2004 Santa Cruz Blur build

[BadBac]

This was a relatively simple build. I wanted good power and low noise so the BBSHD was the call. I waited until Luna did their Ludicrous Black Friday sale and boom goes the dynamite.

SPECS
2004 Santa Cruz Blur (26” wheels)
Suspension Fork: Fox Float R with inertia
Rear Shock: Fox float
Components: 2002 Shimano XTR Group
Wheels: Mavic Ksyrium UST Tubeless
Motor: Bafang BBSHD Ludicrous Edition
Battery: Luna Wolf Pack V2 52v/12ah

BEFORE

[BadBac]

CHALLENGES
Stabilizer Bar
I bought the full suspension stabilizer bar from Luna. It just didn’t fit the motor correctly for some reason. Even off the bike, the motor would not line up with the stabilizer bar. I’m guessing this was a one-off issue, as I’ve not read of others that had this issue. This was an easy fix with an angle grinder. I just removed a bit of material and all fits like a charm now.

[BadBac]

[BadBac]

Chain Line
I originally ordered the Luna Mighty-Mini 30 Tooth chainring, but quickly found the chain-line to be a mess. I could have rearranged the gears on the cassette, but I didn’t really want to lose what would be several gears. So, I sent the Mini back and ordered the Luna Eclipse chainring (42T). This equates to a perfect chain-line. I’m riding the road for now and gearing is excellent for that application. If I decide to go off-road, I may opt for lower gearing via new components.

[BadBac]

Suspension Link Protrudes past bottom bracket face.
So, the angle grinder came in handy once again. There is a suspension pivot built into the bottom bracket shell on the Blur. This would interfere with the triangle mounting plate, as there is just a touch of overlap. I zapped just a bit off the inside of the triangle plate, so they now play together with no interference.

[BadBac]

WEIGHT
The bike with motor and batter comes in just under 50lbs. That is relatively light for a BBSHD build with a Wolf Pack, but it’s much heavier than what I’m used to for sure. You can’t feel the weight at all when riding with throttle or pedal assist. However, when using just pedal power (motor off), it can be a struggle up steep hills. This is another reason I may opt for lower gearing at some point. I’m going to ride it more and make that decision later.

OVERALL SATISFACTION
I only have 4 rides on this machine thus far, but it’s really been impressive. It has exceeded my expectations. The throttle is addictive. That instant torque is really amazing. Hold on tight in the first several gears or it will wheelie you off the back … don’t ask me how I know!

I took my time with this build (my first) and I’m glad I took that approach. I’ve learned much and this forum has been a large part of that education. I’ve a newer mountain bike, so the Blur was really just gathering dust. Now I now have a powerful eBike (eBlur?) that is just simply fun to ride.

FINAL PRODUCT (for now)

[Mike_V]

Nice looking powerful bike @ 50# leave it switched on for that weightless feeling for many miles.
Good Luck

[ejphotos]

Which brakes are you using? I can see what looks like a heat sink coming off the pads.

[BadBac]

ejphotos: FYI the brakes are newer (2020?) Shimano LX hydraulic discs with resin brake pads. The brake PADS have a heat sync built in. They work great. I have these and a set of Shimano XTs on a couple other bikes.They all work very well.

[73Eldo]

There doesn't seem to be too many bikes where a non offset (smaller than 40t) gets you a usable chain line. The newer bikes designed around a 1x just don't leave any room for the gearbox so you end up with spacers that just make things worse and you often can't use the offset rings because there isn't room for those either. For those style of bikes you will have to do something more like a cyclone where the motor drive is outside the chain ring instead of inside.

I know an easy way to solve that too much response problem. Beer + potato chips + couch + time. That will mellow out the response of these systems. You add 100 pounds they will feel like a 500w hub motor.

[ejphotos]

Great looking build BadBac and nice write up!
These older 26" FS bikes are looking more and more friendly for e conversion...hmmm, decisions decisions lol

[DaHose]

That frame is such a great shape for conversion. Unless you are a psycho downhill competitor, I think an older 26" frame can't be beat for e-bike conversion. Price is WAY less than anything from a current manufacturer, and many of the bikes you find will already have all the right upgrades to work well for conversion.

Plus, you can keep the parts that come off, and convert back if you want to sell it in the future. Then build on a different frame.

Jose

[Mike_V]

Agreed, Jose
Why do these designs ~ Mid 2000's ? ~ seem best ?

Do these resemble motorcycle suspensions with few pivot bearings and;
is a motorcycle design best for a semi custom conversion mid drive eBike?

[DaHose]

I'd say your guess is on the right track Mike. The older frames work best, because of the geometry too. Current bikes are longer, with way more slack head angles. The older 26" frames seem to have more open triangles, and downtubes with better angles. That lets motors sight higher up and it leaves good battery mounting spaces. Once you add a motor, the biggest benefit of larger wheels (easier rolling over obstacles) is less important, especially if your run full suspension.

[BadBac]

I know an easy way to solve that too much response problem. Beer + potato chips + couch + time. That will mellow out the response of these systems. You add 100 pounds they will feel like a 500w hub motor.

Ha ha - I'm working on that bit now!

[BadBac]

Great looking build BadBac and nice write up!
These older 26" FS bikes are looking more and more friendly for e conversion...hmmm, decisions decisions lol

Hey ejphotos, here is a picture of what the brake pads look like outside of the calipers ...

[BadBac]

Hey AZguy. The pads are a resin (organic) compound. They are very quiet with great feel. I may try the metallic version to compare once I burn through these guys!

[73Eldo]

Interesting that they do a resin with those big heat syncs but I suppose maybe they have some special ingredients to try and make them transfer more heat?

[AZguy]

The organic pads are likely the best at shedding heat but the worst from a wear perspective... if the metallic have those giant heat sinks they could still be pretty darn good

[TNC]

BadBac, I used an '08 Nomad for my BBSHD install and ran into the same chainline deal you did. That 42T Eclipse is a lifesaver, and because of the motor's power, I found it's not a problem with an 11-50 cassette. I stayed with 9-speed and used one of those newer Box-3 drivetrains which has worked perfectly for this application. It's interesting that you needed to remove material from the pivot area. We both have VPP, but mine had clearance for the install. My frame pivot locations have those covers flush to the face, so that helped. It's funny on the 26" wheel deal on the MTB's when you install a motor. Since we're not solely reliant on our wimpy legs, the enhanced rollover and such with the 27.5 and 29 inch wheels isn't as big a problem when you have strong pedal assist...or a throttle.

Your comments on the power delivery are fairly spot-on. I programmed mine with a cable and free software download from Luna, and the result has been somewhat amazing. I get to ride factory Trek and Specialized emtb's at the shop I work at. They have torque sensing and are super smooth. While the BBSHD isn't torque sensing, the right programming makes the power delivery amazingly smooth, and the throttle becomes very useable even on a technical trail. I highly recommend the reprogramming. It's really easy with all the info that's out there. I'm betting my program numbers would be very close for you if you're mountain biking on that Blur.

[TNC]

[BadBac]

I get to ride factory Trek and Specialized emtb's at the shop I work at. They have torque sensing and are super smooth. While the BBSHD isn't torque sensing, the right programming makes the power delivery amazingly smooth, and the throttle becomes very useable even on a technical trail.

I can't imagine running my setup without changing the controller settings. It would work, and I'd adapt as well as possible. However, the ability to change these settings is key to a custom ride for sure. I'm in a good place, but I still play around with them a bit just for fun!

[DaHose]

I'm really looking forward to some trail riding soon. I just need to finish my smaller battery build, and then schedule a day to ride with my buddy on his Specialized Levo Turbo. Really interested to see how our two bikes compare, in terms of overall performance.

Jose