Description
The mountain bike that got a promotion.
A Merida Big Nine 20 came into the workshop as a 29er hardtail.
It left with a CYC Photon Gen 2 mid-drive, a 52V Samsung-cell battery, full-length mudguards and tyres that shrug off glass.
One only.
Why a mid-drive.
A hub motor drags a wheel around.
A mid-drive puts its power through the gears, so the motor works with the drivetrain instead of against it.
Hills flatten out, the bike still steers and balances like a bike, and you can swap a rear wheel without touching the electrics.
The Photon Gen 2 is the small motor that does not ride like one: 750W rated, 1200W peak, 130Nm at the crank, on a battery that bolts to the downtube where the weight belongs.
What we changed.
The stock Big Nine drivetrain went; a Photon needs its own chainring, cranks and bottom bracket, so it got them.
Schwalbe Marathon E-Plus tyres replaced the knobblies because a motor this strong deserves rubber rated for it.
SKS Bluemels mudguards, a Focus kickstand, a shorter ProTaper stem and platform pedals finish the job.
Fresh Shimano resin pads in the brakes.
Then it was ridden, tested and tidied.
Build breakdown
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Frame: Merida Big Nine 20, aluminium 29er hardtail, Large, Black/Grey
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Fork: stock Merida, 120mm travel
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Motor: CYC Photon Gen 2 mid-drive, 750W rated, 1200W peak, 130Nm
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Battery: 52V 10Ah downtube, Samsung cells, 520Wh, charger included
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Display: CYC SW102T
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Throttle: thumb throttle
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Chainring: CYC Photon Gen 2, 42T
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Cranks: CYC 165mm
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Bottom bracket: CYC Photon kit, 68/73/83mm
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Chain: KMC X8
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Tyres: Schwalbe Marathon E-Plus, 29″ x 2.00″, front and rear
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Mudguards: SKS Bluemels 60mm
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Stem: ProTaper 31.8 x 45mm, Stealth
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Pedals: BBB Mountainhigh BPD-32
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Kickstand: Focus
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Brake pads: Shimano B03S resin
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Everything else: stock Merida, checked and set up in the workshop
Want one built around your bike?
This is one of the conversions we do.
Note: in its 750 W configuration this bike exceeds the 500 W limit for e-bikes in British Columbia and is for private property use only.
Product specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Fork | stock Merida, 120mm travel |
| Motor | CYC Photon Gen 2 mid-drive, 750W rated, 1200W peak, 130Nm |
| Battery | 52V 10Ah downtube, Samsung cells, 520Wh, charger included |
| Display | CYC SW102T |
| Throttle | thumb throttle |
| Chain | KMC X8 |
| Tyres | Schwalbe Marathon E-Plus, 29" x 2.00", front and rear |
| Note | The Photon Gen 2 comes as a factory 250W road-legal unit. |
