Next best freewheel after tongxin

[KirstinS]

Hello all

I've been holding out for the cytronex kit as this best suits my needs. However, a combination of a house move (increasing my commute from 4mile each way to 10 each way) and the ongoing delays to the C1 kit mean i can wait no more. Or at least no long enough for the C1 to be available

Eessntially lightweight and freewheeling are my top priorities (over hillclimbing or large battery capacities). I really do like to cycle - just sometimes headwinds or the kids keeping me up half the night mean I need some help !

What would be this forum's reccomendation as the next best after the Tongxin hub for freewheel/lightweight ? Lets say price is not an issue either

BTW I would not consider buying outside UK as I place a lot of value on service/guarantees. I get bike mechanics but dont get electrics so would not be confident fiddling with controllers and suchlike. My feeling is I either need plug'n'play electrics or a professional conversion.

many thanks in advance
Kirstin

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Unless there's something wrong with the motor, none of the Bafangs have any significant drag, so take your pick. I'm trying a Cute at the moment, which seemed to have some sort of viscous drag, but it's becoming more free running with more miles. Most hub motors have a little drag when new, which disappears after a couple of hundred miles.

 

[KirstinS]

Thanks d8veh

for some reason I had it in mind that bafangs did have significant drag hence the question.

cheers for putting me straight

 

[Scottyf]

Looking at the design for geared hub motors. None that are geared should offer any real noticable drag.

The drag would only come from the free spinning planet gears and possibly the grease to keep them oiled / lubricated.

I'd think you'd find more noticable drag from the weight than anything else which would have more of an affect.

 

[KirstinS]

Thanks again

I've read a few not so good things about the Cute on endless sphere (which i think is aka Ananda and much of which I didnt get !) I think it is 2kg

the bafang in question (ie lightest) I think is the QSWXK-Front (at 2.8kg)

0.8kg is no big deal to me as I could easy lose that weight from other parts of the bike (such as the cheap seatpost seemingly made of lead)

so next question then is probrably for the dealers on this forum - who sells this in UK in kit form inc battery?

 

[JuicyBike]

Hi Kirstin
Ours are all SWXB, such as detailed here
Note: Front wheel drive, pull brakes not disk.
In stock, in Buxton. Feel free to come and have a look in our shop.
This old post is from a fellow Pedelecs member.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

A lot of people get the idea that there must be drag when they visualize all those gears inside whizzing round, but when you're free-wheeling they only rotate at a 1/5 the speed of the wheel. Also, some people get a false impression when they switch off the motor to test drag. The motor gives a lot of assistance, so when you switch it off, it can feel like somebody's grabbed hold of you jacket and pulling you back, but that's the difference between 600w of assist and no assist. You add to that some motors with jammed clutches, binding brakes, knobbly tyres, flat tyres etc, and that's how the myth gets spread.
Some people have mentioned that they get different drag when free-wheeling between having the controller switched on and off, but I can't see why that should be once the clutch has de-coupled the motor. I'm still open minded on that one.

 

[KirstinS]

sorry should say that I'm keen for a bottle battery - so the Oxgen kit would have been ideal but I underatsnd they no longer use bafang motors

 

[KirstinS]

makes sense d8veh - thanks

And thanks alo Bob but I'm ideally after bottle battery and disc compatible...assuming such a thing exist !

My donor bike has an alfine 8 rear hub so I'd like to place 3/4kg weight of battery in centre bike rather than over an already heavy rear. Witha 2.8kg bafang in the front this setup works well (in my minda anyway)

 

[banbury frank]

Hi KirstinS

Sounds like this kit

8Fun 26" Ebike Electric Bike Conversion Kit 36V 250W - 8F26F36B | eBay

Frank

 

[wurly]

Another vote for the bafang 250W hub. My wife's is nearly 2years old and freewheels as good as the Tongxin on my bike. A bit heavier but more reliable. Controller is cable tied to the underneath of the rack, battery is a lifepo4 Ping placed into a panier bag. Set up couldn't be easier and because i never mess around with it, it's proven very reliable.
(It's the same hub motor in the link that Frank has posted)

 

[Scottyf]

D8veh,
When my 250w motor used to be on through pedelec or throttle it used to cause more drag from 17mph onwards. It was notably easier to cycle when no throttle or pedelec was on.

My theory in this is becasue the motor has not disengaged past 15mph. So not only are you pedalling with no assist, your also turning the motor too.

Once no throttle or pedelec the motor would stop spinning, clutch would disengage. Then your only pedalling the planet gears and riding on the bearings only.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I was thinking the same thing. maybe the speed change of the motor as it goes past its maximum speed is too gradual to disengage a sticky clutch.

 

[Caph]

D8veh,
When my 250w motor used to be on through pedelec or throttle it used to cause more drag from 17mph onwards. It was notably easier to cycle when no throttle or pedelec was on.

My Alien GS1 is like that Scotty, it starts getting noisy over 20mph and maxes out at 25mph making a disconcerting screaming noise. Cycling unpowered is like having someone gently pulling me back all the time. It's not a Bafang motor though.

I've also got the same 8FUN kit and I can't detect any drag on the motor, it freewheels silently at 37mph.