Originally Posted by
Pop N Wood
Bafang is the world's largest ebike supplier. Can't speak for the other brands, Chinese or otherwise, but Bafang makes some super high-quality stuff. I know the one I've been flogging hard for a few years now is most excellent. Hardly fly by night.
I have read that some of their newer stuff that is getting popular with bike manufacturers is heading more into the proprietary lock out paradigm. But the DIY stuff is still primarily open source. A good thing IMO
I wasn't referring to Bafang, but the bike manufacturers who BUY Bafang.
I've heard Bafang makes good stuff and I believe it. What the OEMs do with their product is not really their worry.
Example: My first eBike was a heybike Ranger, with 500 W Bafang hub motor. It was advertised as a Class 3 eBike, but set up as a Class 2 from the box. Going into software was easy to unlock throttle up to 25 mph. (takes it out of Class 3 and into moped territory, except that the bike didn't have a plate frame or DOT lighting.) Questionable but legal, since the bike was delivered as Class 2.
Trek and others who use Bosch motors set up their bikes as Class 1 (Active Line) or Class 3 (Performance Line). I'm not even sure Bosch motors have a
provision for throttle.