Convert Your Old Bike into a Polished E-bike with This Conversion Kit (Part 1)

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. 

This is a fairly lengthy build, so this tutorial has been split into two parts. The second, and final part can be found here. 

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

• Various parts to modify your spot welder (see full instructions for details)

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. 

And that's it for now. In Part 2 of this build, we'll assemble and complete this amazing DIY e-bike.