I am researching a solar bike with Bafang 250 Watts midrive. I don't know wether I will be able to build it and wether it will work, but I just wanted to say that videos like yours are invaluable to some of us, so I send you my sincere thanks.
@@geraldhenrickson7472 Hello. Solar does not work en route, because of change of sun position and shadows of trees and buildings, as the vehicle moves. The idea is to have, say, half an hour of full power per 8 hours of charging per day (when parked).
Thanks for posting, I've been on hub motors for a few years and am just taking the plunge into mid drive kits so this gives me some confidence as I live in hilly Cumbria but want to stay legal
Very informative video, thanks. Any chance of a 2023 update? I would love to hear if you're still enjoying many miles with your Bafang conversion. Thanks!
what a brilliant review! I fitted a hub kit recently which is pretty good but it can't do very steep hills, and am considering the bafang mid drive - you covered everything I needed to know
Excellent review. Very clear and informative. I'm just about to install the same motor into a Claude Butler Explorer 600 and this has given me a nice comfortable feeling about the job
Nice practical, economical and law abiding build. Being a bit of an outlaw, I went with screaming brute BBS02b....yea right. I still have a conventional bike if I want to pump for fun and fitness. Nice video
Further to my post I am now building a Trek Duel Sport bike with a Bafang 250 wat mid drive motor. You mention that you didn't use the hydraulic brake cut off switch but set the motor stop delay to a minimum. Have looked at the set up using Computer cable connected to the controller and I'm just wondering what you set the delay to as it goes to zero ms (which I presume is milli seconds). Did you set it to zero or close to? Your video has been very useful and I am using the same set up with Deore components as you have done so many thanks!
i'm just looking at my settings right now, i have "Stop Delay" set to 25 (which it says is x10ms, so 250ms). 3 years after doing it i can't remember if there are any issues with setting it lower, i guess you could just try?
@@multiphilification Thankyou very much. I'll check mine again and see how it matches yours. Is your bike still going OK. Would be nice to see an update!
@@rickorider yes it is still going fine, i've made a few changes and replaced a few bits though, as it has done about 5,000 miles now. as you say, i guess i should do an update sometime!
Nice video and conversion. An advantage of the brake cutoffs other than to cut the motor when braking is slow speed maneuvering. Pulling a brake lever a small amount cuts the motor (without engaging brake) allowing slow speed turning without the motor cutting in. Mine are V brakes using the cut off levers provided. You can also get hydraulic levers with the cut off built in.
@@manoz6194 i left the brake sensors off just for clutter on my bbs02 . i dont miss it really once getting used to it for a few mins . i have also bbshd which off road it is good to have the brake sensors due to its crazy power
Excellent review. Very detailed and very informative. Thinking of getting the Boardman MTX 8.6 bike and putting the Bafang 250 watt motor mid drive kit to it. Please can advise where you obtained the Bafang motor and accessories? This seems a better option to a purpose made ebike as the Bafang motor is noted for its reliability. and cheaper than the better quality ebikes which are over £2000 Thanks for a great review
Very good video!!! I have had the bafang 750w 48v bbso2b and at 32mph at power level 4. Very happy with the befang it's just the claud butler rock 26inch wheels. So hitting those speeds I have bought a 29-inch L19 specialized with good wider tyres and front shocks.. Got to put all the bafang Lcd and motor on the new bike. The cables at the front can be a pain and if your gearing is not correct you may be ghost pedalling at 16mph. I really suggest people look into the bike you use. Your 250w seams to do very well for speed. I like your feel for the befang middrive
have the "750watt" luna bbshd on 26 inch wheel commuter and bbs02 on 20 inch wheeled luna folder . the little folder doesn't go past 28mph but the torque on the bmx tires is crazy . BBshd stamp of 750 is funny because its sustainable "peak" is over 1500 watts and Yes 32mph is easily attained on flats . I swear its still pushing if you pedal hard at 40mph and never gotten past 6 of level 9 yet .
Is the right side crank (chainring drive side) offset an inch farther to the right once the kit was installed? I'm asking because another review said so, and it was the only downside of his bbs02 Bafang kit (I understand both have the same outer shell). It causes hip pain when pedalling. Here's the video I'm referring to: th-cam.com/video/P-5GLwOCg0k/w-d-xo.html
yes it is, something i did after making the video was to get a pair of Lekkie Buzz Bars Offset cranks (they are a bit expensive now, but there may be cheaper options). these basically make the pedal offset on each side symmetrical.
to be honest i'm not sure about either question, although you can't buy direct from the Bafang website in any case. search on ebay, amazon or aliexpress you'll find the BBS01 and 02 motors.
Good review I'm also in hilly Devon and just looking into getting either a ready made ebike or getting a bike (thinking of a Boardman hybred) and putting a bafang on, which is the way I'm swaying towards. Thanks again for the review.
That'll work very well :-) Also- Boardman bikes have wide lower tubes which creates more comfort to the battery ;-) Which type of Hybrid Boardman bike are you thinking to buy?
The advantage of building it yourself is that you can get the exact specification you want. for a mid-drive bike, i think it works out a bit cheaper too.
Hi Phil. I live in Northern Colorado with lots of hills. I just got a Trek 800 which has a steel frame. I love it! I plan on doing what you have done but I'd like to go with more amps with my batteries just because I want the range. Since you have done this I'm curious if you might go with a higher wattage motor or do you thing the 250 watt motor is the sweet spot? Thanks a bunch! Love your channel.
Hi Shaun, the only reason i went for the 250W motor is because that's the legal eBike power limit in the UK. In the US, you're allowed up to 750W and I can't really see any reason to go for a less powerful motor.
Здравствуйте, на заднем колесе, во втулке ножной тормоз. Шатун у мотора крутится назад, а передняя звезда стационарная(крутится только вперёд) Как решить эту задачу? Спасибо...
I would highly recommend to use the brake sensors, the trick is to place the magnets not to close to the lever in 0 position! so not on top of each other, but a few mm away from eachother, when pushing the brake lever, the magnet must go even futher away, that is how it's designed, I can sent you photo of mine setup, if you want grettings, Maarten
Gday Maarten, do you think you could send me pictures of your brake lever sensor mounting please? About to do a conversion and would be good to get it right the first time. If you could email to scooter downey net au would be awesome. Regards from Australia, Sean
Thanks for this review; it sounds like the BBS01 might be what I'm looking for; Humboldt Bay (northern Calif.) is a thin strip of flat surrounded by crazy steep hills, and constant headwinds. I'm not interested in going fast, just hauling me, my bike, and my stuff a little easier. Now I just have to *find* one.
with appropriate gearing, i'm sure the BBS01 will do the job although one of the reasons i chose it is because 250W is the UK power limit for ebikes. in the USA you're allowed up to 750W, so you do have the legal option there of fitting a more powerful motor.
@@multiphilification Thanks. I really, really don't want that much power; I'm not a speed demon *at all*. The few times I've done 30mph/48kph down a hill are some of the most terrifying experiences I've had. I was very, extremely acutely aware that a large enough branch, or a small pothole, could and likely would kill me. As it turns out, the lowest power kit I can find is the BBS01b, 350w.
Great summary! With regards to the UK restriction for power/speed, does the system fully shut off over 15mph, or does it still provide a level of support if you exceed this speed? With the extra weight it would seem a penalty to fully shut off, rather than being able to combine motor and leg power on the flats to enable the sort of riding speeds I normally do on a commute (18-22mph) with the benefit of not working so hard and therefore allow some recovery without having to leave the bike at home.
Unfortunately, the motor has to stop contributing any power over 15.5mph, so any cycling above that speed is just muscle power. On a flat, the extra weight doesn't make too much of a difference, though.
@@jharvey3884 I had to configure that in the display.
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Hello, I just bought a City bike with 250W Bafang Mid Drive motor M400 series. I changed the rear casette from 11-32 to 11-46. It works quite well on first 9 gears but on the tenth gear which has 46 teeth, the motor interrupts the power. Dou you have a knowledge about this?
I really like the setup. I can't find the 19.2 AH battery in a case like yours (looks like a 90mm height or something). Could you share a link for where to get it?
I can't remember exactly where I got it from, but it is a Hailong case. Try this search on AliExpress www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=19.2ah+hailong+ebike+battery
I had a whoosh sirocco cd 26inch wheels Bafang 250w ( this was one of the early bafangs you couldn’t swap it because of bb length )17ah battery bought 2012 ,cycled some 12000 miles , gear changes went with a clunk (until I installed a sensor ) hills were doable with peddling,if I ever bought a kit it would have be 48v 500w one
How does it handle rain? I am not sure what motor to get, I can get BSS01B 02B or the HD. I am researching to find out which one might do better in the rain. Cheers
i bought the bits from here: custombuilt-ebikes.co.uk/ you can get stuff cheaper if you order direct from china here, but you may have to wait quite a long time for delivery www.aliexpress.com/
yes, still working fine - it has done almost 5,000 miles now. i've been through a few chains and sets of brake pads in that time but the motor has been fine.
To be honest I haven't kept a record of all the money I spent, probably somewhere in the region of £700-800 (that's just for the conversion bits, I already had the bike)
Hello 👍 ,, you can change the pin (motor) that enters the frame of the bottom bracket,!? Let me explain,. I took the 100mm but, Pultroppo with the dissosamento chain crown house we are not there. He strains too much arrived at the 9 speed, from 10-11 goes hard and eats the iron. Since I have a 148×12 mtb wagon. No more margin even with picnic crown that I recovered 5mm .. Nothing! It doesn't work. So I would like to try on my old 26 rockrider 5.2 mtb Che a
Hey. Nice video. Thanks for the review. I had converted a Boardman MTX 8.6 with Bafang 750W 48V 17.5Ah before and it was a killer. On my trial, after converting I sold it so didn't really have a chance to enjoy it too long. However, I did feel that it was a good sale and made £350 profit. Now, I have a Whyte Whitechapel V2 as I wanted to go as low weight as possible for the budget and have been riding for a while in London, mostly flat in central. I am thinking between the 350W 36V 10Ah or 15Ah as there is only a 1kg difference between the two batteries or should I go for 500W? I want the lightest possible because in case I run out of battery, I can still pedal. My bike is around 11kg-12kg and if I add a kit it will make it around 17kg-19kg which is not that light to pedal but still below the 20kg. What are your opinions on getting the 350W 36V? and should I get 10Ah or 15Ah? What I need really is just a little extra push and not going faster than 20mph. Also- I intend to use it for about 50kms max. Thanks for reading and I am looking forward to your responses
You'd need the 15Ah battery to travel 50Km at a high level of pedal assist, so I'd go for that if I were you. Also, bear in mind that the capacity of lithium batteries reduces with use and as they age. Because of that, I think it is always worth getting a battery at least 30% larger than is needed for the longest distance you're likely to cover. Also, I have found that on a flat road, most of the extra effort needed to pedal an e-bike with a flat battery is due to friction in the motor clutch system, the extra weight of the motor and battery is only a problem on hills. Because the clutch friction is something you can't do anything about, I think a better solution to the worry of a flat battery is to get a large battery so you're confident you'll never run out. I have actually upgraded the battery on my bike to the largest crossbar mounted battery I could find (31.5Ah) so that I just never need to worry about running out. I do cycle larger distances than you're planning though (up to about 100Kms). Because of the battery size, the bike is not exactly light but it is still quite possible to pedal it for a reasonable distance without the electric assist - i went for a 16-mile ride recently in hilly countryside with the motor turned off as an experiment to measure the difference in my personal calorie burn with and without the electric assist. It was quite hard work but no harder than pedaling a normal cycle loaded up for touring.
@@multiphilification Hey Phil. Thanks for your reply. That helps a lot and basically, I will probably go for a 15Ah or perhaps a bigger 17.5Ah battery then, but those come in 48V so I assume I can forget the 36V engine. That said, I think it is best if I go for a 500W 48V instead of 350W 48V because I will have a heavy battery anyway so might as well go for the 500W engine right? If my bike is 11-12kg then with the kit I think I will have about 20kg machine which is still lighter than most electric bikes. What do you think?
Sell that bbs01 and get the real bbshd on 52v 41ah battery and enjoy 1500watt power no pedalling throtle only 50miles full shredding and reaching speeds of 45 mph 70+kmh on throtlle get 4piston caliper hydraulic brakes and maxxis hookworm 26x2.5 tyres and drive it like you stole it lean angle at max 👍🏻💪🏻🖐🏻
Are there rules for fitting a larger motor/battery?,i have driven most vehicles and have a full clean C1 licence for 40+ years,i don`t see why i should be limited to 15 mph,would a bigger motor be classed as a moped and need to be taxed and insured?,i have the bike but i don`t want to risk confiscation so any advice would be very welcome!.
The rules in the UK for fitting a larger motor and/or not restricting the speed to 15mph is that the ebike is then classed as a moped or motorbike and so needs type approval, road tax and insurance. in addition, you need an appropriate driving licence to operate it. I'm not sure exactly what is involved in getting type approval for a self-built vehicle, but my hunch is that it would probably be much easier just to buy one ready-built urbanebikes.com/collections/speed-pedelec/s-pedelec
@@multiphilification Thanks Phil,i had an idea it would be wrapped in red tape so tightly it would be nearly impossible,oh well,15mph is about average rush hour speed,cheers!
check out the notes under the video for the part numbers of all the components i used. the cycle already had a shimano deore 10 speed shifter, so i didn't have to replace that.
Nothing wrong with a 46t I have a 44t 48t 52t and get a 32mph with the 48t with a 13t 28 cassette but will put all the ebikes electric kit on a specialised hardrock with the rear 11t36 so the 46t will go on. And with the good cassette and smaller front chainring it will still be a good 30mph. Heat is the enemy, so just put a temperature probe on the inside of the controller.
Hi just subscribed. I live in Devon too, I want an ebike to ride to work, sadly being Devon some of the hills are evil 😆. Is 250watt any good for a 16 stone big built guy like myself for getting up the hills? I've been told In the past that it won't be powerful enough. I've tried a 1000watt ebike which works perfect for me but being the uk we have some stupid laws one being I can't go over 250watt unless I'm prepared to pay tax and insurance etc.
A 250W motor should get you up any hill (albeit rather slowly) provided you have the right gears. I'm about 12 stone and my bike will go up pretty steep hills with 4 stone weight of shopping in the panniers, so you might find the setup I've used to be adequate for your needs. If it's not, you could perhaps fit a smaller front chainring or a larger rear sprocket to get better hill climbing ability.
@@multiphilification That's ideal thank you. I'm looking to cycle from Yelverton to Tavistock which is about 12 miles there and back. I will definitely have a look then. Cheers.
I looked at installing a Bafang motor & the way that it is designed to cut into the bottom bracket in order to prevent rotation seems appalling to me from an engineering perspective.Were I to go for a mid motor setup I would choose a Tongshen any day.
yep, i don't think you are supposed to rely on the bracket notches to stop the motor rotating - i've attached my motor with the motor housing pressed up against the bottom of the downtube, this makes it impossible for the motor to rotate. i agree the fixing method is not ideal, and i guess the tongshen arrangement may well be an improvement. Even that is not ideal, though - the real problem is that the motor ideally requires two separate mounting points and a cycle only has a single mount point (the bottom bracket) built into the frame.
@@multiphilification As far as I can see that Tongshen motor is superior because of the torque sensing, did you not consider that? I'd have fitted one to my bike in a flash if it had not been a dedicated rear hub motor ebike with an 80mm bottom bracket.In fact I considered having both systems :-)
@@nicholasmorrill4711 i'd agree that the Tongshen torque sensing is more sophisticated than the Bafang arrangement but in fact - i like having total control over the power level independent of the pressure i apply to the pedals. it helps build up my leg muscles if the motor power doesn't increase when i have to pedal up a small hill, so that's the way i use it, unless i'm feeling tired or lazy in which case it is quite nice to turn the power up and just ghost pedal with the motor doing all the work. aside from all the above, the reason i chose the bafang over the tongshen is that i saw a comparison review by someone who had both a bafang based ebike and a tongshen based ebike. in a comparison, the reviewer said the bafang had noticeably more torque and could manage hills better than the tongshen, and because there are some *extremely* steep hills around where i live (e.g. so steep they are hard to walk up, let alone cycle up), maximum torque was my number 1 priority.
@@multiphilification Well each to his own I never managed to fit a mid engine motor to my bike so I can't comment.I will say I absolutely love my 350 watt rear hub motor when I detach the basket from over the front wheel.It's a shear joy to ride......& I used to ride trials bikes in my younger days.
It says 250w but what wattage do you get? Mine needs 900w continuously to go 30mph, ; need a 46 t chainring as my 48 in the 11t I can pedal easy, the bigger you go the less range. 44 was just a little bit of and thinking trying the 46
If you can pedal easy I would not go 48t, l can pedal in 11t so will go 4 a 46t and I have a feeling that is the sweet spot. To do 32mph I'm doing peak 900w to 1200, but have a fish tank digital temp probe in my motor controller. Buying the bare bone bbshd motor from lunar cycles USA next month. 500 dollers, so about 400 quid, and can do 30mph without blowing the controller lol, will save for a good triangle 24amph 72v an a plug an play grin controller with blue tooth, to set up. I want 2.5 k watts lol.
Thanks a lot for the video... By the way I think a 500 watt motor is the maximum and you can go up to 17 mph This might give you an added bit of oompf Thanks again for your description it was helpful
Unfortunately in Europe and the UK, the power limit is 250W and the top allowed assisted speed is 15.5mph - see attached link: www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules#:~:text=Its%20electric%20motor%3A,travelling%20more%20than%2015.5mph
Hi Phil. thanks for your informative video. I have just installed a Bafang BBS01b motor and would like to change some of the settings. Please could you send me a link where to download the relevant software for an Apple Mac computer and also where to purchase the correct connection cable. Many thanks Tim
This page has links to buy the connection cable and download the software. The software is windows-only, though, so to use it on a Mac you need to set your computer up for dual boot and install Windows as a 2nd operating system (which is what I did). Note: i don't think you can install Windows on Macs with Apple silicon, it works with Intel based Macs only. edrivenet.com/bafang-programming/
@@user-iw5ve6gg9n i'm not sure - i haven't done detailed tests of that. on a flat road, i think the top speed with the limits removed would be somewhere between 20 and 25mph.
great setup. you have a solid bike to start with. front suspension is great I hate bumps. frame seems to be of relatively decent quality. the 10 speed cassette paired with that motor is a great thing. I do hate changing gears but it's still a great thing the peace of mind knowing that if the police stops you, they can't do anything about it because you're completely legal is also a great feeling. f the law.
Mines a bbs01 350watt. To be honest they are pretty weak. I get 20mph nicely on a flat with no wind but with wind it's more like 18 mph. Throttle it and pedal hard I've had 27mph on flat. I got no gear sensor and I'm pretty sure I have knackered my rear mech and the jockey wheels are worn. Uphill it's slow as funk. I'm 100kg though. I think I'll be getting the bbs02 750 next ...but it's still a nice ride. Never flat out your battery... you will never get the charge back. I have the 44 tooth bafang chairing as the 46 was rubbing the chainstay. Motor has come loose twice which I've just tightened. Problems... none really and I've done about 1500 miles no maintenance. The speed sensor came loose one night when I was pissed as hell riding home and got caught in spokes. Luckily I just bent it out the way. I was annoyed I'd have to pedal unassisted hammered all the way home... but to my surprise the throttle still worked. Needless to say I was happy lol
@@davefool6815 I have to cycle up a steep incline hill every day when coming home from University, I can and do do it, but it knocks the puff out of me. I wished to get a mid drive for that as well as cycling farther than what I'm comfortable (around 40km wherever and back). I am a bit cautious though since I'd probably be the unlucky sod caught out with a >250w! :)
@@davefool6815 I need something that will take the edge off the hill climb. Time and time again I've seen people say 250W is useless. I'll research more though.
@@CM-1723 depends how steep the hills are and how heavy the rider is i guess. the gear ratios i've chosen do make it quite good at going up hills though, just rather slowly if they are steep.
i'm not sure, because i've limited it to the UK ebike legal maximum of 15.5mph. i think if it was not limited, it would do somewhere between 20 and 25mph on a flat.
Sell that bbs01 and get the real bbshd on 52v 41ah battery and enjoy 1500watt power no pedalling throtle only 50miles full shredding and reaching speeds of 45 mph 70+kmh on throtlle get 4piston caliper hydraulic brakes and maxxis hookworm 26x2.5 tyres and drive it like you stole it lean angle at max 👍🏻💪🏻🖐🏻
250 watt is the legal limit here in the UK and 15.5 mph under power. So a BBSHD would be asking for trouble, I know 250 watts is way underpowered, but its what we have to work with, so we have to make the most of it or take a risk and give the rules two fingers, Just don't get involved in an accident, not even if it's not your fault because the Law here doesn't give an inch, and god help you if anyone got so much as a scratch, they would crucify you and use double nails!
@@iamrocketray good point in Croaita its 350watt limit but i give them my 2 fingers and wheelie away ,reccently had accident woman drove direct in me and crashing baddly having luck not to break anything just few scars ,not even wearing a helmet but i learned my lesson👍🏻😉😎
We're waiting for a road test ☺️
I am researching a solar bike with Bafang 250 Watts midrive. I don't know wether I will be able to build it and wether it will work, but I just wanted to say that videos like yours are invaluable to some of us, so I send you my sincere thanks.
I'm glad you found the video useful, good luck with your solar ebike project!
Skip the solar. There currently NO solar panels that will offer more than a small portion of the current you need.
@@geraldhenrickson7472 Hello. Solar does not work en route, because of change of sun position and shadows of trees and buildings, as the vehicle moves. The idea is to have, say, half an hour of full power per 8 hours of charging per day (when parked).
Wise choices.
Great video !
Thanks for posting !
No accompanying test ride video
!?!
Thanks for posting, I've been on hub motors for a few years and am just taking the plunge into mid drive kits so this gives me some confidence as I live in hilly Cumbria but want to stay legal
Very informative video, thanks. Any chance of a 2023 update? I would love to hear if you're still enjoying many miles with your Bafang conversion. Thanks!
yes, i do mean to do an update sometime - the bike has done almost 5,000 miles and there have been a few changes in that time!
i think you made beautiful smart choices. congratulations
Very helpful and informative, thank you!
Nice video, I think I might replicate parts of this setup.
Great practical real world information .
what a brilliant review! I fitted a hub kit recently which is pretty good but it can't do very steep hills, and am considering the bafang mid drive - you covered everything I needed to know
Excellent review. Very clear and informative. I'm just about to install the same motor into a Claude Butler Explorer 600 and this has given me a nice comfortable feeling about the job
Nice practical, economical and law abiding build. Being a bit of an outlaw, I went with screaming brute BBS02b....yea right. I still have a conventional bike if I want to pump for fun and fitness. Nice video
nicely explained thanks for the info things to consider.
Further to my post I am now building a Trek Duel Sport bike with a Bafang 250 wat mid drive motor.
You mention that you didn't use the hydraulic brake cut off switch but set the motor stop delay to a minimum.
Have looked at the set up using Computer cable connected to the controller and I'm just wondering what you set the delay to as it goes to zero ms (which I presume is milli seconds).
Did you set it to zero or close to?
Your video has been very useful and I am using the same set up with Deore components as you have done so many thanks!
i'm just looking at my settings right now, i have "Stop Delay" set to 25 (which it says is x10ms, so 250ms). 3 years after doing it i can't remember if there are any issues with setting it lower, i guess you could just try?
@@multiphilification Thankyou very much. I'll check mine again and see how it matches yours.
Is your bike still going OK.
Would be nice to see an update!
@@rickorider yes it is still going fine, i've made a few changes and replaced a few bits though, as it has done about 5,000 miles now. as you say, i guess i should do an update sometime!
Nice video and conversion. An advantage of the brake cutoffs other than to cut the motor when braking is slow speed maneuvering. Pulling a brake lever a small amount cuts the motor (without engaging brake) allowing slow speed turning without the motor cutting in. Mine are V brakes using the cut off levers provided. You can also get hydraulic levers with the cut off built in.
Also good for changing gears since the gear sensor you can get for these is unreliable
@@manoz6194 i left the brake sensors off just for clutter on my bbs02 . i dont miss it really once getting used to it for a few mins . i have also bbshd which off road it is good to have the brake sensors due to its crazy power
Excellent review. Very detailed and very informative.
Thinking of getting the Boardman MTX 8.6 bike and putting the Bafang 250 watt motor mid drive kit to it.
Please can advise where you obtained the Bafang motor and accessories?
This seems a better option to a purpose made ebike as the Bafang motor is noted for its reliability. and cheaper than the better quality ebikes which are over £2000
Thanks for a great review
I got my motor from my local eBike shop but you can get the motor kit with battery from Amazon, e.g. www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07918G7YL
Very good video!!!
I have had the bafang 750w 48v bbso2b and at 32mph at power level 4. Very happy with the befang it's just the claud butler rock 26inch wheels.
So hitting those speeds I have bought a 29-inch L19 specialized with good wider tyres and front shocks.. Got to put all the bafang Lcd and motor on the new bike.
The cables at the front can be a pain and if your gearing is not correct you may be ghost pedalling at 16mph. I really suggest people look into the bike you use.
Your 250w seams to do very well for speed.
I like your feel for the befang middrive
have the "750watt" luna bbshd on 26 inch wheel commuter and bbs02 on 20 inch wheeled luna folder . the little folder doesn't go past 28mph but the torque on the bmx tires is crazy . BBshd stamp of 750 is funny because its sustainable "peak" is over 1500 watts and Yes 32mph is easily attained on flats . I swear its still pushing if you pedal hard at 40mph and never gotten past 6 of level 9 yet .
@@NWforager yes there very good moters. How much range do you get from the bbso2b 750w and the HD,, do you run a 48v or 52v, cheers
Is the right side crank (chainring drive side) offset an inch farther to the right once the kit was installed?
I'm asking because another review said so, and it was the only downside of his bbs02 Bafang kit (I understand both have the same outer shell). It causes hip pain when pedalling.
Here's the video I'm referring to:
th-cam.com/video/P-5GLwOCg0k/w-d-xo.html
yes it is, something i did after making the video was to get a pair of Lekkie Buzz Bars Offset cranks (they are a bit expensive now, but there may be cheaper options). these basically make the pedal offset on each side symmetrical.
Fantastic! Thanks very much for the information.
Absolutely first class review. Many Thanks!
You can buy hydraulic brakes with the sensors built in for a fairly low price on aliexpress
Nice video, useful. Are all displays compatible? also confused that the BBS01 and 02 motors are not listed on the Bafang website?
to be honest i'm not sure about either question, although you can't buy direct from the Bafang website in any case. search on ebay, amazon or aliexpress you'll find the BBS01 and 02 motors.
Good review I'm also in hilly Devon and just looking into getting either a ready made ebike or getting a bike (thinking of a Boardman hybred) and putting a bafang on, which is the way I'm swaying towards.
Thanks again for the review.
That'll work very well :-) Also- Boardman bikes have wide lower tubes which creates more comfort to the battery ;-) Which type of Hybrid Boardman bike are you thinking to buy?
The advantage of building it yourself is that you can get the exact specification you want. for a mid-drive bike, i think it works out a bit cheaper too.
Hi Phil. I live in Northern Colorado with lots of hills. I just got a Trek 800 which has a steel frame. I love it! I plan on doing what you have done but I'd like to go with more amps with my batteries just because I want the range. Since you have done this I'm curious if you might go with a higher wattage motor or do you thing the 250 watt motor is the sweet spot? Thanks a bunch! Love your channel.
Hi Shaun, the only reason i went for the 250W motor is because that's the legal eBike power limit in the UK. In the US, you're allowed up to 750W and I can't really see any reason to go for a less powerful motor.
Здравствуйте, на заднем колесе, во втулке ножной тормоз. Шатун у мотора крутится назад, а передняя звезда стационарная(крутится только вперёд)
Как решить эту задачу? Спасибо...
I would highly recommend to use the brake sensors, the trick is to place the magnets not to close to the lever in 0 position! so not on top of each other, but a few mm away from eachother, when pushing the brake lever, the magnet must go even futher away, that is how it's designed, I can sent you photo of mine setup, if you want
grettings,
Maarten
Gday Maarten, do you think you could send me pictures of your brake lever sensor mounting please? About to do a conversion and would be good to get it right the first time. If you could email to scooter downey net au would be awesome. Regards from Australia, Sean
What was the cost of the motor and battery and where did you buy them?
Thanks for this review; it sounds like the BBS01 might be what I'm looking for; Humboldt Bay (northern Calif.) is a thin strip of flat surrounded by crazy steep hills, and constant headwinds. I'm not interested in going fast, just hauling me, my bike, and my stuff a little easier. Now I just have to *find* one.
with appropriate gearing, i'm sure the BBS01 will do the job although one of the reasons i chose it is because 250W is the UK power limit for ebikes. in the USA you're allowed up to 750W, so you do have the legal option there of fitting a more powerful motor.
@@multiphilification Thanks. I really, really don't want that much power; I'm not a speed demon *at all*. The few times I've done 30mph/48kph down a hill are some of the most terrifying experiences I've had. I was very, extremely acutely aware that a large enough branch, or a small pothole, could and likely would kill me.
As it turns out, the lowest power kit I can find is the BBS01b, 350w.
Great summary!
With regards to the UK restriction for power/speed, does the system fully shut off over 15mph, or does it still provide a level of support if you exceed this speed?
With the extra weight it would seem a penalty to fully shut off, rather than being able to combine motor and leg power on the flats to enable the sort of riding speeds I normally do on a commute (18-22mph) with the benefit of not working so hard and therefore allow some recovery without having to leave the bike at home.
Unfortunately, the motor has to stop contributing any power over 15.5mph, so any cycling above that speed is just muscle power. On a flat, the extra weight doesn't make too much of a difference, though.
@@multiphilification Very nice video. Did the controller come pre-limited to 25kmh or was that something you set yourself through the display?
@@jharvey3884 I had to configure that in the display.
Hello, I just bought a City bike with 250W Bafang Mid Drive motor M400 series. I changed the rear casette from 11-32 to 11-46. It works quite well on first 9 gears but on the tenth gear which has 46 teeth, the motor interrupts the power. Dou you have a knowledge about this?
No, I'm afraid I don't know offhand what the problem there might be.
I really like the setup. I can't find the 19.2 AH battery in a case like yours (looks like a 90mm height or something). Could you share a link for where to get it?
I can't remember exactly where I got it from, but it is a Hailong case. Try this search on AliExpress www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=19.2ah+hailong+ebike+battery
Hi, where did you buy the kit from? thanks
I had a whoosh sirocco cd 26inch wheels Bafang 250w ( this was one of the early bafangs you couldn’t swap it because of bb length )17ah battery bought 2012 ,cycled some 12000 miles , gear changes went with a clunk (until I installed a sensor ) hills were doable with peddling,if I ever bought a kit it would have be 48v 500w one
How does it handle rain? I am not sure what motor to get, I can get BSS01B 02B or the HD. I am researching to find out which one might do better in the rain. Cheers
it has been fine in the rain, the motor is waterproof
Hi, nice video, I
am also in Devon, out if interest where did you buy the kit? thanks
i bought the bits from here: custombuilt-ebikes.co.uk/
you can get stuff cheaper if you order direct from china here, but you may have to wait quite a long time for delivery www.aliexpress.com/
Is it still working fine mate? Did you had any electronic issues?
yes, still working fine - it has done almost 5,000 miles now. i've been through a few chains and sets of brake pads in that time but the motor has been fine.
@multiphilification thank you bro 🙏
Hi good video thanks, do you know how much the setup cost you.
To be honest I haven't kept a record of all the money I spent, probably somewhere in the region of £700-800 (that's just for the conversion bits, I already had the bike)
Hello 👍 ,, you can change the pin (motor) that enters the frame of the bottom bracket,!?
Let me explain,. I took the 100mm but, Pultroppo with the dissosamento chain crown house we are not there. He strains too much arrived at the 9 speed, from 10-11 goes hard and eats the iron.
Since I have a 148×12 mtb wagon. No more margin even with picnic crown that I recovered 5mm .. Nothing! It doesn't work. So I would like to try on my old 26 rockrider 5.2 mtb
Che a
Hey. Nice video. Thanks for the review. I had converted a Boardman MTX 8.6 with Bafang 750W 48V 17.5Ah before and it was a killer. On my trial, after converting I sold it so didn't really have a chance to enjoy it too long. However, I did feel that it was a good sale and made £350 profit.
Now, I have a Whyte Whitechapel V2 as I wanted to go as low weight as possible for the budget and have been riding for a while in London, mostly flat in central.
I am thinking between the 350W 36V 10Ah or 15Ah as there is only a 1kg difference between the two batteries or should I go for 500W? I want the lightest possible because in case I run out of battery, I can still pedal.
My bike is around 11kg-12kg and if I add a kit it will make it around 17kg-19kg which is not that light to pedal but still below the 20kg.
What are your opinions on getting the 350W 36V? and should I get 10Ah or 15Ah?
What I need really is just a little extra push and not going faster than 20mph. Also- I intend to use it for about 50kms max.
Thanks for reading and I am looking forward to your responses
You'd need the 15Ah battery to travel 50Km at a high level of pedal assist, so I'd go for that if I were you. Also, bear in mind that the capacity of lithium batteries reduces with use and as they age. Because of that, I think it is always worth getting a battery at least 30% larger than is needed for the longest distance you're likely to cover.
Also, I have found that on a flat road, most of the extra effort needed to pedal an e-bike with a flat battery is due to friction in the motor clutch system, the extra weight of the motor and battery is only a problem on hills. Because the clutch friction is something you can't do anything about, I think a better solution to the worry of a flat battery is to get a large battery so you're confident you'll never run out.
I have actually upgraded the battery on my bike to the largest crossbar mounted battery I could find (31.5Ah) so that I just never need to worry about running out. I do cycle larger distances than you're planning though (up to about 100Kms). Because of the battery size, the bike is not exactly light but it is still quite possible to pedal it for a reasonable distance without the electric assist - i went for a 16-mile ride recently in hilly countryside with the motor turned off as an experiment to measure the difference in my personal calorie burn with and without the electric assist. It was quite hard work but no harder than pedaling a normal cycle loaded up for touring.
@@multiphilification Hey Phil. Thanks for your reply. That helps a lot and basically, I will probably go for a 15Ah or perhaps a bigger 17.5Ah battery then, but those come in 48V so I assume I can forget the 36V engine.
That said, I think it is best if I go for a 500W 48V instead of 350W 48V because I will have a heavy battery anyway so might as well go for the 500W engine right?
If my bike is 11-12kg then with the kit I think I will have about 20kg machine which is still lighter than most electric bikes.
What do you think?
Sell that bbs01 and get the real bbshd on 52v 41ah battery and enjoy 1500watt power no pedalling throtle only 50miles full shredding and reaching speeds of 45 mph 70+kmh on throtlle get 4piston caliper hydraulic brakes and maxxis hookworm 26x2.5 tyres and drive it like you stole it lean angle at max 👍🏻💪🏻🖐🏻
@@madmanwheelies6157 I believe that you do so, but it is neither helpful here nor relevant to the question. Thanks for checking in though
@@balintkulacs2517 no problem friend just want you to enjoy as much as you can.Greetings from croatia 🙃🤘🏼
Nice vid, cheers.
Are there rules for fitting a larger motor/battery?,i have driven most vehicles and have a full clean C1 licence for 40+ years,i don`t see why i should be limited to 15 mph,would a bigger motor be classed as a moped and need to be taxed and insured?,i have the bike but i don`t want to risk confiscation so any advice would be very welcome!.
The rules in the UK for fitting a larger motor and/or not restricting the speed to 15mph is that the ebike is then classed as a moped or motorbike and so needs type approval, road tax and insurance. in addition, you need an appropriate driving licence to operate it.
I'm not sure exactly what is involved in getting type approval for a self-built vehicle, but my hunch is that it would probably be much easier just to buy one ready-built urbanebikes.com/collections/speed-pedelec/s-pedelec
@@multiphilification Thanks Phil,i had an idea it would be wrapped in red tape so tightly it would be nearly impossible,oh well,15mph is about average rush hour speed,cheers!
thanks
Could you please tell me the model number of the Shimano Deore derailleur that you used, and if the shifter had to be replaced, which model you used?
check out the notes under the video for the part numbers of all the components i used. the cycle already had a shimano deore 10 speed shifter, so i didn't have to replace that.
What size frame is this bike?
Nothing wrong with a 46t I have a 44t 48t 52t and get a 32mph with the 48t with a 13t 28 cassette but will put all the ebikes electric kit on a specialised hardrock with the rear 11t36 so the 46t will go on. And with the good cassette and smaller front chainring it will still be a good 30mph.
Heat is the enemy, so just put a temperature probe on the inside of the controller.
Exactly what I done and no more blown controller
You assume speed is the main objective. Speed is what resulted in all the regulations we must now contend with. Thanks.
can this motor drive on its own? or its assisted only?
It can drive the bike on its own.
1:27 = supplied with 46 teeth replaced with 42 teeth ring for the lower teeth count
Hi just subscribed. I live in Devon too, I want an ebike to ride to work, sadly being Devon some of the hills are evil 😆. Is 250watt any good for a 16 stone big built guy like myself for getting up the hills? I've been told In the past that it won't be powerful enough. I've tried a 1000watt ebike which works perfect for me but being the uk we have some stupid laws one being I can't go over 250watt unless I'm prepared to pay tax and insurance etc.
A 250W motor should get you up any hill (albeit rather slowly) provided you have the right gears. I'm about 12 stone and my bike will go up pretty steep hills with 4 stone weight of shopping in the panniers, so you might find the setup I've used to be adequate for your needs. If it's not, you could perhaps fit a smaller front chainring or a larger rear sprocket to get better hill climbing ability.
@@multiphilification
That's ideal thank you. I'm looking to cycle from Yelverton to Tavistock which is about 12 miles there and back. I will definitely have a look then. Cheers.
I looked at installing a Bafang motor & the way that it is designed to cut into the bottom bracket in order to prevent rotation seems appalling to me from an engineering perspective.Were I to go for a mid motor setup I would choose a Tongshen any day.
yep, i don't think you are supposed to rely on the bracket notches to stop the motor rotating - i've attached my motor with the motor housing pressed up against the bottom of the downtube, this makes it impossible for the motor to rotate. i agree the fixing method is not ideal, and i guess the tongshen arrangement may well be an improvement. Even that is not ideal, though - the real problem is that the motor ideally requires two separate mounting points and a cycle only has a single mount point (the bottom bracket) built into the frame.
@@multiphilification As far as I can see that Tongshen motor is superior because of the torque sensing, did you not consider that?
I'd have fitted one to my bike in a flash if it had not been a dedicated rear hub motor ebike with an 80mm bottom bracket.In fact I considered having both systems :-)
@@nicholasmorrill4711 i'd agree that the Tongshen torque sensing is more sophisticated than the Bafang arrangement but in fact - i like having total control over the power level independent of the pressure i apply to the pedals. it helps build up my leg muscles if the motor power doesn't increase when i have to pedal up a small hill, so that's the way i use it, unless i'm feeling tired or lazy in which case it is quite nice to turn the power up and just ghost pedal with the motor doing all the work.
aside from all the above, the reason i chose the bafang over the tongshen is that i saw a comparison review by someone who had both a bafang based ebike and a tongshen based ebike. in a comparison, the reviewer said the bafang had noticeably more torque and could manage hills better than the tongshen, and because there are some *extremely* steep hills around where i live (e.g. so steep they are hard to walk up, let alone cycle up), maximum torque was my number 1 priority.
@@multiphilification Well each to his own I never managed to fit a mid engine motor to my bike so I can't comment.I will say I absolutely love my 350 watt rear hub motor when I detach the basket from over the front wheel.It's a shear joy to ride......& I used to ride trials bikes in my younger days.
It says 250w but what wattage do you get?
Mine needs 900w continuously to go 30mph, ; need a 46 t chainring as my 48 in the 11t I can pedal easy, the bigger you go the less range. 44 was just a little bit of and thinking trying the 46
the display indicates about 350W peak on full power (i don't often use it at full power though)
If you can pedal easy I would not go 48t, l can pedal in 11t so will go 4 a 46t and I have a feeling that is the sweet spot.
To do 32mph I'm doing peak 900w to 1200, but have a fish tank digital temp probe in my motor controller.
Buying the bare bone bbshd motor from lunar cycles USA next month. 500 dollers, so about 400 quid, and can do 30mph without blowing the controller lol, will save for a good triangle 24amph 72v an a plug an play grin controller with blue tooth, to set up.
I want 2.5 k watts lol.
How is it in the rain?
It's fine, the battery and motor are waterproof.
Did you install gear shifter sensor?
Yes I did, I think it is worth doing.
Thanks a lot for the video... By the way I think a 500 watt motor is the maximum and you can go up to 17 mph
This might give you an added bit of oompf
Thanks again for your description it was helpful
Unfortunately in Europe and the UK, the power limit is 250W and the top allowed assisted speed is 15.5mph - see attached link: www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules#:~:text=Its%20electric%20motor%3A,travelling%20more%20than%2015.5mph
Is that a 44 tooth front sprocket you have on there ?
It's a 42 tooth.
Hi Phil. thanks for your informative video. I have just installed a Bafang BBS01b motor and would like to change some of the settings. Please could you send me a link where to download the relevant software for an Apple Mac computer and also where to purchase the correct connection cable. Many thanks Tim
This page has links to buy the connection cable and download the software. The software is windows-only, though, so to use it on a Mac you need to set your computer up for dual boot and install Windows as a 2nd operating system (which is what I did). Note: i don't think you can install Windows on Macs with Apple silicon, it works with Intel based Macs only.
edrivenet.com/bafang-programming/
What is the top speed with the programming cable and the power bumped up
@@user-iw5ve6gg9n i'm not sure - i haven't done detailed tests of that. on a flat road, i think the top speed with the limits removed would be somewhere between 20 and 25mph.
How fast can you go on the flats? Once unlocked 🔓 😇
i haven't done much testing of that, but i reckon somewhere between 20-25mph
Where is the Controller ?
Inside the motor.
Im on the Bafang BBSHD 100watt unlike some limey wimps , feel the power!
great setup. you have a solid bike to start with. front suspension is great I hate bumps. frame seems to be of relatively decent quality. the 10 speed cassette paired with that motor is a great thing. I do hate changing gears but it's still a great thing
the peace of mind knowing that if the police stops you, they can't do anything about it because you're completely legal is also a great feeling. f the law.
Mines a bbs01 350watt. To be honest they are pretty weak. I get 20mph nicely on a flat with no wind but with wind it's more like 18 mph.
Throttle it and pedal hard I've had 27mph on flat.
I got no gear sensor and I'm pretty sure I have knackered my rear mech and the jockey wheels are worn.
Uphill it's slow as funk.
I'm 100kg though.
I think I'll be getting the bbs02 750 next
...but it's still a nice ride.
Never flat out your battery... you will never get the charge back.
I have the 44 tooth bafang chairing as the 46 was rubbing the chainstay.
Motor has come loose twice which I've just tightened.
Problems... none really and I've done about 1500 miles no maintenance.
The speed sensor came loose one night when I was pissed as hell riding home and got caught in spokes.
Luckily I just bent it out the way. I was annoyed I'd have to pedal unassisted hammered all the way home... but to my surprise the throttle still worked. Needless to say I was happy lol
lucky you, we're limited to a max of 250w here in the UK.
@@agoodjoe6910 I'm from uk. I stuck a 250w sticker on the motor to disguise it lol.
@@davefool6815 I have to cycle up a steep incline hill every day when coming home from University, I can and do do it, but it knocks the puff out of me. I wished to get a mid drive for that as well as cycling farther than what I'm comfortable (around 40km wherever and back). I am a bit cautious though since I'd probably be the unlucky sod caught out with a >250w! :)
@@agoodjoe6910 a 250w mid drive will get up any hill but slow.
@@davefool6815 I need something that will take the edge off the hill climb. Time and time again I've seen people say 250W is useless. I'll research more though.
Do you bring a spare chain with you?
no i don't - i carry a spare link, but have never actually needed it.
What it be too weak for trial use
I'm not sure, what does trial use entail?
@@multiphilification a few downhill trials and using the motor to get back up without getting knackered lol
@@CM-1723 depends how steep the hills are and how heavy the rider is i guess. the gear ratios i've chosen do make it quite good at going up hills though, just rather slowly if they are steep.
@@multiphilification so will like a 500w motor be twice as powerful but last half the time? I'm about 12stone . How much time do you get out of charge
What's the top speed of this motor
i'm not sure, because i've limited it to the UK ebike legal maximum of 15.5mph. i think if it was not limited, it would do somewhere between 20 and 25mph on a flat.
Sell that bbs01 and get the real bbshd on 52v 41ah battery and enjoy 1500watt power no pedalling throtle only 50miles full shredding and reaching speeds of 45 mph 70+kmh on throtlle get 4piston caliper hydraulic brakes and maxxis hookworm 26x2.5 tyres and drive it like you stole it lean angle at max 👍🏻💪🏻🖐🏻
250 watt is the legal limit here in the UK and 15.5 mph under power. So a BBSHD would be asking for trouble, I know 250 watts is way underpowered, but its what we have to work with, so we have to make the most of it or take a risk and give the rules two fingers, Just don't get involved in an accident, not even if it's not your fault because the Law here doesn't give an inch, and god help you if anyone got so much as a scratch, they would crucify you and use double nails!
@@iamrocketray good point in Croaita its 350watt limit but i give them my 2 fingers and wheelie away ,reccently had accident woman drove direct in me and crashing baddly having luck not to break anything just few scars ,not even wearing a helmet but i learned my lesson👍🏻😉😎