Barak Electric Bicycle Conversion Kit Installation Instructions

******Please fully read through these instructions before attempting to install your electric bicycle kit on your bicycle.

Additionally, watch the installation video for more assistance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8SZn2IkFwQ&feature=youtu.be

******

Now let’s get started!

Part 1: The Motor

1. Start by turning your bicycle upside down and removing the front or rear wheel (depending on if your kit comes with a front or rear motor).

2. Remove the tire from the original wheel using tire levers or tire spoons (watch the installation video or search youtube for ‘changing bicycle tire’ if you aren’t familiar with this process - it isn’t difficult but there is a specific procedure to follow).

3. If re-using your original inner tube, transfer the inner tube over with the tire. Inner tubes only cost a few dollars and so we recommend starting with a new inner tube if possible.

4. Transfer over the rim strip from your old rim to your new rim. The rim strip is a piece of plastic or tape that covers the holes on the inside of the rim. It is important to transfer this over to ensure that the sharp holes inside the rim don’t cut the inner tube. Skipping this step can result in flat tires.

5. Reinstall the tire on your new motor wheel. Many tires are designed to roll in only one direction, usually indicated by an arrow with the word “rotation” printed on the side of the tire. Note: for directional tires, remember that the wire exits on the LEFT side of the motor. If necessary, flip your bicycle back over to double check you are installing the tire in the correct direction.

6. Once the tire is installed on the motor’s rim, you can now place the entire motor wheel back in the bike. With a rear motor, you’ll need to lift the chain over the axle and might need to hold the derailleur back to allow the motor to slide into place easily. Make sure the wire exits the axle towards the sky, so that when the bike is inverted to its normal position, the wire will exit towards the ground.

7. The supplied axle washers will serve as a spacer if you find you need a little more or less space for your motor. Ensure that one washer (either a thin or thick one) is inside the

dropouts (the slot for the axle in the bike frame). You don’t want the bare axle to rest against the bike’s dropouts because the axle has small shoulders (flats) and these flats do not provide a large clamping surface. You need a washer to rest on the axle’s flats between the flats and the dropouts. See the picture above.

8. Ensure that at least one “toothed” washer is installed on each side of the motor, either inside or outside of the dropouts. Most dropouts are too narrow to allow them to be installed inside the dropout, so you’ll need to place them on the axle after you’ve installed the motor and before placing the nuts on the axle. See the image above.

9. Next, tighten up your axle nuts and you’re finished with the motor installation. Don’t over tighten the nuts. A strong turn with a 6 inch wrench is plenty. If you have a torque wrench, don’t exceed 30 Nm. If you don’t have a torque wrench (don’t worry, I don’t either) then just give it a firm tightening but not like a gorilla.

10. Cover the nuts with the plastic covers found in the bag of hardware, ensuring that the cover on the wire side directs the wire upwards (downwards when the bike is right-side-up). This keeps water from running down the wire and into the motor.

11. Lastly, don’t forget to close your brake arms if you opened them to allow the wheel to be removed.

Part 2: The Controller

1. The 26” kit comes with the controller installed in the base of the battery holder. You’ll need to remove the four screws in the metal base plus two

smaller screws in the plastic base just below it. The 20” kit comes with an exposed controller so you don’t need to remove anything to reach it.

2. The 26” kit will already have the battery wires installed. For the 20” kit, simply connect the battery connector (two large wires: red & black).

3. The motor wires to be connected consist of two sets of connectors, three individual thick wires (blue, green and yellow) and a single white connector with 5 smaller wires (blue, green, yellow, black and red).

4. Connect the larger diameter wires to their corresponding colored wire in the controller. Make sure they go together firmly. Tug on the connection to ensure that it won’t shake loose. Then, cover the connectors with the green sleeve. Slide one end of the green sleeve into the other to protect the wire connectors from touching each other or anything else. This also helps hold the connectors together.

5. The smaller five wire connector needs to be assembled on the motor wire. You’ll find the five individual wires each connected to a pin on the motor wire. The white plastic housing for the connector can be found in the bag of hardware that came with your kit. You’ll need to slide the pins into the white connector from the rear. Be sure to place each pin in the correct hole. It can help to first snap the empty connector housing into the corresponding connector on the motor. This way you can easily see which colored wire should go to which hole in the connector. NOTE: the pins have a small tooth on one side and will only snap into place in the connector in one direction. Check the inside of the connector for the small notch that indicates which side of the hole to place the tooth side of the pin. It sounds complicated but it’s actually quite simple: if the pin clicked when pushed all the way into the connector then it’s perfect! If you

didn’t hear a click, it’s either not far enough in or you need to spin the pin 180 degrees and try again. Give each pin/wire a gentle tug to ensure it is locked into the connector. If for some reason you have placed the pin in the wrong hole, you can use a small flat head screwdriver/toothpick/bobby pin/needle/other thin and rigid tool to depress the small tooth from the open end of the connector. This will allow the pin to slide back out. You may need to lift the tooth back up afterwards to ensure that it properly locks when placed into the connector again. You can watch this video I made to demonstrate the pin installation in the connector: http://youtu.be/gLTpYN_zpRg

6. Next, connect the display, which is a white 5 pin connector (26” kit) or a black 4 pin connector (20” kit).

7. Lastly, connect the throttle which is a three pin connector. The throttle connector on the controller for the 26” kit has three wires (red, blue and black) and the connector is black in color. There is a somewhat similar looking white connector on the controller which is NOT the throttle connector and you don’t need to use this connector at all. The throttle connector is black and has a blue, red and black wire connected to it. On the 20” kit, the throttle wire is labeled (and is similar looking, except that the blue wire is replaced by a green wire). There is a second identical connector on the 20” kit’s controller, which is why the throttle connector is marked to allow identification. It is recommended to leave the label in place, in case you ever want to remove the throttle or replace it at a later time.

8. Now you’ve finished the connections to the controller. For the 26” kit, reinstall the controller in the base of the battery holder, being very cautious not to pinch or crush any of the wires. The wires should exit the bottom of the battery holder in the gap created below the controller. Replace the black plastic cover over the wires with the wires exiting the window in the black plastic cover. For the 20” kit, tape and/or zip tie the controller to the bottom side of the battery holder as shown in the installation video and the photo below.

Part 3: The Battery

26” kit:1. Remove the battery from the battery holder.2. Remove the water bottle holder bolts from your bicycle’s frame. If the

bolts are missing, they can be found at any bicycle shop or ordered online (they are called M5 bolts).

3. Place the battery holder over the threaded holes where the bolts are inserted into the frame. Install the bolts through the holes in the battery holder and tighten down to secure the battery holder to the frame. On some frames, the placement of the bolts means that only one bolt aligns with the hole in the battery holder. This is usually fine, and the bike can be ridden around with only one bolt holding the battery holder to the bike. However, a second screw can be added directly into the frame of the bike to further secure the battery holder. Additionally, if there is only one bolt securing the battery holder, it is recommended to add a few zip ties over the silver center section of the battery holder to further secure it to the frame.

20” kit:1. Remove the seat post from the bicycle and slide the seat post through

the hole in the front of the battery holder.2. Tighten the bolts on the front of the battery holder to secure it to the seat

post. You may need to play with the height of the holder to ensure that it leaves enough room for the battery and still allows the seat to go down as far as you desire. NOTE: The addition of the battery and the holder will decrease the minimum seat height of the bike as the two parts take up some space on the seat post. This can be mitigated by placing the battery as high on the seat post as possible, while still leaving room for it to clear the seat.

3. Once the battery holder has been tightened onto the seat post, replace the black plastic covers on the sides of the battery holder.

Part 4: The Accessories

Throttle:1. Start by removing the existing hand grip on your bike. If it is an older

bike, these can be stubborn and resist removal. Some oil or compressed air sprayed under the grip can help. In the worst cases, sometimes the grip must be cut off. The kit includes replacement grips so you can choose between your old grips and new, matching grips.

2. Slide the throttle over the handlebar until it reaches the brake. Tighten using the appropriate metric allen key. On some bikes, the brake arms are designed such that it is actually more comfortable to place the throttle BEFORE the brakes rather than afterwards. This varies from bike to bike and is a matter of personal preference, so you’ll just need to experiment and determine what is most comfortable for you.

3. After ensuring that the throttle is appropriately tightened and doesn’t spin on the handlebar, slide on the plastic insert with the three plastic teeth. This is an important component and provides a spacer between the grips and the throttle to keep the throttle from catching on the rubber grip. DO NOT LEAVE OUT THIS PLASTIC SPACER. Doing so could cause a dangerous situation where the throttle catches on the grip and does not release. The plastic space ensures the throttle always springs back uninhibited when released.

4. Lastly, slide the grip on the end of the handlebar after the throttle.

Display: 1. Unscrew the bolt on the display and remove it from the mount.2. Slide the mount over the handlebars at the location that you want to

install the display. The arms will likely snap back together on the other side of the handlebar, so be sure to remove the nut to keep it from flying off. Yes, this warning is provided after learning from experience. Multiple times.

3. Tighten the bolt to secure the display to the handlebars.

Motor wire:1. Locate the arrow on the motor connectors. There is an arrow embossed

near the edge of the connector on each connector.2. Align the two arrows precisely so the tips are pointing to one another.

3. Press the connector together until the arrows nearly meet. It will be a snug fit - this is a waterproof connection.

Additional wiring:1. The rest of the wiring needs to be secured to the frame of the bicycle to

keep it from interfering with pedaling and other operations. Use the provided cable ties to secure the wiring. The motor’s wire should be held firmly to the frame of the bicycle to keep it from catching on anything during riding. The wires at the battery and controller need to be secured to keep them from getting caught on the pedals or your feet.

2. The included spiral wrap can be used to hold the wires together, especially at the front of the bicycle near the handlebars where you will have many cables. This is an optional step and is more for aesthetics than functionality.

3. Make sure that you leave enough slack in the wires near the fork and handlebars so that the wheel and handlebars can turn all the way to the left and right without stressing the wires or pulling on the connections. See the installation video for a good method to secure the wires near this pivot while leaving enough room for motion.

Part 5: Testing

Congratulations, your kit is now installed! But before you ride off into the sunset, let’s do some tests and work our way up.

1. Start by checking your spokes and ensuring they are all of approximately equal tension and you don’t have any loose spokes rattling around. A spoke wrench is included should you need to tighten one.

2. Next, spin the wheels by hand to check for any interference from wires or other components. If you hear a “tick tick tick” sound, you’ve likely got something rubbing against the tire or spokes. Often times this is just a cable tie that you forgot to trim, but sometimes it can be an important wire that isn’t secured close enough to the frame.

3. Now, turn the battery on and press and hold the “on” button on the display until it lights up, then lift the motor wheel of the bike and apply gentle throttle. For a rear motor bike, it can help to lean the bike up on it’s kickstand to get the rear of the bike in the air. Ensure that the motor

works under power and the wheel is spinning smoothly. Slowly bring the wheel up to speed. You should hear a light whirring noise from the motor, which is normal. This noise is from the gears inside the motor, which are spinning thousands of times per minute. You’ll also likely hear an air whooshing noise from the tire spinning quickly. Both of these noises will be quieter when you’re actually riding the bike as they begin to disappear behind the noise of the wind rushing past your ears at 15-20 mph.

4. FROM THIS STEP ON, EVERYTHING YOU DO SHOULD BE WITH A HELMET ON YOUR HEAD. I’M NOT YOUR MOTHER, BUT I’M STILL GOING TO TELL YOU TO WEAR A HELMET. Once everything appears to be operating correctly, hop on the bike with the battery OFF and take it for a short pedal ride using NO electric power. Ensure that the bike is operating well and none of the installation steps have caused any issues with the bicycle’s operation as a standard bicycle.

5. Next, turn the power on, mount the bike and begin pedaling BEFORE you apply any throttle. Once you are moving slowly, only then GENTLY apply throttle. Slowly increase the throttle amount as you feel comfortable, and you’ll feel the bike begin to power itself. You no longer need to pedal as the bike is now powering itself under its own power.

6. Check a mirror. That goofy smile on your face is normal, it’s called an “e-grin”, and it happens the first time someone experiences driving an electric vehicle.

7. That’s it!!! You’ve built yourself an electric bicycle! Congratulations on your hard work. Now charge that battery, relax after completing your build and get ready for a brave new world of electric transportation.

Operating TipsYour ebike should be very easy to use, but here are just a

few pointers.

• When turning on your display, you may need to hold the ON button for a moment until the lights turn on. This is normal.

• The button for selecting “modes” on your display doesn’t do anything. You can play with it all you want, but it is designed for a component that isn’t needed (a PAS unit that European ebikes require to be legal). Here in the

good ol’ USA we don’t need those silly little limiters. You should however make sure that it is not in the ‘off’ setting where no lights are visible, as this will inhibit the motor from turning. Just hit the button a couple times until you see a light in either the low, medium or high setting, which all have the same effect on your system. You can leave it in HIGH though if it makes you feel better. It makes me feel good.

• When charging, you’ll find two lights on your charger. One will always be red, the other will be either green or red, depending on whether the charger is actively charging. If the charger is actively charging, the second light will be red. If the battery is full and the charger is not charging, the light will be green. When you plug in your battery, you’ll hear the fan start up in the charger and the light will turn red. After a few hours when the light turns green, you can remove your battery.

• It is ok to leave your battery plugged into the charger, but when possible, it is preferable to remove the battery from the charger after charging has finished. This will ensure a longer battery life.

• When storing the battery for long periods of time (weeks or months) which you don’t intend to use it, it is better to store the battery below a full charge. Anywhere from 50%-90% charge is good for storing. The battery can be stored fully charged, but this will lead to a shorter life expectancy. If you know you’re going to hibernate your bike for the winter or are going on a long vacation, it is recommended to just do a short ride to take discharge the battery a bit before storing it.

• Some people find the battery locking method of the 20” kit confusing. There are three positions that the key can be in. The first is “on and locked”, the second is “off and locked” and the third is “off and unlocked”. The first position is for riding the bike and in this position the key stays in the lock while riding. The second position is for when you are leaving the bike, but want the battery to remain locked. In this position the key can be removed from the lock. The last position is for when you want to take the battery off the bicycle.

• On the 26” kit, the key never stays in the lock. You should always remove the key from the lock even when riding. Only the 20” kit secures the key inside the lock during riding.

• Do not lose your keys. They can’t be copied like your house keys. Keep the spare key somewhere safe in a separate location (e.g. NOT together with the main key).

• You’ll want to check your spokes occassionally and more often in the beginning. It is recommended to check them after the first 25, 50, 100 and 200 miles, then every few months afterwards. You should check for any loose spokes. Motors provide more power than bicycles are used to, and this can cause spokes to slowly loosen over time. If you find one or two loose spokes, you can gently tighten it with the included spoke wrench. Don’t overtighten it though, as this can cause the wheel to become untrue (not straight and round). If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, any bicycle shop can check your spokes for you.

• A battery meter is located on both the battery case and on the display unit on the handlebars. The more lights that are lit, the higher the charge in your battery. (For the battery mounted meters, the more green lights that are lit indicate higher charge). As you near the end of your battery, you’ll find that the lights on the display will decrease during acceleration or hill climbing (or sometimes just during normal riding). This is normal behavior. As the battery charge goes down, the voltage will drop too. These lights measure battery voltage and so as the battery gets consumed during high power demanding applications such as accelerating, the lights also go down accordingly, then rise back up when the voltage rises a bit as the power demand subsides.

• If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via the Kickstarter page at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1354698863/barak-electric-bicycle-conversion-kit-electrify-yo. I’ll be more than happy to answer all of your questions and provide any help you may need.