When you purchase through links on our website, we may earn a commission. Affiliate disclosure.
In this Bafang BBS01 250w review, I will be going over the pros and cons of this popular mid-drive conversion kit – this is the only variant I can recommend for road legal use in the UK, EU and Australia. The more powerful variants of the Bafang motor are covered in separate articles.
The Bafang BBS01 has been with us for a few years now and continues to be popular with DIY e-bike builders the world over. It’s particularly popular in the UK and EU countries, where e-bike laws are more restrictive (than in the US). I have personal experience installing dozens of these motors over 5 years, and I still think it’s one of the best road-legal options for converting your bike to electric assist.
Bafang BBS01B Specs
| Motor Position | Mid-Mounted (Bottom Bracket) |
| Motor Compatibility | 68-73mm BSA Threaded Bottom Bracket |
| Rated Motor Power | 250-watts to 350-watts |
| Motor Peak Power | 540-watts to 648-watts |
| Max Torque | 120Nm |
| Motor Rated Voltage | 36-volt |
| Controller Current | 15-18-amps |
| IP Rating | IP65 |
| Motor Weight | 3.8 kg |
| Price | $350 – $450 |
| Availability | Various online retailers |
Pros
- Road legal in the UK and EU (if the speed limit is set)
- Plus and play design
- Very smooth and quiet
- Can be programmed (with optional USB lead)
- Efficient
- Good parts availability – easily serviceable
Cons
- Lacks the ‘get up and go’ of the more powerful variants
- Only compatible with 68-73mm bottom brackets
- Controllers can be unreliable
- Not completely waterproof
Summary
Bafang is currently the global leader in plug-and-play mid-drive electric bike conversion kits and has been for several years. Earlier versions were plagued by reliability issues, and although these can still be an issue, the problem isn’t as bad as it was four or five years ago.
I have personally installed over a hundred of these kits on various bikes, ranging from low-step commuter bikes to full-suspension mountain bikes.
The main criterion for installation is the size of the bike’s bottom bracket. It needs to be a standard 68 mm-73 mm wide bottom bracket with an inside diameter of approximately 33.5mm. It must be noted that these kits are not intended to be installed on bikes that use a pressed-fit bottom bracket, as the dimensions are not compatible with the motor unit. There can be a way around this if a special shim and mounting plate are machined by a professional engineer.
If your bike has an eccentric bottom bracket as fitted to tandems and bikes with internally geared hubs like the Shimano Nexus, installation is still possible but may be problematic.
What’s included in the Bafang BBS01B 250w Kit?
- The motor unit with integrated controller
- LCD Display
- Wiring loom
- Inner and outer lock-nuts
- Chainring
- Chainguard (BBS01 and BBS02)
- Thumb throttle – I do not recommend fitting this, as it is unnecessary and will increase the risk of controller failure if used inappropriately.
- Brake levers with cut-off sensors (only compatible with cable brakes)
- Speed sensor and wheel magnet
- A bag of various Allen bolts and screws
Is the Bafang BBS01B 250w Legal to Ride in the UK and EU?
Unlike the Bafang BBS02B 750w, the 250w version would be perfectly legal to use in the UK, EU (and Australia). But, you will need to check the speed limit is configured out of the box to no more than 25km/h (15.5mph). Some sellers in the UK and EU do this by default, but you will need to check beforehand if you’re concerned about legality.
Most displays have an advanced settings menu which can be accessed via a 4-digit pin code. It is possible to alter the speed limit, but this would render your bike illegal to use – Please consider the laws in your country before changing the speed limit.
Is the Bafang BBS01B Easy to Install?
If you’re looking for a nice and easy conversion to do yourself, but you have little or no experience with bicycle mechanics or using tools, I would recommend getting a friend or bike shop to help with the installation.
Certain aspects of installing the BBS01B can be challenging and it’ll help if you are mechanically minded. See my guide on how to install a Bafang BBS02 This also covers the BBS01 which is physically the same. The installation will need to be carried out by someone who is fairly competent. Removing the bottom bracket can be a right pain, and you will require a lot of patience!
Motor Technical Data
These motors have an internal cadence sensor, and give assist based on pedalling cadence. The controller will reduce the power at any given power level based on pedalling rpm. This is called the keep current, and depending on the way your particular controller is programmed, this can reduce the power by up to 60%. The logic behind this is the higher the cadence, the less help you need, this is somewhat counter-intuitive as electric motors work best when spinning at a high rpm.
One great thing about these motors is they can be programmed with a Bafang programming cable and software (which you can download for free here). I will be writing a separate post about programming the Bafang. PLEASE NOTE: Reprogramming the 250w motor to any higher than 15A and 15.5mph (25km/h) would make it illegal for road use in the UK / EU / AU.
The motor itself works through a series of gears and drives the rear wheel directly through a single front chainring. The benefit of this is the motor is using the bike’s gear ratios for maximum efficiency and torque. The downside of this is you have to make sure you are in the right gear when hill climbing as excess load on the motor can cause controller failure.
The 250w motor is very quiet and smooth, and you have up to 9 levels of pedal assist to choose from.
Is the Bafang BBS01B 250w reliable?
As with all things electric, problems can and do occur from time to time. I have installed many BBS01B 250w Bafang motors and to date, have only had a handful of issues reported – these are mainly confined to the more powerful variants. Having said that there are several things to consider.
- Controller failure is rare on this model nowadays, especially since Bafang upgraded the MOSFETs in the controller.
- You will need a Bafang lock-ring spanner – these motors do sometimes need to be re-tightened periodically.
- The speed sensor can be easily knocked out of alignment with the wheel magnet – this will throw up an error code and the pedal assist will stop working.
- In my experience, the C965 display is the most reliable but has limited functionality. The available colour displays are great but I have had the occasional fault with these in the past.
- Increased wear and tear on the bike chain and gear components – this can be mitigated by fitting a Bafang gearshift sensor.
Riding a Bafang-Powered Electric Bike
The 250w motor is very quiet and smooth, and you have up to 9 levels of pedal assist to choose from, so you really can fine-tune the power output to suit your needs. When climbing steep hills you will need to make sure you are in a low gear (as you would be in a car or on a motorcycle) this is especially important as trying to climb a hill in a high gear will put the motor under excess load and could overheat, causing controller failure.
The pedal assist is responsive, and works well, although, on some of the older units, there was always a slight over-run noticeable when pedalling stopped. This was down to one of the controller programming parameters being set too high. I always reprogrammed the unit to stop this issue.
The main downside, in my opinion is the extra pedalling resistance this motor has when the power is on ‘0’ or the motor is switched off altogether. It is not too bad on the flat, but it is noticeable when going up a slight gradient. This is the main reason, I tend to prefer small geared hub motors.
If your bike has a double or triple front chainset, then you will be sacrificing that for a single steel chainring. Bafang only offers 44t, 46t and 48t options. This in my opinion is high gearing, especially if you are climbing lots of steep hills. There are however a couple of alternatives – you could fit a 104BCD chainring adaptor or buy one of the many aftermarket chainrings available.
If you want to fit the brake levers with cut-off sensors, then bare in mind these are only suitable for cable-operated brakes. If your bike has hydraulic brakes, you may want to purchase hydraulic brake cut-off sensors or completely new hydraulic brakes with the sensors already built in.
The Verdict
The Bafang mid-drive motor is not for everyone. Installation can be challenging and the motor will need periodic maintenance. It is nonetheless an excellent option, and the result will be a bike that looks more like a factory-produced e-bike.
For a 250w motor it produces a lot of torque, I have done a side-by-side hill climb comparison of the Bafang 250w vs a 1000w hub motor and the Bafang outperformed the larger, more powerful hub motor. The large direct drive hub motor was only rated at 35Nm of torque compared to the Bafang’s 80Nm.
If you are comfortable with your ability to install it, and you have an appropriate donor bike, then as long as you can live with some of the compromises, this is still one of the best electric bike kits available.
Where can I buy the Bafang BBS01B 250w?
The Bafang BBS01B 250w is available globally through e-commerce websites like eBay, Amazon and Aliexpress. The latter is usually cheaper, but returning a faulty item isn’t always so straightforward. My recommendation would be eBay or Amazon as the returns process is usually more straightforward, although the initial purchase price will be slightly higher.
Thanks for reading, if you have any questions please leave a comment below – I usually reply within 24hrs.
![Accolmile Electric Bikes [Range Overview and Specifications]](https://www.ebikechoices.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Accolmile-electric-bikes-768x341.png "Accolmile Electric Bikes [Range Overview and Specifications] 7")
Hi, great review and website, thank you. I’ve just fitted a BBS01B 250W and taken it for a first ride. Really pleased. However I find when pushing the thumb control the motor offers more support and certainly powers above 15mph. I’ve noticed the power on the dashboard goes up towards 500W too during those times. What is happening here please and is it illegal in UK? Many thanks
Hi Mark,
Most road legal 250w e-bikes are allowed to produce more power while under load for a short period as long as the continuous power rating doesn’t exceed 250w. The BBS01B has a 15A controller, so will peak power will be over 500w. Depending on how the motor firmware is configured, the thumb throttle will provide maximum assist up to peak power in the highest level. From a legal standpoint it should cut-off at 15.5mph, although the law does allow a ‘buffer zone’ of a couple of mph. If the throttle is providing assist way beyond the 15.5mph legal limit, you will need to get a USB programming lead and download the free software. You will need to pair your laptop and motor and configure the ‘throttle setting’ speed limit to 25km/h.
I hope this helps, if you need any more info, please let me know.
Regards,
Tony
Hi Tony I have fitted a bafang 36v 250watt mid drive ,i have read that i need to use low gears to keep the motor spinning fast ,but going up a gradient yesterday ,by mistake i was in too high a gear and pressed level 3 assist ,and by pedalling slower got more assist ,is this correct .Lawrence
Hi Lawrence,
That sounds about right for a standard BBS01. The motor is configured (out of the box) to produce more assist at a slower pedalling cadence. Usually at higher cadences the assist tapers off, which is counter-intuitive. The main problem pedalling at slower cadences in higher gears when climbing steep hills, is the load put on the motor. This can potentially lead to overheating and possible controller failure. I usually re-configure the controller using the free software and USB lead. The ‘keep current’ is usually set to 25 on the BBS01, which means the total current in amps is reduced by up to 75% as pedalling rpm increases. Here is a link to a good programming guide. Although it is specifically aimed at the BBS02, most of the parameters apply to the BBS01, apart from the max current – this should never be set to more than 18A on a BBS01B. You can configure the motor using these settings so that it produces more assistance at a much higher pedalling rpm, which will enable you to stay in a lower gear on climbs.
If you need any more info, please let me know.
All the best,
Tony
Hi Tony Thanks for your rapid reply i didnt know you were live ,i bought this unit 2weeks ago from a bike company in exeter who have live chat i asked the same question and the reply was to increase the maximum assistance speed .is that the same as what you say ,do i need the usb lead which i have seen for sale at £18.00 to do this cheers Lawrence
Hi Lawrence,
Yes, you will need the USB lead and there should be a link to download the software (for Windows PC) in the article. Here is a direct link to the software download page. If you’re in Devon or Cornwall, I’m not too far from Plymouth.
Cheers,
Tony
Hi Tony If i get a lead what is it i need to change ? Lawrence
Hi Lawrence,
There’s quite a few things you can change to improve the performance and assist on the BBS01. On the ‘Basic’ settings page you can change ‘Limited current (A)’ to 18, I think the maximum you can go to is 20, but I wouldn’t advise it. This increases the peak Amps the controller will draw from the battery, thus increasing the peak power output slightly. On the Assist 0-9 (‘Limit current(%)’ column), I would leave 0 at 0, and then do 1-9 in 10% increments starting at 20% for assist level 1 and finishing at 100% for level 9. The next column ‘Limit spd(%)’ causes the controller to gently lower the current to maintain motor rpm when a certain percentage of the speed limit is hit. Speed limiting is done based on motor RPM not actual road speed. I usually set this to 100% on 1-9. The ‘Wheel diameter’ setting is your wheel size in inches. A 700c should be 28″ or a 29er would be 29″, 650b would be 27.5″.
On the next page ‘Pedal assist’ I would reduce ‘start current(%)’ to 10, ‘Time of stop’ to 10 and ‘keep current’ to 75. If you’re using a throttle I would recommend changing the ‘start current’ in the next page ‘Throttle settings’ to 10 and mode to ‘current’ (if it’s set to ‘speed’).
If you currently have your display set to 3 power levels then 1 will be 20% of peak power, 2 will be 60% and 3 would be 100%. If you want to be able to fine-tune your e-assist more, I would change the settings (in the display) to either 5 or 9 levels of assist.
I’ve used the above settings on loads of BBS01B 250w motors without any problems, you will find the pedal assist smoother on the uptake, but it should feel more powerful as the assist increases, and the reduction in assist when pedalling cadence increases won’t be as severe. Always remember to take screenshots of the original settings, just in case you need to change them back again. I have heard reports of a batch of the latest BBS01B controllers not being able to be programmed, I haven’t come across any yet so hopefully yours won’t be one of them.
Please let me know how you get on.
Cheers,
Tony
Hi Tony i have downloaded the bafang tool with the link you gave me and winzip areasking me to buy licence is this normal ? Lawrence
Hi Lawrence,
You shouldn’t need to buy a licence for Winzip, there is a free trial version available. Depending on what version of Windows you have installed you should have a pre-installed program called Windows Compressed Folders, which should enable you to unzip the files.
Regards,
Tony
Hi Tony I used the free trial on winzip to open file I have set amps to 18 ,three assist levels 20/60/100% so now I have the e bike performing how wanted .thanks for all your help cheers Lawrence
Hi Lawrence,
You’re welcome, glad you’ve got it sorted.
Cheers,
Tony
Hi Tony I thought i had sorted this ,i set assist to 20%60%100% 3 levels but level one seems too powerful two is less powerful than one and three is more than two ,I have reduced one to 5% and increased two to 80% but makes no difference ,I can keep it like that but one is still too powerfull ,any ideas ? Lawrence
Hi Lawrence,
Can you email me a screenshot of your pedal assist settings to cycletek@outlook.com. I’ll have a look and see where the problem is.
Cheers,
Tony
Be careful fitting a 250w motor to your bike,unless the law has changed recently here in australia,your bike will become a “pedelic “this means it will be illegal to ride on the road because it won’t have compliance stickers on the frame.(manufacturers name,watts,cutout speed ect).the compliance is on the whole bike not just the motor, in other words you can not legaly make a pedelic your self for road use, However a 200w (electric powered bike) is a different story, you can make your own not needing eu compliance………..some one correct me if I’m wrong??
Riding an unregistered vehicle is not a trivial matter in NSW
From NSW RMS website:
Vehicle standards information
PUBLISHED 8 DECEMBER 2014 | REV. 4
27
Supersedes VSI No. 27 | Rev. 3 | 12 August 2014
The vehicle must be certified by the manufacturer, and labelled as complying with EN 15194. The label must include the manufacturer’s name, the motor’s cut-off speed in km/h and its continuous rated power in watts.
VicRoads alerted me to a change in the Australian Design Rules earlier this year which scraps the need to conform to EN15194 (standard which compliance stickers are marked to abide by), however, the basic rules for a pedalec would still apply, such as:
-Motor progressively reduces assistance as the bicycle’s speed increases.
-Motor cuts off at 25km/h or when the rider stops pedalling.
-Has a 250 watts continous output for the motor.
-Pedal assist only. No throttle.
However, VicRoads haven’t updated their webpage yet to reflect this change. However, the NSW governement has at https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/bicycle-riders/petrol-powered-bicycles.html
This may pave the way for DIY ebikes as long as they comply with the above requirements. Not sure if a BBS01 have the 25km/h cutoff and progressive reduction programmed into it though.
Hi Tony and thanks for your great job with this site.
I have a question for you. In april 2020 I mounted a Bafang motor MM G340 250 13 – 250W – on my Giant mountain bike. All is good but when I bought a USB cable for improve my motor with new parameters by programmation I had the surprise that my motor can’t be programmed.
After connecting cable to my motor (I saw some tutorials and I think I do the correct steps) and after reading the motor parameters with the software the data read are all wrong and cannot be changed with read/save command.
Someone in the internet says that Bafang has built some new motors in 2020 with controllers that cannot be programmed. My controller serie is CR R209.350.SN.U.5.0.
I would like to improve my motor somehow. What can I do? Can You help me?
Thank you and Greetings from Italy.
Daniele
Hi Daniele,
This isn’t a problem I have come across before. I reprogrammed a new Bafang BBS01B only last week without any problems. I have done a bit of research and I Googled your controller serial number and did come across a report of a batch of controllers that can’t be reprogrammed. It may be the same article – it is on pedelecfroum.de. It may be worth contacting your supplier to see if they can help you out. On the forum, the guy had his supplier send out a replacement controller (that could be programmed).
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Please let me know if you have any luck with your supplier.
Kind regards,
Tony
Thank you Tony. I read the same article on pedelecforum.de.
Now I will contact my supplier and hope to find a new programmable controller.
Kind regards
Daniele
You’re welcome.
All the best,
Tony
Hi Tony,
I came across your website and your reviews. Truly excellent and really useful! Please may i ask you a few questions?
I am interested in an electric conversion for a Giant Roam 2, currently 27 gears, hydraulic brakes. One is a 2014 model and one is a 2017 model. I bought both of them through Cycle To Work, but am now retired. I have really got into bike rides, mainly on cycle paths, bridleways or quieter roads, so a Hybrid bike is ideal. However, owning two of them, I am now looking at an e-bike conversion to one of them to assist on hill climbing and to facilitate longer bike rides. (I live in Surrey and we have lots of hills)! My thinking is electric for help up those hills and to facilitate much longer bike rides from home.
Having done quite a bit of reading on the subject, I believe that the Giant Roam 2 is a suitable bike for a Mid-Crank Kit, and I have the following questions:
I am looking at a 250W Bafang BBS1, but I have seen a 500W Bafang 8Fun advertised. Is that legal in the UK? Also, what is the difference between the BBS01 and the BBS01B please?
Do all of the above kits come as standard with PAS and what would be your recommendation on chain ring size, given my details please? (The Giant Roam 2 has 48T/36T/26T front cogs and whilst I want to be able to physically pull away under pedal power, I also do not want to loose any top speed performance in top gear.
I do not have the skills or tools to fit myself, so i will need to get it professionally fitted. Some of the websites offering an “all in service” do not seem to offer any choice on display unit options. One is only offerring the Bafang C961, but this is not even listed by most, as they seem to have a C965. Personally, I am tending towards a P850C. Oh, and I am already looking into the USB programming cable option – good shout!
Whilst noting your personal preference against a throttle cable, I have decided that i would want this. Is it included as standard on all kits?
My Giant Roam has hydraulic brakes, which I need to retain. Therefore, will I need separate hydraulic brake cut-off sensors and how would this work? Similarly, would I need a gear shift sensor, or is that included as standard? I am guessing that if I stop peddling during every change up or down that it would have the same effect as a gear shift sensor, but i do like the idea of it.
Finally, what are my best battery options? I am leaning towards a rear-rack battery, as I want to maintain my water bottle in the middle of my frame. I see that more powerful batteries are very expensive, so would I be better to have two less powerful ones and carry the spare one with me in my backpack? I am assuming that if I specify a rear rack battery, that the rack itself is easy enough for any fitter / dealer to source?
Given the above, please can you offer me your opinion / any advice?
Cheers,
Ian
Hi Ian,
The Giant Roam is a suitable donor bike, I’ve converted quite a few in the past and they are usually very straightforward to convert.
The BBS02B 500w is not road legal in the UK and would be classified as a motorised vehicle – even though it is externally indistinguishable from the 250w (apart from the stamp on the underside of the motor). The BBS01 is the first generation and was released way back in 2014/15 as far as I’m aware this motor hasn’t been available for years. The BBS01B has upgraded MOSFET’s in the controller and the latest models have an extra gear sensor lead and a lead for lights.
Brake cut-off sensors are only really necessary if you’re going to fit the throttle, I used a Bafang for about a year and never had any cut-off sensors fitted and it never caused any problems. The on/off button is easily accessible. If you wanted to fit them there are a few suppliers on eBay and Amazon who sell the complete Shimano or Tektro hydraulic brake set with built-in sensors.
The gearshift sensor will definitely make shifting under load a lot smoother and reduce unnecessary wear and tear on the gear components and chain.
For a decent range you will be looking at 36v 17.5Ah at the least – this will give a range of between 50-80 miles depending on how much assist you use. There are higher capacities available up to around 21Ah. Most of these batteries come with a ‘double decker’ rack so you can still fit panniers and top-bag if required.
If you need someone to supply and fit everything, Alex at Besbike.co.uk is in Greenwich and has a good reputation, he also stocks most of the parts required. There is also Francis at electroncycles.co.uk in Epsom – he specialises in high-performance e-bike conversions, but has a lot of experience with Bafang, so he could probably help you out.
I hope this helps, if you need any more advice please let me know.
Cheers,
Tony
Hi Tony,
Your reply was most helpful. Thank you.
Ian
You’re welcome.
Hi
I have a 20 year old Canondale Silk Path 700 whichI would like to fit a motor to. I am in the UK so max 250W. The bottom bracket is Shimano LP-27 68 x110mm so I assume this would work with a Bafang? Ifit would, what would be a good model?
Hi Robert,
I’ve just checked the specification on your Cannondale, and the Bafang BBS01B 250w should be a good fit. I have fitted the Bafang to a few older Cannondale’s including a Jekyll full suspension MTB and an older Bad Boy Lefty, and they were both straightforward conversions.
If you have any more questions, please let me know.
Cheers,
Tony
Hi, I’m thinking of a 250W Bafang mid mounted. I have a 48v 17ah battery. Would that work without damaging the motor/controller. Would it be faster and go further than a 36v battery.
Much thanks for a speedy reply.
Kind regards
Rob
Hi Rob,
You wouldn’t be able to use a 48v battery with the Bafang BBS01B 250w as this uses a 36v-specific controller. You could uses a BBS02B 500w 48v motor and limit the power to 250w and speed to 15.5mph using the available software and USB lead, but from a legal standpoint it would still be a 500w motor. As far as I know the ‘B’ model controllers are not interchangeable (between BBS01B and BBS02B) and even if you could change them the motor would run at a higher RPM than it’s designed for and prematurely fail.
If you have any more questions, please let me know.
All the best,
Tony
Hi
It is great to find a site that can answer questions about e-bike conversions.
I have a 26″ high quality touring bike that I had custom built by Thorn in the UK more than 10 years ago. Among other things, it has a Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 gear system fitted. Unfortunately (for me) the roads are rather hilly where I live (in Australia) and I have found the bike too exhausting to use, even with the 14 gears (especially in warmer months). So it has gathered a lot of dust. However, I am now considering an e-bike conversion, mainly to allow me to get up those hills without wiping myself out in the process.
From what I can see, the Bafang 250w mid-drive is the sort of solution I might need. However I am unsure on a few points that I hoped you might be able to clarify for me:
1) Is this motor compatible with the Rohloff in-hub gear system that I have?
2) What size chainring would I need – as I said, I am more interested in hill climbing ability on normal roads than flat-line speed. (the bike currently has a 40T ring)
3) Would I need to get something like a Leckie Bling Ring?
4) Is there any other accessory needed to protect the chain from excess tension, or is that mainly a problem for the higher powered motors only?
5) I have good quality caliper (cable) brakes on the bike. Would these be OK for this sort of lower powered motor?
Thanks Nigel
Hi Nigel,
I know Thorn bikes well, they’re about 100 miles up the road from me! You shouldn’t have any problems fitting the Bafang motor, I’m not sure if the bike you have has an eccentric bottom bracket. If it does have an eccentric BB (the modern type, not the one with pinch bolts on the underside) you will be fine, as I have fitted the Bafang on various bikes with eccentric BB’s in the past.
Regarding gearing, I would go with a 36t Lekkie Bling Ring. It will keep the gearing nice and low and help the motor to spin faster and be more efficient (and keep the temperature down on long climbs).
You could fit a gearshift sensor – this mounts in-line on the shifter cable and will momentarily cut power when shifting. The Rohloff is incredibly robust and should cope with the BBS01 250w just fine. I’ve fitted a 1000w Bafang to a bike with a Shimano Alfine 8 in the past and that’s still going.
Any good quality cable brake will be more than adequate, I would imagine you have Shimano XT or similar v-brakes on your bike which are excellent when adjusted correctly.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Cheers,
Tony
Hi Tony
Thanks for your quick response.
I just had a look under the frame, where the pedal crank goes through it, and there are 2 protrusions there, each of which has some sort of screw with a knurled finger turning wheel/knob hanging underneath. Are these what you describe as “pinch bolts”, and, if so, does that mean I have a problem? The whole shape of the base of the pole is a symmetric cylinder surrounding the pedal crank shaft, if you get my meaning, with those two bolts poking out from the bottom of the cylinder.
I was going to get the gearshift sensor and the 36T Bling Ring is rather less expensive than the 40T one I thought I might need, so that is good news. And yes, I have the Shimano XTR brakes.
Nigel
Hi Nigel,
It sounds as though you have the older style eccentric BB with the pinch bolts underneath the BB shell. The main problem you will have with these is the very limited clearance between the motor shaft and housing. If you can take a close-up photo and email it to me at: cycletek@outlook.com I’ll have a better idea of compatibility.
Cheers,
Tony
Hi,
I’m interested in adding a BBS01 250W to a Surly Straggler that I use with a Carry Freedom trailer for hauling shopping and recycling. This has a 68mm bottom bracket, currently fitted with a Hollowtech II BB. I was thinking of carrying the battery in a custom frame bag. Do you see any issues?
Many thanks,
Andy
Hi Andy,
It should be a straightforward enough conversion. I converted a Surly long-haul trucker last year using a Bafang motor and there were no issues. If your Straggler has drop bars, you won’t be able to use the cut-off sensors (on the STi’s), but you shouldn’t need them on a BBS01 250w – I used a Ridgeback gravel / cross bike with STi shifters and a Bafang BBS02 750w for 12 months and not having cut-off sensors never caused me any problems.
Assuming you’ve got a compact crankset fitted at present, if you fit a Bafang motor you may want to go for a smaller front chainring like a Lekkie Bling ring – If you’re hauling a bit of weight, I would go for a 36t Lekkie with an 11-36 rear cassette or even an 11-40 if you’ve got lots of steep hills to negotiate (Bafang motors are less prone to issues when lower gearing is used).
If you need any more advice, please let me know.
Cheers,
Tony
Hi Tony,
Many thanks for the quick reply and the detailed advice. Actually it’s not a stock Straggler but a frameset that I built up with straight bars and with MTB levers and gearing. The chainring is a 24-32-42 triple and the cassette is 11-34. It sounds like I’d probably need to change the cassette to avoid strain on the motor. A smaller chainring as you suggest would also be sensible – I don’t need higher gears as the trailer limits my speed.
Regarding the cut-off sensors, presumably the motor cuts out when you stop pedalling (I wasn’t planning to fit the thumb throttle)? Or is the response slower than with the cut-off sensors?
If this is successful I may go on to electrify either my Long Haul Trucker or Ogre as well – I’m getting on in years and my knees are starting to complain about the hills, especially when fully loaded. Is there a battery suitable for touring that would give me 120km range on a low-medium power setting (taking into account a 17kg bike with 15 kg luggage and a 80kg rider)?
Thanks, Andy
Hi Andy,
Most Shimano rear derailleurs that can handle a 34t low gear will go up to a 36t with adjustment of the ‘b’ screw. If you wanted to go to an 11-40 cassette a Shimano Alivio RD-M4000 will do the job – I have one on my Dawes Galaxy and it works perfectly with an 11-40.
The motor will cut out when you stop pedalling, although on some motors there is a slight delay – this can be easily changed using a Bafang USB programming lead and free software – It is fairly straightforward to alter the firmware settings using free open-source software. You can alter things like the start current (Amps) and also how quickly the current ramps up when you start pedalling, making the power delivery very smooth and progressive. You can also safely increase the maximum current to 18A which will give you a bit more peak power for climbing steep hills when fully-loaded.
As far as batteries are concerned you would need something like a 36v20ah or above – here is a link to the supplier I use in China, I have purchased well over 100 batteries from them and have very rarely had any problems. They can also custom-build you a battery to a specific size and shape. If you don’t mind spending a bit more money on a battery, speak to Jimmy at ebikebatteries.co.uk – his batteries are fantastic, and he can custom build to your specification.
All the best,
Tony
Excellent, thanks.
One more question – I noted your comment above about increased resistance when pedalling with the motor off. This probably isn’t an issue with the Straggler as I’d use it for short trips only, so battery life is less relevant. However, for touring it’s important that the bike is still usable when the battery charge is low. Do you think I’d be better off with a hub motor for the touring bike(s)?
Cheers, Andy
Hi Andy,
The increased resistance is noticeable (when compared with an unassisted bike) but not over the top. When I had my Ridgeback, I used to spend half the time riding without the assist, the only time it became a problem was on hills above 4-5% gradient. A hub motor is definitely better in a lot of respects – you can keep your triple crankset, and they are much easier to pedal without assist. There is more to tidy up on a hub conversion, and you will have an external pedal sensor and controller. In my experience, hub motors are more reliable in the long-term, the only trade-off is less torque (about 35Nm). The best hub motors are made by Bafang, MXUS and the Yose Power motors available from eBay are particularly good.
Cheers,
Tony
Hi Tony,
What a great website, thanks for taking the time.
I am about to get a cargo bike with the BBS02 36v 15a 250watt motor. It comes with a 17a battery, but am looking to get a spare. The plan is to tour around France with my daughter so ideally need to be doing 80km days. Im a pretty fit cyclist so plan to not really go above levels 3. Will any battery work with this motor or is it specific types, is there any you would recommend for such a trip? Also do you know how long rough a complete charge takes, plus is there anything for rapid charing at all?
Many thanks
Ed
Hi Ed,
Glad you like the website. Good feedback is always appreciated.
Most 36v batteries will work if your motor is only drawing 15A maximum. A lot of 36v batteries have 20A BMS these days, so you should be fine.
Regarding charging, if you are charging at 2A, then it would take in the region of 8-9 hours to fully charge a 17Ah battery (from empty). Luna Cycles do a really good 36v smart charger where you can vary the charge current. Here is the link to their charger.
All the best,
Tony
Hi, Tony.
I have a hp velotechnik grasshopper fx and I want to install a mid drive motor (tsdz2). I have seen the video “electric conversion” of a hp grasshopper and I have a doubt about installing a 3.5 or 4 kgs mid drive motor on the bottom bracket of the recumbent bike. Does the installation compromise the stability and maneuverability of the recumbent bike in the curves? Does it make your driving harder? Thanks and best regards.
Hi,
The Lady whom I did the installation for is an experienced recumbent bike rider, and had previously covered a lot of miles on her HP Velotechnik Grasshopper before the Bafang BBS01 250w conversion.
She has covered about a 1000 miles since the conversion, and has said that initially the extra weight up front took a little getting used to. But after a few miles She has said the extra weight isn’t particularly noticeable any more.
Her bike had a SRAM Dual drive 3-speed rear hub with a 9-speed cassette, and a 44t chainring on the motor. There is a noticeable increase in pedalling resistance with the motor switched off.
The TSDZ2 is about 0.5 kg lighter than the Bafang mid-drive. It may be worth considering a 250w Bafang rear hub motor. I installed one on a Nazca Fuego Recumbent, and the guy cycled across Germany on it back in the summer. No issues with handling and pedalled normally with the motor switched off.
If you need any more information, please let me know.
Regards,
Tony
Many thanks Tony
A great website
Regards