mikethebikeguy
New Member
Hey guys, I'm retiring this build soon but I wanted to archive it on this forum and answer any questions anyone might have. I'd love to help you on anything if you're trying to do something similar. This is a 2016 Giant Glory 2 (Large) with a Bafang BBSHD 1000w mid motor. Pictures:
Google Drive with Full Resolution Pictures
I have about 800 miles on the bike since the conversion and it has been so much fun. I ride it a few times a week now but I've gone long periods not using it. I had about 550 miles on the stock controller and now have about 250 on a 52 volt upgraded controller direct from Bafang.
The backpack battery, which I mostly use, has a 52 volt 15 ah battery in it with a retracting power cable I made with some keychain things (you can get them at any hardware store). I used multiple XT60 extensions so that the cable can detach in multiple places if it gets stuck on anything on the trail. Of the 3 1/2 years I've been riding it it has saved the cable a handful of times. It's also great if you fall it detaches really easily so it doesn't whip you against the bike or damage the battery/cables.
The battery on the back rack is a recent addition. It's a 48 volt 10.4 ah battery on a cheap Amazon rack. It weighs significantly less than the backpack. I'd say the backpack is about 12 pounds on my bikes with everything and the rack plus battery is about 9 pounds. The rack is nice for short trips when I don't need the backpack so I can wear another backpack for general stuff or just no backpack is nice. The rack sits about 7 inches off the back tire the way I ride it so if the rear link bottoms out, it does rub, but it won't break the rack or anything. I've never rubbed it on accident only in testing.
As you can see in one of the pictures I posted, the motor is about 8.5 inches off the ground, so with 8 inches of rear travel, you really have to pick your lines carefully. I have struck the motor a bunch of times but dang the BBSHD is strong. I had to replace the nylon gear only once. Still runs great 800 miles later. The motor is a 100mm kit and I had to cut a 17mm piece of conduit pipe to space it out on the BB. You can see it as a gray cylinder in the pictures. One of the coolest things about this bike is you can ride down, and UP staircases with ease! Always a cool party trick. By the way, I'm 6'1 175 lbs and this bike fits me perfectly. The rear spring needs to be stiffer however due to the weight added by the motor and battery. That's a cheap upgrade.
As for the condition of the bike, it is still perfectly ridable but is in need of some love. I tuned it up best I could a few weeks ago but the front and rear suspension really need to be serviced and it needs a new front tire. Probably gonna need rear brake pads soon. Everything else is fine, just put on a new chain. My first KMC e9 chain lasted me the first 750 miles! They're the best.
I would love to answer any questions you might have about the build! I'm going to start another build soon and retire this bike, likely going to sell it. Not sure if I'm going to sell it as is or convert it back to its former "Glory" as a regular bike. Why am I starting a new build? After 3 1/2 extremely fun years riding this, I want to redo it with some differences. I want a higher end bike first of all with some better parts that I couldn't afford back when I built this one. I want a different frame that allows the motor to get further off the ground because I do like to ride it to its full potential every now and again. I also want to do the wiring cleaner. Lots of the electric tape you see on the bike has held up perfectly for the past 800 miles believe it or not, but it's not very pretty is it... I have some POV ride footage as well that I'd be willing to post on YouTube if there is a demand for it. It's not really different from any other POV BBSHD videos out there though.
Google Drive with Full Resolution Pictures
I have about 800 miles on the bike since the conversion and it has been so much fun. I ride it a few times a week now but I've gone long periods not using it. I had about 550 miles on the stock controller and now have about 250 on a 52 volt upgraded controller direct from Bafang.
The backpack battery, which I mostly use, has a 52 volt 15 ah battery in it with a retracting power cable I made with some keychain things (you can get them at any hardware store). I used multiple XT60 extensions so that the cable can detach in multiple places if it gets stuck on anything on the trail. Of the 3 1/2 years I've been riding it it has saved the cable a handful of times. It's also great if you fall it detaches really easily so it doesn't whip you against the bike or damage the battery/cables.
The battery on the back rack is a recent addition. It's a 48 volt 10.4 ah battery on a cheap Amazon rack. It weighs significantly less than the backpack. I'd say the backpack is about 12 pounds on my bikes with everything and the rack plus battery is about 9 pounds. The rack is nice for short trips when I don't need the backpack so I can wear another backpack for general stuff or just no backpack is nice. The rack sits about 7 inches off the back tire the way I ride it so if the rear link bottoms out, it does rub, but it won't break the rack or anything. I've never rubbed it on accident only in testing.
As you can see in one of the pictures I posted, the motor is about 8.5 inches off the ground, so with 8 inches of rear travel, you really have to pick your lines carefully. I have struck the motor a bunch of times but dang the BBSHD is strong. I had to replace the nylon gear only once. Still runs great 800 miles later. The motor is a 100mm kit and I had to cut a 17mm piece of conduit pipe to space it out on the BB. You can see it as a gray cylinder in the pictures. One of the coolest things about this bike is you can ride down, and UP staircases with ease! Always a cool party trick. By the way, I'm 6'1 175 lbs and this bike fits me perfectly. The rear spring needs to be stiffer however due to the weight added by the motor and battery. That's a cheap upgrade.
As for the condition of the bike, it is still perfectly ridable but is in need of some love. I tuned it up best I could a few weeks ago but the front and rear suspension really need to be serviced and it needs a new front tire. Probably gonna need rear brake pads soon. Everything else is fine, just put on a new chain. My first KMC e9 chain lasted me the first 750 miles! They're the best.
I would love to answer any questions you might have about the build! I'm going to start another build soon and retire this bike, likely going to sell it. Not sure if I'm going to sell it as is or convert it back to its former "Glory" as a regular bike. Why am I starting a new build? After 3 1/2 extremely fun years riding this, I want to redo it with some differences. I want a higher end bike first of all with some better parts that I couldn't afford back when I built this one. I want a different frame that allows the motor to get further off the ground because I do like to ride it to its full potential every now and again. I also want to do the wiring cleaner. Lots of the electric tape you see on the bike has held up perfectly for the past 800 miles believe it or not, but it's not very pretty is it... I have some POV ride footage as well that I'd be willing to post on YouTube if there is a demand for it. It's not really different from any other POV BBSHD videos out there though.
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