Hey guys!
I’m currently riding a Linus Dutchi, which has a step-through frame, an IGH shifter, and swept back handlebars, and I absolutely love it. I ride it to work and back twice a day, putting a minimum of 5 miles a day on it. However, I would like to be able to bike further without getting all sweaty, so I want an ebike.
I’ve been advised against converting my bike into one (the rear forks can’t accommodate a hub motor and it has rim brakes), so I’m thinking I’m going to need to buy a pre-fabbed ebike instead. I know I want at the very least a mid-drive motor, a step through frame, and ideally swept back handlebars (though if that’s something I can install afterwards I’d be okay with that, this is effectively my car lol).
Do you guys have any recommendations?
Not an answer to your question, but you may want to reconsider converting to an e-bike.
There are a few different motor types, if your rear fork can’t do a hub motor you should look at a bottom bracket mounted motor. I just installed a torque sensing one on my bike and it’s great. There are also under seat motors.
As far as the breaks are concerned, it shouldn’t really matter. You’re probably still just going 20 mph max even with a motor. And while it’s true that hydraulic disk breaks perform better, many e-bikes just use mechanical disk breaks which are only a modest improvement if anything to rim brakes. As long as you’re not biking off road in the mud or ice and you can keep the wheel clean, rim brakes should work.
I converted and I was able to keep the bike under 8 kilos with more features then I could find in any new e-bike on the market.