Considering winter bike conversion

[Andy___]

Hello. I am new to e-bikes and would appreciate some advice.

I used to commute year round, but for the last couple of years have taken the winter off, due to a combination of knee pain and laziness.
My commute is 17 miles each way, mostly rolling hills (one steep). I weigh around 70kg.

Rather than get a new bike, I am considering converting my winter bike, which is a Salsa Vaya set up for commuting (dyno lights etc.)

The Woosh CST looks like a good fit, and will fit the existing cassette.

Is this a good choice?
Should I consider mid-drive instead?
As I have drop bars, is it OK idea to run with pedal assist only and no throttle?
How big a battery should I get?

Thanks
Andy

 

[Benjahmin]

Kit is good and Woosh have excellent customer service. Hub motors are pretty much bullet proof, well suited to a commute. Yes you can run with no throttle so don't really need brake switch.
If you take an average consumption of 10Wh per mile then a 14Ah battery should give you some headroom for your commute. (36v x 14Ah = 504Wh)
Mid drive will put extra strain on your drive train, can have chain line issues during installation and my observation is that most problem enquiries on this forum concern mid drives. Just saying - of course this could be because there are more of them around.

 

[Nealh]

14ah + will do the 34 mile return journey though with winter cold weather at/below freezing then you may see range down a bit compared to warmer ambient temps. This is quite normal as cells give less capacity when it is cold, I would say 10 - 20% but depends on how much current which pas level you use.
Throttle not really needed in winter as pedalling will keep you warmer, for commute and a more relaxed ride opt for a rear hub which is easier on the drive train.

 

[sjpt]

I agree with the comments about no need for throttle.
I'd still keep break sensors though. Sometimes in a slow tight manoeuvre you want to do quick controlled half turns of the pedals. If that suddenly brings in the motor it can be awkward, and without brake sensors the motor will stay powered for a crucial second or so.

 

[Fat Rat]

Hi welcome
I'm staying out of it because I commute with a mid drive all year round only do around 4k a year thou which for some isn't enough
I also off-road on a regular basis to on the same bike