The Tongsheng TSDZ2 conversion kit separates itself from other kits with its torque-sensing ability. This feature for example can’t be found in the popular Bafang BBS02 and BBSHD mid-drive kits. Does this feature make it worthwhile to buy the Tongsheng TSDZ2 motor kit? Or does it fall behind on other features like power and built quality? In this post, I will give answers to all these questions by providing an extensive review of the Tongsheng TSDZ2 conversion kit.
Update September 2021: Bafang has sued Tongsheng for patent infringement. Bafang has won this lawsuit, therefore the Tongsheng TSDZ2 officially can’t be sold on big platforms like Aliexpress and Amazon anymore. Because of this, it can be hard to find sellers of the Tongsheng TSDZ2 on these platforms. Sellers on Aliexpress and Amazon now don’t use the official name anymore to avoid getting their listings removed by the platforms. I have updated the links in this post to sellers that still actually sell the Tongsheng TSDZ2 on these big platforms. You can safely order from these sellers.
What’s included in the kit?
If you buy a Tongsheng TSDZ2 conversion kit, you will have all the parts you need for a complete conversion, except the battery. You will have to buy a separate battery or you will have to go for a seller that includes a suitable battery as well. You can find some product links of such kits from my recommended sellers below. From the picture, it can be seen that some parts are optional. Whether or not those parts will be included is based on the display choice you make. This will be explained further in the “chainring, e-brakes and throttle options” section.
Parts that are included in all kits:
- TSDZ2 motor unit
- Display (VLDC5, VLDC6 or XH-18)
- Chainring (42T default)
- Crankarms
- Speed sensor
Optional parts:
- Thumb throttle
- E-brakes (for cable brakes default)
- ”1 to 2 cable”
- Lockring mounting tool
- Wiring harness adapter for lighting
- Bike lights
Different power levels
The Tongsheng TSDZ2 motor is available at different power levels. At a voltage of 36V, the options are: 250W, 350W, and 500W. At a voltage of 48V, the options are: 500W and 750W.
The controller inside every Tongsheng TSDZ2 is the same, the only difference is in the way that they are programmed. Each different version is programmed in a way that they draw the correct amount of amps at the right voltage to obtain the specified power output. So physically speaking all different power versions are identical.
The controller can even handle 52V batteries, I however do not recommend this because the controller isn’t officially rated at this voltage. You will also decrease the reliability and the lifespan of the controller and motor by doing this. So stick to 36V or 48V batteries if possible.
So which power level should I choose? This depends on what sort of ebike you want to build. If you want a street-legal ebike, go for the maximum amount of power that is road legal in your country. This is 250W in the EU for example. If you however don’t mind the regulations, go for the 48V 750W version. This is the most powerful and versatile option. With this version, you can use a lot of power if necessary by selecting a high pedal assist mode. If you don’t need all the power, you can just select a lower pedal assist mode. You will have the best of both worlds in this case.
Which display to choose?
There are three different display options available for the Tongsheng TSDZ2 conversion kit. You can choose between the VLDC5, VLDC6, and XH-18 displays. Which display you need to choose depends on one question: Do you need e-brakes? If you want e-brakes, the VLCD5 display will be your only option since this is the only one that supports e-brakes. If you don’t want to use e-brakes, you are free to choose any of the three.
VLDC5 
VLDC6 
XH-18
Apart from the e-brake functionality, the displays all provide the same functionality. So your choice should depend on personal esthetic preference. I personally prefer the VLCD6 and XH-18 over the VLDC5 because of their size. The VLCD5 display is absolutely huge, it’s a bit overkill in my opinion. The VLDC5 and XH-18 are really discrete and display the exact same information. But if you absolutely want the e-brakes then you will still have to go with the VLDC5.
Chainring, e-brakes and throttle options
Chainring:
The chainring size generally is the same on all Tongsheng TSDZ2 kits, namely 42T. This size will fit most bikes perfectly without clearance issues. There are however some sellers that provide different size chainrings for an extra payment, like 34T or 52T options. I would never suggest choosing a chainring smaller than 42T on an ebike since most of the time you will ride at high speeds. If you however want to go for a 52T, you will have to make sure this fits. Most bikes will have problems with 52T chainrings, because of frame clearance, derailleur tolerance, and chain length. So generally speaking the 42T default option is the best and safest option to choose. If you still have clearance issues with a 42T, these spacers can help.
E-brakes:
As said in the display section, e-brakes are only available if you choose the VLCD5 display. So if you need them, choose the VLCD5 display. I think that e-brakes are not as essential with the Tongsheng TSDZ2, since the pedal assist will almost immediately stop if you stop pedaling. But still, e-brakes will provide some added safety. If you choose not to install them, you will also have less wiring managing to do. So whether or not you will need them will depend on what you value more: convenience or a bit of added safety.
E-brakes for mechanical brakers 
E-brakes for hydraulic brakes
If you have hydraulic brakes you will have to ask the seller if they can provide hydraulic cut-off switches as well. Most sellers will provide these instead of the normal brake levers for free.
Throttle:
Not all kits will include a thumb throttle. If you need a thumb throttle with the VLCD6 or XH-18 display, make sure that the seller also includes a “1 to 2 cable”. Because if you don’t have this cable, the throttle can’t be connected. If you want a throttle with the VLCD5, you don’t need an extra cable.
The throttle also isn’t really necessary with the Tongsheng TSDZ2 conversion kit. The pedal assist of the TSDZ2 is excellent and having a throttle won’t add a lot of convenience. If you however need to get started from a standstill, it can be convenient sometimes. But if you want to buy a kit from a seller that doesn’t include the throttle, don’t worry about it. You will not miss it at all.
Buy the Tongsheng TSDZ2 @Aliexpress – Global shipping:
Installation and compatibility
The Tongsheng TSDZ2 mid-drive kits can be installed on bikes with 33.5 mm diameter bottom brackets with a width between 68 and 73 mm. These are common dimensions on bikes, the kit will therefore fit most bikes perfectly. Your bike does have to have a removable bottom bracket, this means that the bottom bracket can be unscrewed. Some bikes (mostly expensive bikes) feature pressed bottom brackets, which can not (easily) be removed. If your bike has a bottom bracket of this type, this kit can’t be installed on it. If you are not sure if your bottom bracket is removable, ask your local bike shop, they can tell you just by looking at it. The other requirements that your bike has to meet are pretty obvious like:
- The bike should be chain driven (not belt driven)
- Disc brakes are recommended so that you can stop quickly
- The bike shouldn’t have a chainguard
Extra mouting feature 
Bottom bracket removal tool
The Tongsheng mid-drive motor mounts in a similar way as the Bafang mid-drive motor, the Tongsheng mid-drive motor does include an extra mounting feature though. You can see this mounting feature in the image above. It’s a little metal plate that gets clamped between the frame and the motor. This plate will prevent the motor from undoing itself because of its own torque. Tongsheng has done a great job adding this feature because it will prevent a lot of issues over time. On some bikes, you won’t be able to use this feature though, because of possible clearance issues. The motor fortunately can still be mounted without using this extra clamping feature. It will then just mount in the same way as a Bafang system would.
There are lots of really detailed installation guides that precisely show the steps that you need to take. I can recommend this video, it covers everything from start to finish.
Performance
The Tongsheng TSDZ2 isn’t as powerful as its Bafang counterpart. If we compare the power of the Tongsheng TSDZ2 750W motor and the Bafang BBS02 750 watt motor to each other, Bafang will definitely win. The Tongsheng mid-drive motors have a maximum torque of 80Nm, Bafang mid-drive motors have a maximum torque of 160Nm. The Bafang 750W version can really output around 1200W in practice while the Tongsheng 750W really outputs the rated 750W. So from these numbers, it can be easily seen that the Bafang mid-drives are just more powerful.
That however doesn’t imply that they are not powerful at all. The Tongsheng TSDZ2 (750W) outputs more than enough power for most riders. If it’s your first time on a Tongsheng TSDZ2 (750W) converted ebike, you will definitely have a fun ride. It really still packs a lot of power, but it simply isn’t as crazy powerful as the Bafang options. So if power is all you want, you should really go for the Bafang mid-drives.
The fact that you can still use your normal gears with a mid-drive motor makes also this mid-drive motor system really versatile. If you need to climb a steep hill, you will select a low gear. If you have a nice flat piece of road, you can select a high gear. So if you select the right gears, you will be able to climb the steepest of hills effortlessly! With the 750W version, you will also be able to reach speeds of up to 40 km/h (25mph) in a breeze. If you however want to reach higher speeds, you will need to pedal a little harder. But for most riders, 40 km/h (25mph) will already be more than sufficient!
Torque-sensing feature
Now let’s talk about Tongsheng’s main selling feature: torque-sensing pedal assist. I will start by explaining what torque-sensing does for your ebike and how it works.
An ebike with a torque sensor measures the amount of pressure that the rider exerts on the pedals. Generally, an ebike will only measure at which speed you rotate the pedals, this is called a cadence-based PAS system. Cadence systems are the most common on ebikes since its the cheapest PAS system. More expensive systems like Bosch systems, do have torque-sensing PAS systems. So the Tongsheng TSDZ2 system really is special in the way that it’s a relatively cheap conversion kit with a rather expensive technology built into it.
TSDZ2 Torque-sensor 
TSDZ2 motor unit
So how will a torque-sensing system assist you? A torque-sensing system will assist with a certain amount of power that is proportional to the amount of force you exert on the pedals. If you pedal harder, you will get assisted more. If you pedal lighter, you will get assisted less. Because of this, you could say that the system will “amplify” your leg power with electric power. This amplification will result in a really natural-feeling ride experience. It will feel like you have really strong legs and you also won’t really notice that you are riding an electric bike.
Ride experience
So this torque-sensing PAS feature of the Tongsheng TSDZ2 really is amazing! If you want the best possible pedal assist experience, you need to go for this system. The torque-sensing system isn’t for everyone, however. If you are a really “lazy” rider and you want to reach high speeds with almost no effort, this system will not work for you. This is the case because of the fact that you have to pedal harder if you want to go faster. With a cadence-based system, you don’t have this “problem”, you just rotate the pedals and you will get assisted with the same amount of power, independent of how hard you pedal. So if you don’t want to put in any effort, you are better off with a Bafang BBS02 motor.
The Tongsheng TSDZ2 also operates really quietly and smoothly, you won’t really notice that it’s there while riding. So together with the great torque-sensing feature, it is just a buttery smooth system to use.
Build quality
The built quality of the Tongsheng TSDZ2 system can be called excellent. The motor and controller are housed in a nice metal housing that feels sturdy. All the connectors used on the motor are of the waterproof type, which is excellent as well. The chainring and chainring cover are also constructed really nicely. I would say that that part feels even more high quality than its Bafang counterpart.
The Tongsheng TSDZ2 motor is IP54 rated, which makes it protected from splashes of water. I still would avoid the rain as much as possible, but if you are stuck in a rain shower, your bike should be fine.
The part I dislike the most about the kit is the displays. Tongsheng offers multiple displays, but all the displays they offer lack in looks, built-quality, and functionality. The displays look old-fashioned, are made of cheap plastic, and don’t show important information like power usage.
Reliability and problems
The Tongsheng TSDZ2 scores excellent on reliability. The motor doesn’t seem to have any major issues. The built-in controllers can fail, but it’s a rare occurrence. The Bafang mid-drive systems suffer from controller failures a lot, but Tongsheng definitely doesn’t seem to have this same problem, which is great.
There are also reports of failing torque sensors, but this doesn’t seem to happen that often, so that shouldn’t be a problem as well. I personally also have never had any issues with the system. So in general the reliability is just excellent and way better than the Bafang mid-drive motor’s reliability.
Mid-drive motor conversions often suffer from fast wear and tear on the drivetrain (chainring, chain, and cassette) because of the way mid-drives operate. Tongsheng TSDZ2 conversions don’t seem to suffer from this issue as much as with other mid-drives. This has to do with the way the power is delivered on Tongsheng systems. The Tongsheng systems are really smooth and don’t apply the power all at once, which helps save your drivetrain.
Buy this Tongsheng TSDZ2 conversion kit @Aliexpress – Global shipping:
- Tongsheng TSDZ2 different versions and display options
- 48V 17.5Ah Hailong battery (suitable 48V versions)
- 36V 17.4Ah Hailong battery (suitable for 36V versions)
Conclusion
If you are looking for an amazing pedal assist experience that gives you super-human legs, look no further! The Tongsheng TSDZ2 mid-drive motor delivers a truly amazing pedal assist with its torque-sensing technology. It, however, isn’t as powerful as its Bafang counterpart, but it still packs enough power for most riders. The reliability and build quality of the system is also excellent, with only the displays being a bit old-fashioned. So it simply is an amazing system that doesn’t break the bank and will ensure an amazing conversion.
| Power: |  (3.5 / 5) |
| Torque: |  (4.0 / 5) |
| Pedal assist: |  (5.0 / 5) |
| Build quality: | (4.0 / 5) |
| Low maintenance: | (4.0 / 5) |
| Reliability: |  (4.5 / 5) |
If you have any questions, want to start a discussion, or need some support, please use the comment section below. I will respond to you within 24 hours.
Hello Giel hello to everyone.
Can someone help me ?
I have this display (XH 18 LCD) for TSDZ2.
I used for a short time a 350W / 36V tsdz2 mid drive motor.
I want to know the following.
1. Can it also be used on a 750W / 48V motor?
2. I ordered these accessories (Throttle 1T2 cable wire 1in2 Bus Cable for tsdz2 eBike Mid-Drive Motor VLCD6 XH18) and I want to know if I mount this kit on a 750W / 48V mid drive motor will it work?
3 . Mid drive motor is this model (tsdz2 tongsheng 48V 500W or 750W 42T VLCD5 TSDZ2 electric bicycle mid motor with torque sensor throttle e-brake lever
PTS-LCD5-48ZB).
In short.
I dislpay my XH 18 (it has 6 pins) and I want to adapt it with this accessory kit Throttle 1T2 cable wire 1in2 Bus Cable for tsdz2 eBike Mid-Drive Motor VLCD6 XH18 on a thumb trottle motor and put my accelerator lever with 6 pins, (not the one model that comes from the factory) can be paired with that “Y” type adaptation kit?
Thanks.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000097925363.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000060.1.717235f76kFGyg&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.169870.0&scm_id=1007.13339.169870.0&scm-url=1007.13339.169870.0&pvid=56ce70ef-0c05-40ad-8409-96699381bb3a&_t=gps-id:pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller,scm-url:1007.13339.169870.0,pvid:56ce70ef-0c05-40ad-8409-96699381bb3a,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238108%231977&&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sceneId%22:%223339%22,%22sku_id%22:%2210000002772913951%22%7D
With the TSDZ2 in eco mode, can I lower the power assist by going into the display setup ( I have the larger display)? I see the factory setup is set at a nominal 16. What is the effect of going from 16 to 10 or lower? Are there any concerns about damaging the motor?
Hi Ken,
No, you can safely lower this value to your liking.
Thank you for answering my previous comment. Have one more question. I have/had a Bionix Hub motor, the motor died. I was wondering if I could use my Bionix battery with the Tongshen TSDZ-2. The battery is 48v/555w/11.6amps-would you know of any reason why I can’t use it? Thank you
Hi John,
There is no reason that you couldn’t use it with the Tongsheng TSDZ2, as long as you go with the 48V version. So you can absolutely use it.
Giel,
I have a 10 rear old ICE Adventure reumbent trike, is it posible to install tongshen motor and is the video you have posted useful for the trike? Thank you.
John
Hi John,
Yes, the Tongsheng or Bafang mid-drive system can also be installed on recumbent trikes. You might have to extend some wires or buy extension cables, since the frame is larger than a normal bike. Also, you should check the bottom bracket width and height and it should be removable. You should check this on all bikes though, so it isn’t specific to recumbent trikes. Most of the time the bottom bracket is removable and has default dimensions. If this is the case, you can absolutely install the Bafang or Tongsheng systems on your bike.
Hello, thank you for this great article.
I am new to my engine research, and I have 2 questions.
I tried a bike with a Bosh CX engine, will the power felt be more or less strong with a TDZ2 750?
And then what would be the optimal battery configuration for maximum power while protecting the motor.
Thank you !!!
Hi Gilles,
I suspect that the e-bike you tried had a legal limit of 250 watt. So the Tongsheng 750 watt version definitely will provide more power. You will need a 48V battery for the 750 watt version. I would not recommend going with a 52V battery, since this will be running everything on the edge of reliability.
Great article. Is it possible to remove and not use the chainguard on the TSDZ2? seems like when I remove the guard I am no longer able to tighten the bolts properly to hold the chainring.
Hi Wally,
Yes, it can be removed. I however don’t completely understand why you would want to. It shouldn’t interfere with anything.
My chain guard is damaged. also very few bikes have chain guards, usually low end bikes. Bike looks better without the chain guard. Seems like the guard does not really serve a purpose, kind of like the dork disc on most bikes.
Looks like I would have to find different chain ring bolts as the current bolts are too long to use without the chain guard installed.
Thanks. I found out I need to get single chainring bolts.
Hi Wally,
I am happy that you found out how to do it! Good luck!
Hi Giel, I was wondering if you have any ideas regarding my problem below.
I have the Tonsheng motor. Initially the motor would periodically cut out (provide no assist), but could be reactivated by turning off the LCD control panel (VLCD5) and turning it on again. Now turning on the control panel doesn’t work. On the battery itself, the lights indicate it is fully charged and testing the voltage with a multimeter, confirms this, indicating 52 volts on the outlet pins. However, the battery indicator on the VLCD5 LCD control panel, only shows one charge bar, suggesting the battery is not charged. One other thing I noticed is that the control panel doesn’t shut itself off after 5 minutes, as it usually would. No error message comes up on the control panel itself. Would you have any idea, what component is not functioning.
Thank you in advance, Bill from Canada.
Hi Bill,
That’s unfortunate, it is not a problem that is familiar to me. The Tongsheng TSDZ2 tends to be really reliable. The problem could be with 3 components I think: the battery, controller, or display. It could be that the battery is really unbalanced and the BMS is cutting out. If the battery is 100% full, is it at 54.6V, or really close to this value? If the battery would be the problem, no problem should occur when the bike isn’t applying any power though. So therefore it is unlikely that this is the problem. It, therefore, is more likely that something is wrong with either the controller or display. To me, it sounds more like a controller problem due to the pedal-assist failing. But really, you can only know for sure by replacing either the controller or display and checking if everything functions like normal again.
Hi Giel,
For my mini cargo bike Im thinking of the TSDZ2 over the Bafang equivelant for the more natural biking experience with the torque sensor and one of the things i often see posted is that the bafang is much more powerful.
However as i live in the EU i feel like the power difference issue is a more US-centric point of view (or poerhaps MTB POV) and that a 500W TSDZ2 will probably be more than I need and probably already push me past EU legal ebike speed limits. Any thoughts?
Hi Tee,
I think you are absolutely right. Even the 500W TSDZ2 will push you past the EU legal limits, which is 250W, 25km/h. So I think the TSDZ2 will be more than powerful enough if you are planning to obey these rules.
Thanks for the quick response. I think the TSDZ2 is then the solution for me!
Hi Brain,
Alright, then you definitely have the 48V controller inside, which should be programmed to allow 750W. This is not something that is stated on the motor, so you can’t verify if this is the case. Not without a watt meter that is, which I assume you don’t have.
But the 48V, only comes in a 500 watt and 750 watt version. So worst case, the seller sent the wrong controller with the 500 watt firmware. But I think it is safe to assume that the seller send the correct 750W version. So this still doesn’t explain your described behavior. But we can exclude this possibility now.
I recently bought a TSDZ2 500w with 100mm BB, as I have a fatbike.
It came with the VLCD5 display and cable brake levers with sensors. I don’t think I will use the brake levers, and much prefer the smaller VLCD6 display.
Can I just replace the display with the smaller unit?
Thanks for looking…..
Great forum, and information on here…..
Hi Peter,
Yes, you can interchange the different displays on the Tongsheng TSDZ2. You do have to make sure that it has the right connector. Some sellers change the connector, so be aware of that. Just look at your current connector and see if it matches the connector of the new display you want to buy.
Apart from this, it will work perfectly fine. The protocol of the displays is all the same, therefore they can be interchanged.
Have fun with your DIY Tongsheng TSDZ2 e-bike!
Thanks for the quick response……I think the connector for the ‘big’ display is 8 pin, but I will have a look and get it ordered….
I’m taking it out for a first shakedown ride today, looking forward to it.
Regards
Pete
Hi.
I have a Tongsheng. I find the standard motor pretty good with one glaring fault. There
seems to be no ‘smoothing’ of the pedal assist. With all other ebikes I
have used with torque sensing the assist does not fluctuate as you pedal
one cycle. But the tongsheng gives more assist as the pressure goes on
the pedals on the down-stroke and softens as the pedals pass the
top/bottom point. I understand the only way to improve this is to program it with the open source software. My question is what parameters am I going to change?
Thanks
Hi Andrew,
Unfortunately I cannot help you with detailed questions about the open source software like these. I simply don’t have enough knowledge about the open source project. For such questions I would recommend Reddit, you will probably find someone who can help you with this. Good luck!
There is someone called emmebrusa who created a front end Java program to flash your Open Source Firmware settings to the TSDZ2. This is all you need to install and flash even without having to change your original Tongsheng screen. It is very simple you don’t need to be a computer wizard to do this. It has a Java front end so it is just click and play.
You just have to change a few settings in the program like how big your battery is and if you have a 36v or 48v. The rest is pretty much set up in advance as “default” and are proven settings that will not fry your motor. Your TSDZ2 will run so much better. Have fun!
https://github.com/emmebrusa/TSDZ2-Smart-EBike-1/wiki
In this wiki there are also links to forums in English, German, Italian and Spanish. This community is very helpful and willing to share their experience so I would definitely have a look there too🙂
Hi Adarsh,
Thanks for sharing this information! Really helpful for others, much appreciated!
Hey I just bought a 2nd hand bike a kalkhoff image xl from 2013. It has a SM-BB51 Bike Crankset Bottom Bracket installed. I can take it out but am wondering if the Tongsheng will fit the diameter. The length should be fine.
This is the crank set:
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5037-318/Deore-SM-BB51-Hollowtech-II-Bottom-Bracket-68-73mm
Thanks a lot for this website and your help!
Hi Adarsh,
I can confirm that a Tongsheng motor will fit in your bottom bracket area. The hollowtech standard has the right diameter and length, so this will be absolutely fine.
I can recommend this seller for the Tongsheng TSDZ2 if you are looking for somewhere to buy it: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_dTBpMQs
Good luck with your conversion! If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
What battery do you recommend to go with the 48v 720watt version?
Hi NJ,
For the 48V, 750 watt version I would recommend a 48V battery of the Hailong type. You could go with a 12Ah one, or a 17.5Ah. Depending on your budget and the amount of range you would like, the 17.5Ah will result in about 50% more range than the 12Ah.
I can recommend this seller from Aliexpress (global shipping) that has stock in EU,US and RU for faster shipping times/tax free delivery:
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_d8CdKAh
Bonjour,
J’ai installé aujourd’hui le moteur tongsheng 250w avec une batterie 17Ah. Je l’ai testé tout à l’heure sur une très courte distance. Sur le plat ou faible montée j’ai très bien senti l’aide du moteur mais quand j’ai voulu prendre une montée plus raide (sans élan), je n’ai plus senti aucune aide. L’assistance se mettrait-elle en route à partir d’une certaine vitesse plus élevée ou cela viendrait d’un autre problème ? Je ferai un nouveau test demain mais là il commençait à faire nuit…
Je vous remercie d’avance si vous avez une idée pour résoudre ce problème.
Hi Maud,
The Tongsheng motor assist proportionally to the amount of force you exceed on the pedals. So if the Tongsheng motor is in the highest assist mode and you apply some force to the pedals, you should get assistance. This should not be dependent on the speed. Ofcourse the 250w is not the most powerful version, so there is a limit on how much assistance you will get. But if you are climbing and you apply (more) force on the pedals, you should also get assistance when climbing.
I recently purchased and installed a tongsheng tzsd2 48v 750w motor in my mountain bike. It worked great and have about 200 miles on the bike. Rode it on day and the next the display would not turn on. I contacted the seller (ebird) because bike was still under warranty and they asked me to check all connections which I did but the display would not turn on and the battery was fully charged. They asked me to try a different battery which I did but it still would not turn on. I was told to send in the motor to a US repair facility in Tennessee. The repair facility responded to my status request and said that they noticed the battery wires were cut and that may void the warranty. I don’t see how cutting the wires leading to the battery plug would void any warranty. The plug going to the battery was disconnected from the battery so there was no voltage. Furthermore, I was told to try the motor using a different battery so I used twist connectors with the other battery. The warranty info says nothing about warranty is void if I cut the battery wires. There is a sticker on the battery that says if a plate is removed from the motor housing then the warranty is void but nothing else. And this is not my first install of a motor. I installed a Bafang 750w motor on my other bike and no issues.
Hi DJ,
Unfortunately I have experienced this exact same problem, but with Bafang. I also needed to send in the controller for repair, but I had cut the battery wires as well. They then also told me that I voided my warranty, so they wouldn’t repair it.
I have tried to persuade them, but they didn’t give. They told me that if you don’t supply the original (unmodified) product, my warranty is voided. This is also includes an original battery wire.
I find this ridiculous as well, but as a customer you can do nothing about it. So I am afraid that you have to resolve the issue yourself.
My advice for the future would be:
Get your products from AliExpress, they tend to just send in replacements for free (without Bafang or Tongsheng interference). So if there is a problem, contact the AliExpress seller. Bafang and Tonhsheng theirseleves are completely useless when the motor isn’t exactly original anymore, which often is the case, because people modify the battery cable.
Another advice would be to keep the original connector in the future. Use adapters instead of soldering the cable, this will be less neat, but will keep your warranty intact. It’s a shame that Tongsheng and Bafang have this policy, but there unfortunately can’t be done anything about it. Good luck!
How much bottom-bracket clearance do you lose when installing the TongSheng motor? For example, how many inches ( or centimeters) does the motor hang below the bottom bracket on the bike?
I am contemplating installing this on a Salsa Fargo with a Rohloff hub.
I do use the bike offroad a fair amount; not crazy singletrack, but occasionally rocky jeep-type trails, and am concerned about ground clearance.
Hi Bill,
The motor will need approximately 10 centimetres of space below the bottom bracket. Most of the time, ground clearance isn’t really a problem. Except when you are doing really high drops. If you want the best clearance, a 29 inch wheel size, will be the best. But if you are not doing really extreme off-roading, you should be fine.
You could install the Tongsheng TSDZ2 in combination with a Rohloff hub. You then shouldn’t go for the highest power version of the Tongsheng motor. The highest power one (750 watt) will probably be too powerful to use with the Rohloff hub, so be conscious of this.
Nice post Giel, i’m lost on Bottom Brackets and all the variety on this crazy bike market (BSA, ITA (Italian thread), BB30, BB30A, BB86-89.5-92 Press Fit, PF30, BBRIGHT, BB90\BB95, BB386EVO), so in your experience which BB frame should i have to comfortably accommodate the Thongsheng (i understand it has 68mm will it fit on a 73mm BB?)?
cheers Pedro
Hi Pedro,
This indeed can be a bit confusing. The Tongsheng TSDZ2 can be fitted to a bottom bracket with a width between 68-73mm. 73 mm is the absolute maximum, you will then use all the thread for the lockring available.
The diameter of the bottom bracket should be between 33.5 and 33.9 mm.
The type of thread of the bottom bracket doesn’t matter. The motor doesn’t use the threads itself, it only uses the hole to clamp into.
The bottom should be removable though. So no pressed bottom brackets.
Almost all standard bikes will meet these bottom bracket cut out requirements.
If you want to be absolutely safe, remove the bottom bracket of your bike and just check the measurements.
In 99% of the cases, it will fit.
What kind of range will you get with 48v 12ah and 17ah? Does tongsheng getter more range than bafang? Thank you 😊
Hi Nathan,
This is a really hard questions to answer because it depends on a lot of factors like: rider weight, wind, gradient, power that you use, etc.
I therefore can’t just give you two range numbers in your specific case for a 48V, 12Ah and 17Ah battery.
If you for example select the highest assist mode, the Tongsheng can use upwards to 500 watt of power, while in the lowest mode this will be less than 100 watt. Your range in the highest assist mode will therefore be about 5 times less than in the low assist mode.
The Tongsheng en Bafang motors have about equivalent efficiency. So if you compare the range with equal power levels, the range will be equal as well, no difference here.
If you go for a 750W Tongsheng or Bafang motor, the range with a 12Ah battery will roughly be:
150 kilometers in the lowest assist mode.
30-40 kilometres in the highest assist mode.
This is a very rough estimate though, because like I said, it depends on a lot of factors. But this will give you an basic idea of the range.
With the 17Ah battery, the range will be 40% higher, because also the capacity is 40% bigger.
Hope this helped you.
Thank you for quick response! I’m still debating between the bbs02 and the tsdz2, everyone is saying the bbs02 in forums but I like the idea of having the torque sensor because my main reason if getting a ebike is to get fitter and don’t really want something does all the work for me lol also Im thinking the tsdz2 will be alot less calbles hanging about if I just go for the option without brakes and throttle. Would you say it’s necessary to open source them as I’ve looked into a few videos on how to do it and gets bit confusing 😵
Hi Nathan,
If your purpose is to get fitter, the Tongsheng TSDZ2 will definitely be the better choice for you. The Tongsheng will provide a much more natural ride, in which the motor really is an extension of your body. The Bafang motor will feel a lot more as a standalone assistance motor.
You can indeed make the setup really clean and simple if you don’t go with the e-brakes and throttle. Because of the torque-sensing, you don’t really need them anyway.
I don’t think it’s necessary to go with the open source firmware. That indeed isn’t easy and straight forward to do, it gets quite complex. The stock firmware is good enough for casual riding. The open source firmware makes a lot of sense for people that want to make better use of all the (high) power that the Tongsheng motor has to offer. If you just want to casually ride an get fit, the stock torque sensing pedal assist firmware is really great and will do the job perfectly fine. It isn’t a necessity at all.
I can recommend these sellers for the Tongsheng TSDZ2 if you are looking into picking one up:
Motor: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_dYy5Fmn
Battery:
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_d7vRNqR
Today i have ridden 93 km on Bafang 750W 14 Ah on level 2 of 9 and still have 50% on battery indicator. My weight is 90 kg and the road was uphills and downhills. Av. speed 20 km/h
Hey
I`ve been having problems with my tsdz2 (48V 750W).
The motor runs for a couple off kilometers and suddenly it stops giving support.
If i switch the battery on and off a few times it restarts and then gives up again.
The ledlights on my battery show full, and the next moment empty. The battery indication on my display always keeps showing full.
I charged my battery (48V 17.5A) the other day, and it only took 2 hours too fully charge using a 48V 2A charger?
Could you, based on my question, give me an indication off what could be the problem?
Grtz
Sandy
Hi Sandy,
It’s unfortunate that you are having problems with your e-bike. From what I can read here, it’s more likely that you are having problems with your battery, not the Tongsheng motor. When you fully charge the battery, what is your voltage on the battery?
Hello
You were right that the problem was the battery.
It was a struggle to get a new battery, the company i bought it from was not willing to ship me a new battery. But eventually they shipped me a new one.
The first few weeks everything ran like a dream, but last week i started having problems.
I get on my bike, and i start pedalling and feel the motor giving support. But after 1 or 2 seconds the engine stops giving support.
Battery is fully charged, display switches on, everything seems to be in order.
Any idea off what could be wrong this time?
Grtz
Sandy
Hi Sandy,
I am glad that you fixed your first problem. It’s unfortunate that you now have a new problem.
Unfortunately, I cannot determine what went wrong this time. In order to tell which part is having issues, measurements should be done. Which I can’t do from here ofcourse. I would contact both your battery and motor seller, just tell the problem you are having. They might be able to help you with this issue.
Thanks for the quick reply.
I hope i will find the problem, i will contact both sellers, and see what they say.
Grtz
Sandy
hi,
i’m very confused. i had a converted bike with a bafang/luma battery combo and enjoyed it before it was stolen. i want to convert my existing bike/hard tail to another mid drive but i’m torn between the tongsheng and the bafang. i live in vancouver which is relatively flat with gradients and hills. i enjoy peddle assist but also want throttle. i bike to commute, for pleasure and fitness and i want to ride most of the year as well, of which part is quite rainy. what would you recommend and why? i don’t mind spending a bit more/less as long as i’m happy with its performance. i’m 175cm and about 66 kg, and i’m in decent shape with some knee issues from time to time. help! tnx!
Hi Stephen,
I wrote an article about this topic: https://edrivenet.com/tongsheng-tsdz2-vs-bafang-bbs02/
Based on this article, you should be able to make a decision that will suit you best.
Very unfortunate that your first bike got stolen! But good luck with your next build!
Can a Tongsheng motor be installed in a bottom bracket in which there is now a Schlumpf Speed Drive?
Yes, you could remove the schlumpf speed drive and bottom bracket to install a Tongsheng motor instead. You however won’t be able to use the schlumpf speed drive with the Tongsheng motor. So you will have to completely remove it and use a normal chainring that comes with the motor kit. So that would be a waste of the Schlumpf speed drive. A better alternative would be to look at a hub motor system. This way you can keep the schlumpf speed drive. An example of such a kit: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_dV0hV6J
How well will the Tongsheng TSDZ2 work with the Rohloff IGH on an ICE Adventure FS recumbent trike? Will the torque-sensing function work okay while shifting the Rohloff IGH?
Hi Robert,
This mostly depends on how many ratios your IGH has: 3,7 or 9. In general, the lower the number, the more it can handle. It also depends on which power version of the Tongsheng TSDZ2 you choose. If you go for the 250W version, you will be fine with almost all IGH’s. If you go for the 750W version however, you can definitely break some IGH’s. With all IGH systems and mid-drives, you should never apply power and shift at the same time. You should stop pedalling or cut off the power when switching gears. The torque-sensing feature will be totally fine in all cases, IGH’s don’t affect this, the most important thing is whether or not the IGH can handle the power of the motor. So, you should determine this for your specific IGH.
You CAN reprogram the TSDZ2 system with this Open Source Ebike Firmware project on Github – https://github.com/OpenSource-EBike-firmware/Color_LCD/releases . I have been using this since February and it is really a very nice riding experience.
Hi Mike,
You indeed can, but is isn’t a plug and play experience as with the Bafang systems. For many builders, this will be out of their scope of knowledge. Tonsgheng also doesn’t intend to provide this feature. But, it technically is possible indeed.
I couldn’t agree more. I am seeing folks try to install the OSF system on their cycles and it quickly becomes beyond what they can manage. It takes a certain level of controls understanding to successfully implement such a system. It will quickly frustrate and overwhelm those that are not up to the task.
Hey
Is there room enough to slide the motor over the gear cables when thy pass below the bottom bracket?
I am asking because i am not sure that will fit.
Grtz
Sandy
Hi Sandy,
Good question. Yes, they should be able to pass underneath, just like with Bafang mid-drive motors. It however, can be a quite tight fit. Not all bikes are the same though, so there is a chance that it doesn’t fit your bike. If that’s the case, most of the time you can modify the plastic cable guide a bit, so that it will fit. But in general, yes, there should be just enough room.
Hi! Is there possibility of programming controller as with Bafang motor? And can be installed shift sensor with this motor as with Bafang?
Hi Yury,
Excellent questions! No, you actually can’t program the Tongsheng motor in the same way you can program a Bafang motor. It can be programmed, but that requires serious coding knowledge (you will have to change the code in the firmware, no consumer interface available) and isn’t meant for consumers. So it basically isn’t possible. I would however say it isn’t really necessary on the Tongsheng motors, they have good software out of the box. Shift sensors are also not possible with Tongsheng motors. But because Tongsheng motors use torque sening, a shift sensor isn’t needed. As long as you relieve force on the pedals when shifting, it will be perfectly fine. A shift sensor therefore isn’t needed. Hope this answered your questions!
These are awesome motors, had mine over a year now. Very natural to ride and makes you feel like your legs are bionic!
Indeed, truly outstanding motors! I also like the very natural bionic leg feel, it’s a pleasure to ride with one of these installed!
If you have any questions, please leave them in this comment section. I will try to answer them within 24 hours.
Hi, I can only reach 32kph top speed even with setting’s switched to 45kph on vldc6 display. I have a 750w motor with 48v battery with 17.5 capacity.
How do I unlock the top speed?
Hi,
Did you select the maximum assist mode? If you have the 48V version Tongsgheng and a 48V battery, with a speed limit of 45kph, it should just work.
Yes, I have put it in turbo mode
Hi,
Then it should go faster than 32kph. Do you apply enough pressure to the pedals? The more force you apply, the more assistance you will get. So only if you pedal harder, you will go faster.
Hi Giel,
Great article.
I’m in the process of choosing between the tongsheng tsdz 750w and the bafang bbs02 750w for my build.
Can you tell me the top speeds that both can achieve please
Thanks
Hi Lee,
I have written an entire article comparing the two:
https://edrivenet.com/tongsheng-tsdz2-vs-bafang-bbs02/
You might want to have a look at it, it will answer most of your questions probably.
But to answer your question directly: With the Tongsheng a top speed of 40 km/h is realistic. With the Bafang a top speed of 50 km/h is possible. It does depend on your gearing and tire size ofcourse. But it will always be close to these numbers. So in regards to top speed, the Bafang wins. It also is more powerful overall. But the Tongsheng has other advantages over the Bafang, which are all described in the article. Good luck with choosing your first DIY kit!