How to choose between 1000w and 1500w

minime

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Feb 19, 2017
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OK, 30 mph is a good start point. If you aim for a hub motor that's specced to achieve 30 mph on a stated voltage, a higher wattage version if there's a choice will give more torque. So that answers your original question in one respect.

Regarding your listed options, since you can't do it yourself, the Cyclotricity Stealth seems the best option in every respect, assuming it can reach your required 30mph.
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Ah, now we are getting somewhere. Therefore, the answer to my original question is that higher motor wattage equates to more torque (provided everything else, like motor type, frame, tyres, controller, etc, stay the same).

There are 1000w and 1500w conversion kits on Ebay that sell for the same or similar prices and I was wondering why not get the more powerful one for the same amount of money. (unless there is a catch).
 

flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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Ah, now we are getting somewhere. Therefore, the answer to my original question is that higher motor wattage equates to more torque (provided everything else, like motor type, frame, tyres, controller, etc, stay the same).

There are 1000w and 1500w conversion kits on Ebay that sell for the same or similar prices and I was wondering why not get the more powerful one for the same amount of money. (unless there is a catch).
As I said, it depends on their speed speccs. If both are similar 30 mph motors, then the choice is between better hill climbing with 1500 watts or longer range with the 1000 watt.
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minime

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Feb 19, 2017
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As I said, it depends on their speed speccs. If both are similar 30 mph motors, then the choice is between better hill climbing with 1500 watts or longer range with the 1000 watt.
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Between a 1000w motor and a 1500w motor, both doing 30mph, which one consumes more energy and why? (again, all things considered equal and the road is flat, no hills)
 

flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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But why not get a 60v/25Ah, triangularly-shaped battery from Aliexpress? Is this not preferable?
One disadvantage is that you're lugging all that huge extra weight, even when you don't need it, affecting the handling and cycling pleasure. And if you break down, you'll curse pedalling that weight back home without power.

A dual battery advantage is that one can be on charge while the other is in use. With one very big battery taking a long time to charge, you might be stuck at times waiting for a long time when you really want to be on the road again.
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soundwave

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minime

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Feb 19, 2017
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One disadvantage is that you're lugging all that huge extra weight, even when you don't need it, affecting the handling and cycling pleasure. And if you break down, you'll curse pedalling that weight back home without power.

A dual battery advantage is that one can be on charge while the other is in use. With one very big battery taking a long time to charge, you might be stuck at times waiting for a long time when you really want to be on the road again.
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OK, that makes sense. But what about voltage? Why choose a 60v/15Ah battery over a 48v/15Ah one? What do you gain from a battery of higher voltage? (Again, all things considered equal)
 

flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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Between a 1000w motor and a 1500w motor, both doing 30mph, which one consumes more energy and why? (again, all things considered equal and the road is flat, no hills)
Not much in it in that idealised condition, but that's rare. In practice there's likely to be some acceleration periods, slopes, head winds etc. all of which giving the more powerful motor a chance to show its advantage and consume more.
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soundwave

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voltage depends what the motor is and you match the 2.
 

flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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OK, that makes sense. But what about voltage? Why choose a 60v/15Ah battery over a 48v/15Ah one? What do you gain from a battery of higher voltage? (Again, all things considered equal)
It holds more power potential. Power isn't current or voltage, it's the multiple of those, V x A = Watts.

So your examples are 900 Watts against 720 Watts. One is 25% larger capacity so can do 25% more work. You can choose to have that extra work performed as range or speed or hill climbing.
.
 

soundwave

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10kg is half the waight of my bike ;)
 
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minime

Pedelecer
Feb 19, 2017
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It holds more power potential. Power isn't current or voltage, it's the multiple of those, V x A = Watts.

So your examples are 900 Watts against 720 Watts. One is 25% larger capacity so can do 25% more work. You can choose to have that extra work performed as range or speed or hill climbing.
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Very informative. I thought that greater voltage equates to greater speed because that's what I read in an online article (amongst the top ten on google). Or perhaps I misread or misunderstood the text...
 

soundwave

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now think of a 14kw motor sucking at it at 90amps 72v ;)
 

D8ve

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For one fixed motor greater voltage means higher top rotation speed.
But road speed is.....complex like is a 2 litre petrol faster than 2 litre diesel.
Avoid a direct drive hub motor unless you live in a flatter than flat land.
 
D

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My only point of reference is my Cyclamatic CX1 and there are NO bike shops in the area where I can test-ride e-bikes.

My requirements are as follows:
a) ~30mph top speed
b) better torque than the Cyclamatic CX1
c) the greater the range, the better

I ask myself, why should I get a cyclotricity stealth 1000w for 1200 pounds instead of buying:
a) 1000w conversion kit off ebay (~200 pounds)
b) 60v/20ah battery with charger from Aliexpress (~500 pounds)
c) Some random, albeit compatible, bike from Halfords (~200 pounds)
d) Pay someone to put everything together since I can't do it myself

Does this not make sense?
No.

You'd need to upgrade the gearing and the brakes, which would cost about £100 to £150

There's extra things you need, like torque arms, connectors, wire, heatshrink, something to put the battery in and a way to mount it.

You have to do some work to the bike, like filing the drop-outs and changing the bottom bracket. Fitting stuff on the handlebars, like throttle and LCD is a right pain. It normally takes ages moving things around before you can bodge everything to fit.

Does your battery include the charger? If not, that's another £50.

For an experienced guy to fit that stuff properly, would take about 5 to 10 hours.That would cost about £100 upwards.

There's the £80 shipping cost for the final bike,

My calculation says that that bike will cost you over £1200. Of course, you can forget about the brake and gearing upgrades and pay less than £100 to get the typical crap installations that I've seen often enough, and you get a bike that soon stops working and you end up in a fight with the installer.

Finally, you take the bike out in the rain or leave it parked out overnight in the rain, and you get water in the motor. What are you going to do then?
 

minime

Pedelecer
Feb 19, 2017
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For one fixed motor greater voltage means higher top rotation speed.
But road speed is.....complex like is a 2 litre petrol faster than 2 litre diesel.
Avoid a direct drive hub motor unless you live in a flatter than flat land.
The more I learn, the more confused I get.
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
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