I bought a Pinnacle from Evans earlier in the year and have done around 500 miles so far. Apart from a clicking noise that occurs twice on each crank revolution when the pedals are under load, it’s a bike that does everything I want and I’ll hopefully be keeping it for a while.

 

So, my question is whether anybody has been foolish enough to use Evans for bike servicing ? Also, on their website they state that there’s a £50 charge for a technician to evaluate and recommend the level of service (bronze/silver/gold) the bike will need. Is that £50 in addition to the fees for the level of service ?

 

As usual, Evans Customer Services are MIA.

Learn to do your on maintenance, I have never yet had a bike in an LBS for any type of repair or service. But I'm old school and we use to strip and repair everything just because we can.

I bought a Pinnacle from Evans earlier in the year and have done around 500 miles so far. Apart from a clicking noise that occurs twice on each crank revolution when the pedals are under load, it’s a bike that does everything I want and I’ll hopefully be keeping it for a while.

 

Sounds like a pedal bearing, I usually swap Pedals from another bike to check and most of the time that’s where the noise is coming from. i’m like Nealh, do most of my own servicing, except when I buckled a wheel.

 

Mike

From experience, I’d give Evans a wide berth.

From experience, I’d give Evans a wide berth.

Now Ashley has the control think akin to Halfords, but as mentioned might be best to give a wide berth. To charge £50 just to decide how much more you need to pay for a bike service is another easy money con, quite shoddy in my eyes.

To charge £50 just to decide how much more you need to pay for a bike service

True - any LBS worth half their salt will scratch their chin a few times tell you what needs doing give you a ball park figure and if you walk in looking wealthy they can attempt an upsell. TBF I have never used Halfords and only recently got an Evans locally and my LBS uses easy rust parts, so I like Mike above, will fix all that I can and leave wheel truing to the LBS.

Sounds like a pedal bearing, I usually swap Pedals from another bike to check and most of the time that’s where the noise is coming from. i’m like Nealh, do most of my own servicing, except when I buckled a wheel.

 

Mike

I hoped it was going to be an easy fix so put new pedals on but unfortunately there was no improvement. I haven’t ridden a bike since I was 17 and am now 62 so things have moved on since I managed to cajole my old Puch pushbike into life - having a motor being one of them I guess. If only I could go back to 17 with a modern e-bike I’d probably be a proper fat bugger by now. Oh, hang on.

https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/pinnacle/mercury-2021-electric-hybrid-bike-917706

 

if it is that then id look at changing the bottom bracket bearings if it is not coming from the pedals or could be now a bit loose and clicking.

 

the bearings they use on these bikes is not to good in the first place but imo you could get a lbs to replace it for 20-30 quid.

 

if you want evens to just change that part it will be £1 per min for the labour and will need a 60 min slot plus any parts.

A few years one of my bikes developed similar symptons.I swapped out pedals and bottom bracket,no joy.Turned out to be a seized link in the chain. Get yourself a new chain,cheap at £10 and easy to fit

A few years one of my bikes developed similar symptons.I swapped out pedals and bottom bracket,no joy.Turned out to be a seized link in the chain. Get yourself a new chain,cheap at £10 and easy to fit

That sounds like a plan. I’m hoping it’s not the bottom bearings as I’ve got a horrible feeling it’s stamped Bafang so probably contains something important for the pedal assist.

That sounds like a plan. I’m hoping it’s not the bottom bearings as I’ve got a horrible feeling it’s stamped Bafang so probably contains something important for the pedal assist.

Is it a TS BB with a hub motor ?

Is it a TS BB with a hub motor ?

It is a Bafang hub motor and I’m pretty sure the bracket is marked Bafang as well but like a dummy, I forgot to take a picture when I went out earlier.

 

What I have discovered is that there’s play on whatever connects the two pedals. If I pull on the non-drive pedal arm it moves and pulls the drive side with it. I can’t budge the nuts that hold the arms onto the spindle so I guess they’re at the correct torque of 30nm which is what’s stamped on each side.

 

Is this fixable ?

assuming it's a Square taper bb,check the bottom bracket is done up tight, you'll need a bottom bracket tool if it's this type https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Shimano-Bottom-Bracket-Tool-with-Pin-Bicycle-Cyle-/192698741577?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

According to the website specification it is a 68mm BSA threaded BB shell.

Take Nealh advice, get one of these and then lookup each job on YouTube. You'll save money and feel good about fixing and maintaining your bikes.

https://www.aldi.co.uk/bike-toolset/p/807419510731800?gclid=CjwKCAjw7--KBhAMEiwAxfpkWAXjUgSqOzftBTlErShZTIIOnwDDVFZVqMtikiYQk6p9fWS7E3e-EBoC8AwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Yep a basic tool kit like that will cover most bike stuff and you will be quids in, esp if you don't mind tinkering.

Going back to your op, as with these operations they like to make money out of something sometimes for no reason.

 

A work mate took his boys bike in to Halfrauds and they estimated £200 + parts for this that and the other, tbh none of the parts were needed and just needed a competent person to service it. I did so and charged him £25 for an hour of my time.

 

Like you bike the BB mover laterally it didn't need a new one as told, I simply added some new grease to the bearings that rotated ok & tightened the BB up to remove the play.

Brakes needed a bit of adjustment but nothing major, brake blocks aligning and cable slack removed/tightening. Whilst at it I gave the axle cones a look at and some new grease and nipped them up.

 

He has grown out of the bike now but got another good two years use out of it and was pleased as punch because the brake adjustment meant he could show off with skidding.

 

The chain was rusty and again as it was only for a young boy so only needed some oiling.

 

All in my eyes basic stuff and stuff I used to do as a kid.

Edited October 5, 20214 yr by Nealh

Or given that you bought it this year I'd take proof of purchase to Evans and tell them to sort it out under the warranty. Once the warranty has run out then you should sort out most basic stuff yourself leaving the LBS to true wheels and mess with the Hydraulic brakes and Evans to sort out motor problems/electrics.

 

Incidentally. I bought my Cube from Evans and recently took it back to them to sort out a possible motor noise that turned out to be a knackered freehub. They cleared some error codes on the motor and updated the firmware for free. Like Halfords they have a mix of competent and incompetent mechanics, as well as reasonable vrs price gouging managers. Only you know which your local Evans is.

 

Darren

Thanks all. Good spot re the Aldi tool set - I’ll probably order that even if I have no idea what half of it does.

 

Having scoured YouTube this afternoon, I can’t find anything that addresses my particular symptoms of the axle/spindle moving from side to side. In fact it seems that it’s only me that’s seen it so I’m sort of resigned to having to haul it down to Evans.

 

Does anyone know how these Bafang hub motors detect pedal rotation ? Are the magnets part of the BB or somewhere else ?

Usually if a cadence sensing PAS , it willon the BB will be a one piece integrated on the LHS or two piece pas set up with magnet disc and sensor. If a TS BB then none as all is incorporated within.

Usually if a cadence sensing PAS , it willon the BB will be a one piece integrated on the LHS or two piece pas set up with magnet disc and sensor. If a TS BB then none as all is incorporated within.

Thanks again. It’s cadence sensing PAS so I’m going to have to live in hope that Evans accepts the BB is at fault and can then order the part before they lose the rest of my bike.

If it helps, this is a picture of the non drive side. The play is around 1mm but has been quiet today after a light spray with Muc Off Shine in the general area. I’m guessing that Bafang manufacturing tolerances are pretty tight so something else has messed it up. Would a shim work between the cup and frame if Evans want months to sort it out ?

 

I visited Evans’ shop and tried a few of the display models, none of which had any play in them. A young employee was prepping a bike there and said there shouldn’t be any play present so I’ll take the bike back this week.

Took the bike back and they were able to tighten the BB and eliminate the play. I haven’t been able to go for a ride since but fingers crossed, it should be resolved. The staff at Sheffield couldn’t have been more helpful.

Took the bike back and they were able to tighten the BB and eliminate the play. I haven’t been able to go for a ride since but fingers crossed, it should be resolved. The staff at Sheffield couldn’t have been more helpful.

 

Lets hope you have a good result when you get to ride the bike again.

 

A little while after I got my Bafang conversion (ready made by someone else) I had a few clicks and creaks to sort out after a running in period of about 200 miles. I had to tighten the crank bolts and the pedals and also the large nut which holds the crank drive motor into the bottom bracket tube and fixes it to the bike frame. The issues mostly were only apparent on hard climbing of steep hills with me standing up and giving the pedals a hard time. After various tightenings which became necessary at various mileages, these issues seem to have ceased - at least for the time being as I passed 800 miles this week and no further issues so far. I should think you will find the same as the bike settles down.

I took the bike for a spin this weekend but the ride was cut short as my mate got a pinch flat on his rear tyre and we had to limp back using all the CO2 canisters we had on us at the time.

 

Anyway, the clicking has stopped and the float on the pedals is a thing of the past. Only thing of note was that there were 2 occasions early on where the crank just seem to spin freely and then engage. I’m guessing it was down to bad shifting.

 

The other issue was that it seemed a bit down on power on a couple of occasions particularly at lower PAS levels, which has never been an issue before. Having said that it was a new route and I wasn’t used to the ups and downs. Hopefully, it‘s nothing other than familiarisation.