My Bafang Ultra Mountain Bike! Frey AM1000

Tjeska said:
Hi guy's, lot of solid info on this topic, thanks!

Im looking to order one full spec, 48v 21Ah battery.

Has anyone of you guy's changed the stock Bafang 44T chainring to a smaller 36/38 one?
Top speed is not very important for me.

It is stock 40T i changed mine to 42T
 
Are the Frey AM1000 serial numbers sequential or all the same? Does anyone else have ***891409 as their serial number or do you have a different number?
 
Richard N said:
Deafcat said:
mwesleyroper said:
I did this 20190704_042326 - Copy (3).jpg on my first attempt at speed on the flat and she was still giving as I let out of it. I believe it has amazing potential. Post results when done please!

82.8 km/h? This is an impossible speed at these power levels, except if you were standing in one place and riding the bike with the rear wheel off the ground.

Or, if you had a massive tail wind.

Nice try though!

Always know your audience! :D

IMG_20190704_114407.jpg

I'm wrong and I stand corrected. I tried so hard to hit that speed again and didn't come close. And, I recall testing the gear sensor with the rear tire off the ground. That's when the top speed was recorded.
 
The information in this blog is great! I recently just bought an AM1000 and it should arrive soon. Very Excited. Grace was great and got me everything I needed. Hope Custom tax isn't bad here in Canada.

Will be sharing my personal experience with the bike here aswell.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/473236749917900/
 
Tjeska said:
Hi guy's, lot of solid info on this topic, thanks!

Im looking to order one full spec, 48v 21Ah battery.

Has anyone of you guy's changed the stock Bafang 44T chainring to a smaller 36/38 one?
Top speed is not very important for me.

I will also want to go lower. I saw this post?

https://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=91035&start=500#p1374732
 
-JFK- said:
Thanks !
On the disassembly photos (attached), I see 5 white wires, do you know what is for ?
It's simply some wires of the balancing ?

Did this battery case come from : http://www.reention.com/product/detail/91 ?
Thank you.

The cells in the 48V 21aH battery are arranged in 13 groups of 6 cells.

Therefore, there are 13 white wires go to the balancing connector. There is a pdf on the speedict website showing how to wire it up. It's not too difficult if you buy the 15 pin adaptor but it will be a tight fit! I removed the pins from the chinese bms battery connector and inserted them into the neptune connector (15 pin) and soldered the doubled up connections as per the pdf. Make sure they are in the correct order with a multimeter before plugging it in.

You also need to solder the +/- & charge wires.
 
Marmalade said:
-JFK- said:
Thanks !
On the disassembly photos (attached), I see 5 white wires, do you know what is for ?
It's simply some wires of the balancing ?

Did this battery case come from : http://www.reention.com/product/detail/91 ?
Thank you.

The cells in the 48V 21aH battery are arranged in 13 groups of 6 cells.

Therefore, there are 13 white wires go to the balancing connector. There is a pdf on the speedict website showing how to wire it up. It's not too difficult if you buy the 15 pin adaptor but it will be a tight fit! I removed the pins from the chinese bms battery connector and inserted them into the neptune connector (15 pin) and soldered the doubled up connections as per the pdf. Make sure they are in the correct order with a multimeter before plugging it in.

You also need to solder the +/- & charge wires.

Start buying and making quality cell/BMS 52 volt versions. 👍
 
Marmalade said:
-JFK- said:
Thanks !
On the disassembly photos (attached), I see 5 white wires, do you know what is for ?
It's simply some wires of the balancing ?

Did this battery case come from : http://www.reention.com/product/detail/91 ?
Thank you.

The cells in the 48V 21aH battery are arranged in 13 groups of 6 cells.

Therefore, there are 13 white wires go to the balancing connector. There is a pdf on the speedict website showing how to wire it up. It's not too difficult if you buy the 15 pin adaptor but it will be a tight fit! I removed the pins from the chinese bms battery connector and inserted them into the neptune connector (15 pin) and soldered the doubled up connections as per the pdf. Make sure they are in the correct order with a multimeter before plugging it in.

You also need to solder the +/- & charge wires.

Yes!
So, the 5 white wires we see on the photo, are balancing wires?
Not any other communication port?
 
I've got a FLX Blade that has about 1500 miles. it's been a lot of fun and a great into to eMTBs. I have made some changes, the most important being shorter (152mm) cranks from Miranda which solved a serious crank-strike problem. I also swapped out the humongous display for a 500C. Also added 16 degree sweep bars from SQ labs, cushcore insert on rear, tubeless F & R. I've reprogrammed it for smoother power ramp up and quicker ramp down, eliminated shifter and rear-brake power cutoffs. The next mod is to convert the frame to full suspension. I ordered an AM1000 frame from Frey which arrived a few days ago, which is why I am posting. There is a problem with the drive-side dropout which is at a slightly imperfect angle with the result that with the derailleur hanger fastened tight to the frame I cannot thread in the rear axle. Instead I have to loosen the hanger, install the axle which forces the dropout into alignment, and then take up the slack in the hanger fastener. The wheel then spins fine and looks to be aligned but this is a disappointment to be sure. I have been trying to work it out with Frey - at first they did not accept this as a defect but after lots of back and forth have now offered to replace the entire frame albeit at half cost, which is still not a great solution since it is really a manufacturing defect that they should have found during QA.
I can make the frame work as-is via the above described process - I have the necessary allen key in my tool kit.
if I order the new frame I will have the original AM1000 frame plus the original Blade frame - what do I do with those? I wonder if anyone would be interested in buying them from me cheap for DIY build? What would you do in my situation?
 
Stanleybb50 said:
Tjeska said:
Hi guy's, lot of solid info on this topic, thanks!

Im looking to order one full spec, 48v 21Ah battery.

Has anyone of you guy's changed the stock Bafang 44T chainring to a smaller 36/38 one?
Top speed is not very important for me.

I will also want to go lower. I saw this post?

https://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=91035&start=500#p1374732


Even with the 44T climbing abilities are insane. The singletracks I do are usually between 20 to 30km/h on average, meaning that I am using the middle to lower end of the spectrum on the cassette. Using a 32T or something smaller would mean using the smallest cogs more, and they wear faster/slip easier.

Just assume you're riding with a certain cadence, and calculate whether you're using the middle gear when going average speeds. This should tell you what chainring suits you.
 
mwesleyroper said:
Are the Frey AM1000 serial numbers sequential or all the same? Does anyone else have ***891409 as their serial number or do you have a different number?

Anybody? Is anybody's serial number different? I ask this because Frey has an image posted of a black AM1000 with the same ending 6 digits as my silver AM1000. I think that is odd.
 
Hardcore said:
Stanleybb50 said:
Tjeska said:
Hi guy's, lot of solid info on this topic, thanks!

Im looking to order one full spec, 48v 21Ah battery.

Has anyone of you guy's changed the stock Bafang 44T chainring to a smaller 36/38 one?
Top speed is not very important for me.

I will also want to go lower. I saw this post?

https://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=91035&start=500#p1374732

And specifically, lowering the number of teeth on the front chainring will be increasing the torque the motor is putting through the cassette and rear hub in the largest gear. Simple math indicates that going to a 36T from a 44T will increase the torque 1.2X which doesn't sound a lot, but with the ultra's 160nm it rockets to 192nm.

Is a bit much to ask a typical 3 pawl hub and non nukeproof cassette to handle that.
 
cscscs said:
I've got a FLX Blade that has about 1500 miles. it's been a lot of fun and a great into to eMTBs. I have made some changes, the most important being shorter (152mm) cranks from Miranda which solved a serious crank-strike problem. I also swapped out the humongous display for a 500C. Also added 16 degree sweep bars from SQ labs, cushcore insert on rear, tubeless F & R. I've reprogrammed it for smoother power ramp up and quicker ramp down, eliminated shifter and rear-brake power cutoffs. The next mod is to convert the frame to full suspension. I ordered an AM1000 frame from Frey which arrived a few days ago, which is why I am posting. There is a problem with the drive-side dropout which is at a slightly imperfect angle with the result that with the derailleur hanger fastened tight to the frame I cannot thread in the rear axle. Instead I have to loosen the hanger, install the axle which forces the dropout into alignment, and then take up the slack in the hanger fastener. The wheel then spins fine and looks to be aligned but this is a disappointment to be sure. I have been trying to work it out with Frey - at first they did not accept this as a defect but after lots of back and forth have now offered to replace the entire frame albeit at half cost, which is still not a great solution since it is really a manufacturing defect that they should have found during QA.
I can make the frame work as-is via the above described process - I have the necessary allen key in my tool kit.
if I order the new frame I will have the original AM1000 frame plus the original Blade frame - what do I do with those? I wonder if anyone would be interested in buying them from me cheap for DIY build? What would you do in my situation?

I'd have a look at the frames and maybe make you an offer, the defective dropout I could fix. Fire me over some pictures...
 
So... Obviously i know why I'm here - I like power, I like customizability, I like DIY, I like to feel myself in a project/bike.

I already have an AM1000 on order and I'm nothing but excited about it. But, I have to admit, watching videos of folks on the "mainstream" bikes and discussing those bikes with Shamano, Bosch, Yamaha, etc, and the large production companies involved, it makes me a tad jealous. Maybe it's the weight, maybe it's that I'm left with the impression those bikes may "feel" just like a regular bike (in a good way). And light, simple, etc?

I guess what I'm asking is: if you had to sum up the argument (for) the Ultra Motor and Frey bikes, what would it be?

- Just the power and customizability like I said?
- *I personally feel when I view their (Frey's) frames that they appear a bit stronger? Is that my imagination? Which would explain more weight, but also more DURABILITY - right?
- Are there any advantages to the mainstreams, like a Giant E+ Pro? (Close to the same price as here after shipping of a high end spec)
- What else?
- Could be nice to have a list of bullet points (pros and cons) to present to friends in the space. (I have a buddy looking to buy right now and he's leaning more towards the mainstream units). I also work with another buddy who has a Raleigh bike with the Bosch motor and he realllllly loves it.

Just looking for some feedback! The feedback may help Frey as well. (***On that note - who's going to partner with Frey to bring these units to the States????). The offerings from Frey are spectacular! Especially when there's the M600 model which closely can compete with and be the Bafang version of those "mainstream" bikes.
 
Stanleybb50 said:
So... Obviously i know why I'm here - I like power, I like customizability, I like DIY, I like to feel myself in a project/bike.

But I have to admit, watching videos of folks on the "mainstream" bikes and discussing those bikes with Shamano, Bosch, Yamaha, etc, and the large production companies involved, it makes me a tad jealous. Maybe it's the weight, maybe it's that I'm left with the impression those bikes may "feel" just like a regular bike (in a good way). And light, simple, etc?

I guess what I'm asking is: if you had to sum up the argument (for) the Ultra Motor and Frey bikes, what would it be?

- Just the power and customizability like I said?
- *I personally feel when I view their (Frey's) frames that they appear a bit stronger? Is that my imagination? Which would explain more weight, but also more DURABILITY - right?
- Are there any advantages to the mainstreams, like a Giant E+ Pro? (Close to the same price as here after shipping of a high end spec)
- What else?
- Could be nice to have a list of bullet points (pros and cons) to present to friends in the space. (I have a buddy looking to buy right now and he's leaning more towards the mainstream units). I also work with another buddy who has a Raleigh bike with the Bosch motor and he realllllly loves it.

Just looking for some feedback! The feedback may help Frey as well. (***On that note - who's going to partner with Frey to bring these units to the States????). The offerings from Frey are spectacular! Especially when there's the M600 model which closely can compete with and be the Bafang version of those "mainstream" bikes.

do you want a throttle option and higher power, bc most of the mainstream production emtb such as giant, etc don't offer those options..
 
Trust me, everybody loves their e-bikes, they're a blast, but anybody that has ridden my am1000 and compared it to theirs judged that either theirs is satisfying them just as good and don't need all that much more, or loved the extra kick.

But in all honesty, I always wonder why people want lighter ebikes. The added weight makes it more stable on rough ground and in the air while the downside of a heavy-bike on the straights is simply compensated by the motor and complemented by the battery size. Of course, it is not as nimble, but the geometry of the bike is not set up for that anyway. In terms of durability, I've been riding for over 2500 km over rough trails and have the same amount of maintenance as, for instance, my dad on his bike.

Pros:
Power, throttle, bigger battery, programmability

Cons:
Weight, proximity to service stations and warranty claims need shipping but otherwise is handled great
 
I'd like to see a redesign with more newer geometry and a motor/battery integration like their M600 bike where the motor is rotated upwards.
Perhaps a 29er to allow the use of larger cogs?

The weight is an issue but at least it's low in the frame.
 
Sinbord1981 said:
Stanleybb50 said:
So... Obviously i know why I'm here - I like power, I like customizability, I like DIY, I like to feel myself in a project/bike.

I already have an AM1000 on order and I'm nothing but excited about it. But, I have to admit, watching videos of folks on the "mainstream" bikes and discussing those bikes with Shamano, Bosch, Yamaha, etc, and the large production companies involved, it makes me a tad jealous. Maybe it's the weight, maybe it's that I'm left with the impression those bikes may "feel" just like a regular bike (in a good way). And light, simple, etc?

I guess what I'm asking is: if you had to sum up the argument (for) the Ultra Motor and Frey bikes, what would it be?

- Just the power and customizability like I said?
- *I personally feel when I view their (Frey's) frames that they appear a bit stronger? Is that my imagination? Which would explain more weight, but also more DURABILITY - right?
- Are there any advantages to the mainstreams, like a Giant E+ Pro? (Close to the same price as here after shipping of a high end spec)
- What else?
- Could be nice to have a list of bullet points (pros and cons) to present to friends in the space. (I have a buddy looking to buy right now and he's leaning more towards the mainstream units). I also work with another buddy who has a Raleigh bike with the Bosch motor and he realllllly loves it.

Just looking for some feedback! The feedback may help Frey as well. (***On that note - who's going to partner with Frey to bring these units to the States????). The offerings from Frey are spectacular! Especially when there's the M600 model which closely can compete with and be the Bafang version of those "mainstream" bikes.

Hi Stanleybb50! You’ve pretty much covered it already in your post. The power is insane compared to regular own-market eBikes you can buy. The AM1000 is such a good compromise in terms of power vs weight. Yes, I’d like it to be lighter (mine is 31.2kg as weighed just now), but to be honest the weight has its advantages as well. In the real boggy stuff you get incredible traction as the weight helps it cut through the surface looseness. I can go out in full power mode - Sport / Assist 5 - and drain the battery in under an hour but then equally I can ride more sensibly for 20+ miles to a local off road course, smash it around for half hour and still make it home on one charge. I am mightily impressed. It’s also fun then switching back to the lightness of my 8 kilo road bike or my Carbon MTB bike (12kilo).

The mainstream eBikes are normally limited in the electronics, run smaller power motors and have half the size in Watt Hours of battery capacity. You’ll never get a one-bike-does-it-all but the Frey AM1000 does get close and I’m glad I bought it over an eBike through my LBS. The Bafang GS510.1000 is a truely awesome motor. For me here in the UK the AM1000 worked out at least 1/2 to 1/3 the price it would have cost me for a reasonably similarly high end-spec’d eBike. Good luck with yours. It’s wicked mate!

Thanks for the quality response! I heard back from Grace that mine should be ready next week! 👍
 
Sinbord1981 said:
Today it was really wet first thing here in the United Kingdom so I thought I'd go out on my recently purchased Frey AM1000 v5 8) . I had the intention of doing some of the road ride with my local cycle club and then going off-road for a bit more fun but it got to the point where I thought I'd see how far I could get on a single battery charge (52V 17.5ahr).

I made it 66 miles, nearly 3,000 feet climbing, at an average speed of 17.8 mph and was down to 7% battery :lowbatt: left when I got home. I was mainly in Eco Assist 1 but I gave it the occasional push up some of the steeper climbs (up to Sport Assist level 5). On the way back from the coffee shop my cycling buddies were all exhausted and took refuge behind me at the front cutting the wind for them. To top it all off the sun had come out as well. The bike pulls in a lot of interest from both other cyclists and non-cyclists at the cafes. Do you guys find that too?


It still gave me a great work out though :bigthumb:

:wink:

Have a great weekend everyone and keep eating the bananas :banana: :banana: :banana:



48330458046_c47e81065f_z.jpg

48330457856_c5f46692d5_b.jpg

48330590287_5d019de5b3_b.jpg

That's glorious! Snap a fresh pic of the bike as well? 😁
 
Sinbord1981 said:
Stanleybb50 said:
That's glorious! Snap a fresh pic of the bike as well? 😁

Did you see my video from the other day Stanleybb50?
[youtube]DeLGtSSy788[/youtube]

Oh yes! I did see that. I'll likely watch it a few more times too. All the pics I need right in there. Great all around video. Well done and it makes me even more excited.

I might have mine in the next 2 weeks. 👍😁
 
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