A few years ago I started with a bare frame that was a race team discard with half the paint removed and no decals.
​I was riding a Giant Sedona DX at the time and was trying to make a cruiser out it when I found the 2007 - 2008 XTC frame for $50 and took a chance.
​A couple thousand dollars in parts and I ended up with the bike of my dreams in my youth.
​But I'm almost 60 now, and my living situation is suddenly changing, so I decided to look into e Bikes as they are becoming more available and are legal in Seattle where I'm moving.
​First I went to eBay because that's where I had seen e Bikes and motors for bikes to DIY.
​I left there intrigued but confused; so I went down to a couple local bike stores and asked if they sold them , etc. - nothing going down at all.
​Undeterred I went back to eBay and found Luna Cycle's Bafang BBSHD kit at prices near import from China cost.
​I read Luna's ad and really wanted to get the kit; but worried about hydraulic brake sensors, and so I ended up at Luna's website looking at tons of cool stuff and drooling.
​After reading a lot of stuff about power and batteries and such on their website I decided I would make my own custom Luna BBSHD kit online instead of the eBay item.
​So I started out with the Bare Bones BBSHD motor - and then got the brake sensors and a 965 display and a 42t chain ring on a 130 BCD spider adapter.
​Add a universal throttle because it looks faster than keypad that comes with 965 screen.
​I'm geeked after placing the order and trying to decide if I make a battery or buy a battery, (buy one - just buy one :-), as I await the parts delivery.
​
My Giant "Fat Marty DXTC" 90 Speed 69er before BBSHD conversion
​Here you can see the 90 speed drivetrain - Sturmey Archer CS-RK3 Internal Gear Hub with 10 speed 11-32t cassette in rear - 22,32,42t front triple.
​A look down the chain line with a better view of the 10 speed cassette.
I made the decals up in Photoshop and had them printed at Kinko's/FedEx for around $50 after I stripped the frame of the remaining black paint.
​No sealer - no nothing but a lot of zeroes on the steel wool I used to clean it with - this grade of aluminum barely oxidizes so the decals are just stuck on the bare metal.
​I call it the Fat Marty Hybrid Touring 420 - whatever that means - it took me a while but I found 420 mm between the center of rear axle and the center of crank...
​It's been a wonderful bike - I built my own wheels and they are still true - so it was easier to contemplate a mid-drive motor than a wheel based unit for me.
Besides - if you intend to climb any long or steep hills like they have in Seattle - mid-drive is the only logical choice for the average builder.
​(first in a series describing my BBSHD conversion)
​I was riding a Giant Sedona DX at the time and was trying to make a cruiser out it when I found the 2007 - 2008 XTC frame for $50 and took a chance.
​A couple thousand dollars in parts and I ended up with the bike of my dreams in my youth.
​But I'm almost 60 now, and my living situation is suddenly changing, so I decided to look into e Bikes as they are becoming more available and are legal in Seattle where I'm moving.
​First I went to eBay because that's where I had seen e Bikes and motors for bikes to DIY.
​I left there intrigued but confused; so I went down to a couple local bike stores and asked if they sold them , etc. - nothing going down at all.
​Undeterred I went back to eBay and found Luna Cycle's Bafang BBSHD kit at prices near import from China cost.
​I read Luna's ad and really wanted to get the kit; but worried about hydraulic brake sensors, and so I ended up at Luna's website looking at tons of cool stuff and drooling.
​After reading a lot of stuff about power and batteries and such on their website I decided I would make my own custom Luna BBSHD kit online instead of the eBay item.
​So I started out with the Bare Bones BBSHD motor - and then got the brake sensors and a 965 display and a 42t chain ring on a 130 BCD spider adapter.
​Add a universal throttle because it looks faster than keypad that comes with 965 screen.
​I'm geeked after placing the order and trying to decide if I make a battery or buy a battery, (buy one - just buy one :-), as I await the parts delivery.
​
My Giant "Fat Marty DXTC" 90 Speed 69er before BBSHD conversion
​Here you can see the 90 speed drivetrain - Sturmey Archer CS-RK3 Internal Gear Hub with 10 speed 11-32t cassette in rear - 22,32,42t front triple.
​A look down the chain line with a better view of the 10 speed cassette.
I made the decals up in Photoshop and had them printed at Kinko's/FedEx for around $50 after I stripped the frame of the remaining black paint.
​No sealer - no nothing but a lot of zeroes on the steel wool I used to clean it with - this grade of aluminum barely oxidizes so the decals are just stuck on the bare metal.
​I call it the Fat Marty Hybrid Touring 420 - whatever that means - it took me a while but I found 420 mm between the center of rear axle and the center of crank...
​It's been a wonderful bike - I built my own wheels and they are still true - so it was easier to contemplate a mid-drive motor than a wheel based unit for me.
Besides - if you intend to climb any long or steep hills like they have in Seattle - mid-drive is the only logical choice for the average builder.
​(first in a series describing my BBSHD conversion)
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