vonfilm 

I have ridden this bike about 250 miles so far, mainly in the hills near where I live. It has the most natural feeling torque sensing pedal assist that I have used so far. Since it started out as a lightweight Reynolds 520 Chrome Moly bicycle, it is agile and sporty in its feel. The Gravel King tires deliver a smooth ride.

I generally go through all nine gears in the back on a typical ride. With the 32 tooth chainring, my legs spin out at about 20mph in 9th gear. I seldom use the throttle, but it will go about 35mph on a level road. I’m most comfortable and confident at about 17-19 mph.

A 10 to 20 mile ride provides me a great workout. I can ride much farther and I am not stopped or slowed much by any hill.

I was able to buy the Jamis in great condition for $150. The CYC Stealth kit, 52V 17.5 AH battery, and a fully adjustable charger cost $1750. This rides much better than any of the $2500 to $5,000 commercial ebikes that I have test driven.

I encourage everyone to build their own mid drive ebike using a bicycle that they love. If you can install a new bottom bracket on a bicycle, you can install a mid drive motor from CYC, Bafeng, or Tong Shen. You will end up with a lighter, sportier ebike that is more fun to ride.

I would suggest everyone check out Johnny Nerd Out’s channel on YouTube where he shows dozens of mid drive bicycles he has built for his customers. He also encourages everyone who is so inclined to do it themselves. It’s not difficult if you have basic bicycle tools.