seven buyers, 2.4 star ratings, and a spec sheet that makes sense to check out because budget fat-tire 1000W kits get updated or discontinued often. The DUSNDULR 20 inch fat tire ebike conversion kit is another example. This kit comes with a 48V 1000W rear hub motor, LCD display, throttle, and pedal assist, all geared toward builds using 20 inch fat wheels and snow-bike projects. Batteries and tires are not included. While this cuts the cost of the kit, it leaves most first-time builders with a parts list they didn’t expect.
As a good starting point for those looking to spend money on a budget fat-tire conversion, this is certainly a kit to save. In addition to what we’ll go over here, our ebike conversion kit comparison chart provides many additional views to take into consideration before pulling the trigger.
Specifications and Build Quality
The DUSNDULR kit surrounds a 1000W DC brushless rear hub motor. Based on information from the listing, this kit claims a maximum speed of anywhere from 23.6 to 27.96 mph based on your specific build configuration. The motor has an IP54 weatherproof rating, and includes overheat protection built into the Controller portion of the kit. The listed range of approximately sixty kilometers depends on a variety of factors including how much you pedal, your weight as a rider, terrain, and how aggressively you use the throttle.
According to the description provided in the listing, the components that ship within the box include the motorized rear wheel, an LCD display and associated wiring, a PAS pedal-assist sensor ring, a throttle assembly, and all the mounting hardware necessary to attach it to your bike. Everything else required to complete your build, such as the battery, charger, tires, and brake caliper assemblies, are on you. The motor was specifically designed for twenty-inch rear wheels and is marketed as being suitable for building snow bikes with large fat tires. This is beneficial as twenty-inch wide setups are very popular among people looking to build their own budget snow bikes.
The IP54 rating indicates that the Controller is resistant to spray, but is not intended for immersion or high-pressure applications. As such, if you plan on driving through deep puddles or blowing a hole in the snow bank at your driveway entrance, be prepared to install additional sealing measures to prevent water intrusion into the Controller area. The overheat protection will disconnect power prior to burning out the windings of the motor during extended periods of climbing on tight trails, but you will definitely notice the effect during these scenarios.
Brushless hub motors are relatively simple in design. Magnets attached to a rotor rotate in conjunction with electrical windings located within the shell of the hub motor. No chain driven loss occurs due to this design. For a more detailed explanation of how brushless hub motors operate, brushless hub motors on Wikipedia provide a great introduction. The DUSNDULR hub motor operates similarly in concept to others available, but does not incorporate any advanced features such as regenerative braking or embedded torque sensors.
What Does 2.4 Star Rating Across Seven Reviews Tell Us?
Amazon currently lists the DUSNDULR kit at 2.4 Stars based on seven reviews. That’s a small sample. More importantly though, that represents the heart of this kit’s story. Several reviewers experienced significant issues with this kit and therefore the overall rating reflects their experiences. Due to lack of hands-on testing with this kit by us at e bike conversion kits DOT com, you won’t find our review results. What you will find however is the pattern seen in numerous budget fat-tire conversion kits when reviewing several dozen of them, small samples of bad reviews equate poor reliability.
The most common complaint among reviewers is related to failed controllers. Cheaply constructed controllers generate heat, allow water into the housing, or simply fail upon arrival. Cheaper wiring harnesses create yet another potential failure mode. Color coded cables that don’t match between the motor and Controller cables force users to either identify them with a multimeter or swap them by guesswork. Torque arm questions arise frequently when using bikes with single-sided drop-outs or unorthodox rear hanger designs. A 1000W hub will easily spin freely if there is no torque arm or if the torque arm is weakened. Finally, there are those whose batteries were mismatched to the Controller, i.e., they plugged in their 36V battery pack wondering why their Controller threw an error or even worse connected something with too high a voltage.
There isn't anything in the DUSNDULR listing that appears to protect it from these same categories of complaints. Overall rating aside, both quality control and documentation appear to be areas where improvement could be made. If you enjoy troubleshooting wiring color codes and finding replacement controllers, then perhaps this is your kind of hobby. If you're seeking plug-and-play functionality then this is probably not your kit.
Power, Speed, & Realistic Expectations
While a 1000W rating may appear attractive on paper, it doesn't accurately reflect true-world usage. On flat ground and with no assistance from pedals, a 48V 1000W hub mounted on 20 inch fat tires could potentially reach the lower end of the claimed top speed (23.6-27.96 mph). However, adding weight in the form of heavier wheels along with the added weight of the motor itself will rapidly reduce this top speed claim. Throw a rider onto the bike, toss in some headwinds or hills, and you'll watch the Controller throttle back in response.
Fat tire conversions are heavy rigs. Adding just the motorized wheel increases weight by twelve to fifteen kilograms over a standard 20 inch rear wheel. Twenty inch fat bikes are heavy enough as-is. Don't be surprised if acceleration feels slow off the line unless paired with a high-discharge capable battery that can supply constant high-current loads. Thirty amps continuous discharge would represent a reasonable minimum for a battery supplying a 1000W-rated motor.
How well does this kit perform on hills? Hill performance represents where reality meets expectations with regard to fat bikes equipped with 1000W motors. When combined with limited-capacity batteries, severe temperature drops and steep inclines will cause the overheat protection built into this kit to interrupt power flow sooner than later. Even with a PAS sensor providing some pedaling assistance to keep your cadence spinning and keeping you moving forward, this kit lacks features such as watt meters displaying instantaneous power consumption or regenerative braking displays showing energy recovery from deceleration events. Additionally, the throttle is of the twist-type and aggressive twisting will result in what amount of power can be produced at that instant based on what remains available from your battery and Controller combination.
Range estimates advertised by sellers rarely mirror actual ride behavior. Those estimated ranges are generated under optimal conditions where pedal assist is used primarily and rider weight is minimal. Heavy throttle use while riding on a heavy fat bike with increased weight and poor thermal management from cheaper controllers than established brands greatly diminishes expected range.
Which Buyers Would Be Best Served Buying This Kit?
This kit serves a very specific subset of consumers, those who already possess a twenty-inch fat bike frame and a fifty-two volt battery they know works reliably. Additionally, it would serve second-bike experimenters who desire to try running a twenty-inch fat tire hub as an alternative experimental setup. Lastly, it would suit snow-bike enthusiasts who wish to replace their existing rear drivetrain with a fat-hub configuration and enjoy scavenging for additional parts in future years.
Conversely, this kit would not be suitable for first-time builders who seek plug-and-play functionality. This kit would not serve riders desiring certainty in terms of range per charge or those requiring Hill-climbing capability. Furthermore, this kit would not serve individuals expecting the battery, tires, brakes etc…to function on its own once installed.
Shipping costs are prohibitive for such a heavy wheel component, and although there exists only one unit remaining available at the time of this writing, creates an implied sense of urgency. Nonetheless neither shipping nor inventory availability should be considered as reasons to purchase should compatibility issues arise.
If you’re new to building ebikes please visit our gomotorbikes blog for tutorials detailing first-build steps, wiring basics, and safety procedures prior to attempting to utilize a budget-priced 1000 bucksW fat-tire conversion kit:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There a Recommended Battery for Use with This DUSNDULR 1000W Kit?
You will need a forty-eight-volt battery. One is not supplied in the package with this kit. The connection type varies across inexpensive controllers so verify before purchasing. A thirty amp continuous discharge battery capacity is suggested since it will minimize voltage sags during peak motor loading.
Will This Kit Fit My Twenty Inch Fat Bike?
Most twenty-inch wide rear wheels fitted with a fat tire style profile will fit with this kit. Most standard ebike rear dropouts are compatible with standard hub configurations. However please inspect your rear axle width as well as whether it uses qr or thru-axle mounts. Fat bike geometries vary widely so consult specifications before ordering if your frame utilizes non-standard configurations. The kit has been developed primarily for fat tire snow bikes. However there may be other configurations that apply.
Am I Required to Install a Torque Arm?
Yes. Except in cases where your frame includes pre-fitted torque arms or possesses an atypical dropout configuration that resists rotation forces created by your motor. Otherwise you run the risk of losing traction with your rear wheel during aggressive cornering or losing control completely resulting in damage to your rear triangle or dropping your wheel while riding.
How Difficult Are the Wiring Requirements?
Moderately difficult. Assuming you have sufficient experience identifying colors codes and creating crimps in electrical connections. Each component within the system (PAS sensor, throttle switch, brake cut-out circuitry and display) will receive signal transmission via separate sections of wiring contained within the Controller harness. Budget kits often contain miscolored wiring between the motor and Controller wiring sets forcing owners to troubleshoot using multimeters or by trial-error replacing incorrect cables. first-time ebike converters may face frustration trying to develop their skills in troubleshooting wiring issues.
Can This Kit Handle Snow Riding?
It can. But not solely due to any "snow-tuning" capabilities within its programming logic. While having twenty-inch wide fat tires along with producing 1000 watts of power enable enough bottom-end torque to propel you through moderately packed snowdrifts, IP54-rated enclosures will protect against minor splash water incursions and light surface moisture exposure into its electronics. However deeper powdery snowfall plus water entry into exposed portions of your electrically-controlled systems will undoubtedly find ways into this kit. Ride on groomed or compacted trail surfaces. Keep your battery packs away from extreme temperatures. Expect reduced range during cold weather operating conditions. This kit performs acceptably in snowy conditions. It requires no special snow-specific modifications