Converting a Birdy Folder

[Deleted member 4366]

My Birdy Blue folder wants me to convert it to a FWD ebike! There are, however, some complications and I was hoping I could get some advice here. I don't want to compromise the folding ability if at all possible.

1. The front wheel is an 18" one. I have a new rim and was wondering if you could recommend a motor only deal that I could then have laced into a wheel. Are there certain windings that suit a small wheel better?
2. Is there anyone who specialises in making these wheels?
3. Once I have the wheel, what controller, display and wiring do you recommend?
4. Panda have a kit for a Brompton that includes an 8ah battery with controller in a bag that goes onto the 'bars. That would be ideal, but I'm not sure if they'd sell me just the battery and controller. Are there any other such options out there?

Any other tips or guidance welcome.

TIA

That Panda kit (Swytch) is pretty cheap. I'd buy the whole lot and relace the motor into an 18" rim

 

[Osirius]

Hi I have just noticed your request.
I was looking for something similar, but I needed to travel with the bike across the atlantic and occasionally across europe.
I chose a Birdy Mark 3 Rohloff rather than converting the bike to an e-bike because travelling with the batteries by air seems no longer possible :-(

I got an approximate £1100 upgrade quote for the DIY kit to convert my Birdy if I still wanted to go head with the upgrade at a future date.

I used these as reference links:

BVB Birdy

http://www.ebike-solutions.com/en/current-conversion-projects.html


If you are interested the company was:

Electric Bike Solutions GmbH
Carl-Bosch-Str. 2
69115 Heidelberg

Tel: +49 6221 871060

info@ebike-solutions.de
http://www.ebike-solutions.de

I decided to convert my mk2 Birdy to a foldable e-birdy and I tested the foldability on the ICE, Thalys and Eurostar as well as the Belgian trains

....

 

[jarob10]

I decided to convert my mk2 Birdy to a foldable e-birdy and I tested the foldability on the ICE, Thalys and Eurostar as well as the Belgian trains

....

Superb job!

 

[Osirius]

Superb job!

Thank you, I am very please with the result. A MK3 Birdy cannot be converted using this technique because the disc brakes are installed in a non-standard manner (!).

But the end result with a mk2 works very well.

I now have "a real bike" that "is foldable" and "is electric"

 

[jarob10]

Thank you, I am very please with the result. A MK3 Birdy cannot be converted using this technique because the disc brakes are installed in a non-standard manner (!).

But the end result with a mk2 works very well.

I now have "a real bike" that "is foldable" and "is electric"

... and full suspension. You’ve something fairly unique right there

 

[silentguy]

Tsdz2 mid drive motor would be similar fold to the Bafang BBS02

 

[silentguy]

My Birdy Bafang has now done just over 600 kms since the conversion 25 days ago.View attachment 17280 View attachment 17281 View attachment 17282 No problems, no regrets. Fitting was about four hours pleasurable project with no snags at all. I did experiment with putting the battery in a bag on the rear rack. Found that a little lacking in 'streamline' so simply bolted it on the rack and took to relying on my small front panniers for carrying whatever was needing carrying on the day. Or......went back to no bags at all and just a mussette.

Can u take a pic of the folding amount with the rear wheel and the mid drive motor and the front wheel too ?

thx.

 

[silentguy]

My Birdy Bafang has now done just over 600 kms since the conversion 25 days ago.View attachment 17280 View attachment 17281 View attachment 17282 No problems, no regrets. Fitting was about four hours pleasurable project with no snags at all. I did experiment with putting the battery in a bag on the rear rack. Found that a little lacking in 'streamline' so simply bolted it on the rack and took to relying on my small front panniers for carrying whatever was needing carrying on the day. Or......went back to no bags at all and just a mussette.

The wheels are still 16”. ? How many spokes or holes in the rear wheel ?

 

[Croxden]

The wheels are still 16”. ? How many spokes or holes in the rear wheel ?

Birdy have 18" wheels.

 

[Woosh]

Birdy have 18" wheels.

the Brompton has also 18" wheels - why do they insist they are 16" is beyond me.