If you’re thinking about getting into the ebike building or assembling business, there are a few essential (and many more not so essential) tools you’ll need to get started. Following is a list of many of the tools you might consider owning in order of important at the top of the list through ‘nice to have’ at the bottom.
Important:
Bike stand, or another way to elevate your heavy ebike for maintenance. Personally, I use a garage hoist system, because I can and it works for me:
Next up is a place to store your tools. I use an ammo box since my tools travel, but having a good place to store your tools so they’re easy to access when needed is inportant:
I just use a rechargable bicycle headlight when I need additional light on my project, but better might be an actual hiker’s headlamp to help direct light to where it’s most needed:
And of course, the cure-all/fix-all, WD-40 – never leave home without it. Now available in many flavors…
Wow, that’s a long list! I’m sure I’m missing a few items, but this should at least get you started on your ebike building and/or assembling adventure.
Enjoy!
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Since this is a blog about electric bikes, you might be thinking that I’m going to talk about ‘torque-sensing’, but I’m not. I want to talk about ‘torque’ with respect to all the important fasteners on your ebike. You know, like to Allen-head bolts that hold your handle bar on so it keeps your front wheel going in the right direction and the handlebar doesn’t pop off when you least expect it – that would be a BAD DAY! So here goes:
Many modern ebikes have ‘bolt torque specs’ printed on the important parts, like this:
Or have a microscopic eye-chart located somewhere on the bike, like this:
So this begs the question “how would I know when I have the right torque?” when tightening a specific bolt, now that I know how much it should be. Well, I’m glad you asked. It turns out that some clever engineer designed a ‘torque wrench’ for just this purpose. And here’s the one I use daily. This is the Venzo 1/4 Inch Drive Click Torque Wrench Set from Amazon:
There are other sets available, but this one works for me. But let’s continue with some other useful information one should know about one’s ebike, starting with vocabulary.
Stem/Bar ‘Faceplate Bolts’ – 6N.m when 4mm Allen bolts are used, 10N.m for 5mm bolts
Stem/Bar ‘Top Cap Bolt’ – typically 8N.m
Stem/Bar ‘ Fork Tube Pinch Bolts’ – 6N.m when 4mm Allen bolts are used, 15N.m for 5mm bolts
Crank Arm Fixing Bolts – typically 35-40N.m
Thru-Axle (front) – 9-13.5N.m as specified
Rear Axle (for rear hub motors) – typically 35-40N.m
And this is just a few of the parts where proper torque is most important. Handlebars, pedals and wheels falling off does not make for a good day. When torquing other parts like chainring bolts, the derailleur hanger bolt (ebikes usually have only one rear derailleur), disc brake cable anchor bolts and disc bolts, saddle clamp bolts, shift/brake lever bolts, brake caliper bolts, and such I use the following chart as a guide. This provides a torque range to different size Allen bolts which is a good starting place. At the end of the day, too little torque can result in a loose part and too much torque can strip the threads on your expensive bike, so this is also bad!
The left column shows Allen bolt head size, and to the right, the approximate torque values. Use this only as a guideline should the respective parts on your ebike don’t happen to have torque values stamped on the part.
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If you happen to have purchased a Velotric Fold 1 folding e-bike recently:
You’ll notice a metal bracket that hangs down below the chain ring. This protects the chainring when the ebike is folded, which is a really good thing. But…
When it comes to loading your ebike (assembled, not folded) on a bike rack designed for electric bikes, this bracket can be a problem. Solution…
This is the Thule EasyFold XT 2-Bike Hitch Rack available from REI for $850, or (as of 9/21/24) from Amazon for about $750. And yes, it’s expensive, but it has a ramp and it’s really well designed. So if loading your Fold 1 on a Hollywood ebike rack isn’t working out, the Thule rack just might be the answer. Here’s what a Fold 1 looks like on Thule’s EasyFold XT rack:
And here are some more images of the Thule in action:
PS – One great feature of this rack versus other racks designed specifically for ebikes is its weight at 45 lbs. My Hollywood rack, which I love, is a bit heavier at 54 lbs… And a downside to note is that this rack, unlike many others on the market, does not fold up flush with your car’s tailgate. This rack will always extend out some distance from the back of your car, and it’s small enough you probably won’t remember its there. Great rack, but you have been warned. Oh, and it folds up like suitcase, with handles, so it’s convenient to carry and store. All said, it’s just a really great rack – for a little less than $800 after PA sales tax…
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I like a lot of what Aventon has to offer, but their mid-drive Ramblas is eMTB perfection! But before I go on, feast your eyes on this:
Normally, I like to find little imperfections in an ebike build that I can complain about, and usually say that “a bike has good bones, but I would change this and that.” Not so with the Ramblas. Build quality is AMAZING! Components are great. And its design rivals that of much more expensive hard-tail electric mountain bikes. And then there’s the price. $2899 (for all 4 sizes S, M, L, and XL) sounds like a lot (at least it does to me), but considering what you get for the money the Ramblas is a really good value. And here’s what you get (hold on to your bike helmet, there’s a lot!):
Technical Overview
“Ramblas comes out of the box as a Class I ebike, with pedal assist and a top speed of 20 MPH. Aventon’s Ramblas is built to the IP67-rated standard. IP67 rating means it’s protected against the effects of immersion in water to a depth between 15 cm and 1 meter. IP67-rated products are referred to as waterproof vs only water-resistant, so you can cross creeks, and ride in rain and mud without worry.“
I told you it would be a lot! I especially like that they’re using LG 2170 cells in the battery, that the motor is IP67 rated, that it has 4-piston hydraulic brake calipers with properly size discs (180mm front, 200mm rear), and they’re using a 12-speed cassette (11-50 tooth) sprocket with single click shifter and 34 tooth narrow-wide front chain ring.
Since I’m 6’2″, I think I would stick with the XL frame, and if handlebar position isn’t quite right, an adjustable handlebar stem might be required. Other than that, I think Aventon has got this Class 1 eMTB completely dialed in. Oh, and of course there’s the mandatory mirror and bell needing to be added.
Here are some pictures I took of a Ramblas I assembled this morning at Max’s Electric Bikes in Doylestown, PA. What a bike!
And after all the great things I said about the Ramblas, I do have a complaint, which is with the marketing department, not the bike – so here goes:
In the ‘General Info’ section, you’ll see ‘Range: Up to 80 Miles‘ – what? Let’s do some quick math (which you can find in one of my recent e-bike presentations here) – example:
For the Ramblas we have a 708Wh 36v battery. 708Wh/36v gives us a 19.67 (round to 20) Ah battery – not bad. But throwing that back into the equation 708Wh/20Wh per mile = 35.4 miles. So that’s what you can expect from your battery power-wise. Now factor in the lack of a throttle, which means you’re always pedaling when the bike is moving forward. So perhaps they’re factoring in an equal amount of rider energy for each watt-hour of battery energy used. That makes some sense, but I still think the 80-mile number is kind of misleading.
On the other hand, Electric Bike Report did conduct an extensive range test and here are their results:
In conclusion, they wrote, “
“In short, the Aventon Ramblas delivered an impressive performance. Set to Sport, its max PAS setting, we rode an incredible 47.5 mi. at an average speed of 17.5 mph, with roughly 1150 ft. of elevation change.
Set to Eco, its minimum PAS setting, the Ramblas was even more impressive. It rolled along at an average speed of 13 mph for 8:12, for a total mileage of 107.4, with 2224 ft. of climbing.
To put this in perspective, consider this: The Aventon Ramblas is one of only five e-bikes that we’ve tested that gave more than 100 mi. of range. It’s max power test was the fourth longest we’ve ever tested too. Given those results, 80 miles on a single charge of trail riding sounds realistic, and it makes it one of the more impressive eMTBs in terms of range.”
This is the AIMA Santa Monica, and what’s so impressive about this particular e-bike is the quality of the build. Usually, I would spend another 200 to 300 dollars after purchasing an e-bike upgrading substandard parts. Not so with the Santa Monica (or with any of AIMA’s bikes for that matter). Let me explain:
Here’s what you get with this factory build that I think are great features:
27.5″ street tires, not knobbies
Torque sensing pedal assist, not cadence
203mm brake rotors AND good quality hydraulic brakes (rotor size matters!)
Large (52 tooth) crank set, let’s you keep pedaling at speed
Good quality rear derailleur and gear ratios (11-34 tooth)
Bafang motor and long range, high quality battery (uses LG cells)
Turn signals, horn, and headlight
Adjustable handlebar stem (important but hard to find on bikes in this price range)
Fenders included – I do like fenders!
Different frame sizes available for the vertically gifted or challenged (that sounds offensive)
Configurable power settings if Class 2 restrictions aren’t fast enough for you
And I could go on. But taking into consideration all the great features of the Santa Monica, I still feel the need to change out 3 things, and ONLY 3 things. First, every e-bike needs a mirror: the Hafny Bar End Mirror is my current favorite for $15. Second, most e-bikes in this price range ship with pedals that I consider to be junk. Here’s the a pedal set I have been buying recently and am very happy with: 3 Bearing 9/16” Aluminum Alloy Bicycle Pedals for $24 and change. Plus they come in various colors to match the color of your e-bike. And my third and final upgrade is handlebar grips. You’re going to need to change out the grips anyway to fit the bar-end mirror, and I swear by Lock-on Knife Shape Mountain Bike Grips, which also come in various colors by the way. These babies will set you back $8 a pair.
When all is said and done, I have spent another $50 transforming my Santa Monica from a great e-bike into a ‘perfect’ e-bike. Having built e-bikes and bought e-bikes, I know that I can buy a good e-bike and for a few hundred dollars turn it into a great e-bike. But when I see an e-bike on the market where the manufacturer has already built a high level of quality and functionality into the bike I’m buying, then that’s bike I would buy, and then I only have to make a few mods. AIMA’s Santa Monica is that e-bike, and I’m very impressed. Job well done AIMA!
Photo Gallery:
203mm brake rotors and good quality hydraulic brake calipers
750W Bafang rear hub motor
52 tooth crankset and quiet-running street tire
Adjustable handlebar stem
And my mods:
Grips
Pedals
Mirror
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Max’s Electric Bikes opened recently in Barnaby’s Plaza at 807 N Easton Rd, Doylestown, PA. I met with John Clauer, managing partner at the Doylestown store. He’s a great guy and will make sure the e-bike you buy is the right one for you. Plus there’s lots of models to choose from at really competitive prices. You’ll find models from Aventon, Velotric, Mokwheel, Himiway, Aima, and more on the showroom floor.
From their website: “All of our eBikes have a 2-YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY!! We will match current factory promotions on eBikes…you get the same deal as the websites but with the technical experience and backing of a factory-authorized dealer. Hassle-free warranty and service needs.” That’s very cool!
Check out their website here, or call John at 215-817-7330 if you’re in the market for a new e-bike. And maybe you’re familiar with Great Wall take-out Asian restaurant at Barnaby’s Plaza (if not, I highly recommend it). Well, John’s shop is around the corner from Great Wall. Just keep driving past Great Wall and Max’s Electric Bike shop is on the left in the back of the plaza. Plus there’s a large parking area back there you can use for a short test ride.
I think you’ll be impressed with their selection, prices, and the service and support you receive after the sale. Check it out!
Some recent images of John’s shop in Doylestown:
And Ryan, ebike tech extraordinaire, soon to be heading off to college:
Wish you all the best Ryan! And it might be about time to trade your skateboard in for an ebike …
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Reason 1: Because I sold my latest fat-tire creation and am currently experiencing fat-tire e-bike withdrawal symptoms.
Reason 2: Because the moment I was searching for a solution to my ‘condition’ I saw a discount on the Himiway Cruiser I just could not pass up (my price was $950, now the online price is $1300 – discounted from $1600 so they say).
Reason 3: My neighbor has 3 Himiway e-bikes and they seem to like them. And
Reason 4: We now have local support for the Himiway brand. Their list price for the same bike is $1399, by the way.
Is the Himiway Cruiser a ‘perfect’ e-bike?
Absolutely not, but as a DYIer, there’s nothing that can’t be fixed as long as the bones are good. And it appears the Cruiser’s bones are fine, though maybe a bit on the beefy side. My fat-tire creation clocked in at 56 pounds with battery. The Himiway Cruiser appears to be somewhere in the 72 pound range. Still not a problem. Mechanical brakes on 180mm discs are easily remedied with hydraulic calipers and larger discs should the need arise. And the front forks are pretty basic, but are easily replaced if/when needed. Other mods I already plan on making include:
As you can see by my list of add-ons, I’m already a little over $1400 invested in this project. Comparing that to my DIY fat-tire e-bike where I had well over $1500 invested, I’d say I’m money ahead if the Cruiser is as good as I hope it will be.
Stay tuned for the unpacking, assembly, and first ride update to this post. The bike will arrive sometime in April so check back here late April or early May for my Cruiser update.
** Update **
It’s April 4 and my bike has arrived! Here’s what’s in the (very heavy) box:
Everything was well padded and with no scratches or dents. Kudos to Himiway for an excellent packing job!
And here’s the bike as I start building it up:
I finished assembling the bike with add-on parts listed above. Here are two pictures of the final build:
Aftermarket mods:
Handlebar, right side – grip throttle replaced with thumb throttle, plus new grip
Handlebar, left side – grip replaced, bar-end mirror added
Adjustable handlebar stem replaces fixed stem
Rack bag, suspension seat post and more comfortable seat installed
Larger chainring and 3-bearing MTB pedals installed – this also shows the Origin 8 tread pattern
Skid plate/mud guard installed
After riding 50 miles in the last few days, I wouldn’t change a thing. As mentioned in previous posts, all e-bike owners should consider buying a Luna 300w charger which allows you to control charging amps and percent charge. I charge my e-bike batteries to 80% for 6 or so charges, then to 100% (before a longer ride) to rebalance the cells. The Luna charger is a must if you’re concerned about battery longevity.
** update **
I just got back from another long-ish ride and although I really like riding this e-bike the way it’s currently configured, I think it’s still too ‘technical’ for many riders. Let me explain:
First, this e-bike has cadence, not torque, sensing. What this means is that as soon as you start pedaling, the amount of power you have set in the ‘PAS’ (pedal assist) setting is delivered to the motor. This ‘feature’ requires that you need to always be aware of your latest PAS setting when coming to a stop, or when navigating around an object (like a walker on the bike trail, etc.). If you don’t pay attention to this, you’re in for a rude awakening when you start pedaling again. With torque sensing, this is not such a big problem since the power will be delivered smoothly, and relative to the amount of effort you start putting into the pedals. Not so with cadence sensing which delivers all the power right away.
With all this in mind, I still find myself over-thinking my bike’s power delivery in each situation I encounter. Should I start out with just the throttle because I’m in a high PAS setting – yup. When I come to stop, should I knock down the PAS levels in anticipation of my next start-up – probably. It gets technical, but once you know what you must always do and keep your wits about you, things go smoothly. Forget to pay attention and you can get into trouble quickly.
My motto having put some miles on this e-bike is “when in doubt, use the throttle only and do not pedal when starting out.” This will provide a lot more control on startup, then pedal once you’re at speed and know what PAS level is appropriate for the conditions.
** update **
Ok, this is my last upgrade, I promise! I was watching a YouTube video where Kyle is describing how easy it is to install the Juintech M1 hydraulic calipers. And although the mechanical disc brakes on the Himiway Cruiser aren’t too shabby, there are a couple reasons why this upgrade makes sense. First, better stopping power without having to replace your brake levers or cables. And second, better pad wear and pad contact with the brake rotor.
For $115, which is Kyle’s discounted price at the time I’m writing this, this is a really nice upgrade to an already pretty great e-bike. Here’s an image from Kyle’s website of the brake itself. Once installed, I’ll provide before and after pictures as well.
In addition to what comes in the kit from Area 13, I ordered an additional set of DP17/SP17 pads for $7, which is a good price for these pads…
** update **
As promised, here are the before an after photos for the most recent brake upgrade. I have yet to test-ride these new brakes, so I can’t say yet how much these improve things in the braking department…
Before
After
I used the stand-off hardware that came with the bike, not the ones provided in the new brake kit. Also, the front bolts need to be longer than the ones provided in the kit, so I reused the original bolts and washers for the front assembly. Otherwise, this appears to be a really nice brake caliper upgrade. I’ll let you know if I feel differently about that after my first test ride…
** update **
I love these new brakes! This upgrade is strongly recommended for your Cruiser. And having just ordered another set for a Northrock build I’m working on, this is where I found the best price (as of Sept. 2024) – link.
** update **
While I really liked my 3-bearing pedals, I found the outer edges and anti-skid nails to be too sharp and I was losing a lot of skin from my right shin to them. Here are the 3-bearing pedals that I’m retiring:
Then I replaced them with these pedals, which I believe will be a whole lot friendlier to my shins (smoother outer edges and smoother, yet still effective anti-skid nails):
** yet another update **
All my ebikes are left-side throttle, except this one – ’til now. Also, since I planned to move the throttle to the left, I now had an opportunity to change the shifter to a Shimano Rapidfire shifter, which I prefer over the stock ‘thumb shifter’. So here are the new parts, and couple images.
Have you found any e-bikes with 4″ (fat) tires that aren’t ‘knobby’. What’s with that? Considering that most of these bikes will never see dirt or sand, wouldn’t a quieter ‘street’ tire make more sense? So I have been on a quest to find the perfect 4″ street tire for my Northrock XC00 fat tire custom e-bike.
This 26″ x 4″ Origin 8 Supercell wire-bead tire is my first experiment. This tire was purchased from Carson City Bike Shop for $50 per tire, plus $15 shipping. It’s really quiet, and tracks well ‘in a straight line’. However, max pressure is 20 psi. Also, in profile the tire isn’t round into the sidewall which creates interesting moments when turning. I’m still impressed with the tires now that I’m used to them, but I’ll be looking for other options. Here’s a picture of this tire:
A couple of other options that might be even better due to the fact that tread-to-sidewall profile is more round than the Origin 8s, and these tire can be pumped up to higher tire pressures which are appropriate for the kind of riding I do. However, none of these have wire beads, which I prefer. These are ‘folding’ tires, which might be OK. Time will tell. Here they are:
This next tire is the HEB ENDUROMAX 26″ x 4″ E-Bike Fat Tire. It’s expensive at $89 each, but looks like it’ll be fairly quiet and the round profile should handle well. It also appears to have a 30 psi max pressure rating which is a good thing.
Here’s another ‘street’ tire currently on my radar. It’s the Vee Tire Co. Zigzag Tire 26″ x 4.0″ with a wire bead. These are pricey at $80.74 each, and they appear to have a 30 psi max pressure rating.
So that’s it. I have another Northrock XC00 that hasn’t been electrified yet. I need to decide which ‘street’ tire is going to work best on this bike. But in the meantime, I plan to wear out the Origin 8s on the electric XC00. No more 4″ knobbies for me!
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Princeton eBikes – Lawrence Shopping Center (Unit 13) 2495 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Township, NJ 08648
Notes: Circle Cycle is listed on Aventon’s site as a shop that will receive and assemble your new Aventon e-bike. However, I don’t know what level of service they’re able to provide after that. If interested, call them at (215) 938 8646. Also, Redline doesn’t carry Aventon e-bikes, but they sell and service several other brands so are familiar with the technology and might be able to help in a pinch. Their number is 267-576-2545.
** update **
I had a chance to stop by Voltage Bikes in both Warminster and Washington Crossing and I have to say “I’m very impressed”. Not only do they appear to be the go-to place to buy your new Aventon e-bike, but also your source for parts and service. Chris Arndt and his wife Mary are the owners and they’re really great folks. Also, they have plenty of bikes you can test ride if you’re not quite sure which e-bike will work best for you. So check them out if you’re in the area. For the Warminster location, call 215-962 4555 for an appointment. For Washington Crossing, call 215-377-9888 to schedule your test ride. And tell Chris “Glen sent you.”
** update **
Max’s Electric Bikes opened recently in Barnaby’s Plaza at 807 N Easton Rd, Doylestown, PA. You can get more information about John Clauer’s new e-bike shop here:
This new site has two primary purposes. First, it’s an exercise designed to help others develop their own WordPress websites. And second, it’s to communicate to aspiring DIY e-bike builders my best practices and resources that can help them successfully build an e-bike without spending a fortune.
