Greetings all,
I am continuing my build of an electrified dutch city bike, the initial write-up is here:
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=97708&p=1431086#p1431086
As nearly anyone who has experienced the joys of a full chain case can tell you, it is exceptionally hard to voluntarily remove it from ones bike. To give it up and move on, with your chain exposed to the elements, is very hard to do. It's akin to giving up your TV remote control. Sure you can technically get up and change the channels on the TV with the little buttons, but it's not a life I'm sure I want to live! I run a machine shop/workshop and have my hands dirty all day long. I understand how to maintain a chain, it's just that life is so much easier not having to do so.
This entire chaincase debate is predicated on the fact that your bike must either be a single speed or have internal gearing. For some reason internal gearing is relatively unheard of in the U.S.. Regardless, my Gazelle Heavy Duty NL operates with a Nexus 7 speed and when paired with a Bafang BBSHD and 52 volt battery, it becomes an obscenely fast rhinoceros of a bike. Throw on a couple of kids and we are careening down the road laughing all the way.
Sadly, the addition of the BBSHD meant that my chaincase was no longer wide enough to accommodate the chain AND the Bafang's motor. You can buy larger chain cases that account for larger tooth count cranks, but you will not find a full chaincase that accounts for the additional width of the motor. See the picture.
Devastated, I tried to return to my life but quickly found that my pants got snagged and stained, my chain got dirty and I suddenly had to start worrying about which pants I was wearing and if I remembered to bring that stupid pant strap thingy. My bike ceased to be a reliable no brainer and became yet another thing to be accommodated. I searched long and hard and finally came across the Hebie Chainglider. Made in Germany, it is sold domestically by Universal Cycles and cost about $60 for the complete setup. $40ish for the front sprocket and $20ish for the rear sprocket. View attachment 4View attachment 3
The Hebie is stupid simple to install and it all snaps together with little tabs and COMPLETELY encloses your chain. Although no instructions arrived with the Chainglider, I assumed lubrication was necessary and thoroughly packed the Hebie with grease. I would typically use a Mobile One Synthetic grease but I only had an anti-seize piston/engine assembly grease on hand so I used that instead. Since dust and dirt are non-issues now, the full grease bath completely repels water and silences noise. The Hebie Chainglider is magnificent. It works exactly as you would expect and all of my exposed chain woes are resolved. I would recommend it to anyone. There are two drawbacks that should be noted. As suggested by the name, the chain GLIDES through the case and as such it produces a purring sound that I occasionally can hear above the road noise. Traveling at 20 mph, I most often only hear wind. The glide of the chain does also produce a degree of notable resistance. It's more than the cogging of a hub drive or a hub dynamo/generator. If it was a non-electric (stone age :wink: ) bike, I would not install the Hebie - I would reinstall my chaincase! Seriously though, I would likely not install it on a fixie. Yet with the obscene amount of torque provided by the BBSHD, it is completely irrelevant. Over the weekend my battery did die (low voltage cut out) and I peddled home about three miles with packages and my 9 year old on the back. The resistance was no big deal.
Here is my bike build to date, Christmas lights alight for your enjoyment!
Best,
Stephen
I am continuing my build of an electrified dutch city bike, the initial write-up is here:
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=97708&p=1431086#p1431086
As nearly anyone who has experienced the joys of a full chain case can tell you, it is exceptionally hard to voluntarily remove it from ones bike. To give it up and move on, with your chain exposed to the elements, is very hard to do. It's akin to giving up your TV remote control. Sure you can technically get up and change the channels on the TV with the little buttons, but it's not a life I'm sure I want to live! I run a machine shop/workshop and have my hands dirty all day long. I understand how to maintain a chain, it's just that life is so much easier not having to do so.
This entire chaincase debate is predicated on the fact that your bike must either be a single speed or have internal gearing. For some reason internal gearing is relatively unheard of in the U.S.. Regardless, my Gazelle Heavy Duty NL operates with a Nexus 7 speed and when paired with a Bafang BBSHD and 52 volt battery, it becomes an obscenely fast rhinoceros of a bike. Throw on a couple of kids and we are careening down the road laughing all the way.
Sadly, the addition of the BBSHD meant that my chaincase was no longer wide enough to accommodate the chain AND the Bafang's motor. You can buy larger chain cases that account for larger tooth count cranks, but you will not find a full chaincase that accounts for the additional width of the motor. See the picture.
Devastated, I tried to return to my life but quickly found that my pants got snagged and stained, my chain got dirty and I suddenly had to start worrying about which pants I was wearing and if I remembered to bring that stupid pant strap thingy. My bike ceased to be a reliable no brainer and became yet another thing to be accommodated. I searched long and hard and finally came across the Hebie Chainglider. Made in Germany, it is sold domestically by Universal Cycles and cost about $60 for the complete setup. $40ish for the front sprocket and $20ish for the rear sprocket. View attachment 4View attachment 3
The Hebie is stupid simple to install and it all snaps together with little tabs and COMPLETELY encloses your chain. Although no instructions arrived with the Chainglider, I assumed lubrication was necessary and thoroughly packed the Hebie with grease. I would typically use a Mobile One Synthetic grease but I only had an anti-seize piston/engine assembly grease on hand so I used that instead. Since dust and dirt are non-issues now, the full grease bath completely repels water and silences noise. The Hebie Chainglider is magnificent. It works exactly as you would expect and all of my exposed chain woes are resolved. I would recommend it to anyone. There are two drawbacks that should be noted. As suggested by the name, the chain GLIDES through the case and as such it produces a purring sound that I occasionally can hear above the road noise. Traveling at 20 mph, I most often only hear wind. The glide of the chain does also produce a degree of notable resistance. It's more than the cogging of a hub drive or a hub dynamo/generator. If it was a non-electric (stone age :wink: ) bike, I would not install the Hebie - I would reinstall my chaincase! Seriously though, I would likely not install it on a fixie. Yet with the obscene amount of torque provided by the BBSHD, it is completely irrelevant. Over the weekend my battery did die (low voltage cut out) and I peddled home about three miles with packages and my 9 year old on the back. The resistance was no big deal.
Here is my bike build to date, Christmas lights alight for your enjoyment!
Best,
Stephen
