Carrera ebike - new brake lever needed

[Michael Price]

Hi all
My Carrera Crosscity-e has a problem.
SOme time ago I noticed that the brake cutoff on the rear brake had stopped working. Basically I could brake with just the rear brake and the motor just keeps pushing forward. Pull the front brake and it stops immediately.
Anyway - I was fiddling with it a while ago and the cable coming out of the brake lever just fell out

I have been to Halford and asked about it and they say I need a whole new brake lever - and they HAVE to fit it
Total cost at least £50
Anyone know if there is another source of parts - e.g. do Carrera make their own stuff - or is it made by another brand so I could just get that instead???
also - could my LBS get hold of the parts - I could ask but I always end up buying more stuff!!!


Anyway - TIA

 

[Nealh]

If I have a brake cut out fitted I only have one fitted, two aren't needed. Just remember to use the front brake to cut any over run, get in to a habit of always applying the front gently as this is what I do. The front brake is far more important then the rear as the brake bias is better then the rear.

 

[GSV3MiaC]

Except the front brake usually won't stop you rolling back on a steep hill after you have stopped, and the weight transferred off the front wheel, so you do need both.

 

[sjpt]

Except the front brake usually won't stop you rolling back on a steep hill after you have stopped, and the weight transferred off the front wheel, so you do need both.

No suggestion of not needing both brakes; just a suggestion of no need for motor cutout switches on both brakes.

(Personally, I like having both cutouts working.)

 

[Michael Price]

I have a habit of using the back brake far more than the front for slowing down and for stabilising the bike. Obviously any proper stopping requires both - that is just how I grew up and was what I was told was normal when I was a kid - which was quite a while ago!
but I agree that as long as one if working it isn;t a major problem - just an annoyance.
For example - my 'big bike' has a Bosch mid drive and has no brake cut offs at all - but never over-runs

So - just an annoyance = but it would be nice if I could get hold of a spare to fix it
sooooo - anyone know if it can be done??

 

[cyclebuddy]

I've never looked closely at the Crosscity, but I'm guessing it's just a generic Chinese folding e-bike using generic parts, just branded for Halfords.

I can't see how Halfords won't sell you just the part. I'd try another store.

You can buy a replacement pair of cut-off brake levers for a Fiido D4S for £12. Maybe they might work?

Or try ebikesdirect, who sell an awful lot of similarly re-branded Chinese folders - they must have suitable parts that could be popped into the post.

The only issue with substitute parts might be the wiring/connector being different.

 

[Andy-Mat]

If I have a brake cut out fitted I only have one fitted, two aren't needed. Just remember to use the front brake to cut any over run, get in to a habit of always applying the front gently as this is what I do. The front brake is far more important then the rear as the brake bias is better then the rear.

Very well put, I totally agree with your comment! Its not dangerous if the OP is using his brakes correctly.....
So this is not a problem for the OP.
On a good well adjusted bike, the front disk brake (sometimes even of a larger diameter than the rear brake), is usually designed to be the most effective, BUT, it needs to be used together with correct application of the rear brake, to actually bring a bike to a halt safely and swiftly.
So one should always use both together, so his loss of the rear brake cutout is completely unimportant in the big scheme of things.....
In such a situation, I myself would at some point in the future, buy myself a new quality rear brake lever, and fit it. I have both the tools and the knowledge, but if he does not have the ability to safely install one, then simply get an LBS to install it for you.....
It looks like Halfords is just "drumming up business profits!"
Primarily, safety is always paramount!.
regards
Andy

 

[Nealh]

The best thing is to buy a bike tat uses decent electronics that need no brake cuts outs, though often so many want a throttle then it is obligatory to fit at least one in case of a throttle failure to prevent a run away bike or a blown controller. With KT there is no real need for a throttle as PAS5 gives the same output as a throttle, the KT has no overrun and is the best after market non oem kit on the market for £70 - £100.

 

[Nealh]

Braking wise as kid we always used to use the rear as it was cool to skid everywhere, but we then didn't have to buy tyres etc as dad would do so.
Once out of this stage one soon learnt that the best brake control is to bleed the braking by applying both brakes at the same times. it becomes second nature to apply both with the rear having a slight bias initially then ever more adapting the bias to the front as one brakes. Any slight traction loss of the front end one relaxes the front and then gently reapplies the pressure all this happens instinctively within a few seconds so one doesn't have to think about it as it is responsive and is second nature.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Except the front brake usually won't stop you rolling back on a steep hill after you have stopped, and the weight transferred off the front wheel, so you do need both.

He will simply have to remember to use both on a hill, or simply get off..... I myself do not see that as a problem, as in a worse case situation, his motor will "kick in", against the rear brake, to remind him and keep him from running backwards......
Andy

 

[cyclebuddy]

With KT there is no real need for a throttle as PAS5 gives the same output as a throttle, the KT has no overrun and is the best after market non oem kit on the market for £70 - £100.

When I recently looked to buy a sub-£1000 folding e-bike for utility as the OP's, some I looked at (for example ADO and Himo as stand-out examples) did have truly awful controller implemetations. IIRC, ADO A20 has setting 1: Flat-out PAS to 15.5mph with no throttle implementation. Setting 2: Flat out throttle with no PAS implementation. Settings 3/4/5 were the same as 2! Ludicrous! IIRC Himo Z20/C20 were much the same.

But then Halfords (not their Suntour systems, but their cheaper ranges) seem to have adopted a far better - if not a KT perfect - implementation, as the OP's Crosscity (I just checked, and as do Fiido and others): Setting 1 is about 35% power up to 15kph with gradual tapering to 25kph. Setting 2 about 70% power to 20kph tapering to 25kph, and setting 3, full power with a steeper taper - not a cliff edge - near/at 25kph. It's not KT perfect, but it's still quite a usable system IMHO when your hub motor is only providing about 30-35Nm.

Would it be worth changing that on a sub-£1000 folding utility e-bike? I'm in two minds about doing mine. For less money and greater benefit (£24), I've just changed my cable-operated disc brakes to hydraulic calipers instead!