Suggestions please, how to modify a 26" kit to suit a 29er bike ?

[Scorpio]

I'm looking for suggestions as I have a very clean 29er mtb, and a complete 26" rear wheel kit (Yose).
For now, I've removed the 29" wheels and have fitted the 26" rear hub motor and matching 26" front wheel.
The 29" wheels have been kept so I can put the bike back to original in the future.

Is there an easy way to use what I've got so I end up with an Ebike with 29" wheels?

I'm in mainland Europe so "Importing in the UK" / "UK customs" won't be a problem but I'd prefer not to buy more parts as I'm just here temporarily and have already accumulated a lot of "stuff"
The local Decathlon store had basic 29" wheels under £40 that might have been ok to canablise but everywhere is now closed due to lockdown.
I have built my own wheels in the past but putting the 29" rim on the the 26" hub isn't an option as the spoke count is different.

The project https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/yose-350-rear-hub-kit-transplanted-onto-scott.40186/

All suggestions welcome so fire away

 

[vfr400]

the cheapest, easiest and most direct option is to buy a 29" rim and some suitable spokes - about 40 euros. There are always rims and spokes on Ebay.

 

[Sturmey]

I'm looking for suggestions as I have a very clean 29er mtb, and a complete 26" rear wheel kit (Yose)................

.....All suggestions welcome so fire away

How about a 69er? i.e. you leave the existing 29 on the front and fit the 26 on the back. This idea was popular a number of years ago and has some advantages and can look well. e.g. link below.

69er — TI CYCLES FABRICATION

www.ticycles.com

 

[Scorpio]

@vfr400 - I had thought of ordering a rim and spokes but local bike shops are shut and getting post here is a problem (my last bulk order of 2 controllers + bits went missing and has never turned up), I might give it another go if I can't think of an alternative.

@Sturmey - I didn't know 26/29 was a thing, I put the 26/29 wheels on when I first got the bike but the obvious mismatch between my green 26" Curio tyre and knobbly 29 looked too odd. I might try again but with a knobbly 26 on the rear. Thanks for the link.

Keep the suggestions coming, all ideas are welcome

 

[Battenhall]

Go with lacing the motor into the 29 inch wheel. A useful skill to learn. Nice project for lockdown days and nights!

 

[Scorpio]

@Battenhall I had thought of it but the 29 rim I have has a different spoke count to the 26 hub motor. If local shops were open I might have taken gamble and bought their cheapest 29 wheel just to strip for parts but all shops are closed. Post here goes missing so is Ebay etc is my last resort.

Agree wheel building is useful and relaxing, I'd never tried it until last month when I swapped a working 26" motor into a faulty 27" electric wheel. Then made an electric 26" wheel from spare parts. Good fun.

 

[Gringo]

A 69er with a fat rear tire and a slim front could work, I’m reminded of my dirt bike days when my bikes had 19 inch rear wheels and 21 inch front

 

[Scorpio]

Just back after trying @Sturmey 69er suggestion, it works nice off-road but I’ve had to remove both Curio tyres so on my usual B-road routes it’s a backwards step. A fun day out though

 

[Sturmey]

Just back after trying @Sturmey 69er suggestion, it works nice off-road but I’ve had to remove both Curio tyres so on my usual B-road routes it’s a backwards step. A fun day out though View attachment 41024

Nice bike. One important thing to bear in mind (especially with an emtb) is that if you change your rim from 26" to 29" you will increase the motor load by 10%, effectively reducing your 'thrust' or pulling power (especially against winds and on hills) by 10% and the motor may appear to lack power or torque by this amount. This will result in loss of performance and efficiency at lower speeds
There will be a gain however of top speed on the flat.