SOLVED - BBS02 with a busted crank! Need help!

[DavesNotHereMan]

I hope I'm posting this in the right place, please let me know if there's somewhere better for it!

So I took a HARD fall today on some ice. I thought everything was okay until I saw my pedal on the ground. With part of the crank shaft still in it.

I know the crankshaft is replaceable either as the lone shaft or as the entire mid axle assembly. Here's where I'm having trouble. I have a 100mm bottom bracket and all the carrier websites only have listings for the 68mm BB shaft. This bike is my daily commuter so I need to find parts quickly and as cheap as possible (I'm also on disability income). Can anyone please point me in the direction of a parts supplier that will ship to Canada that carries axles for the 100mm BB? (I've seen some 'conversion' kits that include the 100mm axle but they also come with a bunch of other parts I don't need to pay for. I'm just looking for the axle if possible.)

Here's my poor baby

Thanks for any help!!!

SOLVED. TLDR; Bafang doesn't make a BBS02 with a 100mm bottom bracket. I was unknowingly sold a modded motor and now my options for repair are extremely limited and going to be expensive. California E-bikes is the place to find the 100mm extension axle, if you're looking too. The moral of the story here is twofold; do your research before buying a motor because unscrupulous vendors are everywhere, and if you are buying a motor for a fat bike seriously consider just getting the BBSHD unless your local laws prohibit it. Parts for the extension modded BBS02 are getting increasingly harder to find, so if you break an axle like I did it may not be repairable in the future.

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

Nope, those are the extension kits that charge $100 more than the lone axle is worth. I can find an axle for a 68mm BB for around $65 CAD, those extension kits for the 100mm BB start at over $200 and come with parts I don't need. Also those kits are after market, I'm looking for a genuine Bafang axle like the one that came with my motor. Thanks though!

EDIT: The GoldenMotor kit looks affordable but is sold out... The kits coming from the US are simply priced out of range after currency conversion.

 

[JRA]

I have never seen that happen before to any bike....I can't imagine even with the correct replacement bb spindle it will be easy to install. Good luck!

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

After watching a few overhaul videos it looks like a surprisingly easy swap. Finding the part is going to be a challenge though!

 

[harryS]

What's wrong with Timpo's first link? Lunacycle appears to have the 100mm axle selling for $75USD and looks like it's in stock.

Edit: I posted a few seconds after Timpo,

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

Ouch! That one's still going to be around $200 CAD after shipping and duty. That's half the price of a new motor lol. Definitely the right part though. Any idea if there are suppliers outside the US? (US import fees are deal breakers on almost all orders)

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

Doug previous owner of California eBike reported the axels he sold were a higher quality. But there are no Bafang 100mm BBS02 axels. No such motor exists. I do have a couple BBS02 first version 68mm. Send me a pm and a label. They’re not a component that was subject to failures.

Oh wow, so the motor sold to me as a genuine Bafang 100mm is just a 68mm with a kit?

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

Yeah I imagine those import fees go both ways lol. Really hard to swallow though when I see the part I need listed for $75 CAD on Canadian websites that are just out of stock. Looks like I'm gonna have to decide how bad I really want it lol.

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

If it’s a 100mm you have a BBSHD or a BBS02 kit. You should see a seam on the bottom bracket tube of a kitted motor. Who sold the motor?

I don't remember seeing a seam but I got the motor from a dealer called Honey Dan off Amazon. There was no mention it was a modded motor lol. These are good things to know!

Also it's absolutely a 750w BBS02, that I at least know for sure.

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

So I'm thinking this kit should work too then?

https://goldenmotor.bike/product/ex...ts-100mm-and-120mm-easy-install-bafang-bbs02/

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

The Amazon link is gone, I got him removed as a seller because they misrepresented the sale and I got hit with $$$ in import fees on delivery. It's absolutely a Bafang motor though, I've had it apart for some maintenance already and everything else checked out. I just didn't realize that the 100mm BB versions people are selling are just mod kits. I'll try and post serial info in a bit, it's on the bottom of the motor and my bike can't be flipped, too many accessories lol.

BBSHDs are illegal here so not really an option. My bike is a daily commuter and some of the police here know the difference between the BBSHD and BBS02 visually. At least with the BBS02 I can get the 750w version and stick a 500w sticker on it to appease the authorities

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

I don’t know. Confirm it is a Bafang motor. Then examine the bottom bracket barrel for a seam. There are a couple of kit makers. And definitely some junk out there. I’m probably an ass for suggesting… I’d not be happy with a BBS02 on a fat bike. It’s the right bike for a BBSHD. Just my personal opinion.

Also there's nothing wrong at all with a BBS02 on a fat bike! I don't know why people keep saying this. I've been riding it for 6 months and it honestly has TOO MUCH power for a daily commuter. I don't know what you people are doing with your bikes that you need so much juice. I rarely go above PAS 4 of 9.

 

[m@Robertson]

Did you actually snap the axle or is that a stub of the crankarm still there? You can cut the crankarm off.

EDIT: Never mind. Nothing to see here. Careful reading helps.

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

BBSHD commuter

Toronto families turning to cargo bikes for the school drop-off

Cargo bikes are a less expensive option compared to a car, resale is good and kids love it.

www.thestar.com

That's a different province, so I'm not sure how or if they're enforcing e-bike laws. I've done my research though and anything over 500W is 100% illegal country wide in Canada. Some provinces even ban throttles. I live in Saskatchewan and while they allow throttles, anything over 250W with a throttle is considered a 'Powercycle' (they made that term up, seriously ) and has to ride in the roadways with traffic. Anything 750W and up is considered a full motorcycle and needs insurance and plates but since there's no legislation for vehicles yet in that category they're essentially illegal. Biktrix is going to (very unintentionally, they're a great shop) ruin it for everyone here, they regularly sell BBSHDs to local customers who then ride them on sidewalks. With no speed limiters in place. (Also illegal here.) I've spoken to the bike patrol cops here and they've already seized many bikes that have been ridden illegally. In our last mayoral election one candidate's sole platform was banning e-bike use city wide and removing bike lanes. Just cause somebody will sell you a bike doesn't mean it's legal lol.

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

Link to the seller? Photos of underside of the motor with the etched serial and model info?
Hopefully, it's not a YOCH, a rip-off copycat of poor quality.
Your feedback could help me help others.

Like I said, I think got the seller kicked off Amazon so no link possible. Judging from how I was deceived about shipping, it was shipped from a Bafang warehouse to him, he pressed in the 100mm extension, then shipped it to me. It was supposed to have been shipped directly to me from China but incurred a ton of import fees by stopping in the US on the way. It kind of makes sense now. The original shipping info was stamped by Bafang so I never thought it might be fake. Here's photos. Sorry, she's a dirty girl right now.

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

Also, I would have never conceived the idea that a spindle could be hollow like this. He definitely used a cheap extension kit, regardless of the authenticity of the motor. I didn't think the shaft was made of anything less than solid steel. This looks like plastic almost lol.

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

WOW! A very new build! And a BBS02B
SO yes, it does look like he kitted the motor. We've seen some kits with poorly heat-treated axels. Looks like this is a possible result. I've never had a CEB kit get a return or a request for solving a broken axel. Sorry fella! What a PAIN!

Good to know it's genuine! I've broken this bike in some interesting ways already but this was by far the most unexpected. I lose pedals every winter. I'm on my fourth set of cranks since installing the motor in August. I busted my carrier (and hip!) in a wipeout 3 weeks ago. This fall yesterday was nothing and it wasn't even cold out! (It's normally -25 this time of year, this last week has hovered at -2.) Do you know if that spindle from California E-bikes is solid steel? Might be worth it after all. I pedal hard lol.

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

A square taper axle has a threaded hole. I vote for bad heat treatment or flaw. Watch. some Forged in Fire episodes. LOTS of ways to produce a s*it hardened steel part, destined for failure.
Golden motor lists their kit at under $100. I'd have little faith in the quality based on pricepoint.

DId you use a torque wrench to install the axle bolts?

On second look the threaded hole just runs WAY deeper than it needs to. You know your stuff.

Yeah I used a torque wrench and 2 step tightening. Tightened by hand, rode a few hundred feet then torqued on. Learned that after I ruined the first set of cranks. These things are a lot lower quality than regular bikes, that's for sure. I ended up with treated steel unicycle cranks in the end. So much better.

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

I've never seen a hollow axle. You may have over-torqued. Yes, the Bafang crank arms CAN suck. I learned years ago to check tightness as often as tire pressure. Every few days.

I realized it was a dumb question after the last post haha. I think those Bafang arms probably are fine for most people, but I've even ruined a pair that were installed properly. Snapped at the diamond corners. They're softer steel because they likely weren't expecting dumbasses like me to still do most of the pedaling lol. Switching to shorter 150mm cranks keeps me from applying too much torque and are closer to the original 152 that came with the bike. Now you've got me wondering if all those crank breakages weakened the spindle over time. Thanks for all your help @tomjasz I appreciate you taking the time to explain these things!

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

Actually they are low quality aluminum. You’re welcome.

That explains so, so much to me now lol. I'd never be strong enough to shear a regular bicycle crank. I felt like I was the Hulk hahaha.