worlds best mainstream unheard of factory ebike? ~$1500US

LewTwo said:
cycleops612 said:
... This with a well mounted 15ah 36v lifepo4 and a 450w motor ...
Click to expand...
I have yet to see anyone advertising a BOFEILI mid drive higher than 350 watts ... and I tend to take that one with a bit of salt.

cycleops612 said:
I am skeptical about the 18kg net weight specified. I can't see where they saved 5kg.
Click to expand...
The Flux Roadie version is 49 pounds (22Kg) with 650b rims, narrow tires, aluminum frame/fork, rigid fork, 250 watt motor and Samsung 13 Ahr Battery but without fenders, rack, or other accessories. Indeed it is hard to conceive where they are reducing the weight further short of a carbon fiber frame (or excluding the battery weight). By the way the FLUX introductory offers ended Sunday midnight.

Correct me if I am wrong but it seems that most of the BOFEILI frames come with 650b rim/tires. Now I understand that their was a big push for 650b as the NEXT big thing in bicycle rims but it seems that the real enthusiasm for the size came from the marketing people rather than the public ... certainly not from the tire manufacturers as the selection is still limited.

Biggest problem I see with the carbon Fiber version (other than the price and rim size) is the integrated handlebar. It does not leave one many options to avoid the 'hunch back' riding posture.
Click to expand...

"advertised" - sure, thats my point - trust me - such specs exist. They have to be circumspect, as u can imagine.

b/ u dont seem clear that longyeah are a frame/bike maker who use bofeili (a separate company i presume) motors, in longyeah, customised for the motor, frames.

they really are very weird about names. dont start me. Bofeili - WTF - how u gonna remember that spelling?

A possible issue with carbon is it negates the wonderful heatsink the alloy frame makes for the motor. My 350w bofeili bike never gets warm. my other mid drive cuts out on hot days, and for good reason, hot to the touch.

bofeili also make hub drives. its not synonymous with mid drive, so make sure its mid drive.
 
am still getting the hang of uploads, but you can find a snap that says it all about 2/3 into this link. It clearly shows the integration of motor in the frame and mechanically.

and belatedly, an actual mfg. model code:

TDE1201Z

https://longyeah.en.alibaba.com/product/1273190722-214004845/26_high_quality_e_bike.html
 
finally, a clearish picture/ rundown of it, but never shows the best side of bike, astonishing.

If it had, You would barely know it had a motor - stealth, frame is a heatsink for any motor heat, perfect motor weight location, motor on same axis as chain sprocket (apparantly, mid drives add a fair bit to transmission power loss & I can see why in an offset chain drive like the bafang), standard light MTB frame, excellent welds, ...

with 24 gears, it will climb anything.

this is the bike i have~ and which i refer to.

Its an out of the box, big chinese bike maker, balanced, thought out, poorly documented as always, swiss watch human transport machine. Ready to go. Let the chinese do the fiddling about in the factory on the basics.

IF you can find it for sale, there will be a 550w+ version in usa. I imagine there are limits to the stress the derailleur size chain can handle tho, as with all such mid-drives.

the vid is 2013 so stuff has changed, hydraulic disks etc.

I have just discovered the front sprocket is ~proprietary, has differents securing holes onto the crank, so maybe get a spare at purchase?
pass on their batteries and get lifepo4

the clip is from a NZ vendor.

48v sounds good if an option

https://youtu.be/jOt0WP9NFNE

i vaguely recall seeing some small motorbike weights & i think 160kg was light. a good mtb like this doesnt lose a lot to say a 125cc honda roadbike in road suspension and has bigger/better wheels too, yet is 22kg ex battery.
 
& these guys sell single units, maybe its the same as the longyeah frame, dunno, but its the type I prefer, the diamond frame better accommodates a battery under the crossbar

The ladies version has its good points too tho, easy mount & unlimited battery volume.

110kg max load is a worry tho, no good for many westerners

all the good stuff, alloy, hydro disks...

unclear if it comes in 48v

again, pass on their batteries & get lifepo4 separate.
 
I found something of a NA company selling the "Bofeili" drive under the name of "eProdigy Bikes" in Canada!

https://www.electricbike.com/eprodigy-bikes-new-e-bike-from-vancouver-canada/

(Only briefly skimmed over the article, midnight here and I need to sleep! but there is mention of a 350w possibly peaking 500w motor yeah!)

Thanks for posting this cycleops612, you're not the only person lacking a smart phone :p

I was in the US Air Force on call 24/7 at one time, so I have avoided cell phones in general, so I hear ya!

I will be getting one soon for work, but I digress ...

The idea of a DD motor built into the BB is an amazing marriage of my favorite motor configuration, namely a VERY low noise and VERY low maintenance DD motor but as mid-drive!

The only objections I have had to the various other mid-drive "through the gears" set-ups I have seen otherwise is they are geared in someway, and personally, I LOVE the near dead silent operation of a DD motor.

Most people are shocked to realize at a second glance that my current ride is electric as it makes no noise other than the sound of the chain, and I can ride around at very low speeds and maintain very good efficiency even while hauling around 60 - 80lbs of bicycle & electrical tools for a mobile E-Bike repair business (I am partnered with a local bicycle shop, Classic Cycles) and I can still make no more impact on a multi-use trail than any normal bike would pulling a trailer.

I am going to continue searching for a current NA dealer that sells this bike, as I am a firm believer in a "purpose built" E-Bike that is simple and well designed while at the same time economical.

36V is not bad when you consider the much lower power requirements for a system such as this, sure, it might also come in a 48V set-up now that should be more efficient, however, given the lower costs & weight for battery of 36V would make it still very attractive in my eyes. 8)

*EDIT*

Ok so it DOES have a planetary reduction after all, that isn't necessarily bad, and if the bike sells for around $1500 complete with battery, that's not bad at all.

I am actually not terribly far from the Oregon dealer in Tangent, I will have to go check out one of these bikes in person, I am hopeful, but I will at least be able to give another review based on riding one, if not owning one.

I agree that in general, many promos are light on details, but for good reasons, to compare watts from say a typical DD set-up or even geared hub motor that is in a wheel is apples to oranges, so I believe they are wise to not just plaster wattage figures out there, as many that are not as knowledgeable will just assume "what?! only 350w, that can't be good ... I can get a 1000w kit from ebay for a third the cost!" when the truth is they will be spending near the same price in different ways, and most probably getting a less capable system.
 
I found some better information on the "eProdigy" sold in Canada:

An eProdigy Bike is capable to output up to 750W 48V motor power and is only powered by top tier cells in the battery industry.
Click to expand...

http://www.eprodigybikes.com/About_the_Motor.aspx

Hopefully this means that the same base motor sold as "Bofeili" will be available in similar configurations.

If it has decent FET's in the controller, I would guess it should be capable of similar performance to that of a BBSO2, but being sold as a complete bike, as long as it is well supported, (i.e. parts are easily obtained for the chain rings that seem to be an odd 4-bolt for example)

Looking at the FB for e-Bikes USA in Tangent, it would appear they are not very experienced with bicycles in general, and have not supported their product well, I will keep looking for a closer dealer and look into eProdigy Canada as well.
 
LI-ghtcycle said:
I found some better information on the "eProdigy" sold in Canada:

An eProdigy Bike is capable to output up to 750W 48V motor power and is only powered by top tier cells in the battery industry.
Click to expand...

http://www.eprodigybikes.com/About_the_Motor.aspx

Hopefully this means that the same base motor sold as "Bofeili" will be available in similar configurations.

If it has decent FET's in the controller, I would guess it should be capable of similar performance to that of a BBSO2, but being sold as a complete bike, as long as it is well supported, (i.e. parts are easily obtained for the chain rings that seem to be an odd 4-bolt for example)

Looking at the FB for e-Bikes USA in Tangent, it would appear they are not very experienced with bicycles in general, and have not supported their product well, I will keep looking for a closer dealer and look into eProdigy Canada as well.
Click to expand...

dont like it, way too dear at us 2599$

the ones i cited are ~1700A$ here in oz, and thats about .75 US$.

i repeat, noobs should pass on the supplied battery, and get decent lifepo4 separately.

the extras it offers dont cost much

the single front ring means ~8 gears vs 24 on cited ones, but the good news is, with more power, i spose gears can be reduced. It may also allow a heavier chain, which has to be a stress point for a powerful mid-drive.

Power is all very well, but u must add battery weight etc., often to the point its no longer a bicycle, a shame.

it certainly seems the same motor - the bofeili, which is mentioned at times alongside "golden motor". its a bit like makers of parts in autos, a trade secret`by ford e.g..

Its hugely stealthy. Bar the battery, u wouldnt know? u could have a hub motor as well on the front off the same battery for 2wd- sounds good for winter there in canada.

They dont mention maximum weight load (sneaky?), an important number for big folks. 2 of the cited by me ebike mtbS were 110 & 120kg respectively, total, so a 80/90kg rider is maxing out that spec.
 
This does look very nice for the price!

Edit: Looks like someone on Kickstarter thinks so as well...they're marking it up significantly and trying to flip it!
 

Attachments

  • Bofili.jpg
    Bofili.jpg
    51.3 KB · Views: 2,385
d8veh said:
The motor is the Bofeili crank drive that's been around for quite a long time now. I've seen lots of nice bikes with it at the Chinese shows, but never seen a mainstream UK dealer selling one. I think a few USA dealers have imported them. Obviously, you can't get it in a kit to retrofit because it needs a special frame. I tried one and it was OK - similar to all the other 250w crank-drives with good torque for climbing in a low gear and reasonable speed for cruising in a high gear.

https://www.electricbike.com/2014-mid-drive/
Click to expand...

Bofeili seems to sell their mid-drives separately:
http://www.bofeili.com/cn/prodcut-motor-35.aspx
Bofeili-USA-Motor-med.-White.gif
 
cycleops612 said:
LI-ghtcycle said:
I found some better information on the "eProdigy" sold in Canada:

An eProdigy Bike is capable to output up to 750W 48V motor power and is only powered by top tier cells in the battery industry.
Click to expand...

http://www.eprodigybikes.com/About_the_Motor.aspx

Hopefully this means that the same base motor sold as "Bofeili" will be available in similar configurations.

If it has decent FET's in the controller, I would guess it should be capable of similar performance to that of a BBSO2, but being sold as a complete bike, as long as it is well supported, (i.e. parts are easily obtained for the chain rings that seem to be an odd 4-bolt for example)

Looking at the FB for e-Bikes USA in Tangent, it would appear they are not very experienced with bicycles in general, and have not supported their product well, I will keep looking for a closer dealer and look into eProdigy Canada as well.
Click to expand...

dont like it, way too dear at us 2599$

the ones i cited are ~1700A$ here in oz, and thats about .75 US$.

i repeat, noobs should pass on the supplied battery, and get decent lifepo4 separately.

the extras it offers dont cost much

the single front ring means ~8 gears vs 24 on cited ones, but the good news is, with more power, i spose gears can be reduced. It may also allow a heavier chain, which has to be a stress point for a powerful mid-drive.

Power is all very well, but u must add battery weight etc., often to the point its no longer a bicycle, a shame.

it certainly seems the same motor - the bofeili, which is mentioned at times alongside "golden motor". its a bit like makers of parts in autos, a trade secret`by ford e.g..

Its hugely stealthy. Bar the battery, u wouldnt know? u could have a hub motor as well on the front off the same battery for 2wd- sounds good for winter there in canada.

They dont mention maximum weight load (sneaky?), an important number for big folks. 2 of the cited by me ebike mtbS were 110 & 120kg respectively, total, so a 80/90kg rider is maxing out that spec.
Click to expand...

I hear ya, I would love to have something closer to the price of this E-Bike:

gravity__31023.1470358762.1280.1280.jpg


http://lunacycle.com/gravity-ebike-fsx-275LTD-complete-electric-bike/

However, IF I can find a US distributor, convince my friend to get a few for his shop, AND have to replace the battery, then honestly, I would then be into it just as much as the Luna Gravity, (around $400 for a decent size battery), and then the retail price is even more for the Bofeili.

And that is with a less efficient 36V vs 48V, where you can use the same amp controller and gain more watts or just do the same work for lower amps, making it cooler and more efficient, which translates to greater battery life and longer range.

Unless I can find a shop or two that can show me examples of this E-bike where it is being well supported and offered at minimum with a 48V option, I'd be foolish to take this over the Luna Gravity or other company selling a turnkey bike with a better track record supporting their product.

If you look closely at the FB for e-Bikes USA, more than one customer has complained of a faulty "new old stock" battery that was either defective. not maintained (prior to sale) or is so poorly matched to the bike so that battery failure in about a month's time isn't uncommon.

TL:DR

For a $1500 36v Bofeili which needs a battery up-grade of around $400 to make it viable, and has a questionable track record supporting their product, better off with another more reputable E-Bike for around $1900 - $2000 that just works out of the box and is better designed.

Luna Cycle's Gravity:

http://lunacycle.com/gravity-ebike-fsx-275LTD-complete-electric-bike/

(I have seen some other offerings of very similar products for similar price, but I cannot remember them atm, a quick search of ES forums should find more.)
 
LockH said:
d8veh said:
The motor is the Bofeili crank drive that's been around for quite a long time now. I've seen lots of nice bikes with it at the Chinese shows, but never seen a mainstream UK dealer selling one. I think a few USA dealers have imported them. Obviously, you can't get it in a kit to retrofit because it needs a special frame. I tried one and it was OK - similar to all the other 250w crank-drives with good torque for climbing in a low gear and reasonable speed for cruising in a high gear.

https://www.electricbike.com/2014-mid-drive/
Click to expand...

Bofeili seems to sell their mid-drives separately:
http://www.bofeili.com/cn/prodcut-motor-35.aspx
Bofeili-USA-Motor-med.-White.gif
Click to expand...

which is moot if you need a custom frame for it
 
Dunno.

too many unknowns.

i suspect the longyeah is way lighter than the suspension bike shown

btw, if u look ata a snap of the longyeah mid mtb, u may see how i plan to mount my 5.5kg 15ah 36v lifepo4 battery. rest it on the 2 arms of the rear forks, just behind and under the seat. It should fit there with minimal handyman tlc, and be ~low & centrally balanced. its width is 290mm, but most are 260mm, ie a foot~ wide to get your leg over when mounting. it should just sit ~on the bars w/o interfering w/ pedals.

a radical concept for you.

mail order.

lose the bike shop part, and the world is your oyster.

its all standard stuff like shimano etc which spares are out there for no probs.

the electrical stuff a bike shop wont have a clue but charge u anyway if they can. sites like this and the manufacturer can point to the problem, and electrical guys exist locally, just like mechanics. just gotta find them - guys handy w/ a solder iron & mutltimeter. Problems are 90%+ bad connections. Rare failures are simply/cheaply replaced once identified.

all u buy from longyeah e.g is a custom frame and assembly. the rest is globally available brand name sub assemblies like brakes or gears.

the motor should also be available independent of longyeah.

its a bit brave by car e.g standards, but electric just works - 2 moving parts in a motor, or is it one?

The rest of the ebike part, has ~no moving parts. The rest is just a bog standard mtb.
 
to be fair, i linked this thread to a thread on a noob considering & then getting a biofelli, here in oz

so:

https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2164664&p=5

good site, sensible bunch of guys mostly, mostly re electronics originally - an RC site?, but quite general now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top