TongSheng 48V 500W TSDZ2 with Torque Sensor Mid Drive Conversion Kit & 17.5Ah Battery

First and foremost, I have been exceptionally happy to have bought my TSDZ2 motor from Ben at Cap Rouge. His service and assistance have been first class. Occasionally he is slow to respond to emails but has given me plenty of his time and patience to sort through a few issues. All have been resolved quickly and easily. I recomend Ben and Cap Rouge to anyone. If you have a problem, talk to Ben first. If you get the speedo showing 99.9 at any time, it means your magnet is too close to the speed sensor. The gap needs to be over 8mm. On to My E-Bike story... 20 years ago, I bought and Aprilia Enjoy E-Bike to help get me up the 500+m climb that is my home commute. The Aprilia Enjoy was a genuine 250w motor and it struggled to get me home. Earlier this year I bought the cheapest Front Wheel Hub kit I could find that had the specifications that I trusted would get me home... and I was blown away at how well it worked. I went from sceptic to a nearly everyday E-Bike commuter in a day. I then borrowed a friends Focus Adventura, with the top-of-the-line Bosch motor at a nominal 250w, and it did about the same times. I started looking into the various mid-drive kits and I liked what I read about the Tongshen TSDZ2, so got myself one with the same power specifications as my Front Wheel Kit for my Christmas and bitrhday present. I was hoping that it would easily out perform the Front Wheel Kit, but as you can see from the photo, which has a comparison of some of the best commute times for the three bikes, it is about the same. The main thing that is different, is the time of year and temperature. I have only had the TSDZ2 for a few weeks and every commute has had some pretty stiff head winds or I have been carrying an extra 10kg of groceries home, whereas the best times on the other bikes would have been ideal conditions. Some things to note- When researching the TSDZ2, mention was made of overheating- I have not had overheating problems with my model, climbing over 500m over 13kms at an average of 22kmph. I installed the light kit and the hydraulic brake/motor shut off kits but when riding in the dark, the lights would turn off when I applied the breaks. Don't waste your time or money on brake/motor isolators, read enough reviews and you'll see the TSDZ2 doesn't need them. The TSDZ2, as a torque drive, amplifies your effort so it is an ideal motor for riders who want their effort amplified. The motor will get me up steep hills quicker, but the only way to maintain speed on a long steady, 5% incline is to maintain the effort. If I back off, the motor backs off. The motor puts more load on the chain and gears so make sure your gears are tuned and working smoothly and the chain is in good condition. The wheels are normal, so freewheeling down hills is a breeze and changing tyres is normal. From my commute times shown in the photo, the same powered hub motor gives me similar times. It also has given me my best commute times but I have clocked up nearly 4000km with this motor, mostly on the same commute, so I have had more opportunities to have a day where I feel strong, for my load to be light and the conditions to be still. The hub drive is slower up inclines over 10% and slower going downhill. Where the hub motor is easier, is on the long tiring 5% incline slog. I set the motor at the highest power level and if I feel energetic I push hard and go faster and if I feel lazy I just pedal at the level of effort I feel comfortable with. The hub drive seems to deal with head winds better too. I ride to commute with zero carbon emissions, to keep fit and because I enjoy it. I don't use a throttle on any of the bikes and by the time I get home I have always had a 'work-out'. If you love riding but have a few hills or head winds, add an E-Bike to your garage. Any day you don't drive it is better for you and the world and our children's future.