TSDZ2 on Xtracycle Cargo Bike, Open Source vs Stock Firmware?

I have recently converted my Xtracycle to an ebike with a TSDZ2 motor and a cheap Hailong shark style 48v 13ah battery. I run an Alfine 8 hub gear and often have a 6 year old passenger with gear up big hills to parks and trailheads. It is a really solid rig.

This is my second build after converting a commuter with a cheap 48v eBay hub kit. The torque sensing is an incredible change from the cadence PAS with the hub motor. It is so much smoother. The gearing is also ideal for the extra weight with 1,000 ft climbs regularly.

Coming from my old bike I am very happy so far but I’m looking at flashing the open source firmware.

My complaints so far are lack of power at high cadence, no output monitor(amps or watts) to mitigate heat, and increased noise over a direct drive hub.

Is it worth the change? I currently have a throttle but never use it. The advantages to me seem to be higher output at higher cadence. I’m a racer and always pedal hard, even on the commuter so this is appealing. Also, being able to display human watts is appealing.

Are there any other big advantages that make it worth the effort? I’m pretty happy as is, with an LCD5 and stock firmware but I like to tinker.

My concerns are bricking the motor by screwing up the flash. I also want quieter operation and I assume the new firmware could help.

I'm also wondering about flashing the open source firmware. I'm trying to get all the other little issues sorted out first before I do that, though. I bought a used Trek Transport that had sat a while in the NM heat and it seems a lot of drive train parts had gunked up or had gotten a lot of usage previously. Also I installed the 34/42 double front crank along with a Shimano Saint FD-M805 front derailleur. That derailleur has a 57.5mm chainline but it seems to want a smaller inner cog.

Let's see if this link works:

Oh, also I'm curious how that Alfine works out for you. I may go to the 11-speed Alfine IGH with a single chainring if I can't get the drive train sorted out to my satisfaction.

As far as the alfine goes, it is great in all regards other than being a pain to remove for a flat. Taking off the shift cable with the frame and panniers blocking is a huge pain. I got is used and it has been solid so far. Starting new I wouldn’t go that route. Regular cassette gears are a better known commodity to me.

I’ve just built an Xtracycle leap bike with TSDZ2. I’m a mountainbiker and my normal cadence is 90-110rpm. On my MTB I run open source firmware with 36v motor and battery and the firmware configured for experimental high cadence mode. It’s pretty good but I still hit the max rpm threshold which I think is about 95rpm.

On my cargobike I run a new 36v TSDZ2 with a 48v battery and run it in 36v experimental high cadence mode. It is the smoothest ebike I have ridden. The new v0.19 firmware combined with 48v battery, and the high cadence mode feels very natural to cycle. It feels almost like a non-ebike.

@Bartman, what are your drive train specs?

oldwahoo54 said:

@Bartman, what are your drive train specs?

Click to expand...

Sunrace 11-42 10 speed cassette(steel), Surly 34t steel front sprocket 110 bcd, 11 speed Slx medium cage derailure, deore 10 speed shifter. 2x kmc x10 chains . Works well, really smooth.

After reading many pages of tech info and opinions, I decided to go for it. I was satisfied with the stock firmware, but I always like adding a new skill to my set and flashing firmware with an ST Link is right up my alley.

I hope I can save everyone on the fence the effort and say to UPGRADE if you can.

1. High cadence performance is so much better. I can actually get power at my 90rpm cadence.

2. Ramp up is much slower, on default settings. It feels more natural and will hopefully spare my drivetrain for a while.

3. The volt meter is very helpful. Battery bars on stock displays are worthless. I ride big hills so mileage is not the best indicator of battery capacity.

4. Customization of assist is great. I ride with my daughter as a passenger and my wife on a normal bike. I can tone down the assist to make a level field. I also boost is to the max when I am solo with lots of cargo.

5. I can set a true 10 amp max. I live in a hilly, hot, desert city and don't want to cook the motor. I feel safe with 480 watts all day. I tested the max amps with stock firmware with a meter and it went to 15 regardless of settings.

My advice is to just go for it.

The display is simple to flash. Just plug in the pins and go. Erase the old and flash the new.

The motor took some tinkering. I built a harness from a speedometer extension, but ended up using bare arduino wires directly to the pins. I think shorter cables helped.

To connect the display, I used the WIKI and soldered the wires to the pigtail cut from the stock LCD5. Now it is plug and play. The wire diagram was correct for my unit. YMMV.

Heat shrink tubing is your friend! Clean cabling ties it all together.

Thanks for sharing the final photos and your notes!! I hope you now enjoy more your bicycles in family!! And I love cargo bikes

Sounds good, redline1, maybe I'll flash mine over the winter. I noticed you're also running an MTX39 rim on the front. I'm running Schwalbe Big Bens front and rear, but didn't need to replace the rear rim as it was already wide enough. The Big Bens plus the long wheelbase makes for a pleasant ride. I may have my dual front chainring setup sorted out. I'll give it a few hundred miles before claiming so, however.

redline1 said:

I have recently converted my Xtracycle to an ebike with a TSDZ2 motor and a cheap Hailong shark style 48v 13ah battery. I run an Alfine 8 hub gear and often have a 6 year old passenger with gear up big hills to parks and trailheads. It is a really solid rig.

This is my second build after converting a commuter with a cheap 48v eBay hub kit. The torque sensing is an incredible change from the cadence PAS with the hub motor. It is so much smoother. The gearing is also ideal for the extra weight with 1,000 ft climbs regularly.

Coming from my old bike I am very happy so far but I’m looking at flashing the open source firmware.

My complaints so far are lack of power at high cadence, no output monitor(amps or watts) to mitigate heat, and increased noise over a direct drive hub.

Is it worth the change? I currently have a throttle but never use it. The advantages to me seem to be higher output at higher cadence. I’m a racer and always pedal hard, even on the commuter so this is appealing. Also, being able to display human watts is appealing.

Are there any other big advantages that make it worth the effort? I’m pretty happy as is, with an LCD5 and stock firmware but I like to tinker.

My concerns are bricking the motor by screwing up the flash. I also want quieter operation and I assume the new firmware could help.

View attachment 256437

View attachment 256438

View attachment 256439

Click to expand...

Hi Iike your bike! I have leap kit on my bike with tsdz2. I want to put Alfine 8 like yours.
what is your chainring an sprock teeth?
A reason for hub gear is I am using 20” wheel and for ground clearance igh is the best solution. also 20x4” fat tire option on my mine too