How much have electric bikes improved?

[Davall]

Hi Davall - this sounds most aggravating - surely you should put the issue directly to the supplier and see how they respond. That way both you and they might benefit!

Indeed I did just that on Friday. They state the preload range from one extreme to the other is only 10% and agree that the ProConnect S fork is considerably firmer than a mountain bike fork. They are putting this to RST who make the item, to see whether they produce anything softer and more compliant in 700C size, preferably with a better range of adjustment.

Failing that, they advise that I might wish to purchase an air fork instead.

In the meantime, I see it as important to caution others who may be considering the purchase of one of these bikes to be aware of the shortcomings in its fork and make certain it suits them. Unfortunately I wasn't able to test ride an "S" before purchase because there wasn't one available.

 

[Davall]

I am 14stone+; a cobble street would show a movement of about 25-30 mm on my S forks with the left hand side preload on the softest setting.

Have you tried loosening the cable clamp on the right hand side to double check that the Remote Lockout is returning to the fully soft position ?

The return spring is not very powerful; the cable has to be sliding very freely for the rotary adjustment to return to fully soft operation.

James

Interesting. The return spring on mine seems quite vicious the way it snaps the cable back when I depress the blue lever. If I adjust it any looser though, I cannot achieve the lock-out position with the pink lever, so I think the cable must be set correctly.

May I ask from which supplier you obtained your mirror and its bar end please? It's the kind of thing I'm looking for too and looks quite neat.

 

[JamesC]

May I ask from which supplier you obtained your mirror and its bar end please? It's the kind of thing I'm looking for too and looks quite neat.

That is a Cateye BM500 mirror - widely available eg from SJS

But it is NOT a useable bar end in the sense of steering by gripping the support - simply a lightweight bracket that comes with the mirror.

James

 

[NRG]

That's the same mirror I use....its OK but I get a good view of my sleeve! It nees to be a bit futher out so I'mm looking for a way to extend the handlebar by a few inches...

 

[Davall]

Thanks James and NRG - much obliged.

 

[Dynamic Position]

Dynamic Position - thanks for your response. Your forks sound like mine, the difference being to me that 1 to 4mm is almost imperceptible in terms of fork movement and makes it barely worth installing, given its considerable additional weight penalty. To me a fork ought to move more like 1 to 4cm under body movement, not 1 to 4mm. That has been my complaint and is what I dislike about this poor fork.

A cobblestone street on a bike with a good fork should not shake you to bits, not in my opinion at least. You have reinforced my own findings.

.

Davall,

I have done a little more experimenting since my post. I adjusted the pre-load from its factory setting one turn anti-clockwise. On my commute to work today I noticed the ride to be a lot smoother. The forks now move (estimated) between 1 - 12mm. The remote lock-out is noticeably working. I quite like this setting. Note: The pre-load could still be reduced further by 1/2 turn if required. I'm ready to tackle that cobblestone street.

 

[Davall]

DP, presumably you're referring here to the finger adjuster on the top of the left hand fork leg, rather than any adjustment using a tool? i.e. the thing which is marked PRELOAD and with a +/- indication?

If so, most of us seem to ride with this in its fully softest setting (but which is still way too firm for my liking).

Or have you found some other adjustment separate from that?

 

[Dynamic Position]

DP, presumably you're referring here to the finger adjuster on the top of the left hand fork leg, rather than any adjustment using a tool? i.e. the thing which is marked PRELOAD and with a +/- indication?

If so, most of us seem to ride with this in its fully softest setting (but which is still way too firm for my liking).

Or have you found some other adjustment separate from that?

Just the finger adjuster. I read somewhere that these forks need a minimum of 20 hours use before they start to soften up.

 

[Davall]

Ok thanks. Fingers crossed for some improvement after further use then, a point others have made too, though I really can't see it softening up by much. Time will tell.