eBike arrived yesterday

[weirdfish]

eBike arrived yesterday (Aurora)

I went for the Aurora in the end.

Initial impressions are good and bearing in mind I took a chance and bought it blind, I was a little nervous that I'd hate it.

I think the only thing I'm not happy with are the brakes, but to be fair, I've not done any adjustments and the the front is not running at all freely. My regular bike has hydraulic discs so this is my first experience with cable calipers, and at present I'm far from happy with their stopping power. I'm already considering upgrading the front to fluid but we'll see how it feels after I've got the wheel running freely.

Steve.

 

[jbond]

I went for the Aurora in the end.

Initial impressions are good and bearing in mind I took a chance and bought it blind, I was a little nervous that I'd hate it.

I think the only thing I'm not happy with are the brakes, but to be fair, I've not done any adjustments and the the front is not running at all freely. My regular bike has hydraulic discs so this is my first experience with cable calipers, and at present I'm far from happy with their stopping power. I'm already considering upgrading the front to fluid but we'll see how it feels after I've got the wheel running freely.

Steve.

Good for you. You probably saw my comments on the "is it a beast" thread. I'd strongly recommend going over the whole thing and just fixing-setting up the bicycle bits. eg Front wheel bearings, truing wheels, tightening all bolts, adjusting the gearset, checking the bottom bracket nuts, etc etc. If you ride off road at all, I'd also recommend making sure all nuts are locknuts, such as the battery plate to rack bolts and put a bit of loctite on the disc retaining bolts.

From a bicycle POV, I think there are two bits that are just too cheap. That's the pedals and the disc calipers. IMHO pedals should be adjusted to run freely and these are just never going to due to the design. On the discs, take the discs off, re-seat them and try and get them to run perfectly true. You may be able to then adjust them so they're quiet and work. But this old-school, cheap sliding caliper design inevitably drags a bit. It doesn't affect power or drag but it does make an annoying noise. The front could be replaced with V-Brakes if you go and get the posts (10mm thread) but the back has no V-Brake mounting points. In any case, V-Brakes are a bit marginal on such a big, fast, heavy bike.

I'd recommend keeping the brake kill switches and hence keeping the levers so the simplest alternative is a mechanical caliper set like the Gusset Chute or Shimano Deore M495. These have enough adjustment that it should be possible to get rid of the squeek. If you switch to hydraulic, you'll need new levers which then means either discarding the brake kill switches or rigging up a magnetic reed switch or something. If you go this route then some Shimano Rapidfire combined gear and brake levers would be neat. There's a slight problem with the electrical switches if you have an under bar thumb shifter. The Pedelec-throttle switch is damn useful and I find myself using it a lot so you want to keep this near your right thumb.

Do let us know how you get on.

 

[weirdfish]

I spent yesterday afternoon going over the bolts and stuff, with good reason on a couple of occasions. The pedals have already been replaced and some minor weight saving of removing the clunky, almost useless center stand, and I've currently ditched the steering damper thing as it felt weird to me.

I couldn't agree more that the brakes are disappointingly cheap and nasty and after spending a little more time this morning this morning, my opinion hasn't changed. I've just been reading through some older posts regarding the brake switches as my first thought was to just do away with them. However, I do see the benefit of them in some incidences even thought, like you, I see myself using throttle control rather than assist.

I've got the front wheel spinning much better, although at the cost of lever travel and as such, braking confidence. The rear is being a bitch at the moment and I will continue once I've had a cuppa How free does the back wheel spin without brake drag? I guess the motor must effect it.

My thinking now is to convert the front to hydraulic and lose the switch but upgrade to a better cable calliper on the rear and therefore keeping the switch.

 

[jbond]

I also removed the steering centering spring. And swapped the centre stand for a side stand once I'd stopped fiddling.

The rear wheel won't spin completely freely due to drag in the motor bearings and seals compared with a normal bicycle wheel. But it's not bad. The freewheel in the hub is pretty good. So setting the brake is about just trying to keep down the noise. I found if I put the bike upside down in a high gear and gently turned the cranks, I can hear the rubbing and adjust it out with the brake adjuster. The front wheel bearings were really tight. Setting them correctly made a big difference.

After using it a bit, I find the pedelec really nice. It's like a cruise control where I don't have to keep the throttle wound on. I just switch to throttle when in heavy traffic or when the going gets really nadgery off road for finer control.

The brake kill switch is quite a good idea. The pedelec runs on a bit in that it keeps pushing for a second or so after stopping pedaling. The brake kill switch kills power immediately so I think at least one is a good idea. Having it just on the back brake seems like a good plan. Till you get used to it and allow for it, the initial kick as the pedelec comes in can catch you out when doing U-turns or such like. Dragging a brake, just cuts that out.

I started with 80psi for good rolling resistance but that makes the ride really harsh. 65-70 seems like a good compromise. Yesterday's ride was ahem, entertaining as the bridlepaths are getting slick with all the rain. I think I might go for a tyre with a bit more bite. Marathon Tour or Cross perhaps. Hard to find the right compromise between good performance on the road and enough grip off road not to be totally silly. The hill climbing ability is awesome! I went up what must have been a 1-5 hill on a rough track in the granny gear. The bike just wound itself in low mode straight up it.

 

[weirdfish]

Thanks. I was wondering about tyre pressures, especially at the back with the weight. You weren't wrong when you said it was heavy

One other thing, and I may be missing something obvious, but how do you remove the rear wheel. I can't see any way to unplug the motor feed

 

[daniel.weck]

The brake kill switch is quite a good idea. The pedelec runs on a bit in that it keeps pushing for a second or so after stopping pedaling. The brake kill switch kills power immediately so I think at least one is a good idea. Having it just on the back brake seems like a good plan.

I totally agree with this.
Photos of the beast ?

 

[jbond]

Thanks. I was wondering about tyre pressures, especially at the back with the weight. You weren't wrong when you said it was heavy

One other thing, and I may be missing something obvious, but how do you remove the rear wheel. I can't see any way to unplug the motor feed

I haven't done this, so this is received wisdom. And the answer is, don't! Cut a few zip ties so you can get some slack on the motor cable. Then release the wheel just enough to be able to slide in the tyre, tube, or whatever else you needed to get in there. Then put the wheel back in the drop outs and work with it like that.

If you seriously want to strip it down, then remove the battery, undo the four corner screws on the controller box. In there you'll find bullet connectors between the motor cable and the actual controller.

 

[weirdfish]

I haven't done this, so this is received wisdom. And the answer is, don't! Cut a few zip ties so you can get some slack on the motor cable. Then release the wheel just enough to be able to slide in the tyre, tube, or whatever else you needed to get in there. Then put the wheel back in the drop outs and work with it like that.

If you seriously want to strip it down, then remove the battery, undo the four corner screws on the controller box. In there you'll find bullet connectors between the motor cable and the actual controller.

Working around the cable it is then.

 

[weirdfish]

I've ordered a Avid BB7 mechanical calliper.

The calliper can be used front or rear so I plan to fit it to the front and see how it goes. If it works well I'll get another for the rear and I wont have to faff about with the levers as to be honest, I can't seem to see how the throttle grip comes off, it seems too tight to just twist off. Otherwise I'll use this one on the rear and fit a hydraulic to the front. If that's the case then hopefully I'll have figured how to remove the throttle by then

 

[jbond]

I can't seem to see how the throttle grip comes off

The throttle has a tiny grub screw with something like a 2mm or 3mm allen key head. Comes off easy. If you want to change grips, the diameter is very similar to a M/C throttle barrel. The grip is glued to the barrel so getting it off is a bit of a challenge. Get a small screwdriver down between the grip and barrel from the inner end and squirt some WD40 in there.

 

[Old Timer]

Well I did have an early bike but I think the brakes are just fine on mine with plenty of feel and you obviously don`t have to have the levers very tight with no movement. Seems funny how different the same model bike can be

As far as wheel removal goes then just clip off some cable ties and carefully work with the wheel beside the bike or because there are only the three wires from the hub you could do like my powertrek and cut the wire and either put in a connector or add an extra 12" of cable. There`s a good chance that if you fit Marathons you will only need to do the job the once. Actually I`m still running the original tyres that are puncture resistant and believe me where I live and ride with all the blackthorn hedges that have just been cut and the natural occuring flint that is a fairly good test for any tyre.

 

[weirdfish]

It seems strange that there is not an inline connector already fitted but I think I'll leave it as is for the time being.


And a quick photo of the 'Beast' as requested I'll add some better ones when I've done personalising

 

[jbond]

I guess you must be tall with with the sprung post still fitted and that set pretty high.

Re brakes: I wasted way too much time trying to make a cheap alternative work. But in the process I put a very small light spring on the front sliding pin of the front brake. Squeek gone! Hooray! Now my brakes have bedded in and with the squeek removed, they now do the job fine. No doubt I will be a moaning again in a week or so.

I have to say that now I've got everything sorted it really is a very sweet bike.

 

[weirdfish]

I'm just over 6' with an inside leg of 33" but I also have lowered the bars as my regular bike has a more aggressive geometry and the Aurora felt weird to me out of the box.

I also think it's a really good bike and now I've fiddled with the brakes and bedded them in a bit they do seem acceptable, however, I still want to improve the front, even if it's just for confidence purposes. To be fair to the Aurora, it's being directly compared to a 'naturally' powered bike of half the weight without an anvil on the back. The Aurora was never meant as a replacement, it's job will be commuting and over time I'll probably end up with a more upright position.

Without doubt the Aurora is outstanding value for money and with a little time spent setting it up, as I have had to do with any bike that has been delivered to me in a box, it is a very good ride. However, with a few personal touches I think it will be an fantastic bike for me.

 

[Caph]

I've ordered a Avid BB7 mechanical calliper.

You won't be disappointed with the BB7. I've found them to be fantastic and so easy to adjust. I would say be careful of which pads you fit. I've got sintered in the back which I use the majority of the time and last for ages but don't have great stopping power, they're more like good quality rim brakes - I've got to apply noticeable pressure to lock the rear wheel. I've got organic in the front and they are ferocious but wear out quickly, they are truly the servo-assisted brakes of the bike world.

 

[Old Timer]

You won't be disappointed with the BB7. I've found them to be fantastic and so easy to adjust. I would say be careful of which pads you fit. I've got sintered in the back which I use the majority of the time and last for ages but don't have great stopping power, they're more like good quality rim brakes - I've got to apply noticeable pressure to lock the rear wheel. I've got organic in the front and they are ferocious but wear out quickly, they are truly the servo-assisted brakes of the bike world.

All understood but mine are genuinely really good brakes full stop, I still wonder how the same models can vary so much. I can easily skid the rear wheel and the front can be pulled up to almost throw me over the handlebars
I`m considering Marathon tyres simply rather than get caught out with a rear puncture on the road but after several hundred miles of poor roads( thorns and flint) they are still doing the job very well. If my wife it at home when I`m out then no problems cos she can bring the van if need be but I don`t fancy a rear wheel removal in a country lane so I`m considering either Marathons or maybe the larger motorcycle or car compressed air sprayin gunk to get me home.

Any views on that anyone?

 

[jbond]

Tyres: All this rain made one or two of the bridlepaths really slick. I could have done with some proper knobbly tyres. But I really don't like knobblies on the road. I'm thinking something like the Marathon Cross might be a reasonable compromise. Or perhaps the Marathon Tour would be enough since I'm OK with occasional very slow slipping and sliding off road. It all gets a bit entertaining even under pedal power when the rear is spinning and the front is sliding at the same time.

I've put Slime in both tyres as a puncture protection. With a small hand pump to restore pressure that might be enough. On other bikes, Ive carried a spare tube and just very occasionally been reduced to changing it out on the road. It seemed worth doing because it has got me home before now.

I think with a rear hub motor we'd be reduced to fixing the puncture without removing the wheel. Certainly possible, but awkward. A spare tube already mounted round the axle but somehow zip tied out of the way is an interesting exercise in mental topology! I kind of think there's a way of doing it on the LHS with it hidden behind the panniers.

 

[weirdfish]

Ringing OldTimers wife would be easier

 

[Old Timer]

Ringing OldTimers wife would be easier

Yeh! she will come out and get you (for a new handbag or a pair of shoes

 

[Old Timer]

Tyres: All this rain made one or two of the bridlepaths really slick. I could have done with some proper knobbly tyres. But I really don't like knobblies on the road. I'm thinking something like the Marathon Cross might be a reasonable compromise. Or perhaps the Marathon Tour would be enough since I'm OK with occasional very slow slipping and sliding off road. It all gets a bit entertaining even under pedal power when the rear is spinning and the front is sliding at the same time.

I've put Slime in both tyres as a puncture protection. With a small hand pump to restore pressure that might be enough. On other bikes, Ive carried a spare tube and just very occasionally been reduced to changing it out on the road. It seemed worth doing because it has got me home before now.

I think with a rear hub motor we'd be reduced to fixing the puncture without removing the wheel. Certainly possible, but awkward. A spare tube already mounted round the axle but somehow zip tied out of the way is an interesting exercise in mental topology! I kind of think there's a way of doing it on the LHS with it hidden behind the panniers.

That`s funny I had a slow look through the Schwalbe site yesterday and like you I fancied the Marathan Plus Tour tyres so I`ve taken the plunge and just ordered 2 so I`ll let you know how they go. They should be fine for what I want around the country lanes where the tractors drag the crud onto the road.

I also have a couple of those split inner tubes that we have been carrying( probably not any good as a permanent repair) but can be fitted without removing the wheel if in a fix.

I did try that slime out but to be honest I would prefer to know when I`ve had a puncture.