Carrera Vengeance Conversion

nwbkr

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Jun 4, 2024
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2 threads going.

Hi guys, I'm m new to the ebike world and I want to do a conversion on a Carrera Vengeance. I am buying the Vengeance new and would like recommendations on what motor I should get. Some people said I should buy a used bike but I figured why buy a used bike when I can buy a new one and keep it for years.

I have read pretty much about the Bafang but I want to know which is best. I'm not looking for so much power just enough for fun.

Just to add I will not be doing the conversion myself l, I'm taking it down to a bike shop to have it installed. Need help on what motor and ideas from you experienced folks.

Thanks everyone.
 
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Woosh

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May 19, 2012
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How hilly is your area and how heavy are you?
 

nwbkr

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Jun 4, 2024
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How hilly is your area and how heavy are you?
sorry I had 2 threads open.

 

Az.

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 27, 2022
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OMG LOL how mediocre is it? and what would you recommend?
It is pretty much bottom of low end. Worse are only bikes from Argos LOL.

I didn't look at MTB market for adults recently, but I would suggest you shop around a bit.
 

nwbkr

Pedelecer
Jun 4, 2024
45
23
It is pretty much bottom of low end. Worse are only bikes from Argos LOL.

I didn't look at MTB market for adults recently, but I would suggest you shop around a bit.

Well for one, I don't know where the previous thread went to.

I'm not really going off road that much into proper MTB territory, I live just outside Manchester and just love having to go on the bike trails for a good ride. I have a subway 2 actually which I love but it's not got a suspension. So I figured I'd get a new bike and add a motor for the fun of it. I was looking at already built ebikes but they are mostly ugly tbh and look too bulky and not forgetting the price.
 
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Woosh

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May 19, 2012
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For tour weight, bike and trail rides, I suggest the Tongsheng Tsdz8. It's been covered here extensively.
 
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Peter.Bridge

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Apr 19, 2023
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I bought a 15 year old Carrera Vulcan as a donor bike off facebook, changed the mechanical disk brakes to hydraulic. (Very easy to do and cheap). I do 100 miles a week on it - it's been fine.
I think the Carrera Vengeance would be fine , but would change (or get changed) the brakes to hydraulic for an ebike. Personally for the same price as the Vengeance new you could get a hardly used second hand bike with hydraulic brakes and air forks (big step up from the coil xcm forks), something like the voodoo bizango.https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1184862842501651/
 
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Woosh

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May 19, 2012
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Iirc, the bizango has the chainstays flare out quite close to the bottom bracket. It may cause problems for middle motors.
 
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Az.

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Apr 27, 2022
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Iirc, the bizango has the chainstays flare out quite close to the bottom bracket. It may cause problems for middle motors.
That is exactly what I was thinking right now. Bizango is a great bike, but it might not be possible to install mid drive on it. Better check it before buying
 
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Peter.Bridge

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Apr 19, 2023
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Iirc, the bizango has the chainstays flare out quite close to the bottom bracket. It may cause problems for middle motors.

Yes - it looks like it might need some massaging ! Any other suggestions for the OP of nearly new bikes where the TSDZ8 fits ?
 
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Sturmey

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2018
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........ Some people said I should buy a used bike .......
There is a good reason for this advice. I have converted about 10 bike so far and in many cases, some modification to the frames/rerouting of cables etc were necessary that I would not like to be doing with a brand new bike. For example, the Carrera Vengeance I converted (rear hub motor) had very shallow dropouts on the rear that needed filing. Some frames need a little spreading of the chainstays . When I fitted a TSDZ2, I needed to remove the gear cable guides below bottom bracket, file and clean up the inside of bottom bracket and file and drill and widen the stand hole in the chainstay bridge to allow fitting of the anti rotation bolt/clamp.
There is an advantage, especially on your first instillation, with using a cheap secondhand bike. You can always move a conversion kit afterwards to something better if you need to. I paid 30 euro for my Carrera vengeance.
 
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saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
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2 threads going.

Hi guys, I'm m new to the ebike world and I want to do a conversion on a Carrera Vengeance. I am buying the Vengeance new and would like recommendations on what motor I should get. Some people said I should buy a used bike but I figured why buy a used bike when I can buy a new one and keep it for years.

I have read pretty much about the Bafang but I want to know which is best. I'm not looking for so much power just enough for fun.

Just to add I will not be doing the conversion myself l, I'm taking it down to a bike shop to have it installed. Need help on what motor and ideas from you experienced folks.

Thanks everyone.
Buying a new bike to convert is a silly idea. Why would you do that when you can get the same bike secondhand for half the price or less? The moment you fit the motor, you invalidate any dealer warranty, and you're going to end up chucking some of the parts that you paid for, like gears, brakes or back wheel. Also, by the time you've finished, you'll have a very ordinary ebike that cost you over £1000, when you could have a bought a pretty good ready-made one for less money with full warranty from Amazon.

Next, I can't see the point of a crank motor on a bike for normal riding around. I thought you said you wanted it for fun. The only times a crank motor makes sense is for extreme hills, heavy weights or towing.
 
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saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
7,004
3,240
Telford
There is a good reason for this advice. I have converted about 10 bike so far and in many cases, some modification to the frames/rerouting of cables etc were necessary that I would not like to be doing with a brand new bike. For example, the Carrera Vengeance I converted (rear hub motor) had very shallow dropouts on the rear that needed filing. Some frames need a little spreading of the chainstays . When I fitted a TSDZ2, I needed to remove the gear cable guides below bottom bracket, file and clean up the inside of bottom bracket and file and drill and widen the hole in the chainstay bridge to allow fitting of the anti rotation brackets.
There is an advantage, especially on your first instillation, with using a cheap secondhand bike. You can always move a conversion kit afterwards. I paid 30 euro for my Carrera vengeance.
Plus you need to drill the frame for the battery mount and file the drop-outs for the motor.
 

Az.

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 27, 2022
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932
Plymouth
I suggest you convert your Carrera Subway. There is no big difference between Subway and Vengeance. If you outgrow Subway you can quite easily transfer motor to a new bike. This way you will save some money now.
 

matthewslack

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 26, 2021
1,965
1,416
I bought a 15 year old Carrera Vulcan as a donor bike off facebook, changed the mechanical disk brakes to hydraulic. (Very easy to do and cheap). I do 100 miles a week on it - it's been fine.
I think the Carrera Vengeance would be fine , but would change (or get changed) the brakes to hydraulic for an ebike. Personally for the same price as the Vengeance new you could get a hardly used second hand bike with hydraulic brakes and air forks (big step up from the coil xcm forks), something like the voodoo bizango.https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1184862842501651/
I have just been gifted a Voodoo Bizango, and it will not accept a 40+ tooth chainring, so only useful for a hub conversion.

Nice bike otherwise.
 
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Waspy

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 8, 2012
434
172
Buying a new bike to convert is a silly idea. Why would you do that when you can get the same bike secondhand for half the price or less? The moment you fit the motor, you invalidate any dealer warranty, and you're going to end up chucking some of the parts that you paid for, like gears, brakes or back wheel. Also, by the time you've finished, you'll have a very ordinary ebike that cost you over £1000, when you could have a bought a pretty good ready-made one for less money with full warranty from Amazon.

Next, I can't see the point of a crank motor on a bike for normal riding around. I thought you said you wanted it for fun. The only times a crank motor makes sense is for extreme hills, heavy weights or towing.
Eleglide bikes make a lot of sense for the money. One reasonable payment and you're done. No fixing up or upgrading old bikes, no bike shops, no drilling or filing (OP states he needs to get his LBS to fit the kit). PLUS, when the OP reappears here a month later asking how to de-restrict his bike, he won't need to because with the Eleglide phone app one can set the top speed to 20MPH if one so desires (for use on private land and with the land owner's permission of course).​

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Saracen

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Aug 24, 2023
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OMG read the reviews on Halfords bikes first then go somewhere else