH it's kinda iffy and I don't feel safe. I like the size of the 500w hub motor on that bike you've built because it's hardly noticeable
Agree 100%, its about a relaxing safe good distance ride enjoying the views and sounds for me. Side note , please wear a helmet even at these speeds lots of damage can happen..
I have the BBS02 36v 500w mid drive it is the perfect mix of assist & exercise have done over 3000 miles with no drama top speed is 23 mph I generally cruise at 18mph
Spot on Steve on subject that 500 w is enough my 250 w speed legal i try to find way to bypass the speed limit but i think what i nedd is that 500 w kit well done good video
Good video. New to ebikes and just ordered the kirbebike kit so we'll see how I feel when battery arrives. Sure I'll want more speed at first but I think you're right. 30mph max sounds OK; it's about how you get there that's fun. Coning from a drz400 to enjoy proper dh in the peaks.
You're so right riding a bike is about having fun enjoying the journey being close to nature relaxing and you can't do that when you are holding on for dear life.
Here in hilly Yorkshire I find my 1000w dd motor that does 26mph generally good enough to get me up most hills which is what I wanted. My average speed over a good distance usually 10 or 12mph. A suron came past me the other day and nearly killed a man and his dog as he was going too fast around narrow paths. I'd be happy with a 500w geared kit that went a little slower as long as it had enough torque for the hills.
I've a 350W / 36V 10AH on a trek FX1 ,it does 23mph on flat i use it every day to get to work (15.3 miles) I like the fact that i still have to put some effort in to get up the hills ,i'm on full power all the way and its done 3200miles in all weathers However i do have to charge it at work to get home.. Also mine has V brakes so more speed would mean not being able to stop safely..
Thanks for your assessment and keeping it real. Yeah, I think 30mph would be quite fast on an e-bike or any bike. Normal riding around, I agree 20-25mph is totally fine.
I think looking at your journey along the seafront that you are spot on about 500 Watts for casual/domestic riding. I put a 250 Watt kit on mine recently and while I don't have to get off and push on hills I do have to meet the motor halfway to get me up them. On the plus side I still get excercise but 500 Watts would be nicer. I think as you say with some of the larger Watt kits you get a lot of power that could land you in the sh** with the law if you get into an accident or stopped by a copper who knows his stuff. Must admit though I do love a high power ebike video.
One thing I've always stressed to my sons as they grow and explore, it matters not if you can go a hundred miles an hour if you lack the ability to come to a stop from a hundred-ten before you collide with anything.
I've used my mate's Ebike before and liked it. However, I am looking to travel 16 miles to work and back each day. Being half Dutch and having to bike to school every day doing a 26km round trip. So I'm used to bikes, bike laws and so on. In Holland, everything is flat, but here in Oxfordshire in the Cotswolds, there are so many hills to get up I need something that can get me there and back on a single charge. Considering most of the battery packs allow 1000 charges, that is 1000 days of riding to work and back. With a total of 260 working days per year, the battery pack will last 4 years max. 2 years, if I choose a lower-end battery pack. I could do it with a bike conversion kit that has long-lasting power for longer trips with the pedal assist to tackle these hills. A battery pack that will get me there and back with still 20% charge left because some people say if you drain the battery to 0%, you get even fewer charging cycles. With regards to speeds, we obviously have to stick to the 30mph limit in built-up areas, but there should be no riding on pathways and if you do, have a trickle speed of 10mph or something like that. You complained about a car pulling out the other day who doesn't expect you to be going over 30mph when you were doing a final test run to see how fast it was going. Then you blamed the driver for pulling out. You expect one thing, for him not to pull out, hurting your feelings, but there is no consideration of the speed you are going. My pet hate is motorbikes racing through traffic and not making themselves visible enough for me to see them, act accordingly, and move aside. They just shake their heads like the Karens they are, demanding the world fits their chaotic riding, rather than work together like we do when the police or ambulance need to get through. We all move aside and watch them roar past in envy to wish we had the guts to do what they were doing, just for the thrill of it. If you demand people bow down to you, they most likely will not. I'm all up for getting our heads together and setting the record straight, and then offering a platform to come together and solve things like men, and start making our own laws and customs because the government isn't what we think it is, and we know how to bring the power back to the people. We need highly skilled engineers like you to lead the way in a respectful manner ;-)
I agree with you on this. The main thing i look at first is NM of toque of any conversion kits and see if they meet what i personally like. out of interested. what is the NM of toque of this motor? as well what volts could it handle up to? As well keep on the good clips you are doing.
I see alot of people upgrade there controllers, but I see very few get the pedal assist to work correctly afterwards, and usually they have to change the display too.
I mainly use high wattage for the torque and acceleration. I don't like going up a hill or into a headwind and barely being able to keep the bike from tipping over. Mine is a tad heavy, though. I have it limited to 30MPH, though.
Your right I have a 1500w and a son with a 1000w and 1 with a 500w and I upgraded the 500w motor to a 48v battery and better controller and that bike accelerates just as quick as the 1500 and climbs hills as good it's just the top end but like you say where are you going to do 35 on a bike we all prefer the acceleration so the 500 is the 1.
Air resistance. Over 20mph, air resistance really affects battery life and therefore range. Reminds me of my old campervan. At 50mph it would do around 40mpg. At 80mph it would do 23 mpg.
Excellent demo vid mate...I´ve no ebike experience, and was looking at the higher power stuff to kick off with, but was thinking the lower power stuff would be totally fine for general cruising around, now I ´know´ it is...urself has saved me a lot of a unnecessary agro...dubble thumbs up... ...and now I´m actually thinking a legal 250w motor could actually be used, with a 35amp controller, and an Eggrider to flip between 250w and 900-odd watts, which I now know thru this vid, that 900+ watts is more than enuff for general usage...
I've recently started doing research on ebikes with the hope that I'll find and learn about the attributes of an electric bicycle that would be appropriate for myself. I haven't rode or owned a bicycle in a long time (I've not experienced riding a electric bicycle yet, as well), but I've been thinking about getting into bicycle riding again. And when I found out about electric bicycles, I was and still am enticed by them. I'm tempted to agree about the 45 mph on an electric bicycle being fast enough; that seems pretty fast for a bicycle. 😀 Maybe too fast. I suppose I'll find out. Thanks for the informative and entertaining content.
I have to agree. I have a just off the shelf 500w ebike that all I've done to it is just wire in an unlocked display so I can control it more and get a little more speed out of it. I can hit 37km/h on it with a fully charged battery no problem which is illegal theoretically. But that's plenty fast for a bicycle. It's too fast for the bike lanes in my city anyway so the only way I use that speed is if I'm on the street just moseying along. I have just ordered a 52v battery for it, not so much for the speed but for the range and better hill climbing ability. I'm already getting 62.5km with almost all throttle out of the 15 amp 48v battery and have actually driven from downtown Toronto to my friends house in Oshawa(54.5 km) with a little battery to spare. What I really want the 52v battery for is to reduce voltage sag. Yeah you get a few kms per hour out of it but I could always just set the limiter at 37km/h or 35km/h and it will hold that top speed for longer. With longer range. Trust me my last bike was a Bandit 1200, I know speed and power. The good thing about my bike, a Gotrax EBE8, is it looks like a mountain bike totally. It's only 52 pounds with the battery on there. When doing the range test I pedaled it home 6 km with absolutely no problem at all with the stock gearing which is 21 gears. When I go out with my friends on their pedal bikes I either turn the PAS to zero or maybe 1 which gets you about 10mph, turn down the initial PAS starting power to 1 and it's no problem at all pedaling around on bike trails, parks, etc. I was very very tempted to get a dual 1000w motor monster bike, but then I changed my mind. Yeah I could license it as a moped and it would be great for the street, but then you can't go on bike paths, you can't go on mixed use trails, you have to get insurance, you need a helmet and all the other nonsense of a motorcycle. Why not just get a motorcycle? If I take the battery off my bike, it would just be a normal mountain bike coming in around 35 pounds or so. Sure it's not a Canondale ultra light carbon fiber bike. But other than the weight of the motor you could probably use it just like a normal pedal bike.
Don't know if you know but if you stick a little bit of sponge over your mic it will stop most of that awful wind noise in your videos when your out and we'd still be able to hear you speak 👌
I have a Walmart mountain bike with a 500 watt kit with 750 watts peak, and it's plenty enough for me. The only thing I would change is to get a controller that doesn't limit me to 20 mph.
Ive had a bafang 1500w mid motor. Got stolen and I wanted to buy a hub motor 500w. I have to say I'm impressed. 40km/h on flats and more than enough power uphill if I assist a bit. I agree 500 is perfect and won't get you arrested
I have a hybrid pedal bike, bear in mind it has super thin tires and the break pads need replacing but there’s a hill I go down after work with a speed limit of 20mph, I passed a van going down it once and although I enjoy that speed I don’t think that’s feasible if you cycle on the pavement, I use the roads 95% of the time
You're spot on. I have a bbs02 mid drive 750w with standard 25amp controller that comes in the bafang which does 30mph no peddling and a bbshd mid drive with upgraded phaserunner controller and 72v battery which does 60mph. That is way too fast for a mountain bike. I find myself more often than not taking the 750w bike out and have just as much fun on that. If you're commuting through a busy town or city 500w is plenty. Them stupid high power bikes are all good and well until you end up seriously injuring somebody or yourself and then getting nicked. Keep up the good work with the vids 👍
You make a lot of sense, I was going to go for the KirbEbike 1500w diy package. I prefer the stealth look for a start and the weight saving will be beneficial too. Which combination of battery and controller do you recommend to achieve the best performance (speed) from a 500w motor.
True, that's the first question people ask me ''how fast does it go'' top speed is not a measure of a bike's performance, it's all about torque. It only takes around 4000w to go 50mph. I believe people need like two ebikes. I have 750w geared which looks more stealth less looks, keeps up with traffic, easy to pedal, I feel more relaxed riding it not having to look over my shoulder all the time. I also have 15kw lipo monster to satisfy my acceleration cravings not speed.
I do understand what you’re saying Steve. But I’ve had my old 1500w for three years now and I do feel safer on the road at 30+ rather than 20. Must admit your 500w does look really nice though.👍
I love my 1500w hub green bike too, but I'm very keen to know how a 500w will perform with my 52v battery and phaserunner I'm certain it will be faster than 30mph. As off the shelf kits go 1500 to 2000 Kirby kits are the nuts, but if could pick and choose individual components...
@@DudeStuff if you could get the 500w to go 30+ I would buy one from on you if you were selling, as I really like the stealthy look of it. Hope u keep us informed.👍
@@DudeStuff That looks like a geared motor. I would be careful if its geared, they normally don't like anything over 1000w due to the Nylon gears and not being able to shed heat like a DD can
I feel you have a point. But police have seen me loads of times with my 1000w kit with me with a fullface helmet thak god they seem ok with it. Once they caught me full out and gave me a smile
At least 1500 I think, not so much for speed but for getting up hills and through muddy tracks or overgrown grass easier, it's nice to just wind it on occasionally but wont do it too often as it eats the battery
This has helped me.. i want one for summer so i can do canal runs ect with my daughter.. i didn't really know if i should get a 250w one at around £800 or a 500w for 1250... both look so cool but i have no idea what one is best value tbh it's a lot of cash for me.. feel I'm going to ponder this for a few more weeks 😆 enjoyed this video..i am leaning towards the 500w version i seen.
Yes, but the speed is so much fun! Can I ask what the size of your controller on that bike is? It looks quite fast enough with good acceleration! My own is 1500 watts with a 52 volt battery. Might not need that if I had a better controller?
i built moderate fast ebike ..as fast as in need and want 22-28mph can get to 30mph but it too much ....28MPH seems to be fun zone for me on max speed ....on average it 18 to 20mph ... i am happy ....that my first build ...and again i did not know what i wanted it for but it lead me to doing uber delivery next to make use of it and see if possible i can make the bike pay for it self and it fun to ride so it lead me on bit of adventure already ... However i am now looking at my next Ebike thinking ...i want Cargo Bike ...some thing that does 25mph and does massive long range and can haul things ....each day the Trike Ebike is catching my attention more and more ...i think those could be really fun to ride with three wheels and sit postion ..sort go kart feeling on bike ....or at least it looks that way ...
I've just built my first rear e hub bike...went for the 500w 36v motor. I've not bothered putting the supplied brake leavers on with the cut off as I'm confident enough to just put the brakes on and not throttle at the same time. I've not bothered putting the pedal assist thingy on either as the throttle is the pedal assist for me. But anyway, the thing is when I'm doing more peddaling and less throttle, it does kind of feel like I'm peddaling through treacle....and the more I turn the throttle, the less tough the treacle becomes. Is that your experience too or just me?
Just about to order a 500w kit from kirbebike, does it come with a thumb throttle steve? Can't see where it says content of the kit is. Also will a 48v battery be OK with it?
After 2 yrs what's your opinion on the 500w hub now? I'm 50yrs old and looking at the 500/750 kit from kirbebike, I need to do hospital runs a few times a year (40 mile round trip ) I'm looking at a few reviews and as I follow your channel your opinion would help. Cheers.
Great review which has addressed my own dilemmas....I was going to get a 1500w conversion but at 25+mph you have to start thinking about wearing motorcycle gear. 500w is enough I reckon to keep the incentive to peddle and will get you around 30miles maybe more with peddling. 500w it is. Great no bullshit review. Love the style..keep em coming👍👍
Brilliant ! video Steve, so much so, you've managed to educate me even more and change my mind from a 1500 watt kit to a 500 watt kit. Keep the vids coming 👍
500/750w and that 25-28mph threshold on the flat is a good limit in my mind, its good enough with power to get you up hills at 20mph , good enough to stay with build up area traffic and not so fast you feel like you are going to die, but its also fast enough that it makes short work of urban journeys across town of like 10 miles or so. As you said, weight is a big factor too..My main ebike gripe is range, its never enough, id rather have a 50 mile range 28mph ebike than a 50mph 20 mile range one.
A lot of built up area speed limits are at 20mph now anyway, long gone are those days of 40mph main roads past shopping centers or schools. Doing +30mph on roads full of potholes on a regular bike is gnarly, and i say that as a guy who used to motorcycle. I see ebikes as a good 50cc moped replacement, good for getting out of the car, ideal for short journeys, commutes, couriers and little shopping trips, but non of the hassle of insurance, road tax, ease of self maintaining the bike etc.. i dont know what our govt is playing at with 15mph limits, its dumb, its not reasonable imo, but neither is >28mph really without training/insurance etc, maybe 20mph/500w would be a good middle ground in the law i dont know.
i think you've hit the nail on the head, my uncle doesn't ride anymore but he does have a knack for ebike and he got me into it. He doesn't have the time or necessity for a 500cc anymore and just uses a 500w for his commutes round his area. Its a greener, quieter 50cc basically which is perfect
I'm with you on that one. Currently looking at converting my bike. Was looking at a 1500w kit, but aware that the hub motors on these are noticeable, and would draw unwanted attention. So am now looking at a 500w kit. All I need it for is to commute to work and back. So not much need to do crazy speed, more for just a gentle cruise to work. Carry on.....
Bafang 500w geared hub motors are just perfect 👌 65nm torque and a good 30mph using either 48v or 52v 20ah battery.
I think you've got it spot on.having a small light bike that whips around and gives you loads of fun that's what it's all about
I’ve got a 500w and i love it. The more power you have the more likely you’ll get pulled and in trouble (trouble being from the feds and coming a cropper against a car or something)
I agree with you mate
I'm obsessed with distance, rather than speed. How long the battery is gonna last
Exactly, that and torque for me. so many hills where i live. Wales in nothing but hills and valleys
I’m a girth man..,
@@Gunjaroo man?
Me too that’s why I build my own batteries personally I’ll never build less than a 52v 60-75 amp hours with namebrand LG or Samsung cells
Do you sell them ?
Glad you cleared this up for me as I’m going build my own ebike soon with a Andy Kirby kit I just wanted enough power to get me up hills and to cruise at a reasonable safe speed and take in the sites thank you for this video explains it all as I did not really know what kit to get 👍👍
As someone that's never owned an ebike but doing a lot of research, what you are saying is resonating a lot with me. Especially here in Australia, the laws are really strict and I was looking at things like the Sur Ron and Stealth Bomber and drooling but realistically, a 500w hub kit would do me more than fine. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I’ve gradually gone from 250 watt to 1500 watts as I feel safer on the roads as I am keeping up with the traffic rather than potentially causing an accident by making traffic overtake me (which is sometimes done in dangerous places or without being given enough space). If you live in a town with good cycle lanes then go lower wattage. Horses for courses I suppose.
I sympathize 100%, imo its safer to keep up with traffic and ride with confidence if you absolutely must road ride..Somebody who isnt me might have a dongled ebike that is good for upto about 30mph, and has done 27mph on 20mph speed limit roads and still had dickhead drivers trying to barge past, because duh, bike.
it's cool of you to be respectful of other people on the bike path and give them space. there are several people i've encountered (and on youtube) that are way too reckless on these paths.
I'm glad to see this video love that you tell it how it is. I have been looking at buying a kit and I see how crazy they are getting and wondering how much I really need. After watching this I think I will try a 500w kit and I can always upgrade like you said if I feel I need a little more out of it. Thank you for setting it all strait on the information because most people do say that you need more and faster speeds.
Big UP!! You are confirmed my choise for my ebike conversion...🔥✌️👍
Thanks, was looking for something like your review.
I agree with you mate, that is goocd info to know from someone who has tried alot of different electric motors for e bikes. 👍
Great video!
Been looking at conversion kits and now have a better idea of where the sweet spot ends and the bragging starts. Thanks
I agree with you to some extent, for the majority of riders, 20-30mph is probably more than enough. Most people don't understand doing 30mph on a bike is like 45-60mph in a car. You don't have 4 cages of steel wrapped around you, and you don't appreciate how dangerous it is as other car users don't see you coming up that fast. For others, like myself who have rides superbikes with 180bhp plus a 30mph bicycle is like a Sunday stroll. The extra 10mph does make a massive difference to the riding experience. I guess everyone has their preferences, but for the most part would agree that a 20 - 30mph bike should satisfy the majority of most peoples needs, especially if they haven't been on the roads on two wheels on something that quick
I dunno if its the weight but >30mph on a lightweight bike 250lb motorcycle, it just doesnt feel stable. Ive took bends at 27/28 in the wet and it felt like the front was pretty close to slipping out, never experienced that on a motorcycle.
Yeah, very helpful I was unsure and all over the place about what t to get thanks
25-35MPH is all I'm looking for, ideally with a "decent" speed up the steeper streets of say 20 mph
I agree. I've built two bikes now, firstly for me, then for my wife. Both 500w Voilamart, 36v, 16Ah. I think I accidentally hit the sweet spot first time out. Enough speed, enough range. Both less than £600, my wife's based on a brand new Decathlon bike.
I agree with you! Speed is just a bragging topic, Im happy with 22mph and long range over 45mph and short range. Keep up these videos!
Ayyy its London Eats, top channel bro, keep grinding.
In an inner city built up area id imagine ebikes that you can just kerb hop and go onto cycle lanes and such is a game changer, if there are knobhead car drivers about, you can always get off the road slow the speed a little to sub 20mph for safety and still get to where you are going pretty rapidly.. I dont get this notion of needing to do 50mph in the road either.. id take a 28mph 100 mile range sur ron over a regular 50mph 30 mile range sur ron all day if either were legal. That being said the 250w limit is crazy, its too low imo. Weight is a massive factor too. At least i can lift my ebike over a farmers fence, aint doing that so easily with a 150lb ebike.
Spot on mate, I've had a ebike for five years, and that is true what he's saying
You hit the nail on the head , safety. Get to your destination in one piece.
Great video and totally agree with what you are saying about the top speed
Nice, i live out in the hills of Scotland and a 1000w motor with a 2000w controller on a 48v battery is good enough for me
Sounds like what I need for the Perthshire hills. Is yours Mid or hub motor? It's something I'm deciding between still in my researching for buying.
@@CaledonianCoins rear hub motor for aberdeenshire hills :) One thing that has made a huge difference to my setup was a cycle analyst, I’ve just upgraded the controller also to a Phaserunner which is going well (y)
Got 52v battery and 1,500 motor any link for a good controller for my set up. Hitting 35mph which is fine but accelerating could Be faster and struggles uphill on big trails. Thanks
@@datguy3201 grab a Phaserunner+data cable (cloudsto store or leftfieldbikes) or just look for a 2kw-3kw Chinese Controller (ebay) should do the trick
@@MrBaconinabun Very usefull your advice,Can you tell me where you bought it from?
gREat Review Dude! i bought a 500w motor and give up the 1000w. My bike is like a normal bike, light, and the great point is that u can practice exercise when u want and carry out the bike when u need! 500w is undoubtedly the best choice !
Been thinking about converting my old mountain bike which I recently resurrected, thanks for the info. 500w is the way to go!
Good day mate, I liked your talk over the power on E-bikes, how true mate
Totally right Steve. I have a bafang mid drive 750w with a 17ah battery Samsung Q30 cells which I did myself. All the power I need and I commute to work as much as I can on it.
@@luke-mp6502 wdym 500w is 250 that is not true !
@@luke-mp6502 oh sorry I read it wrong 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I've done 20 mph on an ebike and that seems fast
The world needs someone like you to say it how it is 😎
Bro on a normal bike I go like 18 20 bikes per hour my max was 24 miles per hour and 20 miles per hour is slow asf for an E bike bruh minus well buy a regular bike
@@daniellewis127 its not super fast but deffo not slow at all.
20 is fast enough that if you colide with anyone or anything at that speed, youre in serious trouble.
My bafang 250w +36v batt easily does 20/22mph on a flat. Wil probs stick a 48v batt in there just to maybe get it to about 28mph. But i’d say anything more than 30mph on a bike is completely unnecessary in england. Hell when i go 25mph down hills in residential areas i’m like ‘this is nuts’, talk less of 30mph+
Unless you just want it for trails, no pushbike really needs to be going 40… 50… 60mph.
Top man, very very helpful info - Thanks
Cheers pal just swapped from building a 2500w to a 500w makes perfect sense what you had to say.
Mine is a 350w 48v. It's my first ebike. I ride into the city for work and back daily which I finish at 1am, it's a 22 mile round trip. It does between 23 to 28mph depending on the wind and road. Police at that time see me all the time and never bat a eye lid
my MTB is 15 years old and I've fitted a Bafang 750w mid-motor. It feels safe about 25 mph, approaching and over 30 MPH it's kinda iffy and I don't feel safe. I like the size of the 500w hub motor on that bike you've built because it's hardly noticeable
Spot on about speed. A 26" mountain bike going 45mph is an absolute death trap. Nothing at all like going 45mph on a 150cc scooter.
Agree 100%, its about a relaxing safe good distance ride enjoying the views and sounds for me.
Side note , please wear a helmet even at these speeds lots of damage can happen..
True enough mate, I have a 1500w hub motor and rarely find myself exceeding 500w
I have the BBS02 36v 500w mid drive it is the perfect mix of assist & exercise have done over 3000 miles with no drama top speed is 23 mph I generally cruise at 18mph
Spot on Steve on subject that 500 w is enough my 250 w speed legal i try to find way to bypass the speed limit but i think what i nedd is that 500 w kit well done good video
Good video. New to ebikes and just ordered the kirbebike kit so we'll see how I feel when battery arrives. Sure I'll want more speed at first but I think you're right. 30mph max sounds OK; it's about how you get there that's fun. Coning from a drz400 to enjoy proper dh in the peaks.
You're so right riding a bike is about having fun enjoying the journey being close to nature relaxing and you can't do that when you are holding on for dear life.
i agree more on distance than top speed
nice video
Must say beautiful scenery 🥃😌 hello from N Ireland 👍
You talk a lot of sense! My fat ebike is scary quick at 30ish mph, cant imagine why some people want 20+ more. Great vid, subbed.
Thank you Darren 😊
Here in hilly Yorkshire I find my 1000w dd motor that does 26mph generally good enough to get me up most hills which is what I wanted.
My average speed over a good distance usually 10 or 12mph.
A suron came past me the other day and nearly killed a man and his dog as he was going too fast around narrow paths.
I'd be happy with a 500w geared kit that went a little slower as long as it had enough torque for the hills.
I've a 350W / 36V 10AH on a trek FX1 ,it does 23mph on flat i use it every day to get to work (15.3 miles)
I like the fact that i still have to put some effort in to get up the hills ,i'm on full power all the way and its done 3200miles in all weathers
However i do have to charge it at work to get home..
Also mine has V brakes so more speed would mean not being able to stop safely..
Thanks for your assessment and keeping it real. Yeah, I think 30mph would be quite fast on an e-bike or any bike. Normal riding around, I agree 20-25mph is totally fine.
I think looking at your journey along the seafront that you are spot on about 500 Watts for casual/domestic riding. I put a 250 Watt kit on mine recently and while I don't have to get off and push on hills I do have to meet the motor halfway to get me up them. On the plus side I still get excercise but 500 Watts would be nicer. I think as you say with some of the larger Watt kits you get a lot of power that could land you in the sh** with the law if you get into an accident or stopped by a copper who knows his stuff. Must admit though I do love a high power ebike video.
One thing I've always stressed to my sons as they grow and explore, it matters not if you can go a hundred miles an hour if you lack the ability to come to a stop from a hundred-ten before you collide with anything.
I've used my mate's Ebike before and liked it. However, I am looking to travel 16 miles to work and back each day. Being half Dutch and having to bike to school every day doing a 26km round trip. So I'm used to bikes, bike laws and so on. In Holland, everything is flat, but here in Oxfordshire in the Cotswolds, there are so many hills to get up I need something that can get me there and back on a single charge. Considering most of the battery packs allow 1000 charges, that is 1000 days of riding to work and back.
With a total of 260 working days per year, the battery pack will last 4 years max. 2 years, if I choose a lower-end battery pack. I could do it with a bike conversion kit that has long-lasting power for longer trips with the pedal assist to tackle these hills. A battery pack that will get me there and back with still 20% charge left because some people say if you drain the battery to 0%, you get even fewer charging cycles.
With regards to speeds, we obviously have to stick to the 30mph limit in built-up areas, but there should be no riding on pathways and if you do, have a trickle speed of 10mph or something like that. You complained about a car pulling out the other day who doesn't expect you to be going over 30mph when you were doing a final test run to see how fast it was going. Then you blamed the driver for pulling out. You expect one thing, for him not to pull out, hurting your feelings, but there is no consideration of the speed you are going. My pet hate is motorbikes racing through traffic and not making themselves visible enough for me to see them, act accordingly, and move aside. They just shake their heads like the Karens they are, demanding the world fits their chaotic riding, rather than work together like we do when the police or ambulance need to get through. We all move aside and watch them roar past in envy to wish we had the guts to do what they were doing, just for the thrill of it.
If you demand people bow down to you, they most likely will not. I'm all up for getting our heads together and setting the record straight, and then offering a platform to come together and solve things like men, and start making our own laws and customs because the government isn't what we think it is, and we know how to bring the power back to the people. We need highly skilled engineers like you to lead the way in a respectful manner ;-)
Im close to buying the 500w Kirbebike Kit for my Carrera, it looks as though it will fit without issues.
Great video
YOU R THE MAN!! GOOD VIDEO ! 500 WATTS IS GOOD IF U WANT FASTER BAY SCOOTER OR MOTORCYCLE
I liked this video you don't have to put your self in danger for people to watch you and Andy you should do another bike ride I liked this vlog
I agree with you on this. The main thing i look at first is NM of toque of any conversion kits and see if they meet what i personally like. out of interested. what is the NM of toque of this motor? as well what volts could it handle up to? As well keep on the good clips you are doing.
Just seen your Facebook page also mate, new sub and follower pal, will let the lads no where to find a bargain 💯😉
Good value for the price
I see alot of people upgrade there controllers, but I see very few get the pedal assist to work correctly afterwards, and usually they have to change the display too.
I mainly use high wattage for the torque and acceleration.
I don't like going up a hill or into a headwind and barely being able to keep the bike from tipping over.
Mine is a tad heavy, though.
I have it limited to 30MPH, though.
Your right I have a 1500w and a son with a 1000w and 1 with a 500w and I upgraded the 500w motor to a 48v battery and better controller and that bike accelerates just as quick as the 1500 and climbs hills as good it's just the top end but like you say where are you going to do 35 on a bike we all prefer the acceleration so the 500 is the 1.
Air resistance. Over 20mph, air resistance really affects battery life and therefore range.
Reminds me of my old campervan. At 50mph it would do around 40mpg. At 80mph it would do 23 mpg.
Excellent demo vid mate...I´ve no ebike experience, and was looking at the higher power stuff to kick off with, but was thinking the lower power stuff would be totally fine for general cruising around, now I ´know´ it is...urself has saved me a lot of a unnecessary agro...dubble thumbs up... ...and now I´m actually thinking a legal 250w motor could actually be used, with a 35amp controller, and an Eggrider to flip between 250w and 900-odd watts, which I now know thru this vid, that 900+ watts is more than enuff for general usage...
I've recently started doing research on ebikes with the hope that I'll find and learn about the attributes of an electric bicycle that would be appropriate for myself. I haven't rode or owned a bicycle in a long time (I've not experienced riding a electric bicycle yet, as well), but I've been thinking about getting into bicycle riding again. And when I found out about electric bicycles, I was and still am enticed by them.
I'm tempted to agree about the 45 mph on an electric bicycle being fast enough; that seems pretty fast for a bicycle. 😀 Maybe too fast. I suppose I'll find out.
Thanks for the informative and entertaining content.
I have to agree. I have a just off the shelf 500w ebike that all I've done to it is just wire in an unlocked display so I can control it more and get a little more speed out of it. I can hit 37km/h on it with a fully charged battery no problem which is illegal theoretically. But that's plenty fast for a bicycle. It's too fast for the bike lanes in my city anyway so the only way I use that speed is if I'm on the street just moseying along. I have just ordered a 52v battery for it, not so much for the speed but for the range and better hill climbing ability. I'm already getting 62.5km with almost all throttle out of the 15 amp 48v battery and have actually driven from downtown Toronto to my friends house in Oshawa(54.5 km) with a little battery to spare. What I really want the 52v battery for is to reduce voltage sag. Yeah you get a few kms per hour out of it but I could always just set the limiter at 37km/h or 35km/h and it will hold that top speed for longer. With longer range. Trust me my last bike was a Bandit 1200, I know speed and power. The good thing about my bike, a Gotrax EBE8, is it looks like a mountain bike totally. It's only 52 pounds with the battery on there. When doing the range test I pedaled it home 6 km with absolutely no problem at all with the stock gearing which is 21 gears. When I go out with my friends on their pedal bikes I either turn the PAS to zero or maybe 1 which gets you about 10mph, turn down the initial PAS starting power to 1 and it's no problem at all pedaling around on bike trails, parks, etc. I was very very tempted to get a dual 1000w motor monster bike, but then I changed my mind. Yeah I could license it as a moped and it would be great for the street, but then you can't go on bike paths, you can't go on mixed use trails, you have to get insurance, you need a helmet and all the other nonsense of a motorcycle. Why not just get a motorcycle? If I take the battery off my bike, it would just be a normal mountain bike coming in around 35 pounds or so. Sure it's not a Canondale ultra light carbon fiber bike. But other than the weight of the motor you could probably use it just like a normal pedal bike.
Good point ive got 1500w motor 52 volt battery on computer it says my average speed is 9.5 mph after 150 miles
realy gd video has changed my mind
Well said and you'll get much better battery life on a charge.
Absoulte facts !
Don't know if you know but if you stick a little bit of sponge over your mic it will stop most of that awful wind noise in your videos when your out and we'd still be able to hear you speak 👌
I have a Walmart mountain bike with a 500 watt kit with 750 watts peak, and it's plenty enough for me. The only thing I would change is to get a controller that doesn't limit me to 20 mph.
Ive had a bafang 1500w mid motor. Got stolen and I wanted to buy a hub motor 500w. I have to say I'm impressed. 40km/h on flats and more than enough power uphill if I assist a bit. I agree 500 is perfect and won't get you arrested
I have a hybrid pedal bike, bear in mind it has super thin tires and the break pads need replacing but there’s a hill I go down after work with a speed limit of 20mph, I passed a van going down it once and although I enjoy that speed I don’t think that’s feasible if you cycle on the pavement, I use the roads 95% of the time
You're spot on. I have a bbs02 mid drive 750w with standard 25amp controller that comes in the bafang which does 30mph no peddling and a bbshd mid drive with upgraded phaserunner controller and 72v battery which does 60mph. That is way too fast for a mountain bike. I find myself more often than not taking the 750w bike out and have just as much fun on that. If you're commuting through a busy town or city 500w is plenty. Them stupid high power bikes are all good and well until you end up seriously injuring somebody or yourself and then getting nicked. Keep up the good work with the vids 👍
You are 100% right. These speed junkies will get all the E bikes ban. BTW.. your bike builds are awesome and your vids.
You make a lot of sense, I was going to go for the KirbEbike 1500w diy package. I prefer the stealth look for a start and the weight saving will be beneficial too. Which combination of battery and controller do you recommend to achieve the best performance (speed) from a 500w motor.
What controller and battery did you go for in the end on your 500 watt build? I'm also interested in the 500 watt kit
I'm Happy with my 1500w does me good, don't need anything faster, I don't even use the full speed of it but it's there for situations when needed
True, that's the first question people ask me ''how fast does it go'' top speed is not a measure of a bike's performance, it's all about torque. It only takes around 4000w to go 50mph.
I believe people need like two ebikes. I have 750w geared which looks more stealth less looks, keeps up with traffic, easy to pedal, I feel more relaxed riding it not having to look over my shoulder all the time. I also have 15kw lipo monster to satisfy my acceleration cravings not speed.
I do understand what you’re saying Steve. But I’ve had my old 1500w for three years now and I do feel safer on the road at 30+ rather than 20.
Must admit your 500w does look really nice though.👍
I love my 1500w hub green bike too, but I'm very keen to know how a 500w will perform with my 52v battery and phaserunner I'm certain it will be faster than 30mph. As off the shelf kits go 1500 to 2000 Kirby kits are the nuts, but if could pick and choose individual components...
@@DudeStuff if you could get the 500w to go 30+ I would buy one from on you if you were selling, as I really like the stealthy look of it. Hope u keep us informed.👍
@@worzelb1709 I'm pushing Andy to get these up on the site ASAP fingers crossed will be shortly
@@DudeStuff nice one.👍
@@DudeStuff That looks like a geared motor. I would be careful if its geared, they normally don't like anything over 1000w due to the Nylon gears and not being able to shed heat like a DD can
Do you still think 500 watt is the sweet spot? I’m looking to build a daily commuter…
Can you evaluate why hub motor is better than mid-drive?
What low cost 500 watt e-mountain bike, for general use would you recommend please?
I feel you have a point. But police have seen me loads of times with my 1000w kit with me with a fullface helmet thak god they seem ok with it. Once they caught me full out and gave me a smile
Me too seen police a lot but like i said if they decide to tighten up on it
At least 1500 I think, not so much for speed but for getting up hills and through muddy tracks or overgrown grass easier, it's nice to just wind it on occasionally but wont do it too often as it eats the battery
This has helped me.. i want one for summer so i can do canal runs ect with my daughter.. i didn't really know if i should get a 250w one at around £800 or a 500w for 1250... both look so cool but i have no idea what one is best value tbh it's a lot of cash for me.. feel I'm going to ponder this for a few more weeks 😆 enjoyed this video..i am leaning towards the 500w version i seen.
Got a 500w for sale cheap at mo
@@DudeStuff Do you have a store/website? *or FB ect
Just took a look there sorry.. I'll have a wee look over on your pages the now.
Well said. Which 500watt kit do you recommend here in the states? geared bafang? or 500w direct drive?
Steve is the 500 watt kit on that bike the one that Andy sells now on his 2022 site? Sounds perfect for me and still has a bit of grunt 👍
Steve what was this specific 500w kit?
I know someone who built a 1000w ebike. They had to re spoke the rear wheel because the torque was snapping them and axles
Yes, but the speed is so much fun! Can I ask what the size of your controller on that bike is? It looks quite fast enough with good acceleration! My own is 1500 watts with a 52 volt battery. Might not need that if I had a better controller?
i built moderate fast ebike ..as fast as in need and want 22-28mph can get to 30mph but it too much ....28MPH seems to be fun zone for me on max speed ....on average it 18 to 20mph ...
i am happy ....that my first build ...and again i did not know what i wanted it for but it lead me to doing uber delivery next to make use of it and see if possible i can make the bike pay for it self and it fun to ride so it lead me on bit of adventure already ...
However i am now looking at my next Ebike thinking ...i want Cargo Bike ...some thing that does 25mph and does massive long range and can haul things ....each day the Trike Ebike is catching my attention more and more ...i think those could be really fun to ride with three wheels and sit postion ..sort go kart feeling on bike ....or at least it looks that way ...
So was this build with the standard controller that comes with Kirby's E-Bike or did you add a different one?
I've just built my first rear e hub bike...went for the 500w 36v motor. I've not bothered putting the supplied brake leavers on with the cut off as I'm confident enough to just put the brakes on and not throttle at the same time. I've not bothered putting the pedal assist thingy on either as the throttle is the pedal assist for me. But anyway, the thing is when I'm doing more peddaling and less throttle, it does kind of feel like I'm peddaling through treacle....and the more I turn the throttle, the less tough the treacle becomes. Is that your experience too or just me?
Does that 500w motor matter whether its a hub motor or mid drive?
Just about to order a 500w kit from kirbebike, does it come with a thumb throttle steve? Can't see where it says content of the kit is. Also will a 48v battery be OK with it?
How will a 48v battery fare on a 500w motor (says 500w/36v)?
After 2 yrs what's your opinion on the 500w hub now?
I'm 50yrs old and looking at the 500/750 kit from kirbebike, I need to do hospital runs a few times a year (40 mile round trip )
I'm looking at a few reviews and as I follow your channel your opinion would help.
Cheers.
What is the make of this 500w motor on the video?
Nice to see someone exactly like myself I think 500w is the best all round :).
What controller can I buy to upgrade 500w bafang kit
Is this a 500w geared hub
What controller was this using? Thanks