Giant Trance Dual Suspension daily commuter build

[tycreek]

Update to the commuter... LED lights!
Put together a couple cree p7 in lenses for the headlight.

Figured out how to drive them... 3.3v out trimmed to 3.2v makes heat ok...

Put 1 cree p7 in an old taillight ...

Drawing of circuit

Getting the wiring soldered up and into my little Plano box (now painted black).

Only missing turn signal wires here (waiting on slow boat LED delivery)

Box buttoned up ... light switch

Turn Signal switch mounted

Very bright day with lights on

Taillight in daylight

 

[Whiplash]

NICE! Gotta love the IPad in place if a paper diagram!

 

[tycreek]

I use my iPad a lot! Even now...

I tried to make the following pictures a same same type test of my old light vs. new LED's by setting the shutter speed in manual mode.

What I find interesting is that the old light looks brighter in the pictures than it feels going down the road. The 6W Night Pro BULLITe just didn't light up enough of the road for rolling more than a few mph on dark streets. The Cree LED's light up far and wide for great visibility! Actually turned out better than I expected!

Rear light is quite bright...

 

[Whiplash]

WOW! That thing is like an off road truck! Turned out killer! Be careful, you might get popped by the Police for too bright headlights, there are actually rules for that, I got a ticket for using my off road lights on my truck once!

 

[GTR2EBIKE]

Awesome build. Now I have to paint my controller black because it looks so much better like that. I have a somewhat similar set-up to you
2 questions for you
1. What kickstand is that?
2. What chain wheel set-up is that(the 51T)

 

[tycreek]

Thanks... a lot of fun... so much so I don't want downtime while I work on it ... I just picked up another CL bike last night for my other BMC kit so I can have one running all the time and just happened to order each of those this morning. The kickstand is a Greenfield from buildyourbike and the chainring is a rennen from j&r bicycles though I'm hoping for a 52t this time.

Here's the start of my next ebike

 

[biohazardman]

I didn't know they made a 51 or 52T in the MTB style crank sets good info. I spent more than I wanted fitting a road bottom bracket and crank set. Don't fret to much over the loss of the front derailleur. If you really need to change the gears, you can do it by hand. I have only changed mine a couple of times in 2500+ miles and only cuz my large chain ring was bent and I kept throwing the chain. I like the lights and that you painted the box to match the rest looks good. I found another bike to build too but I don't get to keep it. It's for the son-in-law
I finally managed to heat up my phase wires. Put a trailer on the bike loaded it up with batteries and went for a ride. Fought with poor handling for five miles or so until I remembered I had not aired the tire up. Filled it and immediately went up a half-mile steep hill without giving it much help. The battery died at the top and when I went to check things out I found that the motor wires were quite warm. I had images of a coast run until the little shakedown cruise. Larger phase wires and probly a motor on the trailer before the coast will be in sight.
Keep up the good werq.

 

[GTR2EBIKE]

I think I'm going to have to go with a similar frame on my next build which will also be a BMC (It will be a V3,unless the new non-geared motor comes out before I'm done)So that I can put a battery in the frame, my current bike has a small triangle. I really like the large triangle with the battery in the bag. It makes for a really clean build.

 

[tycreek]

I’ve a few hundred miles on the BMC V3 Trance now. I average from day to day 24-26mph and 30-35wh/mi. The following are CA snapshots from my last 50mi or so...

The Big Apple tires have good grip, the LED headlights work great. Things are staying put where mounted all except the rear fender where the tire touched and caused the tie wrap to fail (gives a bit of a rattle on bumps) and I lost the red lens over the rear LED.

 

[vodka]

very nice build mate!

 

[tycreek]

Thanks...
BTW... I did find my rear light cover, of course it was after I got a new unit that I used the lens cover from.
Anyway... the rear LED just recently stopped working. I have no idea yet what the cause is. A bit too busy for troubleshooting now so I just use a different red light until I get time to fix whatever is wrong. Not much else to report other than the bike still works super with no other issues.

 

[Danos]

How do you find the Trance compared to the Anthem? I'm looking to buy a used Giant Trance or Anthem and thought you would be able to make a good comparison of the frames. I figured the Trance would be the better option as it has more suspension travel and a slower steering geometry so better at higher speeds for street commuting at 40-55kph. I'm looking at 2009 or newer Anthems, Trances and maybe Giant Reigns also. Cheers.

 

[tycreek]

I prefer riding my Anthem. Possibly because the frame fits me better and it looks cleaner? Though, I do like things about the batteries mounted in the triangle of the extra large Trance frame. The Trance sticks to the road better when accelerating around a corner or trying to take off fast through an intersection, likely due to weight distribution and slightly longer frame. Both handle my regular in the 30+mph cruise speeds very well and at 40mph I'd say they were pretty equal other than the brakes on my Anthem are slightly better. Both suspension travel distances are very similar and never bottom out in my use so having a bit more or less wouldn't matter.