Kudos secret review

I managed to get the secret second hand for a very good price. It had a few things wrong with it, namely the brakes and some wonky handlebars that I managed to fix.

The secret was a lot a chunkier than I expected, even though I bought it with a view to taking it with me on my travels abroad, I think that is a plus. The Brompton is more mobile but I can't imagine myself riding on a bike with such small wheels.I was riding it about 6 miles a deal, going up hills is a breeze but generally I found the bike really slow, I had to work hard to build up any kind of speed. I was still being passed by people on santander and Brompton bikes.

 

Then about 4 days ago, the handlebars got shaky again while I was riding it, I had no allen key to tighten it up so I had to walk with it home, as I got close to home the handlebars came off the forks completely I do ride on some bumpy roads roads, I should have tightened the handlebars after every ride, I haven't ridden it since. This experience has put me off ebikes a bit, I've been wanting to get the secret for a long time , I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it, the bike is china made so I bet the mark up on it is huge. The Kudos dealers are outside London and there isn't a facility for buying spare parts from their site so bear that in mind.

I managed to get the secret second hand for a very good price. It had a few things wrong with it, namely the brakes and some wonky handlebars that I managed to fix.

The secret was a lot a chunkier than I expected, even though I bought it with a view to taking it with me on my travels abroad, I think that is a plus. The Brompton is more mobile but I can't imagine myself riding on a bike with such small wheels.I was riding it about 6 miles a deal, going up hills is a breeze but generally I found the bike really slow, I had to work hard to build up any kind of speed. I was still being passed by people on santander and Brompton bikes.

 

Then about 4 days ago, the handlebars got shaky again while I was riding it, I had no allen key to tighten it up so I had to walk with it home, as I got close to home the handlebars came off the forks completely I do ride on some bumpy roads roads, I should have tightened the handlebars after every ride, I haven't ridden it since. This experience has put me off ebikes a bit, I've been wanting to get the secret for a long time , I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it, the bike is china made so I bet the mark up on it is huge. The Kudos dealers are outside London and there isn't a facility for buying spare parts from their site so bear that in mind.

 

You can phone Kudos and buy parts from them . I bought a new wheel for mine a couple of weeks ago and recieved it the next day. I've always had great service and very quick delivery from Kudos.

The Kudos dealers are outside London and there isn't a facility for buying spare parts from their site so bear that in mind.

It uses standard Chinese ebike electrics. You can buy everything you need from Ebay or Aliexpress. If you ever need any parts, ask here, and we can show you where they are.

Jimod is right, give Kudos a call if you need help.

As for your handlebars, take your bike to any bike shop, it won't take them more than 5 minutes to make sure it is properly torqued up.

When you buy a second hand bike, if you are not used to do your own maintenance, do use the service of a local bike shop to give it a once over.

Bikes like yours are built with regular components that any bike shop can deal with, except the electrics, you can contact Kudos or it or if you live near Southend, you can take your bike to my shop.

Any idea of how I could do my own repair? Knowledge is power and all that. What seems to have happened is the forks have gone down. The headset screw with attaches to the forks can't reach the forks with the little disk attached, thus the handlebars can't be attached.

I heard some rumours from a source that has been fairly reliable so far that as soon as parliament reconvenes, they'll be revisiting all the acts that were passed relating to withdrawal from the EU. Does that put an imminent no deal Brexit back on the table?

I think you have the wrong thread, my friend.

Any idea of how I could do my own repair? Knowledge is power and all that. What seems to have happened is the forks have gone down. The headset screw with attaches to the forks can't reach the forks with the little disk attached, thus the handlebars can't be attached.

The screw fits into a thing called a starnut inside the tube. The starnut can pe pushed down the tube, but it locks when you try and pull it up. It seems that you somehow pushed it down. The easiest fix is a longer screw. Alternatively, you can push it all the way down the tube until it comes out the bottom, and put it back in the top and knock it down the right distance.

 

What do you mean by "the forks have gone down"?

The screw fits into a thing called a starnut inside the tube. The starnut can pe pushed down the tube, but it locks when you try and pull it up. It seems that you somehow pushed it down. The easiest fix is a longer screw. Alternatively, you can push it all the way down the tube until it comes out the bottom, and put it back in the top and knock it down the right distance.

 

What do you mean by "the forks have gone down"?

Well I'm guessing its gone down because the screw no longer seems long enough, I think I would be able to fix it easily if it wasn't for that. I should be able to fix it with the very same screw.

 

Ok, I think I understand what's happened. here's how to fix it:

1. Loosen off the two clamp screws in the stem, which is the black piece underneath the bottom fold. One comes from each side.

2. With the bike in it's normal state (unfolded) and standing upright leaning against a wall or on it's side-stand, wiggle the forks until they slot in as far as you can see in the photo above. The tube inside (steerer tube) needs to be central in the other outer tube (head tube), so look from the top as you wiggle it through. If you can't do that, you must post again. Look at the black pieces at the bottom of the head tube and just above where the light is screwed. It should look like that when fully in.

3. You can now assemble the handlebars and folding mechanism to the steerer tube poking out of the head tube. Unless you've pushed the starnut down, with the forks fully into the head tube, you should now be able to reach the starnut with the screw.

4. Tighten the screw tightish, but not very tight. It's purpose is to adjust the play in the bearings. If you do it too tight it will damage them. The idea is that you shouldn't be able to feel any play in the bearings when you push the bike backwards and forwards with the front brake on.

5 When you're happy with the bearing adjustment above, you tighten the two clamp screws to hold the steering mechanism straight. I normally just nip them up without tightening, then make the handlebars straight, then tighten them to clamp in place.

Edited December 13, 20196 yr by vfr400

 

Ok, I think I understand what's happened. here's how to fix it:

1. Loosen off the two clamp screws in the stem, which is the black piece underneath the bottom fold. One comes from each side.

2. With the bike in it's normal state (unfolded) and standing upright leaning against a wall or on it's side-stand, wiggle the forks until they slot in as far as you can see in the photo above. The tube inside (steerer tube) needs to be central in the other outer tube (head tube), so look from the top as you wiggle it through. If you can't do that, you must post again. Look at the black pieces at the bottom of the head tube and just above where the light is screwed. It should look like that when fully in.

3. You can now assemble the handlebars and folding mechanism to the steerer tube poking out of the head tube. Unless you've pushed the starnut down, with the forks fully into the head tube, you should now be able to reach the starnut with the screw.

4. Tighten the screw tightish, but not very tight. It's purpose is to adjust the play in the bearings. If you do it too tight it will damage them. The idea is that you shouldn't be able to feel any play in the bearings when you push the bike backwards and forwards with the front brake on.

5 When you're happy with the bearing adjustment above, you tighten the two clamp screws to hold the steering mechanism straight. I normally just nip them up without tightening, then make the handlebars straight, then tighten them to clamp in place.

OK. ..things didn't work out, attaching some pics. I'm thinking is it possible that the screw has broken without me realising.

 

99p from China

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1pcs-Bike-Bicycle-Cycling-Steer-Tube-Headset-Aluminum-Star-Nut-1-1-8-28-6mm/173885947859?epid=16015562156&hash=item287c68ffd3:g:G~kAAOSwl9RaHnF1

£1.80 from UK

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Ahead-Headset-Cycle-Fork-Star-Fangled-Nut-Suitable-for-1-1-8-Forks/333437252872?hash=item4da268b508:g:nLIAAOSw9mtd8~-L

Tap the old one down with the end of a broomstick or anything else, then tap the new one in above it. It's quite difficult to get the new one started in the tube. It'll keep bouncing off. You need something like a lump-hammer or heavy mallet. Don't tap the new one down too far, or else you'll need a long screw, and you have to tap it far enough that there is space above it for the cap. You'll need a new screw.

take it to a bike shop, they'll do it in a jiffy.

Thanks guys, I'll get the parts from ebay and get my local non electric bike shop to fix it, hopefully they will do it.

I just came across this vid, it's exactly as vfr400 described. It might be of help to anyone going through the same problems.