Although there does not appear to be a gear-shift sensor on the Etek Hunter, I am unsure that one is necessary on this Bafang Ultra motor. My shifts, even under moderate load, are smooth and no noticeable noise or grinding of the gears is heard.
Gear sensors don't protect the motor, they protect your chain and gears.
Unlike inexpensive and prior generation ebikes which use the 18650 cell type, this ebike uses the advanced 2170 cells, which are both higher capacity and physically smaller.
First, 2170s are physically larger than 18650. They screwed the labeling up the 2170 should have been called a 21700 or the 18650 should be 1865.
Second, capacity depends not just on physical size (larger helps), but also on battery chemistry. But, it's safe to say that there's later tech in most 2170s than in most 18650s.
My understanding is that Tesla had something to do with the development of the 2170 cell types in the industry, thus it’s a fairly -accurate statement that the bike has ‘Tesla’ batteries, although of course they’re made by a third party (Samsung / LG).
Tesla's Model S and X still use 18650s. The 2170 was specified by Tesla for 3 and Y, but most 2170s are not "Tesla batteries" by any means, as the chemistry is almost certainly different.
It is important to note that unlike on cheaper ebikes, the battery percentage indicator does not jump around under load, this is a huge Battery Management System (BMS) improvement over cheaper bikes. If you’ve ever felt the stress of riding an inexpensive ebike with the battery-remaining percentage jumping around like crazy under load (during a hill climb), you’ll appreciate the accuracy and serenity of this stable BMS configuration. Major bonus points here.
Honestly, it's probably just something in the voltmeter that averages readings over time. The job of the BMS is to manage charging and discharging
I am unsure of the range of this ebike, as I have never come close to draining the battery, and in any case, fully draining an ebike battery (or batteries, in this case) is undesirable from a longevity perspective, based on research posted online.
If the battery's BMS is any good, it'll automatically shut down before the battery cells get damaged.
This review would not be complete without examining the mechanical drivetrain and transmission. In order to keep costs reasonable, the vendor chose to install the very much entry-level Shimano Tourney TZ drivetrain on this absolute gem of an ebike.
This is the same drivetrain you’d find on sub-$500 ‘non-enthusiast’ manual bicycles at the big-box stores.
Don’t get me wrong, it certainly gets the job done, and chances are good that with the massive Bafang Ultra motor you’re not going to be doing much manual peddling anyway, unless your batteries drain entirely… which at 30 amp total capacity, is rather unlikely for most people.
The Shimano Tourney TZ drivetrain’s hill climbing ability without electrical assist is nearly non-existent on this very heavy ebike.
In summary, most purchasers of this ebike won’t care about the entry-level manual drivetrain, since it’s merely an afterthought when you have 1,500 peak watts plus of electrical power… just don’t run out of juice, or you’ll need a tow if your trip home involves anything more than very modest inclines!
The cassette is Shimano HG 7 speed, 14-28T. Again, nothing particularly fancy, but at least it’s ‘branded’ Shimano, versus the unbranded stuff some ebike manufacturers put on their bikes
Let's get real:
• Use of an entry level drivetrain is a serious issue in a $4,000 bike.
• The motor doesn't fix any drivetrain issues. If anything, having a powerful motor will only exacerbate drivetrain issues. Remember, the motor drives the wheels through the same drivetrain that the pedals do.
• Hill climbing is as much a function of drivetrain quality as it is gearing range.
For those who may want to upgrade the drivetrain, per insights from a Local Bike Shop (LBS), the rear free-hub (made by Quando) is compatible with an upgrade to SRAM X5 9 speed, with the trigger shifters replacing the clunky (but fully functional) Tourney shifter. The cost for an LBS to swap out the Shimano Tourney 7-speed drivetrain for the SRAM X5 9 speed drivetrain is ~$250, parts and labor. I was told it is not compatible with an 11 speed manual transmission… which would be overkill anyway since you have the electric assist.
What speeds you want is perhaps secondary to the gear range you want, and unfortunately for eBikers to get a wide range you often need more "speeds." There's a video of someone who ugpraded to a the 9-speed SRAM cassette, but used a Shimano Deore derailleur. His new cassette has a 36 tooth low gear versus the 28 tooth Tourney.
Suspension Fork:
Mozo air shock fork feels great over bumps. I’m unsure which precise Mozo model number this is, or how many mm of travel it has, but it feels and rides great. A suspension stem (which never comes with ebikes out-of-the-box) is entirely unnecessary on this ebike, thanks to the great air shock suspension.
It looks like this one:
https://ezeryders.com/products/suspension-front-fork
Chain:
KMC chain, I’m guessing it’s ebike rated. It looks and feels great.
Given the Shimano Tourney is anything but e-bike rated, I'm guessing the chain isn't either.
Best I can tell, this is a 52 tooth Narrow-Wide Bafang OEM chainring.
I don't think Bafang makes a 52tooth chainring for the Ultra, much less a narrow-wide. My guess is it's not Bafang (not that it matters much).
Tektro dual-piston brakes are whisper quiet and provide plenty of stopping power. They are a massive upgrade from noisy mechanical disc brakes you may find on cheaper bikes, albeit probably not as perfect as the super-expensive quad-piston brakes you find on 6K - 8K USD bikes. Zero complaints here.
Tektro brakes are typically pretty good for the money, but it's a crack-up that on a $4k bike they don't even specify the rotor diameters.
Good, bad, and indifferent feedback is well welcome.
At $4k, you as a buyer have lots of options. While I personally like the Ultra motor, I have to question how this bike is configured. For instance that city "comfort" saddle with fatbike tires. The dual battery thing is also odd, especially since it's claimed that it doesn't draw from both batteries at the same time. With each 48v battery at only 15Ah, that's less than 750 watts available to feed a motor that can handle 1500 watts? Even at 80 lbs (assuming 10lbs of packaging), it's a really heavy beast - hard to get onto a bike rack, hard to handle off-road, etc.
For about the same money, I'd be looking at the Frey Liberty Hybrid - Hunter or Luna X2 or any of the many Bafang M600 motored bikes that are lighter with better components and maybe even full suspension instead of hardtail.
