Anything known about a Bafang gear box motor?

I tried to google, but couldn't find anything concrete.

Is there any evidence so far, that Bafang is working on a gear box motor? The Pinion and Intradrive for example are so small, they might also fit into an existing motor mount for the M5/600 series., obviously the M620 casing could fit anything into it.

I have the chance to pick up a Kindernay, but I am unsure if I want to invest close to 3k€ in a system (IGH, shifters, cages, lacing up custom wheelset) that I might only be able to sell at a substantial loss, once I might be able to retrofit a M5/600 bike with a gear box motor.


What are your guys thoughts on this?

I'd love to know more about this! I actually just emailed bafang today but they never respond.

The pinion is definitely the future of emtbs, but same problems all of the non bafang manufacturers have. No repairability, can't order parts, overpriced Swiss manufacturing, etc. etc.

A bafang system that can actually be ordered by yourself is the dream.

Anybody with connections in CN could verify?

Bafang have to be thinking about a gearbox motor. It's what I'm waiting for. A fully integrated setup with a belt drive is surely the way ahead? Preferably with 1000w.

I researched the Kindernay hubs long & hard and, whilst they look like a great system, the cost is prohibitive & I understand they've gone bust now (in their current form at least).

I am glad I didn't buy the Kindernay. I would have sunk a lot of money into a presumably dead system.
I hope Bafang has something like the Pinion MGU in the pipeline, I don't need excessive amounts of power, but a MTB- compatible gearbox motor is very high on my list of things I would like to have.

El Topo said:

I am glad I didn't buy the Kindernay. I would have sunk a lot of money into a presumably dead system.
I hope Bafang has something like the Pinion MGU in the pipeline, I don't need excessive amounts of power, but a MTB- compatible gearbox motor is very high on my list of things I would like to have.

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Kindernay may resurface in a cheaper form if some far Eastern company buys their intellectual property. Who knows?

I don't need an excessive amount of power either. I just want it!

namastebuzz said:

Kindernay may resurface in a cheaper form if some far Eastern company buys their intellectual property. Who knows?

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Maybe they will, but at this point, the Pinion MGU has proven, that a company can built precisely what many were waiting for since many years. It has plenty power, for an EU legal bike, and weighs only 4kg. With the drive train savings, that is maybe .5kg heavier, than the current motors without a gearbox. And that is just the first generation of these, maybe we will approach 3kg after two more generations of these units. Non-gear-box-motors were almost as heavy, not too long ago.

Now we need competition from players like Bafang. I have hard time believing that a Bafang MGU-like 9-speed M510-style motor must cost way over 1000$, if produced at scale. Let it be it 30% more for a 12-speed M560-style unit.
If they can offer that unit at the same size as the current M510/560 platform, I bet they would sell A LOT of those. Hopefully Bafang motors stay as accessible for DIY as they are now (despite their current shortcomings).

Not sure where Kindernay's IP would fit into that market. If their IGH IP can be easily adapted, into a motor unit, then maybe. Otherwise, very few people would buy that IGH at half the price, and those that would, likely already have a Rohloff with their proven track record, of 25 years.
But 7-speed doesn't seem enough for an E-MTB MGU-style motor, and 14-speed likely is too much.

Not that I expect any update on this, but I hope I am not the only one waiting for such a motor.
I was hoping they would show something at this year's Eurobike, but obviously that hasn't been the case. :-(

I really hate derailleurs, but can't (nor do I want to...) afford a Pinion MGU bike, and that doesn't even consider, that the options are extremely limited.

Why doesn't Bafang just take an M820 power level motor and put into an M510 sized housing with a (circa) 12-speed gearbox? That is all I am asking for, I don't need 120nm or 1500W peak power.
If a few engineers were able to build and manufacture the original Pinion gearbox, how hard can that be for a company like Bafang?
I just don't get it. I don't want to believe there is no market for this, Pinion's MGU seems well received, if it weren't for the extremely high price...

From business perspective they won't, as all of their motors will go off market.
The smartest thing to do is a speed/torque motor on their existing products.

Dino24 said:

From business perspective they won't, as all of their motors will go off market.
The smartest thing to do is a speed/torque motor on their existing products.

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Not sure if I am convinced by that. If they would offer a lower power motor with integrated gear box, there would still be enough audience to sell a M630 or M560 to.
There are also the people, who would have bought another motor instead, that such an integrated unit would convince to buy a Bafang bike.

But maybe you are right, at least they must have their own reasons, otherwise we would have seen at least a prototype already...

El Topo said:

Not sure if I am convinced by that. If they would offer a lower power motor with integrated gear box, there would still be enough audience to sell a M630 or M560 to.
There are also the people, who would have bought another motor instead, that such an integrated unit would convince to buy a Bafang bike.

But maybe you are right, at least they must have their own reasons, otherwise we would have seen at least a prototype already...

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Think the m820 and the m510 with gearbox. We just canceled all the other ones.
The way for them is a chinese version of the very famous IGH paired with their motors.
The 5 speed IGH they have is heavy.

One year later and still nothing.
I can't believe it is that hard to put aM560 engine into a M620 housing with a 9-12 speed gear box. Pinion showed it is possible in an even more compact unit.

Dino24 said:

Think the m820 and the m510 with gearbox. We just canceled all the other ones.
The way for them is a chinese version of the very famous IGH paired with their motors.
The 5 speed IGH they have is heavy.

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Kindernay had a great system with their SWAP cages, but it sadly never took off and they went the way of the Dodo. I couldn't afford to marry a Rohloff to each wheel set.