Retrofit of my (now) bluish, purplish bike!

[mikeschn]

I'm pretty sure I posted this somewhere already... this is my banana bike, with a 750W Bafang. Okay, technically it is just a banana colored bike. It is cadence sensing, and after using other torque sensing bikes, this cadence sensing stuff doesn't work for me.

So I have a new TSDZ2 which came with a really large battery, to large to fit under the down tube. Well, today, just for fun, I went and compared the battery plugs from the banana bike with the new TSDZ2 kit. They are identical! Woohoo!.

So now I have a new plan. Leave the Shark low profile battery on the banana bike, and pull the Bafang, and replace it with the TSDZ2. This is how it is now... Updates to come, but who knows when! Ha!

 

[fauconnier]

It's not a banana bike ! no banana seat ! no ape hanger handlebar ! no huge bar shifter !

 

[mikeschn]

It's not a banana bike ! no banana seat ! no ape hanger handlebar ! no huge bar shifter !

Yeah, all of the above are true... It's not a banana bike, it's a banana bike. Don't ask me what the difference is, my daughter named it! Ha!

Not this...

Could a banana bike 1960's style be converted into an ebike... I'm sure it could. But I didn't ride one of these growing up...

Mike...

 

[JRA]

Watch out for pot holes.

 

[mikeschn]

Okay, I got the Bafang motor removed...

 

[mikeschn]

Time to start building uo the TSDZ2...

Oh dang... the TSDZ2 wants some chainstays to bolt to... this bike does not have the traditional chainstays...

See that bolt hanging there with the little plate? There's nothing to attach it to... Now what???

Mike...

 

[EMGX]

FWIW I don't use that chainstay fixing block. Instead I rotate the motor housing forward against the down tube with dense foam cushion between the motor housing and the down tube. No problems in a couple thousand miles of use and two motors.
BTW, regarding your other tire thread, I see you run Kenda tires similar to theMaxxis Holy Rollers that I mentioned. So you have your own personal experience.

 

[mikeschn]

FWIW I don't use that chainstay fixing block. Instead I rotate the motor housing forward against the down tube with dense foam cushion between the motor housing and the down tube. No problems in a couple thousand miles of use and two motors.
BTW, regarding your other tire thread, I see you run Kenda tires similar to theMaxxis Holy Rollers that I mentioned. So you have your own personal experience.

That's a good idea... and I might do that someday, when I get another motor. For now though the plans have changed again. I dropped the TSDZ2 into the Cypress, and the fixing block works so for now, that's what I am going to play with. I might make a fixing block for the downtube on the banana bike someday.

 

[JRA]

What would be the difference?

Did you have problems with the Bafang doing it this way? Both motors operate on the same principal.

 

[mikeschn]

What would be the difference?
View attachment 122428
Did you have problems with the Bafang doing it this way? Both motors operate on the same principal.

Hi @JRA
The Bafang has a plate with knurls in it, that dug into the bottom bracket and kept it from rotating. The TSDZ2 had a smooth flat plate. Hold on, let me get a pic...

 

[mikeschn]

so, I have the bluish purplish bike setup with the TSDZ2. It's a cabling nightmare right now, hence no photo just yet. I am waiting for the battery to charge up so I can test it. It comes with a XH-18 display controller, which, if I understand correctly, can be programmed up to 28MPH. Cool!

I'll try to clean up the cables tomorrow and take some photos, and hopefully report back with the performance. It has a tall order to fill...

Mike...

 

[mikeschn]

Does anyone know what magnetit means, in this pdf?

https://opensourceebikefirmware.bitbucket.io/development_tsdz2/EmbeddedFiles/119-XH-18%20Manual.pdf

 

[mikeschn]

Okay, the battery is mostly charged up... just a quick test up and down the street...

Woohoo, I'm the bionic man, the million dollar man, superman, you pick...

I set my power level to 4 and made it up to 20MPH in a hurry! And the torque sensor is awesome! I push a little, the bike goes a lot. I stop pedaling, and the motor torque stops. That's natural. That's the way it should be. The concept of cadence sensing, and ghost pedaling is obsolete. I don't suspect I'll be buying another Bafang, at least not the way they are set up now...

Of course all you guys that have torque sensing bikes already know all that. But remember, you are in the diy section, where, I suspect, some people still think in terms of hubs and cadence.

Oh, so now you want to see the picture of the monstrosity, before I clean up the cables... well, okay, but remember, you've been warned! So in the next week or two I plan on cleaning up the cable runs, getting the miscellaneous parts I need, like brake levers, grips, and just generally cleaning things up, now that I know it actually works! Ha!

Mike...

 

[EMGX]

Does anyone know what magnetit means, in this pdf?

View attachment 122435

https://opensourceebikefirmware.bitbucket.io/development_tsdz2/EmbeddedFiles/119-XH-18%20Manual.pdf

I'm pretty sure that "magnetit" is the number of spoke magnets for the speed sensor (usually 1)

 

[mikeschn]

I'm pretty sure that "magnetit" is the number of spoke magnets for the speed sensor (usually 1)

So I set it to 2, and it cut my speed in half. So yes, it's the number of magnets. But why would anyone have more than 1 magnet on a bike?

Mike...

 

[m@Robertson]

If you decide to re-use that BBS02, access its programming settings and you can totally change the motor's character to a bike someone wants to pedal. Eliminates the ghost pedaling. Also sends range thru the roof as you are using only a fraction of the power on pedal assist after the changes. The Bafang programming is junk. This article is titled for the BBSHD but the interface is identical except for the motor current limit (just don't change what you have and you'll be fine).

BBSHD Programming For The Pedaling Cyclist

(But Not For The Throttler) There is a follow-on to this article that tinkers with these settings a bit further. In August 2023 I published another update that passed along what I’m doing dif…

talesontwowheels.com

 

[mikeschn]

If you decide to re-use that BBS02, access its programming settings and you can totally change the motor's character to a bike someone wants to pedal. Eliminates the ghost pedaling. Also sends range thru the roof as you are using only a fraction of the power on pedal assist after the changes. The Bafang programming is junk. This article is titled for the BBSHD but the interface is identical except for the motor current limit (just don't change what you have and you'll be fine).

BBSHD Programming For The Pedaling Cyclist

(But Not For The Throttler) There is a follow-on to this article that tinkers with these settings a bit further. In August 2023 I published another update that passed along what I’m doing dif…

talesontwowheels.com

Interesting idea. Thanks...

 

[mikeschn]

So I took the blueish purplish ebike (aka the Cypress) out on the trail today. My first reaction is I have to pedal harder. I'm kinda confused, the TSDZ2 is a 48V 750W setup. It's supposed to give me 80Nm of torque. It didn't feel like it.

Of course, I'm spoiled by the Vado. The Vado is only 250W and gives me 70Nm of torque. I am definitely more bionic on the Vado than I am on the Cypress.

I only went 8 1/2 miles on the Cypress today, and that was enough for me. So I am a little disappointed right now with the Cypress. And my legs are all worn out. I wonder if a programming kit would let me change the discharge to make the TSDZ2 more bionic?

 

[m@Robertson]

I wonder if a programming kit would let me change the discharge to make the TSDZ2 more bionic?

Probably. Is this motor one of the OSF-flashed units or is it factory programming? Lots of fanfare over the open source firmware for that motor. But also its sort of the little motor that could... so if you are going to pump up the power you are going to need some different gears inside.

This is why I like to use a BBSHD that is overpowered and then dial it back. A lot easier to take designed-in power capability out than it is to put more in.

Eco Cycles – Opening Soon

www.eco-ebike.com

 

[mikeschn]

Probably. Is this motor one of the OSF-flashed units or is it factory programming?

I'm guessing factory programming. I did buy from Eco-ebike, but I did not buy the programming kit. I did just order a cable...

This is why I like to use a BBSHD that is overpowered and then dial it back. A lot easier to take designed-in power capability out than it is to put more in.

can a torque sensor be added to the BBSHD?