Currently got a Blank Bullitt (human power only) myself, thanks for tip on Acolyte groupset Chalo..
im in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Need to Electrify my Bullitt too, due to frequency of use going up and up, already gets 50 - 70 miles per week, 10% - 20% worst, half time empty/rest ~ 40kg of kids or groceries... had it 4 years, manual.
Before kids, i had a couple of longtails, made by myself, and its wet plenty here in Ireland so would not work as a kid transport..
Mountain Mule Cycles | The Spoken
Having had a TSDZ2 on a dutch hefty Bakfiets (4 years), for a Short while, i found it unreliable, 3 torque sensors died in a week. Felt good while it worked, but the
horrendous (changed the cranks as much as i could) Q factor me me dread a fault or dead battery, so off the Tongsheng came off and sat in garage, and i did with out asisst on mostly canal ways.
I suspect the peak torque at starts &
deadweight of a static loaded dutch bike on 10-20% hills at time was too much for the straingauge.
Im primarily a cyclist, i love
the exercise, but i need a bit of insurance of an assist, if running late.
Im a strong bursty/puncheur short stocky rider, a backgroud of many years backwoods mountainbiking. But this is dad taxi/utility/car use avoidance we're talkin here...
Im also an Electronics engineer and a closet Mechanical engineer.
I just want something with reliablity, think Honda Jazz, or "life" in the US?..
The Hefty Dutch cargobike did come 2nd hand, with a bafang mid drive, stock, BBS01 or 02, but it got flogged, as i
hated the motorbike feel or lack of feel of the assist of it. I know, it was stock, but i didn't know what i know now, and i see enough SWD programming ports in the day job, thanks very much.
So the BBS & batt got flogged, and i rode it happily on the Canal ways, it becoming the "Wagon on the Lagan". We have since moved to a hilly area in Belfast, and change to a much lighter & pedalble Bullitt - been awesome, about 3-4 years use.
Options as i see it?
Hub motor front 20" make sense, but i cant find a quality one a part from hard to get Grin's, and it appears there is BB torque sensing options, at extra cost. Rear too is possible of couse but obviously 26" rear wheel lessens a drop in torque on a like for like basis, though the in-built "all axle grin" helps there?
The appearance of CYC photon with an acceptable ~ 200mm Q factor (and not a sqaure taper (welcome to the 21st century!) has been of interest.. but its young one of course..
Like many before, i noticed the BAFFY 635/435, but theres few of them in use it seems?
Bafang mid drive BBS/1/2HD of course, it seems it can be left as cadence but tuned to quite a huge extent?
Have i identified all the options? - As we say here in the emerald isle, "let's not teach our granny's to suck eggs". Obviously hub drives do not add to drivetrain wear and tear generally..
(Seems no one has made a ANT+ to PAS input converter bridge unit for existing powermeter cranks or pedals..) we should really design a durable BCD 104mm spider or DUB to 104 torque sensor.... (and up the sample rate to max for ANT+)
Is there a quality front or rear hub drive apart from pricey Grin, thats got plenty of support in UK/ ireland/ Europe?