E-Bike Conversion Build Checklist: Every Part Before You Start 🔧
- Donor bike — frame with the right dropout size for your hub motor, and brakes rated for the extra speed and weight.
- Motor kit — hub motor with laced wheel, or a mid-drive with its mounting hardware.
- Controller — matched to your motor's voltage; confirm the connector types before you order.
- Battery + charger — correct voltage for the controller, capacity sized for the range you actually ride.
- Throttle and display — thumb or twist, plus a display if you want assist levels and a battery readout.
- Hardware — torque arms (do not skip these on a hub motor), axle nuts and washers, wiring harness, brake cut-off sensors, connectors and zip ties.
Run through this list twice before you buy anything — a missing torque arm or a mismatched connector is how builds end up in a box for a year. Building one up or stuck on one? The shop brings 13 years of e-bike wrenching across Canada — happy to help you get it right.