Electric Bike Kits

Welcome to Bionx Canada! Electric bike conversion kits are one of the hottest bike accessories this season. An excellent way to add to the convenience of your bicycle, they consist of a battery, a controller, and a motor. In the rest of this article, we’ll be discussing the most popular brands and models of electric bicycle kits, as well as talking about the main features on offer.

Riding into a Greener Future

Electric bikes (e-bikes) are becoming more popular in Canada, reflecting a shift towards eco-friendly living. These bikes combine the convenience of regular bikes with electric power, symbolizing an environmentally conscious modern lifestyle. This e-bike trend is part of a broader movement in Canada towards green technologies like solar panels and electric cars that reduce emissions.

With sustainability principles in mind, various sectors in Canada are making their operations eco-friendlier. This includes the casino industry, both in its traditional and online forms, which is contributing to this green movement as well. Land-based casinos are adopting energy-saving technologies and implementing environmentally friendly practices in their operations. As the online casino market expands, platforms like those highlighted in Canada’s premier casino gaming locations are becoming a more sustainable choice compared to traditional ones. These futuristic online casino options minimize the environmental impact by eliminating the need for travel, aligning with both eco-friendly practices and the digital preferences of Canadians.

TOP 5 Electric Bike Kits

One of the most well-known electric bicycle kit makers is Canada-based Bionx. The company was founded way back in 1998 as Energy and Propulsion Systems and was relaunched as Bionx in 2000. Their products included several innovative and unique features, including early adoption of re-generative braking abilities which made it possible to partially recharge the batteries while riding downhill.

They’re currently closed for business, but there are still plenty of alternatives available on the market today. Here are five of the best options for electric bicycle kits in place of Bionx.

1. Voilamart Rear-Wheel E-Bike Conversion Kit

Voilamart Rear-Wheel E-Bike Conversion Kit

The first of our recommended electric bicycle kits is the Voilamart Rear While E-Bike Conversion Kit. This popular conversion kit includes everything you need (except battery) to convert your bike into a high-speed electric bike. The rear wheel brushless, gearless, the motor provides a stable platform. An LCD battery indicator and twist throttle are the perfect combinations for control and monitoring of the power kit.

With a top speed of 24mph, this kit will get you from A to B in next to no time.

FeaturePerformance
Battery WeightBatt not included
Battery Amp-hoursNot less than 11.6Ah
Battery Power – WattsMust not exceed 750W
Charge TimeDepends on chosen battery
Motor Weight22lb / 10kg
Motor TypeRear-wheel brushless, gearless
Motor Torque45 N.M
Wheel Sizes26”
DisplayIntegrated twist throttle/LCD display
Additional features/accessoriesController bag, brake handles, crank sensor.

2. AW 20” Front Wheel Conversion Kit

AW 20” Front Wheel Conversion Kit

The AW 20” Front Wheel Conversion Kit is another popular model. Designed to fit smaller 20” wheeled bikes, this conversion kit is designed for hybrid city bikes. Using a thumb throttle and LED display, this kit is not quite as sophisticated as the Voilamart. It still provides a simple to operate and stable electric bike system.

FeaturePerformance
Battery WeightBatt not included
Battery Amp-hoursNot less than 10Ah
Battery Power – WattsMust not exceed 750W
Charge TimeDepends on chosen battery
Motor Weight18.3lb / 8.3kg
Motor TypeFront-wheel brushless, gearless
Motor TorqueN/A
Wheel Sizes20”
DisplayThumb throttle/LED display
Additional features/accessoriesController bag, brake handles, crank sensor.

Being a front-wheel conversion set, there can be issues with the high torque on wet surfaces. If possible, go for a rear-wheel ebike conversion kit.

3. AW 26” Front Wheel Conversion Kit

AW 26” Front Wheel Conversion Kit

The AW 26” Front Wheel Conversion Kit is the big brother of the 20” model. The same thumb throttle and LED battery status are provided. Again the high torque ebike motor fitted on the front wheel can cause issues when it is wet. With a 1000W motor, this kit will provide a real punch when required.

FeaturePerformance
Battery WeightBatt not included but available as an option
Battery Amp-hoursOptional battery – 14Ah
Battery Power – WattsOptional battery – 1000W
Charge TimeDepends on chosen battery
Motor Weight23.8lb / 10.8kg
Motor TypeFront-wheel brushless, gearless
Motor TorqueN/A
Wheel Sizes22.5”
DisplayThumb throttle/LED display
Additional features/accessoriesController bag, brake handles, crank sensor.

The simple 3 LED display with integrated thumb throttle to make this kit easy to control and perfect for beginners.

4. LLY 26” Front/Rear Wheel Conversion Kit

LLY 26” Front/Rear Wheel Conversion Kit

The LLY 26” Front/Rear Wheel Conversion Kit is the only kit in our list that is available for both front or back wheel fitting. While rear-wheel fitting is slightly harder, for the sake of stability it is worth the extra hassle. With all the standard features of electric bike kits, this is a reliable choice.

FeaturePerformance
Battery WeightBatt not included
Battery Amp-hoursNot less than 10Ah
Battery Power – WattsMust not exceed 1000W
Charge TimeDepends on chosen battery
Motor WeightN/A
Motor TypeFront/rear-wheel
Motor TorqueN/A
Wheel Sizes26”
DisplayN/A
Additional features/accessoriesController bag, brake handles, crank sensor.

5. AW 26” Rear Wheel Conversion Kit

AW 26” Rear Wheel Conversion Kit

This rear-wheel version of the AW 26” provides the perfect compromise to the issue of wet weather issues. A good quality system with simple fitting instructions, this kit is a good choice for the serious buyer. Make sure you purchase a 1000W battery to get the most performance from the battery. The stylish controller bag will help to keep the electronics dry in any weather.

FeaturePerformance
Battery WeightBatt not included but available as an option
Battery Amp-hoursOptional battery – 14Ah
Battery Power – WattsOptional battery – 1000W
Charge TimeDepends on chosen battery
Motor WeightN/A
Motor TypeRear wheel
Motor TorqueN/A
Wheel Sizes26”
DisplayLCD
Additional features/accessoriesController bag, brake handles, crank sensor.

What Is an Electric Bicycle Kit?

An electric bicycle kit is used to convert your traditional pedal-powered bike into an electric-assist bike. It does this by using a motor and a controller, which work together to provide additional assistance to the cyclist. However, this doesn’t mean that it’ll change the way your bike works completely.

One major part of the concept is the fact that the original drivetrain mechanism in the bike is maintained – the bike conversion kit essentially functions alongside the standard bicycle’s operating layout.

What Is an Electric Bicycle Kit?

The ebike controller can be thought of as the nerve center of the product – it carefully monitors the required amount of energy being used by the motor, and also controls the charging of the battery. Batteries can be charged in the traditional sense, by using power from the mains, but most electric bicycle kits also allow for regenerative braking, which means that the battery will be partially recharged while the cyclist is freewheeling downhill.

This works off of the same principle as standard dynamos and is an excellent way to convert the wheel’s own turning power into energy that can, in turn, be used to power the bike at a later stage.

The Components of an Electric Assist

Electric-assist bikes consist of the following components.

1. Battery

Battery

The main power source of the system. Battery technology has improved massively over the last decade, with the current lithium-ion and polymer batteries being capable of storing huge amounts of potential energy. This advancement in technology is what led to ebike conversion kits becoming mainstream in the first place. While in the past an electric bicycle would quickly drain the battery, you can now ride around town for several hours before your battery goes flat.

2. Controller

Controller

The brains of the system help to make the battery and motor perform most efficiently. The electric bike controller monitors the effort being put in by the rider. It then provides the minimum necessary power to balance ease of ride against battery life. Some controllers feature displays and controls that allow the rider to monitor the power and adjust the point assistance kicks in.

3. Motor

Motor

The workhorse of the system, the motor provides the kinetic energy required to assist the rider. Modern electric bike motors are very high performance. They also work as generators when going downhill to help recharge the ebike battery.

4. Charger

Charger

Conversion kits come with a charger suitable for charging the supplied battery. Quick-release mechanisms on the batteries allow them to be easily carried inside your home. They can then be charged using standard domestic power sockets.

Each component has its specific task. As individual parts, they are useless and will, in fact, reduce riding efficiency. However, put together into an electric bike system, they operate as one to make huge improvements to efficiency. This makes the rider’s life easier.

How E-Bike Conversion Kits Work

Electric bike kits are available in many styles and designs. While originally designed to help road riders as a form of hybrid electric bike, many people now want electric pedal-assist mountain bikes.

There are some methods of integrating the motor to the bicycle power train. The most commonly adopted method is to integrate the bike’s electric motor kit into the hub of a wheel. These special motor wheels replace the bikes original wheels. Options are available for the front or back wheel motors. Other options include motors linked to the pedals/gears and friction motors that drive the wheels with a small roller.

E-bike batteries are normally mounted on the down tube beneath the rider. This leads to a stable, well-balanced bike. Often the controller will be built into the enclosure that contains the battery. When buying an electric bike kit make sure you purchase a suitable motor separately.

Power and control cables can run either inside or outside the frame tubes. Cable wrap/ties are usually included in the kit to make sure a tidy neat installation is performed.

An LCD or LED display is often provided for rider monitoring and control of the ebike electric systems. These can range from 3 simple LED’s to sophisticated integrated bike computers. Often these displays will be integrated into the handlebar speed control.

Electric Bicycle Kit Advantages

The Advantages of Using an Electric Bicycle Kit

Apart from making pedaling easier, electric bike kits have several advantages over traditional bikes.

Motors provide the additional energy required to help older riders and those without the physical strength to travel longer distances. Electric-assist bicycles allow you to ride quicker uphill by providing extra power – this is especially noticeable at the end of steep climbs when you’ll discover your legs aren’t as tired as you’d expected them to be.

E-bike conversion kits make use of this original drive trains and pedal bike components. This makes maintenance quick and simple by keeping the overall functioning of the electrically-powered bike as similar to standard models as possible.

In the event, your battery dies, you can continue to ride your bike as a traditional pedal bike, thanks to the fact that the electric components don’t intrude on the bicycle’s basic structure. Down-tube mounted ebike batteries help to keep the weight down and have minimal impact on balance, by ensuring that the center of gravity is kept as central as possible.

Conversion kits can be installed on many different styles of bikes, e.g. road bikes, mountain bikes, and hybrid bikes, making them a hugely convenient addition to practically any cyclist’s day-to-day life.

Final Thoughts

Electric-assist bikes are here to stay. Even though that they’ve been available for almost 100 years, battery technology is only now catching up to the point where it’s becoming a seriously efficient way of traveling. Manufacturers of new bikes are slow on the uptake, so several electric bicycle kits have appeared on the market. The fitting of these new kits should be simple, but if you have any problems, speaking to your friendly, bike mechanic should help sort out any issues.

Before rushing out and buying a kit, make sure you know what the laws are in your home country. Some countries restrict the maximum power or speed. Do not get caught out by inadvertently buying the wrong battery for your electric bike kit.

Once you have purchased and had your electric bike kit fitted, read the instructions carefully. These will tell you how to safely use the electric bike kit.

Final Thoughts

With the easing of pedaling using an electric-assist bike, you will find you can travel at much higher speeds than you may previously have been used to. Make sure your first session on the road is in a safe environment where you can get used to the controls. Slowly ease yourself in and don’t push the limits until you are completely comfortable. An empty car park is a great starting point.

While kits are currently leading the market, manufacturers will inevitably start to include electric pedal assist as a standard option on many bikes. The key points in this article are just as applicable to readymade electric-assist bikes.

When buying a new electric assist bike, make sure you are allowed to test ride the bike. Hopefully, you can get some practice in a large open area such as an empty car park before hitting the road for real.

Ebikes are here to stay, so why not jump in, buy a kit, and enjoy many carefree hours exploring new places you previously found too hard to cycle to?