Hi, from pedelec hopeful

[Deltacharlie26]

Just found this forum, lots of knowledge being passed around which I hope to draw on in converting an old Raleigh MTB into a street legal rear hub pedelec with a modest battery capacity. I suffer from Arthritis in my knee so hope a pedelec will keep me cycling a bit longer before I hang up my bike clips! Be interested to hear of other folk who have similar problems and how they solved them.

 

[Benjahmin]

Hi Charlie,
I get knee problems intermittently. Last year I converted my hybrid with a front wheel drive. Now if my knee does start playing up I can keep up the rotation (so keeping drive) but back off the pressure I apply, to nothing if needed. If it gets really bad I can just use the throttle. It's put the pleasure back into cycling for me. Go for it, the guys on here will answer all your technical questions. Just watch out for those WMPTE buses!

 

[Deltacharlie26]

Hi Ben, That's encouraging. How do you find the front wheel drive for normal road use? Would a rear wheel drive be more stable? I hope to try and get a ride on both types before making a decision but I would appreciate your opinion. Is 250/300watt powerful enough on your "off" days when you can't pedal powerfully or at all?
Regards,
Dennis

 

[Alan Quay]

In defence of front wheel Drive:
On the road, front or real wheel drive makes little difference. If you have a battery at the back, a hub motor at the front gives good weight distribution.

Off road, there's arguments for both. Front wheel elelctric, rear wheel pedal powered gives you a two wheel drive vehicle.

I have a few of each, and I prefer front for day to day use, but it's not a deal breaker.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

A rear motor always sounds quieter than a front one and theoretically safer, thou at low power, it makes little difference.

 

[Benjahmin]

Hi Ben, That's encouraging. How do you find the front wheel drive for normal road use? Would a rear wheel drive be more stable? I hope to try and get a ride on both types before making a decision but I would appreciate your opinion. Is 250/300watt powerful enough on your "off" days when you can't pedal powerfully or at all?
Regards,
Dennis

I've never ridden a rear hub drive so I couldn't compare. The only time it's been slightly 'entertaining' is on a steep hill, standing on the pedals and pulling on the bars, the wheel gets a bit lively. But hunching over the bars sorts it out.
I've been amazed what 250w will do. Others here will explain that that figure is nominal and actual power consumption can be much higher. A friend of mine (a more athletic 60 year old than me) reckons he can just about sustain 125w on a gym cycle machine. Not sure how relevant that is, but it certainly helps explain the prodigious hill climbing capacity of my conversion.
Mines a rear rack battery, as Mike says it balances the weight.