BBS02 or BPM or... advice for UK kit

[gazc]

hi

i've posted previously but since then i've saved so i can buy a conversion kit to build my own e-bike and there's more choice/cheaper prices of kits availabe from the UK. now i'm after some advice on what kit to go for and if the ones i'm thinking of are suitable. firstly i don't want an off the peg electric bike, as i have a nice bike i'd like to convert already (a steel framed 29er/700c mtb with discs) and prefer to buy a UK sourced kit rather than take my chances with a chinese import. also if possible I'm going to try to find some local e-bike shops i can have a look at various drive options and hopefully have a little test on - i've only ever had a very quick go on a rear hub bike on the flat so no idea what they're like on climbs

this is my commute on the link below - 13.1miles, 400ft climb on way in, 610ft climb on way home, taking about an hour each way on my current bike and i'm reasonably fit 14 stone. majority of the distance is on NCN cycle paths, mostly tarmac close to town and off road old railway lines out of town, with some short road sections. the first climb in the morning is slow going, maybe 20% or so gradient, with some very short steeper bursts along the way. this time of year the track gets quite muddy and slow going compared to when its dry in summer. theres also a few other routes i can take to make it into a mountain bike ride, so hence why i'd like to keep the mtb so i can have fun too...

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Ebchester,+County+Durham,+UK/Newcastle+upon+Tyne+NE1+1LE,+UK/@54.9318462,-1.7964966,12z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x487dd130193ba3e1:0x229df1411613f3cd!2m2!1d-1.841485!2d54.893863!1m5!1m1!1s0x487e70b655fe82ef:0x4619676c4597774f!2m2!1d-1.6101432!2d54.9698244!3e1

i commute daily with my work clothes & bring home food from the market with me in panniers on the way home so it can be a pretty heavily loaded bike. we also have a child trailer which we tow along the railway line for 30mile rides, and a smaller heavy duty trailer i occasionally use twice a month or so to get shopping - about a 6 miles trip. the food shopping/trailer adds some significant weight to the bike - right at the back so i've negated front wheel drive due to traction issues, the fact i don't like the look, i have a nice dynamo hub light set & they don't appeal at all!

i'm happy to pedal - i don't want a pure throttle bike (although in pitch black on the railway line when no-ones around i'd happily run it flat out... ), however i'm finding that currently riding to work every day is wearing me out for spending time with our daughter, doing really necessary DIY on our house, riding at weekends, being with my partner etc etc... what i'd ideally like is some way of taking the edge off the distance i have to cover each day whilst maintaining a good average speed (25kmh+ average would be nice...)

i've seen the Whoosh 350w BPM kit which i was thinking of using with a sunrace 9speed screw on freewheel, or alternatively the BBS02 kit in various power guises from Whoosh and Eclipsebikes (500w or 750w?). i like the idea of a BPM in that i can keep my cranks, gears etc as they are - any other advantages? and then i like the BBS02 as i can keep my wheels, reduce rotating mass, can put it on future bikes/partners bike reasonably easily, can use different chainrings to tune the gears to my needs in the future, and keeps the weight in the middle of the bike. a few questions i've thought of are below - but happy to hear peoples opinions on the above kits and listen to other ideas:

obviously none of these comply with legislation - should i be worried?

if i went with 750W BBS02 from Eclipse bikes the 48v battery they sell is only 11.8Ah - is this enough? Whoosh only sell a 500W version but a higher capacity battery - would that be better for length of the commute?

BBS02 - is it waterproof enough for UK weather given i ride in all conditions other than monsoon? i will be riding through winter/icy spells unless its like -20degrees as i have winter ice spike tyres, pogies & warm gear (thoroughly recommend schwalbe winter marathons btw!)

is the BBS02 worth paying £200+ more than the BPM?

cheers
gaz

 

[Nealh]

Browse through the thread 'Conversion kit opinions' there is a debate meriting BPM v BBS pro's and con's.

 

[Geebee]

I am a fan of CD's, but for constant commuting the hub is a more proven unit and cheaper to replace if it fails, another plus is a chain failure leaves you operational still, BPM sounds ideal and is cheaper with a bigger battery, just keep an eye on your spoke tension especially for the first month or so.
The Ezee is a legal kit and has a lot of power as well if you want to stay legal, plus a 2 year warranty.

For riding enjoyment and hill climbing give me the CD any day but "horses for courses."

 

[cwah]

I have the BPM 48V 35A and BBS02 in london.

BBS02 is more waterproof than the bpm, but at the same time it's all sealed so you don't really want to open it. The throttle isn't really waterproof so be careful about that...

If you have long hill, the BBS02 will be definitely better than the BPM. The BBS02 is also quieter than the BPM.

The BPM is fun, it goes fast quickly, no need to change gears. A twist and you're there.

In term of price, the BPM and BBS02 are similar, BBS02 looks cheaper because you buy it all included (controller, throttle, lcd display, brake...). But add to the BPM the fact that it needs to be laced in a wheel (+100GBP for rim+spokes in the UK or similar for shipping a wheel from china), and that you need the controller and other parts... then you end up with maybe 50GBP difference.


If you like to pedal and you have 20% hill, get a BBS02.

If you just want a fun commute/journey, get a BPM.


Because I purchased too many kit, I have the BBS02 AND the BPM (on 26" wheel and sine wave controller) for sale. I also have this battery:
http://www.bmsbattery.com/48v/403-48v-10ah-lithium-ion-alloy-shell-ebike-battery-pack.html


I can sell them to you for the purchased price minus 20% customs fee. So it's like 20% cheaper. (eg. BBS02 for £349)

 

[Cyclezee]

In my somewhat biased opinion but speaking from experience, the eZee kit is superior to but more expensive than the 8Fun BPM kit.

I have fitted both types and not only is the eZee kit easier to install it has more torque. There is the option of a front or rear motor wheel and as of next month we will have the latest eZee 14.5ah DT (downtube) battery with Sony 18650 cells for exactly the same price as the 14Ah FP (flat pack) rear rack mounted battery.

 

[stevew]

CWAH you have PM

 

[oigoi]

If you are wanting to tow a trailer I think you would be better off with a crank drive kit, based on my own experience. Makes use of your gears to get you up a hill, just like the gearbox in a car