Convert Your Old Bike into a Polished E-bike with This Conversion Kit

If the video player is not working, you can click on this alternative video link.

Fed up with doing all the hard work when riding your bike? Is your old bike perfectly serviceable but you don’t have the funds to justify buying a new off-the-shelf e-bike? 

Then why not kill two birds with one stone and convert your old bike into an e-bike? Follow this relatively simple guide to find out how. 

As you can imagine, you’ll need some tools and materials before you get started.

Materials and gear needed

• CSCbike MTB E-bike kit
• Old bike
• Various parts for the battery pack (see full instructions for details)

Optional

With all your gear in hand, let’s get on with the build.

Step 1: Modify your spot welder

Depending on the spot welder you have to hand, you may need to modify it for this build. If not, you can completely skip this step. 

However, if you do the first step is to take your copper cable and cut off the sheathing to expose the copper within. Encase the copper in heat shrink wrap. 

With that done, wrap the cable around the transformer as shown in the video. Next, take your cable lugs and insert the exposed ends of copper into them. Solder them into place as needed. 

With that done, modify the spot welder enclose as shown in the video and insert your modified transformer too. Wire up all the components as needed, and then close up the enclosure to the spot welder. 

Next, connect your welding handle as shown too. Now you can get on with the main build.

Step 2: Build the battery

Take the battery pack and disassemble it as shown in the video. Modify the internal parts of the pack as instructed. 

Once done, take your pack of batteries and load up the battery pack as needed. With that done, take your BMS and insert the temperature sensors for it and place them strategically among the batteries.

With that done, take our nickel strips and spot weld onto the batteries cells as shown in the video. Take care when doing this.

Once done, attach the BMS to the battery pack as required. Then solder the balance leads to the to battery pack too.

Wire up the BMS to the battery pack using various cables and other connections, as necessary too. Watch the tutorial video for more details.

With that done, place and connect the Bluetooth transmitter module to the setup too. Next, connect the wiring from the battery pack to the main battery charge and discharge assembly as shown in the video.

With that done, completely reassemble the entire battery assembly as needed. 

Step 3: Disassemble your bike

With the main battery pack now finished, we can move on to modify your existing bicycle to receive its e-bike upgrade. Remove the main chain, brake assemblies, pedals, wheels, seat, handlebars, etc to isolate the main bicycle frame. 

With that done, 3D print, or use alternative solutions, the main battery pack mounts for the frame. Affix these to the bicycle frame as needed and mount the battery pack to the frame as shown. This may require you to drill and bolt the base of the battery pack to your bike frame. 

With that done, solder the main power connector from the battery pack to the required E-bike wire as shown. Next, take your brushless motor controller and modify it as needed to include boxing for the e-bike wiring.

Once done, mount the controller to the main bike frame as needed above the battery back mounting. With that done, take the electric bike hub motor wheel and remove it from its packaging. 

Add the tire, if required, and inflate is needed. 

Next, carry out some basic maintenance and servicing of the front forks of the bike, if needed. Since the bike is now fully disassembled, you might as well take the time to do this while you can.

Clean up parts, replace lubricant fluids, and replace worn parts as needed. once done, fully reassemble the front fork as required. 

Step 4: Assemble the e-bike

Once you are happy, reattach the front fork of the bike to the frame. Next, take your handlebar assembly and reattach it to the front fork as required. 

Next, take the e-bike motorized hub wheel, and attach it to the rear wheel mount of the bike frame and install the torque arm as needed. 

With that done, install the e-bike pedal assembly to the original bike frame as shown in the video. Also, install the pedal assist sensor to the pedal assembly as shown. Add gears and the main pedal arms as needed too. 

With that done, take your new bike chain and install it on the bike as needed. Next, take the e-bike conversion kit LCD screen parts, wire them up as needed, and attach them to the bike handlebars and frame as shown in the instruction video. 

Also, install the main e-bike controls to the handlebars as required like the e-bike throttle and brakes, etc. With that done, reconnect and reassemble the brake cables and brake calipers to the front and rear wheels. 

Tighten the cables as needed once installed. Tie any loose cables to the main bike frame and tidy up using cable tidies as needed. With all that done, attach the main pedals to the bike as needed. 

Once that is done, reattach the main bike saddle back onto the bike frame as required. Last, but by no means least, remember to return the front wheel to the front fork of the bike, and reinflate the tire if needed.

Step 5: Go for a ride!

With all that done, your new DIY modified e-bike is almost ready to take on a test ride. But first, you’ll need to fully charge the battery pack before heading out. 

Connect it to a power supply, and wait around five hours to allow the battery to fully charge. Once ready, return the battery pack to the bike frame and connect any wires that are required. 

Now all you need to do is to find a suitable test ground for your new toy! Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this relatively complicated project, you may enjoy making a far simpler e-bike for yourself? How about, for example, this other example of converting an old bike into a top-of-the-line new e-bike?