Oxygen Scross MTB ongoing review

[Andy Bluenoes]

Took delivery of my new Oxygen S Cross MTB. Ordered from e-bikes direct.

Took me a long time to decide on this one as my next bike, which will be used mostly for commuting up to 40 miles a day, 4 days a week. Hopefully it will live up to my hopes an expectations.

Slap bang in the middle of a house move at the moment, so will update this thread as often as I can.

Heres a few pics to get it started.

Bike came well packed, complete with rack fitted that I asked for as an extra.
Also bought some full size SKS mudguards, but to be honest, they are going to be difficult to fix, so will leave them for now. Hopefully if the heat wave continues, I wont miss them just yet.

One pain is the throttle...I was expecting it to be in a box, but it is already fitted....a nice touch, but i feel its the wrong way round for me...its set to pull towards you to accelerate....im used to pushing mine away. Cant work out how to pull the grips off to swap it over yet.

Not been out on it yet, but rode it round the garden after putting slime in the tyres, checked gears etc, and its nice and light without power...especially compared to my old stealth.

First proper ride should be 15 miles to work tomorrow.

 

[philliptjohnson]

Really nice looking bike Andy.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The throttle's on the wrong side. It's very tight to get it on the right side. Take everything off the handlebar and push it all the way to the bend. Loosen the clamp screw right off. Normally everything just fits, but one time I had to remove about 3mm from the inside of the grip. With the throttle more or less on the bend in the handlebars, it'll go stiff if you tighten the clamp screw too much, so do it just enough to hold it in place.

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Thanks Dave, ill have a go at that later in the week. I dont use the throttle much, just nice to have it available just in case.
How do you get the grip off....pull and twist?

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Well, I managed to get a little ride out this afternoon. Wow, is it hot out there!

Planned on doing just a few miles, ended up doing 21 to see how battery would perform for my commute.
Battery power was down to 36.1v at the end, so I think that is around 50% as it started on 41v.....



Ride quality was just how I remembered it, very pleasant. I used normal power mode and mostly level 6 assist for this run.

Bit of a sore backside now Ive got off...the seat isn't as nice as the one on my old bike, despite putting a cheap suspension post on it. Will be on the lookout for a new one soon I think.

Brakes were superb, could stop on a sixpence, and the back brake actually does something, which is a novelty on all the ebikes I have had!

Got some new ortlieb bags coming tomorrow, managed to get a pair for £62....the wiggle dhb ones I previously recommended have started to fall apart after jsut a few rides, so they are going back....




Heres the strava link....

https://www.strava.com/activities/1044288368

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

First commute this morning, no issues, rode along nice and smoothly.
Knocked a good few minutes off my previous fastest time in, without any noticeable extra effort, and not sticky by the time I did it. 15 miles in 48 minutes.

I think the seat may become a pain in the butt quite literally, but want to stick with it for a while before looking for something suitable as its always a task to find something that suits.
Also the handlebar grips are quite hard and thin, think my wrists will start aching if I don't change them before too long.

Probably put these on my list of things to get...

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ergon-gp1-grips/rp-prod9686

 

[philliptjohnson]

If you do change saddle id be interested in what you go for. I'm trying a Brooks one... Fancied one for years but only just got round to trying one as I was looking for either a suspension seat post or a saddle with springs (got a dodgy back). Heard they take a while to wear in them supposed to be really comfortable after that... Time will tell.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

First commute this morning, no issues, rode along nice and smoothly.
Knocked a good few minutes off my previous fastest time in, without any noticeable extra effort, and not sticky by the time I did it. 15 miles in 48 minutes.

Are you saying that it's quicker than your 1000w Cyclotricity?

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Are you saying that it's quicker than your 1000w Cyclotricity?

Yes.....

Im not worrying about the battery lasting long enough having done 22 miles yesterday locally, so I knew the oxygen would get me to work comfortably using high assist. The stealth was always a bit of wild guesswork so probablly went faster on flatter areas, but the weight of it slowed it down a lot uphill?

Not quite sure what the answer is, but looking down at the display on the oxygen, I was doing my average speed more of the time than on the stealth?

Here is this mornings ride:
https://www.strava.com/activities/1045168876

And this is the last morning that I used the stealth on the same ride:
https://www.strava.com/activities/1021862007

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

If you do change saddle id be interested in what you go for. I'm trying a Brooks one... Fancied one for years but only just got round to trying one as I was looking for either a suspension seat post or a saddle with springs (got a dodgy back). Heard they take a while to wear in them supposed to be really comfortable after that... Time will tell.

Will do...my problem has been in the past is buying something that sounds brilliant and turns out to be a pile of ****
Dont really want to keep doing that, so might just get some padded shorts!

 

[Woosh]

Not quite sure what the answer is, but looking down at the display on the oxygen, I was doing my average speed more of the time than on the stealth?

I agree and also, a geared hub motor accelerates faster than a direct motor at the same current.
Can you lift up the rear wheel and throttle up the bike to see how fast it goes at no load?

 

[JuicyBike]

If you do change saddle id be interested in what you go for. I'm trying a Brooks one... Fancied one for years but only just got round to trying one as I was looking for either a suspension seat post or a saddle with springs (got a dodgy back). Heard they take a while to wear in them supposed to be really comfortable after that... Time will tell.

Tip:
Sprung saddles are better for younger male hips. Older men tend to loose rotation of their hips, almost demanded by wide, sprung saddles. Men that don't suffer this issue tend to be latin, young and excellent salsa dancers.

So if you're not so good gyrating to south american dance grooves (unless drunk - we can all dance drunk) go for the seat post suspension, rather than the sprung saddle...

Just saying...

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

I agree and also, a geared hub motor accelerates faster than a direct motor at the same current.
Can you lift up the rear wheel and throttle up the bike to see how fast it goes at no load?

Yes, Ill do that when I go home.
Also there is a massive overall difference in the weight of the 2 bikes

 

[gray198]

Will do...my problem has been in the past is buying something that sounds brilliant and turns out to be a pile of ****
Dont really want to keep doing that, so might just get some padded shorts!

I can recommend the Suntour NCX12 seatpost

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

I can recommend the Suntour NCX12 seatpost

I do keep looking at that but it seems a lot of money....if the seat isn't the best will it fix it...

Sent from my BUSH SPIRA D3 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Can you lift up the rear wheel and throttle up the bike to see how fast it goes at no load?

I've already told you several times. It's round about 28 mph with a fully-charged battery.

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

A bit of perseverance and I got the SKS chromoplastic rear guard on.... does the job well I think.

Had to raise the rack a bit which has now blocked my rear light on the seat post....

Ordered some 33mm p clips for the front forks so hopefully be able to fit the matching front guard tomorrow.

Sent from my BUSH SPIRA D3 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Woosh]

I've already told you several times. It's round about 28 mph with a fully-charged battery.

they could have changed something on the bike - Clare did not get anywhere near.

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

they could have changed something on the bike - Clare did not get anywhere near.

And sorry... I forgot....
I can maintain about 25 comfortably with the motor still assisting, anything above that gets to much like hard work for me

Maybe when its a bit cooler I might try it

 

[Mal69]

That's a familiar looking bike!

I did 37 miles today, lots of hills, had mine at power and PAS 6 the entire ride, came home with one bar left so just made it back.

Frankly it was a mistake, I just had some blood taken, I didn't drink much water, I still don't have a bag for the pannier so basically did the whole ride with no water and the last five miles was killing me, my butt hurts with this seat even though it's got gel padding, I assume your seat is the same.

This bike is classy looking, it's got the wow factor and its performing good, your one is the MTB version but I would imagine performs likewise.