BH Emotion serious problems

[johnc461165]

I have not read all off the posts but where on the spoke does the breakage occur, is it the thread, spoke elbow, spoke head ????

 

[maloflora]

It's where the spoke attaches to the motor - looks like whatever attaches it to the motor breaks off.

Have been riding a couple of weeks with the heavier spokes and had another one break today.

I'm beginning to give up on this bike completely. However, before I splash out on a different one I'm worried the same things will recur. So a few questions:

• I weigh around 80 kilos, with a couple of kilos attached for a laptop. I presume that's within normal tolerances!
• I cycle around London a lot and there are some potholes and speed bumps. I presume a good ebike should be able to cope with that?
• Is part of the problem the extra weight in the rear wheel and would it be worth looking at crank bike like an Agattu rather than a hub like a Kudos?
• Should I look at smaller wheels?
• Any bikes built like a tank that people recommend?

Grateful for any help - getting a bit desperate here!

 

[trex]

you have to replace the broken spoke, while doing this, check that none of the other spokes is getting loose. You will probably need to increase the spoke tension because the current level is not enough to stop spokes from breaking.
Speed bumps cause the spoke to compress, breaking them at their neck, so slowing down before a speed bump helps.
Front hub motors and crank motors do not over-stress spokes, broken spokes affect almost only bikes with rear hub motors.

 

[RobF]

It's where the spoke attaches to the motor - looks like whatever attaches it to the motor breaks off.

Have been riding a couple of weeks with the heavier spokes and had another one break today.

I'm beginning to give up on this bike completely. However, before I splash out on a different one I'm worried the same things will recur. So a few questions:

• I weigh around 80 kilos, with a couple of kilos attached for a laptop. I presume that's within normal tolerances!
• I cycle around London a lot and there are some potholes and speed bumps. I presume a good ebike should be able to cope with that?
• Is part of the problem the extra weight in the rear wheel and would it be worth looking at crank bike like an Agattu rather than a hub like a Kudos?
• Should I look at smaller wheels?
• Any bikes built like a tank that people recommend?

Grateful for any help - getting a bit desperate here!

Eighty kilos plus a laptop is nothing and should be carried easily by an ebike with a bit of quality.

As trex says, there's no doubt the vast majority of spoke breaks are on rear hub motors.

All the weight plus all the power is just too much for the rubbish wheels which even some ebikes which cost a few quid have.

A front hub is one solution, although they tend to come with the weaker motors.

A stronger motor can go into a front fork, but it's a judgment call over the strength of the drop outs.

Wheelspin is not really a problem, but I have had my Brommie's powered front wheel skip a couple of times on climbs.

Best answer is a quality crank drive.

You won't go far wrong buying something with Bosch written on it because that motor is always fitted to a reasonable/good quality bicycle.

 

[maloflora]

Thanks Rob. This was very helpful.

Tried a few out today - Kudos Eiger was interesting, though a bit slow off the start. KTM Macina Cross v nice.

 

[Paul Newport]

The experiences in this thread sound terribly familiar. I've had multiple rebuilds, a replacement wheel, and absolutely no end of broken spokes, with them going at least ten times, usually three or four spokes going at once. I must say my local dealer has been excellent and very understanding, but now I've just had enough of my Neo Cross. The wheel felt a bit wobbly on the way home and I've just checked it and another four spokes have gone. Utterly hacked off. I think a combination of an over powerful hub motor and poor quality wheels lie at the bottom of this. I've had 5000 miles out of my Neo Cross so it's paid for itself but it's time to move on rather than having to pop in to my dealer ever month or two.

I never want to ride a hub based bike again - are there any decent and reliable crank based bikes out there that can easily do a very hilly 30 mile trip ?

 

[Paul Newport]

I have not read all off the posts but where on the spoke does the breakage occur, is it the thread, spoke elbow, spoke head ????

At the spoke head, next to the hub, every time for me.

 

[martin@onbike]

A complete wheel respoke would be a lot cheaper than forking out for a new bike...though I understand your frustration.
Maybe that would be best before splashing out?
The Neo range is one of the most powerful road legal bikes, and would be hard to replace for a like for like experience with style...

 

[Paul Newport]

A complete wheel respoke would be a lot cheaper than forking out for a new bike...though I understand your frustration.
Maybe that would be best before splashing out?
The Neo range is one of the most powerful road legal bikes, and would be hard to replace for a like for like experience with style...

I've had that done twice and a new wheel once. The problems are never ending. A the end of the day I need a reliable bike that gets me home from work in time to pick up my children; anything that doesn't do this is useless. I've got to the point where I think, how many times does this have to happen before I ditch it ? Having to charge at work in order to get back home again is also a pain, so it's not just the spokes that are making me think I want something else.

 

[martin@onbike]

I like the Neos, but it sounds like you're having a really bad time with this bike, and I'd consider a full refund or exchange by now.
If this bike is consistently failing you there is something very wrong that needs addressing, as long as it's not down to customer expectation versus actual ability of the bike...i'm assuming that you're not chucking it down mountainsides as the cross is more road orientated really.
Have a chat with your Dealer, as i'm sure they will be able to come up with a happy compromise for you.

 

[Paul Newport]

I'm just doing a normal road commute, twenty miles a day, five days a week, nothing more than that. No off roading. Will pop in to the dealer on Tuesday. As I am now car-less getting the bike in will be a challenge.

 

[trex]

for the kind of mileage you do, crank drives are much better for the job. Faster, easier puncture repairs and no broken spokes ever.

 

[RobF]

Another vote for a crank drive for Paul.

I have a Bosch and like it.

Bear in mind the Bosch is de-tuned for hub gear installations, so you will get more grunt from a derailleur Bosch bike.

If I recall correctly, max assist with a hub gear is 200%, but it's 250% for a derailleur.

The difference is noticeable.

 

[Croxden]

I used to manage to get broken spokes on my non powered bike, with some people it's a gift.

 

[Paul Newport]

I'm massively gifted then! But only on this bike.

 

[RobF]

Rider weight plays a big part.

I won't say a lot more other than it was one of the reasons I bought a quality crank drive bike.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The same motor is used on lots of other bikes which don't get broken spokes. If it were my bike, I'd take it somewhere else to get the wheel properly rebuilt with proper quality spokes. The shop that's fixing it must be doing something wrong. Did they really rebuild it completely? Did you see them do it? Who's spokes did they use? Did they get a job-lot from BH Emotion? What about trying a different spoke pattern? Which pattern do you have now? Which motor do you have: BPM2, CST or Dapu?

 

[Paul Newport]

14 stone 3 here plus large pannier full of work clothes and bike charger.

 

[RobF]

14 stone 3 here plus large pannier full of work clothes and bike charger.

I've heard (am) worse, but you are still pushing it a bit.

As d8 says, it would be possible to get a bomb proof wheel built, but finding the man to do it might not be easy.

 

[Paul Newport]

Crank it is then. Hub or derailleur gears?