I'm looking to buy an Oxygen S-Cross CB

[Mike63]

I'm seriously considering a second e bike, I've been for a second look at the Oxygen S-Cross CB.
I'm buying it from John Camm at the South Yorkshire electric bike centre which is only 18 miles from my home.

I've been reading a review in the forum on the KTM E Cross P, now I'm not suggesting that the Oxygen is as good as the KTM, but for me it is everything I want at half the price of the KTM.
The Oxygen is fitted with mudguards, a rear rack, a discreet 13ah battery, and a local dealer to boot.
Much better looking than anything else I've seen, including 50 Cycles latest offerings.

I'd appreciate it, if anyone thinks that I'm making a mistake and would be better off sticking with my Tasman, they would tell me now )

...may thanks....Mike

 

[Fordulike]

Do it, that bike is freakin awesome

 

[Cusmonkey]

I test rode one and while I didn't end up buying, it was a great bike . If I was only commuting and not now going off-road I probably would have purchased!

 

[RobF]

The Oxygen has a seven speed freewheel cassette on the back which is inferior to a freehub.

It also has cable discs which are inferior to hydraulics, and some cable discs are worse than useless.

The motor wheel is 'Oxygen double walled' - unbranded Chinese - might be OK, but might suffer from spoke breakages.

The controller gives a 3X6 power levels, seemed over-complicated to me when I tried it, but might be OK after familiarisation.

On the plus side, Oxygen service is known to be good.

I suppose the price is reasonable for what it is, but I would rather bite the financial bullet and pay more for a Bosch bike from a known bicycle brand.

 

[anotherkiwi]

The Oxygen has a seven speed freewheel cassette on the back which is inferior to a freehub.

Confused RobF: it has a freewheel hub or a cassette hub?

Freewheel screw on gears can be hard to remove is that what you mean?

On any e-bike the first thing I would do now is upgrade the front brake to hydraulics. If it is a road commuter/trekking bike you only need a front hydraulic brake. You may need both front and rear if you go off road but I don't so wouldn't know if you can get by with just the front.

 

[RobF]

Confused RobF: it has a freewheel hub or a cassette hub?

Freewheel screw on gears can be hard to remove is that what you mean?

On any e-bike the first thing I would do now is upgrade the front brake to hydraulics. If it is a road commuter/trekking bike you only need a front hydraulic brake. You may need both front and rear if you go off road but I don't so wouldn't know if you can get by with just the front.

More info in this link.

The wider spaced bearings in the Shimano/their patent freehubs are worth having, because freewheels suffer from bent axles.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/k7.html

 

[STEVEMANFA]

I put a oxydrive kit on my hardtail it done well over 700 mile and most of it in the Forest of Dean it's never let me down and I have never had a spoke break, I think the kit is the same.
Go for it I'd say

 

[Fordulike]

I agree. Unless you're riding hardcore style offroad, then I can't see you having any problems with that bike.

 

[Mike63]

Cheers Rob...now I'm more confused than ever ) I thought that I had bitten the bullet when I went with Kalkhoff ....TWICE. and look where that got me.
I've been off the road for over 3 weeks now...not good enough 50 Cycles.

I never had any trouble with spokes until I bought my first Kalkhoff, you may recall that Halfords couldn't fix it and 50 Cycles wouldn't....
....even after I took the wheel to Loughborough.

In future I have got to buy local...that's a must.
They all talk the talk but backing it up with after sales service is another thing.

I've had a few bikes with cable brakes and don't recall having much bother,
I don't generally ride off road although some of the roads are not much better and if I do have bother SYEBC are reachable , 50 Cycles have a messaging service who cannot take a message.
I ride very sedately...I don't even stand on the pedals.

Just a thought , the demo bike was an S-Cross MTB with hydraulic brakes,
the one I'm looking to buy is an S-Cross CB without hydraulics...mmmm.
......Mike

 

[trex]

Mike, you can get any bike shop to upgrade the brakes on the Oxygen to hydraulic. It'll take them about an hour.

 

[DBye]

I own an S-Cross CB and have been commuting 16 miles each day on it for the last month.

It is a great bike, and very similar in feel to the S-Cross MTB. I am a great lump and have had no problems stopping with mechanical disks in dry and wet weather.

I have had two problems so far:
The joint between the seat post and saddle fails to stay level (see above- re: lump). I upgraded this to a suntour suspension post and have had no problems since.

I have had two broken spokes so far. I'm unsure if this is because of lump/pothole issues, because the tension in the wheel is uneven, or whether by me setting the bike to "sports mode" creates too much force on the spokes.

If I can sort the spoke issue, I will be very happy with the bike.

 

[Mike63]

thanks for that DB.... most encouraging.
...shame about the spoke issue but everybody speaks highly of the service they get from John at SYEBC.
You mention "sports mode" how many modes are there ? and where does
sports mode fit in ?
...cheers....Mike

 

[DBye]

The service is great, they offered to fix the wheel for me if I dropped in it, but I'm at work when they're open.
"Sports mode" is the one that isn't in Oxygen's manual at gets me to 20mph...

From the factory there are 6 assistance settings, and you can also select 3 power modes (Eco, Normal, and Power). I set mine to power and then adjust the assistance as required.

 

[gray198]

sorry to hijack thread a bit. Been looking at this and is a nice looking bike and seems good value, but I just wonder if there is much advantage to having 21 gears on an Ebike

 

[Mike63]

but I just wonder if there is much advantage to having 21 gears on an Ebike

I know what you're saying...just makes things more complicated )
....I'd be happy with 7.

 

[Yamdude]

but I just wonder if there is much advantage to having 21 gears on an Ebike

I know what you're saying...just makes things more complicated )
....I'd be happy with 7.

I guess for steep hills you may use the middle chainring..... But you dont have to use the front derailleur, I removed mine altogether. In fact i only use the top 4 gears, but it is fairly flat where i live.

 

[anotherkiwi]

I think 14 is perfect. Steep bits and flat bits taken care of. 2 chainrings and 7 speed cassette or Rolhoff with single chainring

 

[stevenatleven]

I have an Oxygen e mate city which has done 3000 miles and find the mech brakes fine. I did have reservations before purchase but these soon faded away. If you live in a hilly area I think you would need more than 7 speed, but I might ditch the smallest ring on the CB and turn it into a 14 speed. I have only 7 gears on my e mate but I have had to reduce the size of the chainring to cope with the hills. My other bike has a double chainset 42/32 and I find it perfect for my area. Living so close to Oxygen is a real boon and will work out so convenient if you have problems.Go for it.

 

[Mike63]

Hi....the more I think about it the more worried I get regarding the broken spoke issue, I'd really like this bike but I'm not sure I could live with this problem and I'm not sure it's covered under the warranty.
.....I've spoken to John at SYEBC about it and his response was
"It's the roads" which I thought was a rather strange reply.

 

[STEVEMANFA]

It's no big problem if you break a spoke now and then and have to fit a new one