peytonmusic
1 µW
I'm certainly no expert and won't claim to be. The BBS02 is very popular and I'm not here to bash it. The reason I got it was largely because of this super helpful forum. I certainly wouldn't have been able to even install it if not for the help on here. (Thanks!) I've learned a lot about bikes and myself in the process. That being said, I'm pulling my new BBS02, taking a loss, taking recommendations, and getting a hub.
Here's why:
While the torque, power, and weight are amazing, I got the uncanny sense that I'd always be maintaining my bike and this kit. Firstly, installation was no joke and required tools I didn't have. It's a fairly conspicuous modification compared to a hub, and requires you to change out some pretty major parts, which is a bummer since I like mine.
It was seriously tough to go from 27 smoothly shifting speeds to 6 grinding gears. Since it's geared for top speed, it's tougher to get it started with your own two legs and just ride it like a normal bike. I was always pushing the line between stressing against the gear with my legs, or stressing the motor/controller/chain/cassette.
While my rear cassette is a 9 speed, I couldn't use gears 1-3 or the chain would fall off constantly. The answers on this and other sites to this common problem are to buy a specifically made $90 aluminum chainring about every six months, or rig your front derailleur or similar specific device that would constantly rub against the chain to keep it from falling off while in the lower gears.
This thing has amazing torque and snapped my chain during my third use. Thankfully, I was a few blocks from my house at the time instead of the 7 rolling miles I'd just crossed.
For legal reasons, it ships handicapped, only providing power up to 15mph. Past that, the motor stops which isn't helpful if you need to keep up with 25mph traffic. The answer to that is to buy a cable you'll use once, download some iffy software, and void your warranty to open the BBS02's potential. Alternatively, you can disconnect the speed sensor and bypass your speedometer and display altogether.
Another consideration is the shipping to and from China. It can be purchased in the US and I would've done that had I known better. The em3ev.com price is certainly the cheapest and the support is great. However, when I wanted to exchange a part, shipping was slow and more expensive than the price of the part itself. Shipping ALONE was over $200 in the first place, so make sure to factor that in when buying from China. I haven't tried to return it yet, so we'll see how that goes. I suspect that I'll again face horrendous shipping charges and just sell it used here in the US.
I really, really wanted to love this thing, but I just don't. It's definitely not for me. Again, I'm not setting out to bash anyone. I just want to write the review I wish I would have read before I bought it. Maybe I would have saved myself a lot of money, time, and hassle.
Here's why:
While the torque, power, and weight are amazing, I got the uncanny sense that I'd always be maintaining my bike and this kit. Firstly, installation was no joke and required tools I didn't have. It's a fairly conspicuous modification compared to a hub, and requires you to change out some pretty major parts, which is a bummer since I like mine.
It was seriously tough to go from 27 smoothly shifting speeds to 6 grinding gears. Since it's geared for top speed, it's tougher to get it started with your own two legs and just ride it like a normal bike. I was always pushing the line between stressing against the gear with my legs, or stressing the motor/controller/chain/cassette.
While my rear cassette is a 9 speed, I couldn't use gears 1-3 or the chain would fall off constantly. The answers on this and other sites to this common problem are to buy a specifically made $90 aluminum chainring about every six months, or rig your front derailleur or similar specific device that would constantly rub against the chain to keep it from falling off while in the lower gears.
This thing has amazing torque and snapped my chain during my third use. Thankfully, I was a few blocks from my house at the time instead of the 7 rolling miles I'd just crossed.
For legal reasons, it ships handicapped, only providing power up to 15mph. Past that, the motor stops which isn't helpful if you need to keep up with 25mph traffic. The answer to that is to buy a cable you'll use once, download some iffy software, and void your warranty to open the BBS02's potential. Alternatively, you can disconnect the speed sensor and bypass your speedometer and display altogether.
Another consideration is the shipping to and from China. It can be purchased in the US and I would've done that had I known better. The em3ev.com price is certainly the cheapest and the support is great. However, when I wanted to exchange a part, shipping was slow and more expensive than the price of the part itself. Shipping ALONE was over $200 in the first place, so make sure to factor that in when buying from China. I haven't tried to return it yet, so we'll see how that goes. I suspect that I'll again face horrendous shipping charges and just sell it used here in the US.
I really, really wanted to love this thing, but I just don't. It's definitely not for me. Again, I'm not setting out to bash anyone. I just want to write the review I wish I would have read before I bought it. Maybe I would have saved myself a lot of money, time, and hassle.