Frey Beast Added To The Garage

[juggernaut]

Back in April I took delivery of my first e-bike. Loved the bike and set about doing some upgrades to make it my commuter bike and regularly ride to/from work. For Mothers Day my daughter and I bought the step through version for my wife to get her out riding with us.

I then wanted to experience a Bafang Ultra powered bike. Starting on my search I then got a very good deal on a Frey Beast (canbus motor) from a dealer on the other side of the country. A week later (yesterday) I took delivery, put it together and took it for a quick spin. Gees this thing has some torque even in eco mode. I have yet to try sport mode but did try the throttle riding along in eco mode. Behaves very nicely and so far nice and smooth.

Pics

 

[keithj69]

Welcome to the Frey family. Having a blast with my CC.

 

[juggernaut]

Thanks Keith, I’ve been following your Frey CC journey in your thread .

Do you find the 46T chainring sufficient or would you go bigger?

 

[keithj69]

The 46T is ok. It is keeping me off of 8th/9th gear for most riding. I have considered going bigger, but i have also started riding more off pavement places. With the change of riding scenarios, I am going to hold out for now. If i was strictly MUP riding, I would definitely try a 50t if possible.

 

[juggernaut]

Thanks. Do you know how many teeth the lowest gear on your cassette is?

 

[keithj69]

That is a good question. I do not at this moment. I'll check when i get home.

 

[khaoskosmos]

Looks good! I see that your front tire also is not tubeless ready. The picture on Frey's website actually shows a Maxxis Minion DHR II, but the specs say Rekon.

 

[juggernaut]

Looks good! I see that your front tire also is not tubeless ready. The picture on Frey's website actually shows a Maxxis Minion DHR II, but the specs say Rekon.

No it’s not TR, not that it bothers me as I run tubes in all 6 of our bikes (3 acoustic and 3 electric)

 

[juggernaut]

Just done over 50klms on the Beast in the last week. As per the display settings the bike is limited to ”just” 60 klm/hr so I was keen to see what I had in i my legs with the stock 40T chainring. I have managed to hit just under 59 klms/hr on both attempts per the speedo on the display - though my legs went “supersonic” in the process and there’s no way I can sustain that cadence for any sort of distance whatever it was.

I have just received my 48T chainring so the lower 6 gears get more use and the higher gears a little less use. Just waiting on a new chain for the extra links I will need.

Specs on the motor/controller show it to be 60V and 28A.

 

[juggernaut]

Fitted the 48T WT chainring over the weekend. Bought two new chains as I needed more links than the stock length 12 speed chain would provide. Wanted to keep the original chain in case I reverted back to stock 40T chainring.

I think I need to check the SRAM chain gap adjustment with their tool to account for the different length chain as it won’t shift into the lowest gear on the stand but does when riding in the sag position. Unfortunately this needs to be done in the sag position so have to instruct the wife how to do this whilst I’m sitting on the bike ……or phone a friend.

As I had to calculate the new chain length without the coil shock in place also I took the opportunity of swapping out the 450lb spring for a 500lb spring to better suit my weight to achieve the recommended 30% sag.

Certainly feels nicer to ride as the new chainring now suits the power of the bike, with gear changes less frantic. No noticeable downsides the stiffer spring either.

Pics for attention.

 

[khaoskosmos]

How many links did you end up using? My LBS fitted 122 links last service interval... Frey says stock is 126. I measured overlap using a new xx1 126 link chain with the coil removed around largest sprocket. The chain was too short to even overlap. I added 2 inner 1 outer and a power link. Any more and the chain seems too long for the derailleur to take up the slack.

 

[juggernaut]

I counted 124 links on the stock chain. Interestingly, found with the coil removed, the stock chain was slightly too short when measured on the largest sprocket.

I used 130 links which is slightly too long by one link by my reckoning, but obviously you can only add or remove two chain links (inner and outer) at a time when sizing the chain. At this stage I havent readjusted the B gap from stock (since you need to do that sitting on the bike) and with the comparatively longer chain I found couldn’t shift to the largest sprocket. But with the deraileur running closer to the cassette on all the other sprockets I found the shifts snappier.

 

[khaoskosmos]

I used a ratchet strap to engage the suspension (I have a rear rack to wrap it into). I matched it to my sag setting on the rear coil (a bit over 20%). It seems every time I need to adjust, no one is around to sit on the bike for me!

 

[juggernaut]

I used a ratchet strap to engage the suspension (I have a rear rack to wrap it into). I matched it to my sag setting on the rear coil (a bit over 20%). It seems every time I need to adjust, no one is around to sit on the bike for me!

I have my sag at circa 30% with the higher spec coil but am reluctant to use a ratchet strap to compress the suspension. Have to wait until a mate comes around.