tomjasz said:
There are so many off shoots of postings here it's often difficult to sort. There seems to be more confusion than mine. One poster indicates the conhismotor mid drive is NOT a Bafang, another indicates his from Conhis definitely IS. One posted a picture that obviously is NOT a Bafang, but then there's the look alike knock offs that are nearly identical. All I was attempting to do is understand which sellers were peddling the real deal and which were not. I'd also like to know what the differences are. Useful information in answering and helping those coming new to the board. FWIW I came here from a forum where we openly helped, posted links instead of "go search", and did due diligence in helping each other especially those new to the game. It's how I learned to be completely self sufficient in maintaining and wrenching on my Vespa 250ie. I'm here for the same reason and with the same attitude. K?
Just to try to introduce a few definitive statements based on my own reading and research - I've looked all over the place and found:
- lots of poorly executed Chinese web stores (generic pictures of Bafang mid drive motor kits, confusing combinations of labelling etc and specs)
- several stores selling somewhat similar looking mid drives that closer examination indicates are clearly not the BBSxx
- no evidence of the 'knock-offs' mentioned!
I interpret a 'knock-off' as something made to look like another product and perhaps advertised to represent itself as that more desirable product. All of the alternative mid- drives I found (MXUS, Ananda, Sunstar etc) either predate the Bafang, were released at the same time or have been released subsequently and look significantly different (if same basic pattern).
The initial illustrated posting that I read from D8veh ('new crank motors') remains - for me - my first alert to the existence of these easy-to-install kits. I'd read up extensively on the GNG kits and their derivatives and courtesy of spinning magnets I was also aware of several rather expensive US based products (one of which I purchased). So kits such as the BBSxx are all relatively new to the market 12-24 months). We must also remember that while th net is all pervasive, marketing to the west is not always as consistent. The Chinese market is vast and by cruising the English speaking net I'm sure that we are just dabbling around the edges. Western buyers are mere minnows in a great big pond! So one needs to be discriminating!
There are it seems many 100s of 'sellers' on Aliexpress and elsewhere who probably sell thse units one by one. I wouldn't buy something as expensive and potentially fraught as an electric drive from one of these folks in a blue fit. Just me I know but buyers should not be naive about what they're getting in to. Conhismotor is obviously a large and reputable company ( even if their English language website is a bit wonky). BMS ioccasionally seems to fall down a little in terms of service but ok most of the time. GBK seems pretty good. Em3ev is obviously excellent, honest and easy to communicate with although sometimes a little slow ( smaller outfit etc). And then you have at least one excellent domestic seller in the USA. Others in the UK and in Europe. Just remember that 90% of the Chinese sites will be domestically focussed on their Chinese market (which we know has undergone huge growth over the last year or two), and therefore will likely be more comprehensively and perhaps accurately documented in their Chinese language forms ( which I assume most here would not have access to).
So confusing? Of course! What else should we expect? It's a Tower of Babel out there. The solution is to make use of (or at least go and read) those web sellers that obviously have proven track records for selling what they say they are. For more information about the Chinese mid- drive alternatives, the only information I have found thus far has been the d8veh post about the Shanghai show he attended in 2013 and his posts at the Pedlec forum. There are some German posts too but I don't read that language well unfortunately. I encourage those curious about the 'alternatives' to chase up d8veh's posting.
Savvas
