CONVERTING A BABBOE CARGO

[Marco]

Hi
I have a babboe cargo tricycle. They are heavy and I live on a hill - it's clear now that I need an electric conversion / electric version of the same tricycle. Does anyone know if it's worth converting & if so how & what should I use to go about it? Has anyone done a similar conversion?

I know babboe sell a conversion kit but it would seem that it's maybe more expensive to convert than trade in for an electric one... or maybe you know different?

The enquiries I have made so far have been varied...
Many thanks!

 

[grldtnr]

Hi
I have a babboe cargo tricycle. They are heavy and I live on a hill - it's clear now that I need an electric conversion / electric version of the same tricycle. Does anyone know if it's worth converting & if so how & what should I use to go about it? Has anyone done a similar conversion?

I know babboe sell a conversion kit but it would seem that it's maybe more expensive to convert than trade in for an electric one... or maybe you know different?

The enquiries I have made so far have been varied...
Many thanks!

I am currently in Holland, it seems a lot of the cargo bikes are electric, converted or bought ,I am not sure, but there are surprisingly a lot of Pedelecs over here?

 

[flecc]

I am currently in Holland, it seems a lot of the cargo bikes are electric, converted or bought ,I am not sure, but there are surprisingly a lot of Pedelecs over here?

Pedelecs make up around one in eight of all bikes sold there. it's proportionally the largest pedelec market in the world. They buy well over half what Germany buys, but with only one fifth of the German population.
.

 

[grldtnr]

I am in Holland at the moment, there are a lot of cargo bikes& trikes about, slot of them electric, evenly split 'twixt rear hub & centre drive.
Given that you have a hill to cope with, a centre drive may suit best.

Given that the current wheel set is probably strongly built for load carrying, I would think a Bafang BBS is best.

 

[Nealh]

I am in Holland at the moment, there are a lot of cargo bikes& trikes about, slot of them electric, evenly split 'twixt rear hub & centre drive.
Given that you have a hill to cope with, a centre drive may suit best.

Given that the current wheel set is probably strongly built for load carrying, I would think a Bafang BBS is best.

We have poo pooed fitting a BBSxx or any similar designed mid drive in the another thread, the rectangular box frame will not allow fitment.

 

[jwm]

You will probably struggle with a mid drive as Nealh has stated, however any decent rear wheel conversion should do (bit more of a faff if you currently have hub gears). You definitely won't want to travel fast as the trikes are a bit more twitchy under full power, and don't forget to put some effort in to get the wheels moving before the power kicks in. Our cargo bike is throttle only as it allows better control of power depending on what you are carrying/what terrain etc.

John

 

[flecc]

You will probably struggle with a mid drive as Nealh has stated, however any decent rear wheel conversion should do (bit more of a faff if you currently have hub gears). You definitely won't want to travel fast as the trikes are a bit more twitchy under full power, and don't forget to put some effort in to get the wheels moving before the power kicks in. Our cargo bike is throttle only as it allows better control of power depending on what you are carrying/what terrain etc.

John

Trouble is it has a rear hub brake as well as hub gears. That makes a rear wheel conversion especially difficult, though not entirely impossible. Baboe's own conversion kit, though seemingly expensive may be cheapest and easiest in the end.
.

 

[anotherkiwi]

https://lunacycle.com/mini-cyclone-kit/ $419 + shipping. Maybe you could tune this down a little by using a smaller controller, say to 1500 W peak? Your IGH would probably say thank you!