The big news is that the Photos is a torque sensing system rather than the cadence sensing of the Bafang BBS. Which one is better? Stay with me and we\u2019ll see\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Photon motor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\nFirstly an overview of the Photon.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a total weight of 4.kg it is much the same as the BBS, but looks smaller and more compact.\u00a0 Accepting input voltages between 36 and 52 volt, the motor is rated at 750 watt and 110Nm torque with a maximum crank RPM of 300.\u00a0 Peak wattage is much higher than the 750 watt rating.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The motor can be software limited to whatever power you might like, so having a road legal 250 watt system is entirely possible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n![\"Photon](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/1-Photon.png?resize=369%2C365&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nOur test unit was kindly supplied by Cap Rouge<\/a>, suppliers of e-bike batteries, chargers and aftermarket motors.\u00a0 We installed it to our Performer Futuro<\/a> delta trike<\/a> for the test period before retuning the motor to Cap Rouge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Performer](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/2-Delta.png?resize=625%2C417&ssl=1\")
Performer Futuro, a delta style trike<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nInstallation and Initial Setup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Installing a mid drive intended for an upright bike is rarely straight forward when fitting to a recumbent. The CYC Motors kit is no exception.\u00a0 Fortunately the Futuro was a good choice for this test as the bottom bracket is conveniently close to the front wheel for mounting the speed sensor.\u00a0 Installation onto a tadpole trike would be problematic as wiring extensions are not yet available in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\nThe included DS103 colour display has the keypad control on a short fly lead, convenient for an upright bike but not so much for the typical recumbent. We mounted the display on the derailleur post, and fitted the keypad alongside. CYC have thoughtfully included different sized handle bar clamps for mounting the display and the finished install is neat. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n![\"Photon](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/3-Motor-on-delta.png?resize=625%2C416&ssl=1\")
Photon motor on the Futuro trike<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\nOur battery to hand was a 36V10Ah rectangle.\u00a0 The motor seemed perfectly happy with this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Day to day operation of the system is typical of e-bikes \u2013 push and hold the on\/off button and the display springs to life, defaulting to level 0 on the scale.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Setup is best done using the CYC app<\/a> and a smart phone via the integrated Bluetooth connection.\u00a0 Depending on how technically adept you are, this can be a breeze, or mighty frustrating.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe phone app doesn\u2019t have a help menu built in, and some of the settings are not intuitive.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The downloadable manual<\/a> is much better and with a printed copy in one hand and smartphone in the other progress was much smoother.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n![\"Electric](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/4-Display.png?resize=625%2C417&ssl=1\")
Photon display<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"cyc](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/5-CYC-Ride-control.png?resize=286%2C343&ssl=1\")
CYC Ride control app<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nGetting the Setup right<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Our Photon came with a 38T chainring.\u00a0 Coupled with the trike\u2019s 20\u201d wheels the overall gearing is quite low, and this together with the default power settings gave quite a negative impression on first ride.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why?\u00a0 Well it goes something like this\u2026\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stationary, first gear selected and level 1 on the e-kit.\u00a0 First pedal stroke and the motor says beauty, add power and does \u2013 the default percentage of the standard 750 watt \u2013 and the resulting acceleration is breathtaking although short, as within one pedal rotation we\u2019re going faster than I can pedal this gear, resulting in the applied torque dropping to zero and the motor stops.\u00a0 Change up a gear or two and repeat.\u00a0 Hmm, not comfortable at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back into the workshop to look further into the settings, accessed via the CYC Ride Control phone app using a Bluetooth connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now this is one of the good things about the Photon – the ability to change the way the motor behaves.\u00a0 It\u2019s probably also a bad thing as it would be quite possible to make it nearly unrideable by choosing the wrong combination of settings.\u00a0 The software has several performance profiles as standard: \u201cStreet\u201d and \u201cRace\u201d with race being essentially unlimited, and the \u201cStreet\u201d having options of USA, EU, Canada, and unrestricted.\u00a0 There is not a default setting for Australia.\u00a0 Within these profiles there are lots of settings for power, torque, speed, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\nAdjusting the power settings down to a more sensible (and I might add legal) number, and with level 1 and 2 set at a percentage of the legal maximum yielded a far more pleasant ride.\u00a0 The trike responded to pedal input as normal, except that now I felt like I had superman\u2019s legs instead (ie super strong!).\u00a0 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n![\"Photon](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/6-Delta-front-end.png?resize=600%2C400&ssl=1\")
The Photon installation on the Futuro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nRiding it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps the most striking thing is the motor\u2019s ability to apply power in response to pressure on the pedal without actually turning the cranks.\u00a0 Think uphill starts \u2013 push on the pedal and you get instant power to start moving.\u00a0 Wonderful.\u00a0 (For safety there is a minimum torque below which the motor won\u2019t engage.<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe ride experience is, well, just like pedaling a bike.\u00a0 Being torque based, it requires active rider input \u2013 no phantom pedaling allowed here!\u00a0 Level 1 on the assist scale was more than adequate during our rides (our settings had level 1 at 100 watts, level 2 180 watts, and level 3 the full 250 watts), while level 3 demolished hills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The speed limit for assist is very noticeable.\u00a0 Reach 25kmh and the motor shuts down. Then it\u2019s human power all the way until speed drops below the magic 25, whereupon the motor re-engages.\u00a0 The 38T chainring and the trikes’ gearing meant top speed human-powered was just shy of 30kmh (depending how fast you can pedal), and there was still a useful low gear to get you home without motor if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Delta](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/7-Delta-by-bay-1.png?resize=625%2C416&ssl=1\")
Out test riding our Performer Futuro fitted with the CYC Photon electric assist<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDownsides..<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This all sounds fine and beaut. Surely there are some downsides.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well of course there are, and depending on one\u2019s personal situation they could be deal breakers.\u00a0 Interestingly enough, none of the drawbacks are related to the actual operation of the motor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First up there are some hardware limitations.\u00a0 There are limited chainring choices available. Presently only a 34, 38 or 50T chainrings are on offer.\u00a0 They are specials for the CYC motor too, so no grabbing one from the local bike shop.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u201cQ\u201d factor (the distance between the left & right pedals) is wide.\u00a0 Like 200mm wide.\u00a0 It\u2019s probably not an issue for most people, but if you were thinking of fitting this to the nose of your slim velomobile then it\u2019s likely a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Presently the wiring supplied is not suitable for the average recumbent trike.\u00a0 A neat and practical installation is going to need the wiring cut and extended (well at least until the factory produces extension leads), and that could well impact on warranty claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Legality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This could be a big one. From factory, the motor is rated at 750 watts, and capable of 2000 watt if desired. And while it is easy to set the power to 250W, it is just as easy to remove all limitations. I would not like to be the person trying to prove compliance with the legal requirements. To be fair, this also applies to the Bafang BBS series, although Bafang do sell models where the power set within the firmware and engraved on the outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our understanding is that dealers will be able to access the motor\u2019s firmware and set the power limits to comply with Australia\u2019s e-bike laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion…..<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Did we like it? Yes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is it better than a Bafang?\u00a0 Perhaps.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Photon is beautifully made and finished, and shows a lot of thought has gone into the design and construction.\u00a0 Time will tell if lasts as well as it looks, but everything we have seen points to it being a quality product.\u00a0 It has a lot of features we like, but it does come at a price premium over the Bafang BBS motors. (Check out Cap Rouge<\/a> for pricing.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Firstly an overview of the Photon.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a total weight of 4.kg it is much the same as the BBS, but looks smaller and more compact.\u00a0 Accepting input voltages between 36 and 52 volt, the motor is rated at 750 watt and 110Nm torque with a maximum crank RPM of 300.\u00a0 Peak wattage is much higher than the 750 watt rating.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The motor can be software limited to whatever power you might like, so having a road legal 250 watt system is entirely possible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nOur test unit was kindly supplied by Cap Rouge<\/a>, suppliers of e-bike batteries, chargers and aftermarket motors.\u00a0 We installed it to our Performer Futuro<\/a> delta trike<\/a> for the test period before retuning the motor to Cap Rouge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Installing a mid drive intended for an upright bike is rarely straight forward when fitting to a recumbent. The CYC Motors kit is no exception.\u00a0 Fortunately the Futuro was a good choice for this test as the bottom bracket is conveniently close to the front wheel for mounting the speed sensor.\u00a0 Installation onto a tadpole trike would be problematic as wiring extensions are not yet available in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The included DS103 colour display has the keypad control on a short fly lead, convenient for an upright bike but not so much for the typical recumbent. We mounted the display on the derailleur post, and fitted the keypad alongside. CYC have thoughtfully included different sized handle bar clamps for mounting the display and the finished install is neat. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Our battery to hand was a 36V10Ah rectangle.\u00a0 The motor seemed perfectly happy with this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Day to day operation of the system is typical of e-bikes \u2013 push and hold the on\/off button and the display springs to life, defaulting to level 0 on the scale.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Setup is best done using the CYC app<\/a> and a smart phone via the integrated Bluetooth connection.\u00a0 Depending on how technically adept you are, this can be a breeze, or mighty frustrating.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n The phone app doesn\u2019t have a help menu built in, and some of the settings are not intuitive.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n The downloadable manual<\/a> is much better and with a printed copy in one hand and smartphone in the other progress was much smoother.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Our Photon came with a 38T chainring.\u00a0 Coupled with the trike\u2019s 20\u201d wheels the overall gearing is quite low, and this together with the default power settings gave quite a negative impression on first ride.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why?\u00a0 Well it goes something like this\u2026\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stationary, first gear selected and level 1 on the e-kit.\u00a0 First pedal stroke and the motor says beauty, add power and does \u2013 the default percentage of the standard 750 watt \u2013 and the resulting acceleration is breathtaking although short, as within one pedal rotation we\u2019re going faster than I can pedal this gear, resulting in the applied torque dropping to zero and the motor stops.\u00a0 Change up a gear or two and repeat.\u00a0 Hmm, not comfortable at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back into the workshop to look further into the settings, accessed via the CYC Ride Control phone app using a Bluetooth connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now this is one of the good things about the Photon – the ability to change the way the motor behaves.\u00a0 It\u2019s probably also a bad thing as it would be quite possible to make it nearly unrideable by choosing the wrong combination of settings.\u00a0 The software has several performance profiles as standard: \u201cStreet\u201d and \u201cRace\u201d with race being essentially unlimited, and the \u201cStreet\u201d having options of USA, EU, Canada, and unrestricted.\u00a0 There is not a default setting for Australia.\u00a0 Within these profiles there are lots of settings for power, torque, speed, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adjusting the power settings down to a more sensible (and I might add legal) number, and with level 1 and 2 set at a percentage of the legal maximum yielded a far more pleasant ride.\u00a0 The trike responded to pedal input as normal, except that now I felt like I had superman\u2019s legs instead (ie super strong!).\u00a0 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Perhaps the most striking thing is the motor\u2019s ability to apply power in response to pressure on the pedal without actually turning the cranks.\u00a0 Think uphill starts \u2013 push on the pedal and you get instant power to start moving.\u00a0 Wonderful.\u00a0 (For safety there is a minimum torque below which the motor won\u2019t engage.<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ride experience is, well, just like pedaling a bike.\u00a0 Being torque based, it requires active rider input \u2013 no phantom pedaling allowed here!\u00a0 Level 1 on the assist scale was more than adequate during our rides (our settings had level 1 at 100 watts, level 2 180 watts, and level 3 the full 250 watts), while level 3 demolished hills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The speed limit for assist is very noticeable.\u00a0 Reach 25kmh and the motor shuts down. Then it\u2019s human power all the way until speed drops below the magic 25, whereupon the motor re-engages.\u00a0 The 38T chainring and the trikes’ gearing meant top speed human-powered was just shy of 30kmh (depending how fast you can pedal), and there was still a useful low gear to get you home without motor if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This all sounds fine and beaut. Surely there are some downsides.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well of course there are, and depending on one\u2019s personal situation they could be deal breakers.\u00a0 Interestingly enough, none of the drawbacks are related to the actual operation of the motor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First up there are some hardware limitations.\u00a0 There are limited chainring choices available. Presently only a 34, 38 or 50T chainrings are on offer.\u00a0 They are specials for the CYC motor too, so no grabbing one from the local bike shop.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201cQ\u201d factor (the distance between the left & right pedals) is wide.\u00a0 Like 200mm wide.\u00a0 It\u2019s probably not an issue for most people, but if you were thinking of fitting this to the nose of your slim velomobile then it\u2019s likely a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Presently the wiring supplied is not suitable for the average recumbent trike.\u00a0 A neat and practical installation is going to need the wiring cut and extended (well at least until the factory produces extension leads), and that could well impact on warranty claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This could be a big one. From factory, the motor is rated at 750 watts, and capable of 2000 watt if desired. And while it is easy to set the power to 250W, it is just as easy to remove all limitations. I would not like to be the person trying to prove compliance with the legal requirements. To be fair, this also applies to the Bafang BBS series, although Bafang do sell models where the power set within the firmware and engraved on the outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our understanding is that dealers will be able to access the motor\u2019s firmware and set the power limits to comply with Australia\u2019s e-bike laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Did we like it? Yes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is it better than a Bafang?\u00a0 Perhaps.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Photon is beautifully made and finished, and shows a lot of thought has gone into the design and construction.\u00a0 Time will tell if lasts as well as it looks, but everything we have seen points to it being a quality product.\u00a0 It has a lot of features we like, but it does come at a price premium over the Bafang BBS motors. (Check out Cap Rouge<\/a> for pricing.)<\/p>\n\n\n\nInstallation and Initial Setup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Getting the Setup right<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Riding it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Downsides..<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Legality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion…..<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dtrecumbents.com.au\/DTRecumbents\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/9-Delta-back-view.png?resize=625%2C469&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"