What is the deal with this bottom bracket / crank?

[Chazmo]

Hi folks,

I’ve been studying these Lankeleisi dual-motor bikes a little bit as I find them very interesting. I was wondering if any of you know/understand what is going on here at the crank / bottom “bracket”. Note, these bikes have front and rear hub motor drives; they are not mid drives. It looks like some sort of grafted on box; not a frame element. You think maybe they are putting their controller in that area? Or, maybe they are leaving the possibility for putting a mid drive motor there? I’m pretty sure the battery is in the down tube… Kind of at a loss to understand what’s going on there. FYI, the web page for this particular bike is as follows (if you want to have a look). https://lankeleisi.com/products/lan...tep-thru-electric-bike?variant=44592759046343

 

[Gionnirocket]

Why?

 

[greg0ire]

for sure that's where the controller is. its a common design nowadays. Its pretty handy actually. you can get in there on all the bikes I've worked on without taking off the crank arm and there's usually room in there to stuff some more wiring in there if you add extra things.

 

[Chazmo]

for sure that's where the controller is. its a common design nowadays. Its pretty handy actually. you can get in there on all the bikes I've worked on without taking off the crank arm and there's usually room in there to stuff some more wiring in there if you add extra things.

Well, it’s really peculiar the way they engraved the box to (presumably) make it look like a motor? However, given that it’s a box for electronics, what I really don’t like about this is that the wiring for the rear motor/brake/etc. should route out the rear of the box instead of going out the front of it and underneath the box and thus being exposed to the elements like that under the bottom bracket. If the wires came out the rear of the box they could be zip tied on top of the chain stays and have some measure of protection that the current position will not.

Anyway, it’s weird, and an earlier version of their bike didn’t have this box. But, I could see that being a reasonable place to put electronics to avoid a special location in the down tube of the frame or whatever (like mine has).

 

[greg0ire]

Well, it’s really peculiar the way they engraved the box to (presumably) make it look like a motor? However, given that it’s a box for electronics, what I really don’t like about this is that the wiring for the rear motor/brake/etc. should route out the rear of the box instead of going out the front of it and underneath the box and thus being exposed to the elements like that under the bottom bracket. If the wires came out the rear of the box they could be zip tied on top of the chain stays and have some measure of protection that the current position will not.

Anyway, it’s weird, and an earlier version of their bike didn’t have this box. But, I could see that being a reasonable place to put electronics to avoid a special location in the down tube of the frame or whatever (like mine has).

Ya the wires coming out the front leaves them vulnerable to a strike by something hard. Bad decision on their part IMO. The bikes I have with this type of controller box all route the wires out the back.

 

[harryS]

It might also fit a Bafang M-XXX motor or other motor in the future. Someone would have to look more closely to see if it really could do that, I doubt that Lankaslei is big enough that they can produce one-off frames for their ebikes, They must use an off the shore frame from the industry.

 

[Chazmo]

Ya the wires coming out the front leaves them vulnerable to a strike by something hard. Bad decision on their part IMO. The bikes I have with this type of controller box all route the wires out the back.

Greg, if you have any pix of others like this, I’d like to see them… Are any of your bikes dual-motor? Thanks!

 

[Chazmo]

It might also fit a Bafang M-XXX motor or other motor in the future. Someone would have to look more closely to see if it really could do that, I doubt that Lankaslei is big enough that they can produce one-off frames for their ebikes, They must use an off the shore frame from the industry.

I was thinking that too, Harry. I’m not sure if they graft this box onto the frame or not. I noticed that earlier bikes by them do not have this compartment. Would love to see one in person just so I could take it apart and evaluate it. Yeah, maybe the idea is to have a multi-use frame where one version of the bike has a mid-engine (like a Bafang M*) while others don’t. Interesting.

 

[greg0ire]

Greg, if you have any pix of others like this, I’d like to see them… Are any of your bikes dual-motor? Thanks!

These are pics from the internet but I have both of these bikes. A Magicycle ocelot pro 2.0 torque converter model and a Fabulous/Furious Route 66. Both have this controller box. Both are rear hub motor only.

 

[PCeBiker]

You could probably install a Bafang M-XXX mid-drive motor as well, and get a Triple-Drive e-bike.

 

[Chazmo]

These are pics from the internet but I have both of these bikes. A Magicycle ocelot pro 2.0 torque converter model and a Fabulous/Furious Route 66. Both have this controller box. Both are rear hub motor only.

That magicycle is a clean machine! Very nice.

 

[greg0ire]

That magicycle is a clean machine! Very nice.

Its pretty nice (20 x 4 inch tires soak up potholes very well) but I would not recommend it to most people. I have about 500km on it and the torque sensor stopped working (cadence still worked) and then the screen input button stopped working. I just received both of those parts from Magicycle under warranty and will install this week (fingers crossed the issues will resolve)
Also I am so done with geared hub motors. they are just too loud and I don't need all that torque. I am currently collecting old RadCity3 and RadCity4 bikes (the ones with direct drive motors) and adding the 25Amp controller upgrade to them. For a hub motor ebike to get around a city in I just cant imagine a better experience. I am sure geared hub motors have their place but direct drive is just a beautiful experience IMO.

 

[Chazmo]

I am sure geared hub motors have their place but direct drive is just a beautiful experience IMO.

Cool, Greg. I don’t know what motors are used by your bikes, but I’ve had a terrific experience with my Bafang H550 G062 rear hub motor which Juiced OEM’d for my bike. I even bought a spare (since Juiced went kaput) in case I need it someday, though I probably never will. It sits on my kitchen bay window along with a few other key parts just waiting to be used.

Truth is, I’ve got so much to look forward to down the road though that I haven’t tried, what with direct drive hub motors and especially mid-drives.