2010ish Gamma Vision Mountain Bike - 1000w BBSHD

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I guess this will be a developing build thread of sorts - i don't see anywhere else to drop it that is appropriate.

Preamble - i'm a 50ish, formerly very active guy, sidelined out of two wheeled hijinks, by hip replacements that didn't recover so well. I enjoy spinning wrenches on all manner of mechanical contraptions, with experience with IC motive-power tinkering only. Electric is entirely new territory, and i'm not real keen on letting the smoke out of the wiring, so to speak. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I've been lurking for some time, figuring out what is a good route to go for a 'Rail Trail' special - my patch of Planet Earth includes extensive kilometers of former Rail beds, converted to hiking and bicycle trails. I no longer have the legs, so to speak, to get very far, solely under own power. Best solution in my view, was a mid-range mountain bike with a smaller frame size but preferably fully suspended, with disc brakes. Didn't need to be fancy, just quality, with maximum upgradability/components compatibility potential. Didn't need to be new. I found a donor on kijiji within a few weeks, a 'Gamma Vision' in good nick - definitely not a department store special, but not exotic, either. Bonus, it's of Canadian design origin, and was a domestic assembled product.

I ordered a BBSHD 1000w through Amazon .. and had a near nightmare event occur with a DHL mis-delivery.. let's just say that their investigative process is entirely useless and slow, when their driver's are incompetent. It was a near miss, total-loss delivery.

I'm waiting for a Luna 48v13.5v battery pack inbound, and then i'll have my fall project fully in order.

I plan on swapping out the saddle to a wider touring saddle, wider bars, and a larger front brake rotor setup to 203mm. Basic optimization to a rougher surface cruiser.

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I guess i should finish this 'Build', with some documentation/photos of the process. It is now almost 11 months on to the day of acquiring this project, and this weekend, i can call it properly done.

First, a Parts Build listing - I didn't actually retain much, beyond wheels, frame, suspension and derailleur. I am still casually looking for a replacement for the Suntour SR front fork as an upgrade.. but not in any hurry. Following parts listed with asterix's, were initial build setup. Follow up items were 'fixes' to weak points that revealed themselves in DIY Build.

* - BBSHD 1000w mid-drive motor
* - 750c Display/Controller module
* - 48v13.5ah battery pack with top tube mount mod - good for ~25 km range in current ride environment with 90% charge.
* - Thule Pack-n-Pedal Tour Rack and Pannier system with single drybag pannier.
* - Extended Bar Perch for Headlight, 750c Instrument cluster
* - Narrow metal pedals, bar end guards robbed out of parts-bin.
* - Independent battery pack 8k front headlight.
* - homemade rear mudguard deflector.

*deleted - Maxxis Holy Roller 26x2.25" front, 26x2.4" rear tires.
*deleted - Adjustable Ritchey Stem
*deleted - Topeak Defender M1 front fender.


- Custom battery bracket riv-nutted to top tube of frame.
- TEKTRO HD-E725 E-Bike Hydraulic Disc Brake 4-Piston Calipers.
- 203mm Front, 180mm rear full floating brake rotors.
- 11-40t Sunfire rear sprocket upgrade
- Lekkie Bling Ring 42T Chainring
- Bontrager gel touring saddle or trail saddle on suspension post.
- Rockshox Boxxer double crown DH forks
- Alex Rims with Continental Vertical 2.3" DH tires.

The first issue i ran into off the bat, was in poor choice of frame. The Vision Gamma was sized 1/2" too small to fit the battery i purchased, inside the frame triangle. Doh. I initially went to rack mount as an alternative, purchasing a Thule Pack n' Pedal Tour Rack to mount it on.

This ended up being a poor choice. The amount of weight on the rear end, specifically at the rear axle, made the bicycle twitchy, extremely sensitive to body movement/shoulder checks and the like. Not good.

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My next solution for the Battery pack was dictated by necessity - not enough room/clearance with front wheel on the front frame downtube to mount there, either.

I come from a motorcycling back-ground, as such, carrying weight high is not a problem, as long as it is centralized. I ended up fabricating a 3-point top tube mounting bracket for the battery pack base, and riv-nutted mounting points onto the rectangular top tube. Solidly mounted, like a rock.

[HackD]

If there is anything that i learned about from years of motorcycling, it better stop as fast as it goes.

Initially i went with Avid Elixir Hydraulic front brake mated to a 203 front, and a stock 160 rear disc operated by cable.. but i was dissatisfied with the braking, and decided to switch up - i was also too lazy to retrofit the Avid Elixirs with cut off switches/Hall Sensor to go full Hydraulic that route.

I found a good deal on a TEKTRO HD-E725 E-Bike Hydraulic Disc Brake 4-Piston Caliper setup, and mated them to a 203 front, and 180 rear full floating discs, and went with that.

While the rear wheel was off, i also replaced the original 11T-32 rear cluster, with a Sunfire 11T-40 rear cluster replacement, as some of the gear teeth were munched.

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The next challenge presented, was in Chain-ring alignment - it was no good with original Bafang Chain-ring. Ended up ordering a Lekkie Bling Ring 42T to rectify that.

Chain-ring alignment photos, before and after.. as well as Lekkie appearance photo, side on.

[HackD]

I've now got a few hundred KM's on it now, and couldn't be happier with the results. I've got a couple choices in saddles to suit ride, and i have picked up a bike rack for the truck to extend my exploration range from home-base, so to speak. Overall, this project was fun, and resulted in an excellent trail tool, to make 'Physiotherapy' a heck of a lot more interesting, that is for darn sure.

Happy Trails!

[HackD]

Edit - initial post-build posting is flagged as Spam by System - apparently will need to be approved by forum Mod, before seen by others.. hopefully that will be soon.

[HackD]

Little bit of a change up. Ditching the SR Suntour wet-noodle front end setup, for a real fork. Rockshox Boxxer, and since i had to get new rims for newfangled Axles, some Alex Rims. Both items found used and a good deal.. i'm not that quite that insane to pay full freight on this stuff..

I am down to Frame, Derailleur, and rear shock being original. That's it.

[Edzzed]

Nice job on the write up. Googling this make of bike brought me here. I also ride a klr650 and am considering doing a E bike conversion. I found this bike but going to buy another due to battery placement you mentioned https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...32595049888293