Thinking about an eBike purchase

[Pure Savage]

I get judged by people like you regularly

I am in my forties and did the ironman and joberg2c shortly before my heart packed up and had to have 2 surgeries and a defibrillator put in ..... the point being that I look perfectly fit and healthy (if I may say so myself   ).

 

Generally I just try ignore these type of comments and attitude .... but it does get to me!!

Just turn the assist up a little more and leave the haters in the dust.

[Rigardt@Scott]

Worth checking if the brakes glazed ....

 

 

Giant dealer had multiple attempts at sorting out the brakes on my bike .... lever FIRM, but it just would not slow down like a 4 pod system should ....

 

 

Took it to Marks Workshop. New pad, scoured the disc, then rode the bike and made sure to bed in the brakes properly .... bike stops properly again

Nope, just terrible brakes haha Edited May 6, 2021 by Grease_Monkey

[Rigardt@Scott]

You can go with zero assist and sweat as much as you like.... ?

 

We have a chap who rides with us, he's got motor off for the first 90min or so and then as he starts to fade he dials in some help. Some days more than others, but he's always with the group.

 

There used to be another guy we rode with, he used to ride to the start point with assistance. Ride with us with motor off and then ride back home at max assist.

Haha, I would not have kept up. I struggle to keep up with that group on my normal bike, they are that level of fit where a comfortable pace for them is a hard one for me. Great for my fitness. Anyway, not complaining, it was nice no to break myself on Helderberg for once.

 

All I am trying to say - ebikes even at low levels of assistance are way faster than normal bikes. Especially on steep stuff.

 

Guys that can ride ebikes off are machine though. This one I had is an early gen alu levo - near 30kg and there is a fair bit of resistance from the motor when it is off.

 

Anyway, I am returning it tomorrow. My bike will be working again...

Edited May 5, 2021 by Grease_Monkey

[WrightJnr]

Haha, I would not have kept up. I struggle to keep up with that group on my normal bike, they are that level of fit where a comfortable pace for them is a hard one for me. Great for my fitness. Anyway, not complaining, it was nice no to break myself on Helderberg for once.

 

All I am trying to say - ebikes even at low levels of assistance are way faster than normal bikes. Especially on steep stuff.

 

Guys that can ride ebikes off are machine though. This one I had is an early gen alu levo - near 30kg and there is a fair bit of resistance from the motor when it is off.

 

Anyway, I am returning it tomorrow. My bike will be working again...

I hear you. And agree that when mixing bike and eBike there is a more complicated dynamic that needs to be taken care of. I’m not experienced at this situation on MTB’s as only been on Road bikes in my examples above so might be easier to manage and the new eBikes on the road roll quite nicely with motor off (the ones I have been with).

 

Enjoy your bike ones it returns!

[Mike Mac]

The new Gen 3 has micro tune which is great in situations when riding with analog bikes. One can easily adjust the level of support (within the mode) on the fly and hence match effort quite easily.

[ChrisF]

......

 

All I am trying to say - ebikes even at low levels of assistance are way faster than normal bikes. Especially on steep stuff.

 

...

Have a go a tight twisty trails on the ebike before handing it back ....

 

 

You know how much power you put down out of a slow turn, and your speed at the next obstacle some two or three pedal strokes away ....

 

Now try this same on an ebike ... WOW !! The acceleration is immediate and it is easy to arive at the obstacle too fast ....

Edited May 5, 2021 by ChrisF

[King_Crispy]

Help me understand? I ride for fitness and social. I'm not planning on getting rid of my existing bike, I just figure I should have the option of joining eBike rides and be able to keep up.

Don't be a P03SSY.

Just get stronger and fitter and ride your bike with him.

What is he going to do when there is load-shedding?

[Rigardt@Scott]

Does it say 'guide' on the caliper ?

 

Might be level calipers bled onto guide levers

Definitely guide calipers and levers.

[Chadvdw67]

Does it say 'guide' on the caliper ?

 

Might be level calipers bled onto guide levers

If it is Guide R or RE levers I can understand the shocking brake performance, they are crappy, my previous bike had Guide R on it, they were terrible, swapped to RS levers and it made a substantial improvement to the braking performance, as far as I remember Guide calipers are all the same, all the "magic" happens in the levers

[Zebra]

just putting it out there: Chilled Squirrel (Cape Town, but they collect and delv=iver Nationally) is having a bit of a special on RETRO-FITTING non E-bikes to an e-Bike - I did mine 5+ years back with very good results indeed.

 

I hold no 'brief' for them, but received a newsletter from them this morning, with THIS special; use it/dont use it!

MAY 2021 SPECIAL BDAY PROMOTION Take advantage of our 8th Birthday Celebration Promotion this month ! We are happy to offer you:

• Nationwide Free Delivery to/from your Home / Office / Farm ( we will pick your bike up and deliver it back to you Free of charge )
• Conversion Includes Front USB rechargeable LED Lights on your bike ( see here )
• Conversion Includes Rear USB rechargeable LED Lights ( see here )
• Conversion includes an adjustable Kickstand ( see here )

[ChrisF]

 

just putting it out there: Chilled Squirrel (Cape Town, but they collect and delv=iver Nationally) is having a bit of a special on RETRO-FITTING non E-bikes to an e-Bike - I did mine 5+ years back with very good results indeed.

 

I hold no 'brief' for them, but received a newsletter from them this morning, with THIS special; use it/dont use it!

MAY 2021 SPECIAL BDAY PROMOTION Take advantage of our 8th Birthday Celebration Promotion this month ! We are happy to offer you:

• Nationwide Free Delivery to/from your Home / Office / Farm ( we will pick your bike up and deliver it back to you Free of charge )
• Conversion Includes Front USB rechargeable LED Lights on your bike ( see here )
• Conversion Includes Rear USB rechargeable LED Lights ( see here )
• Conversion includes an adjustable Kickstand ( see here )

 

 

VERY nice people at Chilled Squirrel.

 

I almost went this route ....

 

 

Worth noting they have MANY different options !!  Both in terms of technical options, as well as the options for a D.I.Y. or complete build .....

[Rigardt@Scott]

Yeah i also thought they were all the same and diff comes in from the levers

 

 

Obviously not since grease monkey is sure his are two pot

 

 

2 pot calipers and those d0gsh#t bottom of the range guide levers makes the terrible brake performance kinda expected

 

 

Bit of confusion. I though it was 2 piston due to terrible braking performance and small caliper size (besides for G2 and Code I am not too clued up on Sram brakes). When I actually checked on the bike (it's not mine), I saw it is actually 4 piston - the caliper is just quite small compared to other 4 piston calipers I am used to.

 

But yes, they are "R". 

 

It's my old man's bike. He uses it twice a year, and when he does it is on Jonkershoek circle route at a leisurely pace. So no point in even trying to improve performance as for what he does there will be no difference between v-brakes and Codes....

Edited May 6, 2021 by Grease_Monkey

[aquaratza]

One thing though - manufacturers really need to spec good brakes. On this Levo there are Guides with 200mm rotors front and rear. Felt like a bloody death trap, I pulled the brakes and absolutely nothing happens. These things need 4 pot brakes as standard - good to see the new ones are coming out with it. And to be fair, I think even good old 2 pot Deores would stop better than those Guides. It was quite interesting descending Helderberg in the dark, on a heavy ebike with crappy brakes that were the wrong way around for me, with a short travel dropper post - not something I am going to do again.

My 2017 Levo came with Guide Brakes. They were okay, but I found them to be inferior to my Stumpjumper's 2-pot Formula Cura brakes, so I treated myself and upgraded the SRAMs to Formula Cura 4 Black units, which are four pot. The guy that installed them didn't bleed them properly and for 4 months I thought I had wasted my money. Then I bought a bleed kit and bled them myself and they've been AMAZING ever since.

 

I am the guy that asks for tow. Have yet to find an ebiker who obliges.

That is my chirp. Furthermore I cant be bothered. But it irks me when people tell me I should get an ebike!

I have allowed normal bikes to draft me up parts of Vissershok Road before (a steepish climb if you aren't from the WC). I'm a kind ebiker plus I have respect and patience for anyone willing to try and improve themselves.

 

Don't be a P03SSY.

Just get stronger and fitter and ride your bike with him.

What is he going to do when there is load-shedding?

My friend ran out of battery recently about 15km from home, 70km into a ride. That was fun.

The local troop of Veloworld kids were able to keep up with him during some loops on Lombard's Terra, but only after a few laps when he started getting tired.

Edited May 6, 2021 by aquaratza

[Rigardt@Scott]

My 2017 Levo came with Guide Brakes. They were okay, but I found them to be inferior to my Stumpjumper's 2-pot Formula Cura brakes, so I treated myself and upgraded the SRAMs to Formula Cura 4 Black units, which are four pot. The guy that installed them didn't bleed them properly and for 4 months I thought I had wasted my money. Then I bought a bleed kit and bled them myself and they've been AMAZING ever since.

 

 

I rode 2 piston Curas for around 3 years, then bought myself the 4 piston version just over a year ago. I have long been a Cura fanboy, I don't think there is anything better out there rand for rand. 

 

Maybe I have just been spoiled for too long and my expectations of the Guides are a bit high. 

[Chadvdw67]

I rode 2 piston Curas for around 3 years, then bought myself the 4 piston version just over a year ago. I have long been a Cura fanboy, I don't think there is anything better out there rand for rand.

 

Maybe I have just been spoiled for too long and my expectations of the Guides are a bit high.

I wish I had just taken the plunge and got Cura 4 when I got my Shimano SLX 4pot brakes, I have really liked the Shimano brakes, but everything I read about the Cura 4 makes me wish I had just got them

[jackievs]

I thought I might do a follow-up in case some of my cultural learnings help anyone.

 

I've come to own a 2017 Specialized Alloy Turbo Levo. Originally I was thinking of getting something new and carbon, but after much research it seemed like carbon wasn't worth the cost (at least for me)... and something second hand had the benefit of being both cheaper and hackable. It's on my todo list to snoop on the battery comms.

 

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The bike's in great condition. I took it for a ride, it was perfect except for a creaking noise which sounded like dodgy pivot bearings. I took it to the local Specialized agent, "Pro" service, still creaked. I took the motor covers off and found a motor-mount nut had come off and slid between the motor and the frame. I put it back in place with Loctite, creaking gone. Lesson #1 you should be prepared to do your own servicing

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I asked in the thread if eBikes emit rider power data (as in rider power data, like a normal power meter). In the case of a 2017 Turbo Levo, the answer is yes, they do emit rider power data.

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Despite it's weight (23.5kg), the bike is very rideable when turned off.

Despite it's age the motor is quieter than a 2019 Giant Trance E... it also seems to be more powerful.

 

My bike didn't come with a handlebar remote, but Neil from EBikeAdventures sold me a wireless Garmin unit... it seems to work reasonably well. It is possible to retrofit the 2018 wired Levo remote to a 2017 frame, but blergh, more cables?

 

The bike integrates really well with a Garmin Edge 530. Loads of data fields are exposed, like battery as a percentage, cadence, power meter data, assistance mode, etc. I haven't checked everything. This doesn't require any third-party apps on the Edge 530.

 

The bike competes favourably against my friend's 2020 Carbon Turbo Levo S-Works with a 700Wh battery. It appears that the technology really hasn't advanced that much. Maybe the response latency is better, but they both climb the hill.

 

For longer rides I got an extension battery installed today by Neil from EBikeAdventures. He did a really good job of installing it. I still have the original wiring harness/Rosenberger plug. Neil made a small hole in the top motor cover. The covers can be fairly easily replaced, so I'm not fussed. This brings the bike's power supply up to ~750Wh.

 

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Finally, and this is another awesome/scary thing Neil showed me: the battery control interface isn't waterproof on these bikes! Which is crazy. Turns out my battery has had some water leak into it already, so I'm going to seal this up asap. The control membrane is easily removed using bare fingers.

20200911_174555.jpg

 

Replacement bearings are available for the motors from Performance Line Bearings, but Neil also stocks them. The motors do seem to experience water ingress fairly easily, despite the fancy gasket. 

Enjoy your e-bike...heheeee