Aggressive Long-Travel Enduro eBike Build: From Concept to Trail-Ready

[martinvb]

Hello everyone!

I'm thrilled to embark on a new project that I'll be documenting here—building a long-travel eBike designed for aggressive enduro riding, entirely from scratch. This journey will cover every aspect of the build, from deciding on the ideal geometry, moving into CAD design, running stress simulations, and finally, fabricating the frame.

My aim is to create a machine that not only performs exceptionally on the trails but also showcases the process of bringing a concept to life. I'll be sharing updates at least once a week, detailing each step, including the challenges and decisions made along the way.

Whether you're into bike building, CAD design, or just curious about the process, I hope you'll follow along and join the discussion. Your feedback and insights will be invaluable as I work to bring this eBike to reality!

 

[martinvb]

Backstory & Introduction​

Hi everyone, my name is Martin, and I'm a bike enthusiast. What frustrates me the most is being physically exhausted after just one downhill ride. So, what's the solution? An eBike!

However, finding an eBike with aggressive enduro geometry that doesn’t cost a fortune is challenging. The more affordable options are mostly focused on XC rather than full-on enduro. My first idea was to buy a frame like those from Dengfu and modify it, but after crunching the numbers, I realized I’d end up spending just as much as on a high-end frame. So, I decided to design something that perfectly fits my needs.

I’m an engineer specialized in additive manufacturing for carbon composite materials, so the decision was quick: I'll take my professional experience and apply it to another of my passions, MTB. The design will be centered around a Bafang motor, either the M820 or the M510. This is where I need your feedback: I'm looking for a motor that helps on climbs without sacrificing the bike's agility, and that doesn’t feel like a hybrid between a motorcycle and a bicycle. Apart from the motor and the usual bike components, everything else will be designed and built by me.

Regarding the battery, it will depend on the motor, but I’m aiming for something between 700 and 800 Wh, using lipo cells, either pouch or cylindrical, modular in 120 Wh blocks so I can carry it on a plane without any restrictions, keeping the weight as low as possible (less than 2.5 kg should be achievable).

As for the frame, my idea is to use carbon fiber tubes assembled with carbon fiber 'plugs' in prepreg, with suspension links made through a combination of machined aluminum and 3D-printed titanium. Finally, I’ll try to keep the motor mount in carbon as well, although that will be defined later as the design takes shape and stress simulations provide feedback.

Welcome to my madness!

 

[Hattori-Hanzo]

Looking forward to your posts

 

[xtraman122]

Sounds like a cool project! The M510 has a little more torque than the M820 while still being a pretty mild motor (Certainly nothing feeling like a motorcycle), so if you’re going to be doing a lot of hill climbing that might be the preferred way to go.

 

[Mart-e]

All the best with your design build of grand passion.... sure support here will offer lightbulb ideas aiding to create one beastie aggressive ebbs enduro.... Then a DH ebbs sure wouldn't go astray.....

 

[Sayonara]

Sounds like an awesome project!

Though I'm curious about your thoughts on Lightcarbon LCE971 frame and running a m560 instead of m510.

 

[martinvb]

Sounds like an awesome project!

Though I'm curious about your thoughts on Lightcarbon LCE971 frame and running a m560 instead of m510.

Hey,

Yes, I looked into it, but the shock options are really limited, and it only offers 150mm of rear travel. My goal is to stick with 180mm rear and 190mm front travel.

As for the motor, I’m not looking for something overly powerful; I just need enough to help me extend my rides. A more powerful motor would require a larger capacity battery to maintain the same range, which adds about 3-4kg in extra weight overall without any real benefit. I also considered ZF and DJI motors, but getting them without a bike seems impossible. ZF would be my first choice, as its size allows for more design freedom in geometry and smaller supportaking the manufacture of the "bottom bracket area" a lot easier.

 

[Sayonara]

Hey,

Yes, I looked into it, but the shock options are really limited, and it only offers 150mm of rear travel. My goal is to stick with 180mm rear and 190mm front travel.

As for the motor, I’m not looking for something overly powerful; I just need enough to help me extend my rides. A more powerful motor would require a larger capacity battery to maintain the same range, which adds about 3-4kg in extra weight overall without any real benefit. I also considered ZF and DJI motors, but getting them without a bike seems impossible. ZF would be my first choice, as its size allows for more design freedom in geometry and smaller supportaking the manufacture of the "bottom bracket area" a lot easier.

Ah, you are going with downhill travel lenghts.

The m560 is more powerfull and slightly heavier (400g iirc) but what people seem to forget is that you can set the power level you wish to use and you don't use your motor on full power majority of the time anyway. The m560 has been working great and it's really efficient motor. I don't know where you got the 3-4kg number? Did you mean 0,3-0,4kg?

Yeah from design point of view I can see the benefits of ZF or DJI but I don't think there is another brand that has even close to as good of a choices and freedom to tweak and repair your e-system.

 

[CarolinaCrawler]

I think the "mid-powered", long travel, mid sized battery is where ebikes are heading. A 170mm mid power bike with a 500wh battery coming in around 21kg in an enduro build seems to be the ticket. The big manufactures are figuring it out with the YT Decoy SN, Relay PNW, and the new Trek E-Slash. Would be nice to see a good option with the M820.

 

[martinvb]

Ah, you are going with downhill travel lenghts.

The m560 is more powerfull and slightly heavier (400g iirc) but what people seem to forget is that you can set the power level you wish to use and you don't use your motor on full power majority of the time anyway. The m560 has been working great and it's really efficient motor. I don't know where you got the 3-4kg number? Did you mean 0,3-0,4kg?

Yeah from design point of view I can see the benefits of ZF or DJI but I don't think there is another brand that has even close to as good of a choices and freedom to tweak and repair your e-system.

No, m820 in 2.3kg, m510 2.9, m560 is 3.4 and triple the power, and so only motor is 1.1kg extra plus the battery for m820 would be about 1.7-2kg using standard cells and for the m560 3-3.5 so total minimun 2.6kg extra. And about running it on less power it seems a waste, same performance but extra weight i see it pointless

 

[martinvb]

I think the "mid-powered", long travel, mid sized battery is where ebikes are heading. A 170mm mid power bike with a 500wh battery coming in around 21kg in an enduro build seems to be the ticket. The big manufactures are figuring it out with the YT Decoy SN, Relay PNW, and the new Trek E-Slash. Would be nice to see a good option with the M820.

That's the idea of the project to innovate and try and make something better than what the market offers. At the end i will be spending the same or more than a high end frame but it will be exactly what i want it to be. And bafang to my knowledge is pretty easy to tune and get as a standalone component not with a bike. Also was looking at the pinion mgu but same problem appears

 

[xtraman122]

No, m820 in 2.3kg, m510 2.9, m560 is 3.4 and triple the power, and so only motor is 1.1kg extra plus the battery for m820 would be about 1.7-2kg using standard cells and for the m560 3-3.5 so total minimun 2.6kg extra. And about running it on less power it seems a waste, same performance but extra weight i see it pointless

Yeah unless you want 500w+ full power I wouldn't bother with an M560 or M600. The tougher decision is likely between the M820 and M510, with the M820 being the lightest lowest assist motor and the M510 being just a little more powerful but at the cost of some added weight. If you're after absolute least weight possible the M820 is probably the answer, but personally I like having the torque and would choose the M510.

 

[Sayonara]

No, m820 in 2.3kg, m510 2.9, m560 is 3.4 and triple the power, and so only motor is 1.1kg extra plus the battery for m820 would be about 1.7-2kg using standard cells and for the m560 3-3.5 so total minimun 2.6kg extra. And about running it on less power it seems a waste, same performance but extra weight i see it pointless

The 400g difference is between m510 which is 2,9kg and m560 which is 3,3kg not 3,4kg. M560 has two versions. 500w and 750w you don't need to choose the 750w version for triple the power.

You also said you are hoping to achieve battery weight lower than 2,5kg. If you are worried about the weight this much I don't know why you are even considering m510 over m820? Though I don't understand why you would oppose the extra weight (between m510 and m560, 400g from motor and maybe 600g from battery, depending what Wh you want) so much with such a downhill oriented bike anyway. It will be extremely hard if not impossible to notice 1kg extra weight on the bike. I mean if it would really matter that much most of the riders would go on a diet and drop some weight.

By the way the bafangs 410wh battery for m820 weights 2,6kg. Since you are making the battery yourself you will definitely be able to drop the weight down.

It's not only the motor power that is different between the motors. For example never go with m600 over m560. A huge mistake.

Since you are going with DH travel numbers I don't think you care about pedaling, ascending or techy glimbs? I would not get a m820. It will feel awful and under powered trying to pedal that bike uphill. On top of that your motor will constantly have to work on it's peak power which will drain the battery very fast. Also if you are not traveling to your riding locations with a car, even if they are close to you, then definitely go with bigger motor/battery. My friend has to come with a car to our biking sessions even though they are really close, 2-4km. He has a custom kenovo SL. You already will get extra weight with these 190/180 travel components and on top of that they are never great thing when going uphill. For these reasons alone I would go with m510 or m560 to make ascending much more enjoyable. Speaking from experience. For example last week I rode a custom built turbo kenovo and custom built turbo kenovo sl. Other was alu frame other carbon. It instantly made me realize that these light power motors are not meant for this purpose. The weight, travel and geometry of hard enduro/gravity/dh bikes makes the ascending already such a nightmare that I think there is nothing that would make me want to choose light motor for these kinds of bikes.

 

[martinvb]

The 400g difference is between m510 which is 2,9kg and m560 which is 3,3kg not 3,4kg. M560 has two versions. 500w and 750w you don't need to choose the 750w version for triple the power.

You also said you are hoping to achieve battery weight lower than 2,5kg. If you are worried about the weight this much I don't know why you are even considering m510 over m820? Though I don't understand why you would oppose the extra weight (between m510 and m560, 400g from motor and maybe 600g from battery, depending what Wh you want) so much with such a downhill oriented bike anyway. It will be extremely hard if not impossible to notice 1kg extra weight on the bike. I mean if it would really matter that much most of the riders would go on a diet and drop some weight.

By the way the bafangs 410wh battery for m820 weights 2,6kg. Since you are making the battery yourself you will definitely be able to drop the weight down.

It's not only the motor power that is different between the motors. For example never go with m600 over m560. A huge mistake.

Since you are going with DH travel numbers I don't think you care about pedaling, ascending or techy glimbs? I would not get a m820. It will feel awful and under powered trying to pedal that bike uphill. On top of that your motor will constantly have to work on it's peak power which will drain the battery very fast. Also if you are not traveling to your riding locations with a car, even if they are close to you, then definitely go with bigger motor/battery. My friend has to come with a car to our biking sessions even though they are really close, 2-4km. He has a custom kenovo SL. You already will get extra weight with these 190/180 travel components and on top of that they are never great thing when going uphill. For these reasons alone I would go with m510 or m560 to make ascending much more enjoyable. Speaking from experience. For example last week I rode a custom built turbo kenovo and custom built turbo kenovo sl. Other was alu frame other carbon. It instantly made me realize that these light power motors are not meant for this purpose. The weight, travel and geometry of hard enduro/gravity/dh bikes makes the ascending already such a nightmare that I think there is nothing that would make me want to choose light motor for these kinds of bikes.

Amazing response, 2.4kg is for a battery of about 700wh if i go with smaller motor the battery would drop in capacity too to about 450-500 going to 1.6 -2kg depending on the cells selected but this weights are only achievable with really high end pouch cells i should be able to get them trough a contact. The goal is to get a bike that weighs as little as possible and not necessarily a powerhouse i just want some help to not get too tired. About pedaling efficiency it depends too much on the geometry and as I'm designing it it should be quite a good ascender too, this afternoon i will post the first iteration of the geo numbers and what are the goals of that geometry

 

[brbr]

that's a great project. You can maybe try to have fun with the linkage on the CEF50 / LCE930 to reach 170mm on the rear suspension

 

[martinvb]

that's a great project. You can maybe try to have fun with the linkage on the CEF50 / LCE930 to reach 170mm on the rear suspension

I was doing exactly that but moneywise i was going to spend about the same as me doing the full thing beeing restricted to what the manufacturer decided before me, so i will take the work and time and do it all myself. Regardless if someone is willing to send me a frame i can 3dscan it and redesign the linkages to fit your needs

 

[brbr]

I was doing exactly that but moneywise i was going to spend about the same as me doing the full thing beeing restricted to what the manufacturer decided before me, so i will take the work and time and do it all myself. Regardless if someone is willing to send me a frame i can 3dscan it and redesign the linkages to fit your needs

I'm in Lyon tomorrow for work
I don't plan to take my bike though

 

[martinvb]

Geo Day​

For this frame, my main focus is downhill performance, so I'm aiming for big suspension travel: 190 mm in the front and around 180 mm in the rear. Ideally, I’ll go with full 29" wheels, using 2.5" or 2.6" tires up front to plow through the roughest terrain imaginable.

Although the focus is on downhill, I don't want to sacrifice too much on uphill performance. I'm planning a steep seat tube angle at 78 degrees for better pedaling efficiency, paired with a slack 63.5-degree head angle to keep it stable on descents. Being about 195 cm tall, this will be a big bike with a reach of around 510 mm. The rest of the geometry will be dialed in using Linkage X3 software, but I can say I’m aiming for a relatively low bottom bracket drop and longer chainstays, to keep me centered in the bike rather than too far over the rear.

In terms of pedaling and suspension characteristics, I’m targeting anti-squat values in the climbing gears starting around 150%, gradually lowering as the suspension compresses to maintain sensitivity while reducing bob and squat. For anti-rise, my goal is to minimize braking squat as much as possible, so the bike stays predictable under heavy braking, especially on steep, technical terrain. Ideally, I’ll aim for anti-rise to be close to 100% throughout the suspension travel, ensuring stability on descents like North Shore-style slabs.

I'll be sharing the initial geometry from my first sketches below (this will likely evolve as I move into 3D CAD work), but it sets a solid foundation to work from.

Main sketch at 30%sag

 

[Niklas]

Cool this will be fun to follow

 

[KnollyBro]

Geo Day​

For this frame, my main focus is downhill performance, so I'm aiming for big suspension travel: 190 mm in the front and around 180 mm in the rear. Ideally, I’ll go with full 29" wheels, using 2.5" or 2.6" tires up front to plow through the roughest terrain imaginable.

Although the focus is on downhill, I don't want to sacrifice too much on uphill performance. I'm planning a steep seat tube angle at 78 degrees for better pedaling efficiency, paired with a slack 63.5-degree head angle to keep it stable on descents. Being about 195 cm tall, this will be a big bike with a reach of around 510 mm. The rest of the geometry will be dialed in using Linkage X3 software, but I can say I’m aiming for a relatively low bottom bracket drop and longer chainstays, to keep me centered in the bike rather than too far over the rear.

In terms of pedaling and suspension characteristics, I’m targeting anti-squat values in the climbing gears starting around 150%, gradually lowering as the suspension compresses to maintain sensitivity while reducing bob and squat. For anti-rise, my goal is to minimize braking squat as much as possible, so the bike stays predictable under heavy braking, especially on steep, technical terrain. Ideally, I’ll aim for anti-rise to be close to 100% throughout the suspension travel, ensuring stability on descents like North Shore-style slabs.

I'll be sharing the initial geometry from my first sketches below (this will likely evolve as I move into 3D CAD work), but it sets a solid foundation to work from.

View attachment 146613
Main sketch at 30%sag

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I am very interested in your design and modelling process as I am a CAD teacher at the high school level and am always looking for real world examples for students to look at. Which 3D modelling program will you be using? Do you have local contacts to get 3D prints done in titanium? I am still not clear what you mean when you said:

What frustrates me the most is being physically exhausted after just one downhill ride

I assume you mean the ride up tires you out so much that the ride down is not that enjoyable or that you want to do more but you are too tired? What does your typical ride up look like? I have a Kenevo SL and a Levo SL and my ride up is either on a climbing trail or a Fire Service Road with grade which average between 10-15% with some chunky loose gravel road sections that can be as steep as 23%. In a 3 hour session, I can do 1000m of vertical on these accents without too much difficulty. Are you looking for much more performance than that? Best of luck on your design. This is a very interesting project!

 

[martinvb]

I am very interested in your design and modelling process as I am a CAD teacher at the high school level and am always looking for real world examples for students to look at. Which 3D modelling program will you be using? Do you have local contacts to get 3D prints done in titanium? I am still not clear what you mean when you said:

I assume you mean the ride up tires you out so much that the ride down is not that enjoyable or that you want to do more but you are too tired? What does your typical ride up look like? I have a Kenevo SL and a Levo SL and my ride up is either on a climbing trail or a Fire Service Road with grade which average between 10-15% with some chunky loose gravel road sections that can be as steep as 23%. In a 3 hour session, I can do 1000m of vertical on these accents without too much difficulty. Are you looking for much more performance than that? Best of luck on your design. This is a very interesting project!

That sounds great! Most of the uphills I ride are singletrack. They’re not overly technical, but they have one steep section after another, which makes it really exhausting. By the time I reach the top, I’m completely drained, and I have to take it easy on the descent to avoid any accidents.
It would be awesome if this project can provide you with some useful materials. I initially started with Onshape, but since I’m used to working with CATIA and SolidWorks, it felt a bit too basic. Now I’m testing Fusion 360 to avoid the high costs of more expensive software.
In terms of manufacturing, I’ve got composites covered since that’s my area of expertise. A close friend of mine also runs a machining company that specializes in aerospace, and they do 3D printing with Inconel and titanium. However, I plan to stick with carbon composites as much as possible.

 

[martinvb]

Mini Update on the Motor:

I’ve decided to design around the M510 motor after receiving an incredible offer that I couldn’t turn down. Once it arrives, I’ll begin working on the CAD model. For now, the first step is determining the battery capacity and selecting the cells, which will help me size the down tube on the frame.

 

[KnollyBro]

That sounds great! Most of the uphills I ride are singletrack. They’re not overly technical, but they have one steep section after another, which makes it really exhausting. By the time I reach the top, I’m completely drained, and I have to take it easy on the descent to avoid any accidents.
It would be awesome if this project can provide you with some useful materials. I initially started with Onshape, but since I’m used to working with CATIA and SolidWorks, it felt a bit too basic. Now I’m testing Fusion 360 to avoid the high costs of more expensive software.
In terms of manufacturing, I’ve got composites covered since that’s my area of expertise. A close friend of mine also runs a machining company that specializes in aerospace, and they do 3D printing with Inconel and titanium. However, I plan to stick with carbon composites as much as possible.

Your uphill climb on single track sounds like what we have here in Squamish and many of our other local mountains that are not shuttle access. This was the reason I bought an emtb in the first place. At 60+ years old and with all of my injuries it made riding down way less appealing after a long slog up which made the 2 hour trip to Whistler so much more practical in terms of down to up time.
I have never used CATIA or Solidworks but I have been teaching Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD for over 30 years (only up to the high school level) but I would be very interested in seeing your designs in Fusion as it would be a fantastic case study for the students to look at. I would love to build a PLA frame if we could figure one out! How much does it cost to 3D print parts in titanium? I am sure we have that capabilities around here but I always thought it would be less expensive to get the parts made in China. Where did you get your M510 motor from?
As for design, since you mentioned being interested in the characteristics of the suspension of bikes that were built for the North Shore, have you looked into Knolly Bikes? They were designed and built in Vancouver (originally) and have continuously been developed to deal with the type of riding found in this area. I have talked to the owner/engineer about building an emtb but he says there is not enough of a market for their company to get involved. Their suspension is excellent! My Bike Park bike is a Knolly Warden 168.
Knolly Suspension:
FourBy4 Suspension

 

[martinvb]

The thing is that i'm not particularly a fan of bikeparks they are fun but i prefer exploring singletrack. So no lifts for me
I will take a look at the geo on the knolly for sure.

Motor i got it thanks to one person that saw the thread and sold it to me for really cheap.

Your uphill climb on single track sounds like what we have here in Squamish and many of our other local mountains that are not shuttle access. This was the reason I bought an emtb in the first place. At 60+ years old and with all of my injuries it made riding down way less appealing after a long slog up which made the 2 hour trip to Whistler so much more practical in terms of down to up time.
I have never used CATIA or Solidworks but I have been teaching Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD for over 30 years (only up to the high school level) but I would be very interested in seeing your designs in Fusion as it would be a fantastic case study for the students to look at. I would love to build a PLA frame if we could figure one out! How much does it cost to 3D print parts in titanium? I am sure we have that capabilities around here but I always thought it would be less expensive to get the parts made in China. Where did you get your M510 motor from?
As for design, since you mentioned being interested in the characteristics of the suspension of bikes that were built for the North Shore, have you looked intoKnolly Bikes? They were designed and built in Vancouver (originally) and have continuously been developed to deal with the type of riding found in this area. I have talked to the owner/engineer about building an emtb but he says there is not enough of a market for their company to get involved. Their suspension is excellent! My Bike Park bike is a Knolly Warden 168.
Knolly Suspension:
FourBy4 Suspension

View attachment 146767

 

[martinvb]

Your uphill climb on single track sounds like what we have here in Squamish and many of our other local mountains that are not shuttle access. This was the reason I bought an emtb in the first place. At 60+ years old and with all of my injuries it made riding down way less appealing after a long slog up which made the 2 hour trip to Whistler so much more practical in terms of down to up time.
I have never used CATIA or Solidworks but I have been teaching Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD for over 30 years (only up to the high school level) but I would be very interested in seeing your designs in Fusion as it would be a fantastic case study for the students to look at. I would love to build a PLA frame if we could figure one out! How much does it cost to 3D print parts in titanium? I am sure we have that capabilities around here but I always thought it would be less expensive to get the parts made in China. Where did you get your M510 motor from?
As for design, since you mentioned being interested in the characteristics of the suspension of bikes that were built for the North Shore, have you looked intoKnolly Bikes? They were designed and built in Vancouver (originally) and have continuously been developed to deal with the type of riding found in this area. I have talked to the owner/engineer about building an emtb but he says there is not enough of a market for their company to get involved. Their suspension is excellent! My Bike Park bike is a Knolly Warden 168.
Knolly Suspension:
FourBy4 Suspension

View attachment 146767

About printing a frame i guess you refer as for visualization? That's one of the steps i will be taking to ensure proper functionality before commiting to get tooling and so on. Cost of titanium prints tends to go from volume of the part so i will be doing some clever topology optimization to avoid paying too much.

 

[Thomas39]

Ciao, seguo con curiosità il tuo progetto... se posso, prendi in considerazione una geometria attuale e vincente (campionati enduro o DH). ad esempio Lapierre GLP, Canyon Strive On, Orbea Wild 2023/24. Se la bici viene utilizzata su sentieri e discese con molte curve, assicurati che il peso sia il più basso possibile (tipo GLP) e che la bici sia il più leggera possibile in modo da evitare inerzie in frenata. Come forcella "leggera" a lunga escursione consiglio Manitou Mezzer Pro, 2,05 kg per una forcella eccellente.

 

[martinvb]

Hello everyone,

It’s time for the first update on the CAD work for the eBike build. After some fine-tuning of the geometry to improve tire clearance at full drop, I’ve now moved on to drafting the front triangle and deciding on the battery configuration.

Battery: After reviewing various options and taking into account the typical consumption of the motor, I’ve settled on a slightly smaller battery than I initially planned. The final choice is a 530Wh unit, which, according to my calculations, should provide plenty of range—enough for between 1,100 to 1,500 meters of climbing under mixed assist modes. The battery is projected to weigh around 2 kg when fully built using conventional cells, striking a good balance between weight savings and range.

Frame: For the front triangle, I’m going with a fairly standard battery layout inside the down tube. The construction will combine carbon fiber tubes with a carbon plug headtube and a forged carbon shock mount to keep the weight down while maintaining structural integrity.

One thing I haven’t started designing yet is the motor mount. I’ll be holding off on that until I receive the motor and can 3D scan it to ensure perfect fitment. That step will come later in the process once I have all the necessary data on hand.

I’ll also be posting some snapshots of the current CAD model so you can see where things are at right now and give your input!

Now, I’d love to get some feedback from the community as I’m working on the design for the rear triangle. I’m still figuring out the best shape for the axle dropouts and derailleur mount. If anyone has suggestions, tips, or even drawings that could help me avoid potential issues down the line, I’d really appreciate it!

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[patdam]

Hello everyone,

It’s time for the first update on the CAD work for the eBike build. After some fine-tuning of the geometry to improve tire clearance at full drop, I’ve now moved on to drafting the front triangle and deciding on the battery configuration.

Battery: After reviewing various options and taking into account the typical consumption of the motor, I’ve settled on a slightly smaller battery than I initially planned. The final choice is a 530Wh unit, which, according to my calculations, should provide plenty of range—enough for between 1,100 to 1,500 meters of climbing under mixed assist modes. The battery is projected to weigh around 2 kg when fully built using conventional cells, striking a good balance between weight savings and range.

Frame: For the front triangle, I’m going with a fairly standard battery layout inside the down tube. The construction will combine carbon fiber tubes with a carbon plug headtube and a forged carbon shock mount to keep the weight down while maintaining structural integrity.

One thing I haven’t started designing yet is the motor mount. I’ll be holding off on that until I receive the motor and can 3D scan it to ensure perfect fitment. That step will come later in the process once I have all the necessary data on hand.

I’ll also be posting some snapshots of the current CAD model so you can see where things are at right now and give your input!

Now, I’d love to get some feedback from the community as I’m working on the design for the rear triangle. I’m still figuring out the best shape for the axle dropouts and derailleur mount. If anyone has suggestions, tips, or even drawings that could help me avoid potential issues down the line, I’d really appreciate it!

Thanks in advance for your input!

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seen from my mind . less than 17Ah for an M510 is to week.

If you have any physical power to klimb 1500 D+ with M510 and 500W. An M820 is the better choice.

 

[Freda]

Hello everyone,

It’s time for the first update on the CAD work for the eBike build. After some fine-tuning of the geometry to improve tire clearance at full drop, I’ve now moved on to drafting the front triangle and deciding on the battery configuration.

Battery: After reviewing various options and taking into account the typical consumption of the motor, I’ve settled on a slightly smaller battery than I initially planned. The final choice is a 530Wh unit, which, according to my calculations, should provide plenty of range—enough for between 1,100 to 1,500 meters of climbing under mixed assist modes. The battery is projected to weigh around 2 kg when fully built using conventional cells, striking a good balance between weight savings and range.

Frame: For the front triangle, I’m going with a fairly standard battery layout inside the down tube. The construction will combine carbon fiber tubes with a carbon plug headtube and a forged carbon shock mount to keep the weight down while maintaining structural integrity.

One thing I haven’t started designing yet is the motor mount. I’ll be holding off on that until I receive the motor and can 3D scan it to ensure perfect fitment. That step will come later in the process once I have all the necessary data on hand.

I’ll also be posting some snapshots of the current CAD model so you can see where things are at right now and give your input!

Now, I’d love to get some feedback from the community as I’m working on the design for the rear triangle. I’m still figuring out the best shape for the axle dropouts and derailleur mount. If anyone has suggestions, tips, or even drawings that could help me avoid potential issues down the line, I’d really appreciate it!

Thanks in advance for your input!

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I would also go for the M820, it gives you more design freedom and is plenty strong.

You seems to be out of my league with what you are doing, but wouldn’t it be better to start from suspension linkage and from there work out where all the other parts go? You have the shock mount already in place and don’t have the rear triangle figured out yet. Maybe copying some known well working linkage and go from there. A linkage driven single pivot design would probably be a safe choice. Like the nukeproof giga, if you want long travel. There are loads to choose from but suspension design is not easy to get right, even the big brands get it wrong sometimes.

I was using Linkage X3 when planning a Marinobikes full suspension bike. I did learn a lot about linkage just by playing around there.

I really enjoy following your project so keep going!

 

[martinvb]

I would also go for the M820, it gives you more design freedom and is plenty strong.

You seems to be out of my league with what you are doing, but wouldn’t it be better to start from suspension linkage and from there work out where all the other parts go? You have the shock mount already in place and don’t have the rear triangle figured out yet. Maybe copying some known well working linkage and go from there. A linkage driven single pivot design would probably be a safe choice. Like the nukeproof giga, if you want long travel. There are loads to choose from but suspension design is not easy to get right, even the big brands get it wrong sometimes.

I was using Linkage X3 when planning a Marinobikes full suspension bike. I did learn a lot about linkage just by playing around there.

I really enjoy following your project so keep going!

Hey Freda, my initial plan was to go with the M820 motor, but I couldn’t get my hands on one. Luckily, someone here offered me an M510 at a great price, so I decided to go with that .

As for the linkages, if you check my earlier posts, you’ll find the full simulation along with the geometry values that I pulled from Linkage X3. In the CAD, I’ve started working on everything I can before scanning the motor, which is why the motor mount and rear triangle anchor points aren’t included yet.

Thanks for your feedback!