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Tongsheng TSDZ2 350W Mid Drive Electric Assist June 2017 we spent the month riding bike trails in Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, California, a nice test for the TSDZ2. Our typical rides would be 2 ways with a net climb of 800-2200 feet over 20-40 mile rides. Our average moving speed is 10-12 MPH and we don't exceed 20 MPH ever. That said, pedaling uphill for 10 miles on a trike can be rather grueling, especially when you really want to go 10 more miles uphill. We did find limits. |
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System Specs
Off Mode has a very slightly noticeable drag and audible gear noise. Some units more than others, and after about 500 miles the gears tend to bed in and quiet down a bit. But you'll always hear them. Much of the drag is coming from a large seal which does the job it's supposed to do at a price that makes the kit affordable. Same for the gear noise. For the not so techies, the gear noise is due to selecting a profile that's easy to manufacture, and very strong. Not an easy task when its the highest failure part in all Mid Drives. The gear noise was downright annoying for the first 200 miles. After about 20 miles I added some Kluber Gear Grease and that helped, but took another 250 miles to bed the gears in. Feels like it has as much drag as the Golden Motors Smart Pie Hubmotor, maybe more. Eco Mode at 33% boost rolls on and off more gently and has a subdued level of power. Keeping a little easier pace on the flats is about its useful for. Tour Mode at 100% boost is more responsive and works well to cap an easy flat speed at about 15 MPH, or a 1-3% grade at 7-8 MPH. Speed Mode at 300% boost makes 20 MPH on the flats achievable, or 5-7% grades at 7-9 MPH. Speed mode can be a bit difficult to adapt to at first. You're limited in output so the motor reaches maximum boost at about 120 human watts in. Most folks can short burst twice that so under muscle it feels like the motor falls off a little prematurely. Not a bad thing, a thing you get used to. Turbo Mode well, not really sure. Been told it gives a short 400% boost. That may account for the 13 Amp spikes from 12 Amps. Which means the boost is so small you barely feel it. As a tool to climb hills the TSDZ2 performed better than expected. Set to Speed Mode climbing at a steady 7% we averaged 9 MPH. Just enough speed to get some airflow. Normally we would be averaging 3 MPH up hills like this, and worn out at the summit of each ascent. 350 watts in a mid drive is just enough to be practical for many. Watt About Actual Range? Over the first 100 miles we pretty much did 10 mile rides with recharging every 2nd-3rd ride. Battery has an indicator on the side that seems accurate, probably linked to the Battery Management System. Our rides include about 500 feet of climb every 10 miles. Discharge rates worked out to about 4.5 Watt-Hours (WHr) per Mile. Considering a usable level of 240 WHr we see about 53 miles range. Keep in mind the power is mostly used to climb hills. Otherwise pedaling preferred. Imagine a halfway fit middle age guy on an upright climbing hills on the MUP. We could keep up and sometimes do. The next 300 miles were through a few premier northwestern rail trails with plenty of elevation changes. Worst case range was 34 miles with a 2048 foot ascent, about 7.0 WHr/mile. It is a highly efficient system that in total weighs about half of a hubmotor system. If we lived in Dallas, range would be double what we see in the hills. Speed Vs Range If you can reach 20 MPH on the flat, 350 watts will boost you to 25 MPH. The faster you go the much more power you need due to aerodynamic drag. Its kind of self regulating with 350 watts. On the other hand if you quadruple your total power output for climbing bursts you'll be tripling your climbing speed. You'll not be wasting time on the worst part of the journey, in fact you'll actually look forward to hill climbs! Your range will increase by 50-100%. The good news is those small batteries? You can always buy a spare and put it in a pannier. What's not to like about an $800 Torque Assist System? Audible Gear Noise. This is the loudest assist system we've heard, and we've heard quite a few. To the ears of one who's got "perfect pitch" with gear sounds its downright brutal. After removal of the side case an investigation of the secondary pinion gears indicated noise is a permanent thing. Of course my "Fixit" mind momentarily intervened with "how about a belt drive at a lower ratio like 4.5:1 rather than 6:1. $$ Plink plink. Then its on to FET's etc. Naw. Only one thing not to like about an $800 system. You don't have one yet. Bottom Line If you're ready for a little boost on hills, or need a little more speed to hang on with some upright friends this motor will do it. Your roadie friends will have preferred you chose a Magic Pie. Your range and enjoyment will both increase. Its by far the easiest to install. Most folks install the LCD on the left bar which kind of renders the remote useless. Not a bad thing, one less thing needed. ICE and Catrikes may be able to use a TerraCycle Battery Mount. The next step up in Torque Assist is about double the price. Short Ascent Video - 8% Grade
Bryce Canyon Utah |
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