New blog dedicated to BBS02 and fatbikes / 100mm BBS02 kit

[ebikedelight]

Yes the Dolomite might be the perfect cheap donor bike. I'll be posting another build thread in the next week or two for our conversion.

Bikes direct bikes are very goos as well and much lighter. I just bought a deadeye monster single speed ($300 which is $100 off because it was banged up from shipping) that I weighed last night at 31 lbs! Brakes are crap but the drive train is steel and looks usable aluminum frame and the beefiest rear dropouts I've ever seen on an aluminum frame.

Karl

At only 31 lbs, that is impressive for the low cost ...but I wouldnt like just 1 speed on a fat bike.

FWIW....It isnt to hard or expensive to get the dolomite to around 40 lbs . Just by replacing stock tires and tubes , with a 120 TPI VEE mission tires and Q-tubes super light tubes , you can drop the weight by around 6 lbs . I bought a new set of VEE tires off craigslist for $60 and the Q -tubes on ebay for $24 . So for $84 , I easily lowered the weight of the dolomite .

Id also like to mention the importance of pre=checks/ lubes on these fat bikes , ecspecially the big box styles walmart bikes. My dolomite had axle bearings in the wheels and bottom bracket, that were bone dry of grease, and way overtightened . If I had rode it the way it was, the resistance woulda been much worse and the bearings woulda worn down much quicker.

 

[ebikedelight]

I am building a low cost electric dolomite for my wife right now .

I am waiting for a decent priced fat bike , with suspension, and a large frame { for my 6ft 4" height } , to come to market . Once it does, I will upgrade that to electric also.

Right now, I think many of these decent made fatbikes, are still to overpriced.

 

[leelorr]

Ebikedelight,
you may already be aware of this, but if not, "Bikesdirect" has started offering pretty good deals on well equipped FatBikes with the new "Bluto" Rockshox front suspensio on their web site:. They also have a full suspension FatBike shipping next month or so also, and have photos of it (you can pre-order) on the same page. I considered shaving the 100mm BB down to be able to use a BBS02 kit on one of the front suspension bikes they sell, but I decided it made me a little too nervous. :^)

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/fat-bikes.htm

Good luck,
Lorrin

 

[gridlok]

I've ordered 3 bikes from BD with the intention to grind off the BB and the actual frames do NOT look like the pictures. There is simply no way to mod the bottom bracket to get these bikes to fit a BBS02 without the axle kit. The Deadeye Monster might work, but I still am going to have to mod the frame a bit. All bikes had a COMPLETELY different BB/chainstay intersection than what was in the photos.

That being said I think the Full Suspension version you might be able to do that (grind the BB). I plan on buying one as soon as they are available. It looks like the perfect AWD fatbike.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/gravity/fat-bikes/fatbikes-quigley-fs-bluto.htm

I've been very happy with the Boris X9, but the cheaper Deadeye Monster and Bullseye Monster have crappy ass brakes the Bullseye has poor shifters/derailer/drivetrain. All junk.

If you go with BD get the best bike you can afford.

Karl

 

[ebikedelight]

Let me know if the Gravity Quigley full suspension fat bike for $1499 , allows the bottom bracket to be shaved down for the BBS02 to function properly.

Does anyone know if the components on the Gravity fat bike, seem to be solid / durable enough to handle a BBS02 mid drive for trails/ mountainbiking or does it look like certain components would need to be replaced ?

If theres enough space to shorten the bottom bracket for the stock BBS02 , there are simple ways to strengthen the modified bottom bracket , to help prevent cracks/ breakage from the stress of using the mid drive system and shortening it . A few very strong steel hose clamps could be slipped over the B.B. and tightened down on each side of the bottom bracket or even a thin piece of steel or aluminum tubing , that tightly slides over the bottom bracket and then welded so it becomes a integral part of supporting the stress the bottom bracket would receive from the mid drive.

 

[gridlok]

The bottom bracket is strong enough for a BBS02. The bottom bracket is the strongest part of an aluminum frame.

The components reliability depends on how much you pay. The Boris X9 ($800) is high end stuff. Not a single issue. The Bullseye ($500) the drivetrain lasted about a week on the BBS02. The cassette lost teeth, bent teeth, chipped teeth. Chain is good though, no stretch.

Think under $650 you'll be replacing most of the stuff, over that you should be OK. Buy the best bike you can afford.

Karl

 

[ebikedelight]

The bottom bracket is strong enough for a BBS02. The bottom bracket is the strongest part of an aluminum frame.

The components reliability depends on how much you pay. The Boris X9 ($800) is high end stuff. Not a single issue. The Bullseye ($500) the drivetrain lasted about a week on the BBS02. The cassette lost teeth, bent teeth, chipped teeth. Chain is good though, no stretch.

Think under $650 you'll be replacing most of the stuff, over that you should be OK. Buy the best bike you can afford.

Karl

"quote " under $650, you will be replacing most stuff. "

For a mid range ebike conversion, you are probably correct .

For a brushless hub conversion, maybe not , since the stress from the ebike components are not applied thru the B.B. crank , cassette, etc. In fact, many people who just wish to do mostly flat road styled riding and some very light trails , could get away with a bike like the dolomite and a brushless hub setup .

 

[ebikedelight]

I see the gravity full suspension fat bike is pre-order..at $1499.

I guess BD is gonna place a large container order , based on how many pre-orders they get.

It wouldnt shock me to find out that BD is getting each one of these bikes at a wholesale quantity price of $800 or less.

The markup in these overseas items , is unreal.

 

[gridlok]

New article on Through-Hole axles, the current thing that is making me lose a lot of sleep.

https://electricfatbike.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/will-though-hole-axles-spell-the-end-of-the-hub-motor-as-we-know-it/

Also update from Paul about the Fat Mac

"People can select a standard 10 or 12T rear, then make a comment that they need the special 175mm fat bike version at checkout, then we’ll contact them back and arrange it. I’ll try to get it added to the site soon. Price is not finalised, maybe plus 10 or 15USD over a standard Mac, I need to confirm the details with Mac, it’s not a whole lot more."

Ride On.

 

[gridlok]

The best kept secret I have about how to get cheap fatbikes that don't suck. I've spent $1550 and have 3 awesome fatbikes to convert to electric for the price of one Surly/Pugsly/Salsa Fat bike.

https://electricfatbike.wordpress.com/2015/01/31/the-best-kept-secret-in-the-biking-world-for-cheap-high-quality-bikes-damaged-in-shipping/#more-282

Ride On.

 

[ebikedelight]

The fixed cup on my dolomite bottom bracket would not come off using normal tools. It felt like it was put on with a impact wrench .

I finally came up with a idea to get it off . I used my welder to tack on a 5/8" nut to the outside of the cup . I just attached the nut to the cup with 2 strong tack welds onto the nut/ cup at the 3 oclock and 9 oclock positions ..this also heated up the cup , to make it easier to take off. I then put a socket on it, and sure enough it came off easily. I then took a cutoff wheel and cut the 2 tack welds off the nut that held it onto the cup .

 

[spinningmagnets]

Awesome blog, I really like it.

I have heard that the Dolomite has 205mm rear drop-outs, is there any way for you to verify? Also, might as well get the front drop-out width as long as you're at it.

If you wanted to re-post the recent electricbike.com "2WD fatbikes" article on the blog, feel free to do so.

You may be able to help me with a near future article. I want to find the top ten least expensive fatbikes. Then I want to find their drop-out widths. some of them will be more appeopriate for a 2WD conversion than others. I am told that em3ev.com is now making MAC motors (10T and 12T) with a longer axle which has a 175mm wide axle shoulder width.

There are some stock rear hubmotors that would fit some of the fat front forks without much modification, so a list of drop-out widths might identify some pearls amongst the oysters?...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'm going to park some info here as I find it.

http://www.bikerumor.com/2014/01/13...ain-compatibility-with-wolf-tooth-components/

http://fat-bike.com/2013/03/fat-bike-101-frame-types/

You may notice that some offset fat-bikes also include an offset fork with the front wheel built on a 135mm single speed rear hub and offset the same 17.5mm. The reasoning here is that fat-bikers tend to go on adventures where there is little to no support and if there is a failure in the rear drive system be it cassette, derailleur or whatever, you could swap wheels end for end and have a single speed drive wheel to get you home.

A major advantage of the offset design is that it uses rear hub axle spacing common to many mountain bikes of 135mm. This gives you a wide range of choices on which rear hub you choose from basic standbys like the Shimano XT to high-zoot hubs like Chris King as well as the most compelling reason to still consider an offset fat-bike, the ability to use an Internally Geared Hub like the Shimano Alfine line, the Rohloff Speedhub or the Nuvinci N360. All use 135mm rear axle spacing.

Referring to a fat-bike as “symmetrical” means that the rear triangle is symmetrical, like most traditional bikes, with equal spacing of the right and left dropouts from the centerline of the frame. Using a conventional 135mm mountain bike hub on a symmetrical frame would not allow the chain to clear the tire in the low-gear range so the space between the rear dropouts needs to be wider. A rear axle spacing of 170mm is the emerging “fat-bike standard” though other rear axle spacings have been used for fat-bikes most often from smaller builders including 165mm, 160mm and 150mm. Originally, available hubs drove this difference as builders adapted hubs from tandems to fat-bikes. The 170mm dimension got a push towards standardization when Fatback owner Greg Matyas began specing them on Fatbacks back in 2008. With the explosion of fat-bikes more hub makers are offering wider hubs and the 170mm width has become the defacto standard for symmetrical fat-bike hubs.

A traditional mountain bike rear hub is 135mm and, as stated above, is often used offset 17.5mm to the right on offset frames so to keep the wider spacing on the right but make the rear triangle of the frame symmetrical you’d need to add in 17.5mm to the left side as well so 135mm + 17.5mm +17.5mm gives us the 170mm rear hub!

So why didn’t fat-bikes go Symmetrical from the get-go? There are a couple of reasons why symmetrical fat-bikes did not take the world, immediately, by storm. Lack of available parts was at the top of the list. Only recently have a good selection of 170mm hubs made it possible for frame builders to spec this width hub.

Symmetrical fat-bikes include the Salsa Mukluk Series, 9:0:7, Schlick Tatanka, Fatback, 616 and a host of frames from small builders looking for the ultimate in chain drive performance.

Walmart Dolomite, 135mm / 205mm (this steel frame can easily have the symmentrical chainstays squeezed together to 190mm) http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=62023&start=100#p977307

Here, an Asymmetrical/offset frame is shown

 

[ebikedelight]

front dropouts on dolomite is 135 m.m.

I am currently in the process of putting a standard rear brushless hub motor , onto the front of my dolomite.

My hub motor should be here next week. Will need to have it laced to the front fat bike wheel of the dolomite.

Ill let ya know how this conversion works.

 

[ebikedelight]

front dropouts on dolomite is 135 m.m.

I am currently in the process of putting a standard rear brushless hub motor , onto the front of my dolomite.

My hub motor should be here next week. Will need to have it laced to the front fat bike wheel of the dolomite.

Ill let ya know how this conversion works.

The hub motor I ordered is a generic 48 volt/ 1000 watt rear, brushless direct drive setup with controller, for $195 shipped.

I will take the rear cassette off , and then this hub motor is supposed to fit nicely in the front dropouts.

 

[2old]

Dolomite with 205mm rear spacing; building a wheel with a 135mm 500w MXUS hub; will machine "sleeves" so that the wheel can be used for a rear hub conversion. No rationale to the project; my friend just wants to fool around with this bike.

 

[gridlok]

The cheapest electric Fatbike I've ever seen. Check out the Storm Electric Fatbike for $499 till Feb 6th

https://electricfatbike.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/storm-electric-fatbike-for-499-till-feb-6th/#more-300

Steel Frame. Direct Drive. 36v water bottle battery. 45 lbs.

 

[gridlok]

New article about using Slipnot tire chains in powder so deep any sane person wouldn't even go out.

https://electricfatbike.wordpress.com/2015/02/02/slipnot-fatbike-tire-chains-totally-shred-in-deep-powder/

Ride On.

Karl

 

[gridlok]

I pulled the trigger after having an epiphany last night on how to make this crappy $499 bike into a 1400 watt 2 wheel drive singletrack MONSTER for ~$1000. New article on how to do it here

https://electricfatbike.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/build-an-all-wheel-drive-electric-fatbike-that-puts-out-1400-watts-total-for-1000/

Its been INSANE watching these guys make mad money off this bike (about $700,000 in about 2 days). I am super excited at the new pent-up demand for cheap electric fatbikes. It's really better for everyone to help get the costs of fatbike stuff down to a reasonable level.

Ride On

 

[gridlok]

Sweet. I've used 4 chainring adapters from Sam and has no issues. My only complaint is that they are grey instead of stealthy black, but they are easily spraypainted. The creative use of an aluminum spacer means that the chainring is mounted very close to the housing. An excellent budget design for sure.

Karl

 

[gridlok]

New article on the Mad King of Electric Fatbike Front tires, the Surly Bud

https://electricfatbike.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/surly-bud-4-8-fat-tire-is-the-mad-king-of-front-tires/

Enjoy.

I did.

Karl

 

[gridlok]

Another article on the The Commoditization Of The Electric Fat Bike due to the recent controversy surrounding the Storm campaign

https://electricfatbike.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/the-commoditization-of-the-electric-fat-bike/

Enjoy.

Karl

 

[gridlok]

Another very controversial article on the current Sh*t Storm

Is The Storm E-Fatbike A Total Scam Or The Most Important Crowdfunding Campaign Ever?

https://electricfatbike.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/is-the-storm-e-fatbike-a-total-scam-or-the-most-important-crowdfunding-campaign-ever/

Flame On.

 

[leelorr]

Great article, thanks for posting it.

Lorrin

 

[gridlok]

New article on the Bad Boy folding 20" fatbike

https://electricfatbike.wordpress.com/2015/02/07/and-now-for-something-completely-different-the-first-folding-efatbike/

Will someone please build a Fatmac into a 20" fatbike wheel and tell me how awesome it is so I can blog about it?

Also I'll be at the Cazenovia Fat Bike Race doing efatbike demos from around 12:30is till 2:30ish. Look for the tallest guy there. It's about 15 minutes east of Syracuse NY.

http://syracusebicycle.com/events-3/cazenovia-fat-bike-race/

I'll also be winning in every division, until they realize I am cheating.

Ride On.

 

[gridlok]

New article on several important changes made to the Storm Campaign website that makes it a whole lot more believable

https://electricfatbike.wordpress.com/2015/02/08/changes-to-the-storm-electric-fatbike-indygogo-campaign-suddenly-make-it-far-more-beleivable/

Karl