Lately I’ve been really excited about mopeds and motorized bicycles. Motorized bicycles (or Bike Cycles as I like to call them) are standard bicycles with either electric or gasoline engine kits added to them.
For a mere $189.00 plus shipping, you can buy a 49cc or 80cc gasoline engine that bolts to the frame of your bicycle and allows you to travel at a top speed of 35-40mph at an average 100mpg. This is the most bang for your buck. Kits are all over the internet, but the best site to get one at is www.SpookyToothCycles.com. They have videos, kits, and complete bikes.
If you’re looking for a quieter ride you might consider an electric assist bicycle. The best version of the electric assist comes with an electric hub motor and battery pack. The motor is inside the hub of either the front, back, or both wheels and is the easiest to install option. However, it is also the most expensive. Expect to pay around $1,000.00 for the hub motor, controller, and battery pack. Though the cost per mile is drastically lower with the electric motor vs. the gas engine and noise level is non existent. Top speed is around 18-20mph and range can be as much as 40 miles depending on battery pack options.
Wal-mart has a bike with a Currie electric motor and battery pack for $299.00 online which is a much greater value. They’re practically selling the kit and giving the bike away. You can add an extra battery pack to increase the range. Top speed is still 18mph and range can be 20-40 miles depending on battery pack size.
The ultimate option is an electric moped with an internal hub motor. Expect to pay between $700-$1600 for an entry level electric moped with about 30 mile range and a top speed of 25mph.
Thats a summery of all the research I’ve done up to this point. If you are interested please let me know. I love talking about this stuff.
