New build. Any problems forseen with this combo plan

[KenB]

Hi to all. I am new to this forum but have a question for you all. I am planning to purchase a 1000W BBSHD motor kit from Luna and a 52V 13.5aH Shark Pack battery and put them on either a Salsa Timberjack with 3.0 tires or a Trek Rosco 7 with 3.0 tires. Both bikes are hard tails. I am planning to take these into the deserts of Nevada and Arizona for a few months of daily rides on the dirt roads looking for rocks. Can any of you see any problems with this plan (other than the looking for rocks thing). I want to commit to this within the next week. Happy to do the build...quite excited actually. Thanks very much.

[max_volt]

I would give the nod to the trek only because the down tube would allow for better motor to ground clearance.
Are you planning to visit area 51?

[KenB]

Would the motor not fit in the triangle of either bike? The Trek would make for better clearance if mounted below. We do go north of area 51 and haven't been stopped yet. The ebikes will allow us to go back further so....who knows

[max_volt]

It's not designed to go in the triangle. If it was, everybody would be doing it.

[KenB]

Thank you. I've been reading as much as I can about this whole process and there was talk of mounting in the triangle though none of the photos ever really showed a motor in the triangle ebike. I appreciate your thought about clearance. I have had that question in mind. The Trek is cheaper too so win win. Cheers.

[Zippy]

Helps to use a bike that has space in the triangle to mount the battery. I used an early 2000's Trek Fuel 90 full suspension and the battery fit in perfectly (medium size 17" frame). Really like the bike, with the rear suspension and decent forks it rides like a pillow, the suspension absorbs a lot of that body jarring I can do without, the chainline is excellent with a 42T bling ring. I've had no problems with clearance, you've just got to keep in mind you've got a motor down there when approaching logs or rocks. Only dropped the chain once so far and that's when I hit a massive pothole riding on the street, it just levitated the chain right off the ring.

With the proper research finding a quality older full suspension bike to mount a BBSHD can be rewarding, you can pick them up for reasonable prices (lotta people selling their nice 26" wheel bikes currently because they just gotta have the latest thing-the 27.5er.........yeah I have one myself and it's fantastic but the 15 yr old Fuel 90 is a VERY capable ride.

Apologies for rambling, mainly wanted to mention keep in mind space for a battery is good and I wouldn't worry too much about ground clearance much unless you're going to be pounding bike parks or getting really crazy. I actually get pretty wild on mine and carry some serious speed on downhills and have had no problems, just don't take big drops and you'll likely be okay.

[ykick]

My favorite hard tail running 3" tires - https://lunacycle.com/khs-sixfifty-6...-manitou-fork/

[KenB]

I ride a Trek 9.7 Fuel with 29's now for single track in the mountains near me. No motor on this one and would like to keep it that way for now so looking for different bike for an ebuild with similar geometry. Looking for 2 actually...one for me and one for my wife...and have been looking for months for used and nothing is coming up worth while. Too bad for me. I have an old, 2004, Jekyl but there is no room for battery. It is great to hear that the chainline with the Trek is excellent. So far the Trek looks like the bike to buy. I will test drive the bike tomorrow and see how it feels. I will order the motor kit and battery tomorrow as well.

[Zippy]

I noticed last night another forum member posted his own build with a Fuel 90, looks good. He said he used a 100mm BBSHD but I was able to use a standard 68-73mm motor no problem (the Fuel's BB is 73mm), this way if I ever want to switch the motor onto a bike with a standard 68mm BB I can do so.

[KenB]

The SixFifty looks like a wonderful bike indeed. I've drooled over this one for quite a while now.

[KenB]

Both the Rosco 7 (and Rosco 8) and the Salsa Timberjack have BSA standard threaded BB's which make it an easy fit. They are both 73 mm and I will find out if they are 33.8mm +/- 2 mm in diameter. If so then we are on for the build and the bike. Ordering the 1000 W BBSHD kit tonight with the special wrench. Very exciting indeed. I will post photos of the build and let folks now how it went with these frames and chainlines. Will stick with the 44T stock chainring for now and see how it lines up.

[Lancaster]

I'm considering the same Timberjack conversion. Did you do yours?

[KenB]

Hi Lancaster. I looked at the Timberjack before buying the Trek (price was a factor for me)(I went with the Rosco 8) and the triangle is almost identical as with the geometry of the bike. I bought a small frame (for my wife) and a medium frame for me. The medium frame fits everything very well including the shark battery. On the small frame the battery fits in perfectly but there is not enough room to secure the base plate and slide the battery off and on the plate so I have padded the underside on the plate with a dense foam material (from the motor kit box actually) and strap it in and it does perfectly well over all terrain. No issues with motor to ground clearance at all on any terrain including roots and stumps so far. My shift and brake cables come through the down tube and out of the frame just where the motor should snug up against the frame so I needed to glue in a spacer to allow the cables to work freely and not be impeded/pinched by the motor. The chain angle did not allow for the Lekkie 42 tooth chain ring as I needed a 19 to 20 mm offset to keep a good chain angle on the upper chain ring. With the chain ring that the kit comes with I can use all 11 rings on the cluster without any problem. I think that the Timberjack would work perfectly well. Just make sure that the distance from the center of the crank to the chain stay cut out is what it needs to be as per the build videos and instructions as mine ends up with about a 1.5mm clearance without a spacer and perfect...I believe that this distance on the Timberjack is right on as well. I am extremely happy with the builds. Rock or sand roads through the deserts with 20 lbs of rocks in the saddle bags was a breeze and batteries lasted at least a week with daily excursions. My only trouble was getting it slowed down for the uphill over big rock stuff...once programed with a 10% assist on the first level it did very well. Cheers. Happy build.

[mong23]

Hi, I'm currently thinking about converting my Roscoe 7 to an ebike using a bafang motor. I understand that you used the bbshd. Could you tell me what more details about the built. I<ve read that the bbshd does not fit and that I should use the BBS02.

BB length used (73 or 100mm). If 100mm, no trouble with the chainline ?
did you put spacers on le drive side and the left side to make a 100mm fit ?
chainring size?

Thank you

[Lancaster]

Great that it worked out so well for you. Thanks for the full update - hope to try this myself soon.

[mitoda]

Hi, looking at the Timberjack too, were you able to fit the BBSHD? now my concern are both chainstays clearances and the way the BB, stays flat for a bit the goes on a curve to meet the headtube. that would make the BBSHD too close to the ground. Any thoughts?

[herbwave]

Did you or anyone here ever convert the Salsa TimberJack? I am looking to do an BBSHD and use a Mighty Mini 32T from Luna on my Timberjack. Thanks!

[mitoda]

[ions82]

I'd go with the Wolf battery instead of the Shark. Both the battery and the simple mounting system are far superior.