The bottom bracket is where the bearings for the cranks that your pedals attach to are located. To install a mid-drive motor you remove the cranks and bottom bracket spindle and bearings. The mid-drive motor then slides into the bottom bracket shell and replaces all of that except for the pedals. Before 2013 most bottom brackets were the BSA/JIT English threaded standard. This is still the most popular type and is the type that mid-drive motors are designed for. Most bikes that originally sold for less than $1500 or are older than 2013 have English threaded bottom brackets and the motors will slide right in. If you have a square tapered spindle for your cranks then you have the required threaded bottom bracket. Around 2012 many higher-end bikes started being fitted with various press-fit bottom brackets many of which can be adapted to English threaded so you can still do a mid-drive motor conversion on them. However, there are some exceptions. For an in depth article on adapting various bottom brackets and the exceptions see this thorough article by Matt Hughes Electrify Bike Company carries threaded one piece adapters for 68 & 73mm BB30, 68 &73mm PF30. We also carry a 2 piece BB30 and PF30 for wider bottom brackets that use those standards. We also stock a 2 piece PF41/BB92 that works with a variety of bottom bracket widths that use that standard. Some newer bikes and almost all fat tire bikes use a bottom bracket that is wider than the 68/73mm standard. In this case only the BBSHD comes in wider widths to accommodate this EBC stocks the BBSHD in 68/73mm, 100mm, and 120mm. Other widths can be accommodated with these 3 types by using bottom bracket spacers when required. TSDZ2 and BBS02 motors have after market extensions available for them to allow them to fit wider bottom brackets but these can be very difficult to install.
If you have an older style Schwinn or cruiser bike with a one piece crank and American style bottom brackets we have something for you as well. Give us a call. Installation tips: We recommend using sleeve Loctite like Loctite 641 when installing the adapter into your press-fit bottom bracket. This is like thread lock but is specifically for sleeve inserts like these adapters. The 2-piece adapters can be tapped in with a soft mallet. Tap all the way around and ensure that it goes in straight. A bottom bracket press can also be used. For the one piece adapter we recommend using a bottom bracket press. Ensure that it does not get crooked or it can bind up and be very difficult to straighten up or remove. If you do not have access to a bottom bracket press you can make one with hardware available at a hardware store. An example can be found on YouTube here.
10 Comments
Johnathon
10/18/2020 09:06:41 am
I have a Cannondale fat caad 2 bike. It has a bb30xl . Which adapters would I need for bbshd installation? Thanks a bunch.
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10/20/2020 08:55:28 pm
You will need the 2 piece BB30 adapter to span the 120mm bb30xl bottom bracket. The one piece adapter only comes in widths of 68mm and 73mm.
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Dean Dent
11/24/2020 12:49:00 am
hi i recently bought a bafang 100w mid drive motor 68mm.
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MARK OSTLUND
11/24/2020 02:30:50 pm
No, you can go shorter using spacers but not longer.
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Joshua Vischer
1/10/2021 04:01:37 pm
I have a fat tire bike and want to get a 750 watt with a 120 mm bottom crank but it looks like u can only get it with 1000 watt. I would like it to be street legal.
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Mark Ostlund
1/10/2021 04:45:45 pm
You can program the 1000 watt motor to draw the same amount of power as the 750 watt motor. Electrify Bike will do that for you if you specify it in your order. Alternately, California Ebike makes a kit for the BBS02 750 watt motor to extend the spindle for fat bikes. However, it requires special tools to install.
Brad
12/24/2020 03:01:03 pm
I have a carbon specialized with a pf30. The issue I have is that the bb she’ll is so thick that there isn’t room to slide in the bbshd with an eccentric adapter. I had given up until I saw your new adapter. Have you done an eccentric inside of your adapter to get the clearance?
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12/24/2020 05:41:55 pm
Our PF30 adapter is not eccentric and would likely not work if it was. You have barely 12mm clearance and many carbon frames are more than this. For frames like yours we always recommend the CYC X1 Pro for a superb fit and finish. It is a really nice motor. and works with our PF30/PF46 adapters.
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3/18/2021 04:07:44 pm
I have a standard american bottom bracket and want to know which adapter Iam needing
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MARK OSTLUND
3/18/2021 04:30:06 pm
To put on a mid-drive motor you need an eccentric American (Ashtabula) BB adapter.
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