Brompton electric conversion - what's the best kit?

[lori_m]

Looking at conversion kit options for a Brompton C-line folder. I'm aware of the Woosh kit which looks good but are there other options I should consider? Low weight is important for me as I may have to carry the bike short distances on the tube and whatnot. Range is less important as this will mainly be used for quite short runs (<10 miles). Many thanks in advance for any suggestions.

p.s. I have already done a search and read a few threads but there seems to be a lot to consider and I'm not an ebike expert!

 

[StuartsProjects]

I only have experience of one conversion kit for the Brompton, the old style Swytch. I dont have a problem with it, not sure if others have tried it. Easy to do.

Battery\controller removes easy which reduces the carrying weight a bit.

If your really concerned about the carry weight, the new T-Line Titanium Brompton with the new lightweight Swytch conversion would be silly light, 9kg ?

 

[Bonzo Banana]

I keep seeing Brompton hub motors for sale on ebay, official Brompton hub motors so I feel like the ebike kits are probably a better investment as they often use more generic hub motors that could be replaced later.

I would have a good look on aliexpress to see what is available as well as Amazon and ebay. A quick look on aliexpress shows this but there maybe better options there;

301.66￡ 5% OFF|Ebike 36v250w Front Hub Motor + 36v5ah Kit Suitable For Brompton Bike Fork Size 74mm 16inch 349wheel Rim - Chargers & Service Equipment - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

 

[StuartsProjects]

If my Swytch kit were to fail, I would probably go for the type of conversion posted above, just because the replacement bits are more readily available.

The small 5Ahr battery is enough for most of the Brompton journeys I do. If your going further carry another battery. This approach also has the advantage that you can cycle (?) the batteries and you have a ready spare if one fails for some reason.

Problem with self conversion on the Bromptons is where to put the battery and the bag\box for the controller and still have the bike fold easily.

A small bottle battery ought to fit on the top tube by the seat, but then maybe the seat wont go so low which locks the bike up for folding.

I would personally go for the LCD4 display, less to get in the way when the bike is being folded and unfolded.

I did have an LCD3 on my mountain bike conversion and whilst there is a lot of information on it, it does get in the way a bit and if the bike falls over or your in a crash there is a distinct possibility it gets broken and your ebike wont work no more. The much smaller LCD4 is good enough and a lot smaller.

There are enough Bromptons out there, maybe there is a specific Brompton forum ?

 

[Nealh]

I suspect access to the frame tube is blanked off. KT do a 30mm dia tube controller about 200mm long would be ideal to conseal in a bikes frame if ne could get at it.

I have just swapped out my lcd4 and gone back to the lcd3 as the 3 works better, with the 4 odo read out was hit and miss. Sometime the speed would register and if coasting it never registered, I was wondering if the hall or motor magnet was at fault so swapped out to the 3 and all is well. It may be I have a dodgy lcd4 or simply the processor isn't as good as the lcd3.
For the lcd3 I made an ali bracket with right angle Z bends so it hugs the head tube tighter doing so it doesn't stick up lik a sore thumb, the bracket is clamped by the steerer tube cap and bolt and bolted to the bracket utilising the two m4 threads on the back.

 

[Woosh]

Range is less important as this will mainly be used for quite short runs (<10 miles).

At the moment, my Brompton kit comes with 13AH battery mounted on the front luggage block. This has the advantage that the battery is locked to the frame for security but loses the functionality of the front luggage block for your bag.
From December, I will have the smaller 36V 10AH bag battery option. It will be in the same bag that houses the controller leaving the front luggage block free. The new bag battery uses just 20 of the latest Panasonic 21700 cells, so weighs less than anything else on the market with same capacity.

 

[StuartsProjects]

Sometime the speed would register and if coasting it never registered, I was wondering if the hall or motor magnet was at fault so swapped out to the 3 and all is well. It may be I have a dodgy lcd4 or simply the processor isn't as good as the lcd3.

Interesting, my LCD4 normally shows the correct speed, but maybe once every 10 secs or so briefly show a speed of maybe 10 or 15mph more. Does not cause a problem though.

 

[StuartsProjects]

I suspect access to the frame tube is blanked off. KT do a 30mm dia tube controller about 200mm long would be ideal to conseal in a bikes frame if ne could get at it.

The Brompton frame tube is open at the fold point, in the front part I have the toolkit and in the rear part a spare inner tube and spanner for the larger nut on the front wheel. But no access for cables at the ends.

 

[lori_m]

At the moment, my Brompton kit comes with 13AH battery mounted on the front luggage block. This has the advantage that the battery is locked to the frame for security but loses the functionality of the front luggage block for your bag.
From December, I will have the smaller 36V 10AH bag battery option. It will be in the same bag that houses the controller leaving the front luggage block free. The new bag battery uses just 20 of the latest Panasonic 21700 cells, so weighs less than anything else on the market with same capacity.

The smaller battery option sounds ideal. Do you have a price yet?

 

[Woosh]

The smaller battery option sounds ideal. Do you have a price yet?

£499. From 17-December 2022.

 

[lori_m]

£499. From 17-December 2022.

Brilliant - thanks