Biktrix full-suspension purpose-built ebike

[jasond1979]

This Bafang unit impressed me a lot. I tried Shimano, Yamaha, Bosch and the Bafang. The Bafang unit feels like it puts out way more torque than others. The ride feels very natural. Every pedal stroke, you feel like its you - just stronger. Unlike the BBS motors where its sheer power. You pedal little and whoa you're gone. In this Max drive, you pedal and the assist is proportional to your effort. I like to say it feels like a bicyclist's choice for a motor!
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What is BBS motors?

Jason

 

[GMS]

Bafang produces a series of mid-drives under the "BBS" model names - BBS01 and BBS02. These are intended for retrofit into existing bike frames and use simple cadence sensing for pedal assist - turn the crank and the motor kicks in with assist.

http://lunacycle.com/motors/mid-dri...750w-mid-drive-with-upgraded-3077-controller/

Bafang MAX unit is an OEM focused mid-drive with integrated torque sensing to provide assist proportional to rider input (I have no personal experience with the Bafang MAX, but have ridden other mid-drives with torque sensing and have two BBS02 conversions).

 

[jasond1979]

Oh ok thanks for the info

 

[TedG]

Rode and bought the suspension bike yesterday (I think I got the last one @$1599). I visited with Roshan and rode this bike and a number of his products and prototypes. I was looking for a comfort/touring/trail bike all rolled into one. I really like the look of his fat tire bikes, but I could not see myself enjoying them much on the street, there is a lot of rolling resistance with those tires, (although Roshan had them inflated for snow - read low low pressure). The suspension bike was very smooth, comfortable and intuitive.

Now for the drive, (I currently own an ebike with a 350w hub motor and a torgue sensor). I rode a number of Roshan's BBS and Max bikes, the Max is a must have for any bicycle enthusiast. The max assist comes in after about the first 1/8 of a crank turn and from that point you just seem to have very powerful legs. When you move back to the BBS bikes, the ride feels much less natural, move the peddles, and you get the power -right now!

It is difficult to evaluate the ultimate power of the Max unit because you are adding your own energy and the Max. In any case, at the highest power level (5), the levels of assist seem almost unnatural as you get so much GO for little muscle input. It is easy to "finesse" the bike/drive through technical maneuvers at lower power settings. Obviously there is lots of power left for riders who are more capable and experienced.

 

[Jolly]

@ted. Congrats on your new bike. From what little information is out there on the Max Drive, it seems to be very capable drive. Is there a torque sensor built into the drive? and have you riding up any hills yet? Can you take videos of the bike?

 

[TedG]

@ted. Congrats on your new bike. From what little information is out there on the Max Drive, it seems to be very capable drive. Is there a torque sensor built into the drive? and have you riding up any hills yet? Can you take videos of the bike?

You will have to confirm with Roshan, but I believe the torque sensor is in the drive. I was riding the prototype, and like the other 49 people my bike will arrive in about 2 months. So no videos yet.

 

[roshan]

That's right, the max drive has a torque sensor. That's what most people love about the bike!

 

[tinasdude]

How is it on long steep climbs?

 

[William Hemmingsen]

I went ahead and preordered this bike. I really wanted a 500w, but I think a 350w mid drive will be enough torque. What attracted me was the full suspension, torque sensing, and price point. It's a pretty bike!

Wish there were videos however.

William

 

[William Hemmingsen]

All,

Roshan sent the following update to us that have preordered. Still looks like there are 15 available preorders left at the 1799 price.

William

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

Hello early adopters,

I just wanted to update you on the status of the MonteCapro project. I'll keep it short and sweet.

The frames just arrived from our frame builder. The naked aluminum frames are being tested for quality now. Once that's done, it's off to the paint shop. Then comes installation of parts, more QA, and shipping. I'll keep you updated on the progress. Here are some FAQs:

1. We are still on schedule to ship in June-July time frame. Why is the date not set exactly?
Because part of the time estimate is dependent on shipping. The shippers give us an estimated time of arrival and hence we have to also estimate the time for delivery.

2. What components am I getting:
Great news: originally we were going to ship all bikes with a 8 speed Alivio/Acera components. We have now decided to upgrade every bike to a 9 speed Deore component set. This is an awesome upgrade worth about $150.

3. Colour of the bike:
Same as in the pictures. It's very unique and looks amazing. Mauve.

4. Can I buy an extra battery:
Yes, we will send you a note just prior to shipping and you will have the opportunity to buy an extra battery.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to email me directly at [email protected]

Please share your excitement on our facebook page:
www.facebook.com/biktrixbikes

Cheers,
Roshan

 

[William Hemmingsen]

Here is an update by Roshan

Production underway - painting frames has begun
Hi there,

It has been a while since I updated you so I thought I'll bring you all up to speed.
It has been crazy busy over the past week, sourcing the right parts and ensuring they all arrive on time.

The biggest trouble we have is with our frame manufacturer: usually frame manufacturers have huge Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) requirements (in the order of 1000s of frames) but we wanted to order a small quantity for two reasons:
1. Ensure the quality is at par with our expectations
2. So that we can make changes and improvements quickly
3. We're a start up and didn't want to put out more money than we need to.
Due to this, the frames take anywhere from 30-90 days to get manufactured.

The good news is: I was in China 2 weeks ago and I have personally made sure that the frames arrive on time and without defects.

So, where are we at now?
- All our parts have arrived
- All frames have arrived and have started going through the aluminum heat treatment and base coat of paint.
Pictures for your reference:

Above: frames being dipped in cleanser

Below: First coat of base black paint. This is followed by the mauve colour paint as shown our campaign page

Next steps:
- Get all painting done
- Assembly
- Shipping

We have sorted out shipping as well. We will be using UPS for shipment and the bikes will arrive at your door almost fully assembled. All that you will need to do is put on the pedals and front wheel.

There are a couple of pleasant surprises for you. You'll see what they are in my next update.

Big question is: When do we plan to ship?
Answer: As per schedule. late June - early July time frame.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to reach out to me. Again, thank you for your support.

PS: If you have not already, please like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Cheers,
Roshan

 

[J.R.]

Roshan is one sharp dude! He seems to keep his promises, he's one of only 2, or 3 I'd feel safe with a "pre-order".

Congratulations all you Biktrix FS'ers!

 

[jazz]

I like the look of this bike. Congrats!

 

[William Hemmingsen]

Latest update from Roshan.

Lee

They are coming alive!
Hi all,

Just wanted to update you quickly and let you know that your bikes are one step closer to being shipped out. We have started assembling the bikes and they are looking really sharp!

Surprise: All bikes are getting integrated front light and 9 speed Shimano Deore components.

Next steps:
- Complete assembly
- Packaging/boxing
- Ship to Vancouver
- Test out the bikes
- Ship them out to you

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me directly at [email protected]

China had 5 days off this past week and now work resumes full swing.

Cheers,
Roshan

 

[William Hemmingsen]

Most recent updates from Roshan

All the bikes are packed and ready to go, it's standing there ready to go ...

Hi all,

It gives me great joy in sending you this email. Biktrix will be the first production bike sold in North America with the BBS MAX motor. You folks are the first ones to experience this and I'd like to thank you very much for your support.

Here's where we are at:
1. Bikes have been individually packed and boarded onto a container ship that is expected to arrive in Vancouver on July 16th
2. Once the bikes arrive, we will ship in 3-4 days as soon as we individually quality test each bike.

Some surprise upgrades and changes:

10 Speed Deore instead of the 9/8 speed promised before:

Slightly curved handlebars with comfort grips:

Adjustable stem/neck:

Pivot arms changed to black:

Finally, look at this beauty. Note the extra wide comfy seat (a lot of you secretly requested this):

If all goes well, we hope to start shipping later next week and early the week after. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I cannot express how happy I am with the end result. I was in China a few weeks ago and the bikes just look stellar.

Ride on!

Cheers,
Roshan

 

[Fred]

Congratulations Roshan, MonteCarlo looks great!

I already have a Juggernaut which is also great and while I would love to have one of each of your bikes, my garage is full and my wife might send me out there to sleep if I get any more bikes.

 

[William Hemmingsen]

Got my shipping confirmation, its on the way!

In Transit
Estimated Time of Delivery
By Tuesday, August 2, 2016

 

[Jolly]

Got my shipping confirmation, its on the way!

In Transit
Estimated Time of Delivery
By Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Congrats!!! post some photos and maybe a video of the bike.

 

[TedG]

Picked up the bike today! I live a hour and a half from Roshan so I have almost been camped on his doorstep for the last week waiting for delivery. My first impression is the bike looks fantastic but I limited my first "leg over" to a short circuit of Roshan's parking lot. When I got home I plugged in the battery to top it up, and took the bike (sans battery) on a quick tour.

The bike is tight and rolls along very easily on pavement and hard pack dirt. I bought the suspension bike because my almost 60 year old butt no longer likes the jarring and I don't ride aggressively enough to warrant standing. The suspension was everything I have hoped for to deal with the potholes in our community. Aggressive riders will have to decide for themselves how well it works, but Roshan does have suspension upgrades available.

I like the bike because it "fits" me. I am 5'7" with a 29" inseam and I can stand comfortably across the bike. My 5'2" wife took a ride and was equally comfortable. I expect the bike will work very well for taller riders as the Bars, seat and stem are all adjustable.

Once the battery was at full charge I took off for the real test!!! The power of the Max drive is very deceptive because it seamlessly adds to your own efforts. You don't feel it "kick in" at any point. I did most of my riding at level 1 (of 5) and found high road speeds to be very comfortable. The speed of the bike is most limited by its gearing, 25 mph is easily attainable. I did not encounter any hills today so I can't comment on hill climbing at this point, most of my riding was in top gear(10th). I am looking forward to hills this weekend.

I have another ebike with a torque sensor and 350w hub motor. As a point of comparison, the Max drive is vastly superior. With my old bike there is a lag in the power up, then definite cycling of perceptible assist. The Max drive is amazing is its smoothness, it makes you think: "your doing it all by yourself". I found myself turning the power off occasionally, just to see how much the Max was assisting!

I my first couple of hours I put 22km on the bike, about 1/2 of it was with the headlight on. In that time I used up 1 bar (out of 10) on the power meter, so I do not expect any issues with battery life.

In conclusion, I am very happy with the bike and plan on exploring it off road capabilities shortly. The bike was economically priced and Roshan has proven to be a reliable business person. We will be ordering a second bike in the next order for my wife's use.

If you are looking for an all round suspension bike for street and trail use at an economical price, get your money in now!

 

[Jolly]

Picked up the bike today! I live a hour and a half from Roshan so I have almost been camped on his doorstep for the last week waiting for delivery. My first impression is the bike looks fantastic but I limited my first "leg over" to a short circuit of Roshan's parking lot. When I got home I plugged in the battery to top it up, and took the bike (sans battery) on a quick tour.

The bike is tight and rolls along very easily on pavement and hard pack dirt. I bought the suspension bike because my almost 60 year old butt no longer likes the jarring and I don't ride aggressively enough to warrant standing. The suspension was everything I have hoped for to deal with the potholes in our community. Aggressive riders will have to decide for themselves how well it works, but Roshan does have suspension upgrades available.

I like the bike because it "fits" me. I am 5'7" with a 29" inseam and I can stand comfortably across the bike. My 5'2" wife took a ride and was equally comfortable. I expect the bike will work very well for taller riders as the Bars, seat and stem are all adjustable.

Once the battery was at full charge I took off for the real test!!! The power of the Max drive is very deceptive because it seamlessly adds to your own efforts. You don't feel it "kick in" at any point. I did most of my riding at level 1 (of 5) and found high road speeds to be very comfortable. The speed of the bike is most limited by its gearing, 25 mph is easily attainable. I did not encounter any hills today so I can't comment on hill climbing at this point, most of my riding was in top gear(10th). I am looking forward to hills this weekend.

I have another ebike with a torque sensor and 350w hub motor. As a point of comparison, the Max drive is vastly superior. With my old bike there is a lag in the power up, then definite cycling of perceptible assist. The Max drive is amazing is its smoothness, it makes you think: "your doing it all by yourself". I found myself turning the power off occasionally, just to see how much the Max was assisting!

I my first couple of hours I put 22km on the bike, about 1/2 of it was with the headlight on. In that time I used up 1 bar (out of 10) on the power meter, so I do not expect any issues with battery life.

In conclusion, I am very happy with the bike and plan on exploring it off road capabilities shortly. The bike was economically priced and Roshan has proven to be a reliable business person. We will be ordering a second bike in the next order for my wife's use.

If you are looking for an all round suspension bike for street and trail use at an economical price, get your money in now!

Wow, it sounds like the MAX drive will be a hard competitor against the Bosch and Yamaha drive. how was the torque sensor on the MAX drive compare to your hub drive torque sensor?