Cheaper Parts... but will they survive?

[John Beedham]

I use Chinese parts bought through Aliexpress including brake rotors and pads, cables and hydraulic hoses, fittings and all the bits and pieces that shouldn't, but do, cost a bomb from the LBS.... are they any good ?? resounding "Yes" ...have been using them for at least three years ....why ... I'm a self-funded retiree trying to live on f....all and I can't afford prices at the LBS.... I don't buy mtb shorts and jerseys because of sizing differences and the hassle of returns... I even buy replacement lenses for my Oakleys ... bulk brake pads ...yes please ... great tools ..etc ...as has been mentioned earlier... many bike parts are coming from the same factories ...ZTTO is my got to brand but there are others.

 

[Cyclopath1000]

@mank44... I'm glad that you've gotten the old life out of a DIY conversion but it's absolutely meaningless whatsoever to a modern Enduro based e bike. I do hope you understand.

 

[Manc44]

@mank44... I'm glad that you've gotten the old life out of a DIY conversion but it's absolutely meaningless whatsoever to a modern Enduro based e bike. I do hope you understand.

Why is it? My next plan is to put the battery under the down tube on my next build - that will mean the battery is even lower down than it is on these fancy bikes costing thousands with the battery built into the down tube. Do you mean because a rear hub would get too hammered on a trail? You got me there, but then you can just DIY a BBS02 onto a bike, perhaps - not on my next build because the tubing won't allow it, which is why I got a rear hub, not a mid-drive.

Tonight I did need to use my granny ring, about 27" gear inches. This was on an incline of about 25% or 30%.

 

[Cyclopath1000]

I wish I could lend you meta power 27.5 to use as a comparison. I do hope to before I'm completely in firm to get a chance to ride in Great Britain or whatever you call your wonderful country it just looks so luscious I'm in such a dry part of the West right now I dream of rain. I could just tell you that I've been riding mountain bikes since my first specialized something hardtail with a Future shock that I I think I bought it in my 1998 or something and I'd already been riding road bikes multiple times I used to ride to work in Tucson everyday my idea of a good time to go for a ride, but you know I've been playing around with more modern stuff of light and I'm sure your DIY bike is amazing and I'm sure it's a great value. I'm just not thinking that it's going to do what these bikes can do I'm just not believing it. I think that you get used to what you have because basically it's two wheels with modern ball bearings so yes it's going to be wonderful. Which one am I going to really feel good dropping down a really gnarly trail like Mr toads up in Tahoe I hate to break it to Buddy it's going to be something like that commancal.

 

[Labrador29]

Ah.. Did not know this. Thanks.
I stopped using AliX years ago because their customer service was terrible and would drag on for months leaving me out of pocket for junk/incorrect items and the final straw, an empty box from a scammer (meant to be a super powerful bike light)

An empty box! Lol. Reminded me of an advertisement in a NZ National weekly newspaper back in the 1960's. Ad. was for a fly killer with a moneyback guarantee. The gullible paid up their money, and received a package containing two small blocks of wood marked 'A' & 'B'. The instructions were to place the fly on Block A and crush it with Block B. Lol. From memory the police dealt with it as fraud/false pretences. Funny though.

 

[Manc44]

I'm sure your DIY bike is amazing and I'm sure it's a great value. I'm just not thinking that it's going to do what these bikes can do I'm just not believing it.

It can't.

It can't hammer it down trails like a true MTB should - but that's because it's got a rear hub motor as opposed to being mid-drive - it's not because it's DIY.

Is there any pre-built eBike that has a 1,100+ Wh battery?

Most of the ones I have seen are around 625 Wh, which would give me a range of about 32 miles - it's not enough. Well it might be if I never went further than 32 miles but at times, I do want to.

Regarding the original question of cheaper cassettes, I wouldn't get anything other than Shimano. I have tried SRAM and Suntour, they don't quite have that same quickness in shifting, they are usable, but they just aren't at the level Shimano seem to be. Same with chains, I have tried Shimano and SRAM, they aren't quite at the level of KMC, so all I ever use is a Shimano cassette and KMC chain, but then I'm on 9-Speed with a triple. I have had an 11-Speed setup and it shifted well but I was using an M9000 XTR right shifter and an M8000 XT rear mech, with M7000 SLX cassette.

Thing is with 9-speed, only Ultegra cassettes exist these days that are in the weird 13-23t sprocket selection I now use and those are about £58 which is a lot for a 9-speed cassette. It's a miracle they are still on sale and it's bizarre that they are but, they are.

I have seen cheap cassettes like "Sunshine" (lol) and they are £21 for a 10-speed MTB cassette, please don't bother, splash out on a proper cassette, if it's not Shimano then SRAM and if it's neither of those, the Suntour one.

 

[Kema]

I got this cassette for my XC bike. I thought I'd give it a try. Coming from Shimano XT 11-42 and Suntour MX 11-46 the price on this i compares to the Suntour, even a little cheaper but almost half the weight.
After fitting it I had to adjust the B-screw moving the mech a little closer than the Suntour, then shifting was spot on. Can't comment on wear yet. I have only used it 280km but so far I'm happy and would by it again.

Speed Cassette Ultralight CNC Flywheel 11-46T SL Freewheel Mountain Bike Alloy Free wheel For Shimano K7 GX

Ultralight Cassette | Wuzei Cassette | Wuzei Sl Cnc | Cnc Flywheel | Gx Cassette - Mtb 10/11 - Aliexpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

 

[Gary]

I have tried Shimano and SRAM, they aren't quite at the level of KMC, so all I ever use is a Shimano cassette and KMC chain

Dude Shimano only manufacturer their own chains at Dura Ace & XTR level.
They pay KMC to make the rest of their chains.
Personally I prefer SRAM chains to shimano/KMC. based on a lot more experience than you by the sounds of it .

Why on earth are you running a triple chainset with a 13-23 cassette?

13-23 9 speed cassettes are actually no longer in production. It's a pretty useless ratio but was useful for kids racing where top end gearing is restricted hence obscure stock still being available to buy at ultegra level. If its genuinely the best ratio for you I'd buy all the stock you can find. (otherwise 13-25 is still manufactured)

 

[Gary]

The problem isn't low gears, it's high enough gears. I run a rear hub with a 24/36/48 triple chainset and most of the time on the flat I am on the 48 outer on the 14/15 on the cassette, going about 15 MPH, pedalling pretty slow (55-60 RPM). That's on PAS 3/5. If I reduce it to PAS 2/5 then I'm probably doing 13 MPH and on the 16/17t on the cassette.

I have never used the 24t granny ring since fitting a motor, it's only purpose is to hold my PAS magnet disc on.

Ah..

Sounds like you have a very slow preferred pedalling cadence.
15mph is sustainable at a decent cadence with far far lower gearing. Infact. Your 48t ring would be completely redundant at just 80rpm in the same cassette sprockets (and 36t ring).

 

[Manc44]

Dude Shimano only manufacturer their own chains at Dura Ace & XTR level.
They pay KMC to make the rest of their chains.

That doesn't mean you're getting the same chain though. The outer plates are different on the KMC I use.

Personally I prefer SRAM chains to shimano/KMC. based on a lot more experience than you by the sounds of it.

Haha. My experience is with how well they shift and KMC shifted the best when I was swapping between all three on the same drivetrain at the same time with the same gear cables. There is no "Shimano/KMC". They aren't the same chains just because one company has chains made for them by another company.

If Shimano = KMC then why do most people say KMC are better than Shimano when they are trying chains?

Why was that also the case when I did the same?

Why on earth are you running a triple chainset with a 13-23 cassette?

So I'm never flicking between gears trying to find the right gear. That setup has an 18t between the 17t and 19t. I can stay on the outer on the road and use 13-18 most of the time, now I have got a motor on.

13-23 9 speed cassettes are actually no longer in production. It's a pretty useless ratio but was useful for kids racing where top end gearing is restricted hence obscure stock still being available to buy at ultegra level. If its genuinely the best ratio for you I'd buy all the stock you can find. (otherwise 13-25 is still manufactured)

It's useful for me. By having a 13t (not 12t or 11t) smallest sprocket, I have 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 23 - thus giving me every in-between gear I need so I'm never flicking between 2 gears unable to find the perfect gear. I can't go to 10 or 11 speed because my rear hub only takes a 9-speed cassette, so this is the best setup.

 

[KnollyBro]

That doesn't mean you're getting the same chain though. The outer plates are different on the KMC I use.



Haha. My experience is with how well they shift and KMC shifted the best when I was swapping between all three on the same drivetrain at the same time with the same gear cables. There is no "Shimano/KMC". They aren't the same chains just because one company has chains made for them by another company.

If Shimano = KMC then why do most people say KMC are better than Shimano when they are trying chains?

Why was that also the case when I did the same?



So I'm never flicking between gears trying to find the right gear. That setup has an 18t between the 17t and 19t. I can stay on the outer on the road and use 13-18 most of the time, now I have got a motor on.



It's useful for me. By having a 13t (not 12t or 11t) smallest sprocket, I have 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 23 - thus giving me every in-between gear I need so I'm never flicking between 2 gears unable to find the perfect gear. I can't go to 10 or 11 speed because my rear hub only takes a 9-speed cassette, so this is the best setup.

Can you post some pictures of your bike and setup? It sounds very interesting!

 

[Manc44]

Can you post some pictures of your bike and setup? It sounds very interesting!

Sorry I haven't got any pics to hand. It's running a 24/36/48 triple with 13-23t cassette. Although eMTB implies riding on trails, I'm on the road all the time and only have a full suspension MTB to be comfy. I'm on the 48t outer nearly all the time, now I have a motor on. On gradients around 15% I need the middle chainring and on 20%+ I need the inner, since it's still only about 1:1 due to the 23t sprocket being the biggest on the cassette.

 

[KnollyBro]

Haha.... I hear you about riding on the road with a emtb bike for comfort but a picture is worth a 1000 words and what you are writing makes no sense to me. Arround here, we have all kinds of guys riding class 3 ebikes on the road with only the occaisional pedal stroke thrown in, possibly to stretch their legs. Do you use your bike for commuting?

 

[Gary]

That doesn't mean you're getting the same chain though.

of course not. I didn't suggest you were.

The outer plates are different on the KMC I use.

Yeah. Obviously.
Shimano outer plates are branded with their model number etc and KMC theirs.
KMX use X-plate outer plate designs etc. Whereas Shimano ask KMC to produce chains their spec and outer plate profiles (mainly flat)

Haha. My experience is with how well they shift and KMC shifted the best when I was swapping between all three on the same drivetrain at the same time with the same gear cables.

Yes. with ONE outdated drivetrain. which was my point exactly. ie. your extremely limited experience.

There is no "Shimano/KMC".

what are you even talking about now? Noone said they were the same company.

They aren't the same chains just because one company has chains made for them by another company.

Again. no one said they were.
But they ARE produced by the same company to the sam estandards from the same materials
PLEASE STOP REPEATING YOURSELF WHEN YOU CLEARLY HAVEN'T UNDERSTOOD THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN

If Shimano = KMC then why do most people say KMC are better than Shimano when they are trying chains?

WTF are you talking about now?
Who exactly are MOST people? As I'm fairly certain sure you haven't personally spoken to "most" people on the subject.

So I'm never flicking between gears trying to find the right gear. That setup has an 18t between the 17t and 19t. I can stay on the outer on the road and use 13-18 most of the time, now I have got a motor on.

Seeing as you've already shown that you don't actually use half of the gears you have it seems fairly obvious with appropriate choice of cassette ratio you could easily run a single 36-40t ring and have all the gearing range you require without large jumps between the gears you use on the road. But I do get that this is your choice. albeit a strange one.

It's useful for me. By having a 13t (not 12t or 11t) smallest sprocket, I have 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 23 - thus giving me every in-between gear I need so I'm never flicking between 2 gears unable to find the perfect gear. I can't go to 10 or 11 speed because my rear hub only takes a 9-speed cassette, so this is the best setup.

Yes. and with a 10 speed 11-28 cassette mated with a smaller single chainring you could maintain those small gaps AND keep the range you actually use.
A triple chainset and front mech is a pretty terrible drivetrain choice for an Ebike (slightly less so with your rear hub motor over a mid drive, but nonetheless not still great)

I can't go to 10 or 11 speed because my rear hub only takes a 9-speed cassette, so this is the best setup.

Yes you can.
mtb 8, 9, 10 and 11 speed HG cassettes all share the exact same width freehub body
(road 11 speed cassettes are 1.85mm wider and 7 speed cassettes were 4.5mm narrower)

 

[Manc44]

I know MTB freehubs take 8/9/10/11 speed cassettes. The people selling the rear hub say only use up to 9-Speed on it. I know on 11-Speed cassettes, the largest sprocket goes beyond the end of the freehub body, which is why 11-Speed can't be used on it. If 10-Speed is also like that then that's going to be the same reason it can't be used.

 

[Gary]

11 speed mtb cassettes don't come in close enough ratios for your preference anyway.
10 speed HG cassettes are the same width and spacing for road or mtb so fully interchangeable with mtb mechs and shifters.
And their largest sprocket does not hang over the end of the Freehub body. It's in exactly the same position as the largest sprocket on an 8 and 9 speed cassette
I imagine you'll think up another excuse why it won't work for you though. You do seem rather adamant about desperatly hanging on to that triple chainset and 9 speed cassette. Even though more than half of its 27 gears are pointless to you.

 

[Manc44]

I imagine you'll think up another excuse why it won't work for you though.

It doesn't need to be changed over to 10-Speed. What I'm already using already works. All a 10-Speed would give me is a 12t on the end, with me having to buy a cassette, chain and M980 shifter to do it. Pointless really. I could add a 25t at the other end but since I have a 24t inner chainring, that's not necessary either.

Unless you meant going to a double or single chainring setup? No because then I lose my highest (48x13) or lowest (24x23) gear, or if on a single chainring, I lose both.

Unless you mean putting a 10-Speed cassette with something like a 36t low sprocket? No because then my gears have big gaps again, which is crap on the road on slicks.

You do seem rather adamant about desperatly hanging on to that triple chainset and 9 speed cassette. Even though more than half of its 27 gears are pointless to you.

Overlapping gears are irrelevant though, what matters is I have a 48x13 highest gear while retaining a 24x23 lowest gear, which with a motor is perfect (I did need to drop down to the inner chainring up a 30% incline the other night, first time I ever needed it on this motorized setup).

Let's say I swapped to a 10-Speed 11-36t cassette with 30t/40t double chainrings, the only unique gears on that setup would be the 3 lowest on the inner chainring and the 2 highest on the outer chainring. That's 5 unique gears - the other 15 overlap .

Let's say I go to a single chainring and some silly 11-50t cassette or whatever they go up to on 10-Speed, then I'd have big gaps between my gears and no high gear.

I'm not hanging onto a triple for no reason. Marketing has brainwashed people into thinking they can run a single chainring, maybe on trails it works but not for me on the road. It's annoying enough not having a gear higher than 48x13. but it's just about tolerable.

 

[Gary]

Nah...
I'm not trying to encourage you to fit a stupid big 11-50 cassette at all.
I'm just explaining to you that a single 36t - 40t chainring with a 10speed 11-28 or 11-30 cassette would give you a range of gearing extremely similar to the gearing you've said you actually use with no large jumps at the smaller end of the cassette.

I'm not saying you "should" either. I'm just explaining it's a viable option.

If you genuinely like pedalling your motorised bike at really low cadence in pretty high gears who am I to argue.