Im looking on facebook marketplace for bikes
(not sure if its a good idea or not) i have a tight budget though just sort of getting a rough idea.
Hello all, I'm trying to learn if/how I can use a mid-drive kit to upgrade the 35yo frame of my daily ride.
My frame is threaded BSA on one side of the BB, and Italian on the other.
(The only reason that my younger self was able to afford such a nice frame was that it had been stripped during assembly on one side, and re-tapped larger.)
I know that BB systems went through a number of changes in the intervening decades, splined cranks etc. I have an old-school cup and spindle setup. If it ain't broke...
I have watched a lot of videos of people installing mid-drive kits, but (frustratingly) I cannot tell from any of them if the kit BBs are threaded in like old-school BBs were; or if they are just a compression fit, similar to the old Mavic BBs?
My question is this: does the BB threading of an old frame matter when looking for a kit, or is BB shell width the only important factor?
Thanks kindly
I have a Cannondale Catalyst 4 XS frame that I would like to convert to an e-bike but not use a hub motor, any suggestions?
Hi Y’all!
Years ago I’ve bought a Samebike 20LVXD30-II because I’ve needed a folding ebike.
The build quality was quite bad, so I’ve made it into a project bike and ended up removing the original hub motor and installing a Tongsheng TSDZ2B mid-drive, among other things, like replacing the tires, adding hydraulic 4-piston brakes, Racktime pannier rack, etc. At this point, only a few parts are factory, like the frame, the rims and the battery. Everything else has been upgraded.
It was fun and working like a completely different bike (which it was, honestly), but now we’ve travelled to rural Greece for a 2-months long trip, and at week 3, I’ve noticed that there’s a bit of a rattle going on when the motor is powered.
The hills are really steep here, for example, going to the neighbouring village is a 7km ride, but with 500m elevation. The TSDZ2b can’t really handle the heat going on. The factory battery of the Samebike (marketed as 10 Ah but more like 8Ah) is also not enough here, I can barely get 30kms of riding out of it at assist level 1 (I only use assist level 2 out of 5 on super steep climbs)
So as far as I see, my options are the following:
What would be the reasonable solution? Throwing another 2000 on a bike that originally costed 700 seems unreasonable, but the CYC I could just transfer to my next bike, provided it won’t start dying like these cheaper mid-drives. Buying the Cube would be a simpler solution, but it’s an “as is” solution with no chances of ever changing anything.
I’m building an e-bike using a 2017 Specialized hardtail frame.
The motor wheel I got is listed for 141/142 mm rear dropout spacing. I measured my frame and it seems to be around 140–141 mm. The wheel does fit, but it’s very tight. I can get it in, but it feels like I’d need to force it slightly (very small gap, but not a smooth drop-in fit). I own an angle grinder should I grind part of it away or is it normal.
Is this normal, or is a tight fit like this a problem long-term? Should I be concerned or look for a different frame?
Also, when the wheel is installed, the derailleur hits the motor and doesn’t fit at all, so I’ll need to remove it. I was already planning to remove the drivetrain (pedals/chain etc.).
What’s the correct way to handle this part of the build? Do I just fully remove the derailleur and chain, and is there anything I should be careful about (like wiring or other components)?
Any tips from people who’ve done similar builds would be appreciated.
I’m looking to convert my specialized hard rock 29er to an electric torque sensing mid drive. I have narrowed it down to either the dm01 or the tsdz16. The bike will be used in an area with lots of steep long gravel hills and a lot of singletrack trails.
There doesn’t seem to be a ton of info on the dm01’s, but I have read quite a few complaints about the controllers going out, which makes me lean more towards the tsdz16’s
Please share any experiences that you have with either of these kits.