WHAT IS AN E-BIKE CONVERSION KIT?

 ANSWER - AN E-BIKE CONVERSION KIT  IS A SYSTEM THAT CONVERTS ANY REGULAR BICYCLE INTO AN  ELECTRICALLY POWERED MOTORBIKE. 

WHY SHOULD I GO WITH AN E-BIKE KIT OVER BUYING A PRE-BUILT ONE? 

 ANSWER - STARTING WITH A KIT IS A GREAT WAY TO GET INTRODUCED TO RIDING ELECTRIC BIKES WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK THIS OPTION ALSO GIVES YOU CONTROL OF HOW MUCH POWER AND DISTANCE  YOU MAY WANT OR NEED. 

I LIKE THE STREAMLINED LOOK OF THE PRE-BUILT E-BIKES. CAN YOU BUILD ME ONE LIKE THAT?

 ANSWER - YES. WE CAN BUILD YOU ANY TYPE OF BIKE YOU DESIRE, WE CAN ALSO HELP YOU CHOOSE THE BIKE AND FRAME YOU DESIRE. HOWEVER, JUST LIKE A CAR, YOU ARE GOING TO NEED SOME WORK DONE TO IT.  THIS MAY COST MORE TO FIX IF THE WIREING GETS DAMAGED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, AS THE WIRERING IS INSIDE THE FRAME OF THE BIKE. (GOOD LUCK IF YOU PURCHASED YOUR BIKE ONLINE IN GETTING A DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIR FROM THEM) NOT TO MENTION REPLACING THE BUILT-IN BATTERY. IT MAY BE YEARS BEFORE YOU NEED A NEW BATTERY, BUT AT SOME POINT, YOU WILL NEED A NEW ONE AND IF IT IS BUILT INTO THE BIKE, YOU WILL END UP PAYING A FORTUNE TO HAVE IT REPLACED. 

DO YOU DO REPAIRS ON E-BIKES BOUGHT ONLINE OR FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE?

 ANSWER - YES. HOWEVER, ALL CUSTOMERS WHO HAD THEIR E-BIKE BUILT FROM CUSTOM E-BIKE PRO RECEIVE A LIFETIME 20% DISCOUNT ON ALL UPGRADES, TUNE-UPS AND REPAIRS. THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH YOUR BIKE AND WAITING ALL SUMMER TO GET YOUR BIKE UP AND RUNNING AGAIN BECAUSE YOU HAD TO SHIP IT ACROSS THE COUNTRY JUST TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. 

I FOUND A GREAT DEAL ON AN E-BIKE ONLINE AND THE PRICE SEEMS ALMOST TOO GOOD TRUE. ARE THERE ANY INEXPENSIVE E-BIKES ON THE MARKET THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND?

 ANSWER - EACH YEAR WE ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES PURCHASING ELECTRIC BIKES. YES, THERE ARE MANY GREAT E-BIKES ON THE MARKET AND SOME ARE NOT SO GREAT. THE OLD SAYING THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR CERTAINLY APPLIES TO BUYING AN E-BIKE. THE FIRST THING A COMPANY WILL SCIMP ON WHEN IT COMES QUALITY, IS THE BATTERY. THE LIFELINE OF YOUR RIDE! I HAVE OPENED ENOUGH BIKE BATTERIES TO ATTEST TO THIS FACT. THE BATTERY ITSELF MAY HAVE THE BEST OF STATS AND APPEAR GREAT ON PAPER, BUT AFTER A YEAR OF RIDING YOU MAY FIND THAT YOUR BIKE DRAMATICALLY LOSES ITS POWER AND THE ABILITY TO HOLD A CHARGE. WHY? BECAUSE THEY USED OLD CELLS TO SELL THE BIKE FOR A CHEAP PRICE. A GOOD STRONG BATTERY SHOULD LAST YEARS AND 1,000 CHARGES BEFORE IT STARTS TO FAIL. THE NEXT THING THEY WILL SKIMP ON IS THE BIKE ITSELF. CHEAP FLIMSY PARTS MAKE FOR A LOWSEY RIDING EXPERIENCE THAT WILL COST YOU IN THE LONG RUN. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THERE ARE NO GREAT DEALS OUT THERE, BUT JUST BE CAUTIOUS. 

DOESN'T RIDING  AN ELECTRIC BIKE DEFEAT THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF TRYING TO GET SOME EXERCISE OUT OF IT?
 
 ANSWER -  NOT AT ALL. ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR E-BIKE, YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF RIDING MORE FREQUENTLY AND FARTHER THAN  YOU'VE EVER RIDDEN BEFORE.  YOU JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT THERE AND START HAVING FUN. MOST E-BIKES HAVE A PEDAL ASSIST OPTION THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SUPERCHARGE YOUR RIDING ADVENTURE, GIVING YOU AN EXHILARATING FEELING OF SPEED AND POWER.  KNOWING YOU CAN GO THAT MUCH FURTHER YET BE ABLE TO HAVE THE OPTION OF JUST USING THE THROTTLE IF YOU'RE TOO POOPED TO MAKE IT BACK. 

HOW MANY MILES CAN YOU TRAVEL ON ONE CHARGE?

 ANSWER -  THERE ARE MANY VARIABLES WHEN IT COMES TO HOW FAR YOU CAN GO ON YOUR E-BIKE.  HOW HEAVY IS THE BIKE,  HOW MUCH DOES THE RIDER WEIGH,  HOW MUCH OF THE THROTTLE VERSUS PEDALING ASSIST ARE YOU USING, AND WHAT TYPE OF TERRAIN WILL YOU BE RIDING ON? THE ONE MAIN FACTOR WHEN IT COMES TO DISTANCE USUALLY REVOLVES AROUND THE SIZE AND CAPACITY OF YOUR BATTERY.  SMALL BATTERY SHORT DISTANCE.  LARGE BATTERY LONGER DISTANCE.  HOWEVER, MOST BIKES ON THE LOW END SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO ABOUT 30 MILES OR SO WHILE BIKES ON THE HIGHER END CAN TRAVEL OVER A HUNDRED MILES WITHOUT NEEDING A CHARGE.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MID-DRIVE AND A HUB MOTOR?  IS ONE BETTER THAN THE OTHER?

 ANSWER - THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MID-DRIVE AND A HUB MOTOR USUALLY COMES DOWN TO WHICH RIDING STYLE YOU PREFER,  IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO BE USING MOSTLY THROTTLE AND LOVE SPEED, A HUB MOTOR WOULD BETTER SUIT YOUR  NEEDS. IF  YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO RIDE OFF-ROAD OR GO MOUNTAIN BIKING, THEN A MID-DRIVE MOTOR WOULD BE A BETTER CHOICE.  MID-DRIVES TEND TO HAVE BETTER TORQUE THAN A HUB MOTOR. HOWEVER, THE DOWNSIDE TO THAT IS THAT IT REQUIRES THE BIKE CHAIN TO WORK, WHEREAS THE HUB-DRIVEN MOTOR CAN OPERATE WITH THROTTLE ALONE IF THE CHAIN BREAKS.  COST IS ANOTHER FACTOR WHEREAS MID-DRIVES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE AND USUALLY COST MORE TO WORK ON AND INSTALL. 

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GEARLESS AND THE GEARED HUB MOTOR. 

  ANSWER -  JUST AS IN THE NAME ITSELF A GEARLESS HUB DOESN'T HAVE ANY GEARS IN IT WHEREAS A GEARED HUB DOES.  THE GEARED HUB CAN BE A LITTLE BETTER ON HILLS AND A GEARLESS HUB BUT THEY ALSO HAVE MORE MOVING PARTS INSIDE OF THEM AND CAN BE MORE COSTLY TO REPAIR. FOR OUTRIGHT SPEED  AND  LONGEVITY I WOULD HAVE TO GO WITH A GEARLESS HUB.

I AM IN MY 60's, AM I TOO OLD FOR AN E-BIKE? 

ANSWER - NO. IF YOU CAN RIDE A BICYCLE, YOU CAN RIDE AN E-BIKE. YOU MAY JUST NEED A LIGHTER MODEL OR A THREE-WHEELER.   

MY BIKE IS OVER 2O YEARS OLD, CAN I STILL USE THIS BIKE FOR AN E-BIKE BUILD? 

ANSWER - AS LONG AS THE BIKE IS IN DECENT SHAPE, ANY BIKE CAN BE MADE INTO AN ELECTRIC BIKE. SOME OF MY COOLEST  BUILDS WERE VINTAGE-STYLE MOTORBIKES.   

MY SON IS ONLY 12 YEARS OLD IS THAT TOO YOUNG FOR AN E-BIKE? 

ANSWER - NO, 12 YEARS OLD IS NOT TOO YOUNG BUT AS ALWAYS THAT'S UP TO THE PARENTS TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT THEIR CHILD SHOULD RIDE AN ELECTRIC BIKE. 

CAN YOU RIDE AN ELECTRIC BIKE IN THE RAIN? 

ANSWER - THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU MEAN BY RAIN, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LITE SHOWER THAT'S FINE BUT YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO TAKE YOUR E-BIKE OUT INTO THE POURING RAIN NOR WOULD YOU WANT TO RIDE IT THROUGH DEEP PUDDLES OR WATERWAYS.  ALTHOUGH YOU MAY BE JUS FINE, YOU'RE JUST ASKING FOR TROUBLE BY DOING SO.   

DO YOU SELL THE E-BIKE KITS OR DO YOU JUST INSTALL THEM?   

ANSWER - WE JUST INSTALL HOWEVER WE WILL HELP YOU DECIDE ON WHAT TYPE OF MOTOR YOU MAY NEED AND RECOMMEND WHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM. WE HAVE A GREAT SELECTION THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM LINKED TO THIS SITE OR YOU CAN FIND YOUR OWN AND WE WILL INSTALL IT FOR YOU. 

HOW FAST CAN AN E-BIKE GO? 

ANSWER -   THE ANSWER IS ALMOST THE SAME AS HOW FAR CAN AN E-BIKE GO.  DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE RIDER, THE BIKE THE MOTOR, AND THE BATTERY, BUT FOR THE MOST PART ON AVERAGE, E - BIKES CAN GO FROM 15 TO OVER A HUNDRED MILES PER HOUR.   

CAN I RIDE MY E-BIKE ON THE EAST BAY BIKE PATH? YES. 

ANSWER - YES. 

IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS REGARDING AN E-BIKE BUILD PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL OR CALL US.  WE WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.