MAC 536HF FRONT EBIKE HUB MOTOR vs Bafang G01

Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
148
Location
Vegas
PREFACE: I'm looking to replace my existing MAC 350 Watt Front motor. I bought a kit from EM3EV in 2012. I've got about 3200 miles on it with no real problems, except sometimes it does stall out when starting from a stopped position (Meaning I hit the power and it's a no go until I start pedaling... sometimes hard). This is kind of annoying crossing intersections when I need power most. I'm not keen on trouble shooting it... maybe the hall sensors maybe the controller. Who knows? I'm thinking I should just replace it and move on. I don't have a shop or inclination to tear it apart.

I have 2 options which look good to me.

OPTION 1

The first is a newer model MAC Front Motor...536HF FRONT EBIKE HUB MOTOR

It is more powerful than my current MAC and also includes TWO really nice improvements.

1. The cable now exists from the housing (No worries sliding a torque arm over connectors)
2. The cable is short so I don't have to remove all the tie down points to the frame like my existing motor to fix a flat.

MAC LINK: http://www.macmotortech.com/ebike-hub-motor.html (They use a frame on the page so I can't link directly to the model).

OPTION 2

The second is the Bafang FM G010.250.D

Offers the same side exit cable and short length benefits. The Downside is it is not as powerful. Do I need the power? Not sure. I'm actually pretty happy with the 350 Watt Mac I have. But I am concerned about burning up the gears on steep climbs at slow speeds. The 350 Watt Mac I have now has not had a problem.

I'm not sure if EM3EV has the new Mac... I have an email out to see. It looks like Grin has the Bafang and I know they can build me a nice wheel complete with motor for about $300 with faster cheaper shipping to me in the USA.

http://www.szbaf.com/en/components/component/motor/fm-g01250d.html

AND NOW THE QUESTIONS:

Anyone have experience with either of these two motors?

Front motors work great for me, I like not messing with rear gearing (I do have a MAC 500 Watt rear on one of my bikes and it works great) or dishing issues. I'm pretty confident that EM3EV and GRIN know how to build a wheel where dishing isn't a problem, but front wheels just work well for me with the bonus of balancing out the bike with the battery on the rear rack. I don't ride off road and my typical speeds are 16mph average. But I do have the occasional hill to deal with... usually not longer than a few hundred yards, but they can get pretty step... 10% or so for maybe 100 to 200 yards in my regular loop.
 
'm not keen on trouble shooting it... maybe the hall sensors maybe the controller. Who knows? I'm thinking I should just replace it and move on. I don't have a shop or inclination to tear it apart.

So the "plan" is to not bother to find out what is going on and just throw money at it?

Doesn't sound like a motor problem to me, more like the controller, or more likely, the battery.
 
It does sound like your problem is the motor is not running sensorless anymore. Could be as simple as a bad plug to the motor cable.

But if you are ready for more power, I'm sure you'll like having it when swinging out across a busy street. Either one an improvement. Bear in mind though, a larger motor and controller may mean you need a larger battery than you have now.

In fact,, it's quite possible your entire problem is a weak battery. So have a hard look at that first. Does it sag horribly when you hit the throttle from a stop? Sag enough to engage your low voltage cut off?
 
(They use a frame on the page so I can't link directly to the model).
Here is the page link
http://www.macmotortech.com/product_detail/536hf-front-ebike-hub-motor-14658912741021875.html
 
Not sure if you have heard from EM3ev yet, but they do have this motor. You can buy it bare, laced in a wheel, or in a kit - see link below. There's a dropdown to select "Front".

http://em3ev.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=50_36&product_id=138

They also have the older 350w MAC on sale (about $130 less than the new one in a wheel w/ slow shipping), I'm guessing it's the same one that you currently have. If it meets your needs maybe its not worth the extra $ to upgrade.

Do you have any additional feedback on the 350w MAC? I just sent payment for one about an hour ago.
 
You should cancel payment and buy his motor/whl. W/ only 3200 miles, it's just "broke in".
He could even be close to you, hard to say when people don't fill in their profile.
 
Got a reply from Mac in less than 24 hours. Really good company. Love the new design.
Also got a reply from EM3EV Joeseph. Excellent Customer Service. Very helpful with suggested trouble shooting information and prompt service. I couldn't be more pleased with the service and products I have purchased from EM3EV over the years.

I really like that they sell Justin's Cycle Analyst products and Torque Arms... makes one stop shopping really easy. For me the Cycle Analyst is GOLD... the information it provides about battery usage is miles ahead of anything anyone else is making for ebikes... at least from what I've seen. Knowing how much power I'm using and how much life is left is critical for me on long rides.

And for those who have not purchased from EM3EV there is a bit of a shipping charge for sure. I believe the Kit DHL to get to me in 2 weeks or less is about $80. If I add a battery to the order it bumps up to about $150, and while expensive to some... still seems like a good value overall for the quality of the product. Neither of the Alex Wheels I have purchased from EM3EV needed additional truing (Which I actually expected I would need to do).

The New motors are now available. Great improvement with the wire exit location.

Will be ordering in a week or two after I get my new fork.

I have 2 mac motors and have been very happy with their performance. No problems with speed, hill climbing, etc. Pretty quiet (Can't really judge because once moving I don't really notice the noise vs the wind noise. I ride bike paths all the time in and out of people walking and no one seems to notice as I approach them from behind at slow speeds. So I can't judge vs direct drive. I really like that I can pedal pretty easily without any power.

As far as my existing problem... I believe it is a controller issue... and appreciate the suggestion, and I will look into that pretty soon.

I like the looks and size of the Bafang as well... but so much more power with the Mac for what is essentially the same price.

In regards to people commenting about just throwing money without trying to fix it. I understand that some do not have the budget or are curious and want to fix things hands on. For me it's a waste of time. It's not cost effective for me to spend time fixing components vs swapping at these price points. It's easier for me to make $300 than to spend a lot of time trying to fix something, which may or may not be fixable. However I am going to pop the case open and take a look once I put the new motor on. There are no burnt wires or connectors between the controller and the wire harnesses. And I'll hook up the motor to the new controller I purchase and see if the problem persists. If so then I'll have a baseline to go from.

Thanks to all.

Would still be interested in hearing from anyone running the Bafang G01... looks like a nice solution for a low power kids bike, or a bike path bike that you want to keep real light weight.

FYI: EM3EV is coming out with some new battery technology/case technology... looks really sharp.

And while not entirely related to the original title I'd like to thank Justin at ebikes Canada for everything he does and the customer service they provide. He's a ebike Genuis. And Luna Cycle has also been pretty good to me in regards to answering my questions and I did pick up some small parts from them.

So there you have it.
 
Jeebus just once I'd like to read a thread where all of the OP's questions were answered. I got here looking after googling the two motors hoping there would be comparisons of the two motors. Anyone had both? I'm about to do a coin flip.
 
tomjasz said:
Jeebus just once I'd like to read a thread where all of the OP's questions were answered. I got here looking after googling the two motors hoping there would be comparisons of the two motors. Anyone had both? I'm about to do a coin flip.

It happens. I still know next to nothing about the Bafang. I still kind of want one, but they are virtually the same price as the Mac 10T side exit that I just bought from EM3EV.

I had it built into an Alex DM24 with Sapim Black Spokes. I had to have it trued when it arrived (EM3EV quickly compensated me for this). I have now purchased 2 batteries and 3 Kits from them. I also purchase from Ebikes Canada.

I am writing this note because I am still considering the Bafang because unfortunately the New Mac 10T is just wide enough on one side to interfere with my Surly LHT fork so unless I want to stuff a bunch of washers between the motor and the fork drop out it's going to rub ever so slightly.

I also had to file one side of the axle flat down a bit to make the torque arm fit. And there is a slight bit of rubbing on the exiting cable and the axle washers.

So my choice now to get the intended bike up and running again (Old Mac 350 clutch failed, and my repair after putting in new clutch also failed, so I'm throwing in the towel on it) is the Bafang Mini, Rolling the dice on a No Name Chinese Kit, or a Bafang Mid (But I'm very concerned about friction plate mounting in my application).

If I sell a Kidney this month then maybe I'll make the Bafang happen... but more likely than not... the budget won't be there for awhile.

If you get some info on the Bafang from any source I'd greatly appreciate it if you shared.

I should note that if you get a Cycle Analyst 3 the new EM3EV Mac 10T's have a white wire that is used for the Temp Sensor. And it is very cool to look down at your Cycle Analyst and see live Temperature Data right on the display. I also really like having a 3 speed switch AND a cruise option which EM3EV Mac Provides. I believe a 3 Speed is available for the Bafang through Grin, but the Cruise is a function of the CA3 and I'm not sure how that works yet because I haven't finished reading the manual yet. But the Cruise on the Mac is just a button.

I will say though that Justin (Ebikes Ca/Grin) has cleaner wiring on his controllers, they are sign wave, and they also have an on off switch. The EM3EV controller has a lot more connectors to hook up, and they are not labeled so there is a little more set up work if you have not done it before and it's kind of confusing.

And on a final note the EM3EV cables are longer... Ebikes CA is for the average size, so make sure you know how long you need up front or you may need to order or make extensions.

Here is my Rant, Rave, Complain, Praise, Reviewish post on the 10T Mac. https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=86939&p=1271447&hilit=mac#p1271447

Thanks
 
I like Paul AND Justin. Two good sources. I'm especially interested in the Bafang. Mainly because of it's size. It's not must bigger, only 13/16", than a Shimano Dynamo hub. Very discreet. I don't find the same motor on szbaf, Bafangs site. But that's not surprising as they are pretty sloppy about keeping good information available. I've had a half dozen Bafang mid drives over the last 3 years and I'm pretty much over them. To fussy and to difficult for parts. I have early BBS01's will be running for the 4th season soon. It looks to me like Grin had a mini made for them. It also has a thermistor. I may instal one for someone also interested and decide if I will have a second one. I'm motivated to build a 2wd bike and was hoping Grin would have a rear mini too. I hear good thongs about Bafang hub drives and see that quite a few OEM builders use them. I like the idea of Grin's version knowing it will be well supported. I see a lot of folks talking about Q100 and Q128 motors too. But also read about parts chain problems. A small can motor is in my future. the mini has a Stall Torque at 36V: 43.9 Nm, the MAC is 10% more if my memory is correct. I'm on hold waiting to sell a BBSHD bare motor and a low mileage kit to fund both purchases. The BBSHD is just more motor than I need or want.

Recumbent Bicycle Source said:
It happens. I still know next to nothing about the Bafang. I still kind of want one, but they are virtually the same price as the Mac 10T side exit that I just bought from EM3EV.

I had it built into an Alex DM24 with Sapim Black Spokes. I had to have it trued when it arrived (EM3EV quickly compensated me for this). I have now purchased 2 batteries and 3 Kits from them. I also purchase from Ebikes Canada.

I am writing this note because I am still considering the Bafang because unfortunately the New Mac 10T is just wide enough on one side to interfere with my Surly LHT fork so unless I want to stuff a bunch of washers between the motor and the fork drop out it's going to rub ever so slightly.

I also had to file one side of the axle flat down a bit to make the torque arm fit. And there is a slight bit of rubbing on the exiting cable and the axle washers.

So my choice now to get the intended bike up and running again (Old Mac 350 clutch failed, and my repair after putting in new clutch also failed, so I'm throwing in the towel on it) is the Bafang Mini, Rolling the dice on a No Name Chinese Kit, or a Bafang Mid (But I'm very concerned about friction plate mounting in my application).

If I sell a Kidney this month then maybe I'll make the Bafang happen... but more likely than not... the budget won't be there for awhile.

If you get some info on the Bafang from any source I'd greatly appreciate it if you shared.

I should note that if you get a Cycle Analyst 3 the new EM3EV Mac 10T's have a white wire that is used for the Temp Sensor. And it is very cool to look down at your Cycle Analyst and see live Temperature Data right on the display. I also really like having a 3 speed switch AND a cruise option which EM3EV Mac Provides. I believe a 3 Speed is available for the Bafang through Grin, but the Cruise is a function of the CA3 and I'm not sure how that works yet because I haven't finished reading the manual yet. But the Cruise on the Mac is just a button.

I will say though that Justin (Ebikes Ca/Grin) has cleaner wiring on his controllers, they are sign wave, and they also have an on off switch. The EM3EV controller has a lot more connectors to hook up, and they are not labeled so there is a little more set up work if you have not done it before and it's kind of confusing.

And on a final note the EM3EV cables are longer... Ebikes CA is for the average size, so make sure you know how long you need up front or you may need to order or make extensions.

Here is my Rant, Rave, Complain, Praise, Reviewish post on the 10T Mac. https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=86939&p=1271447&hilit=mac#p1271447

Thanks
 
Bafang Link: http://www.szbaf.com/en/components/component/motor/fm-g01250d.html

I believe this is the motor that Grin is carrying. But no real reviews as of yet that I can find.

Green Bike Kit - Similar. Not sure the connectors used.

http://www.greenbikekit.com/bafang-swxk-hub-engines.html
 
Back
Top