New kalkhoff integral..?..oh dear

Fuggs

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 26, 2016
11
6
73
Stamford Lincs
Bought a new kalkhoff integrali I8 and a i7 for my dearly. But....the i8 2weeks on has gone back 5 times.
This time the computer becomes erratic, 0mph, 12mph, all over the hockey, with the motor surging and cutting out. I am not happy as they were purchased in plenty of time for an away holiday (delivery date was a fiasco, had to use a hire bike, different story) and now I am back to a hire bike 4 days away from our away time while I wait for a speed sensor. No guarantee that's the problem. All on a £3500 new bike. £5500 total cost.
Not happy.......,at all. My old Smarts bike never gave any trouble....should have stayed with that...
 
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,761
30,348
This continuing story of Kallkhoff's Impulse motor syetm unreliability means they should have been withdrawn from the market long ago. They are clearly totally unfit for purpose.

The suppliers excuses have gone on more than long enough, it's about time they stopped selling these otherwise very good bikes with these Impulse motor units when far more reliable ones are available.
.
 

Fuggs

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 26, 2016
11
6
73
Stamford Lincs
This continuing story of Kallkhoff's Impulse motor syetm unreliability means they should have been withdrawn from the market long ago. They are clearly totally unfit for purpose.

The suppliers excuses have gone on more than long enough, it's about time they stopped selling these otherwise very good bikes with these Impulse motor units when far more reliable ones are available.
.
Well went back to get my bike and the supplier had decided that because of the trouble I had with it they gave me a new one would you believe, so I got a new Integrale 3 days before we went away.
This is the first day I'm away and the bike hasn't done more than 3 miles and now I'm experiencing a hard clicking noise starting off and it feels as if the motor isn't pulling then all of a sudden when you get up the gears and get some speed going, pedaling hard, the motor seems to cut in and surge away.

However when you then slow down and start off again you get this click every revolution of the pedals until you get going again. It's the same as if you've got a tooth missing off the sprocket or maybe a damaged tooth on the belt but that's all being checked and it's fine and it doesn't do it with the motor switched off so I suspect there's a pawl problem, broken, missing, stuck whatever but its very disillusioning on a second brand new bike.

Maybe I should abandon Kalkhoff all together and look at Scott or something like that.
If anyone's got any suggestions I would appreciate it. I went for the integrali because of all its virtues belt drive, hub gears, long-range etc etc but unfortunately it just doesn't seem to deliver.
I'm really losing confidence in these bikes which is unfortunate.
thanks
 
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,990
8,172
60
West Sx RH
When will buyers/users learn ?
Anything with an Impulse drive unit should be left well alone bad enough when new let alone used.
 

Crockers

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 19, 2014
821
689
70
On a constructive note. Take them back and reject them as unfit for purpose.

Get a bike with either a Bosch, Yamaha or Shimano motor. Browse are, in my opinion getting mixed reviews....but nothing gets such awful reviews as Impulse.
 
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Fuggs

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 26, 2016
11
6
73
Stamford Lincs
On a constructive note. Take them back and reject them as unfit for purpose.

Get a bike with either a Bosch, Yamaha or Shimano motor. Browse are, in my opinion getting mixed reviews....but nothing gets such awful reviews as Impulse.
Having had time to mess around with it as I'm away so can't take it back to the distributors, it appears it might be a hubproblen in that the gears are not locking properly in properly, this of course then affects the motor drive mechanism because it doesn't know what gear it's in.
Nonetheless I'm still very disappointed in two brand new kalkhoff Integrale being faulty what does that say about the rest of them that are made.
Kalkhoff clearly need to sit up and take notice big time as their reputation can plummet so quick.

Ok, back to my options. My wife's i7 is sweet and no noise, a joy to ride, so she definitely won't let that go but I don't know what else will match the Integrale for Nm torque, and in fairness it does pull very very well, and battery range. Anyone suggestions on that please?
I did quite fancy a Scott but it's considerably more money and I don't know if I want to stretch my budget that far, also I don't know how good they are.
I borrowed an old hire bike that was a kalkhoff but had a Bosch motor in it and that was really nice to ride. Heaven knows how many miles is done but it was all hanging together really well.
Thanks
 

Fat Rat

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 7, 2018
1,903
726
UK
Scott have been about for years
As bikes go there in the top bunch
Scott USA was the first company to make aluminium ski poles
That’s were it all started for them in 1958
they then moved to Switzerland in 1978 and are now called Scott sports sa
So they have been around a while so no worries buying one if you fancy one
Don’t get anything brose powered from any company thou as there motors are unreliable and they have no U.K. service centres
I looked into them a lot before I bought my current bike
As for your issues that bike needs to go back for a full refund
 

Trevormonty

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 18, 2016
1,135
564
17
NZ
If you think its hub gears check alignment of selector at hub. If nexus 8, line marks up in 4th gear.

Also consider swapping for Bosch version with the new Active Plus drive.
 

Fuggs

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 26, 2016
11
6
73
Stamford Lincs
If you think its hub gears check alignment of selector at hub. If nexus 8, line marks up in 4th gear.

Also consider swapping for Bosch version with the new Active Plus drive.

Hi guys thanks for all the help really appreciate that. I've messed around with his gears for ages there's definitely something wrong inside the hub so I'm back off holiday tomorrow and going to go back and see the suppliers, reject the bike and think I'm going to go along the lines of the Haibike's Sduro Trekking 7.5 2018.

It has the Bosch CX motor but only 500 watts but I think the torque is similar to the kalkhoff, anybody got any input on this bike please, thanks, really appreciate all your help
 

Mantis55

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jan 5, 2018
21
3
68
Midlothian
Maybe I should abandon Kalkhoff all together and look at Scott or something like that.

thanks
Rutland sent me a Kalkhoff I10 as I had 2 Scotts and neither of them would charge. I had only paid £2198 for the first Scott in the sale so I got the Kalkhoff as a direct replacement. Thankfully the Kalkhoff has been great so far (c350 miles).
 

Artstu

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 2, 2009
2,420
925
Rutland sent me a Kalkhoff I10 as I had 2 Scotts and neither of them would charge. I had only paid £2198 for the first Scott in the sale so I got the Kalkhoff as a direct replacement. Thankfully the Kalkhoff has been great so far (c350 miles).
Sounds like a bizarre way for a retailer to go about things.
 

Fuggs

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 26, 2016
11
6
73
Stamford Lincs
Maybe it's a new way to sell the troublesome Kalkhoff Impulses.

Sell another make with a deliberately set up fault, then exchange it with a Kalkhoff. ;)
.
Well it's all now sorted.
The integrali is gone back, and they supplied me with a new haibike Sduro 7.5 and I must admit it feels a great bike and more to the point doesn't seem to be absolutely anything wrong with it whatsoever.
I know it's a trade off with chain drive but it's worth it just to be free of the nigglesI had with the Kalkhoff and I have to say the Bosch CX motor runs really nice. I might even look at the badass Bosch dongle....
Thanks everyone for all your help and input. Really appreciate it.
 

Fuggs

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 26, 2016
11
6
73
Stamford Lincs
Well here we are with an update on haibike and I'm really enjoying it it's a great machine .
It does have one problem however top gear is not fast enough, anyone any ideas of a front sprocket replacement suitable to up the gearing a bit.
thanks for all your help.
 

English Tim

Finding my (electric) wheels
Sep 22, 2017
20
1
68
Dorset
I have a Kalkhoff which is on its third motor, which is just as noisy as the second and has taken to switching itself off. It sounds like the hub is filled with shingle!

I am looking for a refund, to switch to Bosch, as it clearly isn’t fit for purpose.
 

RevBob

Finding my (electric) wheels
Oct 31, 2012
11
2
I have a shed built Chinese hub motor (Xipi) now five years old 5000 miles has never let me down in all weathers, only problem was one front wheel puncture (no slime tube under the marathon plus) battery is now tiring range is down to 15 miles on full power. Just being replaced by a Chinese (Bafang) hub motored Whoosh MTB. I always wanted a belt drive Kalkhoff, but like my cars (Japanese) Subaru and Toyotas I choose reliability. For the price of a Kalkhoff I have bought two bikes and don't expect any major dramas with my new Whoosh with its tried and tested components. Sometimes paying the most does not mean the best. Kalkhoff should withdraw the product from the market.
 
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