Should I convert my mtb or buy a pre-made one?

[JES2020]

2.2" tires and all these ebikes seem to have closer to 2.8".. I am not sure what this really changes..

The larger tires give a softer ride over bumps and better traction on sand and snow.
A lot of ppl like the looks, but personally they do nothing for me, they also add significant drag.
At some point you're going to have to pull the trigger.
I don't do much if any hardcore downhill or difficult trails, but I found it easier to pull the trigger on converting, because of the significant cost savings.( if I didn't like it , it only cost me $600.)
If money isn't a question in your decision, then you can easily try buying a 20 thousand dollar, bike. You get the point.

"They also have a lower center of gravity which makes them easier to balance when riding on rough terrain. However, they don’t typically go as fast as a road bike because they’re heavier and not meant for high speeds."

Fat Bike Vs Road Bike: Which One Is Better? | Bicycleer

Fat bike Vs Road Bike. We Will Discuss on Fat bikes and road bikes and give the answer which is better.

bicycleer.com

 

[tomjasz]

they also add significant drag.
At some point you're going to have to pull the trigger.

I don't agree.

"Tires with a smaller diameter have a higher rolling resistance with the same inflation pressure, because tire deformation is proportionally greater. The tire is flattened more and is “less round”. Wider tires roll better than narrower tires."

 

[tomjasz]

I don't peddle e-bikes. You probably do.
It's "pedal".

I guess your reading comprehension isn't as astute as I thought.

You CONSTANTLY PEDDLE your Specialized and their ilk as the only proper bike. I suspect you don't know a screw from a bolt. Your experience is severely limited, and yet you always find time to take the piss when someone asks about a build-out.

Building means we can have a bike FAR superior by buying a high-end bike and kitting it. Don't be a Stefan!

"Likes" from JES are funny. Equally as vocal and often just wrong.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Building means we can have a bike FAR superior by buying a high-end bike and kitting it. Don't be a Stefan!

Building means no riding, hence no riding experience in your case.
Building -- in your case -- means just slapping a motor, battery and a controller onto a ready-made bike. You have never designed or built a bike yourself. I leave that task to one of the biggest world bicycle manufacturer, with experience since 1974. Besides, the makers of the first mass produced MTB in the world by name Stumpjumper.

 

[tomjasz]

Building means no riding, hence no riding experience in your case.

Jeebus what a dumb cluck!
I've likely had more riding years prior to being "less than able" than your years on the planet.
59 years and my Campy equipped Paramount carried me on 110-mile rides, one way when dating my wife of 49 years.

4 years of riding year-round in MN. We avoided owning a car, we had two of the same bike. My dates never had decent bikes so I bought two. No cage for 8-10 years.

Those bikes were probably FAR superior to anything you've likely ridden. Campy and R531 frames.

I had bikes in the USVI, MT, MN, WI, NV, and Idaho.

 

[AHicks]

I don't agree.

"Tires with a smaller diameter have a higher rolling resistance with the same inflation pressure, because tire deformation is proportionally greater. The tire is flattened more and is “less round”. Wider tires roll better than narrower tires."

I agree with you, but only to a certain extent. All my recent screwing around with 4 different "fatty" tires, at all different pressures (struggling to make them work for me/my riding style), left me with a definite opinion regarding their rolling resistance. It wasn't very good at all, which goes against what Schwalbe has written in the note you reference. When I finally abandoned that "fatty" mess and went to 27.5" Schwalbe Super Moto-X in 2.4" AND 2.8" (and I'm pretty sure their other balloon types as well) there was a very definite decrease in rolling resistance - contrary to the idea they are pushing (wider = lower) at least that's the way I'm interpreting it anyway. Their idea may work out well on paper but from a practical standpoint, when it comes to fatties, it doesn't work out well. Not in my experience anyway... -Al

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Jeebus what a dumb cluck!
I've likely had more riding years prior to being "less than able" than your years on the planet.
59 years and my Campy equipped Paramount carried me on 110-mile rides, one way when dating my wife of 49 years.

4 years of riding year-round in MN. We avoided owning a car, we had two of the same bike. My dates never had decent bikes so I bought two.
Those bikes were probably FAR superior to anything you've likely ridden. Campy and R531 frames.

I had bikes in the USVI, MT, MN, WI, NV, and Idaho.

You could have cycled but not e-biked. I'm only 61. I got my first bike at age of 10, in 1971. That is not the point.
I got me my first e-bike when I got partly disabled. I started in the end of August 2019 and rode for 23,878 km (14,840 mi) since (not mentioning the elevation gain). All on six different e-bikes (four owned and two demo ridden). That's the e-biking experience I'm talking about. You can hide your contraptions where the sun doesn't shine

 

[tomjasz]

I agree with you, but only to a certain extent.

Read the link. It's from

 

[tomjasz]

I am assuming the answer is yes installing the mid drive motor gives you more clearance space as i look at picture but I'd like to make sure of this. I inserted a red arrow to show the clearance space i'm talking about - seems like mid drive motor adds a few more inches of clearance from battery to pedals

For some reason, I can't post the PDF. But there's a print scale.

 

[tomjasz]

You can hide your contraptions where the sun doesn't shine

back to your cage. PLONK

 

[Gionnirocket]

You could have cycled but not e-biked. I'm only 61. I got my first bike at age of 10, in 1971. That is not the point.
I got me my first e-bike when I got partly disabled. I started in the end of August 2019 and rode for 23,878 km (14,840 mi) since (not mentioning the elevation gain). All on six different e-bikes (four owned and two demo ridden). That's the e-biking experience I'm talking about. You can hide your contraptions where the sun doesn't shine

You and your repeated milage stats on every possible thread....
Most aren't little Strava children crying for likes so you're really not impressing anyone but just confirming what a bore you are.

 

[AHicks]

Read the link. It's from

I know that, I don't care if God wrote it. My note says I disagree.... and I do!

 

[tomjasz]

When I finally abandoned that "fatty" mess and went to 27.5" Schwalbe Super Moto-X in 2.4" AND 2.8" (

I thought my fatty was a tank compared to my other bikes. I REALLY like my new 2.3. I thought with you being a Schwalbe fan you'd trust their review. But...

 

[Gionnirocket]

I thought my fatty was a tank compared to my other bikes. I REALLY like my new 2.3. I thought with you being a Schwalbe fan you'd trust their review. But...

I take reviews from the manufacturer with a grain of salt.
Just about any lab statistic can be manipulated into a marketing point

 

[rz514]

This is way beyond my experience level, but it sounds like you're trying to buy the proverbial "second bike first". My experience has been that rarely works out well. I think that before you lay out big bucks for a high end bike, you should walk before you run. Spend a season on something that will get you by, THEN start a list of desirable traits the NEXT bike will have. If your first bike is a smart buy, made with resale in mind, it shouldn't be that expensive when considering what it will bring when sold - IF - it's not handed off to a family member.

Just a couple of thoughts regarding some of your questions/points. First, riding a geared hub bike is undeniably brain dead simple. 2 issues with them come to mind here for the stuff you're discussing. First, I think the biggest issue is the controllers that come on bikes like that. They're generally junk for what you are considering. They have none of the necessary finesse required here. You could dodge that bullet, possibly, with an aftermarket KT controller, but you would still be faced with a 2nd issue - marginal power. This point especially true if you're a bigger rider.

Regarding the Bafang mid drives, those with UART type interfaces (BBS02, BBSHD, and earlier Ultra's) those are completely adjustable when it comes to things like stop and start delays, spool up times, throttle sensitivity, and on and on. Point being, as they are delivered, it would be no surprise if they felt clumsy in technical stuff. For those with the patience to figure out what's going on, pretty sure there IS the potential to dial them in to something worth considering for this kind of play. I would not totally discount them. One thing for sure, especially when talking the bigger BBSHD and the ULTRA, you will never be lacking for power, and they are built like a brick out house.......

Regarding tires, from what I have seen there's nothing wrong with the 2.2" you're used to, but popular at the moment are the "mid" size tires in the 2.4"-2.8" or maybe even 3". I run them on my bikes as they are awesome from a rolling resistance standpoint, sturdy from a flat prevention standpoint, and they don't need a lot of air pressure so they ride great!

awesome reply, thanks for the info! indeed i'm first learning about all the ranges, top end and low end, in order to make a proper decision - but as you said, I am also realizing now that i am "trying to get the second bike first" and i've decided to do as you say, get something less top end and get a feel for it and later on decide what to do!

I will try to go and test out more e-bikes and see if i can get a feel for things. The only one i tried so far are the Surface 604 shred\quad, i didn't try them long and only around the shop but the acceleration feeling was nice for a rear hub drive and overall felt comfortable. I'll try to find similar ebikes in the same range to have a better idea once I test em out. Apparently surface 604 tweaked their bikes (since you are talking about controllers) so I might have a different experience with other brands wether its better or worse.

Appreciate the help

 

[rz514]

For some reason, I can't post the PDF. But there's a print scale.



View attachment 125506

ohh great picture!! thanks!

 

[AHicks]

awesome reply, thanks for the info! indeed i'm first learning about all the ranges, top end and low end, in order to make a proper decision - but as you said, I am also realizing now that i am "trying to get the second bike first" and i've decided to do as you say, get something less top end and get a feel for it and later on decide what to do!

I will try to go and test out more e-bikes and see if i can get a feel for things. The only one i tried so far are the Surface 604 shred\quad, i didn't try them long and only around the shop but the acceleration feeling was nice for a rear hub drive and overall felt comfortable. I'll try to find similar ebikes in the same range to have a better idea once I test em out. Apparently surface 604 tweaked their bikes (since you are talking about controllers) so I might have a different experience with other brands wether its better or worse.

Appreciate the help

One more point regarding the geared hubs that just occurred to me. When testing, judge them at speeds UNDER 10-12mph. Over that, and most you can get by with. It's the low speed control, at say 5-6 mph or so where you can judge the men from the boys.... And don't forget, shopping for this bike should be FUN!
-Al

 

[rz514]

One more point regarding the geared hubs that just occurred to me. When testing, judge them at speeds UNDER 10-12mph. Over that, and most you can get by with. It's the low speed control, at say 5-6 mph or so where you can judge the men from the boys.... And don't forget, shopping for this bike should be FUN!
-Al

hahaha thanks for the tip. GOOD thing i enjoy doing research lolol

 

[JES2020]

but as you said, I am also realizing now that i am "trying to get the second bike first"

This is another way of saying what I already told you.

Quote:
but I found it easier to pull the trigger on converting, because of the significant cost savings.( if I didn't like it , it only cost me $600.)
If money isn't a question in your decision, then you can easily try buying a 20 thousand dollar, bike. You get the point.

 

[PDoz]

For some reason, I can't post the PDF. But there's a print scale.



View attachment 125506

I love the way normal sized chainrings are branded " bling" !

It"s also worth noting the big steps and limited options in the mtb chainring size - just 28 and 36 t ! How do bafang owners find those options for tighter / technical riding?

Just thinking whilst tapping - on my giant ( yamaha pwx) I vary between 32/34/36 chainrings depending on intended use - but that's with an 11 sp wide range cassette - not the 8 sp the op has. I would be reasonably happy living with just the 34 option but if only 36 was available that'd be unpleasant. Does the extra watevers in the bafang compensate for the limited mechanical choices?