XL frame Giant ToughRoad with BBSHD from Luna Cycle. Holy triangle, Batman! That frame triangle is huge. You could fit 3 shark packs in there!

A BBs02 kit I installed for Sam at Myrons Extreme Machines. The bike is a “feet forward” cruiser similar to the Electra Townie.

After building and testing a half dozen BBSHD bikes for customers, I finally built my own, on a frame I know and am comfortable on. And boy, is it fun. Finally, the torque to really keep up with traffic off the line! And the battery I chose…uh-mazing. The Sanyo GA cell is simply the best. Never did I think I’d fit 17.5ah of 52v in that small triangle, but there it is! And it was good…

This full suspension HD build got some brand new thorn resistant tubes and Schwalbe tires to make it a reliable commuter. The rear rack isn’t ideal for mounting a battery, but the small frame triangle and high amp-hours desired left little option. Since the customer desired reliability rather than utmost performance, the motor is running 48v (instead of a possible 52v) and only 25 amps peak (instead of typical 30A).

What does it mean to be an ebike? Do you have to pedal it for the motor to work? Does it need pedals at all? Can it be 750 watts? 1,000 watts? What about 3,000w? My answer is this: I really don’t care. It’s a tenth the size of a car, and it’s electric. That’s really all that matters to me. I hesitate to even acknowledge the whole “cheating” argument, as it is so ridiculously ignorant and elitist. A modestly powered ebike has been proven to cause virtually the same impact on terrain as a bike powered solely by human power. And where did we come up with the notion that one must suffer and strain to enjoy beautiful trails and vistas? That’s just nonsense. Some devotee’s personal sacrifice of sweat to the ‘Spirit of the Mountain’ is all fine & well, but I’m sorry, I don’t pray that way. I’m just here to enjoy the fresh air and scenery. And if we’re talking about using an ebike in ANY situation in which a gasoline powered car is typically used, don’t even THINK about calling it cheating. Would you rather I be driving my 4,000lb car like YOU are!? Powering a bike with a few cents worth of electricity can actually be more environmentally friendly than pedaling (if that pedal power comes from you eating animal products and other energy intensive food). Yes, rules need to be established and refined as to where certain types of electric powered cycles can be operated, but that is well within the ability of intelligent and rational human beings. And there are a LOT of people in this world who don’t need a car (or can’t afford one) for all of their daily activities and instead rely on bikes and ebikes for commuting, commerce, and recreation.         -end of rant-

I am often surprised by photos of the past depicting solutions to the problems of today. This looks like a perfectly respectable way to get around town!

I came across this little piece of EV history while out exploring on my bike one beautiful day. It’s a Magne Charger station that was once used to charge the GM EV1 and Chevy S-10 Electric truck. If you’re interested in electric vehicles, and haven’t seen it, I highly recommend the film “Who Killed the Electric Car?” Unfortunately, this charger is now just a sad reminder of a decades old tragedy.

Trek Stache with BBSHD. This is the second bike I’ve done that had a PF92 bottom bracket (larger diameter frame tube than what the motor was designed to slide into). It requires some special adapter parts to make it work, but the motor bolts in securely and performs well. A 30t “Mighty Mini” chain ring from Luna Cycle was used for high torque.

 

It’s been a while since I’ve ridden a BBS02 bike, but the motor performed very well, and provides plenty of torque for those who don’t want the higher power, weight, or questionable legality of the newer HD motor. Equipped with the upgraded 3077 MOSFETs, this is still a great workhorse that’s proven reliable. This dual suspension bike was top shelf, and a nice cushy ride, but few options for battery mounting. While not typically my first choice for battery location, the shark battery pack fit well in a Camelbak, with anti-spark XT-90s connectors on both ends of a heavy gauge extension cable. It rode very well.

Now THIS customer is very considerate. He didn’t just get an ebike for himself, he got one for his wife too!  Hope she likes olive drab… I know I do!