Cube Town Hybrid ebike

[damian]

Hi everyone
I finally got my bike through cycle to work scheme on Wednesday (might start another thread about how annoying my employers were)

Anyway, having looked at the Cube, Volt Pulse, Momentum Upstart and Freego Eagle I settled on the Cube from Chain Reaction, who have a local showroom here in Belfast.

I took it to work on Thursday - 6.5 miles on almost completely flat terrain, although the last 2.5 miles are close the Lough shore, so there is quite a breeze to contend with. With a crank drive I still had to put some effort in but no so much that I got sweaty or anything.
Pulling away from traffic lights was probably my favourite thing - the ease with which I got up to speed was an absolute joy.
Disk brakes squealed a bit and didn't have the hard stopping capability that I expected. (Not sure *why* I expected them to be more efficient). I'm trying to get used to making a smooth gear change. The display shows the amount of assistance being given so I'll use that to work on it.

I kept it on maximum assist and was doing 15-17 mph most of the time. Having done the same trip on a push bike a while back I really appreciated the motor when cycling into a headwind. The last time I did the trip I felt I was almost at a standstill at times

I did a total of 30 miles on the first charge - hopefully after conditioning the battery a wee bit I will get further. Getting fitter might help that too
When the power ran out I found out how heavy the bike really is - it was hard work pedalling it all by myself. I'll definitely make sure that I don't get caught out without power.

As you can probably tell, up until this point I haven't been a cyclist, so my review is lacking in detail and terminology but I have really enjoyed being out on the bike and look forward to many, many more miles on it

I got myself a Proviz Nightrider jacket and it kept me very dry today but didn't make me overheat, so I'm well pleased with that. Ans my friends have been taking the **** out of me, saying that I need a basket for the handlebars and that it reminds them of schoolbook French and a 'velocipede'

 

[MRMAC9]

damien, Chain Reaction are only a little over a mile from where I live. What sort of guarantees did you get with the motor and battery?

 

[RobF]

Disk brakes squealed a bit and didn't have the hard stopping capability that I expected. (Not sure *why* I expected them to be more efficient). '

Disc brakes can take a little while to bed in.

This process can be accelerated by making several hard stops from speed.

Light use is not ideal because you can glaze the pads.

A bit of road dirt and grit on the discs also helps, mountain bikers sometimes deliberately smear mud on the discs to give the brakes a bit more bite.

 

[John5001]

30 miles is not much. You should get significantly more with pedaling.

 

[damian]

damien, Chain Reaction are only a little over a mile from where I live. What sort of guarantees did you get with the motor and battery?

To be really honest I can't remember - but a quick google tells me 2 years, which rings a bell.

There is also Full Cycle on the Antrim Road, Slaney Cycles on the Anderstown Road and Greenaer out towards Moira. I think McConvey's on the Ormeau Road are getting in some Giant ebikes too. Not sure if they are there yet or not

 

[damian]

30 miles is not much. You should get significantly more with pedaling.

30 miles was the very first charge. I've only run it to zero once since then.

The rest of the time I do my 11 or so miles and then charge again. I've been using high levels of assistance most of the time while I get used to cycling.
There was no wind on the way to work today and the suggested remaining range actually went up until it was 45 miles when I got to work. On the way home 2.5 miles on the flat into a headwind took it down to 25 miles. The remaining 3 miles took it down quite a bit more.

Does that seem reasonable?

 

[damian]

So, just over two weeks done and 155 miles covered.

I'm getting used to the bike - gear changes need a pause in pedalling so the assist stops and then change gear and pedal. At least that seems to work for me and gives me a smooth change.
The brakes are much quieter - the odd noise if I brake hard but that is it.

I'm getting a wee bit fitter and pedalling a bit more, which I might (or might not) have done if I'd got a bike with a hub motor. At times I almost forget that I have a ebike and I like that. I'm not just being pushed along - but I am quite certain that if that push wasn't there I'd know about it.

The style of the bike hasn't really impressed anyone :-( (except me and the wife)
It is heavy but it's hard to fault anything. Unfortunately I'm not a fanatic 'bike person' so the fact that I have nothing to complain about should be taken as a positive. I am thoroughly enjoying my daily commute.
Pulling off from traffic lights is fun - I find myself going that bit harder to take off.

I went out the morning of Storm Henry and foolishly set it on its stand while I locked the door. I managed to fix the bent mudguard after it was blown over... I was also terrified by my trip home that day - really thought that I would be blown off the bike or else into the path of a lorry

 

[Vasilis_Pap]

It's a bosch motor so why would you have to stop pedalling when changing gears? It should automatically stop the assist when changing gears.

 

[Tomtomato]

It's a bosch motor so why would you have to stop pedalling when changing gears? It should automatically stop the assist when changing gears.

Even on a push bike with no assistance, I think it's normal to stop or ease pedalling when changing gears.

 

[Vasilis_Pap]

I don't stop peddling on mine (yamaha motor) and it distinctly stops on its own to avoid the known gear crunch. I thought that was one of the great advantages of the more expensive motors

 

[RobF]

Gear changes on a Bosch bike can be a bit clonky in turbo, which the OP says he's been using quite a bit.

As Tomtomato says , soft pedalling the change is a good idea on any bike, motored or not.

 

[Artstu]

30 miles is not much. You should get significantly more with pedaling.

You don't move on a Bosch bike without pedalling and 30 miles is a looong way in my book. So what makes you think 30 miles isn't much?

 

[damian]

200 mile update:
Things are really settling in and all is going well.
The brakes no longer squeal and gear changes are smooth and quiet.

I've found myself putting in more effort as I cycle more but the assistance is still needed, especially when taking off from traffic lights or into a headwind.

It's a big, reasonably heavy bike but I am used to that by now. I can understand why people might want a lighter road bike. I think if I'd gone for that style I might not have used it as much, so I still made the right choice.
I've turned assistance level down from turbo through sport to tour to give me better range and a wee bit more exercise. I think the crank drive suits someone like me who enjoys putting more work in.

I have been charging every day (11.5 mile round trip) but yesterday I didn't and when I got home today it said that I still had 30 miles left. In fact when I came to a halt it decided things were even better than that:

Does anyone have any idea how this remaining range is calculated? I find that when I set off in the morning (the battery stays in the house overnight) after a mile or two the range keeps increasing. There is normally a tailwind in the morning and I use very little assistance.
Then on the way home I have a reasonable headwind and the two miles into town decrease the range by 10 miles or more.
Today there was hardly an wind and the range seemed more accurate - showing how much work the bike does for me getting home from work. And that is why I bought the after all!

The tyres were very underflated when Chain Reaction gave me the bike - marks off for that. The LCD was also still in German, so more marks off for that. Both those should have been checked and I think that they should have shown me how to take the battery out. Not a big deal but if you buy a new car they take you through the controls, so why not with an ebike?
Oh - here's a question. What should the circumference be set to on the computer? 700c Schwalbe Spicer tyres.
Maybe it is set up properly but not because CRC did it for me.

I'm looking forward to the springtime and better weather. There is definitely no way I would have started on a normal bike

 

[Artstu]

Oh - here's a question. What should the circumference be set to on the computer? 700c Schwalbe Spicer tyres.
Maybe it is set up properly but not because CRC did it for me.

That's not something you can adjust without it being plugged into diagnostics.

A bigger front sprocket next job then.

 

[damian]

That's not something you can adjust without it being plugged into diagnostics.

A bigger front sprocket next job then.

I think I can change it in settings (holding in power and 'i' buttons).

It's currently 2200 but I think I read somewhere 2150 is one correct value

 

[git-r]

About tyre pressures - if you haven't really cycled much before it's worthwhile investing in a good pump (one that stands on the floor not a hand pump £30-40). Pressures decrease slightly over time and you should check them every week or two. Low pressure can result in punctures as well the obvious much greater rolling resistance.

View attachment 13216
200 mile update:
Things are really settling in and all is going well.
The brakes no longer squeal and gear changes are smooth and quiet.

I've found myself putting in more effort as I cycle more but the assistance is still needed, especially when taking off from traffic lights or into a headwind.

It's a big, reasonably heavy bike but I am used to that by now. I can understand why people might want a lighter road bike. I think if I'd gone for that style I might not have used it as much, so I still made the right choice.
I've turned assistance level down from turbo through sport to tour to give me better range and a wee bit more exercise. I think the crank drive suits someone like me who enjoys putting more work in.

I have been charging every day (11.5 mile round trip) but yesterday I didn't and when I got home today it said that I still had 30 miles left. In fact when I came to a halt it decided things were even better than that:
View attachment 13217
Does anyone have any idea how this remaining range is calculated? I find that when I set off in the morning (the battery stays in the house overnight) after a mile or two the range keeps increasing. There is normally a tailwind in the morning and I use very little assistance.
Then on the way home I have a reasonable headwind and the two miles into town decrease the range by 10 miles or more.
Today there was hardly an wind and the range seemed more accurate - showing how much work the bike does for me getting home from work. And that is why I bought the after all!

The tyres were very underflated when Chain Reaction gave me the bike - marks off for that. The LCD was also still in German, so more marks off for that. Both those should have been checked and I think that they should have shown me how to take the battery out. Not a big deal but if you buy a new car they take you through the controls, so why not with an ebike?
Oh - here's a question. What should the circumference be set to on the computer? 700c Schwalbe Spicer tyres.
Maybe it is set up properly but not because CRC did it for me.

I'm looking forward to the springtime and better weather. There is definitely no way I would have started on a normal bike