Yes, I believe I have. I have spent quite a bit of time riding a Bafang Ultra powered '21 Rize RX Pro with a few mods, including 27.5x2.8 Schwalbe Super Moto X tires and the Frey "Smooth" programming. There are also 4 hub driven bikes in our fleet, including a very modified '17 RAD City that's been repowered with a 1000w MAC 12t geared hub using a 35 amp controller.Please tell me why a hub drive would be :"hands down easier to ride"? Have you ever ridden a quality mid drive?
Just a sugestion to anybody looking at the numbers they don't quite tell the story look deeper in to the whole setup.I live in the mountains of NC and wanted a bike with front forks, and a minimum of 1000w and 120nm torque with the battery integrated into the down tube for under 3600.00. I need a bike that can climb steep grades but nothing too razy. We are buying two bikes and we need a smaller frame. Minimum seat height no more than 31". I would appreciate any suggestions.
Depends on: (1) the hill. How steep? How much climb? (2) the drive systems. How much torque for the mid? the hub? What brand drive system? These things all matter.I will say that AHicks is correct, based on my own experience, for exactly the reasons he stated.
With my mid drive, if I'm not geared down at the start of a big hill, there's a problem. It takes the motor longer than I'm comfortable with figuring out what the heck I've gone and done and adjust to that, so I lose significant momentum. With my hub drive, I knock up the PAS or hit the throttle and the response is instant. Same with starting from a dead stop. I better remember to gear down, or it's a slow start with the mid drive. With the hub, again, kick up the PAS or hit the throttle, and go. I like both my bikes, but the hub drive is definitely "easier" in the sense that I don't need to be thinking and anticipating like I do with my mid drive.
I've said on another occasion that if my hub drive had been available when I first purchased and IF I were confident it would have handled the hills as well as my mid drive does (actually, it probably would!) I would have probably purchased the hub instead.
Think about it. That stuff does NOT matter when comparing how easy the 2 types are to ride. That is what we're talking about, right? This size of the hill, the size of the motor, and the brand make absolutely NO DIFFERENCE in the fact that the hub will be easier to drive, and the mid requiring the rider to pay attention to the gear the bike is in, and the fact it will require more finesse to shift to be ridden properly.Depends on: (1) the hill. How steep? How much climb? (2) the drive systems. How much torque for the mid? the hub? What brand drive system? These things all matter.
Trail riding or streets mostly?I live in the mountains of NC and wanted a bike with front forks, and a minimum of 1000w and 120nm torque with the battery integrated into the down tube for under 3600.00. I need a bike that can climb steep grades but nothing too razy. We are buying two bikes and we need a smaller frame. Minimum seat height no more than 31". I would appreciate any suggestions.
I agree with Rich C. I live in central CT, 75 years old ride, have two Trek Bosch Powered mid drives and love them. I exclusively ride myEvery bicycle has a front fork. You are talking about a suspension fork I assume. A spring front fork is just barely better than a rigid fork. Not worth the extra weight for what you get in a minimal suspension. An air suspension front fork is the way to go. Infinitely adjustable. I suggest you ride a few eBikes before buying. Nobody needs 1,000w and 120nm of torque, unless they intend to ride like it's a scooter. I ride Bosch powered mid drives and it will climb any hill I've been on, and it has a max of around 500w motor and 75nm of torque. I'll be 70 this year, so my legs on that eBike climb really well.
My old Biktrix uses the BBSHD and its a fantastic motor imo, im not sure if Biktrix still use them?An option to a BBS02 would be the BBSHD. That motor is rated for the same amount of torque as the Ultra (160nm) but it doesn't have the torque sensing. Great reputation as a bullet proof motor. There were a few bikes using that motor, but nothing comes to mind at the moment.
If you mean the mid will make the hill if you shift right as long as you have traction and the hub might not you are correct. no wait that's not right the hub just need more power. Ok let's play nice the truth is mid's as a genral rule are beter for climbing but that's not alway's the case and shifting isn't that hard .Think about it. That stuff does NOT matter when comparing how easy the 2 types are to ride. That is what we're talking about, right? This size of the hill, the size of the motor, and the brand make absolutely NO DIFFERENCE in the fact that the hub will be easier to drive, and the mid requiring the rider to pay attention to the gear the bike is in, and the fact it will require more finesse to shift to be ridden properly.
Tell that to a rookie that's not used to shifting? I can tell you with a certain degree of certainty that if you ride next to somebody that's never been on a bike that needed to be shifted, the first few miles are going to be distracting if you own that bike, or are responsible for the maintenance.If you mean the mid will make the hill if you shift right as long as you have traction and the hub might not you are correct. no wait that's not right the hub just need more power. Ok let's play nice the truth is mid's as a genral rule are beter for climbing but that's not alway's the case and shifting isn't that hard .
I've had at least a dozen support calls regarding fried BBS01 and BBS02 where the builder was not an experienced rider. Those failures were Clearly a result of not understanding how important properly choosing gears can be.Tell that to a rookie that's not used to shifting?
depend on the truck or car I driven a few trucks that were pretty trick and sports car that shift like butter. yes one might not want to teach on their best bike but it's not even as hard as a nice shifting sports car. I guess my point is even as a rookie it not going to take that long to learn to shift to a useable level.Tell that to a rookie that's not used to shifting? I can tell you with a certain degree of certainty that if you ride next to somebody that's never been on a bike that needed to be shifted, the first few miles are going to be distracting if you own that bike, or are responsible for the maintenance.
I agree shifting isn't hard. Generally my shifts are done with very little thought - but it's something I've been doing just about forever.
Using a clutch on a manually shifted car or truck isn't hard either - unless you've never done it before...... That's my point. I'm thinking raw green rookie. -Al
Thanks for that tip. I'm going to do a bit of work to it once winter is over so ill check that out. No issues long term with it?@jkvt "The downside is it's somewhat noisy,"
Bust it in half and remove the little bit of grease from the factory, if you haven't already or whatever grease you have in there, and replace it with Corn Head grease, a John Deere product that comes in a cartridge. It does alot to quiet the motor down. I've done it to two motors now and it works. Doesn't take alot about two teaspoons to do the trick.