Ping Battery makes safe and reliable LiFePO4 packs if you don’t need the lightest and highest power lithium chemistry. They are flat pouch cells sandwiched together, with an external BMS (battery management system). LiFePO4 is the safest of the lithium-ion chemistries, and has the highest cycle life, but is heavier than more advanced “TESLA grade” cells.

This Trek Superfly has a PF92 bottom bracket, requiring some creative solutions for mounting the BBSHD. A custom machined aluminum sleeve and oversized washers from McMaster-Carr (later painted black) were used to secure the motor to the frame.

The Montague Paratrooper frame was designed as a military tool to be carried into combat or dropped from an airplane. For a brief period it even came equipped with a revolutionary 2,000 watt hub motor as the Tidalforce M-750X. Here, one has been fitted with a BBSHD from Luna Cycle with a shark pack mounted to the rear rack that comes with the bike. It folds in a few simple steps and can fit in a hatchback or (in this case) a small plane.

I highly recommend something like the above for short distance transport and just pure fun! Without a seat essentially locking your butt (and mass) into a fixed position relative to the vehicle, your legs are now massive shock absorbers, and your body is free to articulate in whatever way necessary to navigate terrain. It engages muscle groups not really called upon in pedal cycling. Riding this new creation with 16″ street tires over rough dirt, bark, and grass, was a joy. The 500w MAC motor easily powered over rough terrain at 10mph, even with a heavy rider. This kind of vehicle is great for operation on sidewalks and around pedestrians as it is easily balanced at low speed, and a breeze to mount and dismount. There are some adult scooters with larger 20″ wheels that could also be made into very practical/fun EVs…

Giant Sedona DX with a BBSHD installed. With over 2hp available, the HD is a real “EV grin” machine. It’s got enough power for steep hill climbs or illegally fast street speed. Kit & battery are from Luna Cycle, along with their beautifully machined “Eclipse” front chainring.

The Bafang BBSHD is quickly becoming the “must have” DIY mid drive motor. Like it’s BBS02 predecessor, it’s a fairly easy install, and can give you a great performing bike for about half what you’d pay for a factory bike of similar quality. Test riding this customer’s bike was my first time trying out the 1,000 watt motor, and boy is it fun. LOTS of torque. The 750w BBS02 has plenty of power for most people, but the HD is just one step closer to “light motorcycle” territory. It’s an exciting new world!

A customer’s GT Karakoram XL frame bike with BBS02 & 52v shark pack from Luna Cycle. Headlight & taillight run off the main battery. The stock 44t chainring works fine for light trail riding…

My current commuter… EV Global frame, 2,000w Tidalforce-X hub motor, 20ah A123 LiFePO4 battery, 90mm drum brake in front, Kool-Stop ebike rated pads in back, 12v Truck-Lite LED headlight, Suntour NCX seatpost, Schwalbe Big Apple tires, and Kenda downhill tubes.

BEAUTIFUL day for a 14mile trip up the local river trail & back! Pedals are nice for standing on and helping get up a hill now & then, but this ride was mostly the work of the 15 pounds of copper mass in the direct drive Tidalforce motor. Kept it out of turbo mode, as 20mph is just fine (and legal) for this California bike path. After a trip to lunch and the grocery store afterwards, I had used about 13ah of the 20ah A123 pack. The frame is a steel EV Global, brought to market by auto icon Lee Iacocca in the heyday of ebikes.