Build of Bafang BBS02 from Greenbikekit

[KINNINVIEKID]

Thinking either Cannondale Trail 6.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/trail-6-29er-2014-mountain-bike-ec053947?country=GB&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKEAjw2reiBRCaobK3udOj-Q4SJACXWyYm4X9A5YgFtygpOniG3hacfLijQ0Z9YSeqKxaWFSbqcBoC1AXw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Or GT Aggressor.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gt/aggressor-2-2014-mountain-bike-ec054143

Both are in stock at my LBS but not going to rush into a decision .

The bag is from Ebay and like I said looks made for the job.
The straps will probably need strengthening at some point but thats only to be expected.
It looks like HK are not in a rush to sell any more 16Ah Multistars yet so I may get 9 x 5ah Turnigy 4 cell hardcases instead and I reckon these will fit in the frame bag nicely then I can keep the Multistars on the rear rack and thats 90 mile+ range which will get me where I hope to go(in the spring when the sun comes back).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321530773121?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&var=510421198326&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[spinningmagnets]

"Off Topic" discussion about the battery and FET on the switch branded bike has been moved here:
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=64521

 

[0utrider]

"Off Topic" discussion about the battery and FET on the switch branded bike has been moved here: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=64517

Excellent. Though the Switch appears to have a hub motor. Ya might have to move it again from the "Non-Hub motor" section.

 

[darth_elevator]

What's better than a Bafang in Moab?

Three Bafangs!

 

[0utrider]

What's better than a Bafang in Moab?

Three Bafangs!

Epic!

 

[KINNINVIEKID]

Thinking either Cannondale Trail 6.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/trail-6-29er-2014-mountain-bike-ec053947?country=GB&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKEAjw2reiBRCaobK3udOj-Q4SJACXWyYm4X9A5YgFtygpOniG3hacfLijQ0Z9YSeqKxaWFSbqcBoC1AXw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Or GT Aggressor.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gt/aggressor-2-2014-mountain-bike-ec054143

Both are in stock at my LBS but not going to rush into a decision .

Just got the Cannondale Trail 6 to move the BBS onto.

It got a 73mm BB unfortunately so going to have to buy an http://www.alcedoitalia.it/shop/accessori-bbs/corona-42-denti-per-bafang-centrale-bbs01/ to keep the chainline somewhere near.

Going to take my time with it and make a tidy job of the wiring etc as hoping to keep it for a long time.
The frame bag fits in it perfectly and the only thing I really need to change is the saddle as I need a comfort one for my dodgy coccyx

 

[0utrider]

Clean looking! The black bafang motor will contrast nicely on that white frame.

 

[darth_elevator]

Just got the Cannondale Trail 6 to move the BBS onto

Awesome!

 

[darth_elevator]

Our favorite trail is snow packed, but we rode it anyway.

I'm sure the ride would have been better with fat tires, but the way the Bafang climbed through the snow with normal tires exceeded my expectations. (13-mile loop with about 2200 feet of total elevation gain.)

500+ miles (mostly singletrack) on this Bafang since I got it in September and still going strong -- knock on wood.

[youtube]6YOBYUFaLZg[/youtube]

 

[KINNINVIEKID]

Nice ride but you should redo it as a 4 minute video so folks can enjoy the scenery as well

 

[darth_elevator]

Busted a seatpost today. Didn't happen til I had nearly 400 miles with this rack/bag setup, but I guess it was only a matter of time with the huge leverage of all that weight sticking so far out. With 20Ah of batteries and a few tools, the rack is carrying a load just under 20 pounds.

I'd love the security of a triangle bag, but my full suspension bike doesn't have a triangle. I did some searches and found a few different creative ways that people have mounted batteries to non-triangle frames, but I haven't found anything that's as practical for quick removal as this quick release bag, so I'd like to keep this setup it if at all possible. So I'm trying to brainstorm the best way to reinforce the seatpost to minimize the chances of this happening again. Hie2kolob suggested a homebrew collar that sits at the base of the seatpost and takes some of the stress off the seatpost by redirecting it into the frame, similar to this idea: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=32428#p470629. I was also thinking of reinforcing the inside of the seatpost by placing a piece of steel conduit or pipe inside it.

 

[darth_elevator]

Also thinking about getting a Thomson Elite seatpost.

http://www.jensonusa.com/Seatposts/Thomson-Elite-Seatpost

 

[KINNINVIEKID]

You need a steel seatpost,not an aluminium one.
Can you not mount the rack in place of the seatpost clamp so its actually holding the frame rather than the seatpost.
Dont forget to keep checking the weld on the rack clamp as well.
I use the same Topeak rack on my Dillenger and it seems great but mine has a steel post.

 

[darth_elevator]

That's a great idea to get a steel seat post.

Regarding how high the rack was mounted on the seat post, I originally had the rack mounted at the bottom of the seat post, right where the post exits the frame. But the rack would rub against the back tire whenever the suspension bottomed out. So I had to keep sliding it up until it was high enough to avoid hitting.

I also found this idea for transferring some of the stress from the seat post to the frame. (Although the extra stress on the frame could actually cause the frame to break, as it did in the thread where I found the picture: http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12654&start=125)

 

[darth_elevator]

You need a steel seatpost.....

Any suggestions on where I can get one? Online search wasn't very productive, particularly for 30.9mm diameter.

 

[0utrider]

You need a steel seatpost,not an aluminium one.

That's what I was thinking when looking at how shiny the post was. "Soooo shiny.... Hey wait! Is that aluminum?

 

[0utrider]

Busted a seatpost today. Didn't happen til I had nearly 400 miles with this rack/bag setup, but I guess it was only a matter of time with the huge leverage of all that weight sticking so far out. With 20Ah of batteries and a few tools, the rack is carrying a load just under 20 pounds.

Yes sir I can see how that would have scared the carp out of me while riding. Are you ok? Not hurt?

I have been stressing this topic quite a bit and settled for the moment for a Thule rack designed for FS frames. It's too expensive and not optimal but it gets me on the bike in the meantime while trying to come up with a way to rebuild my pack to fit what little triangle space I have. Once I get it figured out, I'll use the rack on either my wife's bike or keep it on Frankie.

 

[darth_elevator]

Are you ok? Not hurt?

Yep, most of my weight was on my feet, so the seat just fell off and left me standing there. LOL. The gopro video looks pretty funny -- I'm just riding along and then the camera looks down at my seat lying on the ground. I'll have to post it.

I picked up an alloy seatpost today. And since I have no machining/fabrication skills to build a sweet custom brace, I'm headed to Home Depot or Lowes (or both) to try to find some components to make a brace. I'm also considering slipping a steel pipe or a wooden dowel inside the seatpost, or maybe filling the post with epoxy or something.

 

[0utrider]

Yep, most of my weight was on my feet, so the seat just fell off and left me standing there. LOL.

That is good to hear.

The gopro video looks pretty funny -- I'm just riding along and then the camera looks down at my seat lying on the ground. I'll have to post it.

Yes but in real time. No speeding up the video!!!

I picked up an alloy seatpost today. And since I have no machining/fabrication skills to build a sweet custom brace, I'm headed to Home Depot or Lowes (or both) to try to find some components to make a brace. I'm also considering slipping a steel pipe or a wooden dowel inside the seatpost, or maybe filling the post with epoxy or something.

USE PORTLAND BRAND READY MIX CEMENT!

 

[darth_elevator]

....Yes but in real time. No speeding up the video!!!...

LOL

For now, I decided to use an alloy seatpost with an external collar (made from a 2" pipe bib), internally reinforced with an aluminum tube and a wooden dowel. Unfortunately, there is a slight gap between the seatpost and the aluminum tube; if I can't find a slightly larger tube that fits flush inside the seatpost, then I'm considering filling the gap with epoxy or maybe fill most of the gap with sand and then seal the bottom couple of inches with epoxy. I don't think this collar will be permanent; I'm still on the lookout for a steel or aluminum piece that I can attach a diagonal support to. Without the reinforcement, I could visibly see the seatpost flex when I would pull down hard on the rack; with reinforcement, I don't see any flex at all. So even though it currently isn't ideal, I feel confident that it will stand up to road riding and light trail riding. I rode for 11 miles on paved roads last night, hitting every dip as fast as I could, and so far so good. My last seatpost failed at about the 400-mile mark; that should mean I have another 389 miles before this one breaks. LOL.

 

[KINNINVIEKID]

Had a ride over to Hamsterley forest this afternoon to ride part of the blue trail and decided to have a go at the green trail as well.
I thought green meant easy but apparently I was wrong!

It started out ok but soon came to a couple of nearly 50 degree 20 foot drops with lots of rocks and tree roots and a drop into the river on the right if you got it wrong!

There were some impossible to ride steps in a couple of places that I had to carry the bike down.I need to make a sump guard for next time to protect the wires that exit the bottom of the motor.

Not many folks about today,possibly because it wasn't far above freezing but hundreds of squirrels about.

I have ordered a triangle bag from EM3EV and once that comes the BBS02 will be going on my new Cannondale and the serious riding can begin.
Currently I have to be a bit careful as I dont want to snap the rear rack off although its only lightly loaded with a pair of 16Ah Multistars and a spare chain.
The rest of my tools and spares are in a small triangle bag and a top tube bag.

http://www.strava.com/activities/225522696/overview

 

[waly]

For being a user of Strava (with my road bike that is not a e-bike), I would be upset if a guy take my Kom with an e-bike...

Personnaly, I would not put my travel time with my e-bike on strava.

 

[darth_elevator]

Had a ride over to Hamsterley forest this afternoon....

Glad you survived the ride despite the challenging parts. Great pics, too!

Hie2kolob hooked me up with a galvanized steel pipe that fits perfectly inside my new seatpost. In the pic, it kind of looks like there might be some space, but there is none. In fact, it was so snug that we had to pound it in. Sure, it adds a little bit of weight, but it's worth the piece of mind. I'm sure this will be a lot stronger than the aluminum tube and wooden dowel that I had originally put in there.

 

[0utrider]

Hie2kolob hooked me up with a galvanized steel pipe that fits perfectly inside my new seatpost.

Looks good! It should work!

 

[darth_elevator]

Here's the busted seatpost video. Normal speed, as requested.

[youtube]WeIMlyQncg0[/youtube]

And my Bafang hit 600 miles last night!