robocam
10 kW
- Joined
- May 29, 2014
- Messages
- 773
I decided to start this thread to document my experience buying this electric mountain bike.
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/The-3rd-generation-AM1000-Bafang-G510_60700621160.html?spm=a2700.8443308.0.0.NbBWV0
There seems to be very little information available about bikes using the Bafang Ultra mid drive and no information about Frey bikes, so hopefully this will help those that might be interested.
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of test riding a Giant Full E +1, and since then, I knew I had to add a torque sensor-equipped bike to my collection. That bike gave me such a workout because it made me work for the power but it was so much fun! At times I wished it had a throttle so I could rest. Enter the Bafang Ultra which has both a torque sensor and a throttle!
This particular bike from Frey is of great interest to me because it is a full suspension bike with approximately 6" of travel (160mm front & 150mm rear). It also has a relatively slack 66.5 degree head angle, perfect for bombing down hills. I've also been wanting to try 27.5+ tires to see how they compare to the 29x2.5" tires on my Specialized Enduro 29. The components are top notch, something unexpected in a bike at this price point. The battery is also not too shabby at 48V/21Ah (1008Wh). The brakes are quad piston Maguras. The shocks are RockShox. The drivetrain is Shimano M8000 XT 11-speed. These are enthusiast parts you would actually want on your bike!
According to Frey, the frame is a third generation design that is stronger than its predecessors. Initially, I had concerns about the strength of the frame, but the welds look good, and hopefully they've ironed out any issues in this 3rd gen design.
I've ordered it in all matte black (this is a great option for those that don't like name brands plastered all over their bike), and I also upgraded the fork from a RockShox Yari to a Lyrik, one of the best forks available (better than a Fox 36 according to some - I also have that Fox on my Trek and a Lyrik on my Specialized). I also ordered an extra battery, charger, kick stand, and 20 rear derailleur hangers (yes 20, I've broken at least 4 in the past couple of years on one of my other bikes, and since these will probably be difficult to find, I want to make sure I always have spares available).
I just paid for it today (10-13-2017), so I'll keep you updated on its progress.
[UPDATE 10-14-2017] I forgot to mention that on this bike, the Bafang Ultra's throttle is programmed so that maximum available power varies depending on assist level. I don't know if this is the way it is for all Ultra-equipped bikes with the stock Bafang programming, but I asked the seller about it, and they said that they can get one from Bafang that is programmed so that maximum available power is available at assist levels 1-5. I don't know why anyone would want it any other way. I even asked if I could have the throttle enabled at assist level 0 but they said it cannot for safety reasons [EDIT: It is very easy to enable the throttle in assist 0 using the software. Just change the 0 to a 1 under the current limit in assist 0], so I asked them if it was unlocked so that I could program it, and they said it was. I don't know if all Ultra's are unlocked, so make sure you ask your seller if this is important to you.
[strike]I hope someone confirms that it can be programmed with the same software used for Bafang's other mid drives. I'm afraid to try because I might mess it up to where I can't fix it. Or if someone knows of other software that can program it, please let me know.[/strike] I can program it! Frey provided the software. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWCR3iV3d9I
Cost breakdown [edit - I was asked very politely to remove the pricing information]:
Bike $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Fork upgrade to Lyrik $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional 48V/21Ah battery $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional charger $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional kick stand $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional rear derailleur hanger $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Shipping for all of the above $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
[Edit: Frey responds very promptly, so you might want to message them for the most recent pricing]
Note in the description there is a mistake in the number of cells in the battery. The correct number is 78 and not 65.
The tires are dual compound. I asked if I could get the 3C compound but was told it would take 2 months for a bulk order. It's ok. At least they're made by a reputable brand.
http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-519-rekonplus
I must say that interacting with the sales contact has been a positive experience. She really knows their bikes well. I've probably messaged her 40 times, and each time she responds promptly with the information I'm looking for.
[UPDATE 10-25-2017]
They sent me some photos and told me my frame is in this batch =)
In this photo, they were letting me know that about 50% of the bike parts are made by CNC and that a custom logo can be machined into the swing arm. I think I'll just leave it blank for a cleaner look.
Here are a few more pictures.
Yay! It has a throttle!
[UPDATE 10-28-2017]
They sent me a few more photos and let me know 3" wide tires fit in the rear.
They also included a screenshot of what they could read from the Ultra using their programming software. [strike]They have not confirmed whether they can actually change any of the parameters. I wonder if the software from the link below will work.[/strike] I have figured out how to program it! Frey provided the software. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWCR3iV3d9I
https://penoff.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/e-bike-conversion-software/
[UPDATE 11-14-2017]
They just sent me these photos of my bike! It's almost ready to be shipped!
[UPDATE 11-20-2017]
[UPDATE 11-30-2017]
It has arrived!
Here's the unboxing video. I made an error when I said there were no bearings in the rocker arm. There are indeed ball bearings at both pivot locations.
https://youtu.be/8AExCcTGF2w
[UPDATE 12-12-2017]
Figured out how to program it! I love the way the torque sensor makes the bike feel!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWCR3iV3d9I
Just found out it comes with the steel gear!
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/The-3rd-generation-AM1000-Bafang-G510_60700621160.html?spm=a2700.8443308.0.0.NbBWV0
There seems to be very little information available about bikes using the Bafang Ultra mid drive and no information about Frey bikes, so hopefully this will help those that might be interested.
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of test riding a Giant Full E +1, and since then, I knew I had to add a torque sensor-equipped bike to my collection. That bike gave me such a workout because it made me work for the power but it was so much fun! At times I wished it had a throttle so I could rest. Enter the Bafang Ultra which has both a torque sensor and a throttle!
This particular bike from Frey is of great interest to me because it is a full suspension bike with approximately 6" of travel (160mm front & 150mm rear). It also has a relatively slack 66.5 degree head angle, perfect for bombing down hills. I've also been wanting to try 27.5+ tires to see how they compare to the 29x2.5" tires on my Specialized Enduro 29. The components are top notch, something unexpected in a bike at this price point. The battery is also not too shabby at 48V/21Ah (1008Wh). The brakes are quad piston Maguras. The shocks are RockShox. The drivetrain is Shimano M8000 XT 11-speed. These are enthusiast parts you would actually want on your bike!
According to Frey, the frame is a third generation design that is stronger than its predecessors. Initially, I had concerns about the strength of the frame, but the welds look good, and hopefully they've ironed out any issues in this 3rd gen design.
I've ordered it in all matte black (this is a great option for those that don't like name brands plastered all over their bike), and I also upgraded the fork from a RockShox Yari to a Lyrik, one of the best forks available (better than a Fox 36 according to some - I also have that Fox on my Trek and a Lyrik on my Specialized). I also ordered an extra battery, charger, kick stand, and 20 rear derailleur hangers (yes 20, I've broken at least 4 in the past couple of years on one of my other bikes, and since these will probably be difficult to find, I want to make sure I always have spares available).
I just paid for it today (10-13-2017), so I'll keep you updated on its progress.
[UPDATE 10-14-2017] I forgot to mention that on this bike, the Bafang Ultra's throttle is programmed so that maximum available power varies depending on assist level. I don't know if this is the way it is for all Ultra-equipped bikes with the stock Bafang programming, but I asked the seller about it, and they said that they can get one from Bafang that is programmed so that maximum available power is available at assist levels 1-5. I don't know why anyone would want it any other way. I even asked if I could have the throttle enabled at assist level 0 but they said it cannot for safety reasons [EDIT: It is very easy to enable the throttle in assist 0 using the software. Just change the 0 to a 1 under the current limit in assist 0], so I asked them if it was unlocked so that I could program it, and they said it was. I don't know if all Ultra's are unlocked, so make sure you ask your seller if this is important to you.
[strike]I hope someone confirms that it can be programmed with the same software used for Bafang's other mid drives. I'm afraid to try because I might mess it up to where I can't fix it. Or if someone knows of other software that can program it, please let me know.[/strike] I can program it! Frey provided the software. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWCR3iV3d9I
Cost breakdown [edit - I was asked very politely to remove the pricing information]:
Bike $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Fork upgrade to Lyrik $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional 48V/21Ah battery $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional charger $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional kick stand $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Additional rear derailleur hanger $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
Shipping for all of the above $[edit - please contact Frey for pricing]
[Edit: Frey responds very promptly, so you might want to message them for the most recent pricing]
Note in the description there is a mistake in the number of cells in the battery. The correct number is 78 and not 65.
The tires are dual compound. I asked if I could get the 3C compound but was told it would take 2 months for a bulk order. It's ok. At least they're made by a reputable brand.
http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-519-rekonplus
I must say that interacting with the sales contact has been a positive experience. She really knows their bikes well. I've probably messaged her 40 times, and each time she responds promptly with the information I'm looking for.
[UPDATE 10-25-2017]
They sent me some photos and told me my frame is in this batch =)
In this photo, they were letting me know that about 50% of the bike parts are made by CNC and that a custom logo can be machined into the swing arm. I think I'll just leave it blank for a cleaner look.
Here are a few more pictures.
Yay! It has a throttle!
[UPDATE 10-28-2017]
They sent me a few more photos and let me know 3" wide tires fit in the rear.
They also included a screenshot of what they could read from the Ultra using their programming software. [strike]They have not confirmed whether they can actually change any of the parameters. I wonder if the software from the link below will work.[/strike] I have figured out how to program it! Frey provided the software. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWCR3iV3d9I
https://penoff.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/e-bike-conversion-software/
[UPDATE 11-14-2017]
They just sent me these photos of my bike! It's almost ready to be shipped!
[UPDATE 11-20-2017]
[UPDATE 11-30-2017]
It has arrived!
Here's the unboxing video. I made an error when I said there were no bearings in the rocker arm. There are indeed ball bearings at both pivot locations.
https://youtu.be/8AExCcTGF2w
[UPDATE 12-12-2017]
Figured out how to program it! I love the way the torque sensor makes the bike feel!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWCR3iV3d9I
Just found out it comes with the steel gear!
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