Cycle Analyst V3 on a Cyclone mid-drive

mammonista

10 W
Joined
May 27, 2018
Messages
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Hey all,
So I love the 3k Cyclone mid-drive on my Gravity Deadeye Monster. But the throttle response was completely unacceptable for technical low-speed riding on sand dunes here on the Oregon coast. Was like a frickin' on/off switch that you never knew the 'on' point from a dead stop. 5-10 degrees (more or less) of nothing from the twist throttle off position and then 'whammo' you get a lot of power that ramps up quickly.
So I decided to go with a Cycle Analyst (V3 CA) to manage the battery/motor/throttle along with E-brakes to kill the motor when activated. But it looks like wiring this thing in is going to be problematic. And I'm hoping some of you who have already done this can give me some advice/direction. I searched the forum and downloaded 'unofficial users guide' but can't find the answers to a few questions I have so....
1) CA V3 has just one JST-SM plug (female) Ebrake cut-off plug. WTF? I have two Ebrakes! Am I supposed to wire the Ebrakes together before going into a 'male' plug?
2) My throttle has a female plug with three wires red/black/white and two larger wires not in a plug yellow/red. The CA V3 has a female JST-SM plug for throttle input with red/black/green. Should the white from the throttle output be wired to the green on the CA input?
3) The CA-DP plug has six terminals labeled ThO, Sp, S+, S-, Gnd, and V+. Beside Gnd representing 'ground' what the heck do the rest of these designations stand for? And how would they interface with the controller that came with the Cyclone?
4) Since the controller inputs/outputs that came with the Cyclone, and the outputs that came with the Ebrakes are not compatible with the CA V3 female plugs should I replace everything with something else? Molex plugs, other JST plugs? And where would I find those? Ebay?

Thanks in advance for any/all advice.
Mark
 
Are you using an actual throttle or pedal sensor? If throttle you don't need ebrake cutoffs. Beware the CA will only go on top of whatever throttle response the controller already has so if there's a soft start issue or something it will still exist.

Now I get to the part where your controller doesn't have a CA connector. Sounds ghetto. You could google how to add a connector as there are many tutorials or you can get another controller. If you can program phase current you can have a good time with this motor but it won't last long.

Also I'm curious how many miles you have that you love the Cyclone, especially riding in sand. I think it's a piece of crap personally it's just easy and inexpensive.
 
Alrighty then...
relatively new to ebikes but thanks for all that EXTREMELY VALUABLE INPUT "flat tire". NOT! Yeah, I kinda like the amount of power the Cyclone puts out. Sure it's a little noisy but damn it can lift the wheel from a dead stop with my fat ass (220 lbs.) on board! (and that's with a 48v battery, can't imagine what it's like with a 72v battery at a full 3k watt). And with a 3-speed Nexxus IGH in the back it has lots of top end as well. Tell you what I'll race you for 'pink slips'.
-Don't need ebrake cut-offs? wtf?
-The CA will only go on top of whatever throttle response the controller already has? another BIG WTF? That's not the way I understand CA selling points. It's taking all the inputs (throttle, ebrake, PAS, Thermister) and outputting to controller, and throttle response issues can be adjusted by the CA.
So is anyone who is not a disciple of lord Bafang have some answers?
Thanks in advance,
Mark
 
1. CA only lets you tune the throttle signal that is SENT TO the controller...so it will still be on top of whatever processing the controller does with your throttle signal and will not, say, get rid of a soft start that already exists onboard the controller. Is that clear?

2. Bafang sucks even more than cyclone imo. Cheap weak gear sold for a very high price.

3. Why would you need a motor cutoff with your brakes when using a throttle? Just let off the throttle while braking.

4. Yes we can race but you can keep your bike when you lose.
 
So I should have spent more time investigating before buying that crappy Cyclone? And a Bafang is junk as well? Well then...
 
mammonista said:
So I should have spent more time investigating before buying that crappy Cyclone? And a Bafang is junk as well? Well then...

The Cyclone will require much tinkering and frequent maintenance to stay in working order. Mostly mechanical stuff though--you probably won't burn out the motor with the stock controller, although that is a possibility if you ride especially hard. It's not a bad solution overall due to being inexpensive and easy to install but the hardware workmanship and engineering all leave something to be desired. It works, but isn't ideal for serious use.
 
Oh right and the way to solve the issue with the soft start is to either preprogram your current controller or buy another one which is programmable with soft start as a switchable option.
 
Well my Gravity/Cyclone build was a little different than most (probably?) I fabbed some custom mounts so I could get it up inside the frame above the bottom bracket. I know the battery is tooooooooo big by about 200%, but I wanted something 48v/20ah that I could use to power an electric outboard motor I was thinking of building (I live near a river). And I had no idea how big that sucker would be, but I can live with
20180507_121440_zpse7uknvud.jpg
 
OK, it looks like you have put a lot of thought into this build so you're on the right track with that. A few additional notes:

1) The battery being in the back is only good as a wheelie and braking assist. It's bad for cornering. Will make you understeer badly. Also, people have broken their seatposts off with that exact configuration. It looks like you have plenty of room for the battery inside your triangle if you move the controller onto the top tube.

2) Your chainring freewheel will probably break sooner than later, in fact if you check your chainrings you'll probably find that they're already loose. sickbikeparts.com has a solid replacement (stick with the ultimate version).

3) If you want a good throttle get a Domino.
 
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