Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1: Are ebikes street legal?
Q2: Are ebikes safe?
Q3: How far can I expect to go on one battery charge?
Q4: Will I still be able to get exercise if I have an electric motor?
Q5: How long will a brushless motor last?
Q6: How long is your warranty?
Q7: Why do you not recommend front hub motors except on trikes?
Q8: What about spokes and rims? Will I have to install these myself?
Q9: I have a 21 speed bike - can I keep my gears?
Q10: How much weight will this add to my bike?
Q11: What about department store ebikes that cost less than a kit?
Q12: I've heard that Bionx makes a good kit. What's your opinion?
Q13: Can I ride my ebike in the rain?
Q1: Are ebikes street legal?
Yes! Laws vary from province to province, so it's best to do your homework. In Alberta ebikes are legal up to a maximum 35 km/h electric assist speed, and if they have a motor rated at 750 watts or less. See Alberta ebike regulations here. Top
Q2: Are ebikes safe?
Ebikes are as safe as regular bikes. In most jurisdictions ebikes have the same rules and privileges as regular bikes; ie, you can ride on roads and in traffic or you may be able to ride on local multi-use trails or sidewalks.
As with any bike, ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET! BE VISIBLE! Most vehicle - bike accidents result from the vehicle driver not seeing the cyclist in time. Use flashing LED lights front and back, and wear bright clothing with reflective stripe material. Top
Q3: How far can I expect to go on one battery charge?
Range on one charge is affected by many variables - weight of rider, amount of pedalling the rider does, tire inflation, hills, headwinds, etc. From our experience, a helpful generalization is to expect 2+ kms of distance per amp-hour of battery capacity. For example, an 8 amp-hour pack should get you close to 20 km of range. You can increase range by using the throttle less and pedalling more. You can also increase range by upgrading your battery pack or adding a second pack in parallel. Top
Q4: Will I still be able to get exercise if I have an electric motor?
Yes! The electric system and the pedal drive are two separate and independent systems. You can pedal as much or as little as you like while simultaneously using the throttle as much as you like. Top
Q5: How long will a brushless motor last?
Expect Crystalyte brushless motors to provide many thousands of kms of troublefree use. My personal commuter ebike has about 7000 kms on it so far. Top
Q6: How long is your Warranty?
We offer a 14-day satisfaction guarantee: Upon receiving your kit, if you are not completely satisfied, we will give you a full refund for the first 14 day period, less the cost of return shipping.
All components, including hub motor, throttle, standard controllers, and battery pack have a six-month warranty. (All warranties are parts only! Labour to remove faulty parts and/or reinstall warranty replacement parts is $30/hr). Top
Q7: Why do you not recommend front hub motors except on trikes?
They may have safety issues: front hub motors are not recommended except for use with solid, steel front forks. If your bike has alloy, aluminum, or suspension forks, you must use a rear hub motor instead. Installing a front hub motor on one of the above styles of forks can result in fork failure, meaning the wheel could come loose and you will take an unpleasant trip over the handlebars! Please note this picture showing a fork dropout beginning to fail and spread!
If you see this fork failure - stop biking!
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Q8: What about spokes and rims? Will I have to install these myself?
A) Spokes & rims are usually available, as a service to our customers. In most cases the hub motor is pre-mounted in the rim. However, the primary products we sell are the electric components: hub motors, controllers, throttles, chargers, and batteries. Warranty applies to electric components only.
B) "Rim sizes" refer to current bicycle industry standards, not actual measurements. For example, a 26" rim by current standards is actually about 22.5" across. The 26" figure is approximately the outside measurement of the rubber tire after it is mounted on the rim. PLEASE confirm your rim size before ordering, as we are not responsible for correcting rim size order mistakes. Top
Q9: I have a 21 speed bike - can I keep my gears?
Yes, in the sense that rear hub motors come complete with their own 7 speed set of gears. If your existing bike has more than 7 speeds on the rear sprockets you can adjust your derailleur so it will accomodate 7 instead. Top
Q10: How much weight will this add to my bike?
A 400 series hub motor (the most common kind we sell) when mounted in the rim is about 7 kgs, and the standard battery pack is about 6 kgs, depending on the style and capacity. Some customers have compared the feeling of extra weight to that of having a small child on board. Top
Q11: What about department store ebikes that cost less than a kit?
An off-the-shelf ebike may have a lower cost or no assembly required. But the trade-off is that it's a "one-size-fits-all" frame and motor that may not be as suitable as your favourite bike with a customized kit. Also, some pre-built ebikes have brushed motors with low wattage, so power may be lacking for your riding needs. We recommend a brushless motor that is rated at a minimum of 400 watts. Top
Q12: I've heard that BionX makes a good kit. What's your opinion?
BionX is a good pre-packaged kit but with fewer options for customizing or upgrading torque, speed and battery type. Crystalyte takes a modular approach allowing you to customize your kits' individual components. We recommend BionX to customers who are less mechanically inclined to tinker and for whom cost is not an object. Top
Q13: Can I ride my ebike in the rain?
Yes - but you must protect the electrical components. I've been riding mine year-round in rain and snow for over 3 years. See the note re: waterproofing and over-wintering in the How to Install instructions. Top