Brake upgrade

The original cantilevers would have been sufficient if they were not broken. The plastic collars hold adjusters which soon crack when exposed to the elements.

Cantilever Brakes

I looked for a modern alternative but after learning about brake pull ratios I decided the new levers would work better with Shimano ‘V-brakes’.

V-Brakes

These were fitted without issue and provide significantly better brake feel.

Brake Pivot
Fitted V-Brake

Mudguards

Whilst the frame has mudguard eyelets, the rear ones are taken up with the torque arm so I looked for an alternative that still offered near full wheel coverage.

I selected a set of Zefal Classic MTB plastic guards that mount on the brake bridges.

Front Mudguard
Rear Mudguard

The supplied mounting bolts are rather long so I shall replace them in time with a shorter pair.

With all the recent rain they have gotten a good workout and have significantly reduced the road spray.

1st Road Test & Weights

The first road test was a success with nothing getting caught up or falling off. Next task is to fine tune the brakes and saddle height etc then take it for a longer ride.

Weights:
Orginal Bike = 14 kg
Electrified Bike = 23.7 kg
Electric Rear Wheel (inc tyre etc) = 7.8 kg
Original Rear Wheel (inc tyre etc) = 2.5 kg
Battery (inc mount) = 3.9 kg
Controller = <500g

Cable routing

A typical conversion kit comes with meters of cable for the various sensors and a frame bag to store the motor controller within.

I’ve done a quick cable tie job to keep everything out of way but in time I shall cut down the cables and use waterproof quick release connectors.

A quick tip for when fitting the rear wheel is to make sure that the cable is not facing upwards like this.

If I leave it in this configuration it will provide a nice channel for water to run in into the motor so I shall flip it next time the wheel is removed.

Brake & gear levers

Brake Levers

The conversion kit came with new brake levers that contain microswitches for cutting out the motor when you brake. The original brake levers were the one-peice type that is integrated with the gear shifters so I had to buy separate shifters to use the new levers.

Basic Shimano triple levers with rapidfire triggers.

Battery Mount

Downtube Battery

The 15Ah battery comes with a rail for mounting on the downtube in place of a bottle cage. However none of the precut slots matched the screw bosses on my frame so I had to drill an additional hole. Due to the tradiational bottle cage bolt spacing this leaves the top of the battery without a firm mounting so I shall 3d print a clamp.