I finally read the mr.moustache article that the OP posted. Good article but I'm going to add a few things that he didn't mention. ( maybe I missed the info as I just skimmed the article. )
1
He describes his 52v 13.5Ah as large, but it is probably more of a medium size. Much larger are available. That's a good size for typical commuting. These batteries require care and most guys will rarely give them a full charge and will never fully discharge them. That size of battery is great for charging up to about 80% and riding it the next day, being careful not to discharge it below 20%. Rinse and repeat every night if you are a commuter. Most people will only charge the battery to 100% if they are going to go on a longer ride the next day. Of course, you can extend your range by decreasing the amount of assist that you program.
If you want your head to spin check out some of the battery forums on the Endless sphere forum.
The style of battery that he is using is called a shark pack. They are very convenient and great for commuting/city use. The battery can be locked to your frame. It can also be removed easily if need be; perhaps to take it inside to be charged. Keep in mind that batteries are heavy; heavier than a water bottle. Shark packs use the water bottle mounts to hold the battery in place. This puts a lot of strain on the mounts. It's not the best setup for rough use. People have snapped the water bottle mounts off. A battery bag that straps to the frame is an option that works well as it distributes the battery's weight better.
2
The Jamis xc used in the article is a great bike with a great component set. A small issue is the rear shock. A rear shock can limit the size of the battery that you can install.
Hard tail bikes are easier to mount batteries to.
IMO, this guy has done a nice job.
3
He doesn't talk about mounting the mid drive motor in much detail. It's a pretty simple procedure but many people have found that it is physically impossible to mount the motor/chainring because of the design of the chainstays on their donor bike.
Most modern bikes only have one chainring in the front and it tends to quite small. The chainstays will therefore only have a small curve in them and your electric motor/chainring will not fit. Note: the fitment issue that I am describing does not exist with all bikes, but it is very common. Proceed with caution.
Old school bikes with 3 front chainrings will have a different geometry to their chainstays. There tends to be more room for mounting your electric motor/chainring. Again this is not a hard and fast rule, but it's true enough that I am mentioning it.
Here's a pic of the problematic chainstay area and the fitment of the motor/chainring.
For people wanting to make a Fat-e, pay careful attention to the available room for mounting the motor. Most fat bikes will have only one front chain ring. It's a pretty expensive mistake to go buy a new fat bike, only to find that you can't mount their motor.
Read the endless sphere forum. There lots of info on what fits and what doesn't.
4
Brakes. Upgrade them. Seriously. The added weight of the motor and battery, combined with potentially higher speeds, make upgraded brakes a must, imo.
5
The motor that he describes can be set up in a way that is not legal in Alberta. Ride like an idiot, attracting attention to yourself and don't be surprised if trouble finds you. Ride like a responsible cyclist and you should have no issues. (YMMV
)
Lots of people have asked me about my bike, including cops. People are interested as ebikes are relatively new and they want to hear about them.
Even the cop asked me, "Man, what'd you have in that thing?"
They had zero interest in giving me grief, in fact the guy was wanting one to help tow his bike trailer full of kids. Of course, my bike is 100% compliant.
Building your own Ebike
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