Building Schwinn Meridian E-Trikes - Lessons Learned 

I build these Trikes (the Schwinn Meridian) also, here in Florida. Learned a lot. Thanks for your great videos. I've subscribed.

Tons of great tips! Thank you for such a great video.

I liked your tips, but I got a tip for you if you don’t already know it. Double 00 steel wool on your handlebars. You can shine them up like new in five minutes. Thanks for the informative video.

Great video for DIY'ers. Great way to save alot of money over one all ready built. Prices on the new electrics is insane.

Such a good grocery run bike, nice day, nice ride.❤😂

I am rebuilding my 6yo Schwinn Meridian 48 volt conversion with all new components. However I chose to install everything within a sturdy front basket avoiding long or lengthy wiring problems!

I have this exact project that I am planning, this is timely.

Best video I've seen on this subject or anything else for thar matter, Thank You

One suggestion, mount the controller vertically

Me again. I am a crippled senior and as soon as I converted to electric it occurred to me that getting a flat tyre in out of the question. So I immediately upgraded to kevlar reinforced road tires as well as Green Slime self sealing inner tubes! A little peace of mind!

i lined my basket with corrugated plastic then put a plywood top on in case of rain and you can still put stuff inside and outside. put a raincoat inside just in case with tool s and repair kit.great video.

so ive built my own meridian etrike and its been amazing, onething though, you can just get a 20$ headlight, tail light, blinker and horn combo, atleast thats what i have and it works just fine, ive also gotten rid of the baskets rods and replaced them with nuts and bolts instead sence they fall out the bottom slots pretty easily, though i plan to replace the basket as a whole with a water tight tool chest eventually, also if you dont mind not having an easy to adjust seat you can mount the battery to the seat tube and post depending in the battery you use

Nice video. I am contemplating a similar build and here's what I would do to augment your design. I would ditch the front fork and use a MTB fork with shocks and caliper mount for disk brakes so I could at least have hydraulic disc brakes on the front wheel if not front an rear drive trains. I would use different handle bars that would move the display to a more viewable space. How about mounting the battery under the basket instead of in it so you could use the basket for basket stuff? Or, I might make a battery to fit in the triangle behind the seat post maybe? My wife and I are on the larger side so I might look for a hub motor with 2000 watts but I agree with other commenters that there are stability issues that could cause a rider to get dumped if turning too quickly, so there's that.

Super cool trikes

Valve cap leds on the wheels. I actually go the extra mile and run a separate light system off a small 12v battery to run rear lights, markers, headlight, horns, and a LED whip antenna. They all go in a battery box with the motor battery and electronics. In the process now of building a new trike with a mid drive motor so I can use the gear shift

Thank you, Wonderful information!

I have the habit of using the return key for spacing my letters, hence my earlier comment got cut short.To continue, the trike followed the camber of the road and I kept ending up in the ditch! A motorcyclist of many years but I could'nt master it , it was too dangerous. I abandoned the project and fitted the wheel to a conventional bike which is great.

And of course you need the first or the third bell when it's time to be in the bicycle race!

Boy, you have some good ideas and should have set up affiliate links to each product recommended, including the full ebike kit you recommend.

awesome info bro... love frm indonesia

You get order a signal indicated vest I have one of my electric bike. It was great LED rechargeable. You can look it up Amazon.

I would also like to see you do a video detailing how unstable the Schwinn Meridian will act if trying to make tight turns in either direction especially while under power! I have had several near falls and my wife broke her arm making a right turn. Just don't get caught up in the speed and comfort and then have a bad fall!

One of my lessons is put a fuse on light kits.

I had the idea of putting a 1000w. front wheel into a new but unbranded trike. everything was ok. until I tried to ride it. The weight of the wheel meant the trike followed the unevenness of the road

What is the measurement in the back side to side I scoured the internet can't find it wanna make sure it will git thru my door please and thank you.

Nice I got a tricycle with 24-in wheels what size Hub Electric wheel would you recommend for it..?.

I have a new Schwinn Meridian that I installed an electric front wheel and it mounts to the right side of the fork. Any experience with this? Thanks for your time.

Great video! One question though. There have been many reports of the Meridian rear axle breaking. Has Schwinn corrected this?

So im thinking of doing the same to get back and forth to work since i live nearby and itll save on gas but i was curious, is there a way to have two motored wheels on the back and connect it all to the same throttle with extra batteries?

Thanks for the updates and tips. How about a mid drive Bafang or 8 Fun bottom bracket motor. Elimat3 the controller as its built in to the mid drive and seems more streamlined. Is it the cost factor of the hub motor vs. the mid drive that has you building 6 similar builds or??

I like everything except how NOISEY the motor is on the only one that has sound...the 1500W! What is that obnoxious loud grinding noise? Does the 1000W do the same?

Thank you so much for this video, exactly what I need, going to build one of these for my mom.

Can I use a Jackery as a power source?

How do you measure the size of your trikes?

My mother has a trike and her BFF just got an ebike. I’d like to surprise her and electrify her trike. Do you have any recommendations and links to an 800w-1200w DIY friendly system?

Can you modify a trike like the schwinn meridian with a recumbent seat for back support

Have you all figured out how long or how far you can go on the battery Was looking at the battery on Amazon Thought about doing my trike for fishing

Up next: Riding E bikes wearing Fip-flops - Lessons Learned

My Meridian is 1000w/48v and preforms well, but was curious of how many more mph could I get beyond the 23 or so mph I presently get by moving to a 52V battery, if any. Thanks for the informative video.

Could you fit a bottom bracket mounted pedal assist motor?

What kind of range are you getting out of these?

Where do you find the motors or kits for these?

Thanks, Very informative. I noticed one of the bikes had a PAS magnetic disk did you have problems mounting it on the pedal spindle. I understand the disk requires around 5-7mm. My bike has around 3 mm.. Thanks

While it's not a Schwinn, I am in the process of getting a trike (should have it in a week or two) and I'm going to install a front wheel motor, its a 26.5 inch wheel. I've built two bafang based e mountain bikes and the current one I'm riding I've done just over 3800kms. The other is a trek but the frame at the rear where the wheels attach cracked so I've retired it for now. I like a trike due to being able to carry more weight she. I go shopping etc

I need a bike so I can continue my weight lose. BUT I would need one with all fat boy heavy-duty tubes and rim. Maybe upgrade the wattage as well. Could you help me?

Colored spoke covers to indicate where the air valve is...

i brought the chinese white 26inch trike and have been trying different electric drives, the white one has the twin wheel subframe at the back that bolts to the single back wheel of a normal pushbike, but the bike part was heavy with a small one-piece peddle sprocket that was so hard to peddle, so I put a mountain bike front end and frame with mono-shock suspension this is loads better, I tried a motor with a gearbox that was directly onto the front side wheel of a wheelchair so it should have the power because one each side had to be safe for users of heavy size, so I put a peddle sprocket on the plate that bolted direct to the wheelchair 14inch front wheel, and fixed it in the empty back-wheel space of the frame, with a chain from it to the six-speed on the sub-frame axel, I was hoping it would drive with more power and speed, but I did something wrong, a few other experiments, and I just had it going quite well with an original Curries Technical sort of hub-drive "one part goes the axel side of theindependent back wheel and loads of small threaded studs go between the spokes at the hub and I used penny washers and nuts because it didn't quite fit in the spoke slots, works good thou, that has a small tooth sprocket and chain that goes 6 inch to one side where a sprocket and gear system with a D slot for a motor shaft fits and I had a 24v 250w motor from a E100 kids razor scooter motor fits to a polyplex plate that I've fitted to this gearbox thingon thee hub_drive thing? i used 6 12volt 12ah lead batteries and from that to a drill trigger straight to the motor it was ok, the i uped the volts to 36v that was perfect speed power the lot, I am trying to make it so i can be as green as I can because I am sick of seeing pollution, animals suffering, massive floating islands in the middle of the ocean made upof human rubbish I mean massive bigger than Texas state, IN THE Mariana trench, forests destroyed and so much more, they said this in the 1970s when I was at school and nothing is being done, no one cares about their own children and their children's children, your all happy to leave them hell but I'm not if ihave to struggle so be it, I am a multi-tradesman and multi engineer, so I could easily be ready very wealthy and thoughtless like most, but that mentality is a false one created by bullshiting greedy sales people in their pretend unneccery roles and pen pushers who change laws and rules to undermine and hold back the real major people who create,invent, build, those who took humanity out the caves, not those in offices leaching of our backs and work, bullied their way pretending they are above those who provide something for them to do, without us they cannot even pretend they are important, it didn't used to be like this, that is why archiologists and science cannot get their heads round what used tohappen, slaves building pyramids and things is typical, those highly skilled in demand builders would have been treated like gods to make them stay and do such hard work in the heat and conditions, or like today would get upand work elsewhere, slaves? that's the stupidity of pretend roles for false people good vid thou mate

Could you provide links for the 1000w and 1500w kits?

You spoke about tires. I'm just wondering about the wires to the front wheel. How do you deal with the wiring?

please give us the links to the motors for the ebike conversion

I've always switched the brake levers cuzz I ride motorcycles and the front brakes are on the right.

Legal eu gostei

Do you have a link for the 1000 watt motor and all the accessories I can't seem to find it

What kit are you using? Link?

What's top speed on the 1500w?

Can't find anyone in Las Vegas to install an e-kit on my Meridian 🙁 When can u come to Vegas and work on my trike ?

Do u have a kit u would like to sell?

For a disabled person who can't peddle, would this work?

I have a UK road legal 250w 36v kit on my trike with the 5 power settings changed to 9 so that on power assist level 1 your only get 15% power on the thumb throttle. Being road legal in the UK the thumb throttle only lets you reach 4mph so no risk of the trike running away with you. Can’t see why you need 1000 watts of power unless you are a big unit, as on full power the front wheel will wheel spin especially in the wet. I also have the display panel on the left as at has a powered walk facility. Which I can operate when waking the trike. I don’t intend looking at the screen whilst riding as I’m too busy looking where I’m going. I have an electric horn that makes a sound similar to a clowns car horn which people don’t take offence to as unfortunately here in the uk some people take the sound of a bell as meaning get out of my way as opposed to I’m behind you and just letting you know I’m approaching so I don’t run into you.

How much money is the whole setup with the 1000? 1500?

Прикольно, на перекрёстке курица пробежала. Прям как в моей деревне в Аскарово.

Are those 26 inch wheels?

I accidentally activated my throttle in assist mode, and due to friction turning the pedals, the bike ghost rided almost a block before it tipped over..

also, any ideo on adding a seat on top of the basket. See......ive got grandkids. lol

How big are the wheels are those bikes?

Oops,no suspension system?

U-HAVE IT ON THE FRONT N-G IT NEEDS TO BE ON THE BAKE SIDE OF THE FORKS NOT THE FOUNT SIDE.

I leave at wailua homestead maybe we meet to help me build it

Precio vivo en Bogotá barrio Tunal

I built one of these too, for my wife. The problem is that the standard brakes on the Meridian SUCK. We need a simple kit to retrofit the meridian with a read disc brake. Please find someone to make such a kit!

A hose clamp on the front forks, I hear banjo's in the background there Bubba...

Your torque washers are on backwards, tab needs to fit in notch of fork Not out.

are you intending to sell these trikes? thats why you made so much

Lol for a bell I added an air horn. People will move.

CAN I ORDER FROM YOU?

my bike doesnt even have rear brakes.. lol (or fronts..) (Or backpedal)

I'm seeing rust on the handlebars and some of the screws...Not Cool!

Elizabeth

Do you need a differential on such trikes? I'm a bit confused. Should I add in a differential or not?

Can you please make a 29 inch for us taller guys. Thanx. Btw those handlebars suck, put 14 inch ape hangers on the bike, they look and feel great. It would be a great DoorDash bike. Btw almost all people on the path are wearing headphones now, so they can't hear a bell. How about disc brakes.

NEED TO GIVE YOUR CHICKENS A SHOT OF HEROIN !! JESUS CHRIST !!!

... отличная техника для инвалидов опорно-двигательного аппарата!-, подскажите пожалуйста где можно приобрести и какова ей цена?!!

It is ten thousand times better to order an E-Trike front fork that is built for a high-torque axle to be mounted in it, than to screw around with so-called "Universal Torque Arm's" because they are NOT the best answer

How are the old trikes

😂, Nobody uses hand signals on Kauai !! tourist will run you over regardless

Dude you lost me the minute you said a twist throttle is better than a thumb throttle . F Y. I Ok a thumb throttle is used on quad bikes & three wheeler's (trikes) for the purpose of .! when your turning the handle bars in hard lock positions on a (trike /quad) it's easier & safer to use a thumb throttle WHY? A twist throttle can difficult to twist on power & dangerously difficult to twist power off in hard turned handlebar positions . THIS IS WHY ITS ADVISABLE TO USE A THUMB THROTTLE . 😊😊😊😊

Glad you would put a headlight on the bikes; a headlamp on a cyclist--I would think that's fine, but since it's above where a car's headlights would be, well, I almost killed somebody once because I was looking for cars. I know, pay attention for cyclists, but I am a cyclist, and learned by my near mistake not to trust a car to see me if my light isn't exactly where they are looking.

You never did mention the top speed in miles per hour or the distance that must be a liberal thing aloha 😷 I already know the answer

Why do you make bikes over the legal power limit? Are you trying to get old people arrested on their way to church?