Ongoing reliability of Kalkhoff/Focus Impulse 2 motors

Danidl

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Sep 29, 2016
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I've planned to buy an ebike, and I have had bad reports about Bafang hub motors, all Kalkhoff models (not just the Impulse 2 motors) and the Raleigh Captus with a Bosch. I can't afford to make a mistake as I am retiring. Worried about a lack of throttle as it will be a mobility aid as well.
What negative reports regarding Raleigh? I have the Motus and am very pleased with it. I am also a retiree. In turbo assist mode, you do have to turn the peddles , but in low gear this is no great effort and the bike motor generates 250% of that power, you supply the remainder. I can assure you that a low speed in a low gear this would be negligible and no throttle support needed. The Motus has a 10 speed , but the vast majority of my time is spent at gear 5 going up and down usually by only one cog. I am not sure I have ever needed to go into the lowest gear.. except as an experiment. I picked the step through model so as not to have to swing my leg over a saddle. The differences between the captus and Motus are minimal... Bigger battery, probably smoother gears and undoubtedly the better hydraulic brakes .
 
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Danidl

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 29, 2016
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Got an 8 mile round trip today. Just the length of journey suited to an ebike. Not worth it for short trips to the shops and pub. Longer journeys are taken in the warmer months, generally.
I would agree that the sweet spot for an ebike is a 3 to 7 mile trip as a commuter, much shorter and it's unnecessary, longer and it's starting to take up time . Eg 6 to 15 miles round trip. That distance would cover a lot of a city and most commuter journeys . Of course on a days trekking 20 30 or more miles is ok weather permitting and covers a lot of scenery
 
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Artstu

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Aug 2, 2009
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I would agree that the sweet spot for an ebike is a 3 to 7 mile trip as a commuter, much shorter and it's unnecessary, longer and it's starting to take up time . Eg 6 to 15 miles round trip. That distance would cover a lot of a city and most commuter journeys . Of course on a days trekking 20 30 or more miles is ok weather permitting and covers a lot of scenery
I know people who go 30 miles in the wrong direction to catch a train for their commute https://www.strava.com/activities/873179170

and have a commute like this, granted he doesn't do it every day, both on normal bikes
https://www.strava.com/activities/874238429
 

Perseus

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Oct 15, 2015
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What negative reports regarding Raleigh? I have the Motus and am very pleased with it. I am also a retiree. In turbo assist mode, you do have to turn the peddles , but in low gear this is no great effort and the bike motor generates 250% of that power, you supply the remainder. I can assure you that a low speed in a low gear this would be negligible and no throttle support needed. The Motus has a 10 speed , but the vast majority of my time is spent at gear 5 going up and down usually by only one cog. I am not sure I have ever needed to go into the lowest gear.. except as an experiment. I picked the step through model so as not to have to swing my leg over a saddle. The differences between the captus and Motus are minimal... Bigger battery, probably smoother gears and undoubtedly the better hydraulic brakes .
Raleigh after sales service is good. Even known (hearsay) for a replacement ebike (hub geared) when the main bike is in for repairs.
 

nemesis

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Mar 14, 2011
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Raleigh after sales service is good. Even known (hearsay) for a replacement ebike (hub geared) when the main bike is in for repairs.
Have a look at the Wisper e-bike range because they always get rave reviews from buyers on this forum and the after sales care is also said to be outstanding.
 
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Wisper Bikes

Trade Member
Apr 11, 2007
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Thanks Nemisis! you are very kind.

Its very much down to the support of our hand picked Dealers, they are superb, offering local advice and service. Of course when they are stumped or need assistance we are available. It's also important to hold stock of spares, we have over 600 individual spare part numbers in stock and can support bikes as far back as ten years.

We also understand that ebikes are often our customers only means of transport, so if between us and our dealer we cannot fix a bike with a problem in 7 days we will happily send a loan bike out until their bike is back on the road.

All the best, David
 

redalexx

Pedelecer
I'm sure that if you message forum member Redalexx, he can give more specific info on failures of Impulse motor types. I've seen some more detailed tables than what I can find on his website.
Good idea, I will also implement the data of my (old) first google table under the charts!

Thanks to all for the ideas and discussions in the threads and in the conversations. Sorry, it take a lot of time to introduce the ideas in german and english. But two separate websites are a way to much so update every month.

Does this mean that Kalkhoff bikes with an Impulse 2.2 motor are reliable enough to purchase? Opinions sought.
Local german dealers had a seminar at DerbyCycle last week. As @50cycles wrote, there were made a few changes in construction and software for the Impulse2.0 and the ImpulseEVO compared to the motors from 2015 to mid 2016.

They mainly focussed on the failing bearings and the noise. But I'm sure you know the topics, right?

Larger bearings, better concepts for humidity transportation (not sure if right translated), new software, gear tooth changes, etc.

And the most important improvement (in my opinion) - they test the motors before purchasing regarding vibrations, that comes along with the noise.

Now the bad news.
Nobody knows the motor number from which the impulse2.2 is produced. If you have one, can you please send your motor number and date of manufacture by conversation?

Many thanks. Alex
 
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D

Deleted member 4366

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DV8 Brother Sour Plums just joined. Welcome to the party.
View attachment 17873[/QUOTE]
I wasn't the one who knowingly sold a load of faulty bikes to customers. I only try to help them fix their faulty bikes and avoid getting lumbered with them in the first place.

While I'm at it, I doubt that people will have a problem recognising that your Beat bikes are nothing more than rebadged Kalkhoffs with the same potentially faulty motors.
 
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50cycles

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 21, 2006
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Bali, Indonesia
Hi Dv8

Sadly David you knowingly sold a load of faulty Oxygen bikes which you did need to fix 80% of. Which is why we no longer sell them although a nice ride and supported the brand until sadly there was no solution offered.

You need to get over 50 faulty motors out of millions now on the road doing mile after mile. Concentrate on building a viable form of transport and a better industry rather than trying to be negative and slow us all down. Failure is the road to success as you know there is no golden rule to a solution it takes trial and error. All of our Kalkhoff customers are still on the road, the Oxygen ones are now on a scrap heap after us fully refunding the customer.

You have sour grapes for no reason at all and should know better that perfection comes from inperfection. The cause, effect and solution have all been explained as openly as possible. Yet you are trying to undermine the success of the market in the UK due to your small mindedness.

Now understand that we have chose the Impulse 2.2 on our own brand because it still Beats any in its class on many levels and to bring this to the market for £1500.00 as a launch campaign and is just great news for anyone looking for a spring bike. It sets a new benchmark especially as most prices will be going up in the next 3 months due to European demand and a weak Euro.

Enjoy the rest of the new season 2017.

Kind regards

Scott
Director
 
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soundwave

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May 23, 2015
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own brand says it all tbh give me a bike with a dongle and we will see how long it lasts. will you honer the warranty.. NOPE

ebike shop does so why cant you?
 
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50cycles

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 21, 2006
623
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Bali, Indonesia
own brand says it all tbh give me a bike with a dongle and we will see how long it lasts. will you honer the warranty.. NOPE

ebike shop does so why cant you?
I do not believe in dongles, do not see the point apart from trying to be like knight rider.

Nice Helmet were you all dongled up on your profile picture, the masked raider feels hard going faster than he should. Watch those kicker ramps with your dongle.

Do not know the ebike shop sadly but I am delighted that they like to service your dongle.

Three plums online tonight.

images-1.jpg images-1.jpg images.jpg
 

soundwave

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May 23, 2015
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https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/

there web site kicks ur ass and fits dongle and honers the warranty of the motor.

answer the question!

why cant you honer the warranty with a dongle fitted?

post proof of this with the diagnostic software from bosch.

you cant because there is none.

FACT!
 
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50cycles

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 21, 2006
623
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Bali, Indonesia
We do not sell dongles and 99% of the time service
https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/

there web site kicks ur ass and fits dongle and honers the warranty of the motor.

answer the question!

why cant you honer the warranty with a dongle fitted?

post proof of this with the diagnostic software from bosch.

you cant because there is none.

FACT!
We do not sell Dongles so do not have customers that have dongles fitted so the problem never arises.

I would suggest you service the bike where you brought your bike from or the dongle from. I do not believe any manufacturers authorise warranty exchange for parts where bikes have been tampered with.

The decision would be whether or not the supplier will exchange a part if they deemed the bike had been tampered with. This has never happened in my business so could not honestly give you a fair answer if the part would be exchanged under warranty.

Who do you work for?
 
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soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
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i can buy a bike from ebike shop with a dongle and warranty,answer the question.

why cant you do this?

and if a dongle on the new evo drive voids the warranty then what are you saying?

other than its shite!

i work for no one.
 
i can buy a bike from ebike shop with a dongle and warranty,answer the question.

why cant you do this?

and if a dongle on the new evo drive voids the warranty then what are you saying?

other than its shite!

i work for no one.
Can I knock this on the head by answering the question, because its not hard.

Customer buy bike from a shop, their warranty is with the shop... that how eBike shop can offer the warranty.

The fact that eBike shop can't warranty the parts with Bosch is not of your concern as a customer, because eBike shop are obviously making enough money that they don't care about them not having a warranty with Bosch.
 

Woosh

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May 19, 2012
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