Tom@WashDC
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Loudoun County, VA.
I saw my first E-Bike kit on Amazon several years ago (2019) and it seeded the thought in the back of my mind that I might do a DIY build one day for fun.
Around June of 2020, I heard a David Lee Roth podcast wherein he extolled the virtues of his E-Bike. The line that stuck with me went something like this.
"The best part of Yoga is being done with Yoga, the best part of doing calisthenics is being done with calisthenics. The best part of riding an E-bike?, riding the E-bike!" That month I had a family vacation planned with my wife and two of our adult children to Monterey CA. We rented E-Bikes in Monterey and took a ride along the beach, 17-Mile Drive along Pebble Beach and the Cali Coast. That ride would have sucked due to a 10mph headwind along the beach, but the E-Bike made it a breeze (no pun intended). I became convinced E-Bikes for my wife and I would be a good investment for our health and for fun. It was Sept 20', the height of the COVID Pandemic and all bikes were in short supply, especially E-bikes. Only Aventon and Ride1UP had bikes in stock within my price and requirements range. I ordered two Aventon Level Step Throughs. When they arrived a week later I was impressed and took to riding daily along the 60 miles of paved and well manicured bike trails around my home. While riding I quickly realized that I had a penchant for diverting "off-road" and "attacking" the many grassy banks, valleys, and wooded areas adjacent to the trails, at high speed. My Aventon Level would not suffice (lack of rear suspension) and was not built for what I decided I really wanted to do. I wanted to be able to go anywhere I wanted to, on my bike. In December of 2020, I took the plunge and ordered a $260 Mongoose Fat-Bike made of steel from Walmart, and a Bafang BBSHD kit from Luna Cycle. You can read my DIY build thread here. I took a chance, knowing zilch about fat-bikes, and knowing nothing about E-Bike motors, kits, mid-drives, brakes, or bicycle mechanics in general. I am mechanically inclined and confident that given the right tools, I can build, or rebuild anything.
The Fat-Bike build was a great learning experience and I rode her as hard as she would take, and I love her. She still has the original super-cheap-ass cable brakes that will stop her in the most dire of circumstances. I added a cheap $150 front air fork, a SunTour suspension seat post, metal fenders, and a Shimano type hub, Advent 9 speed shifter/derailleur, 11-42 Advent cassette, with a Luna 42T chainring. She will go anywhere, and climb anything. I put 3,300 very hard miles on her since March of 2021, and 1200 miles on my Aventon Level.
I wanted more. I wanted a lighter, hotter, more capable bike with torque sensing and rear suspension. After a lot of research, reading threads here on EBR, many reviews, and threads on Endless Sphere, I decided to purchase a Carbon Fiber Mid-Drive Z1 from Luna Cycle. I love my new Z1. It's very, powerful, lightweight, nimble, and the suspension is incredibly smooth. I've had much success dealing with Luna Cycle. They've been very helpful on my BBSHD build, Tech support, and a warranty claim on my display. I opted not to go with the the Luna X2, which is essentially the same bike except the Bafang mid-drive motor on the X2 is a less robust version of the Ultra-Mag, and it uses the CANBUS communication protocol rather than UART protocol. CANBUS is proprietary locked system. The Z1 Ultra Mag motor uses the UART protocol which makes it easy to program the stock controller and upgrade the controller to a GRIN Tech controller in the future.
I've learned a lot on this journey and welcome questions. ~Tom
My Stable of E-Bikes
My First E-bikes, Aventon Levels, purchased in Sept 2020
Upgraded 22amp KT Controller/Display, Suntour Suspension Seat Posts, Adjustable Handlebar Risers, 2.8" and 3" tires.
My Mongoose Fat-Bike, BBSHD, DIY Build, completed January 21'.
Dual 48V batteries (17Ah & 20Ah), Tannus Armor Tire Inserts, SQLabs Grips, 9 Speed Microshift Advent Trigger Shifter, 11-42 Microshift Advent Cassette, Luna 42T Chainring, Bolany Front Air Fork.
My new toy arrived June 22'. Luna Cycle Z1 Mid Drive Carbon Fiber. A very enjoyable ride.
Added a Velo seat, DIY under seat, post mounted rear light, SQLabs grips, two RockBros frame bags, SKS front and rear MudRocker fenders, and Tannus Armor Tire Inserts.
Update: 3/21/23 - added the Frey Savannah Cross Country to my stable.
Decided my wife should have a full suspension step thru, with torque sensing, and mid drive. I sold one of my Aventon Levels.
4/27/23 - And now, I've added a Rohloff Speedhub 14 IGH to my Luna Z1!
"Somebody Stop Me!"
Around June of 2020, I heard a David Lee Roth podcast wherein he extolled the virtues of his E-Bike. The line that stuck with me went something like this.
"The best part of Yoga is being done with Yoga, the best part of doing calisthenics is being done with calisthenics. The best part of riding an E-bike?, riding the E-bike!" That month I had a family vacation planned with my wife and two of our adult children to Monterey CA. We rented E-Bikes in Monterey and took a ride along the beach, 17-Mile Drive along Pebble Beach and the Cali Coast. That ride would have sucked due to a 10mph headwind along the beach, but the E-Bike made it a breeze (no pun intended). I became convinced E-Bikes for my wife and I would be a good investment for our health and for fun. It was Sept 20', the height of the COVID Pandemic and all bikes were in short supply, especially E-bikes. Only Aventon and Ride1UP had bikes in stock within my price and requirements range. I ordered two Aventon Level Step Throughs. When they arrived a week later I was impressed and took to riding daily along the 60 miles of paved and well manicured bike trails around my home. While riding I quickly realized that I had a penchant for diverting "off-road" and "attacking" the many grassy banks, valleys, and wooded areas adjacent to the trails, at high speed. My Aventon Level would not suffice (lack of rear suspension) and was not built for what I decided I really wanted to do. I wanted to be able to go anywhere I wanted to, on my bike. In December of 2020, I took the plunge and ordered a $260 Mongoose Fat-Bike made of steel from Walmart, and a Bafang BBSHD kit from Luna Cycle. You can read my DIY build thread here. I took a chance, knowing zilch about fat-bikes, and knowing nothing about E-Bike motors, kits, mid-drives, brakes, or bicycle mechanics in general. I am mechanically inclined and confident that given the right tools, I can build, or rebuild anything.
The Fat-Bike build was a great learning experience and I rode her as hard as she would take, and I love her. She still has the original super-cheap-ass cable brakes that will stop her in the most dire of circumstances. I added a cheap $150 front air fork, a SunTour suspension seat post, metal fenders, and a Shimano type hub, Advent 9 speed shifter/derailleur, 11-42 Advent cassette, with a Luna 42T chainring. She will go anywhere, and climb anything. I put 3,300 very hard miles on her since March of 2021, and 1200 miles on my Aventon Level.
I wanted more. I wanted a lighter, hotter, more capable bike with torque sensing and rear suspension. After a lot of research, reading threads here on EBR, many reviews, and threads on Endless Sphere, I decided to purchase a Carbon Fiber Mid-Drive Z1 from Luna Cycle. I love my new Z1. It's very, powerful, lightweight, nimble, and the suspension is incredibly smooth. I've had much success dealing with Luna Cycle. They've been very helpful on my BBSHD build, Tech support, and a warranty claim on my display. I opted not to go with the the Luna X2, which is essentially the same bike except the Bafang mid-drive motor on the X2 is a less robust version of the Ultra-Mag, and it uses the CANBUS communication protocol rather than UART protocol. CANBUS is proprietary locked system. The Z1 Ultra Mag motor uses the UART protocol which makes it easy to program the stock controller and upgrade the controller to a GRIN Tech controller in the future.
I've learned a lot on this journey and welcome questions. ~Tom
My Stable of E-Bikes
My First E-bikes, Aventon Levels, purchased in Sept 2020
Upgraded 22amp KT Controller/Display, Suntour Suspension Seat Posts, Adjustable Handlebar Risers, 2.8" and 3" tires.
My Mongoose Fat-Bike, BBSHD, DIY Build, completed January 21'.
Dual 48V batteries (17Ah & 20Ah), Tannus Armor Tire Inserts, SQLabs Grips, 9 Speed Microshift Advent Trigger Shifter, 11-42 Microshift Advent Cassette, Luna 42T Chainring, Bolany Front Air Fork.
My new toy arrived June 22'. Luna Cycle Z1 Mid Drive Carbon Fiber. A very enjoyable ride.
Added a Velo seat, DIY under seat, post mounted rear light, SQLabs grips, two RockBros frame bags, SKS front and rear MudRocker fenders, and Tannus Armor Tire Inserts.
Update: 3/21/23 - added the Frey Savannah Cross Country to my stable.
Decided my wife should have a full suspension step thru, with torque sensing, and mid drive. I sold one of my Aventon Levels.
4/27/23 - And now, I've added a Rohloff Speedhub 14 IGH to my Luna Z1!
"Somebody Stop Me!"
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Funny, I was looking at all four bikes after riding yesterday, and smiling when I was thinking about my hesitation regarding my initial $3,200 investment for my first two Aventons. I never would have imagined that I would end up spending $11,000+! My wife and I usually invite friends over to go riding with us, so all of the bikes do get used often. I'm much healthier than I was before I started this journey, and I sleep better than I ever did. I picked up a new friend whom I ride with about four times a week, so the investment was well worth it.
