Nice to see another Neo Xtrem rider on here.
Despite the odd hassles that I've had with my bike, like you have already discovered, it always puts a smile on my face.
The front mudguard on mine is a Topeak Defender, which snapped with the first 'light' fall. Thankfully I've managed to kind of repair it. It's surprising how much crud that it does stop though, especially when the roads are wet and nasty. From that respect it was worth the money.
The rear mudguard is just a home made one, which really could have done with being another 50mm longer. The best way that I have found to keep the mud off, was with the Topeak rear rack. You don't get anything at all up your back when that's fitted. I really should put it back on again.
Battery wise, when I first got the bike and wasn't in the scheme of things fit, I'd struggle to get 20-22miles out of it, but gradually over time I now get close to 30 miles, and last weekend 35miles. I have yet to notice any difference at all between the power modes, so just leave it in ECO and use pedal only where possible, and use the battery as little a spossible. I think it very wrong that manufacturers as whole give such ridiculous claims on battery duration. I reckon that in the real world not fantasy manufacturers/dealers world, any of us could flatten a battery on any of the current bikes within 20miles if you put your mind to it.
If you are going to be using your bike off road as in muddy conditions, I'd highly recommend changing the tyres for something more grippy. For general use though, I'd struggle to fault the original Continental tyres. They offer a good compromise between everything.
On the wear and tear front. The first chain wore out after approx 700miles, which I guess isn't surprising, the jockey wheels/bearings could now do replacing and I've been noticing a clonk for a while now, which I believe I have traced back to the rear cassette. The front brake pads also lasted approx. 700miles, but again, they are getting a hard life.
The motor also isn't as quiet as it first was, but that might just be my imagination.
Problems aside it's still a great bike, and I love every second of using it, but I'm starting to think that a full suspension bike along crank drive might end up being on the cards at some stage. The downside of this would be that the discreet non electric look that I so like would be gone.
I'm not really into FB, but if you are interested, I started a page a while back for the Xtrem and some of my rides.
https://www.facebook.com/mud.plugger
Anywho, just keep going and don't forget to smile at the road racers when you see them, it winds them up if you enjoying your ride and they seem to be in pain
Google Kidds Hill or look on Youtube. I take great delight in cruising one handed past people on race bikes up this hill. I just give them a cheery hello, natter to them as they are out of breathe and can't reply, then politely say, must be going now, and just speed off!
