I have the money for a newer mid-drive motor and frame. It's not that I don't. It's really a question of how much better...if they are significantly better at all than the Bafang (or Tongsheng, CYC, etc.) BSA bottom bracket slide-through then bolt-on motors.
Example: I already have two candidate frames for a Bafang 750W BBS02 bolt-on but neither are great. One is carbon, one is a relatively heavy QR frame with a 27.2mm seat tube. On EBay there are aluminum hardtail frames that look pretty decent, around $550 including shipping from China, and they usually have either 30.9 or 31.6mm seat tubes for a long dropper post, tapered head tubes and 12x142 thru-axles in back. That way I'd have 3 bikes (two would still be acoustic) all with 15x100mm front axles and 12x142 rear. I'd ditch the QR frame mentioned above later. That would be a lot more convenient for switching wheelsets since right now I have 3 front and 4 rear 27.5 wheels that are either 100mm or 142mm axled. The BBS02 motor is around $500; I already have a Hailong II 850 Wh battery. So bascially around $1050 total for the frame and motor build, not including other parts like the fork, drivetrain, brakes, etc. Some of which I can cannabalize from at least one of the other bikes in the garage, like the QR one.
Compare that with building on a current top-end mid-drive motor and specific frame. If you use the example of Shimano's M600-800 series, many of those motors are around $2000 MSRP by themselves, just for the motor! And even a hardtail frame that fits that motor is at least $600 if not $1000 including shipping. Full-suspension, if you care to know, is usually $1600 and up. Even if I got a good deal on a contemporary mid-drive motor and acceptor frame, that's at least $2000 --- twice as much as the BBS02 and compatible frame.
Are the new mid-drive motors 2-3 times as better if you are going to pay 2-3x as much money for the motor and acceptor frame? Yes the BBS02 may weigh a few lbs more, but the standard torque on it is 120 Nm, that's not bad at all for a supposedly 'outdated' motor. What's so special about the newer mid-drive motors? Smoother power delivery? Run cooler? PAS better? Longer lasting? This is of course for offroading most of the time, steep climbs.
Opinions please, thank you.
Example: I already have two candidate frames for a Bafang 750W BBS02 bolt-on but neither are great. One is carbon, one is a relatively heavy QR frame with a 27.2mm seat tube. On EBay there are aluminum hardtail frames that look pretty decent, around $550 including shipping from China, and they usually have either 30.9 or 31.6mm seat tubes for a long dropper post, tapered head tubes and 12x142 thru-axles in back. That way I'd have 3 bikes (two would still be acoustic) all with 15x100mm front axles and 12x142 rear. I'd ditch the QR frame mentioned above later. That would be a lot more convenient for switching wheelsets since right now I have 3 front and 4 rear 27.5 wheels that are either 100mm or 142mm axled. The BBS02 motor is around $500; I already have a Hailong II 850 Wh battery. So bascially around $1050 total for the frame and motor build, not including other parts like the fork, drivetrain, brakes, etc. Some of which I can cannabalize from at least one of the other bikes in the garage, like the QR one.
Compare that with building on a current top-end mid-drive motor and specific frame. If you use the example of Shimano's M600-800 series, many of those motors are around $2000 MSRP by themselves, just for the motor! And even a hardtail frame that fits that motor is at least $600 if not $1000 including shipping. Full-suspension, if you care to know, is usually $1600 and up. Even if I got a good deal on a contemporary mid-drive motor and acceptor frame, that's at least $2000 --- twice as much as the BBS02 and compatible frame.
Are the new mid-drive motors 2-3 times as better if you are going to pay 2-3x as much money for the motor and acceptor frame? Yes the BBS02 may weigh a few lbs more, but the standard torque on it is 120 Nm, that's not bad at all for a supposedly 'outdated' motor. What's so special about the newer mid-drive motors? Smoother power delivery? Run cooler? PAS better? Longer lasting? This is of course for offroading most of the time, steep climbs.
Opinions please, thank you.