How many people are using there e-bike off-road?

103Alex1

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 29, 2012
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67
I clean the bike thoroughly after each ride, taking great care to wash it properly, use an air line to remove all water, then coat the whole bike thoroughly with ACF50, but this morning I spotted that the chrome on both of the lower section of the fork stanchions is pretty much non existent and corrosion is setting in. The bike was only bought in July, and hasn't yet seen a winter. :(
:rolleyes: ... once again proving that component quality matters on eBikes just as much as it does on regular bicycles. So often the electric assist system seems to be used to negate the need for the rest of a premium eBike to be as good as a premium regular bike, but time & time again ....

Hope you get those replaced under warranty.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,136
30,556
Raining hard, very muddy, 5 separate punctures, and 12 miles short of my target distance today of 30 miles.
As a cycle trade junior long ago and who had to repair all the punctures coming in, I hated wet days since the number of punctures coming in them multiplied. Fact is that water is the best lubricant for rubber, facilitating anything sharp piercing the rubber. Try to cut an old dry tyre with a knife and it's very difficult, wet the tyre and knife and it cuts easily.
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
Good point, well presented; however, this bike has Suntour XCT forks, which are normally pretty durable, not some Chinese knockoffs (assuming that they're genuine ones).

Eddie, what exactly do you mean by "... chrome.. is pretty much non existent and corrosion is setting in". Normally chrome won't corrode in water. You need salt, like we get in winter, to have any harmful effect. The only problems I've ever seen on that type of forks was caused by years of abuse.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,136
30,556
Sorry I should have said that the chrome plating appears to be pretty much non existent.

Given that the bike was bought new in July, has done approx 800km, and never seen salt, I'd expect them to still be looking like new. :(
Honda m/c finishes are generally highly regarded, but I suffered this same corrosion appearing on the forks at only a year old on a CB500R in 1996. I cleaned it off with very fine wire wool and kept them lightly oiled with an oily cloth application from time to time and it didn't reappear.
 

Croxden

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2013
2,134
1,384
North Staffs
A bit drier this afternoon, nice through the woods with the Autumn colours.
DSCF2490 Dimingsdale.jpg
 

RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
2,312

Croxden

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2013
2,134
1,384
North Staffs
I cheated and used a non powered bike. Had to stop a lot so could take the photo's, if on the Grace they would have been just a blur.
 

RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
2,312
Not extreme off-road but I like this shot with Win Hill in the background.

View attachment 7173
Sheff,

Are you running a single pannier?

If so, a good tip is to mount it on the right hand side of the bike because it gives you a bit more width and road presence when you are in traffic.
 

RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
2,312
On the general topic of panniers, a friend of mine is a traditional touring cyclist.

He tells me he 'doesn't like to see' a bike with a single pannier because it doesn't look right.

Seems I will never be welcomed as a member of the Cyclists' Touring Club.
 

Sheffmax

Pedelecer
Sep 5, 2013
49
9
Sheffield
Sheff,

Are you running a single pannier?

If so, a good tip is to mount it on the right hand side of the bike because it gives you a bit more width and road presence when you are in traffic.
It's a good tip, thanks. However, where I store and charge my bike requires me to keep its starboard side to the wall so packing the bag is a lot easier when it's on the port side. Plus, I tend to cycle where there's not a lot of traffic anyway. But, if I use the bike for shopping, which involves traffic laden streets, then I add the other pannier.
 

EddiePJ

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 7, 2013
4,632
4,013
Crowborough, East Sussex
www.facebook.com
I did a quick 16 miles tonight in the dark, both on and off road, but my saddle bag somehow managed to come open, and I have now lost all of my bike tools. :(

I wouldn't stand a chance of ever finding them, as the ride was so wet and muddy, that I took all sorts of lines and 'off' trail routes.

Sadly that will probably be my last ride for a few weeks as time is against me, and the bike is going in next Wednesday to have the forks sent back to BH.
 
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D C

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 25, 2013
1,142
577
I'm already fed up of being without the bike, but on a positive note these arrived today. :)

I might well fit them to the 'normal' MTB tomorrow and get the 25 mile running in done.





You're going to have so much fun with these!

I ran mine in for around 40 miles on tarmac at around 30 psi and tried not to brake hard, I miss-read kilometers and did miles but may be a good thing as I haven't lost any spikes yet.
They attract a few strange looks as it sounds a bit like you're running over noisy cornflakes.
If it's not freezing they have less grip than normal tyres on tarmac and be a bit careful on wood and those awkward diagonal tree roots.
They are heavy tyres and take a bit more effort to fit (and to pedal) but they have incredible grip on ice and hard packed snow and once you get used to them give you so much confidence.

I hope you get a good and fast result with the forks.
 

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