First impressions of the kit after just over a week on the bike.
I have just managed to empty the battery completely for the first time (I had to charge before it was empty the first time around because I had a trip to make). This is the Samsung cell 10.4 A bottle battery. I got about 75km (the day trip distance had been reset) from this charge. From what I understand I should get a wee bit more once the battery is "conditioned". That distance is OK - more would be nice as my bike is a means of transport not a toy, 80 km will be enough for current needs.
The kit arrived in a timely manner and was well boxed. No surprises inside except for a brake lever which has a stripped screw (during factory install) holding the cache plate down. I tried taking it off to see if I could cannibalise it and use the switch in my current brake levers.
It was well priced for the time - since I bought it the dollar/euro conversion rate has driven the price higher. The Oxydrive kit is now a much better deal - my only quibble is that the Bafang motor is about a kilo heavier.
What I don't like now that I have mounted it and used it for over 150 km:
1. the wheel is not correctly dished and the very thick spokes only have a single cross pattern. The dishing is only an issue if the motor breaks down or the battery runs flat and I have to use granny gear to ride home. The four top gears which I use all of the time are correctly aligned. I really prefer a 2 cross lacing.
2. the battery bottle rattles in the holder, it is the noisiest part of the bike...
3. a "tool free" PAS system would have made my (and other kit buyers) life a whole lot easier
4. a battery holder with the sine wave controller inside would make for an easier, cleaner, more secure install. There are wires all over the place and you know that some stupid jerk is just going to have to look into the silly under saddle bag supplied with the kit to hold the controller to see if there is nothing worth stealing in there.
These last two items shouldn't add much to the cost of the kit and on the other hand would make it more attractive.
5. all the mounting instructions are online (in a heady mix of Spanglish and Chinglish). I am a confirmed DIYer so it wasn't much of an issue but the less technically inclined might find not having a simple printed A4 sheet of well written instructions a bit of a put off. The controller and battery instructions are in the box - the controller instruction sheet is in standard Chinglish.
6. of course it isn't EN 15194 compatible/legal. When I first turned on the controller it was set to 76 km/h top speed! Right now I have it set to 30 km/h and in assistance level 5 it pulls all the way to 29.6 kp/h without breaking a sweat. From what d8veh has said I think it is good for 33 kp/h in a 26" wheel? The label on the controller is the CE (Chinese Export) one and not the C E (European Commission) norm...
What I do like:
1. it does the job as advertised supplying up to 500+W in assist mode 5 and sipping 40-50W at level 1
2. it is very smooth - no rushing off from a standing start as I have seen on other pedelecs (almost got run over by some old fool the other day in the car park...). In assistance level 5 from the lights it gives a very serious push in the backside but it is far from uncontrollable
3. dead silent, it sounds like normal gear hum rather than a motor.
4. the PAS cuts off instantly as soon as the pedals stop turning so I have not mounted the brake cut off lever for the rear brake (one less cable on the frame!) and I have never felt the need for it. I do not have a throttle mounted so no risk of it getting jammed open - in that case I see that a brake cut off could be handy.
5. It pulls great on the 5% hills that make up my environment. As I don't have a helmet (yet) I haven't been able to test on Spanish roads which are steeper (up to 10%).
Another happy bunny pedelec convert on the road, I can't see myself going back to a car. OK I'm cheating, my girlfriend has a car... I get to my usual destination 10 minutes quicker than the bus and, when I need to go, not when the timetable tells me when I can! Over the next two months it will be much faster by bike than by car because we have permanent grid lock during the holidays. Already last Saturday I passed about 30 cars who had passed me on the open road at the first traffic light coming into town!
I insured the bike for 15€ a year (extension to my house insurance contract which covers a pedelec "in any place") for its full value.
I have just managed to empty the battery completely for the first time (I had to charge before it was empty the first time around because I had a trip to make). This is the Samsung cell 10.4 A bottle battery. I got about 75km (the day trip distance had been reset) from this charge. From what I understand I should get a wee bit more once the battery is "conditioned". That distance is OK - more would be nice as my bike is a means of transport not a toy, 80 km will be enough for current needs.
The kit arrived in a timely manner and was well boxed. No surprises inside except for a brake lever which has a stripped screw (during factory install) holding the cache plate down. I tried taking it off to see if I could cannibalise it and use the switch in my current brake levers.
It was well priced for the time - since I bought it the dollar/euro conversion rate has driven the price higher. The Oxydrive kit is now a much better deal - my only quibble is that the Bafang motor is about a kilo heavier.
What I don't like now that I have mounted it and used it for over 150 km:
1. the wheel is not correctly dished and the very thick spokes only have a single cross pattern. The dishing is only an issue if the motor breaks down or the battery runs flat and I have to use granny gear to ride home. The four top gears which I use all of the time are correctly aligned. I really prefer a 2 cross lacing.
2. the battery bottle rattles in the holder, it is the noisiest part of the bike...
3. a "tool free" PAS system would have made my (and other kit buyers) life a whole lot easier
4. a battery holder with the sine wave controller inside would make for an easier, cleaner, more secure install. There are wires all over the place and you know that some stupid jerk is just going to have to look into the silly under saddle bag supplied with the kit to hold the controller to see if there is nothing worth stealing in there.
These last two items shouldn't add much to the cost of the kit and on the other hand would make it more attractive.
5. all the mounting instructions are online (in a heady mix of Spanglish and Chinglish). I am a confirmed DIYer so it wasn't much of an issue but the less technically inclined might find not having a simple printed A4 sheet of well written instructions a bit of a put off. The controller and battery instructions are in the box - the controller instruction sheet is in standard Chinglish.
6. of course it isn't EN 15194 compatible/legal. When I first turned on the controller it was set to 76 km/h top speed! Right now I have it set to 30 km/h and in assistance level 5 it pulls all the way to 29.6 kp/h without breaking a sweat. From what d8veh has said I think it is good for 33 kp/h in a 26" wheel? The label on the controller is the CE (Chinese Export) one and not the C E (European Commission) norm...
What I do like:
1. it does the job as advertised supplying up to 500+W in assist mode 5 and sipping 40-50W at level 1
2. it is very smooth - no rushing off from a standing start as I have seen on other pedelecs (almost got run over by some old fool the other day in the car park...). In assistance level 5 from the lights it gives a very serious push in the backside but it is far from uncontrollable
3. dead silent, it sounds like normal gear hum rather than a motor.
4. the PAS cuts off instantly as soon as the pedals stop turning so I have not mounted the brake cut off lever for the rear brake (one less cable on the frame!) and I have never felt the need for it. I do not have a throttle mounted so no risk of it getting jammed open - in that case I see that a brake cut off could be handy.
5. It pulls great on the 5% hills that make up my environment. As I don't have a helmet (yet) I haven't been able to test on Spanish roads which are steeper (up to 10%).
Another happy bunny pedelec convert on the road, I can't see myself going back to a car. OK I'm cheating, my girlfriend has a car... I get to my usual destination 10 minutes quicker than the bus and, when I need to go, not when the timetable tells me when I can! Over the next two months it will be much faster by bike than by car because we have permanent grid lock during the holidays. Already last Saturday I passed about 30 cars who had passed me on the open road at the first traffic light coming into town!
I insured the bike for 15€ a year (extension to my house insurance contract which covers a pedelec "in any place") for its full value.