Cannondale Super V conversion

Shark413

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Apr 11, 2021
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I am a big fan of the classic Cannondale Super V's. I owned several and currently own three Super V frames circa 1990-2000 and a Jekyll. I have wanted to buy an ebike for a while but I wanted a full suspension bike and the name brands start around $3k which is out of my budget, then the more affordable Chinese ebikes came out but covid demand and tariffs pushed the prices up. Then I thought to myself I have a perfectly good bike, that fits me and has the high end components I want, why not covert one of them to electric. Did a little research and decided to go with the Bafang 750 watt 48v mid drive. I went with the 750 watt to keep it a class 2 and mid drive so I could take full advantage of the gears. I got the kit and installed it onto a bare Super V frame I had. I pulled the swing arm off a 2nd Super V because it had the disc brake mounts. Took the Lefty fork off another bike and the Jekyll donated most of the running gear (wheels, derailleur, bars, brakes, etc). Because of the unusual shape of the frame I had to mount the battery on the bottom of the down tube. The kit went together with no issues (I had to buy a special spanner wrench to tighten the bottom bracket motor mount). With everything installed it fired right up and I took it for a spin. Man this thing is powerful. I live in a really hilly area and age and extra pounds have prevented me from riding my favorite routes because I could no longer climb the bigger hills. Now I just dial in a little PAS when needed and I can go anywhere. The only issue so far is that when the motor kicks in it is very abrupt at the higher levels and you need to get use to how it engages.

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I am a big fan of the classic Cannondale Super V's. I owned several and currently own three Super V frames circa 1990-2000 and a Jekyll. I have wanted to buy an ebike for a while but I wanted a full suspension bike and the name brands start around $3k which is out of my budget, then the more affordable Chinese ebikes came out but covid demand and tariffs pushed the prices up. Then I thought to myself I have a perfectly good bike, that fits me and has the high end components I want, why not covert one of them to electric. Did a little research and decided to go with the Bafang 750 watt 48v mid drive. I went with the 750 watt to keep it a class 2 and mid drive so I could take full advantage of the gears. I got the kit and installed it onto a bare Super V frame I had. I pulled the swing arm off a 2nd Super V because it had the disc brake mounts. Took the Lefty fork off another bike and the Jekyll donated most of the running gear (wheels, derailleur, bars, brakes, etc). Because of the unusual shape of the frame I had to mount the battery on the bottom of the down tube. The kit went together with no issues (I had to buy a special spanner wrench to tighten the bottom bracket motor mount). With everything installed it fired right up and I took it for a spin. Man this thing is powerful. I live in a really hilly area and age and extra pounds have prevented me from riding my favorite routes because I could no longer climb the bigger hills. Now I just dial in a little PAS when needed and I can go anywhere. The only issue so far is that when the motor kicks in it is very abrupt at the higher levels and you need to get use to how it engages.

POgzYmS.jpg


5VB3AFZ.jpg


4YUgK15.jpg
What beautiful and different build. As for the abrupt kick in on the PAS do some research I'm sure there is a way to tone that down in setting for that motor display combo. Check Youtube for videos on tuning the motor you have.

Any idea how much the finished project weighs? I'm betting several pounds lighter than the typical e-bikes out there. That single sided fork is amazing, bet is costs a pretty penny or two.

Welcome to the group, there are a lot of new riders here as well as some seasoned people that can help out when needed.
 
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What beautiful and different build. As for the abrupt kick in on the PAS do some research I'm sure there is a way to tone that down in setting for that motor display combo. Check Youtube for videos on tuning the motor you have.

Any idea how much the finished project weighs? I'm betting several pounds light that the typical e-bikes out there. That single sided fork is amazing, bet is costs a pretty penny or two.

Welcome to the group, there are a lot of new riders here as well as some seasoned people that can help out when needed.
Thanks for the kind words. I'll get it on the scale as soon as I can, I am also curious on how much it weights. I checked and on some models you can select the "mode" setting (sport, eco, etc) to tune the PAS. But I have followed the instructions from the Youtube videos and cannot get into a mode setting. My display does not show any mode setting and the info screen does not have any PAS or mode settings available. Still looking.
 
What beautiful and different build. As for the abrupt kick in on the PAS do some research I'm sure there is a way to tone that down in setting for that motor display combo. Check Youtube for videos on tuning the motor you have.

Any idea how much the finished project weighs? I'm betting several pounds light that the typical e-bikes out there. That single sided fork is amazing, bet is costs a pretty penny or two.

Welcome to the group, there are a lot of new riders here as well as some seasoned people that can help out when needed.
Put the bike on the scale today, with battery (48v 11.5ah) it is 42 pounds 2 ounces. The Battery weights 6 pounds 13.6 ounces by itself. A hefty girl for sure. But I am a big guy so my bikes have always been overbuilt and strong over light weight.
 
Put the bike on the scale today, with battery (48v 11.5ah) it is 42 pounds 2 ounces. The Battery weights 6 pounds 13.6 ounces by itself. A hefty girl for sure. But I am a big guy so my bikes have always been overbuilt and strong over light weight.
That's really light when compared to most E-Bikes on the market today. My Himiway All Terrain Cruiser weighs in over 70 lbs. Bet your bikes rides really nice.
 
The Cannondale was a porker before I converted it to electric so I am used to a heavier bike. But I have never ridden a true e-bike (heavy weight) so it is hard for me to compare my bike to a 60 or 70 lbs bike. At 48 lbs it feels light and handles great.
 
The Cannondale was a porker before I converted it to electric so I am used to a heavier bike. But I have never ridden a true e-bike (heavy weight) so it is hard for me to compare my bike to a 60 or 70 lbs bike. At 48 lbs it feels light and handles great.
Sounds like you put together a great combination. I am envious.
 
Yes I love the Cannondale. I put a lot of effort and money sourcing parts to put it together. Parts are kind of hard to find for those old Super V's. The Lefty fork takes special tools to service and they are crazy expensive. But the bike handles and rides great, and makes a great e-bike platform.
 
Nice build! Love the old school V's and the old school lefty's look great on it.
Curious about the battery on bottom side of downtube - have you noticed any damage on the case from rock/stone impacts that get kicked up from the tire?
 
Nice build! Love the old school V's and the old school lefty's look great on it.
Curious about the battery on bottom side of downtube - have you noticed any damage on the case from rock/stone impacts that get kicked up from the tire?
No damage so far (I only have 10 miles on it since the conversion). The battery shell seems very strong, I am more worried about the battery detaching under heavy g-force (hits) since it is under the down tube and not on top. That's why in addition to the battery rack I use two or three thick velcro straps to secure it. If the shell does get dinged from rocks I could cover it with a vinyl skin/protector. Also the motor seems more vulnerable to damage than the battery since it sits so low.
 
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