Update on BBS01.
We've now gotten to the point where we will be selling all our bikes with front and rear hub motor kits and shifting over to Bafang BBS01 mid mount bottom bracket motors for all our bikes (we have six guest bikes). Because we visited the factory in January, hosted their rep in NZ, offered to test out the prototypes and to edit the user manuals for native English, we have been able to develop a good working relationship. We've made a number of suggestions for improvements, and the factory is receptive.
Most recently, when word got out that we planned to put an order in for motors, others asked if they could join in a group purchase. We are now up to 22 motors, with one more person who called tonight hoping to get in before the cut-off (which we hoped would be tomorrow). The factory will be setting 17 of them for New Zealand legal, 300W, no limiter and thumb throttle. I was tempted to order one of the 750W 48v motors, but I don't do off road, so I'll let someone else report on the big boy. Bafang does say that it is designed for tricycles and utility bikes as it can stress the chain, but I expect Americans will be ordering it for their regular bikes in states where 750W is legal.
We have asked Bafang that some of our motors do not come with the C961 display, but instead are programmed for a simple on-off switch and a 1-2-3 switch to give partial and full speed. The display is nice, and it has lots of useful features like speed and distance, but for guest bikes (or for dealers who don't want to see broken returns), it's one less thing to break and a simple switch is lot easier to replace locally if it does get damaged. Already the BBS01 has built in the controller and pedalec, which means less things to strap on the bike, and fewer cables.
Many of these questions on this thread have to do with factory settings. In other words, the restrictions are software programmed, not hardware limitations. Unlike our enthusiast vendors who encourage hacking by supplying USB cables and in some cases the software, Bafang prefers to set the motors at the factory and discourage hacking. But as they learn the market, they are able to set them for each different country. Our law says 300W max, but nothing more. No speed limiter. We found with hub motors 300W without gearing was inadequate because of our Swiss-style hills. With the BBS01 that uses the bikes gears, we found that even the Eurospec 250W works fine, but appreciate that Bafang will be setting up our batch to be max legal in NZ. As they learn the other markets, I expect they will do the same for each.
Speaking of gears, all our bikes are internal hub gears, either Shimano Nexus or Sturmey Archer (AB & S3X). They are not designed to be shifted under power, which means that chain has to stop moving. The motor has lag, thus when you stop pedalling, you have to wait until the motor stops... going up a hill, this means losing momentum. The ideal solution will be a sensor in the motor that cuts power as soon as the cranks stop turning. We have proposed a work-around where an instant-off button on the handlebar is spliced into the ebrake, because if you touch the ebrake, the motor instantly quits. The challenge going up a hill is to goose the brake just enough to cut power, but not slow the bike; pressing a red button would be like an electronic clutch. We'll report on it, if we get it in the next batch. The other way to go is to install the NuVinci N360 transmission hub that can be shifted under power. NuVinci will warrant the N360 with a 250W motor. At 2.45 kg, it weighs more than the battery, but it does sound like the perfect match to the BBS01. It also can be installed with a roller brake. We've bought one and had it laced to a 28" roadster wheel (635mm), and will report when we get it back on the 1951 Raleigh DL-1. We also had a SA X-FDD front brake/dynamo hub laced into a new rim (both original rims were knackered) which will give new life to a great frame. Now, it's awaiting a free day for me to sand down and hand paint the frame with Hammerite black. It will be heavy (actually the stripped frame is not heavy... its the steel wheels, 28x 1 1/2" tyres and the hubs that will make it a brick), but it will be ridden, not carried and the motor will deal to the tonnage.
For this order, we are going with the Cellman 29E 36v battery. It's small and light compared to the older generation batteries, small enough that it can fit into a saddlebag and further increase the stealth quality of the bike. While the motor sits in full view for those in the know, it actually looks like part of the bottom bracket and it quite fools most people when mounted on a classic European town bike like the Gazelle or the Bella Ciao. We hide the battery in a Brooks Millbrook saddlebag that is placed on the front handlebar. In our emails to Paul, he made it clear that if we can ship 20kg volumes, the shipping works out reasonably for each battery. Thus, if we order in increments of 9 batteries (just under 20kg), the cost per battery is not at all bad. At last count we were at 16 batteries, and I'll probably make up the difference if more orders don't come in in the next 24 hours.
This volume of orders came through word of mouth and a single article in our local paper. We have a population of 8,000. While group buys can be a pain to coordinate, it is a good way to save money especially on shipping. It seems that some of the online Chinese vendors, which offer really cheap prices, are making their profits back on exorbitant shipping costs. Cellman does not play that game. So, if you are on a tight budget, put the word out and see if a group buy comes together. Just make sure you get your pricing right, and maintain really good communications with your buyers, so they understand you are not a vendor, but an order coordinator. Also, if you are not dealing in USD, make sure you provide for a drop in your local currency.
Bottom line: We love the BBS01. It is a game changer, and we expect it may become a huge seller. Because Bafang sells them designed as an after market kit, you can expect substantial market growth. Interestingly in our small sampling 8 buyers were women, four men. This is very different than the demographics of this forum. Our experience suggests that the huge untapped market is female... not looking for massive power or hackability, but "invisible riding" meaning you pedal, it adds power, it makes going up hills easy, and all you do is plug it in every night.
Lecrewse's Ebay auction states: Top speed 25mph using throttle and 27mph+ using pedal assist function. I don't know why they would limit the speed on this other than to sell legal kits to Europe. Makes no sense to me. If Lecrewse got them to change things, I am sure anyone here could do the same. There are some real advantages to buying from someone that actually has the product on hand and is stateside though. Lecrewse also has twist throttles instead of those cheap thumb throttles - I hated mine that lasted only a week. I am not trying to cut into his sales -as you are taking the risk upon yourself to order anything from Aliexpress. That might not be worth the money saved. Just depends on how cheap/risky you are. I really just don't think he was able to get some different version that they wouldn't sell to anyone else.
