🚲 15 Minutes To Build A Super Fast E Bike in 2022 (Easy)

[@lachlan519]

Amazing! Was looking at making a mid-power ecruiser I appreciate you including the troubleshooting processes too, most channels edit that out and it doesn't teach people how to build things.

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thank you so much, I have more builds coming including a mid drive! I appreciate the comment and feedback, thank you.

[@bogiev1]

This video is spot on! I have cruisers to modify & been reluctant to start until this vid!!!! Thanks for the thoroughness. Liked & subscribed.

[@CROWOLF87]

The weights on the car jack stands is a smart simple idea. Thanks For the Video

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thanks man! It's more for doing curls than deadlifts, so the more I can save my back the better 👍

[@MagnumPopeye]

I moded this exact bike 1000watt 52volt 16s 3p 26650 battery, headlight turn signal, horn, brake light and rear back up camera.. Also printed a 3d battery case. Also took the fenders off of a huffy bike I use for everyday grocery getting... They are a lot wider for the tires.. Also went with the bigger rims and used the bigger tires from the Cranbrook as well.. Had the same issue with the rear hub used aluminum hollow tube.. Also cut a notch for the cable, worked great. Also will do 40 miles per hour

[@hightech-lowlife]

That's great man, sounds like a cool setup!

[@ScottGuerin-n3k]

I have the same bike and the same project. Waiting on all the stuff now. My bike came with a rear rack so I am going to put the battery there. I also got a 48V 20ah battery. Can't wait to build.

[@hightech-lowlife]

That's awesome man! Enjoy it 🍻

[@lukewalker1051]

Love it. Thanks for sharing your creativity. You have serious game.

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thank you so much, I have a lot more projects planned and hopefully the skills will improve to bring you guys even more interesting things 👍

[@rodneygagnon9381]

Excellent job! Thanks! Love the video!😂

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thanks man! 🍻

[@dredfxcustompaint]

Nice one mate 👍 great video cool build do like them bikes

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thank you so much! They're super comfortable to ride, thanks for watching! 💥

[@aleksejs21051997]

love the name, the channel and the info, cheers

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thank you so much, I appreciate it!!

[@dazaro3]

Great video, some useful information, thanks.

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thank you so much for your feedback and views!

[@gi169]

HT//LL, where is the best place to buy decent ebike motors, controllers and batteries? I would like to build an ebike, but having questions on what parts are good. Thanks man, still enjoying your awesome content 👍

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thanks Gil! I buy all of my stuff on either AliExpress, eBay or Amazon. As long as the merchant is reputable you shouldn't have any issues. My recommendation is a 1500W rear kit (best bang for buck) and then a 15-20Ah 48 or 52V pack. 👍

[@buckdashe2571]

About three years ago, I put together a very similar 1000w kit on my 15 year-old Trek mountain bike. Your video is spot on but one thing I would suggest is checking the spokes on that e-rim…I have great respect for hard working Chinese line workers but you MUST check this one thing… Trust me, 30 mph is PLENTY fast on a bicycle. Consider wearing proper gear if you do that on a regular basis…gloves and helmet at a minimum. Oh, and pay attention to your battery. Swelling or punctures mean you have a MAJOR fire hazard on your hands. Replace asap!

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thanks man! Yes, 1000W is about all you need for a regular frame ebike 👍 The wheels I've been getting have been pretty true, but I have had to adjust a few of them. Battery care is top priority for safety, thank you!

[@freelancedentist9480]

You should do a video on how to solder next lol thanks for all your help

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thanks man! I really could do one, but I feel like there are probably a billion beginner soldering videos out there that are far better than I could do 😂, but maybe I will do one!

[@freelancedentist9480]

@@hightech-lowlife I was watching others and the way you did it in your video was a little different cause I didn’t see you twist the wires together, but I was wondering if you’ve upgraded your speed controller yet ? I’m trying to find a good brand

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@freelancedentist9480 You can connect wires in a bunch of different ways, I will twist for certain situations as for smaller wires it helps keep the wires in place before you solder. One of the benefits of doing it by just overlapping is if you need to remove it, it's much easier, twisted you will have to cut it out (usually). Both work well, but seems like everyone these days is twisting, a long time ago I learned that twisting is actually not as good, but I don't think it really matters as long as the soldering is done well. I've actually never had a solder joint fail on me (ever, and I've done some crappy soldering jobs before) so it's a pretty robust way to keep wires together 👍 You can also purchase those connectors that have some solder already in the connector, so you just crimp them in place, then heat gun them so that the solder melts and also is protected by the heatshrink, this is not as precise as you can get with a soldering iron, but if you don't want to solder at all you can get a very strong connection with these connectors. I haven't upgraded the controller for this build (I actually have since sold this bike) but there are a ton of brands out there that will work - although keep in mind if you're upgrading the controller that unless it's from the same manufacturer most likely the connectors will be different, of course you can adapt them, but it's not as convenient.

[@JakK-d2b]

I have a question will these frames handle tight cornering? I built myself an ebike using a 90s Kona frame and it can corner EXTREMELY well. Like at a professional level And i was wondering if these types of frames and those weird drop outs could do the same?

[@hightech-lowlife]

I don't see why not, cornering ability has mostly to do with rider's experience and grip of the tires. An experienced rider could corner much better on the worst frame compared to a new rider on the best most highly optimized frame. This particular type of frame geometry (cruiser) isn't really designed for prioritizing performance riding however. This question needs a lot more contextual info to be answered more specifically. What is the goal of the bike? Where is it ridden, what other factors need to be considered, budget, etc, etc.

[@JakK-d2b]

@hightech-lowlife In terms of context. Say i corner at a 45 to 40 degree angle. Without torque arms. Will the motor slip out or nah. Cause thsts what im mostly worried about. The wheel slipping out during the turning angle. Cause personally i can corner really well and i want cruiser frame with thoae weird drop outs to be reliable. I use a rear hub motor 2000w. Im afraid to use this frame with thos drop outs for fear of the rear motor slipping out if i were to apply acceleration during the angle of turning. If you get what i mean. Comparing those drop out to a Kona cindercone 1998 drop outs. Youll see what i mean.

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@JakK-d2b No, even at 90 or 180 angles the motor will not slip out (you will fall of course though). If you are afraid of breaking your dropouts or your motor slipping out, then you can just use torque arms. 2000W is quite a bit to run without a torque arm anyway (depends on the frame though). I think if you are worried then it's better to err on the side of caution. 👍

[@freelancedentist9480]

I literally have the exact same bike and I’m trying to follow along with this build, should I use the gears that came with the bike or the gears that came with the hub motor ?

[@hightech-lowlife]

Either one will work, it's easier if you just use the ones that came with the motor because it's one less thing to swap 👍

[@freelancedentist9480]

Thanks, I got it just now and I managed to get the wheel spinning nicely but now I’m struggling with how the chain works

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@freelancedentist9480 Use this video tutorial: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5y9qYN_j5ahnbs

[@freelancedentist9480]

@@hightech-lowlife I must have a different problem, did you have to bend the frame a bit to get the hubs axle to slide in ?

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@freelancedentist9480 Sometimes you have to pry the dropouts a small bit to get the hub to fit, steel is pretty elastic so don't worry about damaging it. 👍

[@brianwayne7999]

I have specialized chisel mountain bike it has thur axel hub design.would love to see if it could be turned into a power house.any ideas

[@hightech-lowlife]

Yeah 100%, if you're going with a hub motor then you get a new axle/wheel combo so you wouldn't be using your older hub at all. 👍

[@brianwayne7999]

I actually found a company who sells thur axel hub drive kits but the price is way out of my reach.was hoping that some modifications could be made.the bike is amazing,has really high end brakes,shocks and is super light

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@brianwayne7999 I would just go with a mid drive then, that way you don't have to mess around with different hubs/wheels. check out the Bafang BBSHD 👍

[@glenndavis7762]

I love the bike you choose, do you have a link so I could get the same bike ?

[@hightech-lowlife]

It's a really nice frame, I took the stickers off of it and I think it makes it look even better. www.walmart.com/ip/Kent-26-Bayside-Men-s-Cruiser-Bike-Satin-Cocoa/533940582?athbdg=L1100

[@SoLoCruizer]

nice mature build but dang 27mph my minibike does 40 i think ill opt for a 70cc minerelli 2stroke on a 32 tooth rear sprocket were talking some fun cruising either way your keepin the DREAM ALiVE!!!! thanks budzzzzy

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thanks man! Yeah 1000W will only get you about 27MPH but that's plenty fast for just cruisin' 😎 This motor is pushing it for this frame also, so wouldn't want to put too much more power on there. Thanks man I appreciate it!!

[@SoLoCruizer]

@@hightech-lowlife love your vids man LEts GOo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@SoLoCruizer Thanks man!!!

[@stevenmiller9198]

@@hightech-lowlife what's wrong with the frame it's a steel frame right?

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@stevenmiller9198 Nothing wrong with it, and yes it's steel 👍 These dropouts were not designed for such high torque though.

[@diegudr]

You won't do much pedaling anyway so do what I did. Ditch the derailer and shorten the chain so it can go on the middle gear.

[@hightech-lowlife]

That's true man, it's a good tip! Thanks so much! 👍

[@Matanumi]

What about pedal asissting for that that wanted it?

[@hightech-lowlife]

It's easy to install 👍 I personally don't like PAS so I don't put it on my bikes, but it's super easy to setup.

[@detacheddad3396]

I’ve got that same bike with front hub motor.

[@hightech-lowlife]

Awesome man, it's a cool frame! Very comfortable. 🍻

[@E-BikingAdventures]

Top speed isn't the only aspect to higher power motors. More torque, acceleration, hill climbing ability.

[@hightech-lowlife]

I totally agree 👍 1000W is the lowest power level bikes I've made

[@oliver-ce6zg]

(Just a question) doesn’t a controller always use a bit of energie , so if you leave it connected won’t it drain the battery ?

[@hightech-lowlife]

It will have a very small draw, because it's a "soft-off" when you turn it off, meaning it's monitoring the power switch input. These batteries are so huge though that it would take several months if not years of it connected and sitting to make even a very small impact. I've never tested the current draw, but it's so negligible I don't even give it a thought.

[@Michiganwatch]

How did you move your twist throttle to the left side?

[@hightech-lowlife]

Twist throttle is always on the right, I moved the gear select to the left to make room 👍 just flip it over so it's upside down and it will work.

[@brianwayne7999]

What I'm really asking is can a thur axel be modified into a drop out

[@hightech-lowlife]

A hub motor has an integrated axle so you wouldn't be using the old one. If you want to convert using a mid drive instead of a hub motor then you can use your old wheel/hub for sure.

[@coachwalk7485]

how do you recommend securing this?

[@hightech-lowlife]

Do you mean securing as in preventing from being stolen?

[@coachwalk7485]

@@hightech-lowlife yes. Battery mainly what I'm thinking in terms of security from theft

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@coachwalk7485 I made a whole video on ebike theft with some pretty good suggestions. The comments section also added even more good suggestions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKvGi2uYiZd4jsk As for this particular battery bag, if you wanted something a bit more secure, then go with a "bottle" battery, it screws into where your water bottle would go, so it's mildly more secure in terms of theft. The bottom line is that if someone really wants something from your bike, they will take it. With portable angle grinders and sawzalls nothing is really safe out in the wild. But these tools make cutting chains and locks so easy that most don't mess with stealing parts from your bike because it's almost easier just to take the whole bike, and can be done in seconds. 👍

[@24cata24]

why only 27 mph? i have a 350w ebike that does 40 kmh. Its a sparta bathavus direct drive motor 250 or 300w and a 350w controller

[@hightech-lowlife]

Generally 1000W hub motors will only net you 27mph, 1500W will net you 34mph, 3000, 45mph, etc... The watt rating of the motor doesn't really matter all that much, your battery output and controller output, also voltage makes the biggest difference (though you normally want these as balanced as possible). You could have a 350 Watt rated motor that you are dumping 60A into, and it will go much faster than a 350W that you're only pumping 20A. Also speed is determined by more than just the wattage rating of a motor though, a lot of factors come in to play. If you have a mid drive you can greatly vary the top speed with gearing too. Another thing to consider is how you're measuring your speed, a lot of people just go off the display on their controller but these are generally inaccurate and read much higher than they actually are going. GPS is the way to measure it more accurately.

[@blegend6538]

Hey mate i got a 1500w 48v ebike kit and i bought a 48v26ah battery for it the cables black on black red on red so i wanted to connect them together and they give me a spark do you had this also before some people say its because my battery has no on/of switch i freaked a little can you give me some advice ??? Im little frustrated if i still have to connect them or that something is wrong

[@hightech-lowlife]

As long as you're connecting the polarity correctly (matching red to red and then black to black) you will be ok 👍 For higher voltages 36V+ (especially 72V+) it's very common when connecting the battery to experience a spark. This will happen regardless if your bike has an on/off switch. Once power is connected it will not spark anymore, it's just the initial connection. If you don't want this to happen you can install a precharge resistor ( electricbike.com/forum/forum/main-forum/diy-discussion/56329-spark-proofing-circuit-for-batteries-that-also-provides-for-power-switching ), or just get some connectors that have one built in (like the XT-90S, must be the "S" version). Cheers 🤘

[@blegend6538]

@@hightech-lowlife thankyou for the info mate

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@blegend6538 You got it! 👍

[@jamesmetcalf6591]

Wow I have the same bike

[@hightech-lowlife]

It's a good bike!

[@gi169]

That was awesome...

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thanks man!!

[@gi169]

@@hightech-lowlife No Mr. Hi Tech, thank you, I am inspired.... Noticed there is no cadence sensor, are those just not necessary?

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@gi169 Thank you! Yes, for me personally I don't like PAS systems. Of course it's all personal preference and there really isn't a "better" approach to it, my mindset favors full control over the throttle at all times that way I can independently give myself as much or little assist as I want, whenever I want. You can adjust the throttle while you're pedaling, linearly and that just feels more natural to me. 👍

[@gi169]

@@hightech-lowlife Thank you HT\\LL, Again, awesome build, I'd enjoy seeing another build like this; I'm subbed, so whatever you produce I'll watch...👍

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@gi169 Thanks man! I will be doing quite a few more "toned down" builds in the coming months, I have all kinds of content though, computers, keyboards and even more new things planned. Whatever I'm interested in I'll show you guys, in the hopes that maybe you will too.

[@jamesmetcalf6591]

Link to kit?

[@hightech-lowlife]

Sorry, this exact kit I cannot find anymore (I wish I could - the controller and display are perfect and programmable) - but there are many 1000W hub motor kits to choose from out there 👍

[@Huntin_an_fishin___]

Anyone show me how to put torque arms on

[@hightech-lowlife]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/p36kdaB8d8ueaZI

[@MrVictsan112]

can you put the links for the parts please! :D

[@hightech-lowlife]

hightech-lowlife.github.io/projects/028_cruiser_ebike/028_cruiser_ebike I don't have links because I can't find this particular motor kit anymore (but it's just a 1000W, any of the regular kits should work) 👍

[@MrVictsan112]

@@hightech-lowlife i was thinking a 1500w with a 52v battery got any recommendations lol

[@MrVictsan112]

@@hightech-lowlife also did u not install the pas ?

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@MrVictsan112 Yeah for sure, there are a ton out there! Check AliExpress and eBay (or even Amazon) 👍

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@MrVictsan112 Yes, I never install PAS on my bikes, I like having full control over the throttle, it's more intuitive to me than having the motor decide when it wants to come on or not, this way I can choose to pedal or not pedal on my own regardless of what the motor is doing 👍 When you have a motor this powerful to me it's better, if you only are using a 500W or so motor, then you're probably going to be pedaling a lot of the time anyway.

[@tracyguffey-op8si]

How much

[@hightech-lowlife]

This bike altogether was about $900

[@hiphopanonymous9859]

2:55 omg someone else who says "finagle" in this context, I learned the word doesn't mean that at all but urban dictionary has an entry for this definition.

[@hightech-lowlife]

Oh, I don't remember the context I said it but I'm pretty sure I could interpret it as "act in a devious or dishonest manner." 😂 A devious manipulation 👍

[@hiphopanonymous9859]

@@hightech-lowlife haha works for me!

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@hiphopanonymous9859 🙌✔

[@1GreatLake]

Under $800 1000w for everything including the battery ?!

[@hightech-lowlife]

Yes 👍

[@1GreatLake]

@@hightech-lowlife thinking of a similar build for my trek. Although I'm going with 72V for better efficiency at lower speeds. I like my 72v stealth bomber, but I don't like parking it places and it attracts too much attention at times

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@1GreatLake 72v is great, but you will pay a premium for that compared to 48/52v It's always better to have a cheaper/crappier bike you don't care as much about that you can feel more comfortable leaving somewhere locked up. 👍

[@1GreatLake]

@@hightech-lowlife very true, wouldnt you use less battery on a 72V set up cruising at 30 instead of a 48V setup that usually peaks at 30?

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@1GreatLake 72v will be more energy dense if AH of packs are identical. Watt Hours = Amps x Volts 48V @ 10AH = 480WH 72V @ 10AH = 720WH

[@ChrisCrossingWires1212]

I'm sure you realized later you needed torque arms as well. I know that hub motor had to come loose without them

[@ChrisCrossingWires1212]

but you said you've built many you should know that bike needed torque arms if you sold it like that, you need to do a recall

[@hightech-lowlife]

​@@ChrisCrossingWires1212 How many builds have you done? If that's been your personal experience then it may come down to frame choice, although it's hard to believe because I have made a ton of builds with varying frame materials and quality. Either way, you have my sympathies if you're twisting your dropouts. All I can speak from is my own experiences, I've had no issues with any of my builds affected by dropout twist/breaking/coming loose. I've sold most of my bikes and I also haven't had any reports of having issues like you're describing. I have essentially 3500W on my (cheap walmart frame) bmx bike with no torque arms and it will wheelie all day. Maybe if you're installing these on the front forks, then I would say a torque arm is a good idea, and most likely a necessity. The front dropouts are going to be much less robust in comparison to the rears by design. Is it possible to break a bike frame by abusing it? Sure. Most people usually break themselves before they break their bikes if they're riding like that though. Cheers 👍

[@ChrisCrossingWires1212]

@@hightech-lowlife enough to know you sent that bike out without torque arms, lol don't worry about me, it will be back with mangled motor wires

[@ChrisCrossingWires1212]

@@hightech-lowlife Bro is not just my personal experience, it's common knowledge in the ebike world all drop outs need torque arms for safety and reliability. no professional builder would send a hub motor build out without Torque arms. can you get lucky on a few, yeah maybe but you take chances with your own life but when you're selling your work to others, but anyway ... and it's a Walmart frame. even more reason the drop outs don't even have flat side to keep axle from spinning. you got to accept critiques when you post and I'm sure I won't be the only one

[@hightech-lowlife]

​@@ChrisCrossingWires1212 You can criticize all you want, I actually welcome the comments, but unless you have the experience to back up your position / claim then you're just regurgitating information you heard from someone else and stating it as your own or as 'common knowledge'. "it's common knowledge in the ebike world all drop outs need torque arms for safety and reliability" - this is an unequivocally false statement. Whether your specific build requires torque arms or not heavily depends on a multitude of factors. There are plenty of ebike frames specifically made to handle hub motors that do not have nor require torque arms (if you're actually experienced with ebikes then you would already know this). The only bike you have featured on your own channel (which is premade by the way, not even built) does not have torque arms, so your claim that "all drop outs need torque arms" is a baseless blanket statement and comes off as ignorant. You're also forgetting that not all ebikes have hub motors, what about mid-drives? Are you also claiming that mid drive ebikes need torque arms? I'm not a professional builder, never claimed to be, but if I was - I'd take my own past experience over the advice of someone else. Which I also encourage my viewers to do also - don't believe me, try it for yourself, build something, break it and build it better. If you're the type of person that is very concerned about other peoples safety and triggered by people doing things that you personally deem 'unsafe' I would just recommend not watching my videos as I'm sure they will be offensive towards you (which you've already seem to have taken - oddly enough). Or do watch them and keep commenting your opinions, I don't care either way. Whether you think, feel, or believe someone should do something or not with their own property is fine, (albeit quite silly if you ask me). If you personally love torque arms and want to spread the gospel of your own beliefs then please put as many as you want on your own bikes - your ZuGo is missing some by the way. I have a lot of videos on ebikes and none of them have torque arms, haven't needed them so far. If I ever break a dropout I will just weld on my own new plates and gain even more experience, so it's not a worry at all to me. I don't believe it should worry you either, but if that's what you're into, please worry away. This particular build was from filmed early 2020, so it's been nearly 2 years and I haven't heard any complaints from the new owner. Why you would even care about that, not sure, but since you seem to care a lot - there's more information to help put you at ease. I accept the critiques, please keep them coming, but if you're trying to be critical you can bet I'm going to require of you your own solvency with these claims. Much of life is nuanced, "different strokes for different folks", some people have a really hard time accepting that and want to apply their own inner belief systems to their external reality and then get upset when it doesn't stick. Thanks man - 🤘

[@hjvveight4074]

Yea right 15 min could not possibly be neat conversion at 25 min

[@hightech-lowlife]

Thanks man, I think you're mistaking the title as "build a bike within 15" minutes, but it means "I'll *show* you how to build a bike within 15 minutes" not the actual building part 👍There's no rush to building, this probably took me 3-4 hours.

[@robertcperry4377]

Why don't you show how the bike goes man. I've watched two or three of your videos and you show the build but you don't show what the bike does when your done.. that's like buying a PR of boots and not trying them on first.. smh

[@hightech-lowlife]

There's only 3 builds on this channel where I didn't show the bike moving/riding it after I was finished (18KW cruiser, and my original hex camo bike) - these two were because I had completed those builds long before I ever had an any desire to make videos for other people, so those builds are just slideshows as I didn't film anything. I believe this build is the only one where I was making videos at that point, and the only reason why I didn't have any footage of me riding it was because I had sold the bike before I was even done with the video. If you watch almost any of my other ebike builds (BMX, 5KW Enduro, 3KW Carbon, Enduro 9.0) I all have at least some clips of me riding them and giving my thoughts, for the larger builds that I spent more time on, there are large segments of riding footage. I'll usually do a wrap up video as well for the people that don't want to watch the build videos.

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

i can change tyre and tube without removing any cables ,just unscrew the wheel and pull the wheel off to one side enough u can free the tyre

[@hightech-lowlife]

That's how I do it too! Thankfully I haven't had a ton of flat tires but the times that I did - this is the way to do it.

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

cheaper frames r better that have a steel dropout, wont need a torque arm, aluminium will !

[@hightech-lowlife]

100% ! I prefer steel for ebikes for this reason, aluminum is good when you're going for the lightest weight, but when you have so much power - strength is a bigger priority usually. I actually got in to an argument about torque arms with a viewer about this earlier, he was saying that without a torque arm the bike is ruined, dangerous and that my wheel was essentially going to fall off. Also, that 'every ebike' requires torque arms, but I disagree. Torque arms won't hurt to add, extra insurance, but definitely not a necessity - it depends on a lot of factors if one is 'required' or not.

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

@@hightech-lowlife and them very same people buy them useless universal torque arms that rely on a crappy nut to stop it pivoting ! no way can anyone tighten that tiny nut enough to stop the axle spinning off the dropout if it does, only good torque arm for a bike over 1500w is a solid fabricated bit of dropped steel connected directly , i seen some people use a small spanner /wrench ( since they r dropped forged steel

[@hightech-lowlife]

@@girlsdrinkfeck I totally agree. I didn't really understand their criticism, other than it's just one of those things that they were told by someone else and they then offer that up as their own (superior) knowledge, all in the efforts to try and shame or make someone feel like a fool. If they genuinely care about someone's build or safety, I don't see anything wrong with that, but the way they said it just came off as an attempt to criticize and ridicule. All I could offer them was my own experience - which so far I haven't busted any dropouts and I've put a ton more watts through frames I really wasn't sure if it was going to hold (I have a 3KW carbon mtb build coming up). If I was breaking frames left and right, you bet I'd be looking into reinforcement solutions, but so far it just hasn't been necessary. I can't speak for others or their experiences, and they very well may be twisting drop outs like crazy (probably from aluminum), but until I run into that problem I'll make them as I have, without torque arms.