AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
You mean the home made bikes that cost 1/3 of the one like you are talking about - that have twice the power ?
Online companies vs the Established bike manufacturers
- Thread starter ebikerr
- Start date
tomjasz
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Minnesnowta
Atta boy throw some misogyny in to make your pissy point.
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
The seals failed because I rode so much in the rain and often the bike wouldn’t wet for days. Now I know to change the seals once in awhile.
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
The more power thing do you think of I wanted more power I would have bought more power? I rather have smooth and great feeling performance then lots of power cheap huge batteries and weight. I almost never use all the power the bike can give me I rather actually get exercise.
I was ready to go with a bike from a bike company here in my state. I liked the idea that the bike company was here, not just a dealership. I arranged to test ride the bike during regular business hours last week. They are about 230 miles away, round trip. They knew I was coming and from a fairly long distance (considering the price of gas). When I got there, they were closed because the only available employee was sick. They didn't try to contact me to let me know. I got a "sorry" after the fact and that's it. My choices are limited for things actually local, so I'm thinking I might as well just go on-line and take my chances there. Lots more to choose from and prices are generally lower.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
So you advice to everybody to become their own bike mechanic and electronic.
Has it ever occurred to you people prefer riding to sitting in the shop?
Gionnirocket
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Y. O.
I can guarantee you that I can repair my bike faster and easier then the time it takes you to hump it to the shop and wait in their queue.
But I understand as back in the day as an electrician when I was hired to change a light bulb, especially by those with more money then common sense... I was paid handsomely.
Then I would pass that savings onto those with more heart than money.
Speaking of "mechanical inclination", I am not very mechanically inclined. My limit is at a level of bolt on and off stuff. Eg Changing spark plugs or replacing some stereo cable after removing the integrated unit from the dashboard (I know car analogy, but that's what I can go with).
No soldering and stuff, am very bad at it.
Reading everyones review, I am guessing a high quality online kit is also something I should look at. Recommendations for torque sensing mid drive cruising/city/hybrid type of bikes?
No soldering and stuff, am very bad at it.
Reading everyones review, I am guessing a high quality online kit is also something I should look at. Recommendations for torque sensing mid drive cruising/city/hybrid type of bikes?
I'd be very careful to make sure I understood the difference between ordering a complete bike online and ordering a kit to convert an existing bike. It gets even more complicated when you want a mid drive, where you may face bottom bracket issues (you do know that all BBs are not the same?) and where you will need to wire in a controller and battery. You familiar with the different types of connectors? Their current ratings and how to properly terminate them (that is to say, put the wire into the connector permanently?)
DIY service is much easier than DIY bike building.
AHicks
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Snow Bird - Summer S.E. Michigan, Winter Gulf Coast North Central Fl.
I think we'll all have slightly different approaches here, but in my mind, if somebody is actually inclined to learn and willing to get his hands dirty, any info is available for the asking, and there are hundreds and hundreds of you tube videos on about any topic as well.
The way you learn to solder is with practice and good equipment. Hundreds of videos there too.
tomjasz
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Minnesnowta
Clueless
m@Robertson
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I've never had a DIY motor go bad or need any sort of replacement. I'm on my 7th BBSHD'd bike, for the record, not counting the hub motor bikes. On the other hand I have heard of plenty of Bosch failures, not to mention the Shimano debacle where they have dropped support for some of their earlier models and owners with failed motors on $8000+ cargo bikes are now faced with junking a bike that no longer has a motor available that fits their frame's motor bolt pattern.
Oh, and replacing a motor for free only works if they have replacements available. I've seen that problem as well. This comes from the Bullitt and community-wide cargo bike discussion groups. I do see problems with Bafang motors but its always stuff like riding it wrong or rookie install mistakes. Some people should have a lock on their toolboxes where someone else has the key.
One of the interesting things about ebike motors is I think they are just about the only thing that I can think of from China that are overbuilt. Some of that is the nature of Chinese riders I think: All utility and dependability oriented; not recreational. No spandex or gore-tex clad riders on the entire continent.
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
I have heard so many failed motors hub motors here plus controllers throttles and such. not sure where you have been reading far less bosch issues way less. so the argument about doing all your own work and the failures that happen because of it is something. I wouldn't to trust myself to convert a bike well.
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
I do all the work I can on my bike with no problems. I have changed displays too. but I have never had any bosch related issues till I had the seals fail. I could have changed them if I realized it was going to be a issue. I do all the work on my bike but dealing with spokes when installing a new fork. or when I don't have the tools. or like when I trashed the deraluir on our tandem. it was in January and was raining every day and I don't have room in my garage to work on bikes so it has to be outside.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
No. I said you should get yourself a quality manufactured e-bike. Who's "everyone"?
An anecdote:
In early August 2019, e-bikes were a mystery to me. I was considering conversion of my traditional hybrid bike. I had a talk with my manager at work and he said: "Stefan, you should get yourself an e-bike that was designed and made e-bike in the first place. I know you can afford it: anyway, I am the person who pays your salary"
I have owned as many as 4 manufactured e-bikes since. I had no issues with any, and if any of them required some attention, any of them was armed with a solid warranty, and an LBS willing to fix it.
You said "everyone". No. People who give you the advice to convert a bike are DIYers. I'd like anyone of them compare their Strava to my Strava. Because they sit in their shops but I do ride.
I made a Strava account to record my progress on e-bikes. Since the end of August 2019.
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tomjasz
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Minnesnowta
tomjasz
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Minnesnowta
So you advice to everybody to become their own bike mechanic and electronic.
No only those riders with more skill than you. I’ve not done more than an hour of maintenance on my 2014 mid drive builds since 2014. FFS Stefan, you’re clueless. I sold hundreds of Bafang mid drives. Anyone with half a brain can do the maintenance.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
"A million of flies cannot be wrong".
Show me your Strava. I'd like to see how many miles you have ridden on your Bafang e-bikes yourself. Because @ebikerr seems to be interested in riding not selling Bafang conversions.
Because it is what @fooferdoggie can show:
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
No, just prove how far you have ridden e-bikes so far.
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