I was working on my first bike when I was about 11 years old and I got back in to bike riding about 5 years ago when I got my first e-bike and I've been hooked ever since do I know I thing or two about maintenance but I've learnt a lot from you, my friend.
The most trouble free and reliable electric bike that I have ever owned, was my Sondors Thin with belt drive. It would do 23 mph on just throttle and 25 to 27 mph on just PAS. The most exciting electric bike that I have owned is my Luna V2 controlled BBSHD 52v powered fat bike, but I constantly have to check and do maintenance on it, because it will destroy any weaknesses on the bike. Cheers.
people always make mid drive maintenance sound like a tedious chore, but it requires 5 minutes to clean the chain directly on the bike, using a 2-in-1 chain cleaner & lubricant, and wipe it off with a rag. To go "all the way" only requires a few more minutes of your precious time to take the chain off, swish it in turps, and apply wax. Maintenance does not need to be an hours-long ritual; focus on the 20% effort that gives 80% of the results.
Love your videos. Am waiting right now on my first ebike kit to put on a really nice Trek 7200 hybrid I found (large frame). As a tall guy, I think that converting is about the only way to get a bike that really fits me, because the manufacturer bikes are pretty much one size fits all (except for us tall guys!) Also, I REALLY wanted to order my kit from your site, but the stuff I really wanted was out of stock. Bummer for both of us.
I have a serious safety feature recommendation. If you’re going to treat your ebike like a moped, you will need pedal straps. I found this out the hard way, and I’m going to need a back brace for the next 3 months Motorbikes and mopeds have their pedals/pegs intentionally positioned far away from the front wheel. Ebikes on the other hand, have their pegs/pedals mere inches away from the front wheel. It is surprisingly easy to slip your foot right into the spokes and get sent flying over the handlebars. You will need to install a safety feature to prevent such a minor slip up from resulting in a life threatening incident. Please don’t join me on fractured spine gang. Install pedal straps. And while you’re at it, purchase a full face motorbike helmet that’s at least DOT certified. Wouldn’t be able to write this out had I not worn one.
Been riding and racing like a maniac on platform or rattrap pedals since my Schwinn Scrambler and have NEVER heard of such an occurrence! Takes skill to pull that off, huh?
@@nicholasn.2883 if your pedal platform is slippy plastic... Change them for platform with metal studs (grub screws. If you a going to change out you pedals then be aware that the left hand pedal has an opposite anti-clockwise left-handed thread.
How come there's no US made motors? I know the first response will be cost but with the rise of ebikes, I think it's imperative more US companies get on board. Would make it easier for bike shops to sell/service their products, and others
I recently ordered an Eahora Apus because it is carbon fiber frame, has hydraulic disc brakes, built in headlight, cool display but, only a 350W 48V motor/battery hub drive which looks really nice for 1st e-bike. After waiting several weeks my order was canceled due to manufacturing issues and the reply to my email to the company is that they are making upgrades to the bike to make it better and will be ready in 2-3 months. I'm thinking they realized the price might be too low and will probably be raising it soon as well. However, in hindsight I think this might be a blessing in disguise. I am now seriously considering converting my 2009 Jamis Citizen 3 700cc bike to e-bike with a mid drive kit. I don't expect to have a shifting problem as I have continuously owned at least one bike or more for almost 50 of the 60 years I've been around. I currently own 3 bike including a '73 Schwinn Varsity with lots of patina and original faded orange paint but, all new cables, brakes, chain, etc. I would think about converting that bike but, no way the brakes would be good enough and its also manual shifting(no clicking levers). I love the look of the Yamaha motor because the left cover looks exactly like the ignition cover on my '76 RD 400. Rode Yamahas most of my life so there is some loyalty there and I'm glad to hear they are one of the top motors out there.
Johnny, do comparison between mid drive gear and belt drive MTB. I got sick of Specialized warranty for snapping belts and went with superior Bosch torque sensing gear driven motor. Such a relief.
I converted 2 Bianchi hybrids to hub motors (Leeds and Dillenger). Both performed well on streets and climbed hills perfectly fine. But.... ...when we moved to a new place at the top of a steep gravel road both were useless; the wheels just spun no matter what sort of tire was on it. Two new mid drives solved the problem. They're great on roads, and off.
Johnny, I respect you have a ton more experience, but here's my take on it. Hub motors is how it started. These could easily be fit, and by major manufacturers too, like Raleigh, or Trek. The early days also didn't have integrated batteries either. Those batteries were ugly warts on a rack. And hub motors are conducive to give that miniature boost that is allowed in European markets where 250W is max. I don't mean to marginalize the 250W ebike. It's still 2x most non-cyclists' human output, so it's a good power setting to essentially keep an ebike working more or less like a bike with bike speed for bike infrastructure. Exceed 250W and suddenly, you're way out of step with everyone else's pace, and there may be a need for fast and slow lanes in bike infrastructure (yikes, yes we'll need that). Because most manufacturers saw the market in Europe being much stronger in the East and Europe, these 250W motors thrived. 750W and 1500W hub motors were a product illegal pretty much everywhere, so no real market for bike companies, and only suitable for home builders. When ebikes began to really spike in Europe (these are old news in China, they built them with lead acid before we ever even saw them coming), the manufacturers wanted to step up their game and market these as transportation for non-cyclists but still on cycling infrastructure. But with 250W limit, still not much need to go to middrive if you're designing 3-speed Dutch style bikes. Bafang was the first with a kick-ass middrive conversion for standard bottom bracket, but no manufacturers really bit. The early BBS02 had deficient refinement and though it was great for us hobbyists, no manufacturer could afford the service/warranty/bad rep that it would bring to ship with a motor the owner could abuse and break, or break their components with the 750W version. Integrated middrives like the Haibike for eMTB didn't drop until 2010. These changed the game, as did cargo bikes. Now it made sense to work with players who were willing to build bulletproof middrives like Yamaha, Shimano, Bosch, and Brose. But with bulletproof development and comes great cost and appreciable investment in dedicated frame specific mounting. So alliances were formed, major commitments were made and that next round of bikes with legitimate middrive engines that were next level in their development passed over Bafang's pretty good quality with excellent quality. They also use torque sensing which is a big factor, and is lauded by most. I'm not convinced it's a better utility cycling choice than cadence sensing, but it's fair to say torque sensing costs more to develop and build. I say this as a Bafang fan. These are great middrives for homebuilders like myself, and as you say, choose your favorite bike design and motorize it yourself is just not possible with anyone else's stuff except cyclone and Tongshen, neither of which have captured the market the way Bafang has. Catrike charges $2600 to add 350W Shimano Steps middrive and 11Ah 36V battery to their old trikes in a kit. Factoring in profit, development and the cost to provide a Steps specific boom, it looks like the Shimano motor/controller plus sensors & display & battery are substantially more than comparable powered Bafang and generic battery. That's just the difference between name brand high quality vs. hobbyist quality. I'm really happy with my Bafang HD over my blowout prone early BBS02 (which suffered 3 controller burnouts and one misaligned bearing death) and I don't mean to talk crap about them. But the other manufacturers build them so you can't burn them out by starting them in the wrong gear. What does a Shimano, Yamaha, Bosch, Brose hub motor cost? I'm not clear they every made them. So I think the difference is the middrives are highly developed and expensive due to majors wanting to recoup their major investments in building quality engines. I don't think they're a ripoff. But if your Ford came with a branded BMW engine, and you had to pay both companies for the profit they want to support their products independently, that Ford would be dear. Just my opinions, and I appreciated hearing yours.
Interesting take, I just don’t buy it personally. It really is minimal investment designing an ebike. 3 guys 100 hours each and you have one. Hell, my friend and I can design and build an ebike from scratch over the weekend including building the frame. 🍺 I think it’s more about overhead and clerical charges these majors have. But, I definitely like your opinion and I bet some of that, for sure, does play into the equation. 👍 Regardless of how we got here, change needs to happen. 😀
@@Blox117well, I have a bbs02 that draws max 1100w and I pass my friend with ease who has 1500w hub motor and I hill climb much better and always have to wait for him.
I hope series hybrid mid-drives become more popular. I hate having to replace dirty chains and sprockets so often. The tiny loss in efficiency of the human power component is definitely worth it.
i have a 52v BBSHD that draws 1700+ watts on a heavy fatbike. Using $10 KMC Z7 chains i can get thousands of miles on a chain, and usually go through 2 or 3 chains before needing to replace any 'sprockets'. The problem of a dirty chain can be solved in 5 minutes with a 2-in-1 chain cleaner & lubricant, and a paper towel. Not Sure how you are riding but I assume you never clean the chain.
@@EBikeBuilder_ What is the point of bicycling if you have to wash the chain all the time? Then you might as well walk because that takes the same time.
Education is either expensive, or extremely expensive. I went through 3 ebike set up, before learning what they do and what I wanted. Did same with bikes and Motos. But found what I needed and a great set up. No savings in $, great value though.
This might be outside of your interests and the time you have available, but I enjoyed watching Tom Stanton's DIY electric bike builds, which is why I thought it'd be interesting to watch a professional electric bike builder do something similar. It'd be very interesting to see how you would approach building a mid drive e-bike, not from a parts kit, but from say a brushless motor, esc, and with a DIY battery pack, and figure out the mechanics. If you have done such a build already, and I have missed it on your channel, it'd be very grateful if you could point me to it!
@@JohnnyNerdOut Thanks for the reply! After I commented on this video, RU-vid recommended me the following video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mzadJk8_w10.html . It is a less polished production than Tom's, but the ideas presented are very interesting!
Working at a Trek shop, I find changing a tire on a mid drive is just like a regular bike, super easy. Rear drive requires disconnecting the electrical and carefully loosening the axle nuts and catching the heavy rear wheel. Then reinstallation requires attention to reinstall the non turn axle washers in the frame correctly. It's a struggle sometimes. I can't see the average consumer being about to do it in the field.
@@difflocktwo, if I had an e-bike, I would be prepared to change a tube to get home along with a chain tool and pump just like my non e-bike. I always stop for fellow cyclist when they need help. I'll patch their tube or just give them mine if I have the right size. Heck, I've even helped people put on a spare tire on their car. Just call me, Bicycle Repair man.
@@notanomad9320 Spare tires are rare for bicycling though. I too am ready to patch tubes roadside and have done many times. But I do not remove my wheel to patch a tube. You can also buy emergency tubes that do not require the removal of the wheel to insert (cut the old one out). I have never done a roadside tire replacement on a bicycle though. Honestly I would probably rather deal with plugs and torque arms rather than a disgusting chain when removing a wheel. A bike designed for rapid tire replacement would be a single sided wheel, like a wheelchair or car. Hub motors like this are available pretty readily.
@@difflocktwo, best practice in repairing a flat is to remove the wheel, check to see what caused the flat which means checking rim strip, and tire visually inside and on the outside sometimes squeezing the tire to make visible small pieces of glass or metal that can sometimes be the cause. Fix the cause before putting on a patch or new tube or you'll just keep flatting. Removing a standard QR rear wheel should take 5 seconds.
I love your take on the e-bike scene! After finding your channel, I have gotten the courage to start building my own e-bike. I've been looking at bikes for a couple years and there are so many choices that it gets confusing. So, thank you for helping me realize I should do it myself! I have several bikes already in my garage to choose from but I have one nagging question that I have not found much info on so far online. My question is, will installing a Bafang mid drive do any damage to the bottom bracket threads? if I ever want to swap the motor to another bike, I would like to be able to convert back to a non-motorized bike. Have you had any experience in this area? I really appreciate your channel and all the advice and encouragement you are giving this community.
the motor doesnt actually thread into the bottom bracket shell, its a spindle that goes through the shell and is threaded on the non-drive side where you secure it with a lockring. Just grease up your bottom bracket threads before installing the motor so they dont get corroded
Thank you for this wonderful knowledge you put out here for us tuning in from Aotearoa New Zealand cheers brother you are helping me understand more about this stuff as i endure the task to build my own bike
The other issue which you didn't really address is supply and demand. With really only one company Bafang making mid drive motors that are "affordable", the supply of them especially after the pandemic is lacking. Those people who happen to have a stock of them are selling at a premium. Until someone in the USA can made a mid drive motor as cheap as China can, there will only be one company to make them which means that they can dictate the prices.
Learning how to shift a regular bike will transfer over to a e bike. Don’t recommend conversion kits because the rest of the bike is not designed to handle the additional power, speed and weight. For example the brakes are important when you are traveling 30 mpg. Good brakes is the difference between a controlled deceleration and an injury. Cutting cost is not always wise when safety comes to mind.
i agree on the brakes, at minimum need some decent calipers like an avid bb7. However i don't agree with 'bikes not being able to handle' conversion kits... entry level bikes with 10$ KMZ chains can handle the power speed and weight, as long as it was assembled properly and has no crazy defects.
I am waiting for my mid drive motor kit. Landing next week. Johnny thanks for the information and everything. One thing not included in the kit which seems to be vital that is not included in the kit is a gear shift sensor. WHY are these not included? I ordered mine separately.
in my experience if you know how to ride a bike with confidence then you only need to cutoff power to the motor when you are shifting to a larger cog (and can just tap the brake cutoff while you shift). The way that the chain tension pulls on the chain generally does not cause any problems when you are shifting down to a smaller cog.
@@EBikeBuilder_ To Ebike Builder. That shifting technique works great with the throttle but not so good with pedal assistance mode. With a throttle you don't need a sensor as you just release the throttle and the motor cuts out allowing trouble free up or down shifting with pedalling/cadence. Pedal assistance mode you need a gear sensor installed to deactivate the motor to allow trouble free pedalling and derailleur operation. Please note that bafung mid-drive conversion kits only come with a brake sensor only suitable for mechanical disc brake set ups, not for hydraulic disc brakes.
Don't know if it's new, but some of the new mid-drive bikes cut power down when one shifts, so it's less like to do damage while being road by one that doesn't know how to shift one, so think we'll see way more mids by the big companies using this tech.
Thanks man we appreciate that u spend ur time teaching us what’s Ebike I’ve been watching ur video it’s really helpful to the beginner thanks man respect
It seems the have sometimes issues with the auto shifting Enviolo CVT hub, the manually shifted CVT hub version should be more reliable. Belt drives further reduce maintenance (on the cost of a little bit efficiency, but this isn't a showstopper on a E bike), but they cannot be retrofitted in standard bike frames, there the frame needs an opening to get the belt inside the rear triangle, since it cannot be opened and re connected like a chain. So belt drives are an option for new bikes, but not for existing ones.
3 года назад
DIY, yes. D I Y and I ride a mountain climbing, all season, *all* terrain, 2wd hub driven, 25kg, ~100km max autonomy bike that totals a tiny bit over 1k usd. *excluding parts that need replacing every few years or so like cassettes, chains, chainrings, tires, brake pads.
You stated as demand goes higher on mid drive motors the prices will come down. Supply will need to exceed demand normally for prices to fall. But love your videos.
But is it like riding a bike? When I was younger I rode my bike everywhere occasionally roade up to 75 miles in a single day. Now I haven't ridden a bike in over 10 years but getting an e-bike is looking very appealing.
A converted bike is more like riding a normal bike than a premade one is due largely to the fact that it is a normal bike😀 the weight is usually much less and the frame is standard geometry. If you go premade route definitely ride it first.
bafang bbs02 with decent mtb gearing you can expect 25+ mph top speeds in most circumstances on flat ground, even faster 30-35+ mph downhill, when climbing the steepest streets in my area you can generally maintain 10+ mph climbing as long as you are pedaling to help the motor
I bought the bbshd I waited to get a ebike I knew bbs02 was good but had issues so when bbshd came out I bought it and it is awesome but after a couple years I want to go faster so I bought v2 3300 controller and ot bolts on in stocks place but have not put it on yet. Yippee
Question, I just converted my Townie 7 to electric with a 1000W Bafang. Talking about riding them correctly. Would I assume that would mean keeping it in the correct gear to keep from lugging the motor? Thanks!
@@Stoutluvr Install it. And, if your shifter can traverse 2 or 3 gears in a single stroke, DON'T. Stick to one gear at a time for extended riding pleasure as these motors have plenty of torque to expose weaknesses in your drive train. After 10,000 commuter miles on my LunacyCles Ludicrous ALITE500+, I've learned a few things.
Mid-drives cost more because they're better value for someone that wants street legal power to ride a bicycle with help vs riding an electric moped. They even make better mopeds if you're willing to change gears. Hub drives only excel at much higher power on smooth pavement.
I wonder, what mid-drive bike would compare to the Sondora-metacyle? ... I would want to order a Day6 Semi-recumbent with a super strong mid-drive for a small 5' 4" to 6"... it would be great to pedal up 65 mph. ..
@@tommills177 well, there’s cheapest, and then there’s cheapest that will last more than a season 😀 I’d say the cheapest etrike is probably the “sun” brand and have it converted to -e 👍
I too think ebikes are the best option we have for climate friendly transportation for most people in suburban or urban areas. Can’t wait to get mine soon.
Because for someone like Specialized to put it all in a total package, with software that makes it feel natural costs money. That's why you can get a Haibike for almost half the cost. Doesn't feel natural. Will do the same job, doesn't feel as smooth.
Love my Yamaha Haibike, it is super smooth, only 250 W in UK,but even so it can climb everything I want. I also have a Bafang mid conversion which is quieter and can be tuned to give excellent performance, the Bafang is a superb product, cheap, easy to maintain, quiet etc. I have often ridden a Specialised turbo levo and it was good, but not worth twice the price of my Haibike. Johnny, thanks for your video.
OK I may spend 6000 on a delfast ,mabye ,I have now a 1500 w bufang mid that 35 mph is easy 2 achive,I need Yr advice,please, they say 200 mile range,50 mph,is this honest stats
If the bottom bracket threads are destroyed can a hub drive still be fitted when doing a conversion? For example if you have to Angle Grind the crankshaft off. (I have a 250w rear hub and want to upgrade using the same Marin Hybrid frame)
Yes a hub motor doesn’t mount in the bottom bracket, but in the rear dropout. But even a mid drive could be mounted in a stripped bottom bracket as it doesn’t thread in.
Awesome channel. I have not seen you discuss belt drives and internal hub thingies (Rohloff, Enviolo, etc). Do you dislike them for some reason? Or are they just unavailable? It appears that they have advantages for maintenance and just ease of handling (no more chain oil on my hands/clothes/car)?
@@JohnnyNerdOut Excellent. I look forward to it. (From my strictly-hypothetical POV, a $1500 motor upgrade is already major surgery, so adding another k-buck to make it a better long-term investment makes some sense to me. Assuming that it all works as expected, of course.). (Obviously curious about Veer belts, as well. ) EDIT: Oh, but I see that Rohloff plus belt is closer to TWO thousand dollars, so I just lost most of my interest in that. :) Maybe Enviolo and Shimano are more down-to-Earth.
I gotta ride 26 miles every day (13 there and 13 back) to work. Could a hub motor get me there fast enough and could I do it all on one charge? Money is sort of an issue as well.
Look at electric unicycles if you want to know the cost and performance of hub motors and batteries. 26 miles will need at least 600 Wh of battery for low speed cruising which will cost at least 300 USD. I would go for as much battery as you can afford. So if you budget is 1000 USD, you should use more than 500 USD on the battery alone. You need to know your load conditions and get the right motor for your load conditions and you will not have any issues. 200 to 300 USD of motor and controller will get you many horsepower and scoot you along pretty fast. The faster you go the more battery you need though.
It is just marketing that keeps the prices high. You can buy a whole scooter for the same money of a mid drive motor. How can that mid drive conversion kit cost close to 1000€ is beyond me.
I'm a believer. Electric bikes are the only way to get Americas biking for transportation because everything is so spread out. We need a lot better biking infrastructure, but that is easier to accomplish and redesigning all our places.
I'm looking for a full suspension and BBSHD , If I send you $3k , could you do it? Just source a bike near you , any full suspension will do , I'm 5'9 could use a small-med frame.
Its logical to me that a hub motor configuration should be superior. Why have a motor loaded down by a chain and gears. The RECON is proof that the hub propelled design is superior. 0 to 50 mph in < 5 seconds., front and rear wheel drive possibilities, the list goes on. Its definitely the way i will go.
Mahalos.Johhny for the video and insight. Wanted to ask you a couple of technical installation on mid motors without gear questions, do you have an email or a chat? Thank you for your time and consideration
It’s just plain common sense if you are an inexperienced rider. You don’t start out with a 750cc Sports Bike as your first motorcycle. You first start out with something more sensible to learn how to ride and not die. Like a moped or scooter before you ride something faster.
My sister had a moped, then learned how to ride a motorcycle by watching RU-vid videos. I think that concept works for that situation, but I personally would buy a mid drive. Which I plan to do. Like they say, “once you ride a bike you never forget”. I don’t like wasting my money or time.
@@stevek4382 It won't be an issue if you ride or have ridden normal bikes, and are familiar with riding bikes and shifting gears. On the flat hub motors are not a bad option, they aren't that fancy but they are reliable and relatively simple built, however the ''feeling'' of a mid drive with torque sensing is better (though there are also options for torque sensing with hub motor, but most are cadence sensors).
@@stevek4382 If you don't like wasting time and money a direct drive hub motor has no moving parts and acts both as your maintenance free forward propulsion and maintenance free brake.
Hello there Mr. Johnny, Was wondering what it would cost me to have you ,if you can, send me a bike conversion kit to Nova Scotia, Canada. Is that possible ? After watching 1/2 doz of your YT vids I thought you would be the man. thx
I just built the worlds cheapest ebike Now everyone that rides it , wants me to build them one. What do you charge for labor? Took me about 2 days to dial this one in
I have a Catrike 559 with 26” rear wheel and I am looking to convert to a hub drive e assist as I will use it very rarely and want to maintain my 3X10 30 gear setup. Do you sell a setup which I can buy and have my local bike vendor install? Where are you located? I have priced out a setup from large merchants and they come in well over $2000 which just seems absurd. What do you advise and can we do business together? If so, I will provide my phone and email so we can get the job done. Thanks.
All bikes at this point in time both analogue and ebikes are outrageously expensive because of the increase in demand since covid arrived in 2020 for commuting and recreational purposes and at the same time as production has failed to keep up their have also been supply chain issues due to International border closures. Ebike conversion kits are still far better value for money even if you don't already own a bike, just go out and buy the analogue bike you like then convert it and it will likely be just as good and a bit cheaper with the size or power of motor that you want not what pro fossil fuel governments think you should have with production Ebike manufacturers and bike shop retailers to shit scared to buck the system. So in the UK Europe and Australia where l live you can't purchase a production ebike with an integrated battery and an integrated mid drive motor above 250 watts and the motor has to cut out once 25kph is reached. Like l can buy a brand new 250cc motorbike and travel at the maximum legal 100 kph if l want to for the sort of money that production Ebikes are going for at the moment. I understand the reasoning why mid drives are somewhat more expensive as they are the premium motor choice for performance especially climbing hills with ease. As with all better quality components their is a price to be paid. I just don't like retailers playing on people's ignorance or lack of product knowledge in passing off entry level budget components and bikes as premium and asking a premium inflated price.
Here's a thought. If I am converting a multi-speed bike that I already own into an ebike, wouldn't I already know how to shift? Or am I just riding it in one gear now becasues I'm too stupid but will eventually learn to shift after I get a mid drive motor installed? Asking for a friend.
In some warm dry areas, ebikes would be great but when in rainy/snowy/cold areas this is not a feasible alternative for most. I would prefer a lithium Iron Phosphate Battery pack as it would be less likely to catch fire and would provide much more longevity. As for saving the planet, we need many small safe nuclear plants to produce the needed electricity before exploding electric vehicles. The CO2 meme/myth is about a life gas that makes up .04% of the earth's atmosphere meaning other gases make up 99.96%. Mars and Neptune have been heating up as has Pluto, do you think it is because of something beyond carbon dioxide? Could the CO2 meme be about the buying and selling and Control of Carbon Credits? $$$$$$$
@@JohnnyNerdOut I thought you meant two 750 W motors would be less efficient than one 1500 W motor. You can think of two 1500 W motors as one 3000 W motor. If your loading is higher you probably gain efficiency with double the motor. More of the same below: It depends on the loading. If copper losses are your main loss and you add more copper you would reduce your copper losses by having almost double the copper. Of course you also have more end turns like I mentioned but unless those losses are the main losses, you have more to gain than to lose with more motor mass. You can think of two motors as one larger motor. A larger motor will be more efficient when loading is higher. You also have double the magnets so if loading is too low then you will lose a bit of efficiency cause of hysteresis. In the light loading cases where two motors are less efficient the difference might me minimal if we look at the big picture.
Hey john, My gear changer for my rear wheel on my mid drive bike doesn't work. We left it on the 5th gear because that's all it would go at. However, I've noticed that when I go slow on the throttle, the chain makes a scraping noise on the chainring I have, which is obviously bad. What if I just manually move the chain and gear changer one gear lower without the use of the gear changer on the handle bar? Would that be ok to do?
@@JohnnyNerdOut it's a broken shifter. When I press the sticks on my shifter on the handle bar, there is no response. We messed up the gear shifter by placing it, or rather, somehow forcing it on the 7th gear without using the shifter while it was previously on a lower gear. I don't know how, and I did that because I don't know how shifting works. We improvised on forcing it to the 5th gear, but 5th gear still missaligns the chain with the chainring so I get a worrying scraping noise. I've traveled around 20 miles with it so far, 10 of it at 26mph, but that can't be good for the chain. I only noticed this after my 4th day with the bike. If I could move the chain over to the 4th gear and keep it there forever, that would be a great balance of speed and torque, which is what I want since any mph between 23-30 is ideal for me. Thank you for even responding.
So far as I know the BBSxx series will fit any bike with a "square taper bottom bracket". That is fairly standard on entry level bikes. There is a width difference for fat bikes but most entry level mountain bikes are 68-73mm square tapered bottom brackets and the BBSxx motors will fit. I'm not positive about the Trail 7 but check the specs, it'll probably fit either a BBS02 or BBSHD. I have a BBSHD on my CAAD F7 and it works the charm. Just be in the right gear and maintain your chain (I suggest KMC). Double check with JohnnyNerdOut as I'm just an enthusiast not a pro. Ride on & enjoy;)
@@johnnyhill1527 There are many forums out there with enthusiasts eager to spread the joy of e-bikes. I hope you will join us and help convert more enthusiasts.
So im getting into ebiking for the first time but i dont want a hub motor, and dont want to spend money on both, is there any major concerns regarding getting a mid drive?
Mid drive negatives: 1. No regen braking with typical bicycle mid drives. 2. Mid drives cost a ton. 3. You need a mechanical drivetrain to couple the mid drive to the rear wheel. 4. More moving parts, more maintenance.
Because people are going to make money for something that is clearly better and easier to make !! Lol. It's not that difficult to ride a mid drive. Older folks need some teaching obviously. But everyone else it shouldn't be difficult. If they get on anything and go all out from go without using common sense well It's on their Dumbass for breaking stuff. There is a reason there's books or manuals for things !! Hub motors suck because it's harder on the rim's. They are a lot more expensive than a chain. If you are breaking chains it's cheap as Hell. They shouldn't be breaking that easy.
If I am wrong there is already huge demand for mid drives good luck getting one anytime soon. Most resonable good companies are sold out of the high powered motors. I can't even get on a wait list for any motors or parts I want.
@@JohnnyNerdOut hi Johnny yes I checked out your website you have a 3000w cyclone available. You are not as sold out as others. I will order one but I also need a new upgraded controller for a bbhd among other things that I have not found on your site so far. Awesome site Cheers Dennis
Because the mid drive can take advantage the the bike's drive train in its entirety. When you shift gears to make it easier to climb hills for example it give the motor an advantage. Same thing when you switch gears to go downhill. It is more efficient. A hub motor does not have this ability.
Half true answer;you can shift gears And use power select. front hub is far the least strain for the bike due to 2 wheel drive. Just relube it once it’s getting to make noise.
Electric motors do not need gears. Comparing them to people or to piston engines isn't fair as they operate differently. You can spec an electric motor to deliver as much torque as you want, that's why you don't need gears. Solar race cars need the most efficient drive possible and they choose direct drive hub motors. Trains need a ton of torque and a ton of speed and they choose only one gear, not multiple gears.
You never really explained why they cost more. Saying it is an advances system....so what does that mean in dollar terms. You sound very much like the sellers, talk real fast and not a lot of depth in what you are saying. Detail detail detail.
