E-BikeKit has been offering electric bike conversion kits since 2008 and has more options than almost any other brand I know. Their support is good, the website works well and the warranty is solid (unless you get the Sealed Lead-Acid battery which isn’t covered). This isn’t the fanciest kit around, they’re striving for best value, but in my experience it works well and is easy to install. This kit is designed specifically for trikes; it goes a bit slower than the others and doesn’t include a fancy LCD display but does offer reverse and costs a bit less. Basically, if you’ve got a three wheeled bicycle (a model with one wheel in the front and two in the rear) you just swap your front wheel, add a few zip ties, the brake lever and throttle and put the battery pack in your basket.
The motor for all of these kits is the same. It’s a 500 watt direct drive (gearless) front-wheel mounted design that weighs 12 pounds. It’s durable, operates quietly and smoothly and provides good power but does add some rolling resistance to your trike in the form of “cogging”. This basically means that when you aren’t using the system, the front wheel won’t coast as easily because the magnets inside are repelling the stater. I show this in the video review but it’s really not the end of the world, most direct drive motors demonstrate this quality. By watching the LED power indicator you can avoid getting stranded with an empty battery pack and a heavy, slow trike to pedal home.
Speaking of heavy, depending on the battery option you get this thing can add 20 to 30 pounds to your trike. The battery I tested in the video review is a 36 volt 9 amp hour Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) pack that’s the most affordable but also one of the most heavy. Compared with the Lithium-ion options, this pack will get fewer charge cycles before wearing out and is bulkier. For a trike, this isn’t a big deal because there’s plenty of room in the basket and stability from the three wheel design. I love that E-BikeKit sells batteries separately so you can upgrade or get replacement parts later without issue. To make your pack last try to charge it after every ride and avoid extreme heat and cold. Also, keep the battery bag zipped up to keep water and dust out. The bag will also reduce some vibration and this will extend battery life by keeping the chemistry inside the pack from crumbling over time.
The cockpit on your trike may look different than the setup I used but you basically get two brake levers, the LED console and the twist throttle to work with. To make the throttle work with your existing grips you may have to cut one in half and the remaining end piece may become prone to spinning or sliding off. Consider grips that have locking ends like the Ergon GP1 which is also more comfortable to ride with. While it’s nice to have a display included with this kit (some only include a throttle or button to activate the motor) this one is pretty basic. It’s essentially a voltmeter that measures the voltage of your battery pack and provides a general idea of how much juice is left. There are some extra features listed on the display (like lights) that aren’t applicable to this kit but all things considered it’s small, water resistant and functional.
At the end of the day, if you’ve got the option of purchasing a fully built electric trike or building one of your own it may come down to cost or use of a pre-existing non-electric trike that you already own. If you’re handy and interested in doing projects then one of these kits could be a great option. It’s not too tricky to assemble, requiring only basic tools like wrenches and screw drivers. The cons of no no pedal assist, simplistic display and limited top speed actually work in favor of this application because trikes can be less stable and most don’t offer gears to pedal with anyway. I love that the system offers reverse because this could be useful for unloading groceries or parking and retrieving the trike. The availability of replacement parts and the responsive customer service that E-BikeKit offers makes this a great option for people interested in a DIY project.
Value electric bike kit in multiple wheel sizes, works with front or rear, throttle only design. Excellent support and warranty, easy to install, multiple battery options for weight or range...
Value electric bike kit in multiple wheel sizes, works with front or rear, throttle only design. Excellent support and warranty, easy to install, multiple battery options for weight or range...
Basic electric bike kit for front or rear wheel, includes battery pack, hub motor in wheel and twist throttle. Good value with support and warranty, easy to install, multiple battery options for weight and…...
dennis
11 years agoDo I need a license to use this on the street ( considered as motor bike) ?
ReplyCourt Rye
11 years agoThis kit adheres to the US legal limits of <= 750 watts and <= 20mph top speed so yeah! You can use it on bicycle paths and other areas appropriate to bikes but it is not considered a car or motorcycle. If you are riding on streets do be careful to follow the bike laws and be careful with traffic :)
ReplyJoe Beauparlant
8 years agoH I am interested in buying an electric trik or scooter,b can’t find a price
ReplyCourt Rye
8 years agoHi Joe, the price for this kit ranges from around $800 up to $1,500 depending on the battery size you get. I don’t sell the kits but you can find them here: https://www.ebikekit.com/collections/tricycle-kits hope this helps!
ReplyBill King
5 years agoI am very interested in your Trike conversion kit for my three wheel Ralieigh. What is the price for the front 24 inch wheel 36 volt 500 watt Kit WITH OUT the battery. Does it include reverse, twist throttle, hand brake with lock and connector from battery to hub motor and mechanism for front wheel fork? Free shipping?? Thank you, Bill King
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi Bill! I cannot say for sure whether E-BikeKit will sell their E-Trike Kit without the battery (I’m just a reviewer and I run this website and the forums) but you can visit their official site to ask and also call their toll free phone number: (866) 882-3245 I hope this helps, good luck with your conversion! Feel free to share some pictures or ask for help in the E-Trike forums here.
ReplyDavid
5 years agoMy wife has Parkinson’s Disease and has lost her ability to balance a bike. We bought a trike, which works great but, at 66 lbs on even a 1% grade is difficult at best for her to peddle. i had the gears changed but she still struggles. I was thinking about adding an e-trike kit to assist her on hills. In reading reviews, I read several who mentioned the additional weight added by the kit and a drag on the peddling when not using the motor. Can you suggest what I might be able to do? I want to help my wife but don’t want to make riding her trike more difficult. Thank you in advance for your advice.
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi David, there is indeed weight and a bit of magnetic drag added by these gearless hub motor kits. In my experience, most of the riding will be done with at least some level of assistance from the motor… so the drag isn’t an issue. If however, you run out of juice a long way from home, it could be difficult. I’m not sure how far you plan to ride, but for me, the benefits of a motor on a trike (since they have more friction points and usually weigh more) far outweigh not having one. There are other kits you could use that have geared motors vs. gearless, but they aren’t usually as bulletproof or quiet. Check out the full list of kits I’ve covered recently here and keep in mind that most of them can be produced in several wheel sizes, so you just need to get the correct size for your trike.
ReplyFrancisco
3 years agoI’m looking for a conversion kit for a 24in single speed tricycle and price.
ReplyCourt
3 years agoHi Francisco! I haven’t reviewed kits for a while, so I’m not sure what the best price and availability is, but I seem to remember the Electric Bike Outfitter company selling many options and doing custom wheel sizes. Here’s their official website, good luck!
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