If you plan to switch to an electrically assisted bicycle soon, you have to choose between purchasing a new electric bicycle or using an electric conversion kit to adapt to a classic bicycle . The second solution can be particularly profitable if you already have a bike. There are many electric bike kits on the market, but Weebot, leader in electric mobility in France, is now embarking on the adventure.
What is happening in the electric bike market in 2021?
After the confinement period experienced in 2020, the use of the bicycle has transformed into the most practical and safe means of transport for all daily activities. With many cycle paths that have recently flourished in our towns, it is increasingly easy to take your bike to get to your destination quickly.
The demand for electric bikes has increased at great speed and this therefore implies a new clientele with diverse needs. In urban areas, part of the population has abandoned their car or public transport for an eco-friendly means of transport that promotes social distancing.
With a 45% market share , the electric bike is on the way to overtaking so-called “muscle” bikes. This is increasing from year to year (+12% in 2019), while that of the classic bicycle is falling by around 6% per year. With ever more efficient and reliable electric motors, combined with lighter and more autonomous batteries, sales of electric bicycles have surged, particularly in the area of electric mountain bikes.
Well helped by the support of different municipalities, electric bikes have arrangements both on the road and in terms of ecological subsidies. When we analyze users' requests, they say they seek above all the comfort of using the electric bike.
This is where the electrically assisted bicycle comes into play, which has the particularity of traveling over longer distances almost effortlessly. Because when you go to your workplace every day, being able to arrive there in an impeccable suit without having previously sweated is a huge advantage of the electric bike over its non-motorized counterpart.
Global explosion in demand for electric bikes
Since mid-May 2020, you have surely noticed increasingly long delivery times for the purchase of an electric bike. Many countries have focused on the development of this ecological means of travel to counter the spread of the virus while accelerating the ecological transition.
With the Paris climate agreements, it is urgent for countries to react by finding a clean solution for travel in large cities.
If ZFEs ( Low Emission Zones ) increasingly push polluting thermal vehicles out of cities, parking an electric car still proves to be just as complicated in cities. The electric bike then stands out as an ideal companion in an ecological mobility solution.
The electric bicycle industry shaken up by the health crisis
If the health crisis has dealt a hard blow to the automobile industry, the electric bicycle industry is also disorganized, but not for the same reasons. Indeed, most of the parts of an electric bicycle, evenAlthough they can be assembled in Europe, they are manufactured in Asia.
Between the explosion in the price of raw materials, as well as the increasingly high cost of transport, it has become very complicated to obtain a VAE in France currently. It takes around almost 300 days to get an electric bike off a production line today.
Shortage of electrically assisted bicycles on the market in 2021
If you have decided to switch to an electric bike, we would like to warn you that the shortage of electric bikes will continue. the VAE market is not expected to return to normal before 2022 or even 2023 . It is not so simple for a global industry to change the way it operates to adapt to demand while dealing with the pandemic.
It is even possible that the prices of electric bikes will increase given the shortage in the coming months. The health crisis having also impacted households on their purchasing power, it was important for Weebot to offer an accessible solution to convert users to the benefits of the electric bike.
Why install an electric conversion kit on your bike?
To compensate for this shortage, while being in a recycling process , installing a kit to transform your bike into an VAE is now possible. The key is to find the easy-to-assemble electric bike kit that suits everyone's needs. It is in this approach that the Weebot project via Weebike and its RokKit electrification kits is part.
If the electric bike kits offered until now were mainly reserved for a public of connoisseurs, we at Weebot strongly believe in the potential of conversion. Our kits include electric motor, battery, display as well as different bike parts to adapt to most models on the market.
An electric bike kit that is more economical to purchase and use
Our electric bike kits offered by Weebike allow even small budgets to benefit from electric assistance. No need to reinvest in a new electric bike when you already have a two-wheeler at home.
Converting to electric also means saving money in the long term. Taking your electrically assisted bike rather than your car means reducing your expenses each month. You are no longer dependent on the price of fuel. It only takes a few cents to fully recharge your e-bike battery.
It is calculated that on approximately 80% of journeys in large cities, it is possible to reduce travel time by half by electric bike rather than by car.
Recycling your old bike: an ethical and ecological approach
Instead of throwing away your old bike, it is entirely possible to give it a second life with an electrification kit. For a price much cheaper than purchasing a new electric bike, the Weebike RokKit kit allows you to enjoy a high-performance electric bike in just 2 hours of installation.
Your old bike that you no longer used will then find a second lease of life. This is called upcycling.
We would still like to alert you to the obligation, in order to legally travel with your bike, to have a bell as well as front and rear lights on it. Not all old bikes have one, or are no longer in working order over time and it is therefore useful to put it back very easily. You will also find many products on our accessories store on this subject.
Keeping your old bike with sentimental value
Keeping your old bike, is also about preserving an object that holds sentimental value. But not only that! You may have already heavily invested in a mechanical bike in the past. It would be a shame to give up on a well-equipped muscular bike to switch to a low-end electric bike.
This is the whole point of the RokKit Weebike in order to electrify an old high-end bike, rather than having to reinvest everything in a brand new VAE.
How do electric bike kits work?
Even if the bicycle electrification market is still in its infancy, there are several solutions for converting your bicycle to electric. Some have more advantages than others and we believe it is important to share with you the different electric bike kit systems available today.
conversion kit with friction electric motor
Working like a reverse dynamo, the electric motor by friction comes into contact with the rear wheel (or even the front wheel) of a bicycle. Like certain systems positioned on the tire to power the lighting, here the electric motor conversely rubs the tire to help it turn more easily.
Although it is relatively easy to set up, this is unfortunately the only advantage of this device. Friction on the tire leads to both very premature wear of the tire with rather mediocre performance of the electric assistance. It's even worse in wet weather, where the electric motor hardly has enough friction to help the cyclist.
This system is as unattractive as it is unbalanced in terms of weight distribution on the bike.
conversion kit with electric motor in the wheel
Worldwide, electric motors located in the front or rear wheel, also called hub motors, are the most widely manufactured. They have the advantage of being simple and less expensive to produce for manufacturers. They are easy to mount on a bike and are generally found on entry-level electric bikes.
Although they offer a good top speed on a new electric bike designed for them, they are on the other hand less interesting in the context of a conversion. If they do not require maintenance, they are more complex to change in the event of a puncture in the wheel.
The electric wheel offers little torque when crossing and causes continuous wear and tear on the battery. The controller indicating to the electric wheel its operating speed must be remote and then causes fragility in the design. Not having a power detector, the motor in a rear wheel can then "bug" in the case of braking followed by rapid acceleration.
Just like the friction motor, the mass distribution is not ideal and your bike is completely unbalanced at the front (in the case of an electric wheel in the front wheel) or at the rear on a motor in the rear wheel.
conversion kit with electric motor in the crankset
The electric motors in the crankset are the most complete on the market today. They offer the most efficient assistance due to their power sensor and their high reliability. With recognized manufacturers like Bosch , Bafang, Panasonic and Yamaha , electric kits with motor in the crankset are undoubtedly the best solution for converting electric assistance .
Although it requires a slightly longer installation, the integration of a crank motor easily adapts to almost all cycle geometries. It offers both compactness, crossing power with high torque (118 Nm on the Bafang BBS 02B) and detection of your pedaling power strong>. Additionally, the chassis is well balanced with the electric motor placed in the center of the e-bike.
With this system, you are not simply "pushed" by the motor, but accompanied in your effortless pedal movement. Driving the bike is even more natural and efficient!
Weebike offers 4 easily installable electric bike kits
To fill the shortage of electric bicycles on the market, Weebot, through its Weebike bicycle brand, has developed a range of electric bicycle kits to meet the ever-increasing demand from users in terms of eco-mobility solutions.
We have selected the best components to offer our customers an excellent conversion kit system. With quality materials and reliable component brands, the RokKit Weebike are perfect for transforming your old cycle into a high-end electric bike.
Weebike electric bike kit: RokKit Citadin
This electric bike kit is intended for most of our customers. For the most attractive price possible, it has the famous Bafang BBS01 250W pedal motor with a Samsung 36V 14.5Ah battery. With this device, you find yourself with an electric bike with approved assistance up to 25 km/h while enjoying a range of between 60 and 120 km depending on the mode chosen. It is quite difficult to give an estimate of the autonomy given the numerous parameters such as the geometry of the bike as well as the weight supported.
The Bafang BBS01 250W motor is also very resistant to rain with IP65 certification and its motor torque of 60 Nm allows you to overcome most slopes with ease. The RokKit Citadin is intended for the majority of people wishing to use their bicycle daily to get to their place of work . The removable Samsung lithium battery allows you to recharge your electric conversion bike only once or twice a week.
Weebike electric bike kit: RokKit Urban
For advanced users, we thought of offering them an autonomy kit with the same Bafang 250W motor but coupled this time with a huge Samsung 36V 21Ah battery /strong>. This electric bike kit allows you to obtain a significant autonomy estimated between 150 and 250 km.
With Weebike's Urban RokKit , you will then have very little need to recharge your new electric bike and it will be possible to take advantage of it both on weekends for very long rides.
Weebike electric bike kit: RokKit Off Road
For off-road enthusiasts, the RokKit Off-Road offers the famous Bafang BBS02 500W motor with the Samsung 48V 17.5Ah battery . This system is not approved for riding with your electric bike on public roads, but will be suitable for thrill-seekers to ride in the mountains or in the countryside to replace their old mountain bike.
Weebike electric bike kit: RokKit Trail
For the most extreme, we offer the RokKit Trail composed of the Bafang BBS02 750W motor offering 118 Nm of torque . For this electric bike kit, with Samsung 48V 17.5Ah battery , we recommend adapting certain parts of your bike to withstand the power of the electric motor over the long term. It will undoubtedly be useful to upgrade your bike by changing the tires to more resistant ones suitable for electric bikes, as will changing the ultra-resistant titanium sprocket.
The same goes for the brakes which must be equipped accordingly to ensure quality braking adapted to high speed.
A color LCD display with GPS for all RokKit Weebikes
Each of our electric bike kits is supplied with a high-end display. This is in color LCD with high contrast to be perfectly readable in direct sunlight. It is also rain resistant with IP65 waterproof certification.
It offers via the Bluetooth connection to your smartphone, GPS directions to follow the best path without having to take out your phone. With the Weebike RokKit Display, you can know in real time your speed, the battery level, the number of kilometers traveled or even the activation of the electric bike lights.
FAQ about electric bike kit
Being a relatively young market, there are a lot of questions to ask about installing an e-bike kit. Here are the most frequently asked questions to help you install our kits on your bike.
Can the Electric Bike Kit be installed on all bikes?
Our electric bike kits are designed to be compatible with more than 90% of bikes on the market.
To install the Samsung battery on the frame of your bike, it is possible to use the hooks provided for a bottle cage. If you don't have one, other solutions exist either by drilling 2 holes in the frame of your bike or installing the battery on a luggage rack.
At the level of the Bafang crank motor, the attachment axle can be adapted up to 73mm for our 250W, 500W and 750W kits, or even up to 100m axle width with a motor Bafang HD 1000W.
Should you adapt your bike to the electric bike kit?
To resist the power of the engine, it is also possible to change the tires of your bike for more resistant ones suitable for electric bikes. The same goes for the sprockets with a titanium system that is more resistant to the traction force, just like the bike's transmission chain.
What maintenance does the use of a Weebike electric bike kit require?
The Weebike electric bike kit does not require any special maintenance but it is possible to have a service interview in our workshops in Paris and Lyon to ensure the proper functioning of your new electric bike.
Is registration compulsory with a 500W motor and more?
Transforming and converting your electric bike with a motor with a power greater than 250W is not approved for riding on public roads.
Our RokKit Weebike Off-Road 500W (and Trail 750W - 1000W) electric bike kit transforms your old mechanical bike into a Speedbike. For this you must have insurance as well as a license plate to drive in town.
On the other hand, in the context of use on private roads or off-road by mountain bike for example, it is not obligatory to declare your bike as a speedbike.
Is the trigger throttle legal with an electric bike?
No,the throttle trigger on the handlebars is not legal on an electric bike. Electric assistance is only approved when coupled with pedaling, with assistance cutting off at 25 km/h. In the event of a check by the police, you risk a fine ranging from 135 euros to 700 euros.
Do I need insurance for an electrically converted bike?
With a 250W electric bike kit, it is not mandatory to have insurance to ride an electric bike.
How long does a battery last?
We have selected a quality Samsung battery for our electric bike kit. The life cycle of a Samsung battery is estimated at a duration of more than 1000 recharges ranging from 0% to 100% on an electric bike. This still represents more than 100,000 km of traffic. Like any electric bike, there are ways to keep your battery in good working condition for as long as possible.
To optimize the condition of the battery cells in our electric bike kit, we advise you to recharge it only after a cooling period. Even if you do not use the battery for a long time, it is useful to charge your battery at least once a month to ensure its proper functioning and not lose autonomy over time.
How long does it take to receive my Weebike electric bike kit?
By ordering on our site, delivery to your home is 24 hours to 48 hours on working days. If you wish to subscribe to the installation of the electric bike kit in our workshops in Paris and Lyon, following your order you will need to select from our schedule the possible dates of installation by our technicians on your bike.
Is there a subsidy for the purchase of an electric bike kit?
If the new electric bike benefits from purchase aid, this is also the case for an electric bike kit. In terms of aid, the Paris town hall is the most generous in France in offering an electric bike kit subsidy of up to 400 euros. The calculation is made at 33% of the purchase price of the electrification kit for your bike, installation included!
This bonus has been valid since January 1, 2018 and is aimed at Parisians wishing to convert their bikes to electric. It should be noted that this electric bike kit subsidy is a reimbursement upon presentation of the invoice only for approved conversion kits complying with the VAE standard. That is to say with a 250W motor with assistance up to 25 km/h only.
Lists of cities offering assistance with the purchase of an electric bike kit
- City of Paris: 33% of the purchase price, capped at 400 euros.
- Toulon Provence Méditerranée Agglomeration: 25% of the purchase price, capped at 250 euros.
- Town of Vaucresson (92): 150 euros in purchasing assistance.
- Courbevoie Town (92): 25% of the purchase price, capped at 300 euros.
- Bordeaux Métropole: 100 euros of assistance with the purchase of a bicycle kit