Electra Lux Fat with BBSHD

[dwahunt]

I'm in the final stages of adding a BBSHD to an Electra Townie. I punted on soldering new motor/battery connections and had a local bike shop handle this. When I retrieved the bike and took it for its maiden voyage, the rear brake did not work. The Townie has a rear brake like those of bicycles I grew up with in the 60s and 70s--not sure of this kind of brake's proper term--which is activated by reversing pedal direction. In my case the pedals simply spin in reverse without any brake engagement.

The BBSHD came from the bike shop programmed for pedal assist mode, though I've no idea of whether this hasn't any bearing on the problem. Any thoughts out there?

[funwithbikes]

Yes, the old style 'coaster brakes' will not work on a mid-drive. As you noted, the coaster brake works by pedaling backward. Mid drives have a freewheel which allows the pedals to remain still or even move backwards while the motor and chain are spinning.

I tis pretty easy to add a hand operated rear brake to a Townie. There is a good article at https://www.purecycles.com/blogs/bic...e-installation . It uses a fixie as an example bike, but the principles are the same.

[dwahunt]

Many thanks for counsel and fast response. In your opinion is it even worth exploring a rear disc brake, or would that be more expense and trouble than it is worth?

[spinningmagnets]

It is rare to find a drum brake (Shimano ), but that is one more option, which might be easier to add to a bike frame.

[dwahunt]

Thought I had made a wise choice for a BBSHD conversion with a Townie with internal 7 speed, Shimano gearbox, only to learn later a 3 or 8 cog gearbox would have been a better choice. In all candor, I never considered potential issues with the rear drum brake that came on the bike.

I spoke with an Electra technician today after looking at different Townie models online and seeing that many come with the more conventional rim brake. Unfortunately those models have brackets on the rea frame for these brakes, but mine does not.

My options seem to be going with disc brakes with all entailed in this procedure or having brackets for a rim brake setup welded on to the frame.

Are there other options? Any counsel on the advisability or preferability of either of these options?

And many thanks for your response, dh.

[calfee20]

Boy you are between a rock and a hard place. Shimano makes a roller brake that may or may not fit on your hub. Here is a link about roller brakes. http://sheldonbrown.com/rollerbrakes.html

[calfee20]

You may need to build a new rear wheel. Sturmey Archer makes a variety of hubs with cable operated drum brakes built in. I am in the process of installing one now and in less than a week I will be able to report on the effectiveness of the 90mm drum brake.

[spinningmagnets]

I'm not entirely sure a roller brake would be adequate for a front brake, but...I would not hesitate to use one on the rear wheel. This is just from reading, and I am on the lookout to find bikes with drum or roller brakes to test.

[OptimusPrime]

Your bike shop can easily install rim brakes front and rear. Caliper brakes do not need and welded mounts. They attach with a single bolt in the center

[dwahunt]

An update

In the end I chalked it up as a (very) expensive learning experience and forked over the moulah for a new Shimano 8 gear IGH with roller brake. Due to work time constraints, I let a local bike shop handle the new wheel mount, etc. I'm pleased to report that the gear hub/brake problem now seems solved, and the roller brake works great. My first ride produced a big, goofy grin that surely equaled the one that accompanied my first journey without training wheels nearly 60 years ago. What a blast.

I think IGH is the way to go, but the first question for anyone considering an IGH bike for conversion purposes, Townie or otherewise, should be whether the IGH has a "coast" brake which, as we know now, won't work with the Bafang BBSHD (unless you don't need a rear brake!) If so, he may wish to consider alternatives, for replacing the IGH/coast brake hub with an IGH/roller brake hub will set one back $500+. As I wrote, an expensive mistake.

Wasn't long before I had a stream of folks dropping by and taking a spin on the machine when, suddenly, the screen on the controller, a DPC-14 full color display, crapped out. There one moment, gone the next. The motor kept supplying power for a while, but now has stopped. I hooked up the standard controller that came with the BBSHD to see if the controller was the problem, but it didn't respond.

So now I have an 8 speed, IGN Townie with roller brakes front and back and a $900 battery/motor set up that looks cool, but otherwise is dead weight. Any thoughts out there?

Baby steps...many...baby steps!

[OptimusPrime]

Poor poor wiring connections seem to be the number one reason for failures. Double check those connectors.

Do you have a programming cable? If not get one. Very useful to troubleshoot display. Simply plug in cable. If bike works then display is bad.

[dwahunt]

mucho gracias. am on the road, but have a programming cable and will take your advice the moment I return and report accordingly.

[Rider]

...Wasn't long before I had a stream of folks dropping by and taking a spin on the machine when, suddenly, the screen on the controller, a DPC-14 full color display, crapped out. There one moment, gone the next. The motor kept supplying power for a while, but now has stopped. I hooked up the standard controller that came with the BBSHD to see if the controller was the problem, but it didn't respond...

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Seems the BBSHD has many issues out there that the BBS02 doesn't seem to have. Maybe it's all that power and how it's being used/ridden?

Word to the wise, fine tune "your" machine to you. Learn everything about that machine you can: how it works, what it likes, what it doesn't like, how and when to shift, proper gear selection, etc... Then communicate that information to any riders you think should be "honored" with a test ride. Don't let just any Joe or stream of Joes get on your ride and go banana's without proper knowledge of how they should ride it and what incorrect use can do to the equipment. You might even follow their verbal lesson on how to ride it properly with the good old "you break it, you pay to fix it" line, so they are on notice up front.

Just my 2-cents. I've seen too many people be on an E-bike with and without throttles, that select a high gear and wonder why all hell breaks loose or the system doesn't work right, struggles, switches on and off power, or just barely moves while heat builds and smoke ensues.

Again, sorry about your troubles. I hope it is something simple and not the result of abuse that could be something serious...

[dwahunt]

wise counsel, thank you.

[tomster]

Very interesting read on this Cruiser!!
I plan to get the same bike and install an TSDZ2 mid motor kit because i like the torque related controller.

But im also open for a BBS02B in the 350W range.
What im not sure about at the moment is if i like the Bafang PAS controller.
Is it really only following the pedal speed for assisting?
I do like to bike and give my input, i dont want a moped....