Surly Troll

[yds]

My first e-build. I use my Surly Troll as my daily commuter (alternately with my Milwaukee Beltline). Mostly flat, but with one long hill on the way home. Most day's I can tackle it, but some days just don't have enough gas in the tank. Thought I'd add a little oomph for that hill with a Bafang mid-drive. Details of build:

Frameset: Surly Troll, medium
Wheels: 26" Hope Enduro 32h
Tires: Maxxis Hookworm 26x2.5
Front Hub: Shutter Precision SP-8 dynamo
Rear Hub: Shimano Alfine 8 IGH, rapid-fire shifter
Chainring: Lekkie 40T kit
Sprocket: Nexus 16T
Brakes: Avid BB7
Bars: Surly Moloko
Saddle: Brooks C15 Allweather Cambium
Fenders: Surly Raindog
Rack: Blackburn Local Deluxe
Lights: B&M IQ-X (front) and Toplight small (rear)
Motor: Bafang BBS02
Battery: Hailong-3 48V 13Ah
Display: P850C display,

Wasn't keen on gouging my bottom bracket face with the stock stabilizer bracket, so installed the California Bikes full suspension stablizer bar. Used this one rather than the standard one since the frame already has some mounts on the bottom of downtube I could use to secure it. Happy to answer any questions about this build.

Shout-out also to ncmired, who helped me with some info on chainline and using the Alfine with the mid-drive.

[ncmired]

Congrats, and thanks for documenting the build. Reminds me that I've got a pair of 27.5 hookworms to try out, in place of some worn out Super Moto Xers.

[73Eldo]

I like it. That 40t still looks huge on the 02. A lot of people don't know or remember how good steel frames can be for a lot of applications. Too bad Surly seems to be a lot more dead than alive lately. I think they were the only company with a lot of options for decent quality steel frames. I can see not wanting or being able to keep cranking out complete bikes but they have barely made any frames the last 2 years.

[ncmired]

... but they have barely made any frames the last 2 years.

Really? I wonder then if Surly's sister companies. Salsa and All-City, are in the same predicament.

Rivendell has some inventory - gotta love rim brakes though.

[73Eldo]

Rumor on the streets (not far from corporate HQ) is that the company is no longer about fun and tradition like it used to be. Its basically now run like a publicly traded company all about short term profit. I don't think the bikes have ever been a huge part of the overall company even when they had big hits in the fixie and single speed or the first mass produced fat bike. Now they don't have anything special so I would imagine profit wise those divisions are pretty far down on the list so they are not getting much if any corporate resources.

[ncmired]

I hadn't realized that Surly also laid off approx. 80 people during the COVID slowdown, at the same time bikes and related component demand went apey.

Also came across some severe customer unhappiness regarding Watt Wagons and their delivery date commitments.

AFAIK I'm done with new builds for a while, so I should be only looking for tires and the like wear items.

[yds]

Sad to hear that about Surly. The Troll is the second frame I've had from them - first was a Straggler, which I loved, but was stolen. They made great steel bikes.

[Jimbosays]

YDS - Thanks for sharing your Troll / Bafang build.

I am seriously considering installing a Bafang BBS02 on my medium Troll, though keeping the stock Shimano derailleur & 10-sp gear cog, and adding a 42t chainring.

The build is for a large rider (me) who is getting older everyday and cannot ride the distance I used to do . . . Believe greatest use will be in pedal-assist mode. (Don't mind pedaling, don't like hills!)

Appreciate your motor stabilizer suggestion. It looks to be a better Troll option than another style I ran across < https://lunacycle.com/bsb-1-stabiliz...s02-and-bbshd/ >.

Are you generally satisfied with the 48V 13Ah battery, or often wish you have additional amp hours available? Do you feel the 40t chainring is perfect, or desire a bit more?

You think the BBS02 750-watt is "plenty fine" for general casual Clydesdale riding . . . If you built it again, would you consider the BBSHD 1000-watt motor?

Any assistance / comments you (or others) may wish to provide are certainly appreciated!

Thanks!

- Jim

[yds]

YDS - Thanks for sharing your Troll / Bafang build.

I am seriously considering installing a Bafang BBS02 on my medium Troll, though keeping the stock Shimano derailleur & 10-sp gear cog, and adding a 42t chainring.

The build is for a large rider (me) who is getting older everyday and cannot ride the distance I used to do . . . Believe greatest use will be in pedal-assist mode. (Don't mind pedaling, don't like hills!)

Appreciate your motor stabilizer suggestion. It looks to be a better Troll option than another style I ran across < https://lunacycle.com/bsb-1-stabiliz...s02-and-bbshd/ >.

Are you generally satisfied with the 48V 13Ah battery, or often wish you have additional amp hours available? Do you feel the 40t chainring is perfect, or desire a bit more?

You think the BBS02 750-watt is "plenty fine" for general casual Clydesdale riding . . . If you built it again, would you consider the BBSHD 1000-watt motor?

Any assistance / comments you (or others) may wish to provide are certainly appreciated!

Thanks!

- Jim

Hi Jimbosays! Have been riding my build to work and back (only about 6km each way, with one hill with about 5% grade - the main reason for wanting a little power help) now for four weeks. For me, the setup seems pretty good. I actually ride with assist 0-2 for most of my ride, which is just fine. I'm not a speed demon, as I generally ride at about 25kmh (15mph) which is fine for me and getting me to work and home without sweating (and I too am getting older every day - been cycle commuting to work for 20 years now, and approaching 57 years of age). With my Alfine 8 speed and the 40t lekkie ring, that means mostly 4th or 5th gear. On the hill, I will typically put on assist 5-6, and in 4th gear with some pedalling that gets me up the hill just fine. So far the battery is lasting me at least 2 weeks of daily commute (dropping to something above 40% when I recharge) so its ample for me. I honestly thing that 750W is more than enough - even if I wanted to use a higher assist all the time.