Adding electric power to a DH bike - enough power to be fun?

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

Hello! This might be a daft idea so bear with me. I have been considering building an E bike for a while when a thought hit me; would a downhill bike fitted with a powerful electric motor add up to something like a quiet alternative to a trail motorbike? Of course it wont have the power of an internal combustion engine, but would something like a 1000w be enough power to be fun?

I know the idea of an electric MTB is that you get assistance when you pedal. That isn't really what I'm thinking, I am thinking of something a lot closer to an electric motorbike really, with a hand "throttle" and enough power to ride it like a motorbike up hills etc. That's why I though of a DH bike to get the long travel suspension etc. What do we think of this, has anyone ridden an E bike off road? I haven't yet.

There are kits with switchable power so it would still be road legal and I don't intend to terrorise the local park with it....

[james7]

This looks to be fun from the specs, and the videos on youtube confirm

https://www.stealthelectricbikes.com/stealth-b-52-...

[Dog Star]

I would have thought that even 1000w could be a lot of fun; I have a 250W pedal assist Cube electric MTB (more of a trail bike in truth) and you can ride up some really steep stuff with very little effort in "turbo" mode.

[Cupramax]

I’ve converted a trail bike, can’t comment on a downhill but it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. What kit are you looking at? I’m taking as you’re saying 1000w you’re talking about the BBSHD mid drive? You won’t feel short of power with one of those, if you keep your rear derailleur you can pretty much ride up a cliff and will do 35mph on the flat with the right gearing.

[Lazermilk]

Just get one of these

https://www.gearbest.com/other-motorcycle-accessor...

[Craikeybaby]

Take a look at Martyn Ashton's Canyon Sender, I'm sure there's a GMBN video about it.

[Amateurish]

250W is enough to ride up very steep mountain tracks and to hit over 30mph on the flat.

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

Ok perhaps this will be fun! I will look more into it and hopefully have a ride on one. I was sceptical because a quick google tells me 1000w is under 1.5bhp....

[Herman Toothrot]

Chainsaw Rebuild said:

I was sceptical because a quick google tells me 1000w is under 1.5bhp....

Way to think of it is power to weight. What does a horse weigh? Approximately 1000kg? I guess 1 horse power, is about what one horse can manage.

What do you and your 1.5hp bike weigh, ~100kg say, so you are going to have a power to weight ratio about 15 times that of a horse. I think it would shift.

[Amateurish]

Or 2.5 Chris Froomes!

[boyse7en]

Chainsaw Rebuild said:

Ok perhaps this will be fun! I will look more into it and hopefully have a ride on one. I was sceptical because a quick google tells me 1000w is under 1.5bhp....

Depends on what sort of terrain you will be riding it on. I had a Fantic e-MTB to try out for a week and on the woodland bridlepaths/lanes I rode it on at no point did i feel that it's 250W motor was slow or not fun. I was comparing it to a normal MTB though so maybe if you are coming off of a 250cc MotoX bike then it might feel a bit pedestrian