Fabio Gentsch
Author and operator of this site
About
I am Fabio. By profession I build websites and web applications; in my spare time I tinker with bicycles. Conversions appeal to me most, and electric drives are part of that.
I built the configurator because I want more people to save money and end up with a better e-bike: by converting their own bike with a suitable kit instead of buying a new one.
Just as important to me is an honest answer when a conversion is not worth it. In that case I say so and show you the alternative.
This site is manufacturer-independent. I do not sell anything; I inform and link. Where I tried something myself, it says "Self-checked"; everything else rests on the sources named.
Articles by Fabio Gentsch
Brakes for an E-Bike Conversion: What You Need
Rim or disc, cut-off levers and sensors: which brakes are enough for a 250 W pedelec and when an upgrade is needed.
Coaster Brake and E-Bike Conversion: What Works
A coaster brake is the most common deal-breaker. Which motors work, where coaster-brake variants exist and when to leave it.
Common Problems After an E-Bike Conversion
Axle spinning, broken spokes, motor cutting out, jerky starts, fast chain wear: causes and fixes from everyday conversions.
Convert a Bike to an E-Bike: Overview and Steps
What a conversion costs, which motor fits, what the law says and when you should buy a used e-bike instead. An honest overview from the workshop.
E-Bike Battery for a Conversion: Position, Space, Range
Where the battery fits on a converted bike, how to measure the space, what branded cells bring, real-world range and how to dispose of it.
E-Bike Conversion Glossary: Terms Explained
Rated power, volts, watt-hours, newton metres, PAS, torque sensor, Higo and Julet, controller and display: the glossary for e-bike conversions.
E-Bike Conversion Motor Types Compared
Front, rear and mid-drive motors, friction rollers and seat-tube motors compared: feel, installation, cost and which bikes suit which.
Frame and Weight: Which Bike Suits a Conversion
Steel and aluminium are usually fine, carbon is not. Plus the magnet test, total weight, warranty and the wear parts to replace before converting.
Hub Spacing and Axles for an E-Bike Conversion
How to measure hub spacing, quick release versus thru-axle, spreading 130 to 135 mm on steel frames and what to watch with dropouts.
Measure Your Bottom Bracket for a Mid-Drive
How to measure shell width and bore of your bottom bracket and tell BSA 68/73, Pressfit and BB30 apart. Step by step for a mid-drive motor.
Mid-Drive or Hub Motor: What Suits You?
Ride feel, hills, gears, installation and cost compared, with a clear guide to when a mid-drive and when a front or rear hub motor makes sense.
Pedelec Law: 250 W, 25 km/h and Walking Assist
What a conversion may do legally: 250 W rated power, assist only while pedalling up to 25 km/h, walking assist up to 6 km/h and what lies beyond.
Tools for an E-Bike Conversion: The List
Which tools you need for front, rear and mid-drive conversions and what kits usually lack, above all the lockring tool.
Torque Arm: When You Need One
Why the axle of a hub motor turns in the dropout, when you need a torque arm and how to fit it.
What Does an E-Bike Conversion Really Cost?
Cost items at a glance: kit EUR 400 to 1,700, brakes, tools, small parts. Plus the comparison with used and new (about EUR 2,500) and the cost calculator.
Wheel Sizes and ETRTO for E-Bike Conversions
Inches are unreliable, ETRTO is not: how to read wheel size off the tyre and avoid the 635/622 and 406/451 traps.
My conversions
No conversions listed yet. Own conversions will appear here once there are any.