Newby Questions—Cube Acid Hybrid One 500 eMTB

[innate]

Hi,

A few general questions. I thought I’d lump them all together.

Collected the Cube Acid Hybrid from Evans (Kings Cross, London) just over a month ago. I got it though my employer’s C2W scheme.

There was no bell or rear reflector on the bike. Should I ask Evans to rectify this when I take it in for its first (free) service in a week or two?

The battery charger they gave me has a two-prong euro mains plug. I had to buy a shaver adapter so I could charge the bike. Is that legal for them to supply an non-UK electrical item?

Even though what I put in the the title is what Evans say my bike is how do I actually know what the model and spec of my bike is? The documentation that can with the bike is sketchy and the Bosch user manual is hopeless and impenetrable in equal measure. None of the bikes pictured look much like mine. I don’t know which Bosch system I have.

I knew it was going to be heavier than a normal bike (my old bike is a basic Trek 7.2 hybrid) but I wasn’t prepared for quite how heavy it is to get up the couple of steps and through my front door.

I’m really enjoying riding the bike. The maximum speed on assist is a bit annoying but not a problem. When I’m in Sport or Turbo and I stop pedalling the bike immediately slows down as though I’m braking—is that normal? Also if I change down from, say, Tour to ECO, I suddenly feel more resistance on the pedals—is that just the weight of the bike I’m feeling? And is it fine to change the assist mode quite often—ECO most of the time when I’m on the flat or going d/hill and then up to one of the higher modes for uphill?

The only other question (at the moment) is security. The bike is very distinctive with its bright light blue frame. My insurance policy is very specific and stringent about how and where and for how long I leave it locked up outside but even with two gold sold-secure D-locks and a hard-duty padlock I’m worried someone will just vandalise it. I guess that isn’t really a question, just a neurotic moan.

Cheers

 

[MontyPAS]

Hi,

A few general questions. I thought I’d lump them all together.

Collected the Cube Acid Hybrid from Evans (Kings Cross, London) just over a month ago. I got it though my employer’s C2W scheme.

There was no bell or rear reflector on the bike. Should I ask Evans to rectify this when I take it in for its first (free) service in a week or two?

The battery charger they gave me has a two-prong euro mains plug. I had to buy a shaver adapter so I could charge the bike. Is that legal for them to supply an non-UK electrical item?

Even though what I put in the the title is what Evans say my bike is how do I actually know what the model and spec of my bike is? The documentation that can with the bike is sketchy and the Bosch user manual is hopeless and impenetrable in equal measure. None of the bikes pictured look much like mine. I don’t know which Bosch system I have.

I knew it was going to be heavier than a normal bike (my old bike is a basic Trek 7.2 hybrid) but I wasn’t prepared for quite how heavy it is to get up the couple of steps and through my front door.

I’m really enjoying riding the bike. The maximum speed on assist is a bit annoying but not a problem. When I’m in Sport or Turbo and I stop pedalling the bike immediately slows down as though I’m braking—is that normal? Also if I change down from, say, Tour to ECO, I suddenly feel more resistance on the pedals—is that just the weight of the bike I’m feeling? And is it fine to change the assist mode quite often—ECO most of the time when I’m on the flat or going d/hill and then up to one of the higher modes for uphill?

The only other question (at the moment) is security. The bike is very distinctive with its bright light blue frame. My insurance policy is very specific and stringent about how and where and for how long I leave it locked up outside but even with two gold sold-secure D-locks and a hard-duty padlock I’m worried someone will just vandalise it. I guess that isn’t really a question, just a neurotic moan.

Cheers

Why take the bike out of the shop, if bits were missing and you were given a charger with the wrong plug???

You say the bike is heavy, did you not test ride it? Remember your old bike did not have a motor and battery slung on it. TBH once you are moving and the motor has kicked in.... weight should be irrelevant if the motor is up to the task!

 

[innate]

Why take the bike out of the shop, if bits were missing and you were given a charger with the wrong plug???

You say the bike is heavy, did you not test ride it? Remember your old bike did not have a motor and battery slung on it. TBH once you are moving and the motor has kicked in.... weight should be irrelevant if the motor is up to the task!

I didn’t know the law about reflectors and bells. I still don’t know the law about charger plugs. I said I knew it would be heavy. A test ride wouldn’t normally include getting off the bike and lifting up two or three steep steps. And as I’d bought the bike through C2W I didn’t really have many options of changing it for another model at exactly the same price point. And you are quite right; the weight is irrelevant when the motor has kicked in. Thanks for the help.

 

[soundwave]

stick this on the sensor and you will have no speed limit.

Bosch

www.badassebikes.com

bells dont work on phone zombies with noise canceling head phones id just run them over

 

[MontyPAS]

I didn’t know the law about reflectors and bells. I still don’t know the law about charger plugs. I said I knew it would be heavy. A test ride wouldn’t normally include getting off the bike and lifting up two or three steep steps. And as I’d bought the bike through C2W I didn’t really have many options of changing it for another model at exactly the same price point. And you are quite right; the weight is irrelevant when the motor has kicked in. Thanks for the help.

I think legally unless the charger is double insulated. In the UK it should be connected to a 3 pin plug which would facilitate earth bonding of the case. Mine are all metal cased and bonded via the earth pin to the metal case . What is the casing of the charger case made. Plastic like a laptop charger. If it is, probably double insulated. A picture helps

 

[soundwave]

I think legally unless the charger is double insulated. In the UK it should be connected to a 3 pin plug which would facilitate earth bonding of the case. Mine are all metal cased and bonded via the earth pin to the metal case . What is the casing of the charger case made. Plastic like a laptop charger. If it is, probably double insulated. A picture helps

bosch charges only have 2 pins so no earth connection so a 3 wire plug would be usless

 

[MontyPAS]

bosch charges only have 2 pins so no earth connection so a 3 wire plug would be usless

What's the case made if plastic or metal. If plastic it will be double insulated. If metal... You could fry in a short condition without earth bonding

 

[soundwave]

it is made of plastic and does get pretty hot when charging the batt.

 

[Ballynoes]

I just bought the exact same bike for my wife, great bike, you will be well pleased.

The chargers are double insulated so there is no need for an earth wire, they are all the same. It will have a small symbol on it somewhere, a square within a square = double insulated.

Ideally they should have given you a UK plug with a C7 lead, but they can only give you what comes with the bike, usually from Germany.
You can get one for less than a fiver

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Maximum speed on assist is 25Km per hour (15 Mph) set in law. You can get a dongle to override this, but it will invalidate your warranty, esp when you go for a service, they plug it into a laptop and you get all sorts of info. I also believe the new software, which your bike has can detect this and your bike won't work.

Personally I wouldn't, plus it will just drain your battery quicker.

As for your bike slowing down when you stop peddling, my wife's, rolls along with much less resistance than mine, so might be worth mentioning when you take it back for its first check.
However it might just feel different from a normal bike, so see what you think in a few weeks time. There is more resistance peddling an eBike than a normal bike remember.

Weight, as has been said above, you have a motor (generation 3 I think) and a battery, but you will get used to it, unless you have to lug it over a gate or fence.

Security is a personal thing, I never leave mine anywhere, except at home locked up securely, if I can't keep my eye on it I don't leave it.

We had someone at work who secured their eBike to the bike rack at work by the front wheel, once I pointed our the quick release on the front wheel, and the fact anyone could walk away with the majority of an eBike... they though again.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ballynoes]

Forgot to say, it might be your brakes binding, hence why you think it slows down when you stop peddling.

Quick test is to lift the front wheel off the ground and spin it with your hand, it should continue spinning for ages, then the same with the back wheel.

If any wheel stops spinning too soon, you will know, or you hear rubbing, it's probably the brake caliper which needs centring on the brake disc.

Easy for the bike shop to rectify, or do your self.

 

[innate]

Really helpful tip, thanks, Ballynoes!