Tag Archives: conversion

Sunstar Electric Bike Kit

Electric Bike Conversion Kits

A to B electric conversion kits - Sunstar

Sunstar Conversion Kit

If you’re intending to electrify a favourite bike, an electric bike conversion kit might be the answer for you. Electric bike conversion kits usually include a replacement front wheel fitted with a motorised hub. They are available from a wide range of manufacturers at a wide range of prices, from a few hundred pounds to well over £1,000. Kits vary in quality a great deal too. The cheapest tend to be unbranded Chinese or Indian products… OK for leisure use, but with limited warranties and back-up, so don’t expect to use this sort of thing for daily commuting! More expensive electric bike kits are usually kit versions of proprietary electric bikes sold by manufacturers such as Heinzmann, Ezee and BionX.

Remember

  • Some electric conversion kit prices include fitting, others do not.
  • Most electric bike kits are supplied with UK-legal 250 watt motors, but many use motors of 500 watts, and a few are rated as high as 1000 watts. Remember that these powerful high-speed conversion kits are not legal in the UK and the fact that you are riding a machine powered by a self-fitted conversion kit will make no difference in the eyes of the law!
  • And as always, watch the battery guarantee. The cost of running the conversion will depend on battery life… nothing else. A long guarantee gives you some confidence. Cheaper kits can conk out in months.
  • If you are planning to commute daily, forget buying a conversion kit and go for a quality electric bike instead!
  • Our current favourites are marked in bold. This is not a scientific exercise, but is based on performance, reliability and price. Do let us know if you’ve had a good or bad experience with any of these kits: atob@atob.org.uk

Electric Bike Conversion Kits

Make / Model1 Last A-to-B Test Control / Drive Battery
Warranty
Battery Size3 LAST UPDATE
UK Price4 Notes
Pedalease for folding bikes hybrid / Front Hub ?? NONE 2017 £199 No battery, but kit includes 80mmOD motor and twistgrip throttle
Smart-pie Dec 12 eBike / Front Hub ?? ??Wh 2017 £320 Lots of unknowns. Seems to be available for 700C wheel only
Pedalease iMortar eBike / Front hub ?? 130Wh 2017 £330 Tiny battery clips onto 700C front wheel. Looks sexy, but best avoided
Pedalease 250 watt eBike / Front hub ?? 370Wh 2017 £385 700C wheel only. There seem to be two versions
Pedalease 1,000 watt Hybrid / Rear Gearless Hub ?? 375Wh 2017 £440 Spot the issue here? With a 1,000-watt motor and very modest battery it will go for about 15 minutes
Woosh 8FUN 250 watt
Hybrid / Crank Drive 12 months 468Wh 2017 £668 Big price increase. Also with 540Wh battery at £715
Smart-Pie Dec 12 E-bike / Front Hub ? ???Wh 2017 £620 Price allowing for £300 battery
Tongshen TSDZ2 Mid-drive Pedelec / Crank Drive ? 522Wh 2018 £635 Price for kit and suitable battery from same distributor
Conv-E Oct 11 E-bike / Front Hub ? 360Wh 2017 £749 Now sold by Powabyke
Woosh 8Fun 500 watt Hybrid / Crank Drive 12 months 540Wh 2017 £748 Bit pricey these days
Nano-Brompton 2.1 May 08 E-bike / Front Hub 12 months 180Wh 2017 £780 Light, quiet and discreet
360Wh battery £100 extra
Mojo Mid-motor Pedelec / Crank Drive ? 370Wh 2017 £875 Rare crank-drive kit. Psst… also with twistgrip throttle
Brompton Sparticle Nov 08 E-bike/ Front Hub  12 months 540Wh 2017 £970 Apart from the big battery, it’s nowhere near as good as the Nano version
Cytronex C1
Pedelec / Front hub 12 months or 300 charges 180Wh 2017 £995 Long-awaited sophisticated kit for serious cyclists looking for occasional assistance
Sunstar I-Bike SO3 May 08 Pedelec / Crank 24 months 369Wh 2017 c£1260 Sophisticated Japanese crank motor. Bigger 416Wh battery for extra £190
Heinzmann eBike or Pedelec / Front or Rear Hub 24 months 324Wh 2017 £1326 Starting price for quality German kit, loads of options
BionX P250 Pedelec / Gearless Rear Hub 36 months or 600 charges (activated when capacity falls by 30%) 317Wh 2017 £1500 Nice technology, but rather heavy, and unreliable in the past. Also with 423Wh battery for £1650
Pendix Feb 17 Pedelec / Gearless Crank Drive 24 months 300Wh 2017 £1649 Interesting, but heavy crank drive kit from Germany
BionX D-series Pedelec / Gearless Rear Hub 36 months or 600 charges (activated when capacity falls by 30%) 317Wh Li-ion £1800 Nice technology, but rather heavy, and unreliable in the past. New motor appears to supercede earlier kits.

New subscribers can order a ‘get-started’ six-pack of magazine back numbers covering key electric cycles at HALF the usual price! See the for details.

All back numbers can be ordered by credit card – call 01305 259998 (+44 1305 259998 outside UK)

Electric Bike Conversion Kit Manufacturers or UK Distributors

The comments relate to our own experience with manufacturers or distributors. As a general rule, a company that supplies a good product can afford to be open and helpful with the press, and will give good service and back-up. The others are something of an unknown quantity, but if you think we’ve been unfair, do let us know. For a global list go to Electric Bike Manufacturers Worldwide

Alien Ocean
CEASED TRADING
AlienOcean European Hub, 1 – 9 Plantation Street, Lochgelly, KY5 9LP
tel: 01592 780528
email: jim@alienocean.co.uk

BionX
New distributor, steadily rebuilding trust in the BionX
tel: 01223 911504
email: bionxuk@gmail.com

Sparticle (Brompton)
Moving away from power kits these days
Electric Transport Shop, Hope Street Yard, Hope Street, CAMBRIDGE CB1 3NA (also in LONDON & OXFORD)
tel: 01223 247410
email: sales@electricbikesales.co.uk

Conv-e
Nippy and reasonably-priced kits
Powabyke UK Ltd, Trident Works, Marsh Lane, BRISTOL BS39 5AZ
tel: 01761 568085
email: sales@powabyke.com

Cytronex
Very serious player in a market that can be a bit flie-by-night
Cytronex Electric Bikes, 7 Bridge Street, WINCHESTER SO23 9BH
tel: 01962 866122
email: via website

Electro-Drive
Not always easy to contact
E-go Personal Transport, 52 High Street, MARLBOROUGH, Wiltshire SN8 1HQ
tel: 07974 723996 or 01672 861186 / 512404
email: sales@electro-drive.co.uk

Ezee, Ansmann
New Ezee distributor from 2012
Cyclezee Ltd, 3 Guest Gardens, MILTON KEYNES MK13 0AF
tel: 07962 407799
email: john@cyclezee.com

Freedom Ebike
No UK distribution
10/3 HaMelitz Street, JERUSALEM, Israel
tel: (Israel) +052 500 1309

Heinzmann
There’s been a battle between Kinetics and Twike for years for UK distribution. Twike seem to be on top in 2017
Twike UK, Landell, Brick Kiln Lane, Ingham, NORWICH NR12 9SX
tel: 07707 237070
email: heinzmann@twike.co.uk

Mojo
Tony Castles, the expert on all things electric bike!
Mr Motorvator, Harepath Farm, Burbage, Nr MARLBOROUGH, Wiltshire SN8 3BT

Nano & Nano-Brompton
Well established and consumer-friendly
Nano Electric Bikes, 58 Clarendon Street, LEAMINGTON SPA CV32 4PE
tel: 0845 094 2735
email: lynda@nanoelectricbikes.co.uk

Pedalease, Smart Pie
Very cheap stuff, but unknown quantity
Pedalease Ltd, Unit 1001 Shurguard House, Westmount Centre, HAYES UB4 0HD

Pendix
We’d be happier if they were more open about their contact details
Electric Bike Conversions, Flynn Row, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2SE
tel: 01782 534727
email: ashleigh.info@tiscali.co.uk“>ashleigh.info@tiscali.co.uk

Sunstar I-Bike
Braking Sunstar – UK OFFICE, 89 Warwick Rd, Leek Wootton, Warwickshire, CV35 7QR.
tel: 01926 863 163
email: rob.jone@uk.sunstar.com

Tongsheng
New to us
e-Bike Sales (no published address)

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