Belt drive in a full suspension bike question

[MrCaspan]

@m@Robertson Interesting read about using your breaks as a cut off as you shift, very clever!

 

[m@Robertson]

Good god is this one of those tiny homes lol, Where is the bed!

Its right there on the back

Add a Flight Deck. And a Hangar.

The Surly Big Fat Dummy has a great big deck in the back. Using a 40″ kicktail longboard and some hardware, Lets make it bigger. And a double decker to boot.

talesontwowheels.com

What is the rule (if any) on dumping gears with a mid drive. Is it bad to dump 3-4 gears at a time under light load compared to one gear at a time?

One at a time. The bike I just built uses the Box Components single shifter. Pull the lever as much as you want and it shifts just once per throw. Not too long ago I upgraded my Envoy mid-tail so it uses the MicroShift Advent 9 spd system which is also single-shift. My enduro uses a SRAM EX1 ebike-specific drivetrain and it too is designed to only single-shift. The MicroShift and Box systems are WAY more reasonable in price and I would not do the SRAM again.

@m@Robertson Interesting read about using your breaks as a cut off as you shift, very clever!

If you have seen that article you've seen how I do it. Once again with the Apostate I just built, I set aside a gear sensor and once again I didn't bother to install it. I just lift off the throttle if I am shifting, and because of how I have my motor settings (detailed as Version 2 in the 'slightly refined' programming article) I can just do a stutter-step on my cadence and shift in the short space between stopping and starting to pedal again.

 

[AHicks]

What is the rule (if any) on dumping gears with a mid drive. Is it bad to dump 3-4 gears at a time under light load compared to one gear at a time?

My "mid" experience is limited to an Ultra which is an absolute torque monster. Regarding high cadence or any other factor regarding the load on the motor (which is a direct read out of how much battery you are using as well), I think at least some of this is going to depend on the bike and the rider. As an example - I can accelerate smoothly from a stop in 5th or 6th gear (of 9), without exceeding 250 watts, which is a drop in the bucket when considering what this motor/driveline is capable of. With THIS motor, it's not that critical. Smaller motors are going to require you to pay more attention, but that watt meter can always be used to base your riding decisions on accurately. I am of the strong belief that if you monitor your wattmeter for a while after getting a bike up and running, you can easily see exactly what's going on and make many decisions pretty easily based on that info. Soon, you know about about what to expect in any situation and won't need to monitor the watt meter near as much.

Many shifters allow you to drop 2-3 gears at a time if you want as long as you're pedaling and the bike is moving. That's going to depend on what you end up with. Safe bet you're still going to have those dumb A moments where you were forced to stop in a hurry and find yourself stopped in 9th gear going up hill.... -Al

 

[PedalUma]

I also like the Microshift and Box. It is like playing a musical instrument. You just practice until you don't think of the mechanics. I normally do not install break lever cutouts or gear sensors. The less wires the better. With an IGH you can skip as many gears as you want, but only shift when stopped or while coasting. They are nice when you come to a light in high gear. Never shift an IGH under load.

 

[m@Robertson]

I also like the Microshift and Box. It is like playing a musical instrument. You just practice until you don't think of the mechanics.

Yes. This exactly! I have trouble using my one gear-sensor'd bike because I just don't think about the process anymore and even though it will limit torque for me under a shift I don't pay any attention and just stutter-step anyway.

I normally do not install break lever cutouts

On the one bike I have that has simple MT5's and not MT5e's, I only very rarely miss not having the cutouts, and even then its not a big deal. In one of Karl Gesslein's posts on his blog he made the point that you should always just install brakes on your bike that can overpower what the motor wants to do. The Maguras certainly fit that bill.

 

[PedalUma]

Yes. This exactly! I have trouble using my one gear-sensor'd bike because I just don't think about the process anymore and even though it will limit torque for me under a shift I don't pay any attention and just stutter-step anyway.

On the one bike I have that has simple MT5's and not MT5e's, I only very rarely miss not having the cutouts, and even then its not a big deal. In one of Karl Gesslein's posts on his blog he made the point that you should always just install brakes on your bike that can overpower what the motor wants to do. The Maguras certainly fit that bill.

I think that levers came into fashion with hub motors with throttles. People would do stupid stuff like burnouts and doughnuts under brake load. Or attempt racing starts by applying the throttle and brakes at the same time, then letting go of the brakes. That stuff will kill a bike. Those things do not apply to a torque sensor mid-drive. With an acoustic mountain bike you back off pedal pressure on a down shift. You can't down shift while standing on the pedals going up a hill on a regular bike. How did you like the FatBoy build?

 

[m@Robertson]

How did you like the FatBoy build?

You know I totally missed it I had to go back and look. I really like it. Since I went to Plus tires with the Mongoose, I have not done a fatty since. The Bullitt can't do them at all (I'm pushing it with a front wheel thats a 2.4") and the Apostate, being a model year 1999 frame... I considered myself lucky to fit 2.35's on it. I could probably go up to 2.5's if I deflated the tire before fitting the wheel. But on that bike, because it has full suspension, I can inflate the tires to rocks (60 psi) and it rides easy.

TSDZ2? The chainring assembly looks different than an '02. I have to admit I always thought of those motors as requiring the 'body' of it to hang straight down but I saw one tucked up to the down tube not so long ago and it really changed my perception of it. Silly to say (and admit to) but there it is. I think there may be a much bigger future for those motors thanks to Bafang's desire to choke out the USA DIY market. Mostly, its an unknown to me and as such I'd have to be feeling adventurous to build with one and start over on setup. For this latest bike I just plugged in my black box, went to my article on revised settings, pulled up the Version 2 pictures and copied what was there. Done in one. No experimenting. Perfect low power PAS.

On the TSDZ is the chain line as screwed up as it is on a Bafang motor? Requiring the same band aids?

 

[m@Robertson]

How did you like the FatBoy build?

hey I just noticed the tires are Specialized Ground Controls. I thought they discontinued their really fat version? I always liked those tires and heard great things about them but never had a chance to get my hands on a pair.

 

[PedalUma]

hey I just noticed the tires are Specialized Ground Controls. I thought they discontinued their really fat version? I always liked those tires and heard great things about them but never had a chance to get my hands on a pair.

It was a never used 2014 FatBoy. I will bet you cannot get those tires anymore. 4.7's. I didn't have any problem with the chain line and used a 36 narrow/wide ring.