What are the pros and cons of buying a motor for a bicycle?

best electric bike motor kit image

I'm 14 and am thinking about getting a summer job. I have a mountain bike, and want to be able to get to work without freakin' pedaling everywhere. I am looking at a 80cc (66cc) bike kit that I want to put on my bike. What are the pros of a bike motor, and what are the cons (weather, reliability)

Answer
Gas motors on bicycles are called mopeds! There are reasons mopeds and motorcycles are built the way they are and not like a standard bike.

Pros to gas bike motor: None.
Cons:
Fire hazard
Gasoline fumes which are a known carcinogen or cancer causing agent
Unreliable
Extra weight when the motor dies or you run out of gas
Expensive
Depending on where you live they might be illegal

If you must have a motor other than yourself, buy an electric assist bicycle. They'll help you start from a standstill and get you to a comfortable cruising speed without too much sweat.

how do i get electric bike to spin the chain?

csmuch41

i wanted to make an electric bike but i dont know how to make the chain spin... how does it work?

does electricity and battery make it spin or what how does this all work?

Answer
You are right. An electric motor and battery are what is needed.

But most electric motors are either direct drive in the rear hub OR there is a roller that drives the front wheel directly. With your level of expertise I'd recommend getting a kit. Australia do some good ones.

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how do i get electric bike to spin the chain?

best electric bike motor kit image

csmuch41

i wanted to make an electric bike but i dont know how to make the chain spin... how does it work?

does electricity and battery make it spin or what how does this all work?

Answer
You are right. An electric motor and battery are what is needed.

But most electric motors are either direct drive in the rear hub OR there is a roller that drives the front wheel directly. With your level of expertise I'd recommend getting a kit. Australia do some good ones.

is it poss to run a bicycle or small motorcycle on 12 volts dc?

oldfarrrrt

i am trying to make an electric bike for my granddaughter. can anyone give me some suggestions on how to accomplish this? what size motor would i use? can the battery be recharged while in use? any info would be appreciated.

Answer
To answer your question, 24 to 36V would be more realistic. 12V will be a very slow e-bike (maybe that's what you want?)

That said, this is a classic make-vs-buy proposition. Let me hazard a guess that you want this by Christmas, and it needs to work, right?

I suggest buy.

The reason is, motors for e-bikes are much more robust than those you might find in a hand tool, kid's ride-on toy or a starter. A typical e-bike motor will be 500W or more sustained duty, and so will have the extra mass and cooling to handle it. A tool or starter motor just isn't built for that kind of duty and will fail in short order.

Plus, the kit will come with a speed control - and if done right the controller will do regenerative charging too.

Lucky for you, there's lots of e-bike kits, both the in-hub style and chain drive. Looks like they run about $400, with the bulk of the cost being the motor and battery.

First link below is to a site that sells both parts and complete kits. (Lots more if you google "electric bike kit" - second link is just an example).

BONUS: sub-8 second electric drag bike (last link.) Just because.

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