Are you feeling the heat? Don't worry; it isn't just you. The entire planet is getting warmer due to climate change. In the United States, 27 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions come from a single sector: transportation. So yes, the car you drive for your daily commute to work (and anywhere else) contributes to the worsening global situation.
Our actions can have good and bad effects on our environment. So if you want to reduce your carbon footprint (or the greenhouse gases your actions generate), here comes the good news. You can lessen your negative environmental impacts by ditching your car and hopping on an electric bicycle (or ebike).
If you have a regular bike, you can turn it into an ebike using ebike conversion kits. Continue reading and discover how a conversion kit can be your ticket to the green bandwagon!
The short answer is yes. Today, most cars on the road are fueled by gasoline, producing greenhouse gases when burned. We have a long way to go before four-wheeled electric vehicles (EVs) dominate our streets and highways.
However, the green transport revolution has already begun with ebikes. They provide an environmentally friendly alternative to air-polluting cars. They run on batteries while letting you burn some calories by stepping on the pedal.
If you still think getting an ebike is a waste of money, especially since you already have your old regular bike in your garage, you may want to think twice. Ebikes offer many things that a regular bike doesn't. Once you hop on a battery-powered electric bike and ride it on your daily commute, you will certainly appreciate how different the experience is from riding a regular bike.
Here are some things that an ebike does better than a regular bike.
A regular bike can only go as fast as you can work on the pedal. As you can imagine, your legs will soon give out if you push yourself to the limits.
Meanwhile, the electric motor that comes in an ebike does the heavy work for you. How fast your ebike can go depends on the local regulations in your town or city. For instance, most places limit the speeds of ebikes to 20 to 28 miles per hour. As a result, most manufacturers equip their electric motors with speed limiters.
Cycling is an accessible and enjoyable form of exercise. However, you wouldn't want to sweat so much if you ride your bike to work. Otherwise, you would have to pack some extra clothes and change into them before stepping into the office.
Thankfully, ebikes save you from such inconvenience with their pedal-assist feature. You wouldn't have to pedal as hard as you would on a regular bike since the electric motor provides extra mileage for each step you make.
As mentioned above, each step you make on an ebike can take you farther, thanks to its pedal-assist feature. However, you can also let it run entirely on its batteries without stepping on the pedal. You only have to twist the thumb throttle until you reach the velocity you want. Then, when the batteries run out, you can take over and ride it like a regular mountain bike. Alternating between manual and electric modes will let you travel farther on a single charge.
Despite the seemingly complicated devices and wirings, an ebike is just an ordinary bike with an electric bike motor and battery. With some elbow grease, anyone can transform their regular bike into an ebike. The best ebike conversion kits are easy to set up and work with almost every model. Depending on its configuration, the motor can be attached to either wheel hubs or the gear itself.
When installing a hub motor on either the wheels of the bike, the electric hub motor provides power to the wheel it's attached to. Meanwhile, mid-drive motors engage the gear set, practically replacing your foot on the pedal. Knowing the appropriate conversion kit for your needs can make your newly converted ebike perform at its absolute best.
If you search for an electric bike conversion kit on any online marketplace, you will end up with product listings with varying price tags. Electric bike conversion kits can be bought anywhere from less than $200 to more than $800.
You might wonder why there is a wide gap between the cheapest and most expensive kits. The reason lies in the battery's reliability and the electric motor's performance. When searching for the best ebike conversion kits, it would be best if you had some help.
Here are some of the top-rated ebike conversion kits you may want to check out if you are in the market for one.
Widely known for their electric motors found on most budget ebikes, Bafang stands out for striking a balance between price and performance. The ebike component manufacturer offers a mid-drive motor ebike conversion kit capable of outputting 80Nm of torque. Unfortunately, you have to find a compatible battery pack since the electric bike kit doesn't come with one.
Most cheap electric bike conversion kits on the market require you to remove either the front or rear wheel of the bike so that you can install a hub motor. However, Rubbee set its Rubbee X ebike conversion kit apart from its competitors by designing it to be instantly attached and removed from your bike. As a result, you can turn your ordinary bike into an ebike within seconds.
If you are patient enough and can wait for the next restock, the electric bike kit from Swytch may be your best bet. This kit enjoys wide compatibility with regular bikes regardless of wheel size. Moreover, when compared to its rivals, it looks sleek and feels lightweight. The ease of setup also makes it a more convenient option for most riders.
Joining the fight against climate change means changing our lifestyles. We must start watching our carbon footprint and actions that can worsen the climate crisis. Unfortunately, switching from fossil fuel-powered cars to eco-friendly ebikes is neither easy nor cheap. Thankfully, an electric bicycle conversion kit allows everyone to turn their old bikes into an effective transport alternative.
Do note, though, that riding an ebike to work exposes you to dangers on the road. Make yourself safer as you pedal your way to the office with the right cycling gear and accessories. Check our websites for more information.
