My Bafang Ultra Mountain Bike! Frey AM1000

I decided to start this thread to document my experience buying this electric mountain bike.



https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/The-3rd-generation-AM1000-Bafang-G510_60700621160.html?spm=a2700.8443308.0.0.NbBWV0

There seems to be very little information available about bikes using the Bafang Ultra mid drive and no information about Frey bikes, so hopefully this will help those that might be interested.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of test riding a Giant Full E +1, and since then, I knew I had to add a torque sensor-equipped bike to my collection. That bike gave me such a workout because it made me work for the power but it was so much fun! At times I wished it had a throttle so I could rest. Enter the Bafang Ultra which has both a torque sensor and a throttle!

This particular bike from Frey is of great interest to me because it is a full suspension bike with approximately 6" of travel (160mm front & 150mm rear). It also has a relatively slack 66.5 degree head angle, perfect for bombing down hills. I've also been wanting to try 27.5+ tires to see how they compare to the 29x2.5" tires on my Specialized Enduro 29. The components are top notch, something unexpected in a bike at this price point. The battery is also not too shabby at 48V/21Ah (1008Wh). The brakes are quad piston Maguras. The shocks are RockShox. The drivetrain is Shimano M8000 XT 11-speed. These are enthusiast parts you would actually want on your bike!

According to Frey, the frame is a third generation design that is stronger than its predecessors. Initially, I had concerns about the strength of the frame, but the welds look good, and hopefully they've ironed out any issues in this 3rd gen design.

I've ordered it in all matte black (this is a great option for those that don't like name brands plastered all over their bike), and I also upgraded the fork from a RockShox Yari to a Lyrik, one of the best forks available (better than a Fox 36 according to some - I also have that Fox on my Trek and a Lyrik on my Specialized). I also ordered an extra battery, charger, kick stand, and 20 rear derailleur hangers (yes 20, I've broken at least 4 in the past couple of years on one of my other bikes, and since these will probably be difficult to find, I want to make sure I always have spares available).

I just paid for it today (10-13-2017), so I'll keep you updated on its progress.



[UPDATE 10-14-2017] I forgot to mention that on this bike, the Bafang Ultra's throttle is programmed so that maximum available power varies depending on assist level. I don't know if this is the way it is for all Ultra-equipped bikes with the stock Bafang programming, but I asked the seller about it, and they said that they can get one from Bafang that is programmed so that maximum available power is available at assist levels 1-5. I don't know why anyone would want it any other way. I even asked if I could have the throttle enabled at assist level 0 but they said it cannot for safety reasons [EDIT: It is very easy to enable the throttle in assist 0 using the software. Just change the 0 to a 1 under the current limit in assist 0], so I asked them if it was unlocked so that I could program it, and they said it was. I don't know if all Ultra's are unlocked, so make sure you ask your seller if this is important to you.

[strike]I hope someone confirms that it can be programmed with the same software used for Bafang's other mid drives. I'm afraid to try because I might mess it up to where I can't fix it. Or if someone knows of other software that can program it, please let me know.[/strike] I can program it! Frey provided the software. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWCR3iV3d9I

Cost breakdown [edit - I was asked very politely to remove the pricing information]:
Bike $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Fork upgrade to Lyrik $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional 48V/21Ah battery $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional charger $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional kick stand $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional rear derailleur hanger $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Shipping for all of the above $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]

[Edit: Frey responds very promptly, so you might want to message them for the most recent pricing]

Note in the description there is a mistake in the number of cells in the battery. The correct number is 78 and not 65.

The tires are dual compound. I asked if I could get the 3C compound but was told it would take 2 months for a bulk order. It's ok. At least they're made by a reputable brand.
http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-519-rekonplus

I must say that interacting with the sales contact has been a positive experience. She really knows their bikes well. I've probably messaged her 40 times, and each time she responds promptly with the information I'm looking for.

[UPDATE 10-25-2017]
They sent me some photos and told me my frame is in this batch =)









In this photo, they were letting me know that about 50% of the bike parts are made by CNC and that a custom logo can be machined into the swing arm. I think I'll just leave it blank for a cleaner look.



Here are a few more pictures.











Yay! It has a throttle!



[UPDATE 10-28-2017]

They sent me a few more photos and let me know 3" wide tires fit in the rear.





They also included a screenshot of what they could read from the Ultra using their programming software. [strike]They have not confirmed whether they can actually change any of the parameters. I wonder if the software from the link below will work.[/strike] I have figured out how to program it! Frey provided the software. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWCR3iV3d9I

https://penoff.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/e-bike-conversion-software/



[UPDATE 11-14-2017]

They just sent me these photos of my bike! It's almost ready to be shipped!

























[UPDATE 11-20-2017]







[UPDATE 11-30-2017]

It has arrived!



Here's the unboxing video. I made an error when I said there were no bearings in the rocker arm. There are indeed ball bearings at both pivot locations.

https://youtu.be/8AExCcTGF2w

[UPDATE 12-12-2017]

Figured out how to program it! I love the way the torque sensor makes the bike feel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWCR3iV3d9I

Just found out it comes with the steel gear!

Nice bike, i'm looking for something similar, frame only but shorter chainstay and x large. Could you share the price for the bike and shipping.

Like this one but for ultra drive.
http://www.icanbikes.com/html/MTB/PAINTING_COMPLETE_BIKE/356.html

Yeah, I thought the chainstay length was a little long but when I compared it with the Giant Full-E's chainstay length, it was only 0.47 inches (12 mm) longer. They have a very similar rear suspension setup.[strike]It's possible the chainstay of the Frey is longer because it has more rear travel.[/strike] I just found out the new 2018 Giant Full-E+ 1 has 160 mm of rear travel.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/bikes-full-eplus-sx-pro

The Frey AM1000 ebike is $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing] and shipping to the US is $778. I've updated my post above with a cost breakdown. [edit - I've been asked to remove pricing]

gidooo said:

Nice bike, i'm looking for something similar, frame only but shorter chainstay and x large. Could you share the price for the bike and shipping.

Like this one but for ultra drive.
http://www.icanbikes.com/html/MTB/PAINTING_COMPLETE_BIKE/356.html

Click to expand...

Hi,

more than interested about this bike also. Contacted them today and got the same quote for the price shipped to Finland. Glad i found this post, didn´t even think about the rear derailleur hangers , i must order couple also. My bike with BBSHD just got stolen last friday after just getting fixed with hangers ordered from Germany
Keep posting when you got the bike!

edit. How can the upgrade from Yari to Lyrik be under hundred, i thought the price difference is more like 300$? Or maybe i´m just missing something. My former suspensions have been utterly crap so i guess Yari is more than good for me
I´m trying to find out what connector the battery has so if i can use my Satiator with that, tomorrow they should sent some pics for me.

Subscribed.

Sorry to hear about your bike getting stolen. Is this your excuse to upgrade now? =)

I don't know about the fork upgrade price, but I like it. I'm sure the Yari is a great fork though.

Usually derailleur hangers cost around $25, so at $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing] I'd buy a handful of them because you may never find them again.

[strike]It doesn't really matter what kind of connector the battery has. You can just cut off the connector of the charger[/strike][strike] Looks like you've found out it has a 3 conductor female jack (possibly XLR).[/strike] Ok, it's definitely not a typical XLR connector. Looks like you will have to cut off the charger's plug.

I'll post updates!

nataS@phnet.fi said:

Hi,

more than interested about this bike also. Contacted them today and got the same quote for the price shipped to Finland. Glad i found this post, didn´t even think about the rear derailleur hangers , i must order couple also. My bike with BBSHD just got stolen last friday after just getting fixed with hangers ordered from Germany
Keep posting when you got the bike!

edit. How can the upgrade from Yari to Lyrik be under hundred, i thought the price difference is more like 300$? Or maybe i´m just missing something. My former suspensions have been utterly crap so i guess Yari is more than good for me
I´m trying to find out what connector the battery has so if i can use my Satiator with that, tomorrow they should sent some pics for me.

Click to expand...

I've updated my main post with some pictures they sent me today =) I've included some other pictures as well. Here are a couple. Scroll up to see more.

Oh man, I really want a production bike now. This looks amazing.
Is there any other bike that even compares to this? Superb components, big battery, nice powerful motor, good price.
Bikes at the local store at with components like this costs at least double, has a much smaller battery and 250w motor.

That would look so sweet just polished, wow! I ordered mine just as it is, custom logo would be nice, if some bastard stole also this it would be harder to see if there was a custom logo of.. Let's say genitals on the bike. Also details in police raport would be hilarious. Maybe I'm just cynical but I already have a feeling that this one will also disappear after a while. This time I'm more intelligent and get a insurance on this one, last one I had nothing.
Thanks for the new pics, can't wait for the bike.

Nice production Ebike. What's the max rear tire size for the given stock rims I'm hoping it's a tad over 3".

Yeah, it's nice =) I'm not aware of anything else like it. If you search Alibaba for "Bafang Ultra," you'll see a few other designs.

https://www.alibaba.com/products/bafang_ultra.html

This is an interesting design that caught my eye, but I'm not into fat bikes right now, and I don't know about the components.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Bafang-Ultra-1000w-middle-motor-48v_60661323561.html?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.109.2da360b1ohCuNK

qwøck said:

Oh man, I really want a production bike now. This looks amazing.
Is there any other bike that even compares to this? Superb components, big battery, nice powerful motor, good price.
Bikes at the local store at with components like this costs at least double, has a much smaller battery and 250w motor.

Click to expand...

You bought one? Awesome! Looking forward to hearing about it. What's the ETA?

How was your other bike locked when it was stolen? Based on my research, this is one of the best ways to lock a bike. If you use multiple chains, maybe that will deter thieves.

https://smile.amazon.com/Kryptonite-York-Fahgettaboudit-Bicycle-Chain/dp/B001SMUB7G

nataS@phnet.fi said:

That would look so sweet just polished, wow! I ordered mine just as it is, custom logo would be nice, if some bastard stole also this it would be harder to see if there was a custom logo of.. Let's say genitals on the bike. Also details in police raport would be hilarious. Maybe I'm just cynical but I already have a feeling that this one will also disappear after a while. This time I'm more intelligent and get a insurance on this one, last one I had nothing.
Thanks for the new pics, can't wait for the bike.

Click to expand...

I asked about a 3" tire in the rear, and [strike]they said that if you use a 3" tire with an 11-speed cassette, the chain will contact the tire in the lowest gear[/strike]. [UPDATE: They tested a 3" tire on it, and it fits. I will post more photos shortly]

They have a 10-speed model with 3" tires.

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Bafang-Ultra-mid-drive-48V-1000W_60668339406.html?spm=a2700.7724838.2017115.1.2da360b1ohCuNK&s=p

I'm thinking about getting 3" Maxxis High Roller II Plus tires for it.

http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-539-135-high-roller-ii-plus

melodious said:

Nice production Ebike. What's the max rear tire size for the given stock rims I'm hoping it's a tad over 3".

Click to expand...

What is that Chinese dude in a mask doing to that frame? Massaging it? :lol:

robocam said:

You bought one? Awesome! Looking forward to hearing about it. What's the ETA?

How was your other bike locked when it was stolen? Based on my research, this is one of the best ways to lock a bike. If you use multiple chains, maybe that will deter thieves.

Click to expand...

[/quote]

I think it says about 30 days, I have to make sure. Yep, I had Kryptonite on my bike but I had no place to lock it securely In the carport, just had it fixed and 6 hours later it was gone. So in to the van and off you go. I'm going to put some sort of metal ring through the wall where I can safely lock my bike after this, it's a shame I have no place to keep it inside in my new place. Add to that Finnish winter - yippee..

That socks. I remember times when theft in Scandinavian countries was rare.
Put a tracking device inside the frame and catch MF. This is the right way to do it. Maybe you will get your first bike back, too.

Just a warning: my son's pedal bike was stolen from inside a locked garage (plus locked gate) and U-bolted to a steel plate embedded in the concrete by someone who used a hacksaw on the steel plate. If I already had a bike stolen from my garage, I'd sleep with the new one. My wife can stay in the garage.

So they tested 3" tires in the rear, and they fit! Looks like there is plenty of space for the chain.



They also included this screenshot of their programming software. I hope this means that they will program it to my specifications. I wonder if the software from here will work.

https://penoff.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/e-bike-conversion-software/

Subscribed

Looks slick! Love that it clears 3" tires, sub'd.

Wohoo, nice to see that the same program works in this motor also. Think i´ll grab a beer to celebrate

This is almost my ideal ebike! :lol:
Torque sensor is just whats is left in BBSHD
Subscribed!

Anyone have an answer for:
- Total weight
- Is battery codified? Or can you rebuild it with standar cells?

Thanks

Robleman said:

Anyone have an answer for:
- Total weight
- Is battery codified? Or can you rebuild it with standar cells?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Similar bike on sale says net weight 27 , g.w. was 31 kg. That bike was on 17,5Ah battery and cheaper components. About battery being codified, no idea but strong suspense that it´s not. Atleast i haven´t heard such a thing in chinese builds.

robocam said:

They also included this screenshot of their programming software. I hope this means that they will program it to my specifications. I wonder if the software from here will work.

Click to expand...

The BBSHD uses the same version (2.0) of the Bafang Config Tool, so I assume the programming software is the same.