New Bafang Crank-Drives

[Kepler]

Freshly built bike out for a midnight test ride! Just waiting for the mid drive now.

View attachment 1

Nice selection of gear there rp3 The back disc looks bigger than the front. Or are they just both 203's? Did you get the 10 speed dyna-sys gear setup complete with clutched derailleur? Just in the process of installing mine at the moment.

 

[rp3]

Yeah both discs are 203's, was getting 180's but they ran out before I actually placed the order.
All the 10spd stuff. Shifts were great on my very short midnight ride, I can't wait to give it a real test.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/shimano-slx-m675-shadow-10-speed-rear-mech/rp-prod83164
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/shimano-xt-m780-10-speed-trigger-shifter/rp-prod69488
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/shimano-xt-hg95-10-speed-chain/rp-prod108762
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/shimano-deore-hg62-10-speed-mtb-cassette/rp-prod69268

Looks good, where are you planning to mount the battery?

It'll be the same as Kepler to start with, a bag on the bars. Then hopefully soon, one of his battery boxes.


...

 

[mgurtzweiler]

I am thinking about getting one of these battery's for the bbs02.

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=123

Its a little over voltage will it work? What power connectors would I need to order so it plugs into the motor?

Thanks for the help! New to this!

 

[samsavvas]

I am thinking about getting one of these battery's for the bbs02.

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=123

Its a little over voltage will it work? What power connectors would I need to order so it plugs into the motor?

Thanks for the help! New to this!

I would suggest you email Paul at em3ev and put the question to him. Or maybe wait a week or two as he has indicated that BBSxx drives and kits will be available via his site very soon and I imagine that he will be making his batteries 'plug and play' with them. Generally I find that his site explains compatibilities and options very well so once he updates it I'd guess all will be explained. My BBS01 (from GBK) came with simple bullet connectors. I understand that em3ev generally uses Anderson connectors of some sort which seem a bit safer to me.

Savvas.

 

[Kepler]

I am thinking about getting one of these battery's for the bbs02.

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=123

Its a little over voltage will it work? What power connectors would I need to order so it plugs into the motor?

Thanks for the help! New to this!

Yes, that will work fine with the 48V BBS drive. I would suggest just use 45A Anderson plugs.

 

[Kepler]

Yeah both discs are 203's, was getting 180's but they ran out before I actually placed the order.
All the 10spd stuff. Shifts were great on my very short midnight ride, I can't wait to give it a real test.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/shimano-slx-m675-shadow-10-speed-rear-mech/rp-prod83164
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/shimano-xt-m780-10-speed-trigger-shifter/rp-prod69488
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/shimano-xt-hg95-10-speed-chain/rp-prod108762
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/au/en/shimano-deore-hg62-10-speed-mtb-cassette/rp-prod69268

Looks good, where are you planning to mount the battery?

It'll be the same as Kepler to start with, a bag on the bars. Then hopefully soon, one of his battery boxes.


...

Got my gear setup completed this afternoon. Very pleased with the shifting and available ratios. Indexing is spot on now too. Hopefully that should solve the chain hop issue

 

[samsavvas]

Well this afternoon, despite the 43 deg.C heat me mate Bruce and I managed to successfully install the BBS01. I won't say the job was a piece of cake, but it was pretty close.

We struck a couple of problems with clearance between the main gear case (that sits behind the cranks) and the RH chainstay. This old bike has round stays which exit the BB sheel quite close to the end face. Fixed by installing a 4mm cassette spacer on the BB on the right and a few washers to properly align the small circular lobed bracket on the left hand side. I'll revisit this and probably put a crimp in the chainstay with a clamp of something to set the thing up without a spacer as it's meant to be. But for now it works and the chainline if OK.

The other problem was just stupidity on my part - maybe the heat, maybe just plain thickheadedness. I tightened one of the mounting bracket screws too tightly and stripped it within the aluminium casting. It seems to be holding OK for now but sometime I'll install a helicoil of similar. Others installing the kit - take heed and don't be ham fisted like me!

How does it perform. Just fine. Fantastic in fact! Dead quiet & almost unnoticeable, responsive, easy to control and manage. Tractable. Just great. I'm extremely impressed. Mind you, just up and down the street so far and on level ground, but impressive all the same. This is 36V/250 watts and there feels like plenty of power. I reckon 25kmh cruising will be easy - I didn't read the manual for the digital control panel so I couldn't switch the backlight on to see the speed in the dark. But is certainly felt like 25kmh which is my target cruising speed.

This test was on a lady's lowered-cross bar bike with a Sachs Orbit hybrid 2X6 set up. We didn't end up using the Moulton APB because we struck clearance problems between the gear case and the rear suspension pivot bolt. The installers were 2 home bike mechanics - a 60 yo sweaty asthmatic and a 64yo who by his own admission is half-daft most days and half crippled on others. If we can install the BBSxx then just about anyone can!

Savvas.

 

[amigafan2003]

I'm suprised people are using 10spd setups when 7/8 spd chains are stronger.

 

[dshack]

Will these batteries plug and play with the BBS02?

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=161

 

[amigafan2003]

Will these batteries plug and play with the BBS02?

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=161

You'd probably just need to make a short patch cable - one end with connectors matching the battery and the other end matching the BBS02.

 

[mgurtzweiler]

Will these batteries plug and play with the BBS02?

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=161

You'd probably just need to make a short patch cable - one end with connectors matching the battery and the other end matching the BBS02.

Does anyone know the name of the power connection plug that comes with the BBS02 750w ?

 

[samsavvas]

Will these batteries plug and play with the BBS02?

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=161

You'd probably just need to make a short patch cable - one end with connectors matching the battery and the other end matching the BBS02.

Does anyone know the name of the power connection plug that comes with the BBS02 750w ?

BBS01 just had bullet-type connectors. Andersons worked better for me so I just cut the bullets off - ten minute job. If you do go cutting the motor's power connectors btw, remember that there are capacitors inside, probably with a bit of stored energy. Got quite a surprise I did!

Savvas

 

[speedmd]

I'm suprised people are using 10spd setups when 7/8 spd chains are stronger.

Hi Aamigafan2003

You have test data for this. If so, please share it. Not all chain is the same quality.

 

[amigafan2003]

I'm suprised people are using 10spd setups when 7/8 spd chains are stronger.

Hi Aamigafan2003

You have test data for this. If so, please share it. Not all chain is the same quality.

10 speed chains are 1mm narrower than 7/8 speed chains - it doesn't take a genius..............................

 

[speedmd]

There is a broad range of material used in 7 speed chain to the much better ten speed stuff. Your comparing something like 80,000 psi material to 180,000 psi materials. It takes more than width measurements of crappy seven speed stuff to justify it's worth. Maybe plate thicknesses and material grades you could make some sense with this. What about pin strength and head formation. Better if you had something to back your assumptions. Certain that test results are out there. Love to see a good summery of them.

 

[Kepler]

I'm surprised people are using 10spd setups when 7/8 spd chains are stronger.

Already been quite a bit of discussion and debate in relation to this.

Firstly, there is no evidence that 10 speed chains are weaker than 7 / 8 speed chains. When you think about it, what real difference in strength would a thinner chain make? The actual links are still the same thickness, just the pin in each of the links are shorter. Could argue that this would give a 10 speed chain a strength advantage of a 7 speed chain. Also materials used in high end 10 speed chains is far superior to the typical run of the mill 7/8 speed chain. Pro Riders produce more Watts then this drive and 10 and 11 speed chains are more than adequate for their power output.

A negative often discussed is that a 10 speed chain and gear cluster may wear out more quickly that a 7or 8 speed due to the narrower gear spacing and the associated side loads. I don't really subscribe to this either as I would see the side loads to be quite similar due to the net spacing still being very similar as long as the chain and cluster are matched.

Using 10 speeds on a mid drive should give you smoother gear transitions due to the ratio spacing being closer. Its also nice to have the additional ratios to help ensure you are keeping the drive in its sweet spot.

The above is all a bonus for me however the main reason for going 10 speed was so I could install a clutched derailleur. On harsh off road riding, I was having some issues with chain hop. My frame was not well suited to the install of chain guides on the chain ring so another solution needed to be found. The clutched derailleur is a great option as it keeps the chain under constant tension and stops it bouncing around. Makes the bike much quieter too in the rough stuff as you don't have the chain coming in contact with the chain stay.

Just to be clear, it is only in the roughest terrain that chain hop becomes an issue. For most riders, the chain is never going to come off and as such there is no real need to change out your gear system when installing this drive.

 

[rscamp]

10 speed chains are 1mm narrower than 7/8 speed chains - it doesn't take a genius..............................

Sometimes "common sense" without understanding can bite us. If I ignore wear and take a quick look at conditions that could cause chain failure in tension for example, I come up with these candidates:

- pin in shear
- pin hole tearout in side plates
- crushing of pin by sprocket or side plates
- bending of pin beyond yield strength between sprocket and side plates
- side plates in tension

Most have little or nothing to do with chain width. And as was correctly pointed out earlier, material properties can easily trump the remaining variables.

 

[liveforphysics]

PaulD just slaughtered the 100mile race today with his bafang crank drive setup.

Sounded amazing passing me on his way back as well (I was just pedalling a non-powered ebike).

 

[speedmd]

Hi LFP

Tell us more. How warm was to ride/ any weather to cool things off. Hopefully PauD pipes in and give a full report on rest periods and any temperature telemetry on board or feel of the hand measurements/ details on how hard he pushed it and his build details.

 

[Kepler]

Very exciting news. Looking forward to hearing some details. Thanks for letting us know Luke.

 

[speedmd]

Hi Kepler

Now that you got your 10 speed straightened out, time for a 11 speed? LBS was showing me this SRAM setup today. A bit pricey, but the range is the balls.

 

[Geebee]

That looks expensive, lots of air.

 

[rp3]

10 speed chains are 1mm narrower than 7/8 speed chains - it doesn't take a genius..............................

:lol:

In fact, Shimano claims the new Dura Ace 11 speed chain is the strongest chain they’ve ever made which means it replaces the XTR Dynasys chain for that honor. In order to make this a reality the new chains are built with tighter manufacturing tolerances, improved plating, and improved design, all of which add up to better shifting, and better durability. Shimano is quick to point out that there is actually very little correlation between chain width and durability, if any

http://www.bikerumor.com/2013/02/19/bikerumor-shimano-chainwear-challenge-the-results/

 

[full-throttle]

I'm suprised people are using 10spd setups when 7/8 spd chains are stronger.

I'm surprised at the amount of technologically retarded posters on this forum..
Bet you never had a 10sp drivetrain

 

[Kepler]

Hi Kepler

Now that you got your 10 speed straightened out, time for a 11 speed? LBS was showing me this SRAM setup today. A bit pricey, but the range is the balls.

Nooo, dont make me spend more money :lol:

10 - 42 is a massive range for a mid drive. 11 -32 is plenty with the 750W unit and will do for me for now 8) .