(New to MTB) Looking for help with my Dengfu E10 build

[Zayd Proctor]

Hi,
I haven't ridden an MTB since I was a teenager, almost 20 years ago, and I don't usually ride bikes, but last summer, I rented a Trek Rail during the holidays and had a lot of fun. So I decided to buy an e-mtb.

After some research, I decided to go with Bafang. This means I'm almost forced to go the DIY route, but I don't mind. I do need some help choosing the parts, though.

I want to prioritize:

• Durability;
• Low maintenance;
• Low cost;

At the expense of:

• Performance;
• Weight.

This is what I came up with after weeks of research. I'm a noob with 0 experience, so please feel free to suggest to the list below.

​

Colors:​

Already bought​

Waiting for delivery​

Budget 3000/3500 €

Frame + Motor -- 800€ - Dengfu E10 + Bafang m600.
I wanted to go with the m560, but then I found this bundle for sale (used). I will give the m600 a try and then decide.

Battery -- 420€
I found a local store that will make a custom 48v 20Ah battery for me. I know some use smaller batteries to keep the weight down, but I prefer a bigger one.

Fork -- 270€ - Fox 36 Rhythm 160mm travel.
Since this is an OEM part, you can only find this on the used market. I noticed that it's easy to find these with very low mileage. For the price, it's a good deal imho.

Shock -- 100€ - Idk, Rockshox Super deluxe (used) ?

Wheels -- 300€ / 600€
I'm tempted by the Lightcarbon carbon wheels (600€). They are expensive in the context of my limited budget but they are a good deal for a set of good quality carbon wheels. The reason I'm tempted by these is because of how durable carbon wheels are. These will probably last me forever.
The alternative would be a set of aluminum wheels for half the price.

Brakes -- 140€ - Shimano m6120 / 80€ - IIIPro E4 (thanks @sandnap)
These can be found on aliexpress for a relatively low price. I feel like these are the best bang for the buck. Feel free to suggest other options if you disagree.

Brake rotors -- 30€ - 203mm x 2mm
Probably something from aliexpress.

Drivetrain -- 150€ - Shimano cues u6000 DEORE LINKGLIDE 5100 (thanks @kaaskopf)
Looks like it fits my needs perfectly. High durability, low cost at the expense of weight. This guy suggested using a short cage derailleur with the LG cassette:


What do you think?

Dropper -- 0€ - Exa dropper
Came with the frame.

Tyres -- 100€
Haven't looked into this yet.

Handlebar (20€), Stem (20€), Pedals (20€), Grips (10€), Saddle (30€)
Aliexpress stuff.



Totals:

	if I keep the m600	if I buy a m560 and sell the m600 for 300€
with carbon wheels	2710€	3410€
with aluminum wheels	2410€	3110€

 

[sandnap]

Welcome! It looks like you are getting some good prices.

I have the IIIPro E4 brakes on both of my emtb's now and I am very happy with them. Similar performance to the Shimano's but at about half the price. They use Hope E4 pads and are available on aliexpress. GMBN did a review on them and several other people on this forum are using them too. Shimano's are good too though.

Aliexpress has the SLX m7100 for a lower price than you listed for the Cues u6000. I bought the SLX and it has worked great so far. I am sure either one will work though.

Have fun with the build!

 

[kaaskopf]

hello welcome!
good you decided for a diy build.

i recommend getting a different drivetrain.
the cues derailleurs are not that well made.

for the same price you could get a shimano deore linkglide 10 speed (m5130 shifter and derailleur) and 11-43/48 casette

also i recommend the m510 motor over the m560 because its less powerfull, less weight and less noise and in general a very well balanced motor.
i run 3 of these in my bikes currently and 0 problems.


the m600 is outdated but if you can get it for cheaps it works for your first motor or later as a backup. It works but it is not refined like m510 and might give you low range and a general bad experience.


for wheels i run only Hunt wheels because they come cheap and in stronger 36 spokes with steel driver
- they had a recent sale for their emtb wide rimset for only 300 shipped. i use these alu wheelsets on my hardtail and E10


Im also interested in that 20ah pack from electricbike italie. i have the dude on FB. just wondering how does the battery fit in the frame, any ratling ? i see some straps ? care to show the inside ?

alu wheels over carbon i can say that i had carbon first and now alu on my e10. carbon is stiffer and more direct while the alu is for forgiving and has more build in flex

for my other enduro more hardcore bike (markhor kunlun) i like the hardcore carbon rims.

for my more trail e10 i like the alu better.


i do NOT like aliexpress for brand items. 99% sells fakes.
i learned this the hard way.
also websites like bike-discount and bike24 and r2bike are cheaper sometimes.



good luck building and you can always send me an private message if you need any help
my e10 in full 29" 160mm front / 170mm overstroked rear, shigura brakes with 220mm rotors

the thing is a beast but slightly heavy at almost 25kg

 

[patdam]

Good luck and good courage for your project. i hope you that you appreciate DIY and you have a serious workshop, i wish you lot off perseverance (you will need it)

 

[Zayd Proctor]

for the same price you could get a shimano deore linkglide 10 speed (m5130 shifter and derailleur) and 11-43/48 casette

ok, that's what the guy from the video I posted suggested. I will go with that then.

also i recommend the m510 motor over the m560 because its less powerfull, less weight and less noise and in general a very well balanced motor.

yeah I heard that argument in other threads but when I tried the Trek Rail with the bosch motor I found that I wanted more power. The difference between the m560 and m510 is 400g. Since I'm a noob, I probably won't even feel the difference. Anyways, I already have the m600 because it came with the frame so I will give that a try and then decide. But I doubt I will pay an extra 700€ to downgrade from the m600 to the m510.

Im also interested in that 20ah pack from electricbike italie. i have the dude on FB. just wondering how does the battery fit in the frame, any ratling ? i see some straps ? care to show the inside ?

that's a photo the guy that makes the battery sent to me. It's one of his customers. He said that he only uses the straps that you see in the photo and foam to stop it from rattling and that's all you need. I guess if you fill everything with foam then it should be pretty sicure.

for my more trail e10 i like the alu better.

I won't be doing hardcore stuff so I guess alu is better for me. I was considering carbon because I'm lazy and I don't want to deal with periodicaly truing the wheels

i do NOT like aliexpress for brand items. 99% sells fakes.
i learned this the hard way.
also websites like bike-discount and bike24 and r2bike are cheaper sometimes.

ok, thanks for the advice, I will check those out.

good luck building and you can always send me an private message if you need any help
my e10 in full 29" 160mm front / 170mm overstroked rear, shigura brakes with 220mm rotors

thanks for the helpfulness. How do you get 170mm on the rear? Do you have to change the yoke? Would you recommend coil on the rear instead of air?

 

[Zayd Proctor]

Good luck and good courage for your project. i hope you that you appreciate DIY and you have a serious workshop, i wish you lot off perseverance (you will need it)

thanks, I figure I will enjoy the bike a lot more if I build it myself.

 

[Zayd Proctor]

I have the IIIPro E4 brakes on both of my emtb's now and I am very happy with them. Similar performance to the Shimano's but at about half the price. They use Hope E4 pads and are available on aliexpress. GMBN did a review on them and several other people on this forum are using them too. Shimano's are good too though.

those are pretty cheap. I think you are right. They might be a better choice.

Aliexpress has the SLX m7100 for a lower price than you listed for the Cues u6000. I bought the SLX and it has worked great so far. I am sure either one will work though.

I wanted to go with linkglide because Shimano says it's 3 times more durable. I think that's a better choice for powerful motors like the m600 and m560.

 

[kaaskopf]

the 170mm rear is achieved by using a 216x63,5 rear shock (i use the famous marsocchi bomber cr coil)

1 offset bushing (from offset bushings.com)
on the yoke side shortening the eye to eye distance with a few mm and filing of the yoke 3mm
this part is strong enough and there is enough material, its a common mod that many of us did. just use a small file and go at it. its soft alu so should
take you around few minutes.
the e10 only has 1 yoke length.

here you see the free room that i created by sanding the yoke a tiny bit (3mm) between yoke and seattube

this is exactly what you need to order if using the same rear shock

goodluck

 

[kaaskopf]

minimal basic tools you will need are

- headset press for pressing the cups
- bleed tools for chosen brakeset
- bearing press to press the bushings into shock

these are to be found cheaply on aliexpress

also i recommend putting this around all hoses in the frame otherwise it will be a very noisy build

ztto foam damper

ZTTO 10M Bicycle Frame Internal Housing Damper 6mm Foam Sleeves Bike Cable Dampener For MTB Road Shift/Brake/Hydraulic Hose - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

lastly, a question, did you ever build a bike before ?

 

[Zayd Proctor]

lastly, a question, did you ever build a bike before ?

No, but I'm good at following guides, lol.

I didn't mention this in the original post because I wanted to keep it short but I've had a cheap chinese ebike for a year. And I did some basic mods to it. I changes the rear shock, the tyres, the stem, the handlebar, the crankset, the chain, the controller. I learned how to index the gears and watched a bunch of parktool video tutorials.

I feel that there is a lot of informative material available online if you want to learn how to build a bike and, considering the answers I'm getting in this thread, there are a lot of people willing to help also. That's why I don't feel intimidated by the process.

 

[kaaskopf]

e. But I doubt I will pay an extra 700€ to downgrade from the m600 to the m510.

only its not an downgrade

m500 came first, than m600 than m510 and recently the m560. makes no sense i know

the big selling point on the m510 and m560 are adjustable PAS levels and power on each level how you like them. you can make it suit your needs. the m510 in boost in still more powerfull compared to a bosch...

the m600 was for me the most quiet engine, but i disliked that eco had 320watts which is not eco at all. the programming was all over the place and there was no way to fix that. ended up selling the engine because of this

power is nothing without control

 

[Zayd Proctor]

the 170mm rear is achieved by using a 216x63,5 rear shock (i use the famous marsocchi bomber cr coil)

Are there cons with going 170mm on the rear? I guess you loose efficiency but that doesn't matter too much on an e-bike. Anything else?

 

[kaaskopf]

Are there cons with going 170mm on the rear? I guess you loose efficiency but that doesn't matter too much on an e-bike. Anything else?

biggest drawback is its an old shock size

so getting that size might be hard

it drives nicely on enduro trails and i pedal it a lot. i went with 1 size stronger coil to firm things up a bit
the orange superlight coil you saw in my picture was a 600 and im now on a black (cheaper) 650 with 25% sag

it handles more than i'm willing to ride and if you make any mistakes this bike will fix it. very capable.
i had a 180mm fork on it first but i disnt like the slow steering that headangle gave me. now its 160 up front, which is enough for most things i ride

 

[Zayd Proctor]

for wheels i run only Hunt wheels because they come cheap and in stronger 36 spokes with steel driver
- they had a recent sale for their emtb wide rimset for only 300 shipped. i use these alu wheelsets on my hardtail and E10

these ones?

the m600 was for me the most quiet engine, but i disliked that eco had 320watts which is not eco at all. the programming was all over the place and there was no way to fix that. ended up selling the engine because of this

this doesn't sound good. I'll have to try it and see if I can live with it.

it drives nicely on enduro trails and i pedal it a lot. i went with 1 size stronger coil to firm things up a bit
the orange superlight coil you saw in my picture was a 600 and im now on a black (cheaper) 650 with 25% sag

it handles more than i'm willing to ride and if you make any mistakes this bike will fix it. very capable.

I would like to replicate your setup but the marzocchi is a bit too expensive. I could only find these used shocks with that size:

1. Fox float x (200€)

2. Rock Shox Monarchplus RC3 HV (100€)

3. Rock-Shox Vivid Air R2C (200€)

I would go with the monarch or vivid. What do you think? Is it worth spending more to get the marzocchi?

 

[kaaskopf]

the marzocchi coil cr is very solid

coil gives you a better feel in general so i think its worth it

check bikemarkt.de or ebay for used quality components.

otherwise the vived air shock is also solid


i use the linked wheelset on my hardtail and e10. i also have their most expensive carbon wheelset

all solid choices,
for 271,- ifs a solid choice
if i had to call out the negatives it would be internal size is a bit large and weight is a bit much but they strong

i run these wheels with tannus tubeless inserts and nobby nics (light and works well on my local trails)
my tip is dont cheap out on tires
go with something schwalbe supertrail carcas in the soft compound or something equivalent

 

[Mikael1]

For brakes i suggest second hand Sram DB8. The best price i have seen is 50€/$ for a brand new takeoff, including front and rrar brake. They are powerful, use mineral oil. They are however not fancy, and regularly looked down upon by MTB snobs, but thats where deals are to be had.

 

[kaaskopf]

i recommend simple deore brakes
anything with 4 pistons mainly because of weight of ebike

180-200mm rotors to go with that


people seem to like these budget brakes

I just found this on AliExpress: €201,69 | IIIPRO E4 Hydraulic Disc Brake 800/1550mm With Cooling pads Brake Four piston Oil Disc Brake accessories for mountain bike

IIIPRO E4 Hydraulic Disc Brake 800/1550mm With Cooling pads Brake Four piston Oil Disc Brake accessories for mountain bike - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

most 4 pot brakes have comparable power, so i would choose something that fits your budget

 

[Zayd Proctor]

coil gives you a better feel in general so i think its worth it

This looks like a good deal:

What do you think?

it drives nicely on enduro trails and i pedal it a lot. i went with 1 size stronger coil to firm things up a bit
the orange superlight coil you saw in my picture was a 600 and im now on a black (cheaper) 650 with 25% sag

I used this to calculate the coil hardness. It suggests 400. I weight 80kg.


Something to consider: coil shocks might not be the best choice for bikes with strut/yoke designs because these designs put extra stress on the shock.

https://support.rockshox.com/hc/en-us/articles/12867427830171-Is-a-RockShox-Super-Deluxe-Coil-or-Deluxe-Coil-rear-shock-compatible-on-my-bike

Information on "Strut-mount" bikes and FOX/Marzocchi coil shocks | Bike Tech Help Center | FOX

tech.ridefox.com

The yoke in the E10 is only 50mm so it should be ok.

 

[kaaskopf]

yes yoke is not great for coil shock side loading but the marzocchi falls within specs of yoke length. i didnt have any problems so far

coil is a bit heavier compared to air but the ride feeling is amazing

i build these for my friends. the right one has marzocchi front and rear suspension. it rides nicely
i found that front fork new (second hand) for only 250,- and it rides better than my zeb select+ which was 3x the price

tf tuned has a nice coil calculator

i like to run around 25% sag on these but might depends on your riding style


this time of the year there are great deals to be had on bikeparts which you have found already at bikediscount

you might want to propper dropperpost. i like de durability of oneup droppers.
on my bike i run a Large frame and im 182cm. i used a oneup 210 which fits flush in the frame and you can even shim in internally down 20mm if its to high.

dont forgot to get the foam damper from aliexpress or elsewhere (bikediscount sells the jaggwire foam which is same)

carbon fiber frame sounds really hollow if you dont wrap your cables and will make a lot of sound going down the mountain


aliexpress can be used for small things like headsets, stem and spacers, foam damper, protective covers and tools

tools you might need are

- bushing press for shock bushing
- star nut setter
- pipe cutter for shortening of fork
- chain wear measurement tool
- headset press to press the cups
- brake bleed kit + cutting tool + pin setter

 

[Zayd Proctor]

This looks like a good deal:

What do you think?

Should I pull the trigger on this one? The Marzocchi cr is 330€.

i found that front fork new (second hand) for only 250,- and it rides better than my zeb select+ which was 3x the price

I found this z1. New 310€ shipped.

you might want to propper dropperpost. i like de durability of oneup droppers.
on my bike i run a Large frame and im 182cm. i used a oneup 210 which fits flush in the frame and you can even shim in internally down 20mm if its to high.

I already have a exa dropper that came with the frame but good to know in case I decide to upgrade.

dont forgot to get the foam damper from aliexpress or elsewhere (bikediscount sells the jaggwire foam which is same)

tools you might need are

- bushing press for shock bushing
- star nut setter
- pipe cutter for shortening of fork
- chain wear measurement tool
- headset press to press the cups
- brake bleed kit + cutting tool + pin setter

aliexpress should do their usual 11.11 promotions. I will buy a bunch of stuff.

 

[kaaskopf]

im not formiliar with that shock
look up some reviews vs the bomber

in a yoke driven coil setup you want a steel shaft shock when possible
i think the bomber is but not sure

that z1 is a steal, my friends bike runs the marzocchi z1 fork and it rocks for the price

its bullet proof stuff made by fox using older designs and slightly heavier cheaper materials

i would just go all out on a marzochi setup

you might find the bomber for sale as well somewhere

 

[Zayd Proctor]

I have the IIIPro E4 brakes on both of my emtb's now and I am very happy with them. Similar performance to the Shimano's but at about half the price. They use Hope E4 pads and are available on aliexpress. GMBN did a review on them and several other people on this forum are using them too. Shimano's are good too though.

Have you tried the e4 with 2.3mm rotors? I asked Onirii and they said it's not compatible, max is 2mm.

that z1 is a steal, my friends bike runs the marzocchi z1 fork and it rocks for the price

I bought the fork

in a yoke driven coil setup you want a steel shaft shock when possible
i think the bomber is but not sure

It's surprisingly hard to find this info but this guy said it's aluminium:


I guess you could check using a magnet. However, If you say it's strong enough, I'll trust you.

The guy above really likes the Suntour Voro:


It's 270€ shipped.

I will wait for the black friday deals and then decide.

 

[Zayd Proctor]

Just arrived

I want to buy the IIIpro iv4r brakes. They come with a 145mm long rear hose. Does anyone know if that's long enough?

 

[Sayonara]

Just arrived

View attachment 150300

I want to buy the IIIpro iv4r brakes. They come with a 145mm long rear hose. Does anyone know if that's long enough?

It won't be. Too short.

Just arrived

View attachment 150300

I want to buy the IIIpro iv4r brakes. They come with a 145mm long rear hose. Does anyone know if that's long enough?

Highly doubt it. I needed about 165cm for my LCE971.

 

[kaaskopf]

i put 220cm in my e10 and cut only a small piece off

you need to have enough extra length on top of motor and in the rear triangle otherwise with suspension movement it will break the cable. remove your shock and move the suspension to check if all the cables can move clearly

 

[Zayd Proctor]

Aliexpress Shopping List

Parts:

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---

Tools:

---

---

Things I already have:

---

---

Things I need to add to the shopping list:

• shifting cables
• bike lights
• mudguards
• frame protective tape
• puncture repaire kit
• phone holder
• chainring

The cart is at 440€. I need to get it to 500€ so I can use the 80€ coupon.

 

[kaaskopf]

somethings are fine but what i personally dont like from the list are these

please think wisely and spend your money on parts that you want on your bike.. i say this because most aliexpress parts are low quality which is fine for some but not for contact points like saddle, pedals and grips. these are your contact points on your bike and going cheap on these you will regret, thrust me

the grips are going to be rock hard. i tried many different from aliexpress and they all sucked.

the pedals will break with the first rock strike and the saddle will sit like shit

upgrading these contacts point will greatly enhance the feeling of the bike and should cost a only a fraction more

for grips and saddle i recommend something like ergon and for budget pedals i like the dmr v11

 

[kaaskopf]

also you are missing the headset..

if you take ztto headset you get the top cap and bottom part included (you linked them seperatly in your list)

also any brakeset has normally those brake spacers included , not sure about those brakes you listed

you also do not need a motorcycle bearing pull kit anywhere near your bike.

and are u sure that bearing kit with box can press in headset cups?

you also need some form of medium loctite and assembly grease and maybe some bearing grease


the motor would normally come with a chainring. i recommend a 36t if you need to climb a lot or a 38t if you looking for speed anything bigger and you risk damaging the chainstays


goodluck!

 

[Zayd Proctor]

for grips and saddle i recommend something like ergon and for budget pedals i like the dmr v11

ok, thanks mate, I'll look into that.

also you are missing the headset..

I bought a used frame that has the headset already installed.

you also do not need a motorcycle bearing pull kit anywhere near your bike.

to service the wheel hub bearings. I saw it here:



also:

and are u sure that bearing kit with box can press in headset cups?

It doesn't but do I still need that if the headset is already installed? You only need to change the bearings when you service it, right? Should I get the tool anyway?

you also need some form of medium loctite and assembly grease and maybe some bearing grease

I will get all the chemicals from reputable brands during the black friday deals.

the motor would normally come with a chainring. i recommend a 36t if you need to climb a lot or a 38t if you looking for speed anything bigger and you risk damaging the chainstays

Someone here said he is happy with 42T.

Chainring STRONGLIGHT E-Bike 40T 26 euros 51 grams
Chainring STRONGLIGHT E-Bike 42T 26 euros 57 grams
Aluminium 7075-T6 40T
The chainring provided in Denfgu's package was a heavy (186g) 38T.
I wanted a bigger chainring, to maximize usage of the middle sprockets instead of using too much the smaller ones.
I prefer keeping the chain straight most of the times.
With the powerful motor, the bike can go fast and I don't like having to move legs too fast on flat.
With my 11 speed 11-46 cassette, on the bigger sprocket I can still climb anything.
The 38T was quite close to the frame so I started buying a 40T. Even if 2T difference do not make much difference, I feel it is slightly better.
Then I bought a 42T, it fits with the frame (44T would not) and I'm very happy with it : really lets me make better use of all middle gears. I don't think going forward (44T) would be necessary for me, so that's perfect with 40T or 42T depending on the program of the day.

I will try the stock chainring first then decide.

 

[kaaskopf]

42 doesnt fit your frame, only with absurd offset spacers.
what is it that you want from the bike ? mtb i would put a 36t or maybe 38t if flat country

if headset is already installed you wont need a headset cup press.