The DIY E-Bike Reality Check
Here are the top three reasons to convert your current bicycle right now. In case you don’t want to read the rest of this article and you just want the TLDR. First, you stop wasting a perfectly good frame that is currently sitting idle in your garage. You already have it! You might as well use it and save money, save the planet, whatever the reason is, it’s better than an old bike just sitting there collecting dust. Second, you get a fully modular machine where you can easily upgrade the motor or battery whenever you want. Third, it actually gets you off the couch and riding outside.
If you’re still with me, let’s dig into the tactical aspect. Yes, I am fully aware that you can go online right now and buy a flashy two thousand dollar electric bicycle that hits incredible speeds straight out of the box, maybe it goes over 35 MPH or hits even 50. They have perfectly integrated cables, they look incredibly clean, and they are incredibly fast. I get all of that completely and I want to be completely honest with you and have you understand that you can certainly buy a new one. However, buying a completely new machine when you already own a solid bicycle is just wasteful.
It’s like saying you wanted to trade in your slightly used car you bought 2 years ago and wanted to go green by buying the newest Tesla Cybertruck. The exact same logic applies here. Taking a bicycle you already own and giving it a massive electric engine upgrade is the most pragmatic move you can make. At the very least, give your old bike away to someone that wants it.
The Tactical and Modular Advantage
The absolute best part that I love, is the conversion hands on experience. You built the machine, which means you know exactly how it operates from the ground up. Even if you didn’t or don’t want to, knowing that everything is it’s individual piece, such as the battery, the controller, the motor, they’re all parts that are swappable. If you buy a proprietary factory electric bicycle and the sealed display unit fails, you are entirely out of luck and waiting on expensive shipping from an overseas brand. With a modular conversion, you are always in complete control.
Everything you want to do is possible. If you decide you need more range for long weekend rides, you simply add another battery to the frame. If you want more raw power to crush the steep inclines around the DMV, you swap in a more powerful motor or an upgraded controller. You are never locked into a single corporate ecosystem. This modularity makes a DIY build incredibly efficient and highly effective when you look at your actual miles per dollar. You learn the mechanics, you turn the wrenches, and you keep your machine running perfectly for years. Perhaps one of the most under-looked reason, of having a modular build is that your bicycle can grow with you as your riding skills and distance goals expand over time.
Making The Outdoors Accessible
Truly, it doesn’t matter if you decide to buy an e-bike, ride an expensive road bike, ignore all of this, continue to hate avocado toast, you should do whatever you want. However, at the end of the day, the biggest purpose of all this is simply getting outside and moving. I would much rather see you riding an electrified cruiser having a great time than sitting at home wishing you had the motivation to ride a standard mechanical bicycle.
The ease of riding an electric bicycle makes the outdoors so much more approachable for absolutely everyone. You still get outside, you still get fresh air, and you still get real exercise, but without the daunting physical barrier of massive hills or crushing headwinds. It removes all the friction of leaving your house.
Do not let a perfectly good bicycle gather dust in the corner. Electrify it, learn how the components work together, and get back out on the trails. It is the smartest investment you can make for your garage and your health.
