If you require a quick answer, the best electric bike conversion kit is the Bafang BBS02B, which is an affordable mid drive setup that delivers 750 watts of power. However, if you would prefer a front or rear wheel hub conversion, the ReaseJoy Kit is the best alternative that’s available with either a 750 or 1,000W electric motor.
To rate the electric bike conversion kits within this article, we based our recommendations upon our experience and testing of multiple kits (as shown in the “How We Rated” section below). We also carried out hours of research and considered a number of factors. Some of the factors that we considered included the build quality, type, performance, ease of installation, digital display, certifications, additional functionality, warranty and value for money.
Table of Contents
Electric Bike Conversion Kit Comparison
| Electric Bike Conversion Kit | Type | Power |
|---|---|---|
| Bafang BBS02B | Mid Drive | 750W |
| ReaseJoy eBike Wheel | Front or Rear Wheel | 750 or 1,000W |
| TheeBikeMotor Wheel | Front or Rear Wheel | 1,500W |
| TongSheng TSDZ2 | Mid Drive | 350 or 500W |
| Schuck Rear | Rear Wheel | 1,000W |
| L-Faster Spocket | Sprocket | 250W |
Front or rear wheel hub conversion kits are by far the easiest and most popular option. However, if you require a better gear-ratio that uses the same chain and gears as the bike, the premium mid drive configurations are the best option.
Below is a list of the best electric bike conversion kits that are available in the UK and can be installed to most standard bicycles.
The Best Electric Bike Conversion Kit
1. Bafang Mid Drive Electric Bike Conversion Kit
Bafang produce a wide variety of electric bike conversion kits but the BBS02B is their flagship kit. It’s available in a range of different configurations, which allows you to truly tailor the kit to best suit your requirements.
According to the brand, it’s relatively easy to install whilst following the instructions and all the necessary mounting hardware is included within the kit.
Other features of the Bafang BBS02B Kit include:
- Mid drive setup
- Power rated at 750W
- Max torque of 120 Nm
- Choice of 10 different displays
- Suitable for road and mountain bikes
- Waterproof rated at IP65
- Thumb throttle
- CE and RoHs certified
- Backed by a one year warranty
Whilst testing the Bafang setup, we were very impressed with its performance and it was also relatively easy to install. As you can see in the above image of the kit installed to one of our bikes, it has a compact motor, which is a great bonus.
To conclude, the Bafang BBS02B is an excellent mid drive conversion kit that provides more than enough power for all-round use. Whether you use it for commuting to work or tackling steep inclines, it certainly won’t disappoint.
2. ReaseJoy Front Wheel Electric Bike Conversion Kit
By far the most popular electric bike conversion kit in the UK is by the ReaseJoy brand. It’s a front wheel hub conversion that uses a powerful 1,000 watt brushless motor, which according to the brand can provide a top speed of 48 KM/H.Included within the kit is a 26 inch front wheel with the motor, controller, brake pullers, handlebar grips, thumb controller, bag and various other accessories.
Other features of the ReaseJoy Front Wheel Kit include:
- Rated power at 1,000 watts
- Motor speed of 470 RPM
- Max load capacity of 150 KG
- Dual mode controller
- Thumb throttle with LED battery indicators
- 26 inch wheel with an aluminium rim
- Compatible with most bicycles
During testing, we were impressed with the build quality of the kit (as shown in the image) and how easy it was to install by following the supplied instructions.
Overall, the ReaseJoy eBike kit is one of the best conversion kits available for the front wheel and its also fairly straightforward to install as an added bonus. Compared to similar performance mid drive alternatives, it offers much better value for the money and it’s a great option to consider.
3. TheeBikeMotor Electric Bike Conversion Kit
For those that require additional power, the TheeBikeMotor brand have the answer with their 1,500 watt conversion kit. It’s a premium option that’s available in front or rear wheel sizes that range from 20 to 29 inches.When compared to previous generations offered by the brand, this kit has been recently improved to use the latest sine-wave controller. This makes it far more stable and efficient and it can now also support additional functions.
Other features of the TheeBikeMotor Conversion Kit include:
- Available as a front or rear wheel setup
- 48V 1,500W motor
- Maximum speed of 60 KM/H
- Pedal assistance system (PAS)
- Aluminium rim
- LCD display
Overall, it’s one of the most powerful electric bike conversion kits on the market that’s perfect for those wanting extra speed. It’s built to a high standard and comes with everything you need to install it out of the box.
4. TongSheng Mid Drive eBike Conversion Kit
The TongSheng is another premium mid drive electric bike conversion kit that’s available in multiple configurations. According to the brand, it’s suitable for 95% of all standard bike frames and its up to 30% lighter than the Bafang kit.In order to maximize the performance of the motor, it has an intelligent torque sensor, which accurately detects the foot force and provides additional power as and when you require it. This is an improvement upon the brand’s previous generations of the kit that only provided a fixed rate of power.
Other features of the TongSheng Mid Drive Kit include:
- Available with a 350 or 500W motor
- Fits the majority of bicycles
- Power-off brake lever
- Easy to follow instructions
- Waterproof rating of IP54
- CE and EN15194 certified
- Clear and easy to use LCD display
When it came to testing to the TongSheng kit, we had multiple options to choose from by the brand but we opted for the lower powered motor (350W) to see if it was suitable for those on a budget. The power that was delivered from the motor was more than adequate and the torque sensor certainly made a big difference when tackling steep inclines.
To conclude, the TongSheng Mid Drive Kit is an excellent all-round electric bike conversion kit that ticks all the boxes. It isn’t the most powerful but the intelligent torque sensor provides the power when you need it most.
5. Schuck Rear eBike Conversion Kit
The Schuck eBike conversion kit is another option that uses a powerful 1,000 watt motor. In terms of the configurations available, the brand offer the kit with a 20, 26 and 27.5 inch rear wheel.In order to make the installation go as smoothly as possible, it comes with the rim and hub motor already assembled. This means that all you need to do is transfer the original tyre with the new hub setup.
Other features of the Schuck eBike Conversion Kit include:
- 1,000W brushless gear hub motor
- Double wall aluminium alloy rim
- Stainless steel spokes
- Thumb throttle
- PAS sensor
- Max speed of 45 km/h
- Supplied with all the installation accessories
- Backed by a one year warranty
Overall, the Schuck rear wheel electric bike conversion kit is an easy to setup and powerful option that won’t disappoint. For complete peace of mind, it even come with a 1 year warranty, which many similar priced alternatives don’t offer.
6. L-Faster Electric Bike Conversion Kit
One of the cheapest electric bike conversion kits that’s actually worth buying is by the L-Faster brand. It’s a unique kit that mounts to the sprocket of the wheel spokes and is available in a thumb or twist throttle setup.In terms of the installation, the brand state that it’s fairly straightforward with a video tutorial of the installation.
Other features of the L-Faster Conversion Kit include:
- Mounts to the sprocket
- Power rated at 250 watts
- Available with a thumb or twist throttle
- Supplied with all the installation hardware
- Fully UK compliant
Overall, the L-Faster Conversion Kit offers great value for the money and its perfect for those on a tight budget. Due to the low cost, it isn’t going to provide premium performance but if you only need a small boost, it’s more than ideal.
How We Rated
Within the Darimo UK team, there are a number of cycling enthusiasts that own a variety of bikes. Therefore, we decided to test multiple electric bike conversion kits upon the bikes that we own.
As shown in the below photos (as well as within the reviews above), the conversion kits come with everything that’s required out of the box and they simply bolt straight on (as long as you follow the instructions). During our testing, we analysed how easy the kits were to install, their performance as well as the build quality.
As well as our experience and testing of multiple conversion kits, we also based our recommendations upon plenty of research and a number of factors. Some of the factors that we took into consideration included the build quality, type, performance, ease of installation, digital display, certifications, additional functionality, warranty and value for money.
Conclusion
Converting a bike that you already own is the most cost effective solution to experiencing electric power. Most brands offer a wide range of kits that allow you to tailor the setup to best suit your requirements. For example, many offer a variety of LCD displays and motors that range from 250 watts to as powerful as 1,500 watts.
All of our recommendations listed above cover each type of drive type and they are suitable for all budgets. However, before purchasing any of the kits, you’ll want to ensure that all of the parts that you require are included. We are stating this because some kits don’t come with batteries and they’ll need to be bought separately if they aren’t available from the brand.
