BAFANG OR LIFT-MTB ?

On a hub motor, the masses are very badly distributed.

People usually only compare the overall weight of a system. It is a mistake to take only this aspect into account. If the weight is not centered and not suspended like on a electric bike motor, it induces many problems.

Certainly on paper it deceives the consumer because we are just talking about… weight! But in reality it is very disabling.

A simple example to understand: try to run with 1 weight of 2 kilos at arm’s length rather than in a backpack or against you. After a few hundred meters, you will quickly understand the importance of a good weight distribution.

The hub motor kit becomes heavier with use.

On paper, we have an inert mass of 3 kg or even 4 kg for a complete electric wheel; in motion, it becomes exponentially heavy. In fact, with such a system, at 20 km/h, you will increase the weight of your bike by about 6 kg compared to a conventional wheel. This is called the gyroscopic effect, click here for more details.

It is often said that 500 grams gained on a wheel is equivalent to gaining 1kg on the bike. Imagine a hub heavier by 3kg, if we respect this ratio it makes 6kg more on the bike… And of course, the faster you drive, the more exponentially it increases.

The hub motor induces unsprung masses.

The weight makes a swing at the end of your suspensions, with all the disadvantages that result in efficiency as well as in feeling.

This also induces additional constraints on the suspensions.

We can notice some axle breakages on some hub motors models (only in extreme use though).

The hub motor has a given gear ratio.

It will either have good low-end power to climb well, or high-speed power to go fast.

It is impossible to have a good compromise, that often generates big consumptions and obliges to have bigger and heavier batteries because the engine works forcefully has a moment on ranges of speeds which are not optimal, what is not the case with a electric mid drive motor bike kit like the LIFT-MTB, because the different speeds are used by the derailleur to adapt the engine speed to the slope, the engine will work on an optimal speed range.

Imagine that you have only one gear of your choice on your car, which one would you take?

Compatibility.

Imagine that you have only one gear of your choice on your car, which one would you take?

The price

Any Yamaha or Bosch bike with proper equipment is very expensive.

The LIFT-MTB system allows you to equip your current bike at an affordable price.

It can be assembled and disassembled in only 10 minutes.

You can quickly modify your bike or equip a second one with the same engine.

You get a better performing bike for less money.

Your kit and your bike keep their value in second hand since they are dissociable (how much will be sold second hand the electric bikes in breakdown…?).

The reliability of these competitors is sometimes mediocre, with a near obligation to return to the dealer for the use of a professional diagnostic kit with generally expensive interventions.

Keep in mind that a complete electric bike at 3000 euros is still a part-cycle at 1500 euros with an inseparable motor / battery at 1500 euros with our electric kit LIFT-MTB you will have a more upscale assembly while keeping your bike.

The weight

On the one hand, our engine is a little lighter for more power. On the other hand, in 90% of the cases, we mount the batteries in the backpack, which allows us to save about 2.5 kg on the bike during use. The difference is enormous!

We can also, on request, mount smaller batteries of about 1.2 kg according to your types of output, etc.

Reliability

The motors and mechanism used on competing models are generally very complex, full of electronics and difficult to repair by the user. The LIFT-MTB system is simple, all wear components are easily available at the right price.

Everything is designed so that the user can replace the parts himself whether he is in France or on the other side of the world.

For example, Bosch or Yamaha electric bikes use a specific controller, integrated inside the motor, which can only be replaced by an authorized repairer. Our LIFT-MTB controller can be replaced without complete disassembly by an adaptable model with the same characteristics.

In the unlikely event of a breakdown with the lift-mtb motor, within 10 minutes you will be back on your classic bike so your bike will not be immobilized.

Performance

Sometimes poorly designed, some competing engines have too little ground clearance, some lack power and torque and are generally limited to 25 km/h maximum speed, while there is no limit for the LIFT.-MTB system

The difficult compatibility:

Most sellers of Bafang bbs01 bbs02 advertise compatibility with many bikes. This is very true for city bikes, which mostly use BSA housings (with threads).

But this becomes less obvious for Mountain Bikes .

Indeed, most of the current Mountain Bikes models use PF 30 / BB30 / BB92 presser boxes, which makes them incompatible with the BAFANG.

Moreover, the use of adapters is not easy to implement as the Bafang housing is not composed of two bowls but of a single “cartridge” designed for 68 mm wide city bike housings.

The same goes for the ISCG mounting studs which make the Bafang system incompatible with the frame unless they are cut off.

You will not be able to keep your kit from one bike to another or resell it easily because it is not easily adaptable to another model.

Because most of the bikes on the market are in PF30 / BB30 / BB92 type casing or have ISCG mountings, which would make them almost all incompatible with the Bafang model.

Not to mention that for Mountain Bikes use, you will have to buy accessories like the chainring adapter to mount a smaller chainring because their motor comes with a heavy steel chainring for city use, so too big for Mountain Bikes use. (the original tray’s fixation is at the Chinese standard… so not standard at all!).

It requires, if you want to change it, the addition of an interface adapter to change back to the classic 104 mm 4-point.

Note that the Narrow Wide tray is included in the price of the LIFT-MTB system.

Limited ground clearance:

The Bafang 8fun bbs 01 / bbs 02 or XOFO does not offer sufficient ground clearance for Mountain Bikes in 80% of cases. The only known cases of compatibility are the Mongoose old version until 2013 (bike that we used as a test bike to develop LIFT-MTB and some old version GT drives… but you still have to cut the ISCG studs in both cases !see our article on ground clearance here )

The impossible fast assembly:

With the Bafang or xofo it is impossible to assemble and disassemble the system quickly because it requires the disassembly of the bottom bracket each time to switch from one version to another.

It can be noted that when mounted and used intensively, the type of fastening of the Bafang can damage the internal threads of the frame on the lower part or on the first threads because the Bafang system is not screwed but pressed into the frame.

This is not necessarily a problem if you leave the motor on the bike for good, but it can become a problem if you want to change the configuration because you will have to rebuild the frame, and if the frame is too damaged, it will not be able to receive a classic crankset.

Incorrect string line:

The Bafang BBS-HD or BBS does not allow you to keep a correct chain line with a 104 mm chainring.

You will be forced to lock in two gears, which limits you to a much lower gearing and a much less interesting speed range than on a LIFT-MTB model in 1x 11 SRAM XX1 for example.

Some people ride the Bafang in double chainrings but the tendency is more and more to switch to a single chainring at the front, with a good spacing at the rear, in order to simplify the transmission and avoid the clutter, and to save weight on the front derailleur, on the shifter, on the cable system, etc.

However, we felt that this was not the best solution.

With a 1X10 or 1X11 speed transmission and assisted by an electric motor, you will be able to go anywhere.

Also note that the Q factor is not optimal with this engine. This means that the cranks are far apart. More info on the Q-Factor HERE.

The bafang bbs 01 or bbs 02 is not designed to receive an chain guide, or electric chain guide, which can be problematic in some cases, so it is even less suited to the practice of mountain biking than the mid drive motor lift-mtb.

A screen exposed to shocks and not necessarily useful:

The Bafang has a screen that gives information that we don’t think is essential for Mountain Bikes use.

Moreover, this screen is very exposed to breakage for mountain biking. For information, the cost of a Bafang screen varies between 130 and 150 €.

At LIFT-MTB, we have chosen to offer a simple throttle control with integrated battery gauge

which is, from our point of view, the only information needed for mountain biking.

For those who would like to get more statistics, we propose in option a screen with support which will allow to have much more information than the one of a bosch or bafang vtt but our screen is not necessary for the functioning of the kit it can be removed or deported very easily and very quickly. (more info on the screen HERE).

Engine performance and operation.

The Bafang is a brushless motor; it is very well designed.

We have done many tests of bafang powers on bench and in use to have a system that came closest to this model.

(see HERE our article on the technological choice to use a brushed motor).

The problem is that again the Bafang pulls too long because it is intended to be used on flat or medium gradient for city cycling.

However, in mountain biking we are much more confronted with steep slopes, and it is at this point that we use the assistance. We have therefore decided to have a system that pulls a little shorter in order to have an ideal ratio of developed torque to consumed power.

This reduces the volume and weight of the batteries, thus reducing the weight on board.

Finally, according to our tests, our LIFT-MTB system consumes a little less than a Bafang (comparison model BBS02 36v 500w, the bafang bbshd 1000w will consume much more).

From a consumption point of view, what we put forward is that with a 10 A/h battery of about 1.7 kg, we make enough difference in altitude and kilometers to take a lot of pleasure, rather than putting forward very complex figures and curves that are not necessarily telling.

We find it more concrete and easier for newbies (see our Strava tests HERE for those who would like more information)

Note that, unlike the Bafang system, we can modify the development of the primary transmission to make the system pull longer or shorter depending on what you are looking for (torque or extension) depending on your region or the type of outings you do.

In terms of noise, the Bafang (about 55 db) is very close to the LIFT MTB (60 Db)

On the other hand BAFANG use plastic gears (less reliable) against steel for the lift-mtb.

Attention there are several versions of Bafang BBS electric engine review, many are tempted by the model 1000w which poses many problems of transmissions and which requires a much heavier battery.