I have a Surly Big Dummy station wagon and consider adding the 8Fun BBS01 crank drive to it, as I ride quite a few steep hills around Oslo, Norway. We do have a very enjoyable BH Emotion Neo Cross in the stable as well, and love the way the rear hub motor works there. But the Dummy is often on the road with kids and groceries, and I guess the crank drive will serve us better for that application.
I have two questions, though:
1. WINTER AND COLD CONDITIONS
Can anyone say if the 8Fun BBS01 is winterproof? I checked this with the maker of Sunstar iBike –when I was contemplating their solution earlier, and got this reply:
«Dear Geir, thanks for your question. The torque sensor (hearth of Sunstar system) can work not properly down -5 C° so we have to be careful with low temperatures this temperature (-5 C°) is internal one, not outside (weather temperature). I know that last year one our costumer in Sweden left his bicycle outside and next morning he had to heat up with simple hear dryer. But if you store your bicycle in a garage you shouldn’t have any problem. More over when you use it, motor unit heats up by its self, so internal temperature increase and finally problems are avoided. Important point is where to store for the night or how long you don’t use motor unit in external area.»
Not really what I want from a system that will be used all year, whatever the weather. So, what can I expect from the Bafang/8Fun system when winter comes, and my bike will be parked outside? I know how to deal with the battery in the cold, it's the sealing and inner workings of the drive unit that worries me.
2. WHAT BATTERY?
I plan on attaching the battery to the frame, and it can also reside in a pocket inside the permanently attached bags. Anyway: I need a battery that will suit my hilly routes with a loaded bike, even though I rarely travel long distances every day. I'm more or less clueless when it comes to batteries and have never installed anything like this myself. So I would love some advice on quality batteries and where to get them. Any suggestions?
All the best,
Geir Anders
Oslo, Norway
transportsykkel.no
I have two questions, though:
1. WINTER AND COLD CONDITIONS
Can anyone say if the 8Fun BBS01 is winterproof? I checked this with the maker of Sunstar iBike –when I was contemplating their solution earlier, and got this reply:
«Dear Geir, thanks for your question. The torque sensor (hearth of Sunstar system) can work not properly down -5 C° so we have to be careful with low temperatures this temperature (-5 C°) is internal one, not outside (weather temperature). I know that last year one our costumer in Sweden left his bicycle outside and next morning he had to heat up with simple hear dryer. But if you store your bicycle in a garage you shouldn’t have any problem. More over when you use it, motor unit heats up by its self, so internal temperature increase and finally problems are avoided. Important point is where to store for the night or how long you don’t use motor unit in external area.»
Not really what I want from a system that will be used all year, whatever the weather. So, what can I expect from the Bafang/8Fun system when winter comes, and my bike will be parked outside? I know how to deal with the battery in the cold, it's the sealing and inner workings of the drive unit that worries me.
2. WHAT BATTERY?
I plan on attaching the battery to the frame, and it can also reside in a pocket inside the permanently attached bags. Anyway: I need a battery that will suit my hilly routes with a loaded bike, even though I rarely travel long distances every day. I'm more or less clueless when it comes to batteries and have never installed anything like this myself. So I would love some advice on quality batteries and where to get them. Any suggestions?
All the best,
Geir Anders
Oslo, Norway
transportsykkel.no
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