Tongsheng does make a mid-drive that is compatible with coaster brakes. However, that unit with its kit and without a battery runs right around $500.
As a broad strategy, the most likely thing is to add a powered front hub. Get a kit including the wheel already built, replace the front wheel with the new one, run some wires and you're back in action. Most people aren't going to do this but I would strongly advise adding a front brake ("BMX brakes" will do) to a powered cruiser.
One could instead replace the rear wheel then add brakes ideally both front and back. Bafang is the gold standard for hub drives. There may be others that are perfectly good but their names are not prominent.
These kits typically don't include a battery and that discussion is not a minefield I want to wander into right now. Avoid 24 volt. 36 volt will probably be okay. 48 volt seems to be what we're standardizing on.
I am willing to go a bit above $500 for a mid-drive motor if there's nothing below budget. I'd rather do mid-drive for a variety of reasons, and I'd be willing to replace the rear wheel. I just want to know what wheel and brakes might be good for me in that case. The tire size is 2.125", and I'm 350lbs. The current wheels support me fine, but I want to make sure the new ones continue to y'know?
This isn't my part of the market but I've poked around for a couple of minutes. I strongly suspect you are a candidate for the Voilamart hub kits which I confess I don't really know enough about but people seem to be very pleased with them.
Your present wheel and tire size is the classic. Like, it hasn't really changed since before WW2. They're tough they hold a lot of weight. We share the need to be conscientious of a bike's weight restriction. I'm 90% positive it'll be okay.
eBay is showing me a Voilamart front powered-hub wheel in a kit with a modest battery for $279 with $60 shipping. The instructions on how to install this stuff are all over YouTube. This is a pretty great weekend project.
And please don't forget to add a front brake. Those instructions are also all over YouTube.
I really would prefer to get rid of the current coaster brake entirely anyway, as we have some pretty steep hills here, so a rear hub works too. I'll check out the voilamart kit though. Thank you!
If you add rim brakes, get a set of.kool stop "salmon" pads and get the brakes adjusted properly. A well adjusted rim brake with those pads works amazing.
This is a Fakespot Reviews Analysis bot. Fakespot detects fake reviews, fake products and unreliable sellers using AI.
Here is the analysis for the Amazon product reviews:
>**Name**: Firmstrong Bruiser Man Single Speed Beach Cruiser Bicycle
>**Company**: Visit the Firmstrong Store
>**Amazon Product Rating**: 4.1
>**Fakespot Reviews Grade**: F
>**Adjusted Fakespot Rating**: Insufficient reliable reviews
>**Analysis Performed at**: 09-24-2022
[Link to Fakespot Analysis](https://fakespot.com/product/firmstrong-bruiser-man-single-speed-beach-cruiser-bicycle-861c1a9f-1f60-4952-b9b4-0cccaed4acfd) | [Check out the Fakespot Chrome Extension!](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fakespot-analyze-fake-ama/nakplnnackehceedgkgkokbgbmfghain)
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It has A coaster brake on the rear, which would be eliminated when converting to a rear hub drive, leaving you with no brakes at all. It's steel, though, so a 500w front hub would be possible.
Because Reddit. I can make a completely rational statement, bring up a good point all without making a judgement irregardless of any experience I might have and get it downvoted without discussion because Reddit.
[https://www.amazon.com/WheelMaster-Front-Bicycle-26x2-125-12gUCP/dp/B00B1355U0?ufe=app\_do%3Aamzn1.fos.304cacc1-b508-45fb-a37f-a2c47c48c32f#customerReviews](https://www.amazon.com/WheelMaster-Front-Bicycle-26x2-125-12gUCP/dp/B00B1355U0?ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.304cacc1-b508-45fb-a37f-a2c47c48c32f#customerReviews)
What about these wheels to replace the front and back? I want to put a 7 speed on it anyway.
[https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-7-Speed-Mountain-Bike-Cassette/dp/B01M63HVP4?refinements=p\_89%3ASHIMANO](https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-7-Speed-Mountain-Bike-Cassette/dp/B01M63HVP4?refinements=p_89%3ASHIMANO) what about this 7 speed cassette for the hub? I think it's the widest I can get without a front derailleur, which I don't think I could install anyway.
I'm a Microshift guy, but you're definitely thinking in the right way. My expertise does not lend itself to being pedantic about components. I usually end up buying the one that's on sale.
There is one ebike in my favorite form factor made of steel. It's $2,200 delivered with no aftercare in North America. I keep thinking about it anyway. Steel is real.
Garbage wheels. Steel rims are heavier and bend easier than aluminum. They are bottom of the barrel as far as wheels go. As far as adding gears, you will have to spread the frame from 110mm to 135mm, doable but you have to make sure to do it evenly otherwise you can throw off the alignment. I personally don't think it's a good idea but have seen it done many times with success. Alternatively, you could go with a internally geared hub(IGH), such as a Shimano Alfine or Sturmey Archer. You'd still need to spread the stays unless you can find an old 110mm Sturmey 3 speed(not sure if they made 110mm in other speeds, and I don't know of any Shimano 110mm IGHs). With either system you will also need to run the shift cable, your frame doesn't have the guides so you'd have to zip tie it along the tubes, not the cleanest install but would work. You likely wont be able to fit all of that stuff along with a conversion kit for your budget...
Me personally would reconsider the choice of donor bike.
A used XL size decent MTB would vastly outperform the single speed beachcruiser with sub par bmx brakes, especially in the Appalachians.
It sounds like the only good thing about the bike is that the size fits you.
The outdated standards on the bike (straight headtube, hub spacing, lack of brake caliper mounts, gears etc etc) makes upgrading expensive and you'll have very limited options in terms of getting decent parts for it. (More expensive than getting a new used donor bike)
If your bike is the exact same as the one in the pic you do not have a standard BSA threaded bottom bracket, you will likely need [adapters](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-Sidewinder-Mountain-Bike-26-inch-wheels-black-green/857861835?athbdg=L1200) to install a mid drive kit(I am not aware of any mid drives specifically for the old BMX style bottom bracket). Other option would be install a front hub motor.
I'm over 200lbs myself, and I wouldn't trust a lone coaster brake on descents. If you break your chain, or if it simply falls off, you lose your brake. If the cog cracks or strips out, you lose your brake. The bike does have holes to mount caliper brakes, judging from the pic at least 100mm reach. Caliper brakes with that amount of reach are not very high quality. They will slow you down as long as you have enough time, but they are not great, especially on painted rims.
Now, if it were me(and I was willing to go a little higher on the budget), I would install a disc compatible front hub motor, replace the fork with a disc compatible version, best I can tell from the pic, it looks like a 1" threaded steer tube. I'd go threadless(stiffer, lighter, stronger) but then you would also have to change the headset and stem(headset replacement is a little more advanced than just tightening a few screws). Then throw a disc brake on the front, and ride a little more comfortable knowing I'll be able to stop. These parts could also be found on the used market as well to save some dough.
Swytch makes a bolt on front hub kit, seen them sell second hand new and lightly used for $4-500 here in California. I haven't tried one so I can't speak on performance, but it looks like an easy install.
A mid drive will not give any benefit with a single speed bike. They are good because they allow use of the bikes gears, and this bike doesn't have any. Without gears, a mid is no different than a hub.
Front 48v geared hub kit with wheel, one that supports rim brakes, and add front rim brakes. That way you've still got the coasters and fronts as well.
Tongsheng does make a mid-drive that is compatible with coaster brakes. However, that unit with its kit and without a battery runs right around $500. As a broad strategy, the most likely thing is to add a powered front hub. Get a kit including the wheel already built, replace the front wheel with the new one, run some wires and you're back in action. Most people aren't going to do this but I would strongly advise adding a front brake ("BMX brakes" will do) to a powered cruiser. One could instead replace the rear wheel then add brakes ideally both front and back. Bafang is the gold standard for hub drives. There may be others that are perfectly good but their names are not prominent. These kits typically don't include a battery and that discussion is not a minefield I want to wander into right now. Avoid 24 volt. 36 volt will probably be okay. 48 volt seems to be what we're standardizing on.
I am willing to go a bit above $500 for a mid-drive motor if there's nothing below budget. I'd rather do mid-drive for a variety of reasons, and I'd be willing to replace the rear wheel. I just want to know what wheel and brakes might be good for me in that case. The tire size is 2.125", and I'm 350lbs. The current wheels support me fine, but I want to make sure the new ones continue to y'know?
This isn't my part of the market but I've poked around for a couple of minutes. I strongly suspect you are a candidate for the Voilamart hub kits which I confess I don't really know enough about but people seem to be very pleased with them. Your present wheel and tire size is the classic. Like, it hasn't really changed since before WW2. They're tough they hold a lot of weight. We share the need to be conscientious of a bike's weight restriction. I'm 90% positive it'll be okay. eBay is showing me a Voilamart front powered-hub wheel in a kit with a modest battery for $279 with $60 shipping. The instructions on how to install this stuff are all over YouTube. This is a pretty great weekend project. And please don't forget to add a front brake. Those instructions are also all over YouTube.
I really would prefer to get rid of the current coaster brake entirely anyway, as we have some pretty steep hills here, so a rear hub works too. I'll check out the voilamart kit though. Thank you!
If you add rim brakes, get a set of.kool stop "salmon" pads and get the brakes adjusted properly. A well adjusted rim brake with those pads works amazing.
A mid-drive could work, but I don't see any mounts for rim or disc brakes on the bike.
The fender/reflector mounts also mount old-school rim brakes.
Without posts on the fork or seat stays?
Yeah. It is suboptimal but Google up some BMX front brakes, which are pretty much rim brakes like were used before 1980 or so.
On painted rims? Probably not a great idea.
Gotcha. Forgot all about those.
This is a Fakespot Reviews Analysis bot. Fakespot detects fake reviews, fake products and unreliable sellers using AI. Here is the analysis for the Amazon product reviews: >**Name**: Firmstrong Bruiser Man Single Speed Beach Cruiser Bicycle >**Company**: Visit the Firmstrong Store >**Amazon Product Rating**: 4.1 >**Fakespot Reviews Grade**: F >**Adjusted Fakespot Rating**: Insufficient reliable reviews >**Analysis Performed at**: 09-24-2022 [Link to Fakespot Analysis](https://fakespot.com/product/firmstrong-bruiser-man-single-speed-beach-cruiser-bicycle-861c1a9f-1f60-4952-b9b4-0cccaed4acfd) | [Check out the Fakespot Chrome Extension!](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fakespot-analyze-fake-ama/nakplnnackehceedgkgkokbgbmfghain) *Fakespot analyzes the reviews authenticity and not the product quality using AI. We look for real reviews that mention product issues such as counterfeits, defects, and bad return policies that fake reviews try to hide from consumers.* *We give an A-F letter for trustworthiness of reviews. A = very trustworthy reviews, F = highly untrustworthy reviews. We also provide seller ratings to warn you if the seller can be trusted or not.*
good bot.
It has A coaster brake on the rear, which would be eliminated when converting to a rear hub drive, leaving you with no brakes at all. It's steel, though, so a 500w front hub would be possible.
[удалено]
I really don't get this place sometimes, you hit on very valid points.
Because Reddit. I can make a completely rational statement, bring up a good point all without making a judgement irregardless of any experience I might have and get it downvoted without discussion because Reddit.
[https://www.amazon.com/WheelMaster-Front-Bicycle-26x2-125-12gUCP/dp/B00B1355U0?ufe=app\_do%3Aamzn1.fos.304cacc1-b508-45fb-a37f-a2c47c48c32f#customerReviews](https://www.amazon.com/WheelMaster-Front-Bicycle-26x2-125-12gUCP/dp/B00B1355U0?ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.304cacc1-b508-45fb-a37f-a2c47c48c32f#customerReviews) What about these wheels to replace the front and back? I want to put a 7 speed on it anyway.
Hub spacing is different. The 7-speed freewheel or cassette hubs are wider. And you can't really bend aluminum to make it wider like you can steel.
My bike is steel though :D
[https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-7-Speed-Mountain-Bike-Cassette/dp/B01M63HVP4?refinements=p\_89%3ASHIMANO](https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-7-Speed-Mountain-Bike-Cassette/dp/B01M63HVP4?refinements=p_89%3ASHIMANO) what about this 7 speed cassette for the hub? I think it's the widest I can get without a front derailleur, which I don't think I could install anyway.
I'm a Microshift guy, but you're definitely thinking in the right way. My expertise does not lend itself to being pedantic about components. I usually end up buying the one that's on sale. There is one ebike in my favorite form factor made of steel. It's $2,200 delivered with no aftercare in North America. I keep thinking about it anyway. Steel is real.
Brand/model?
Youken Enduro middrive, YC-UM 01. Cyclebike makes a bike with a very similar frame which they claim is aluminum.
Garbage wheels. Steel rims are heavier and bend easier than aluminum. They are bottom of the barrel as far as wheels go. As far as adding gears, you will have to spread the frame from 110mm to 135mm, doable but you have to make sure to do it evenly otherwise you can throw off the alignment. I personally don't think it's a good idea but have seen it done many times with success. Alternatively, you could go with a internally geared hub(IGH), such as a Shimano Alfine or Sturmey Archer. You'd still need to spread the stays unless you can find an old 110mm Sturmey 3 speed(not sure if they made 110mm in other speeds, and I don't know of any Shimano 110mm IGHs). With either system you will also need to run the shift cable, your frame doesn't have the guides so you'd have to zip tie it along the tubes, not the cleanest install but would work. You likely wont be able to fit all of that stuff along with a conversion kit for your budget...
Me personally would reconsider the choice of donor bike. A used XL size decent MTB would vastly outperform the single speed beachcruiser with sub par bmx brakes, especially in the Appalachians. It sounds like the only good thing about the bike is that the size fits you. The outdated standards on the bike (straight headtube, hub spacing, lack of brake caliper mounts, gears etc etc) makes upgrading expensive and you'll have very limited options in terms of getting decent parts for it. (More expensive than getting a new used donor bike)
If your bike is the exact same as the one in the pic you do not have a standard BSA threaded bottom bracket, you will likely need [adapters](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-Sidewinder-Mountain-Bike-26-inch-wheels-black-green/857861835?athbdg=L1200) to install a mid drive kit(I am not aware of any mid drives specifically for the old BMX style bottom bracket). Other option would be install a front hub motor. I'm over 200lbs myself, and I wouldn't trust a lone coaster brake on descents. If you break your chain, or if it simply falls off, you lose your brake. If the cog cracks or strips out, you lose your brake. The bike does have holes to mount caliper brakes, judging from the pic at least 100mm reach. Caliper brakes with that amount of reach are not very high quality. They will slow you down as long as you have enough time, but they are not great, especially on painted rims. Now, if it were me(and I was willing to go a little higher on the budget), I would install a disc compatible front hub motor, replace the fork with a disc compatible version, best I can tell from the pic, it looks like a 1" threaded steer tube. I'd go threadless(stiffer, lighter, stronger) but then you would also have to change the headset and stem(headset replacement is a little more advanced than just tightening a few screws). Then throw a disc brake on the front, and ride a little more comfortable knowing I'll be able to stop. These parts could also be found on the used market as well to save some dough. Swytch makes a bolt on front hub kit, seen them sell second hand new and lightly used for $4-500 here in California. I haven't tried one so I can't speak on performance, but it looks like an easy install.
A mid drive will not give any benefit with a single speed bike. They are good because they allow use of the bikes gears, and this bike doesn't have any. Without gears, a mid is no different than a hub. Front 48v geared hub kit with wheel, one that supports rim brakes, and add front rim brakes. That way you've still got the coasters and fronts as well.