BBSHD advice before placing order

Hello all,

Done my research and feel the BBSHD is my best option for me....lots of hills, don't care about speed, not commuting.

Kit will be going on a Orbea MX 10 29er

Gear Sensor: Not needed?
Have read several posts about this, I am gentle on my drive train and understand it can easily be added later

Brake Sensor: I have hydraulic brakes, the generic sensor offered by em3ev will work for me? Not needed? Would rather not buy complete setup as I already have a decent set up.

Battery: Any builders in the US that I should be looking at besides Luna?

Install: Is the California ebike install tool worth buying if this will be my only e-bike? In other words is it a convenience item or is it necessary for a proper install? Also my BB is 68mm english thread.....reasonable BB tool suggestion or is Park the way to go?

Kit as picked out currently:

Bafang 48V 1000W BBSHD Ebike Kit (~1500W max) Mid Drive Kit With Battery Pack Option

Display Type:

Eggrider - OLED Smart Display

Throttle Type - Left Thumb Throttle (type 2)

Ebrake Type - 1pc Generic Sensor (Hydraulic Brakes)

BBSHD BB Size (Check Carefully) - 68/73mm (Standard)

Current Rating (HD-48V) - 30A (1000W)

BBSHD Chainwheel - BBSHD 36T Bling Ring (Black)

52V (14S6P) Hard-Case Triangle Pack with Smart BMS and Bag option - 52V 18.6Ah (14S6P-33G) High-Energy Hardcase Pack, 40A Smart BMS

58.8V Charger (for 14S, 50/52V Battery) - 58.8V 5A Charger (with 90/100% Switch)

AC Plug for Charger - USA

Any bits or bobs I am missing for a proper install?

Thanks in advance

Make sure you get the right size for your bottom bracket. You may need additional spacers. I needed the two spacers that came with the kit plus a 2mm spacer to have the motor clear the chain stay. Then I also needed a spacer on the chainring to get it in the proper location. Unfortunately, you sort have to put it together to figure that stuff out. I installed one of the brake cutouts for my hydraulic brakes - just on the rear. I did not bother with the shift cutout - from what I read it is flaky at best.

I built my bbshd bike about 2 years ago and here are my suggestions
1. Check length of bottombracket to order the correct size. (as pointed out). You want a straight chainline, but also you want to make sure that the cogs of the front chainwheel doesn´t hit the frametube. So I would choose a bbshd with a little longer shaftlength than needed, and use spacers, just to make sure.
2. Brake sensors is not needed - I bought them, but I don´t use them anymore, when you brake you atomatically stop pedal and use the trottle so the engine will cut anyway. Also the hydralic brakes will overcome the power from the engine. But due to the extra weight of engine and batterypack I recomend to upgrade to 180mm discs if the bike doesn´t have it (or 207mm in front) for better braking power.
3. Gear sensor is very important. Without it, you will easily destroy your casette and perhaps also cut your chain in half.
4. Buy a programing cable, and set parameters to get a smooth ride. (you can set start current, pas levels, battery shutoff value, wheel diameter, time to stop (ms) and so on.) Check this thread on ES: "Programming the Bafang Middrive BBS01+BBS02"**
5. Consider 42T front chainwheel for comuting. I use 42T or 52T, mostly 52T. I would say smaller than 42T is not needed, if you don´t get a sinewave controller and 72V battery and only go trottle. Then you need a small front chainwheel to save the plastic reduction geer.
6. There is one VERY important thing to do when you get the unit, to degrease it with Mobile 28. Check youtube, and make sure to pack mobile 28 UNDER the metal geer also so the grease you put on the cogs will remain there. If you don´t most of the grease on the cogs will fly off over time, and just fill up other empty spaces around the metalgear.
7. If you in the future want to use the Bafang display, make sure to check that it comes with the 5 buttom unit! It works with rainy conditions. The one with tree buttoms doesn´t!
8. One pain in the ass with the bbshd is that it is hard to secure. Use loctite, and also two hose clamps to secure it (one around the motor and one around the frame above the motor), and make sure to put rubber/2-3mm of plastic between the motor and the frame before securing it. It is important because the motor is moving against the tube, the paint on the motor and the frame, will disappear overtime, and aluminium against aluminium will start make a annoying creaking sound. You will notice it especially when pedaling.
9. I bought my batterypack from em3ev, 21ah 52v, and it has worked flawlessly.

Yes - do buy the programming cable. I did not have any trouble getting the motor secured with just the hardware it comes with. If you use the right spacers and secure it properly it won't move.

You can try the gear sensor, I did but I didn't like it at all. Maybe if I was using the PAS system it wouldn't be so bad but I found it too slow. You don't need to stop the motor to change gears, you just need to slow it down slightly to take the load off the chain.

I find this happens quite naturally just using the throttle, and I re-engage the motor far more smoothly after the shift than the controller does. I would bet my chains/cassettes last longer than they would if I were depending on that sensor.

You don't need programming cable, because you are planning to use Eggrider display. You can then make all programming using your phone, over bt connection.

If you have a bit of feel for your drive system, a gear sensor is unnecessary. Just back off on the throttle, change gear and then throttle on.
If using the PAS, just stop pedaling for a second, change gear and then slowly re-start pedaling.

If you do mostly steep hills, for sure I would recommend getting a 30T chain ring. On mine, I can still reach 28mph but no way my feet can pedal that fast. At trail climbing speeds it works out very well and I'm only limited by the traction of the tires.

Some versions of BBSHD controller firmware have a pretty annoying throttle behavior when transitioning between PAS and throttle. This can be fixed but not so easily. About 90% of the time I don't use the PAS at all and only throttle.