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The Voilamart ebike conversion kit represents excellent value for money, in this review I will go over the pros and cons, based on my own experience installing over 50 of these kits in the last 3 years. Voilamart is a global Chinese online retailer that sells everything from domestic appliances to Beauty products. They also happen to sell budget electric bike conversion kits. But just because they’re cheap doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t any good.
What’s included in the Kit?
There are front and rear wheel kits available and an LCD option. These kits contain almost everything you need to convert your bike to electric, apart from a battery.
Voilamart rear wheel 48v 1000w ebike conversion kit (without LCD)
- 48v 1000w Rear wheel direct drive hub motor laced into a 26″ double-walled alloy rim with heavy-duty spokes
- 48v 26A Motor controller
- Controller Bag
- Pedal assist sensor
- Throttle with battery indicator display
- Brake levers with cut-off sensors (for cable brakes only)
- 7-Speed gear freewheel
- 26″ x 1.75″ Mountain bike tire
- Cable ties
- Plastic wiring coil (for tidying up the cables)
- Installation manual
Voilamart rear wheel 48v 1000w ebike conversion kit with LCD
- 48v 1000w Rear wheel direct drive hub motor laced into a 26″ double-walled alloy rim with heavy-duty spokes
- 48v 26A motor controller
- SW900 LCD Display
- Controller Bag
- Pedal assist sensor
- Twist Throttle
- Brake levers with cut-off sensors (for cable brakes only)
- 7-Speed gear freewheel
- 26″ x 1.75″ mountain bike tire
- Cable ties
- Plastic wiring coil (for tidying up the cables)
- Installation manual
Motor Specification
The Voilamart kit uses a simple brushless DC direct drive hub motor. Direct drive motors have been around for years, and the principle is based on tried and tested technology. This kind of ebike motor may have seemed high-tech 20 years ago, but it is now considered old-hat when it comes to electric bike motors.
One benefit of direct-drive hub motors, is they are cheap to manufacture, and fairly reliable. They do not have any internal moving parts (like geared hub motors) and they can generally handle quite a lot of power.
I have successfully run a 1000w Voilamart hub motor on a 45A controller with a 52v battery – producing over 2000w of peak power, with no reliability issues.
Legality
If you are in the UK, EU or Australia then the maximum continuous power output for an electric bicycle is 250w, with a speed limit of 15.5mph (25km/h) anything above that would be classed as a moped and subject to the same rules and regulations. You would only legally be able to ride your bike on private land.
This motor is rated at 1000w and is not speed-limited. There is a plug on the controller, that when connected limits the output to 250w and speed to 15.5mph. I have looked into the law and it states quite clearly that the motor has to be ‘rated’ at 250w continuous.
US federal law is different and allows 750w and 20mph, so technically this motor would still be illegal there.
I’m not one for rules and regulations, but you need to be made aware of the potential legal implications before you purchase and install one of these kits. For more information, read our article on UK e-bike laws.
Reliability
I have installed at least 50 of these kits over the last 3 years, and I have only ever had a couple of long-term issues reported by customers. Hall sensor failure has occurred on maybe 3 or 4 units, and I have had one controller failure, and one LCD pack-up.
Another issue you will encounter is broken spokes. If you hear a ‘clicking’ sound when riding, you will need to check the spokes for tightness. If you need to replace a broken spoke, you will need the correct length and gauge. I would recommend buying a pack of spokes and a wheel truing stand, for ongoing maintenance.
Thankfully, because these kits are so cheap, so are the replacement components. The hall sensors can be replaced if you are good with a soldering iron. The motor controller costs around £30 ($40) and the SW900 LCLCDan be purchased off Aliexpress for about $50.
In my experience, Voilamart is quite helpful when it comes to warranty claims. The only issue is, the replacement part is usually sent from China, so delivery may take a little while.
What types of bikes are best suited?
I would personally go for an older steel or Aluminium-framed mountain bike, hybrid or cruiser. All older mountain bikes and cruisers have 26″ wheels. It would also be advisable to upgrade the brakes if possible, as these kits add a lot of weight to a bike once fitted.
Installation and Compatibility
The Voilamart electric bike kit is primarily available in a 26″ wheel size, although I’ve seen 28″ / 700c available.
If your bike has disc brakes fitted, you could get away with fitting a smaller 26″ rear wheel to say, a 27.5″ wheeled mountain bike. I have done it before, without any negative impact on handling. This wouldn’t work with v-brakes, as the drop on the brake callipers would not reach the braking surface on the rim.
The motor axle can sometimes be a tight squeeze to get into the dropouts. On occasion, you may need to file the dropouts slightly to accommodate the larger axle.
Although the specification states that the kit is suitable for 135mm rear dropouts, you will nearly always have to pull them apart slightly to get the axle to fit in. You will also need to use the spacers provided, otherwise the rear brake calliper will rub on the motor hub casing.
When you are indexing the rear gear shifting, you will need to set the ‘low’ limit screw on the rear derailleur, otherwise it will rub on the motor casing when in 1st gear (largest cog on the rear freewheel).
If you have hydraulic brakes, the brake levers supplied will not be compatible, so you will either need to purchase separate cut-off sensors or not bother at all. On a motor with this kind of power output, it would be wise to purchase the sensors (especially if you are using a throttle).
I would not recommend the front motor if you have disc brakes, I have fitted a few of the front hub motors and the brake calliper nearly always rub on the motor, regardless of adjustment.
This kit does not come with a torque arm. I would highly recommend purchasing one of these, as it will prevent the motor axle from popping out of the dropouts. Something you don’t want happening at speed!
Performance
When installed properly, these kits will turn your humble bicycle into quite a fast electric bike. I have recorded speeds of around 30mph on the flat (without pedalling). At the very least you will need a good 48v or 52v battery with a minimum continuous current rating of 30A – the controller will draw a maximum of 26A.
Another thing to consider is the battery range. A direct drive hub motor is the least energy-efficient electric bike motor, so you will not get a particularly good range out of something like a 48v 10.4Ah battery, unless you are frugal with the power, and pedal a lot.
A good starting point for a battery would be a 48v 17.5Ah battery with a 30A BMS. This is going to be the most expensive part of the conversion. Of course, if you are only planning on using your bike for relatively short journeys then a 10Ah battery should be fine.
What if I run out of battery power?
Good luck pedalling! Direct drive hub motors are not only heavy, but you have the resistance of the motor to overcome. Pedalling one of these with the power off (particularly uphill) can be quite a challenge. I know, I’ve been in that position before! If you want a motor you can pedal comfortably with the electric assist off, then I would recommend a Bafang hub motor.
Conclusion
If you want to build a fast electric bike on a budget, then the Voilamart kit offers excellent value for money. It’s a simple, low-tech solution to building your ebike. The motor is heavy and inefficient, but it will provide you with enough power to put a smile on your face, and it will get you up most hills with ease. Factor in the cost of a medium-sized 48v battery, and you can build your bike for less than the price of the cheapest Chinese e-bike.
These kits are generally reliable, more so than the more expensive Bafang mid-drive motors. If they do go wrong, everything is fairly cheap and easy to replace. You could even buy a second kit so you had a backup of spare parts.
Regarding the legality – please check the local laws in your country. If you’re planning on using a converted bike on the road, keep your speed down in built-up areas, and always ghost pedal. That way you won’t draw any unwanted attention to yourself.
The Voilamart hub motor kit is one of the best e-bike conversion kits available for the price – it’s an old-fashioned, inefficient and heavy option, but it will give you a useful boost to your pedalling.
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Hi Tony… lots of great advice here… thanks for that.
My immediate issue is my 6 month old SW900 display starts up ok, but then settles with an Error 11.
My friend uses the same Voilamart 1500W, so I swapped displays and it turned on fine with no errors.
I then connected the throttle Control and my motor was fine.
From that I assume my SW900 is faulty. However, I was hoping to try a Factory Reset… searching online, it seems P18 does a factory reset… true or false? Any other ideas before I purchase a new display.
That is for any advice Tony!
Garry
Hi Gary,
P18 will restore your display to factory settings, so it’s worth a try although I suspect there could be a problem with either your controller, display or the wiring between the two. Error code 11 is a communication error between the controller and display so it would be worth unplugging the connections and checking the pins etc. Once you’ve checked the connections and reset the display, if you’re still having problems then it will be either the controller or display that’s causing the problem.
Let me know how things go.
Cheers,
Tony
Thanks for the adice Tony… here’s an update…
First I was convinced after swapping and trying a full reset that the LCD display was faulty. So I swapped the SW900 for a new SW900A… that is what came in the box.
The system worked straightaway but it seems that 52V is not a recognised battery voltage for it. So I added a small voltmeter to keep track.
However, my question is on the magnet… this display has 9 modes and P01 to P16. The difficult ones are P10-11-12 & 13… do you have any idea what us the right setting for them?
Thanks again… keep up the good work!
Hi Garry,
P10 – 0 = Pedal assist only (throttle is disabled), 1 = throttle only (pedal assist disabled), 2 = pedal assist and throttle both enabled.
P11 – Pedal assist sensitivity between 1-24. 1 is the most sensitive and 24 the least. Pedal assist will be more responsive the lower the number, I usually have this set between 1-5.
P12 – Pedal assist start strength 0-5. This is the amount of power delivered once pedalling starts, lower = less power – I usually set at 3.
P13 – Number of magnets on sensor ring. 5, 8 or 12 – count the number of magnets on your sensor ring and set at that number.
I hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions.
All the best,
Tony
Moin Tony, ich besitze ein Voilamart 1000w 48v E-Bike mit 26 Zoll Umbausatz möchte aber den Motor in eine 28 Zoll Felge einspeichen! Leider kann mir keiner sagen welche Speichen ich dafür benötige ?
MFG Frederick
Die genaue Speichenlänge für den Wechsel auf eine 28″-Felge kann ich nicht angeben, da dies von der Felgentiefe und anderen Faktoren abhängt. Hier ist ein Link zum Sapim-Speichenrechner, der Ihnen eine gute Vorstellung von der erforderlichen Länge geben sollte Alternativ bringen Sie den Motor und die Felge zu einem Laufradbauer, der die Berechnung für Sie durchführen kann.
Grüße,
Tony
Buenos días me marca error 11 sabes que es ? Gracias
El código de error 11 es un error de comunicación. Esto podría deberse a una mala conexión donde la pantalla se enchufa en el arnés de cableado principal. O bien, podría deberse a un arnés de cableado defectuoso o dañado.
Buenos días lo e mirado i está bien pero no va , puede ser el cable de la pantalla ? Gracias
Si, puede ser el conector de la pantalla. Revise el conector en busca de pines doblados.
Hello Tony, Great website, very informative. Now, I converted my old MTB during lockdown using the Voilamart 250/500w rear wheel kit. This uses a 36v battery, PAS and thumb throttle (the latter is my only option as the bike has twist grip gears). The kit is very reliable and there have been no issues to speak of in over a year. The bike is used mainly on the road on 250w setting, with occasional use of high power when riding off-road.
I would like to upgrade the power output if possible. You mention in your blog that these direct drive motors will handle a lot of power, would it be possible to install a 48v battery, controller and throttle switch using the same rear hub, effectively upgrading the output to 1000w? Looking at online images of the Voilamart 500w and 1000w hubs they look virtually identical, which makes me wonder if there is any real difference between them.
I would welcome your comments on this. Many thanks, Dave M.
Hi Dave,
You shouldn’t have any problems. I’ve done it before with 500w hub motors – I’m fairly sure the only difference is the controller. Get a decent ‘KT’ controller of around 48v 25A and a 48v battery with a 25A BMS, you’ll also need a KT display, something like the KT-LCD3 is easily available.
All the best,
Tony
I’ve had my Voilamart kit (1000w rear hub) for about a year with no issues. This summer I started getting error code “09” ( Controller issue? ) and the motor will stop working. If I turn everything off and back on, it usually comes back. ( sometimes takes one or two tries )
Any ideas on what to look for to troubleshoot? I was guessing bad connection somewhere…but wasn’t sure.
Thanks in advance,
Shane
Hi Shane,
The first thing I’d check or replace is the main wiring harness between the controller and display. If the bike has been exposed to rain, the connectors aren’t particularly waterproof. There could also be a fault with the controller. If you contact Voilamart they should be able to source you one cheap enough. You could upgrade to the more reliable KT-LCD3 display and controller but you will need to change the display parameters to match the motor.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Cheers,
Tony
Thanks! I’ll check those connectors ( not heavy rain, but water contact was possible )
I had thought about upgrading to the KT-LCD3. Would it give me better control over the PAS strength? I have it set as low as possible but the lowest level is simply still too strong ( scares my wife when it kicks on – drives the bike up to about 15mph on flat ground ) That would be an added incentive vs. just trying to fix the existing one.
Yes, the KT-LCD3 display and controller combo is a much better for PAS levels. There a 5 levels and they are sensibly spaced out (unlike the SW900). If you check out the comments below, someone has kindly shared the settings for using the LCD3 with Voilamart hub motor. Here is a link to the display and controller combo on Amazon (36v/48v dual voltage with max 30A).
Hi Tony, firstly thanks for a great website, really interesting and informative. I’ve spent a good while reading through articles and reviews. Unfortunately the affiliate link for the Voilamart 1000W was out of stock for the one with the LCD display which is the one I was after so I had to go to through an eBay seller. I have a question if you have time. As mentioned I went for the Voilamart 1000W rear hub kit with LCD. After a bit of fettling got it all on the bike and working. Now this is where I think I might have made a boo boo and wanted to ask if there’s a temporary way out of it. I bought an X-go 48V 12Ah battery as it was real good value at just over £100 new but it only has a Max Constant Discharge Current of 25A(BMS) and I don’t know what the max Amp is, I’m not sure what the implications of this are and whether I should lower the the Amps on the controller through the LCD set up screen to 25A or if there is anything else I could do. If I get into the Ebike I will probably replace the battery at some point with the correctly spec’d battery.
Hi Wes,
You should be fine if the battery has a 25A BMS. I think the minimum current required for the Voilamart controller is 22A. I did quite a few conversions using budget 48v batteries and never had any issues apart from quite a low range (10-15 miles) when using full power.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Cheers,
Tony
Dear Tony,
As I previously told you, I have a 26 inch, 1000 Watt, 48 Volt, Front, Voilamart, ebike wheel, although I am currently using a 52 Volt, 14s 10p, battery to power my bike. However, following our last exchange of messages a while ago, I have noticed that my mileage on the SW900 display is always more than it should be.
For example, Strava and Google Maps (and other additional speedometers and tracking devices carried by myself and other cyclists who I know) will, for example, record about 25.4 miles for a particular journey that I make, but my SW900 display always records a distance of around 29.9 or 30 miles. And the more distance I cover on Strava for other journeys, the greater the distance recorded on my SW900 etc. for each one of them as well.
I have discovered that if I re-programme the “P06 Wheel Size” setting (after a bit of simple mathematics involving a simple equation on paper that reads x = 26*25.4/30 = 22″) to 22 inches (instead of the correct and usual value of 26 for my 26″ wheel), my SW900 now almost precisely records the correct distance. However, I shouldn’t have to do this because my speed (presumably) now appears to be incorrect.
I have also noticed that my “P07 Magnet Number for Speed Measurement” setting is set at 46 (as it is indeed in the user manual as well), but that some YouTube videos seem to use 48, although I am not sure if this setting is for the same size and power of wheel as mine.
I have also attempted to reset my SW900 by pressing and holding the Up+M buttons, but this doesn’t work.
Can you help and advise me upon this matter, please, and explain why I am experiencing this issue and how to rectify it?
Many thanks in advance,
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
Unfortunately this seems to be the norm for the SW900 display, when I used to install these kits I wasn’t using GPS tracking software at the time and wasn’t aware of the issue although several owners of these kits have since brought this to my attention. It won’t do any harm changing the ‘PO7’ setting to 48 to see if it makes any difference. If you can let me know if it works or not that would be much appreciated.
All the best,
Tony
I don’t use LCD they work till throttle gets wet and sends bad signal to computer
Hi Tony
I bought a Voilamart 48V 1500W kit a couple of years ago and it has been great but I recently changed the controller for a KT 1500W with a LCD3 screen and have a few issues.
Note the settings are all at default as I don’t have the correct numbers for the motor.
The display is showing around half the correct speed.
The speed will not show until I’ve been riding for several seconds and not below 15mph (True speed) but is still around half what it should be.
The cruise control will not work until I’m doing around 15mph
The distance travelled is wrong
The temp displayed is way too low.
With the rear wheel raised if I apply the throttle slowly at around half speed the motor starts to make an odd noise almost like it is cogging a bit.
I’m assuming these issues are because I haven’t set the magnet parameters of the motor but I don’t have them.
Can you help please.
Thanks
Great write up BTW.
Hi Alister,
It’s been a while since I used a KT controller with a Voilamart motor, the P1 setting is the one to change for the number of magnets. If I remember correctly there was a bit of trial and error to get the correct figure, it was in the 200’s. P2 also has an effect, possibly 5 or 6. I’ve never used the cruise control function so can’t comment on that. There’s an old thread on endless-sphere that goes into more detail on these settings. Here is the link.
All the best,
Tony
Thanks Tony
I played around with it a bit yesterday and found the motor has 46 magnets by shorting out two phases and counting the cogging while turning the wheel. I also set P2 to 0 and it is now showing the correct speed and distance.
CC still won’t kick in until 11 or 12mph though (I use a momentary button on the handlebars) and I still get that odd noise at around quarter to half throttle with the rear wheel lifted. It is a similar sound and vibration that you get when the motor is giving regen. I haven’t noticed it when riding so maybe it’s just a no load thing. Should the motor spin up to full rpm smoothly with no load? I never noticed anything similar with the old controller.
Yes, the motor should spin up freely when not under load. The only times I’ve experienced a ‘grumbling’ sound is due to a faulty hall sensor, but that usually happens as soon as power is applied. If it’s running okay when under load I wouldn’t worry about it too much, hall sensor problems usually effect performance or stop the motor all together.
All the best,
Tony
The wheel isn’t perfectly balanced and is two years old so maybe it’s a resonance or the bearings. I’ll keep an eye on it but the main thing is how awesome the KT controller is. Not really any more powerful than the old Voilamart controller but so much smoother. It’s a joy to ride and very much recommended as an upgrade.
Keep up the great work here.
Thanks for this article, Tony, it’s the web’s best info on the Voilamart conversion. I installed two of the rear wheel kits, on my wife’s bike and on mine. I had to bend the frame on one bike so the kit would fit. I also had to add two washers to gain enough clearance so the gears don’t hit the frame. This wheel does not spin too freely. One is much easier to pedal than the other (without power). Where on one, I can spin the wheel and it rotates one to 1-1/2 turns, on the other, it won’t freely rotate more than about 30 degrees. When I backpedal, the freewheel spins freely. Any ideas?
Hi Bruce,
It sounds to me like one of the washers may be pressed tight against the hub, restricting free movement. Having the derailleur rub on the motor is quite common and sometimes it’s best to adjust the ‘low’ limit screw on the derailleur – you lose the lowest gear doing this but it prevents the derailleur from rubbing and negates the need for more washers.
I hope this helps.
All the best,
Tony
Hi Tony,
What’s a good water proof carry bag for above the rear wheel rack, to put the battery and controller in?
Hi Dan,
I used to use a Topeak MTX trunk bag – I could fit a 52v 20Ah battery (PCV wrapped) in there with plenty of room to spare. You will need to get the MTX rack as well as the bag and rack go together. It’s a bit pricey but quality stuff and never had any issues with rain getting in. You will need to make a hole somewhere in the bottom for the leads. You could also put the controller in there, but I’d be inclined to keep the controller in a separate bag if possible.
hi tony.. quick question if you dont mind.. i have a Voilamart rear wheel 48v 1000w on the way .. which brake sensors are needed as i have hydraulic brakes.. seen i few on ebay uk.. not sure if they are the right ones.. thanks
Hi Paul,
Here is the link to the correct hydraulic brake sensors – you will need the SM-2Y plug for the Voilamart kit. Unfortunately I couldn’t find a UK supplier selling these sensors with the correct connector.
thx tony for the info on the sm-2y connector.. think i find one on amarzon.. cheers
You’re welcome?
I need a controller and throttle for the original Voiamart front wheel kit. Can you help me?
Thanks
If it’s for a 48v 1000w motor you can use a KT series controller and display – these controllers are better than the ones supplied with the original kit. Here is a link. You can use a generic throttle, but you’ll need to make sure the connector is correct – they’re usually 3-pin male / female block connectors – here is a link for a throttle.