How to recycle an old electric bike?

[alanterrill]

My wife and I have had an electric bike each for around 20 years now and have had three bikes each in that timespan. I'm increasing worried about the short life of electric bikes and what to do with then once they malfunction. We've had two Giants each, plus one Raleigh and now one Gazelle. Parts for the Giants weren't available as soon as the warranties ran out; I'm currently trying to fix the electrics on the Rayleigh -it was new in 2015 but neither Rayleigh nor Tranzx will respond to my emails. Indeed Rayleigh say on their page "It's highly unlikely you'll ever need to replace your electric bike battery due to their durability. When your ebike battery begins to cause you trouble, it's likely going to be time for an upgrade! Batteries are expensive on their own and you're best to buy yourself a new bike".
In my experience, a battery pack lasts about six years (and I'm a casual user, it may be a lot less if you use them every day), so they're implying you should throw the whole bike away every six years. Unlike non-electric bikes, there isn't a network of people willing to do them up and sell them on or give them to a charity. Even my new Gazelle only has a two years warranty on the electric and battery, and I can find nothing on their website about future availabilty of parts. For an 'eco' means of transport we seem to be contributing to an awful waste of materials by throwing away otherwise good bikes just becasue their electrical system has failed. (of course, I'm well aware the batteries can be recelled, even if the manufacturues don't tell you this). Any solutions to this?

 

[cyclebuddy]

What bike is it using the TranzX system, which TranzX motor/system is it, and what's not working?

My own local tidy tip has set aside a container for collecting unwanted bikes. A local charity collects them, reinstates them, or else salvages parts and recyles whatever cannot be re-used, donating the usable/repaired bikes to those most in need. As e-bikes become more and more the norm, the charity is grateful for ebikes too to learn and practice repairs on. They also repair TV's, computers, washing machines and fridges, so electrics/electronics/motor repairs aren't a totally alien concept to them. I'm amazed at how quickly that container fills, many bikes seem in quite good/easily repairable condition. Maybe it's those treating themselves to a spanky new e-bike that needs that space in their shed...

 

[alanterrill]

Its my Raleigh Forge which has the Tranzx system. Its the display that's playing up (PST DP08 - only two of the buttons now work and then I have to hold them down for several seconds before they respond. I can't change speeds while riding so the bike is stuck in the top range all the time. I have found I can get a new display from the Holland bike shop but it's going to cost over £100 and I'm not sure if it will then need recalibrating with a jig I don't have. I'd rather replace it with a better control unit which has moveable buttons but I can't get any advice from Tranzx or my local Rayleigh dealer as to whether that is possible.

 

[cyclebuddy]

Digital TranzX systems use part pairing and a payload file - that is, if you change a component, you need the dealer diagnostics to reload the firmware and update serial numbers. It's all a bit OTT Apple to prevent you doing your own repairs.

I don't know that display, but from what I can see of your Forge, it has a rack-mount battery. There may be a mini-USB socket on the display, or else remove the front cover off the battery and see if there's one on the controller board (left of centre).

You need to talk to a (competent) Raleigh Dealer. They have/can get the Logix software for free. As a rule, neither Raleigh or TranzX will talk to an end user. They expect you to go to one of their dealers. They can get the part and re-load the pairing file. Nothing needs setting up as such... all the details/firmware for your bike are already in TranzX's cloud. It just updates your file.

If there isn't a mini USB socket, you need a dealer with the Logix adaptor that connects into the display cable. Otherwise, it's simply a mini-USB to USB A to connect to a Laptop and TranzX's cloud.

EDIT: 2015 was the year TranzX went full CanBus. If you have that mini-USB socket, there's a strong chance you could fit any of their current range of displays.

 

[sjpt]

I think it a great shame. Not that long ago you were lucky if a car got far beyond 10 years, maybe 15; but 25 years for a bike (our non-e bikes are both well past that, though with many changed parts). Now a car should do 15-20, but an e-bike is really challenged to reach 10 years. That is a little because e-bikes and batteries are still improving which makes fixing an old one seem less worth while, but that is only a small part of it.

As others have said regularly on this forum, there's a lot to be said for e-bikes that use more generic mix and match (up to a point) components. You won't get round the fact that batteries are expensive and will need replacing, but they will almost certainly be a lot cheaper than an equivalent capacity proprietary replacement battery.

 

[alanterrill]

Digital TranzX systems use part pairing and a payload file - that is, if you change a component, you need the dealer diagnostics to reload the firmware and update serial numbers. It's all a bit OTT Apple to prevent you doing your own repairs.

I don't know that display, but from what I can see of your Forge, it has a rack-mount battery. There may be a mini-USB socket on the display, or else remove the front cover off the battery and see if there's one on the controller board (left of centre).

You need to talk to a (competent) Raleigh Dealer. They have/can get the Logix software for free. As a rule, neither Raleigh or TranzX will talk to an end user. They expect you to go to one of their dealers. They can get the part and re-load the pairing file. Nothing needs setting up as such... all the details/firmware for your bike are already in TranzX's cloud. It just updates your file.

If there isn't a mini USB socket, you need a dealer with the Logix adaptor that connects into the display cable. Otherwise, it's simply a mini-USB to USB A to connect to a Laptop and TranzX's cloud.

EDIT: 2015 was the year TranzX went full CanBus. If you have that mini-USB socket, there's a strong chance you could fit any of their current range of displays.

Thanks for that info. There's no visible socket on the display but there are three screws holding a cover at the back. I'll take it apart tomorrow and report back.

 

[Bikes4two]

It's a simple truth that adding an electric motor to a bicycle , an erstwhile simple machine, has increased the maintenance liability three fold and if you've bought proprietary kit then it's the dealership for you where repairs can soon become uneconomical.

To a lesser extent this is the same for kits if the end user hasn't the necessary diy skills.

Thankfully this forum will amongst other things, help those so inclined, to keep their machines going longer.

 

[alanterrill]

Digital TranzX systems use part pairing and a payload file - that is, if you change a component, you need the dealer diagnostics to reload the firmware and update serial numbers. It's all a bit OTT Apple to prevent you doing your own repairs.

I don't know that display, but from what I can see of your Forge, it has a rack-mount battery. There may be a mini-USB socket on the display, or else remove the front cover off the battery and see if there's one on the controller board (left of centre).

You need to talk to a (competent) Raleigh Dealer. They have/can get the Logix software for free. As a rule, neither Raleigh or TranzX will talk to an end user. They expect you to go to one of their dealers. They can get the part and re-load the pairing file. Nothing needs setting up as such... all the details/firmware for your bike are already in TranzX's cloud. It just updates your file.

If there isn't a mini USB socket, you need a dealer with the Logix adaptor that connects into the display cable. Otherwise, it's simply a mini-USB to USB A to connect to a Laptop and TranzX's cloud.

EDIT: 2015 was the year TranzX went full CanBus. If you have that mini-USB socket, there's a strong chance you could fit any of their current range of displays.

I've just taken the display apart and there's no usb socket, just three mini connectors, one of which is unused.

 

[cyclebuddy]

That is a shame. It means you'll need to find a Raleigh Dealer with the Logix adaptor that connects between the display and that controller. There was a time as recently as a year or so ago you could buy that adaptor for £45, but looking now I can't see them anymore... given they're only needed for TranzX powered ebikes pre-2015. It means your ebike is using the earlier digital software they called 12C Bus - it needs that adaptor to interface with the TranzX (Logix) software.

If you had the 2015 onwards mini-USB socket using CanBus, I could have pointed you to where you can download onto a laptop your own copy of the Logix Dealer software. That allows you to run your own full diagnostics, shows you where any fault in your bike lies, and what to do to fix it... then print a full "customer" test report... and also check to see/update your ebikes firmware/payload file to a newer/current version. It's basically what a Bosch/Yamaha/Shimano e-bike owner would pay their dealer £50-£100 to do! I use it here on my own TranzX mid-motored e-bike (not that I've had any trouble, just checking to discover the firmware is in fact still the latest version).

It's just bad luck... if only you'd bought that ebike maybe 6 months later... Sorry I can't help any further.

EDIT: I've just realised you've taken the display apart? If there is a mini-usb port on the display, it's on the outside covered by a rubber waterproof bung. You need to open the front cover of the battery which is where, on a rack mounted battery, a mini-usb socket will be on the controller board.

 

[alanterrill]

That is a shame. It means you'll need to find a Raleigh Dealer with the Logix adaptor that connects between the display and that controller. There was a time as recently as a year or so ago you could buy that adaptor for £45, but looking now I can't see them anymore... given they're only needed for TranzX powered ebikes pre-2015. It means your ebike is using the earlier digital software they called 12C Bus - it needs that adaptor to interface with the TranzX (Logix) software.

If you had the 2015 onwards mini-USB socket using CanBus, I could have pointed you to where you can download onto a laptop your own copy of the Logix Dealer software. That allows you to run your own full diagnostics, shows you where any fault in your bike lies, and what to do to fix it... then print a full "customer" test report... and also check to see/update your ebikes firmware/payload file to a newer/current version. It's basically what a Bosch/Yamaha/Shimano e-bike owner would pay their dealer £50-£100 to do! I use it here on my own TranzX mid-motored e-bike (not that I've had any trouble, just checking to discover the firmware is in fact still the latest version).

It's just bad luck... if only you'd bought that ebike maybe 6 months later... Sorry I can't help any further.

EDIT: I've just realised you've taken the display apart? If there is a mini-usb port on the display, it's on the outside covered by a rubber waterproof bung. You need to open the front cover of the battery which is where, on a rack mounted battery, a mini-usb socket will be on the controller board.

There's no rubber bung on the display, and I can't get the battery open -I had it re-celled a year ago o and they've had to glue the casing back together as there don't seem to be any screws that hold it shut. Its a rack mounted BL03 if that helps. There is a socket under a rubber flap, but not a USB type.

 

[cyclebuddy]

I've no idea what they are for. BL03 isn't current anymore, possibly updated to the BL15 & BL520 rack batteries when CanBus came out.

AFAIK, TranzX CanBus ALWAYS uses a mini-USB socket and the earlier 12CBus digital systems needed the adaptor into which the mini-USB cable plugs. If you haven't got/can't find that socket (and it is only either on the display, or on the controller board on rack batteries), you'll need a dealer who has that adaptor to update your payload file to recognise a new display.

The only reason I think it does this is because it updates TranzX's database to show them and other dealers - if the bike is again returned for service - what and when work had been done previously. Those updates/records are logged to each bike and shows in the LogiX software. I don't think it's just to thwart individuals from replacing parts themselves.

 

[alanterrill]

I've no idea what they are for. BL03 isn't current anymore, possibly updated to the BL15 & BL520 rack batteries when CanBus came out.

AFAIK, TranzX CanBus ALWAYS uses a mini-USB socket and the earlier 12CBus digital systems needed the adaptor into which the mini-USB cable plugs. If you haven't got/can't find that socket (and it is only either on the display, or on the controller board on rack batteries), you'll need a dealer who has that adaptor to update your payload file to recognise a new display.

The only reason I think it does this is because it updates TranzX's database to show them and other dealers - if the bike is again returned for service - what and when work had been done previously. Those updates/records are logged to each bike and shows in the LogiX software. I don't think it's just to thwart individuals from replacing parts themselves.

Thanks -I'll chase the dealer again tomorrow. I left all the details with them over a week ago and they've not come back to me.