Sailorbass

Thanks for all the advice Peter. I note that the Decathlon bike is rear hub motor with torque-sensing control. I hadn't realised such a set-up existed. I can see that this would reduce strain on gears and chain while giving me that more intuitive torque-sensing assist that I'm used to. Any thoughts from you on this set-up, please? Steve

I suppose mid-motor with torque sensor is what I'm used to. I bought s Tongsheng mid motor and have fitted it to 3 different bikes now. I have ridden a cadence sensing bike and didn't like it at all. When starting off,and when toiling up hills at low revs - just when you need a lot of help, there was little assistance. As revs increased, so do assistance. Couldn't get my head round it at all. Compared to, say, rear hub motor, isn't a mid-drive a more direct, more efficient way of using the motor's power? I don't know much about these things. When I bought the Tongsheng kit (lockdown project), crank drive was seen as better than hub drive.

No! North to South on easy, scenic bike paths or and roads.

Yes - all good points, and fully noted. So what would you recommend as a mid-drive, torque-sensing hybrid bike for a ride across France on cycle tracks and back roads? Don't need suspension. Budget of £2000 max, but very happy to pay less.

Hi. I'm planning north to south France trip. Hopefully, mainly on cycle paths, but will also include roads. I'm looking for a mid-drive, torque-sensing hybrid. Don't need suspension. Max budget is £2000, but happy to pay less. Current bike is a Forme Curbar mountain bike to which I added the Tongsheng mid-drive motor. Works pretty well, but a bit big and heavy for a long road trip. I did see this recently, but it's worryingly cheap: https://ewheelrider.co.uk/products/mtb-mountain-e-bike-g-hybrid-jason-mid-motor-27-5-wheel-36v-battery-7-speed-black

Anybody...?

Similar problem here. left side (non-drive side) crank keeps coming loose on my Tongsheng ebike conversion. First, I get a ticking noise that quickly becomes a knock. Tightening the crank bolt seems to solve the problem for a short while, but then it recurs. I worried that I'll damage the motor spindle and or torque sensor if I keep re-tightening the crank bolt. Drive side crank bolt seems OK. Don't want to faff about with feeler gauge shims. Easiest fix? Use loctite on crank bolts? Replace crank arms and bolts with new ones? Suggestions for new cranks, please?

BINGO!! Ha! Following [mention=18796]Sturmey[/mention]'s advice, I checked the 6-pin connector between the motor and the battery, and found a bent pin. Some tweezers and a some swearing straightened it out, and I very carefully pushed the connector back together, making sure it went home all the way. Quick test ride round the block - 4 very clear levels of assist! So - it's the old Steve (me) problem - ham-fisted with those flaming tiny little pins. This time, I've made sure that the connector is outside of the frame geometry so I can remove the kit without having to split the connector. Most grateful - thank you, Sturmey.

Yesterday, having transferred the Tongsheng to my new bike, I checked the configuration of the VLCD5 LCD display. I got to the power setting - I think it's setting number 6 - and had no idea what value to set it at. Default appears to be 16. Would changing this alter the power/assist delivery characteristics of the set up? If not 16, then what would be a sensible alternative value to try?

The whole kit worked perfectly on a previous mountain bike without the speed sensor. All I've done is transferred everything to a new bike.

Thinking about it, and reading others' posts about throttles, I don't think this will cure my problem. If I select the lowest level of assist, the bike feels very fast and perky. The motor cuts out when I stop pedalling, but kicks straight back in again the moment I start pedalling, even if I'm gently coasting/pedalling down hill. Selecting any higher level of assist when going uphill doesn't seem to make that much difference. It's almost as if the bike is permanently in a high level of assist. I have not fitted the speed sensor (because I bent the fiddly-tiddly pins the first time I tried...) Any thoughts, folks?

Hi Folks, I did have my Tongsheng TSDZ2 up for sale, but I've kept it and installed it on a new mountain bike. I bought a nearly new Forme Curbar 2 locally for next to nothing, and put the motor on. Third time I've installed this motor. Key learning points: 1. Internal cable routing that emerged by the bottom bracket proved to be a pain, and I had to re-route the rear brake hose externally, just managing to tuck it behind the motor bottom bracket lock ring. It was a very tight fit, however. 2. On previous installations, I removed the front derailleur because it's not needed. On this bike, the cable is routed internally, and I really didn't want to pull it out in case it was needed in the future. I re-positioned the derailleur on the down tube, unhooked the cable and moved the handlebar shifter so it was out of the way. 3. Existing chain only just long enough to go round motor chain ring, which is bigger than either of the two rings I took off the bike. See rear derailleur position in photo. 4. Re-positioned front derailleur got in the way of fixing the rear mudguard. Had to cut a hole in the mudguard so it fitted over/around front derailleur. 5. Must remember to check and tighten all motor anchor bolts after a few rides. With the two previous installations, the motor bolts came loose after four rides. 6. As before, I didn't fit the speed sensor. Shakedown ride showed everything working well. It did feel that I was getting a lot of assist a lot of the time. With two bars showing, I was flying along. With three and four bars, it didn't feel like I was getting appreciably more assist, even when going up still hills and pressing hard on the pedals. Sort of all-or-nothing. I've been considering a thumb throttle - would this simply replace the handlebar mini-switch that plugs into the VLCD5 display?

Hi Folks, I did have my Tongsheng TSDZ2 up for sale, but I've kept it and installed it on a new mountain bike. I bought a nearly new Forme Curbar 2 locally for next to nothing, and put the motor on. Third time I've installed this motor. Key learning points: 1. Internal cable routing that emerged by the bottom bracket proved to be a pain, and I had to re-route the rear brake hose externally, just managing to tuck it behind the motor bottom bracket lock ring. It was a very tight fit, however. 2. On previous installations, I removed the front derailleur because it's not needed. On this bike, the cable is routed internally, and I really didn't want to pull it out in case it was needed in the future. I re-positioned the derailleur on the down tube, unhooked the cable and moved the handlebar shifter so it was out of the way. 3. Re-positioned front derailleur got in the way of fixing the rear mudguard. Had to cut a hole in the mudguard so it fitted over/around front derailleur. 4. Must remember to check and tighten all motor anchor bolts after a few rides. With the two previous installations, the motor bolts came loose after four rides. 5. Shakedown ride showed everything working well. It did feel that I was getting a lot of assist a lot of the time. With two bars showing, I was flying along. With three and four bars, it didn't feel like I was getting appreciably more assist, even when going up still hills and pressing hard on the pedals. Sort of all-or-nothing. I've been considering a thumb throttle - would this simply replace the handlebar mini-switch that plugs into the VLCD5 display?

Withdrawn from sale. I'm going to install it on a new bike.

Forgot to say that battery is 42V.

Complete Tongsheng TSDZ2 conversion kit, including matched Hailong battery for sale. See Classifieds.

I have a 350w Tongsheng TSDZ2 mid-drive torque-sensing motor for sale, complete with LCD display, handlebar repeater switch, all mounting brackets, and matched 12 Ah Hailong downtube battery with charger, integrated controller and 2 keys. It was my lockdown project. Everything works as it should. Only thing missing is the speed sensor. If fitted, this would give average speed, distance covered on display. It would also cut the motor at the legal limit of 15 mph on-road. I decided not to install it. Without the speed sensor, display still shows assist level, battery level and background light. Kit was fitted to my Specialized Rockhopper Pro (see photos), and worked very well on canal towpaths and the occasional bike trail. However, the bike needs general upgrading (forks, disc brakes), so I've removed the kit in readiness for a new chassis. I'm in Stockport. £400 ono for the complete conversion kit, including battery. Sold as seen.

Anybody have any experience of these, please? https://greenhybridbikes.co.uk/products/mtb-mountain-e-bike-g-hybrid-jason-mid-motor-27-5-wheel-36v-battery-7-speed-black

Thank you - that's all very helpful.

Hi everybody, I've moved my Tongsheng mid-drive motor from my ageing MTB to my ageing Specialized Sirrus Elite hybrid/road bike, with carbon front forks and rim brakes. First impressions are of an unhappy marriage. Riding on the road, the bike is twitchy, crashy over grids and potholes, and difficult to brake one-handed while hand-signalling at junctions. I'd like to make it easier, more forgiving and less scary to ride. I'd even thought about trying to make it into a canal-towpath/ bike-trail bike. My thoughts: 1. Wider tyres and/or wider wheels. Current wheels are badged: Alex rims AT400. Tyres are Continental gatorskins, badged 6061H-T6 622X14. Possible to keep wheels with wider tyres? 2. Upgrade the rim brakes. Current brakes are un-badged V-brakes. I think they're the original Shimanos, but can't be sure. I'd like disc brakes, but there are no disc-brake mounts on the bike, and I don't fancy those bolt-on frame adaptor thingies. Would also have to buy new wheels, obviously. Hydraulic rim brakes?? 3. Swap out the carbon front forks for some short-travel front suspension forks to smooth out road potholes and gratings, maybe even cope with canal towpaths and bike trails. Good idea? Would it upset bike geometry too much? Any suggestions for possible (cheap 'n' cheerful) forks that might work? All suggestions and ideas gratefully received.

It's a Giant Stiletto. Apparently, only about 400 were made. They're pretty sought-after as bases for ebike conversions. Very unusual to find one that's completely unmodded.

Hi Folks, The Tongsheng mid motor conversion of my old Specialized MTB is performing well, thanks to all the help I got from you lot. I now have another project in mind - to put a motor onto this chopper bike. I'd favour the Tongsheng motor again, simply because I'm familiar with it. I'd use the Hailong battery I already have. Any thoughts or suggestions, please?

Yep - all good points.

Well, I'm not a bike mechanic - I'd rather ride bikes than work on them. The Tongsheng on my old Specialized turned out really well, after a few teething problems. Somewhat by accident, I managed to put together an electric mountain bike with a mid-drive torque-sensing system that is much better than just about anything else I've ridden. However, I'd like (manual) disc brakes all round (no rear frame lugs on Specialized), a more up-to-date frame geometry where I can be a little more upright and take some stress off my hands and arms, and A sleeker, more integrated look that gets away from the battery-bolted-to-downtube-as-afterthought look.

Used 2019 Ridgeback X3 available locally for £1100. Hmmm....