Quick update on your old Mongoose build: It now has well over 4000 miles on it and is still running like a champ! The hub motor hasn't given me a single issue. You're right about how fun it is to customize your own bike. I did a few minor upgrades so far - I moved the controller behind the seat, upgraded the brakes, wired in a super bright headlight, added pannier bags for shopping runs, and routed all the wiring through an automotive style wire loom to clean things up. My next upgrade will be a custom fitted battery with more Ah (my first battery build), then a new controller with regen braking, and eventually front forks. As cool as the mid drive was, it made the already heavy bike SUPER heavy. Since this bike practically replaced my car in warm months, I decided to focus on street-ability and ended up installing the mid drive motor in a lightweight nishiki frame. Unfortunately, I've only put about 20 miles on it due to reliability issues. It seems bafang is the way to go if you want a reliable mid drive. But it's a fun project and I hope to have it sorted out this summer for trail riding. I can't state enough how much I love this Mongoose. It's my first ebike, and I'm already totally addicted. Since getting it, I was able to buy cheap and fix up a rize blade and an Ariel Rider D Class dual motor. I also have a mini folding swagtron I'm custom building into something fun, as well as another mid drive planned using a bafang M620 I picked up. Out of all of them, the Mongoose is still hands down the best. It even beats the D Class in my opinion. It has the perfect balance of range, speed, comfort, and practicality. I'll probably ride that thing into the ground, and then fix it and keep going!

I have 4 custom ebike builts and just 2 pre-built ebikes. It's the satisfaction I get when I've completed my builts and the praises I get from other people that pushes me to build more and more.

Depends on the level of the custom build.. Design with durability in mind and waterproofing.. been riding my custom Kugoo Kirin V1/Jetson Bolt 6Kw system about 50mph tops.. for about 2years... But it took me about a year and a half to develop the skills and experience to build a custom ebike to near-prebuild quality ... Even then.. some tinkering... Always tinkering 😅👨🏾‍🏭

I’m a mechanic for 25 years and I prefer the custom because I can get exactly what I want and how I want it control issues possibly

What seems to be missing for DIY e bike builds are purpose designed bike frames that help mount batteries to double tubular top and bottom tubes, and maybe a seat post that has a controller area built in.

Interesting topic! Great video! Can’t go wrong with a Surron! Hopes to ride with you again come riding season!

I wish bike companies would make an easy option to install three to four battery receptacles so if someone wanted to expand the amount of batteries they use to two, three, or four batteries, they could. This could easily be done on most bikes under the rear rack.

I'm a tinkerer, so I prefer always modifying things. Currently, I have a S73 S1 that I was gifted. It had a blown motor, so I did the logical thing and threw a 2000w hub motor on it. It's got a 12v step-down converter, all LED lights totally motorcycle style. It looks decently professional, people always ask where they can get one. Currently, my battery is letting it down as it's stock and sad. However, it will do 40mph.

Love your channel/posts for riding the type of ebike I got, and past experience with AWD and other enhancement. Don't like that you are heading towards the moto darkside. I still have to respect your experience and where it leads. Why do you not appreciate the bicycle utility (pedaling) seat anymore? Why not just keep the "regulatory compliant looking" feature of a bicycle? Do you truily want to experience the sadness of your friend at the end of this video where you'd be unallowed to use the bike rack?😀

It's all relative. Tell that to everybody building/modding their cars or even Sur Rons which can easily get over $10K. I say get the new Apollo RFN Rally Pro electric dirt bike that is just being released. It already has a 74V battery that comes with it and 12.5 kW peak power.

I have 3 bikes. A fat tire folder, Onyx, and a Surron. Wouldn’t trade any of them. Love them all. The Onyx is still King on pavement, but the Surron is a different level of fun that’s hard to explain. It’s the bike to have:)

I just have a custom ebike build. It's on a 26" Giant Iguana hard tail mountain bike frame. I put a Bafang 750w mid drive kit on it. I soon realized that I needed a bling ring and wide range cassette. I needed hydraulic brakes for the extra weight and went with Magura. It's a nice performing mid, but looks diy. It also needs constant tinkering. Having done it once, I would spend a bit more up front and buy a name brand ready to ride ebike next time.

I just couldn't find a premade bike that met my checklist at the time two years ago, so I bought the closest I could find, and modded it. My list was kinda odd though, as I need a folder to fit in my trunk, and it had to draw little attention to itself. Wound a RadMini which now has dual Tesla batteries, 96 amp controller, motor set to 2.6kw, and it looks so stock that park rangers smile and wave. 7,000 miles and still going strong, and although 2.6kw may not sound like much, this is on a bike you can pick up with one hand. I used to have Tannus Armour, but they kept causing flats due to internal friction. 6 flats in 4 months, most of them on group rides with dozens of witnesses.

I actually bought my wife an electric long beach cruiser which got me to buy myself an electric bike, folding fat tire. But after break downs and little to no after sales support I took to repairing and modifying our bikes. Which got me building DIY conversion kits now for 7 years. I like the fact if I get bored with one build I simply remove the conversion kit and find another donor frame. I now have 5 operating systems in my shed along with spare motor kits and batteries. I can put together an all new electric bike from the ground up for around $750 and it's spec will eat the lunch of most purpose built e-bikes that cost thousands more. I have learned a lot about frame choice and battery size which make or break a build. On that note I find 36 and 48 volt batteries are great but when you want range = ah's the battery gets big and heavy. 36 and or 48 volt with equal capacities perform equally well just a mile or two off the top speed but the 36 volt is at least a 1/3 lighter than the 48 of equal capacity. Keeps builds light and more bicycle like in balance and performance. So If you are a Tinkering Widget like me DIY is the way to go. If you buy a purpose built bike just be sure it is a good well known name brand and have someone like me to help repair it.

I build my own and select my bikes based on how much room I have for batteries. My daily has 20ah but has room for another 20 in the triangle and 20 more on a rack setup. If I went for a range build, my bike could have 70ah on it with 5 amp-hour 21700 cells.

Hey I’ve always wanted to ask you what is your top speed and what do you have your phase amps set at ?

I mean idk for me I spent $700 including frame can go about 35mph 26 mile range and it’s a blast as someone who is a student who works full time during gap years or vacations. For me it’s probably the best investment I’ve made since graduating Highschool especially since coming to Korea for college.

have u seen the new roadrunner pro? what do u think of it? im saving for a nireeka revenant.. expensive but its the only under 60lb bike that can go 34+ and i can carry upstairs :( currently I have a ripracer

It’s cool to build your own, just know that everything is on you if anything happens. Introducing power is cheap & apparently easy, nothing easy ever comes without drawbacks. MB frames are tough, but let’s be honest, they weren’t designed to handle mechanical motors & subsequent characteristics that come with that type of power. Nothing bicycle is going to withstand & more importantly, keep you & others safe. Buy something well built, reliable & affordable, which shouldn’t be an issue considering the vast amounts of competitors.

I started with the Lectic XP, then have spend the next 2 years and thousands on building. Currently have a dual (geared) hub motor Townie and just finished the dual motor tandem with BBS02 and 1500w front hub. Yes, there is always something to fix, tweak, replace, upgrade. My next might be off the shelf ebike, if i can find one with enough power to be fun and capable to carrying a passenger.

Instead of buying a surron, it’d be super interesting to see you turn your current bike into a 72v monster!

I often see you pedal when accelerating, yet the number seem to say your pick push more than mine! I'm curious what the acceleration is on throttle only!

I have a pre-built Giant PAS reaching 28mph. I'm looking to make a custom build with my Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc with a CYC X1 Stealth. I have no reason to go faster than with the CYC X1 Pro. If I want some insane speed, I'll build a mini moto ala Razor MX650 with an Electro & Co kit.

currently building a ebike from a mongoose dolomite fat tire bicycle with 2 hub motors built 2 separate boxes that houses the controllers and has the other gear that is needed while on the road like hazard lights, turn signal, headlights, horn, speedometer, bought a voltage converter for the 12 volt system using 4 9 volt rechargeable batteries to make 36 volts. I have both boxes on a front rack on my bike. then for the rear to power my motors I have a box that houses 10 12 volt batteries 5 for one motor and 5 for the other the batteries are lithium ion. the box will be mounted on the rear rack. also used tannus armour in the tires as well had to do a little trimming before install just to let others know that if you are installing into 26" x 4.0 tires trim about 3/8" off for it. I'm getting semi close to being done just a small mishap while making a control panel for 2 toggle switches. It is alot of fun in customizing your own e bike. I do suggest for anyone who builds their own to use a ebike diagnostic tool it'll help make sure that all of your components are working without adding the main power when you're not ready for it yet

Love my onyx! Never selling it! Yes get the bigger battery 🚀

I have two purpose builts and a renegade Giant Boulder. They are all very custom. The Giant is the fast one with a speed controller that will do 48 to 72 volts. Flexyable!!!! The others are a Jetson Bolt Pro refurb and a ProdecoTech Genesis. The Prodeco is upgraded to 48 volts and is zippy enough for mobbing around town and running errands as well as commuting to work. The Jetson is genuinely absurd and a ton of fun to ride even at 36 volts. The speed controller is 36 to 48 volt but I'm afraid if I put 48 volts to it I wont want to go back. I have an automatic battery switch on it and I can use the old Prodeco battery (LiFePo) when I'm dragging my little utility trailer to pick up my "Curbside" order at Wally World!!! It starts a lot of conversations!!!

I've built 2 E-MTBS both 72v for under 2k and sold them for over 4k so I personally think they hold their value pretty well.

What mirror do u have on the handlebar

Depends... if you buy used parts you can piece together a real real cheap powerhouse DIY and also if you buy factory even say a Sur Ron there is allot of aftermarket upgrading that makes it loose the no tinkering needed.. Resale value for sure at a much higher entry cost and also less fuss if you don't upgrade and also buy expensive enough to not need to... Onyx , Suron at least ... tho others at those price points cough cough super73 ... needs upgrades to the controller and battery to make it functional let alone worth the money.

Direct Drive hubs may need bearings replacing at around 30K miles so not completely 'maintenance free' lolz also I think they prefer Sin Wave Control. They Rock

i have a custom ebike build cube ams 100 pro with 26 inch rims 52v 18ah 40amp battery 35 amp 1500w kt controller 1500w gearless rear hub motor zttto 4 piston brake but i think i gonna replace them for maguras 180mm rotor in the front and it in the back 200mm

750W Fang mid drive 52v batt on my Trek Mtb total weigh of 55lb 33mph throttle alone, 40+ mph full throttle (While peddling) as fast as i can lol

2 custom, my first was a hardtail Carrera Kraken, unfortunately I was a little to hard on it and opened the rear dropouts so it was no longer suitable for an ebike wheel. Now I have a full suspension Giant Stance 2L still the controller needs to be turned down because it has too much torque and the torque arm does sweet fa to stop the axle moving. Custom ebikes hurt my brain, but so much more go for the money as long as you're not stupid like me and take it as close to a motocross as possible, honestly don't do it, don't start off small there's no point you're just wasting time and money, just go straight to full suspension and high power and work the problems out.

What was the build part of the bike?

I took a kids ebike and upgraded the power train which was super easy so now i have a 48v 2200w set up with a 10t motor sprocket going to a 36t wheel sprocket on 18in wheels

Chromoly 26x4.0 frame, 1500w rear hub motor. 50a controller. 72v 21ah battery. All under 1600

I’ve built a few e-bikes but I have a Radmini that I put a2000 watt motor and 72 volt battery but I always try to build a clean one

Pre built e-bikes look like e-bikes and stick out like a sore thumb. I have a Scrambler type bike and I know the looks I get when I’m on it. My custom built 4000w mountain bike rarely gets any more looks than a normal bike therefore I will stick with DIY and only get better with making it less obvious as a production ebike.

....and of course, don't forget green 'slime Puncture Preventor'.

I ride my custom built to Lifetime also.

No question about it!

When you spend money on a hobby it isn’t about value in dollars it’s about value in the time you spend enjoying it.

My first eBike was a prebuilt POS 27.5" 48v 500w 12Ah ToteGuard. I went custom after that and built a 27.5" Schwinn 48v 1000w rear hub with a 48v 15Ah battery which still wasn't enough so I sold that for around $700. I went and bought another Schwinn 27.5" and made a 48v 1500w rear hub with a 52v 20Ah that went between 32-34mph but I'm in the process of selling that one for $1200 right now. My newest eBike is another Schwinn 27.5" with a 72v 3000w rear hub with a 80a controller and a beast 72v 40Ah square block battery that mounts on the rear rack. This eBike rides average speeds of between 48-52mph in 4th and it has a 5th for higher speeds. I've not taken it any faster because to be honest I don't want to get into an accident and possibly die or injure others. I rode it for about 30-34 miles the first time out and it only used roughly 20% of my battery and that was riding at around 50mph the entire time. I'm very happy with my new eBike. It was expensive costing me altogether around $2300 but I thoroughly enjoy building them and tinkering on them too.. Thank you for all of your videos, NPL. Please, keep up the awesome work... David

What is the top speed does your current bike go?

Will I purchased a prebuilt because I got an extremely good deal on it because it was a new company and had pre-orders. Got it for $1k when I first got it though put $1k right into it with a second battery/battery controller + everything else I needed to do maintenance on. I have way more in it now though as I've changed lights in it multiple times one time because I broke it crashing. Now I have my endgame lights though turn signals dual front lights. It was beyond my skills though to wire the up but after trying to find some one near me to be able to do it and failing at finding anyone I tried it myself I did finally get it though.🤓 I plan on getting a second bike this first bike is ok. I just really want a full suspension bike I am still looking to diy the entire thing just frames that fat tire full suspension extremely hard to find so might still end up with a prebuilt full suspension.

Either way with a battery locks they it can be stolen example super 73 s2 and rx

The best ebike you could ever invest in is an e-bike you built yourself. Regardless of any ebike you show on this video, I could build for half the cost.

I like the jank....if your bike doesn't have at least one duct taped part, it's not a real bike.

You cant ride a surron passed civilians on sidewalks and stuff its considered an electric dirtbike so thats why i would go with the onyx cty2 or if you want 2,000$ Range Wicked E Bikes Or Ariel Rider Kepler. I have to be stealth cause i have no License so i need my bike to look almost normal lol. I went with the Wicked E bike Cruiser. I added bunch of LED Neon underglow and tire glow upgrades.

Talaria Sting my guy

I've worked on & off in bike shops since I was a teen (early 90's). I've been converting MTB or full suspension downhill MTBs into high performance, mid-performance ebiks for myself and customers since 2013. With the availability of factory ebikes these days, it is much easier to purchase a complete ebike online vs trying to convert your bicycle into an ebike. More likely you will be spending less $$ just buying a complete ebike and getting a more reliable total package. You gotta ask yourself whether you need "insane amount of power" for your ebike, on street use you don't want to attract that much attention from LEOs (Law Enforcement Officers) or theives alike. On the trails, do you really need +25 mph on a single track or black diamond trails? Nowadays, I just ride something cheap, under $2k (or $1500 even), similar to those used for food delivery in NYC, that operates 24/7, in all weather. They have to depend on their ebikes for their livelyhoods that has to be reliable and long range to keep making money on their ebikes. Most if not all of the operation is throttle only, maintenance at minimal... more importantly don't really have to worry about attracting thieves since they are just workhorses and easily replaceable.

I customized a "name brand" 😅

Hi, after 50,000miles around on an euro ebike ( 250w legal ) and for a cost around 2500 usd ( almost 3K euros ) i m happy with it but for this amount of cash i would have take a bafang hub motor of 1000w with a big battery around 1kw and made longer journey , i m replacing my car totally with my ebike , so sometime it struggle with load, since 20 years of biking i'll never sold a bike, because i'll prefer use them to the end , I'm actually thinking about change , and DIY give me the possibility to make my own bike for my own needs, 500 to 1000 watt motors , minimum 1000watts battery perhaps on a recumbent bike ( this is special because i'm not feeling yet in security on those ) , with a recumbent ebike i'll be comfortable for longer journey but it is so costly ( around 8K euro for a 250w motors and 400watt batteries) that where DIY is the best of the all world, get the frame you like , get exactly wheel size you prefer ( actually looking for fat tire ) some comfort is needed since its my daily and holliday bike . so if you ask me prebuilt versus diy ;) you got my answer ;)

Hey honey buns😂😂😂😂😂❤

Lol I put 10,000km on my bike in 6 months 😂

Hay if you can't tell by the picture custom. 1200w 52v 20ah treck marlin 5 with no peddles pegs in place of peddles

Ecotric

Yo

4 thousand dollars? Where? There retailing like everywhere for 5.7k

those aren't e-bikes, they're electric mopeds.