Has any other member got a Kalkhoff Sahel i360 Harmony ?

[Mike63]

I don't know where you are, but ask about the possibility of someone checking out your bike first.

As luck would have it Scott was manning the phones this morning.
No chance of having the bike checked first but if I pack it up
....I still have the box...they will arrange for it to be collected and serviced.
....£50 both ways...I just hope they find something and correct it.
I cannot manage it anymore, went out this morning and had to pack it in after 6 miles, backs of my legs are killing.
....how easy it was 20 years ago.,,, ...maybe I'm just getting too old.

.....fingers crossed.....Mike

 

[flecc]

That's good Mike, hope it all goes well and you end up with improved power. There's no opposing the effects of age on the muscles though, as I know only too well.

If you haven't done so, ask them to boost the power to the maximum while they have it. I seem to remember they have a level called the Sport setting for the Impulse software.
.

 

[mcd]

I'm a Sahel Harmony owner. Once I got the bugs out I've been loving it, except for it being kind of heavy. Right out of the box the configurable setting for wheel size was set wrong, to 2160mm instead of the correct 2030mm, in two places. The size was set wrong both on the display panel settings (which affects the accuracy of the display's speedometer/odometer) and the wheel size setting that's set with an Impulse service unit connected to the engine (which controls when the motor cuts off). So, there's a possibility you really traveled less distance and got cheated out of power because the motor thought you were going faster than you really were. While 50Cycles has the service unit connected, tell them to switch your power mode over to Dynamic too. There are three settings: regular, dynamic, and relax. Maybe yours is on Relax but probably Standard, but once you go Dynamic you don't go back. As they say, nothing is free, and with greater power comes shorter battery life. But really, what happens is that after switching to Dynamic, you find the Eco mode is fine for normal riding, and Sport and Power mode are held in reserve.

The second problem I fixed was the gearing. The Sahel Harmony's Nuvinci is controlled by the Harmony which is a device that can be programed, just like the bike's motor. There's a little rubber flap on the bottom on the device and a USB cable can be connected from there to a any computer which running the Nuvinci Desktop software. This software lets you update the firmware, as well as lets you configure the device. One of the main settings is simply defining the size of the front chain ring and the rear sprocket. Once again I found these settings were set incorrectly on my bike. My brand new Sahel Harmony came with a 38 tooth chain ring and 21 tooth sprocket, and this combination isn't even offered as a choice in the software. With my motor set in Dynamic mode I'e found that replacing the original 21 tooth with an 18 tooth rear sprocket has worked great to bring out the power of the bike. I used to stare at the display panel's power output gauge as I struggled up hills wondering what I needed to do to ever get full power. Now. if I need it, I have it. Maybe somebody else might like a 19 tooth or 20 tooth but 21 tooth is strictly for people who want their motor in relax mode and think 15mph is dangerously fast. Another reason I think they gave it that size rear sprocket is, it rides poorly unpowered because of its weight. I noticed the description of the bike going too fast for your legs and that reminds me of how the bike used to behave with a 21 tooth sprocket. When going down hills the pedals would spin out and I couldn't get any traction to push down.

There have been firmware updates as well that have greatly improved the automatic shifting mode. Last year I was 99% in automatic mode, using Eco mode, and getting 60-70 miles a charge. The latest firnware update was released in December. http://harmony.fallbrooktech.net/

 

[Mike63]

Hi mcd....many thanks for your post....most informative.
...did you yourself decide and fix what was wrong or did 50 Cycles do everything, I'm thinking you did it yourself.
I cannot sort this out myself, I don't have the expertise, and I'm relying on
50 Cycles to sort everything out, or I'm stumped if they can't or
don't do it.
If they have the goodwill how long will it take them to do it ?

Do you mind if I print out your post and send it to 50 Cycles with my bike?

....again many thanks.....Mike

 

[mcd]

Sure, you may send the post to them. I did the work myself because like you I'm far away from 50cycles. Changing the rear sprocket was the most involved because the rear wheel had to be removed but you could have that done by any local bike shop. And, like I wrote, my ideal pressure on the pedals might not be yours. Did I read you right that when you go down hills you can't get any traction on the pedals no matter what gear? If you switched the sprocket to 20 tooth or less, you'd at least be within the range of what Nuvinci thinks is appropriate.

You can check the display's speedometer wheel circumference setting yourself by holding down the "set" button on the thumb controller on the handlebar for a few seconds. One of the choices that will be available is wheel circumference. If this setting is wrong it doesn't affect the motor's performance but it would make me suspect that the important setting inside the motor might be wrong. Configuring the motor with the service unit is easy and shouldn't take more than 5 minutes. The hardest part is fishing out the connection point from down inside the motor cover by the crank.

There's also a calibration that the Harmony does to find the limits of the i360 that it's connected to. While riding the bike or with the bike turned over while cranking the pedals, hold down the button on the Harmony thumb controller that's used to switch between manual and automatic. You'll hear the Harmony move back and forth between its range and then finish in a couple of seconds. Since you said you're in the manual mode all the time I'm not sure this would have any effect but it's worth trying.

 

[SteveRuss]

So far. 50cycles have shown a lot of consideration to me as a customer. I've had a new battery with virtually no humming and harr'ing after it was tested as faulty (two days replacement!).

My chain came off the other day and literally destroyed my rear steel sprocket (as in bent it to buggery). I was given a new rear sprocket and they overnighted a front sprocket (as it was a bit worn) which wasn't very expensive at all. They didn't have the staff to fix it today so I took it to a local bike shop who were excellent in getting me straight back on the road (Mud Dock, Bristol).

They will service the bike for you for two years as well. I doubt you'll have any issues with them.

 

[Mike63]

Many thanks everybody....courier is collecting my bike tomorrow,
...hopefully I'll have it back shortly...much the better.
.....cheers....Mike

 

[oldtom]

Let's hope the bike is transformed Mike and you begin to enjoy the benefits the Sahel Harmony provides.

Tom

 

[Mike63]

Hi all....got my bike back today, while I was without it I took the opportunity to book a cheap holiday, got back yesterday and my bike got back today so it worked out well, didn't miss it too much.

Bike is transformed Tom...goes like s**t off a shovel...been out and done an almost effortless 20 miles, I don't believe it was like this when new.

They've fitted a new chain...don't know why...but don't know what else they've done but I hope it stays like this. maybe .I'm not as old as I thought .
I'll ring 'em up on Wednesday and thank them.

...again, thanks everybody....Mike

 

[flecc]

Good to hear that it's as you want it now Mike. As you know I was confident that 50cycles could do the necessary for you.

I think you'll find it will reliably stay like this now, these bikes are usually very stable long term.
.

 

[RobF]

Good news, Mike.

You paid good money for a premium product, so the experience you are now having should have been the one you had from day one.

Looks like an electronic set-up problem has been sorted.

I agree with flecc, there's no reason now why the bike should not continue to perform correctly.

 

[BertYardbrush]

I'e found that replacing the original 21 tooth with an 18 tooth rear sprocket has worked great to bring out the power of the bike.

I now have this bike. I've done one ride on it in hilly Derbyshire. It spins out at around 19mph. I would like to fit an 18t rear sprocket. Where did you get your sprocket from?
It's pretty good uphill, I've done Beeley Hill in 12min 37 sec which puts me up with the good club cyclists.

 

[mcd]

I got mine off of Amazon but I found this on Ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-DXR-BMX-Race-Sprocket-Cog-14-15-16-18-T-tooth-cog-silver-CS-MX66-/151295543551?var=&hash=item2339eac8ff

The installation isn't hard. You loosen the nut holding the Harmony to the axle and you just wiggle the Harmony back and forth and creep it up and off the Nuvinci hub spline (I think that's the word). There's an indicator on the Harmony that will help you keep track of its orientation so it can be reinstalled later in the same position. Once the Harmony is off and out of the way you remove the old sprocket by pulling off a lock ring that holds it in place. Then just reverse the steps to install the new sprocket. You'll need to shorten the chain a bit too. I've kept my sprocket at 18 tooth even though a smaller one would fit me better because I have to consider how it rides without motor assistance, in case something happens when I'm miles from home. The Nuvinci adds noticeable weight and lower gears are useful when riding without power.

 

[BertYardbrush]

Thanks, mcd, I've ordered the part. Your piece on callibrating the Nuvinci is interesting. I'm emailing NuVinci Europe to see if end users can download the software from Fallbrook and update it themselves or have to pay an approved dealer for the service.
When I put the 18T sprocket on, do I just go through the recallibration procedure, put the bike on a stand, press the silver button and turn the pedal till it's done its stuff or should the software settings be checked?

 

[mcd]

The software and updated firmware are here: http://harmony.fallbrooktech.net/
If you put in your real name and email on that page they may notify you when there's an update, but you can put anything into the fields and press submit and you'll be sent to a page with the download link. You connect your Harmony to a computer using a mini USB to USB cable then use the software to tell the Harmony that your rear sprocket is now 18 tooth or whatever you decided on. You'll have to calibrate if you make a change and that can be done either on a stand, or by turning your bike upside down, or just while riding, as long as the pedals are moving.

 

[BertYardbrush]

I've got the sprocket, thanks, and I've got the software interface. Plan to sort it out tomorrow.
I'm getting used to the bike, had a good run with the club, just 2 of us on ebikes out of 12 today. If you stay in place and don't overtake your unpowered mates on the hills there is no problem on club rides. And you can make yourself useful by carrying a load of tools and spares to help out when they have a mechanical.
Just let them know that you're going to blast it on the last hill home.