Super73 my first EVER eBike

[Shaun73]

Hello Everyone.

I’m Shaun and a complete newbie to the world of Ebikes. I purchased my first ever Ebike yesterday I went for a Super73 ZG.

I plan on modding it and I have just ordered a Bafang BBSHD 1000W 52v I just need to get a battery now so will be ordering that in the next day or 2.

Im a little stuck with regards to brakes. I’m not sure what to go for I like the look of the Magura 5 eStop.

Regards

Shaun.

 

[cyclebuddy]

Welcome Shaun.

Super 73's seem to have a cult following.

I don't know a lot about 73's, but am curious as to your upgrade. IIRC the ZG is the entry level steel frame 250w rear hub EU model? Changing that to a 1000w mid-drive seems complicated when the next EU Super 73 model up (Aluminium frame) although £800 more already has a 1000w+ motor, and although speed limited to 25kph can be unlocked through the app to about 40+kph? Doesn't that already have hydraulic brakes and 10-speed gearing too whereas the ZG is single speed with mechanical brakes?

With a bafang mid-drive motor, are you going to remove the rear-hub motor and have the wheel re-laced?

It seems to me as if you're going to spend a lot more money than if you'd just bought the better model which seems to already have everything you want?

 

[wheeliepete]

Interesting project, Magura brakes are top quality and should be great for stoppies. Prob. worth considering upgrading the discs to 203mm floating types.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Shaun73]

Welcome Shaun.

Super 73's seem to have a cult following.

I don't know a lot about 73's, but am curious as to your upgrade. IIRC the ZG is the entry level steel frame 250w rear hub EU model? Changing that to a 1000w mid-drive seems complicated when the next EU Super 73 model up (Aluminium frame) although £800 more already has a 1000w+ motor, and although speed limited to 25kph can be unlocked through the app to about 40+kph? Doesn't that already have hydraulic brakes and 10-speed gearing too whereas the ZG is single speed with mechanical brakes?

With a bafang mid-drive motor, are you going to remove the rear-hub motor and have the wheel re-laced?

It seems to me as if you're going to spend a lot more money than if you'd just bought the better model which seems to already have everything you want?

The bike was purchased as a surprise present as my other bike was stolen.

I’ve never purchased the top range of anything I know I’m going to modify anyway. I will taking the OE motor out and replacing another hub in there.

I like to have things that are “different” and get a huge sense of satisfaction by modding my things to my liking.

 

[Shaun73]

Interesting project, Magura brakes are top quality and should be great for stoppies. Prob. worth considering upgrading the discs to 203mm floating types.

Pardon our interruption...

Thank you so much for your positivity.

I’ve posted this same post in 3 different forums and received about 20 replies and yours in the ONLY real positive one.

Thank you

 

[wheeliepete]

You are free to spend your money and do whatever you want to your own bike. There will always be those who don't agree.

 

[cyclebuddy]

I like to have things that are “different” and get a huge sense of satisfaction by modding my things to my liking.

I'm not saying I disagree with what you're trying to do. I just didn't understand the logic. I was hoping you'd explain why the next model up at less cost than you're planning to spend didn't meet your exacting requirements - which superficially at least it does. But, as you explain, it makes you happy taking a perfectly good bike and stripping the most valuable components off it... and replacing those with alternatives. I just didn't understand why. Thank you for explaining.

I only needed to watch Super 73 Youtube videos to realise you're not alone. It makes me question why Super 73 owners are so dissatified with the product that they feel that need.

 

[guerney]

It weighs 25kg and only has one gear - I'd consider looking into adding gears, or a major motor upgrade if I was an owner.

 

[Shaun73]

It weighs 25kg and only has one gear - I'd consider looking into adding gears, or a major motor upgrade if I was an owner.

I live in a part of the UK that couldn’t be more flat if it tried. The would be just to venture out on riding on completely flat ground.

I could mess with the chainring set up to get my desired top end and torque.

 

[guerney]

I live in a part of the UK that couldn’t be more flat if it tried. The would be just to venture out on riding on completely flat ground.

I could mess with the chainring set up to get my desired top end and torque.

I have a bbs01b, and although it can propel my bike from a standing start on it's higest gear (52T chainring to 11T on rear cassette), I avoid doing so, in case it burns out the controller. When I briefly initially had a throttle fitted (since removed for legality), 250W was enough to get the bike moving from stationary easily, even on my bike's highest gear. I look forward to reading about how your 1000W conversion performs.

 

[wheeliepete]

If you plan on removing the rear motor, it might be worth considering a SA S-RK3 3 speed hub as a replacement. It would fit OK as you have horizontal dropouts. I've run one of these with a HD motor in the past, it stood up well, with no issues. There is also the heavy duty RX-RK5 5 speed, bit of a lump at 2 kg, although these are a bit scarce in the UK, I had to get one from Italy a couple of years ago.

 

[Shaun73]

If you plan on removing the rear motor, it might be worth considering a SA S-RK3 3 speed hub as a replacement. It would fit OK as you have horizontal dropouts. I've run one of these with a HD motor in the past, it stood up well, with no issues. There is also the heavy duty RX-RK5 5 speed, bit of a lump at 2 kg, although these are a bit scarce in the UK, I had to get one from Italy a couple of years ago.

Great reply thanks buddy I’ll look in to that rear set up. Will I still need a rear gear set up with me just riding flat ground?

Don’t mind if I do I’ll just go through the process of sorting it

 

[wheeliepete]

Great reply thanks buddy I’ll look in to that rear set up. Will I still need a rear gear set up with me just riding flat ground?

Don’t mind if I do I’ll just go through the process of sorting it

It depends what you want. If you are happy at 20 mph using the throttle, then single speed is fine, but if you want to ride putting in some effort yourself using PAS, then without gears you will spin out. As you are running 20" wheels, you should be OK with a 52 T chainring on the HD with your type of terrain which will help. TBH, 3 speed isn't great, but better than 1, which is why I ended up swapping it out with a 14 speed Rohloof Speedhub. There are other choices with IGH's,7 and 8 speed from Shimano, but I'm not sure they will cope well with the power of the HD, but may be worth trying if bought s/h and treated gently, but where's the fun in that. You may become well versed in spoke calcs. and wheel building before you find your ideal setup.

 

[Shaun73]

It depends what you want. If you are happy at 20 mph using the throttle, then single speed is fine, but if you want to ride putting in some effort yourself using PAS, then without gears you will spin out. As you are running 20" wheels, you should be OK with a 52 T chainring on the HD with your type of terrain which will help. TBH, 3 speed isn't great, but better than 1, which is why I ended up swapping it out with a 14 speed Rohloof Speedhub. There are other choices with IGH's,7 and 8 speed from Shimano, but I'm not sure they will cope well with the power of the HD, but may be worth trying if bought s/h and treated gently, but where's the fun in that. You may become well versed in spoke calcs. and wheel building before you find your ideal setup.

So will the motor top out at roughly 20mph with single speed? Don’t suppose you know which chainring front and back I’d need for more speed do you?

Or would it be worth swapping the HD for a 750w hub motor and over volting?

I was under the impression the HD would do more than 20mph on the standard chainring set up.

 

[guerney]

So will the motor top out at roughly 20mph with single speed? Don’t suppose you know which chainring front and back I’d need for more speed do you?

Or would it be worth swapping the HD for a 750w hub motor and over volting?

I was under the impression the HD would do more than 20mph on the standard chainring set up.

There are other chainwheels... I don't know if these are suitable for the HD, but if you are adding more gears, a 60T or more would get you to higher, neck-breaking speeds? Proceed with an abundance of caution and all that! I wouldn't do it. 15mph is plenty fast for me - any substantial increase in speed, you're looking at the prospect of motorbike rider (also known as "Donors" in some A&Es) level injuries, and it's just a bicycle:

Alligt chainwheel 60 BCD (Bafang Motor)

 

[wheeliepete]

So will the motor top out at roughly 20mph with single speed? Don’t suppose you know which chainring front and back I’d need for more speed do you?

Or would it be worth swapping the HD for a 750w hub motor and over volting?

I was under the impression the HD would do more than 20mph on the standard chainring set up.

20 mph was an estimated speed, considering your wheel size and the 48T chainring normally supplied with the motor, it may well be higher. The HD is capable of more speed, but it's designed to run through multiple gears. I can't really see the point in using it in a single speed setup in standard form, but as you stated that it was already ordered, I was making suggestions on how to get the most from it. You could consider overvolting your existing hub motor and fit a better controller to improve performance, you may be suprised.