Dillenger is an Australian company that has been assembling and selling electric bike kits since late 2007. Their products are value priced and use industry standard parts like 8Fun / Bafang motors but feel a cut above cheaper options because of the excellent packaging, solid year-long warranty and little extras like wire management brackets and brake levers with integrated motor inhibitors.
The 750+ watt kit seen here is going to deliver more power than some of their other kits which is useful for transporting large loads or navigating hilly terrain. The ~$1k price point is great in my opinion but the installation work may require more time and energy along with a couple of extra bike-specific tools that you might not already own. As long as your bike uses 24″, 26″ or 700c ~28″ sized wheels, has a freewheel cogset that can be transferred to the threaded hub on the Dillenger wheel and there’s room somewhere on your frame to mount the small triangular frame bag (for holding the controller and excess wires) you should be good! To be frank, this is not my favorite kit because it makes for a rear-heavy and somewhat top-heavy platform that rattles and feels flexy. There are definitely great applications for a kit like this and I feel Dillenger has done a solid job piecing this one together but there are some big trade offs to consider.
The motor included with this kit comes pre-laced into the wheel size of your choice using sturdy 13 gauge stainless steel spokes. The rim is also very sturdy, using a double walled design. Being gearless, this motor is a bit heavier but should be more durable than a geared design because there are no moving parts inside. One downside of direct drive hub motors like this is that they experience cogging drag which happens when the large heavy magnets inside repel against the electromagnetic stater while coasting. There’s no regenerative braking or “regen mode” built into this kit to capture back some of that lost cogging momentum but this keeps the control system simple and cheap. the rear axle is extra long and feels very sturdy but barely fit in the rear dropouts of my test bike. Once the motor was on the bike and being powered it felt strong but did produce some zinging noises (especially at low speed). The axle does not come with quick release systems so once this is on (and your sprockets are all installed and the cable is connected) it’s not going to be as easy to fix flats or transfer back to your original wheel… You will also have to transfer back your tube and tire if you decide to remove the kit at some point.
The battery pack powering the kit is a generic looking aluminum encased rectangle that slides onto a rear rack. It offers 48 volts of power which is above average and 10 amp hours of capacity which helps the larger motor reach its full power potential. I love that it’s removable and appreciate the integrated plastic handle and the clean black aesthetic but there aren’t any LED charge level indicators built in and you have to leave the keys in while riding which can produce some noise and be more vulnerable to bending and breaking if you try to add packs. I found out after installing the kit and doing the review that there are rubber pads included to help reduce the rattling noise produced as the battery slaps the rack mounting point as you ride over rough terrain so keep those in mind… All in all, the battery is fine and even the rack is acceptable (though somewhat flexy and limited for use with bags) but I did not like how close the cable mount came to the rack mount, I almost had to bend the plastic to get it to fit into the battery and the wires inside seemed more exposed and just cheaper than I’ve seen on other Dillenger kits.
Operating the kit is fairly intuitive. First you insert the key into the battery and turn it all the way to the right for “on” and then hold the “Set” button on the control interface for a couple of seconds. The backlit LCD display comes to life and lists your standard speed, battery level, odometer, trip meter and time data. From here you can arrow up or down to choose from one of five levels of pedal assist. There is also a zero level which is basically “throttle only mode” and at any time the throttle can override assist. I love this interaction because I like to use throttle mode when starting from rest to help avoid straining my knees. The kit uses a 12 magnet pedelec disc which is responsive but still requires some pedal movement and that could prove difficult if you’re starting in a higher gear. The included mechanical brake levers do include motor inhibitors and these are useful for immediately stopping the motor but again, the pedal assist sensor is quite responsive. Installing the pedelec ring is very easy with this kit because you don’t have to remove the bottom bracket, the disc comes in two halves and clips around the left part of the crank spindle. All in all, it’s a good setup and one that I’ve become fond of while testing other Dillenger kits, the one big complaint is that the display panel mount can sometimes collide with the curves of your handle bars.
In conclusion… while it was fun to ride, I found that this kit was tricky and time consuming to install, probably wouldn’t work well with a trunk bag or panniers (despite the extra rails they include) and rattled a lot (but again, that was likely my fault for not installing all of the rubber pads correctly). Having used mid-frame batteries with fancy LED charge level readouts and integrated USB chargers this type of pack feels antiquated now and that may be why it’s priced so low despite offering a sizable capacity. The 750W Gearless Kit does offer power but you also hear the motor more than I would have expected. It is compatible with a lot of different bikes but it will always be rear heavy and more prone to impact handling or tip as a result. The packaging and customer support are good but there may be superior products to consider. If I were to buy this kit I think I’d stick to smooth, paved roads and avoid lots of quick turns. I would also use a bicycle platform that I didn’t intend to switch back to non-electric frequently because there’s a lot of work involved with taking the rear wheel off. For a larger rider who is looking for more power or possibly someone who wants to reach greater distances this could be a decent choice and one that’s available in multiple global regions.
An electric bike kit that includes everything you need to get rolling aside from an inner tube and tire (consider buying in advance or using the one off of your target bicycle). Available in 20, 24, 26, 27.5 and 28 inch wheel sizes! That means you can…...
One of the easiest electric bike kits to install that I've ever tested, front wheel mounting, color coded quick-connect wires, clip-on 12 magnet cadence sensor ring. Offers both throttle mode and pedal assist with five levels, can reach 20 mph in…...
Dusty
9 years agoYep, cracked my ankle on that battery at least 3 times. The feeling never improves. I bought the front wheel kit. It comes with one torque arm. It should have come with 2 because I was able to spin the axle and destroy the fork. Thankfully, I noticed it before the wheel came off. Other than THAT, it was great fun, but I’m thru with kits. I plan to buy an ebike.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHey Dusty! Wow… glad you didn’t crash hard with that wheel issue. I like tinkering and appreciate kits but given the higher power rating here (and the rear battery pack design) there’s definitely room for improvement on durability and ergonomics (or at least mounting). Do you know which bike you want or have any ideas? We’re almost into 2016 so a bunch of new models are on the way :D
ReplyChristopher Harker
8 years agoOne pro you didn’t mention is that the bike does not look obviously like an electric bike. I am 76 and get great satisfaction whizzing past roadies on steep hills; apparently under my own steam. Increases the fun aspect of cycling.
ReplyDrummond
8 years agoI bought a Dillenger Hunter Hub 2016, in summary, the ‘bulletproof’ hub motor broke after about 200 miles of gentle use not offroad. Dillenger took 2 months to diagnose the problem, then offered to deliver after a further 2 months or deliver faster for 150gbp. The bike is under warranty only 3 months old. The marketing proudly pronounces this bike is based on their popular and proven tried and tested kit, using exactly the same motor. However Dillenger say they cannot send a motor from the UK (where I’m based) from one of their kits which are in stock. So overall 4 months to send another ‘bulletproof’ replacement motor or pay alot of money. Sent tens of emails to sort it out, and had to take the bike apart for their diagnosis, in total messing about probably over a week’s work.
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoOuch, I’m sorry to hear about all the hassle you’ve gone through Drummond. Thanks for sharing here… and waiting to do so until you tried working with them a bit to find a solution. I hope that your problem is resolved soon and that they are able to avoid this type of situation with other customers in the future :/
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