My New Bafang Ultra - E-BIKE HYBRID SUV 27.5

[Phife]

I'm pretty pissed off at the Aliexpress seller right now. They still have not shipped the battery! Its been well over a month since I ordered everything and they kept making promises to ship, but still, it has not shipped. Before I even ordered I was told everything would ship in 15 days.

I have started an Aliexpress dispute, I guess we will see what happens, But from reading about others experience with Aliexpress Disputes, they rarely side with the customer.

At this point, I have the entire bike assembled and ready to go. Just missing the battery which really sucks. I could be left waiting weeks before the battery ever shows up, or I win the dispute and I buy my own battery from another seller.

The bike is awesome, Really happy with the frame, but the Aliexpress seller is terrible! Right from the start I was promised fast shipping and told everything would arrive in 3 weeks. It's now almost 5 weeks and the battery still hasn't even shipped.

Don't order from this seller unless you are willing to wait 6-8 weeks for the parts to arrive. Ridiculous.

Oh, and to top it all off, The Bafang Ultra motor showed up missing the crank bolts and had an extra motor cover. So someone else probably got my crank bolts and I got their motor cover! lol So dumb. Seller says they check all the shipments and I cannot be missing any parts so they won't help me. I've already got some new crank bolts for $10 at my Local Bike Shop.

I will post more pictures and finish my review of the bike when I get the Battery.

 

[Phife]

Do you know whether the stock 44T chainring that comes with the Bafang Ultra can be run without the chain guard so all you see is just the chain ring and exposed teeth?

Yes, Thats how I have it now. I will be getting a new chainring eventually as well the Stock 44T is a bit tall for my riding. Will get a 38 or 40T Raceface.

 

[arrowrod]

From Spomann Bike: "The motor have some problem of the shipping.Detected sensitive items.The shipping company is solving now.It will resend again.
Thank you"

They, Spomann, get to screw with me, because they have the frame I wanted, that mounts a Bafang Ultra motor. After searching for a month, I found a 52v battery that has the same dimensions as the 48v, and ordered it. The 48v battery is in transit (somewhere).

I see Phife is upset, but, it's China. Watching Youtubers traveling through China, it's evident that nobody gives a shit.

Fortunately, for me, I already have a e-bike that I installed a Bafang BBSHD that I ride every day. I'm on my second battery. I sent the first one back for repair. It disappeared into the Chinese maw.

I'm like Jay Leno, in the more money than brains club.

 

[arrowrod]

Got the 48v battery from Spomann Bike. Naturally, the charger is EU 250v. The second battery, a 52v, I ordered should be here tomorrow.
I actually didn't know what a EU 250v plug looked like.

 

[Phife]

This Aliexpress seller is a joke, Really terrible. I'm waiting on Aliexpress judgment on my dispute. I hope the refund me my money for the battery as it is now 42days since I ordered and the Battery STILL has not shipped. Seller is also no longer responding to my messages.

Glad you were able to get a second battery Arrowrod, what are you going to do about that EU charger?

 

[arrowrod]

After exhausting research, Bolton Bikes on YouTube, revealed that chargers are mostly self voltage accommodating. My 250v EU plugged charger is marked: 100v - 250v. The power cord is a "3 prong" cord, with the charger side plug arranged in a triangle. I ordered a 3 prong 120v cord from Amazon. Arrives tomorrow. Another cluster f? We'll see.

My motor is somewhere between there and here, but I have a tracking number from DHL. I've identified another Ultra seller, and will buy it if necessary. Luna lists an Ultra, but is perpetually out of stock.

 

[arrowrod]

Fedex had my 52v battery status as delivery by end of day. That status disappeared, and a new unknown status has appeared.
My Ultra motor is now being tracked by DHL. It's in Hong Kong, and is scheduled for delivery on Friday.

What could possibly go wrong? (With apologies to Jeremy Clarkson.)

 

[Phife]

Fedex had my 52v battery status as delivery by end of day. That status disappeared, and a new unknown status has appeared.
My Ultra motor is now being tracked by DHL. It's in Hong Kong, and is scheduled for delivery on Friday.

What could possibly go wrong? (With apologies to Jeremy Clarkson.)

Aww, Too bad you got that Ultra already. I just got a notification that Luna Cycle has their Mag Ultras back in stock!

 

[arrowrod]

My 48v battery charger has a new power cord, 3 prong, 120v 'muricin (made in China, of course). I charged the 48v battery until I got a green light. The charge indicator on the battery indicates full.
Naturally, the postman was 8 hours late.

To repeat, the power cord was from Amazon.

 

[arrowrod]

Yippee, I received my Ultra Motor. It came in a "repackaged" box. Naturally, it was missing the speed sensor package, The magnet, the cable, the magnet connector, and the speed sensor.

Hooking up the motor, the display lights up, and the throttle works, however the motor runs backwards. This may be because of the missing speed sensor.

Onward with the cluster f*.

 

[arrowrod]

Duh...
My motor running backwards, was the motor laying on a box with the front pointed to the rear.

 

[arrowrod]

Installed the Ultra motor. The chain ring touches the frame (actually the swing arm). I didn't like the clearance of the cable and brake hose running under the engine, so I enlarged the cable holes with my trustee Dremel. (Dremel, the tool that destroys projects.)
Didn't like the chain angle, so reversed the chain ring with the chain ring guard. (Chain ring outside, guard inside.) The guard really interfered with the frame, so removed the guard. With the chain guard on the outside of the sprocket mount, the groove I cut for the chain ring is just another mistake. (It'll buff out.)

I should make a YouTube video: "Ultra E-Bike Build in Two Days*.

*Kinda... Leaving out the 90 days of waiting for liars to deliver stuff.

 

[arrowrod]

Finished the installation. Got the Ultra Speed Sensor for M2Sbike.com. Spomann on AliExpress has stopped responding.
I should have routed the motor wiring out the top left side. The is a lot of room for connectors.

 

[arrowrod]

Took the Ultra out for a ride to the Pickleball palace. About 10 miles. Naturally, the chain jumped off the front sprocket and got caught in the mounting bolts for the sprocket. Luckily, I brought my multi-tool, or I would have had to push the bike home.

The 44 tooth front sprocket is too small, I have to pedal like mad to do 25MPH. The 53 tooth sprocket I ordered, will interfere with the swing arm and will have to be pushed out with spacers. The designers didn't ride this bicycle.
I might have to "relieve" the swing arm to make the sprocket fit, for better chain alignment.

This is about 50% more powerful than the BBSHD.

The 48v battery is quickly drained after 3 miles, down to 60%. The 52v battery apparently holds way more electrons, rode around my little town a couple of times, still has 98% charge. I think the battery from Spomann is defective. I got the 52v from UPP. (UnitPackPower).

 

[Hardcore]

Instead of the percentage, can you indicate the voltage it is reading?
What rear cassette do you have?

 

[arrowrod]

Instead of the percentage, can you indicate the voltage it is reading?
What rear cassette do you have?

Shimano CS-HG31 8-Speed Cassette

I haven't measured the voltage.

 

[Hardcore]

Instead of the percentage, can you indicate the voltage it is reading?
What rear cassette do you have?

Shimano CS-HG31 8-Speed Cassette

I haven't measured the voltage.

you can set the display to read the voltage instead of giving the percentage.

 

[arrowrod]

52.8v @ 85%

 

[arrowrod]

Rode today. Finally everything worked. The chain had been "jumping" (apparently trying to shift). Noticed the derailleur hanger mounting screw was loose. A final "slight" low screw (for the 11 tooth) adjustment, got the chain to stop "jumping".
Got some 5" cranks to replace the 6" cranks. The pedals were touching the ground going around corners.

Shomann still hasn't sent me the missing speed sensor.

This thing will go over 40 mph.

 

[arrowrod]

Make that Spomann.

 

[Deafcat]

Aww, Too bad you got that Ultra already. I just got a notification that Luna Cycle has their Mag Ultras back in stock!

Any evidence whatsoever that Lunas "magnesium" Ultra is lighter than any other? I'm pretty sure they are all magnesium alloy, I've taken mine apart and the case pieces looked like it (not a Luna). I think the only way theirs is actually lighter is if they still use the plastic gears, whereas most new ones are all-steel gearing. It makes no sense to me (as an equipment manufacturer) for Bafang to allow a customer to alter the casting alloys in a key product.

 

[arrowrod]

Stolen...
Ordered a new Frey. 30 - 45 days. Complete. Local police have a video of the thief riding away. Small town, eventually will find the thief.
Riding my old Bafang powered BBSHD ebike in the meantime.

 

[Deafcat]

Stolen?? Sheesh dude... That blows. Second guy in just a few weeks with new Ultra bike stolen.

 

[Tommm]

Stolen...
Ordered a new Frey. 30 - 45 days. Complete. Local police have a video of the thief riding away. Small town, eventually will find the thief.
Riding my old Bafang powered BBSHD ebike in the meantime.

How did it happen exactly?

 

[jae416]

HOW??!

frock, I hate frocking dirty ass thieves. This machine require intelligence to maintain. Fuccing dirty ass punk who took it will crash it and get severely injured. Simple math, why would they put their life on a machine obtained thru dirty actions.

Stolen?? Sheesh dude... That blows. Second guy in just a few weeks with new Ultra bike stolen.