I've been meaning to gather my thoughts on this subject for awhile, in hopes it may help some fellow newbies poking around. I'm at the 1300 mile mark now and still enjoying the hell out of it. Anyway here goes:
1) It's hard to go wrong with a BBSHD unless you crave 40+ mph speeds.
The “HD†is strong, totally silent, and very stealthy. Those first two qualities are wonderful, but the last one is a bigger deal than I realized at first.
HD builds are so clean looking because the motor is relatively small and the controller is internal (i.e. totally hidden). A lot of motors require external controllers, which are so big & ugly that words escape me. I recently purchased a powerful hub motor for a 2nd build (I’m telling you this sh*t is addictive), which sadly requires one of these Soviet Specials to keep everything from blowing up. I now have to find a space for it on the bike without the whole thing looking like a bad science project. They’re not cheap either, nor is the display (freebies with the HD). Don't get me wrong - I'm super excited about my new project, but it's been a rabbit hole of unexpected purchases and design issues that I did not expect. The external controller is the worst of them.
The only bummer with the HD is that top speed is nothing close to the 40+ mph reviews you see everywhere. Realistically it's more in the 30-35 mph range, unless you rig an external controller like Luna and a few others have done. I have tested top speed on this thing many times, never broken 38 on flat ground even with thin tires.
2) Buy a bigger battery.
Battery range is also greatly exaggerated. If you like going fast over rolling hills, don’t expect much more than 15 miles on a 52v 11.5ah Shark no matter how hard you pedal. There are plenty of claims to the contrary out there but they're fantasies. Range anxiety sucks and it's the one thing I still don't like about my ebike.
3) Full suspension is money well spent.
Riding fast over long distances can be rough. Experienced ebikers will tell you this, but I had to learn the hard way. The first few rides on my stiff aluminum frame made me feel pretty beaten up. Adding a suspension fork and seat post was an easy fix, but the money would have been better spent on a used full suspension bike. Craigslist is gold mine in that regard.
4) The Luna chain ring is so good it should be standard.
The Bafang chain ring is so bad it defies logic - why create a revolutionary motor and then package it with something so completely useless? My chain dropped multiple times every ride and my hands were always covered in grease. This was on paved roads by the way; on a trail it would have been ridiculous. I tried the cheaper 42T aluminum ring but the chain line was terrible and it didn’t solve the main problem. The Luna ring is a perfect solution - beautiful line and zero chain drops.
5) Get out there.
A little preparation never hurts when planning your first build, but get it done quickly. You'll learn way more from riding vs. reading, and what you read makes far more sense if you ride every day. Don't stew endlessly over minor parts, a lot of them solve non-existent problems and just complicate things.
And don’t worry about an ebike making you lazy – it is far more likely to replace your car than your bike. I still get as much exercise as ever, maybe more, but I hardly drive anymore. Honestly I feel like a kid again.
Good luck!
1) It's hard to go wrong with a BBSHD unless you crave 40+ mph speeds.
The “HD†is strong, totally silent, and very stealthy. Those first two qualities are wonderful, but the last one is a bigger deal than I realized at first.
HD builds are so clean looking because the motor is relatively small and the controller is internal (i.e. totally hidden). A lot of motors require external controllers, which are so big & ugly that words escape me. I recently purchased a powerful hub motor for a 2nd build (I’m telling you this sh*t is addictive), which sadly requires one of these Soviet Specials to keep everything from blowing up. I now have to find a space for it on the bike without the whole thing looking like a bad science project. They’re not cheap either, nor is the display (freebies with the HD). Don't get me wrong - I'm super excited about my new project, but it's been a rabbit hole of unexpected purchases and design issues that I did not expect. The external controller is the worst of them.
The only bummer with the HD is that top speed is nothing close to the 40+ mph reviews you see everywhere. Realistically it's more in the 30-35 mph range, unless you rig an external controller like Luna and a few others have done. I have tested top speed on this thing many times, never broken 38 on flat ground even with thin tires.
2) Buy a bigger battery.
Battery range is also greatly exaggerated. If you like going fast over rolling hills, don’t expect much more than 15 miles on a 52v 11.5ah Shark no matter how hard you pedal. There are plenty of claims to the contrary out there but they're fantasies. Range anxiety sucks and it's the one thing I still don't like about my ebike.
3) Full suspension is money well spent.
Riding fast over long distances can be rough. Experienced ebikers will tell you this, but I had to learn the hard way. The first few rides on my stiff aluminum frame made me feel pretty beaten up. Adding a suspension fork and seat post was an easy fix, but the money would have been better spent on a used full suspension bike. Craigslist is gold mine in that regard.
4) The Luna chain ring is so good it should be standard.
The Bafang chain ring is so bad it defies logic - why create a revolutionary motor and then package it with something so completely useless? My chain dropped multiple times every ride and my hands were always covered in grease. This was on paved roads by the way; on a trail it would have been ridiculous. I tried the cheaper 42T aluminum ring but the chain line was terrible and it didn’t solve the main problem. The Luna ring is a perfect solution - beautiful line and zero chain drops.
5) Get out there.
A little preparation never hurts when planning your first build, but get it done quickly. You'll learn way more from riding vs. reading, and what you read makes far more sense if you ride every day. Don't stew endlessly over minor parts, a lot of them solve non-existent problems and just complicate things.
And don’t worry about an ebike making you lazy – it is far more likely to replace your car than your bike. I still get as much exercise as ever, maybe more, but I hardly drive anymore. Honestly I feel like a kid again.
Good luck!
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