| What with the recession, a growing environmental | | | | the wheel in the fork with the extra washers. |
| awareness, and rapidly rising gasoline prices, more and | | | | Step 2. Now turn the bike right side up and attach the |
| more people are developing a growing interest in the | | | | battery rack. This may require just a tad of trial and |
| electric bicycle. The electric bike has long been a | | | | error with the spacing to make it fit correctly. Attach |
| transportation staple in Asia and Europe and is just | | | | the battery mounting plate (this is packed attached to |
| now making its way to the shores of the New World. | | | | the battery) to the rack. |
| Electric bikes can be purchased new from a store or | | | | Step 3. Remove the old grips from your handle bars. |
| you can convert your existing bicycle to an electric | | | | These may be very tight and require the use of pliers |
| hybrid with a conversion kit. Conversion kits come in | | | | to twist them off or you can use a sharp blade to cut |
| many different powers, sizes and prices but by and | | | | them off. After removing the grips, remove the original |
| large, you can obtain a far better and far less | | | | brake levers. To do this, squeeze the brake levers and |
| expensive electric bike from a kit than you can by | | | | this will expose the ball at the end of the cable in the |
| buying one prebuilt. These kits are easy to install and | | | | brake handle. Pull this out through the slot on the top of |
| require only a few common tools and minimal skills. | | | | the handle and slide the lever assembly off of the |
| However, if you need to hire an electrician to change a | | | | handle bar. Depending on your bike you may first have |
| light bulb, they are not for you. | | | | to remove one or more of the shift levers. |
| For this article, I am using a 350 watt 36 volt front | | | | Step 4. Mount he headlight in the center of the |
| wheel kit as they are far easier to deal with then a | | | | handlebars. Slide the horn button onto the left side of |
| rear drive kit. Some features that I am describing in the | | | | the handlebars and locate near the light. Slide the new |
| installation may not be included in your kit, such as a | | | | brake levers onto the handlebars and replace the |
| horn button or headlight, but most of what is here will | | | | cables exactly the way they were on the original |
| apply to any conversion kit. | | | | levers. Slide the throttle handle on which ever side you |
| The very first thing you will need to install your electric | | | | prefer and the plain grip on the opposite end. This may |
| bike kit is patience. Don't get in a rush. Take your time | | | | all be very tight and a tiny bit of lubrication may be |
| and do it right. Many websites claim that a conversion | | | | used to assist in locating these components. Do not |
| kit can be installed in about an hour. This may be true if | | | | tighten down any of the clamps and set screws until |
| everything fits absolutely perfectly, you have | | | | you have everything positioned to your satisfaction. |
| everything you need and you have done this before. | | | | Step 5. Manually squeeze the brake calipers almost |
| However, to make this a neat, professional looking job | | | | closed and pull the brake cable tight through the lock |
| without making any mistakes, it will most probably take | | | | down nut. Tighten the nut. check the brakes to make |
| you most of an afternoon. | | | | sure that they close tightly but do not rub on the rims. |
| Step 1. Loosen the brake cables where they fasten at | | | | Adjust as necessary. |
| the calipers. Turn your bike upside down so that it | | | | Step 6. Securely attach the controller box to the |
| rests on its handle bars and remove the entire front | | | | frame of the bike. As you can see in the picture |
| wheel. Replace the front wheel with the one from the | | | | above, I chose to attach the controller to the underside |
| kit. Make sure that the side of the wheel that has the | | | | of the battery rack. Make sure that where you |
| wires protruding from it will be on the left side of the | | | | choose to mount the controller, the wiring from the |
| bike once it is turned right side up. | | | | handlebars will be able to reach it. Connect the wiring |
| If the axle does not completely fit into the slots of the | | | | harness as shown by the wiring diagram. The |
| "dropouts" you may have to file the slots a little wider. | | | | connectors only fit one way, don't force them. Take |
| Use a mill file and file on the back side of the fork. | | | | your time and compare the colors of the wires to the |
| Keep the filing flat and even and do both sides of the | | | | diagram if necessary as well as make sure that |
| fork. | | | | everything fits snug. Finally, slide the battery into the |
| On the axle there are several washers. Slide the | | | | rack and connect the battery. Fasten down the wiring |
| number necessary to completely fill any space | | | | with the wire ties so that it is neat and will not snag. |
| between the fork and the hub motor. You must use at | | | | Leave sufficient slack in the cable to the motor so that |
| least one washer on each side of the motor if the | | | | you can turn the handlebars without stressing the |
| sides of the motor housing rub against the fork. You | | | | cable. |
| may have to apply a little muscle to this depending on | | | | Step 7. Turn on the key and make sure that the |
| the size of your fork. Left over washers can remain | | | | battery meter lights up. if it does not, turn off the key |
| on the outside of the fork. Tighten the nuts very tight! If | | | | and recheck your connections. Now lift the front wheel |
| you do not do this, the motor may pull out of the front | | | | off the ground and twist the throttle a little to see if the |
| fork and damage the thin wires to the motor. If the | | | | wheel turns. If it doesn't, turn off the key and recheck |
| front wheel does not freely spin once these nuts are | | | | your connections. Your electric bike conversion kit is |
| tightened, then make adjustments to the spacing of | | | | now complete. |