Based on this review I have just pushed the button and ordered one of these bikes. I live in Spain and it looks like I'm the first person in Spain to order a Frey AM1000S. I have this mixed feeling of a combination of pure excitement together with a WTF have I just done. I have never bought anything directly from China. I have never spent this sort of money on a bicycle, in fact I'm a bit of a novice with regards to off-road biking and have a lot to learn. But this bike, the mixture of quality components, loads of power and range, a throttle and someone who seems to know his onions (Just Enjoying Life - sorry don't know your real name), making a video about how impressed he is with the AM1000. Well that was enough for me to go for it. I was previously looking seriously at the 2018 Specialized Turbo Levo which my friend owns (and loves), but he paid the euro equivalent of $9000 for a bike that has top end....well everything, but no throttle and a top speed of 15mph. Admittedly, I was looking at a cheaper version, but it was still $5500 for a bike that does 15mph and no throttle. I've truly got all of my fingers crossed that I haven't made a mistake. I'll know in about 10 days or so when it (hopefully) arrives. Thanks 'Just Enjoying Life' for bringing this bike to my attention.
I too am interested in this or the blade.. Although Id really love the full suspension, Id feel more comfortable dealing with an american company. Has your bike arrived as yet? What was your experience like dealing with them?
Yo todavia no he presionado el boton de compra, porque tengo miedo que cuando llegue en aduana en vez de 3180 € se conviertan en yo que se, por ejemplo 4000 € y entonces deja de ser un buen precio, de todas maneras la bicicleta me gusta muchisimo, aunque me gustaria que en vez de plato 44T la equiparan o bien biplato 32-46 T, o monoplato 42 de todas formas si hay posibilidad de pasar aduana sin costo aprieto el boton de compra de inmediato, así que te agradeceria como te ha ido cuando la recibas
Yes my bike has arrived and I absolutely love it so far. When I say so far, the only thing that could change this would be if it broke. Providing it keeps doing what it's doing, then I'm a happy customer :)
Muchas gracias Daniel por responder sobre el tema de aduanas, por ese costo ademas del de la bici, si que merece la pena comprarla, porque no quiero caer en manos de bicis electricas de fabricantes en la que las baterias las montan codificadas y cada vez que necesites un repuesto o reponer la bateria, solo te queda la opción de comprarle a ellos y al precio que pongan, es decir no quiero estar en las manos de las grandes firmas por muy grandes que sean, así que ademas del costo de aduanas tambien me quiero asegurar de que la Frey AM1000 me funcione con cualquier bateria de 48V o 52V que yo le pueda intalar, por lo demas te puedo decir que los motores Bafang para mi son los mejores del mercado mundial en cuanto prestaciones, ya que llevo muchos Km, recorridos con dos biciletas que he reconvertido a electricas, una con cuadro de cromolite orbea de los años 90 con bafang bs02 36V 500W, y la otra mondraquer traker rr del 2012 con bafang bs02 750W 48V a las cuales he logrado adaptar doble plato 32-44T con piñones atras V10-44, y cualquiera de las dos son capaces de llanear a 45 Kms.h. y subir por verdaderas paredes y no uso acelerador. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yksz_UzDvRQ.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NrKxpcGyKIs.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nbvMsIUHfMY.html Asi que te quedaria muy agradecido me pasaras la información que puedas tanto de aduanas. y la cuestion de si la batería la tinen codificada a gutilarra@gmail.com
Loving all of the detail you are pointing out regarding the AM1000. Any updates or ride reports you'd care to share? How is the bike holding up? Are the batteries performing well?
How’s this bike holding up? Many miles on clock? What regular maintenance has it needed , chain /cassette etc, Looking at getting one, but my hub motor is at 4670 miles with only brakes pads needed ( around 4 front pairs and 2 back I think) . Will this achieve similar numbers in reliability? My hub motor only cost £145
Mine is doing fine but there are others with far more miles on their's, so I recommend browsing the thread over at Endless. endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=91035
How are your mt5e brake sensors connected, can't seem to find anything about if they are 2 pin (red) or 3 pin (yellow) connectors and if they are plug and play with the ultra drive.
I am with you. I need a throttle. I’m not planning to use I all he time; bu, such as when I’m tired, need a boost starting on hills. I can go on. It’s crazy the Euro bikes don’t come with option for the US market.
I'm sure you could tap into the wiring to add a connector but if you're looking for something that plugs into it directly, I'm not sure where to look. Maybe you could tap into the battery's wiring too.
@@svenop I do not use a shift sensor, and I've never used one before. I imagine they would interfere with my riding. The Frey has brake sensors, which I like at times and don't like at times. I don't like them when I want to use the brakes and throttle at the same time (something I do on trails). But I like them for safety reasons (for example, if the throttle were ever to be stuck).
How did this particular drivetrain hold up with the power of the motor? I was looking at SRAM EX1 as its setup for emtbs, but not sure which way to go.
@@JustEnjoyingLife73 thanks. I’ve read every page there now and have made notes as I went. Very interesting to see the evolution of the bike and frame over the years to address issues etc.
This one uses 27.5+ which actually have virtually the same outside diameter as 29ers. I like the wider width especially when the surface gets soft or loose.
Hey cool bike. What size frame? Can you talk a little about the full suspension? Is it a lot better than a hardtail? Also what's the top speed throttle only? And how do you like the pedal assist, cool thanks a lot looks like good deal
I just had my first official ride on my new 2022 AM1000! What a beast! I ride Specialized Stump Jumper so I lean more in the Enduro Category just to give you an idea of how I ride. Here in Waterloo Ontario Canada the last while it's been nasty weather with a ton of snow and freezing rain mixed. So the trails were pretty bad. I couldn't take it anymore looking at the new Black Beauty sitting in the Living room near the box. I geared up and headed out! First thing I did was hit the throttle in first gear and it threw me back over the seat lol! After I calmed down and had a chat with Black Beauty, we were connected. Missed around with the suspension based on my weight and it dialed in very nice I must say. Got out to the trail and it had just turned mild enough to melt the snow and gather up around 4' of ice and water/slush in the trails. Well I hammered it and it went like an Home Sick Angel lol. Had it in 5th setting on ECO mode and never changed it. I buried it in ice, snow and water and it never hickuped. In the straights I was hitting 51km hr and man the suspension just floated! So would I recommend the bike? YUP!! I bought the medium frame and i'm 5'9" 183lbs
Thank you! Yes, I just uploaded a video showing what programming the Ultra looks like. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kWCR3iV3d9I.html
Back when I got it in 2017, there was nothing like it (full suspension, torque-sensing mid drive with a throttle). Today, there are other similar full-suspension bikes using the Ultra, but many come with entry-level components, so the Frey is definitely a much better deal. It really depends on what you're using the bike for though. Are you looking to commute with it or ride trails? I knew pretty much what it could do because I already owned a BBSHD. Was it worth it? Well, yes because there were no other alternatives at the time. Is there something else I wish I had that came out later? Yes, the Luna X1, so I bought one :) If I was looking for a Bafang Ultra-based bike today, I would definitely choose one from Frey. If for some reason I'm in the market again for a new trail bike, the Levo is what I will look at next. I hear it has the most natural-feeling torque sensing system. I just wish it had a throttle to help me out of those difficult spots where my pedals might strike.
Hello, I just made a bike based on this drive and I have mixed feelings. Can you tell me what resistance puts the engine turned off or with assistance at 0 and the rear wheel is raised above the ground? My spins are quite heavy and it probably causes a lot of battery usage.
@@JustEnjoyingLife73 I'm sorry Google translator does not always do a good job. It is about whether the pedals rotate with a large resistance to the front when the bike is lifted, e.g. on a bicycle stand or with a chain removed. I checked it in BBS02 and this engine almost does not put up a rotational resistance
@@JustEnjoyingLife73 So there must be something wrong with my motor, maybe I screwed something too much, but there's nothing there. Only cranks which I tightened with a force of 45 Nm. The engine has arrived in a slightly damaged package, it may have been dropped. What is your range and battery? I can drive about 55km on the 1st support level with an average speed of 26km. My battery has 17Ah and 48V
My battery is 21Ah/48V but I have not tested the range yet. I've only used it on trails. You might be able to find answers on Endlessphere about the range. Can you get warranty support from the seller?
What was the final price plus shipping. Does the bike feel very heavy., and what is the actual weight? Did you notice a problem with the rear suspension rising under power.? Thanks
It would be best to contact Frey for pricing. I was told resellers don't want pricing to be posted in public. It weighs 67.4 lbs, but it does not feel heavy because the weight is down low. I did not feel the suspension rising under power, but I did look at it and I can see it rising under power. I brought this to their attention, and they are revising the pivot location to counteract this behavior.
Para mi el que la suspensión se eleve en el momento de un torque fuerte, no representaría ningun problema ya que 160 Nm. es un torque muy elevado para una bicicleta que si es rigida, la tension en la cadena es elevadísima, para lo cual algunos fabricantes an optado por colocar tensores para repartir mas dicha tensiòn y dulcificar el gran tirón para que no rompa la cadena, y la esperiencia que yo tengo al especto es que en doble suspension, cuando el engache del vasculante se encuentra mas o menos a la altura de los platos , en vez de elevar la suspension, lo que hace es torcer el vasculante y rueda hacia el lado derecho, lo cual aun es peor, y ami ya se me ha partido una vez la cadena y eso que mi bafang es el Bs02 750W que tine bastante menos torque, así que si lo que hace la Frey AM1000 es elevar la suspension en ese momento, creo que es bueno y hace de tensor intermedio par disipar el gran torque
3dkiller LoL, I actually did break one of the handlebar grips when I crashed but other than that, it’s still in perfect order. This is the perfect excuse to put my favorite Race Face or ODI grips on it. One of these days I’ll get around to posting another video about it.
I'd be happy to sell them, but the only problem is that when Frey made the ones they sent me, they didn't integrate the nut into the hanger, so you'd have to find your own M12x1.5 nut.
@@JustEnjoyingLife73 Thanks for getting back to me. I think getting a new nut will be easier than getting a new hanger from Frey. Is there a way we can private message?
@@petershanle9675 I am in the US, and I was not charged any additional fees. Try asking here. There's probably someone that has ordered in the UK. endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=91035
It's a beast! I am riding my new 2022 AM1000 and it's a stallion! I rode snowy trail 35.5 km and the battery was at 50% . Used throttle mostly using assist 5 in ECO mode.
Thanks! My BBSHD runs at 52V, so that may affect my perception, but right now, it seems to me that the Ultra at 48V feels a little less powerful, but not in a way that would make any significant difference when you're riding for fun. I'll have to check the throttle settings to see if anything can be changed to make it feel more powerful.
Just Enjoying Life Thanks. What about power delivery? I didn't realise how bad/Jerky/uneven the power delivery on my BBS02 & Bbshd were (I had nothing to compare them too, BBS02 was my first build) until I reprogrammed the controllers. The difference is night and day. Can't understand how the motors come so badly set up. I have them set up for small increments (first five levels) of constant power, starting at just 50W, going up to about 300W in level five, then bigger increments up to level nine. Also power comes in more gradually and cut off is quicker. In the lower levels it's like riding a "normal" MTB and gives far better control over difficult terrain. In the lower levels there's no sudden surge. I'm curious to try an eMTB with a torque sensor.
The way it delivers the power is very adjustable, especially with the extra settings for the torque sensor. You must try a bike with a torque sensor. The torque sensor is why I chose the Ultra. With a torque sensor, you feel like you're actually contributing. The harder you pedal, the more power the motor delivers, and it's very fine-tunable.
They look very similar, but I have no idea. I chose this over the Blade because it has a full suspension frame. FLX told me they were not going to make a full suspension model. The components on this bike are also very good. I really like the 160mm Lyrik fork. Right now, I think this is one of the best bikes equipped with the Ultra. Almost everything else uses lower end components and costs more. Frey is also very open to suggestions. Have you looked at this Endlessphere thread? endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=91035
This bike looks incredible!! Thanks for your detailed posting on the electricbike forum also. I have been waiting forever for torque sensing mid drives with no limits and I love the way it makes you get a workout. My very first ebike is the IZIP currie expresselectricbikereview.com/izip/express/. Out of pure coincidence it has torque sensing pedal assist(no throttle) and I have been able to get that to 42mph(on a flat street with very little wind). I can just imagine what kind of speed this bike should be able to do if you really push it. I am looking forward to a road test of this bike. Thanks again and take care.
Thanks! I ordered it from Alibaba. It took a month to make the bike, but it only took 1 day to receive it! If they happen to have a batch complete, it would only take a few days I imagine. wholesaler.alibaba.com/product-detail/3rd-Gen-AM1000-Bafang-ULTRA-G510_60700621160.html?spm=a2700.8443308.0.0.NbBWV0
I have close cooporation if you like details of ordering as well I have contact of best shipping forwarder so the cost is not overpriced ( some places charge up to $1000 for shipping others charge $500 only) 1993travis@gmail.com
@@JustEnjoyingLife73 Why does a company like Fry have to sell on Alibaba. Pain in the ass to find anything and they it's like pulling teeth to actually buy something there.
Hi, yes I have ridden it around my neighborhood, but I still need to test it on the trails, but so far I really like it a lot. The torque sensor makes it ride like a mountain bike. The harder you pedal, the more power it provides. It's so much better than using the PAS system on my BBSHD.
Thanks a lot for all this work! The bike just doesn't look right to me, though ... the geometry looks uncomfortable and even scary for steep descents (especially with that stack height). I do like the shortish- looking chainstays. That might offer some playfulness. Wait ! It weights about 67 lbs (WITH BATTERY) ? No go. This confirms my suspicion that you should either build your own (starting from the best frame you can afford) or buy a top end production ebike...because everything else that falls in the middle is, well, just pretty midling.
I think getting a production ebike from someone like Giant or Specialized would be one of the best options but the reason I didn't was because I wanted a throttle. If you build it yourself, there aren't many options for torque-sensing drives (there's only one that I'm aware of). Honestly though, I think the best way to look at these bikes is from a different perspective. If you're someone with a 25 lb full suspension bike that's into the latest and greatest, you're likely to be disappointed. If you electrify a bike, you're going to add something in the neighborhood of 20-30 lbs to it. Nearly doubling the weight of the bike isn't going to make you happy unless you look at it differently. The main message I'd like to get out is that you really need to try it before you draw any conclusions. You may find that while you might not be able to do everything you did on your ultra light bike before, you will find new ways to enjoy riding that you didn't know of previously. It's really a lot of fun. Having said that, I look forward to the lighter ebikes of the future.
@@JustEnjoyingLife73 Yep, a throttle and having no speed limiter would be sweet and you're right-- u can't find those features on a production emtb. But it's a shame that with a few exceptions, most emtbs don't ride like normal mtbs and to me the mark of a better emtb is how closely it can approximate a push bike experience (of course, this matters more to us hardcore mtbr's). Recently, there was progress (e.g., the bikes using the newish Fazua motor/battery-- it's only 9 lbs, not 10-20 lbs, but far less torque). But still no throttle and no speed delimiter. I'd like to try a Frey just to compare it to my new Bulls AM 4, which is about 52 lbs. I'd as also love to try the new Focus and the Fezarri. Hell, would love to ride them all day long :)
@@Me_ThatsWho Unfortunately, the main delineator in ebike weight is the capacity of the battery. This bike uses an aluminum frame; even with a carbon frame it wouldn't drop 10 lbs: The big battery is the heaviest part.
I need more time to have a better idea, but my initial impressions are very positive. I love the way the torque sensor behaves, especially after I reprogrammed it. I haven't really tested the top speed but I have gotten it up to around 30 mph. I still need to go over the settings in the software. Right now, it feels a little less powerful than a Luna Cycle BBSHD at 52V. I'm not too concerned though because the torque sensor really makes it a completely different experience. This is going to be my go to trail ebike. Also, rumor has it the Ultra can be programmed to much higher power levels through software, but I haven't found those settings yet.
The reason my bike has a BaFang BBS02 is so that I can take it off at any point I want. Buying one of these bikes is just as non-sensical as buying any other bike with a motor built in. I am sure it is going to be fun to ride but I don't want to be stuck with any specific motor or battery. Using the BBS02 in America also allows me to ride my bike anywhere bikes are allowed. Even when posted no motor vehicles. I chose the best bike built for what I want (Touring) and had a BaFang 750w mounted. It can always be upgraded or stripped off if I chose. It's the best of all worlds. - imgur.com/a/cetKb8I
I have the BBSHD, Cyclone 3000, and GNG belt-driven mid drives. They're fine, but having a torque sensor makes you feel like your pedaling is actually contributing because the harder you pedal, the more assist the motor provides. It's a much more natural feel. Actually, you're not stuck with any specific battery. There's nothing stopping you from using any battery you want, though it's unfortunate that Bafang doesn't offer a torque sensor on their more DIY-friendly mid drives. The only other DIY mid drive I can think of that offers a torque sensor is the Tongsheng. However, practically speaking, the main reason I took off the BBSHD from my mountain bike was because the motor was constantly striking things. That's why I changed to the Cyclone and mounted it in the triangle.
Once again the 1000w isn't legal for American roads so only an idiot would buy one here for every day riding. As far as torque sensors, I am sure they are great (if that's what you want) but I don't want to Have to use one solely. I want to be able to shut the assist off instantly when I want (and I can) and to have a throttle at any speed I am running (and I do). It allows me to dial in the absolute lowest power consumption for the terrain I am on. I have far more control of that with the standard BaFang set up than 90% of manufactured ebikes. It's simple and it works very well with a Rohloff Speedhub. If the cute little ebike has a specific battery design to mount on the bike you are stuck with their product. That and the fact I have never seen a manufactured ebike with a 30+ ah. battery. I stopped feeling the need to jump off things a long time ago, outgrew it I guess and I have plenty of clearance on my bike.
The Bafang Ultra on this bike can do everything the BBS02 can. It has a throttle, and you can use it any way you like. In fact, the programming software is identical with only an additional tab to program the torque sensor. If you feel the need to program a wattage limit, you can do that. You're only stuck with a specific battery if the manufacturer chooses to lock you out by software. The Ultra has no such lockout, so you are free to use any battery you want.
Yeah, that's all great. 1000w ebikes aren't legal on American streets so it doesn't matter what the software capabilities are, but not too different from the BBS02. I have two 30+ ah batteries and am fully suspended both bike and trailer, to include a front rack that keeps the front panniers suspended. close to 9000 miles and the motor case isn't even scratched. Of course, my bike also cost three times what yours did. - imgur.com/a/cetKb8I Second best just wasn't a option.
Brian Bassett hello do you have a throttle on your bike. Also whats the range you get on a single charge. And how long does it take to charge. Also how can i make the same set up or do you make bikes. Thank you
