Ongoing reliability of Kalkhoff/Focus Impulse 2 motors

[Oscdav]

What an excellent and clear response. I'm not really in the market for a bike at the moment, but I look forward to visiting your new Manchester showroom when it opens.

I also, am happy and somewhat relieved that things have been explained.

 

[50cycles]

Hi All,

First of all thank you for your positive feedback and I am glad the information was well received.

In answer to a couple of questions raised I can confirm that the only bikes effected from the problem outlined were from our 2015 order and due to the number of bikes sold around Europe there was no exact batch number to look out for and our supplier was a little slow off the mark providing us with updates. The only way we knew about this was when we had a call from the customer. Our measures on this rare occasion was to pick up and replace the motor as quickly as possible. Sadly a few of these replacements also had the problem which was not our greatest hour.

Thankfully out of the 2300 2015 bikes we received over that year only 50 bikes were found to have a problem and most of these popped after a very short time of ownership. I can only guess that due to the sporadic nature of the problem that the human error came and went in shifts. Some countries were more affected than others. Simply luck of the draw.

The problem was fully addressed by the time our 2016 models started coming through, all our spare motors were also picked up and replaced with the latest type. The full nature of the problem was only outlined to us in detail in late 2016 and these notes have now been made public in my last post.

You do not have to travel to have a software update just contact our after-sales department and they will arrange to send you a box and instruct what you need to do. There maybe a refundable holding deposit until the box is returned. I am not aware of the arrangements for any other dealers around the UK we just focus on providing the best service we can as is the case for all the brands we carry. However I would always recommend you visit one of our shops so we can go over the whole bike, recommend anything else that needs servicing and provide any tips to maintain the bike over the years.

I can confirm Altrincham will be fully opened by April 1st 2017 and a more substantial South West London shop around that time too. This will be confirmed when the legalities have been tied down. This is a very exciting period for 50cycles with one other store planned in the second half of the year.

Best regards

Scott

 

[Nealh]

It sounds like the 'goose' has flown and there should be no clacking and other issues from newer Impulse drives. For owners it should be reassuring that 50c are posting giving out good info and reasoning for the failures now the facts are known.

 

[hopbackguy]

That is very interesting hopbackguy, do keep us informed of progress, I might try and do the same for our two bikes.

I had a good phone conversation with Joe from 50cycles support last Friday who shipped the Impulse diagnostic and update box to me yesterday - it arrived today with instructions. I will do the software update later this week when time allows.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I had a good phone conversation with Joe from 50cycles support last Friday who shipped the Impulse diagnostic and update box to me yesterday - it arrived today with instructions. I will do the software update later this week when time allows.

There's two settings for the wheel size. Ones for the speedometer, the other is for the motor. If you change the motor one to a 16" or 20" wheel, it releases the speed limit.

 

[hopbackguy]

I had a good phone conversation with Joe from 50cycles support last Friday who shipped the Impulse diagnostic and update box to me yesterday - it arrived today with instructions. I will do the software update later this week when time allows.

Well I've just done the update as per instructions, very quick and easy to do. However, the information displayed after the update has confused me, because my motor seems to have the same level of software as before the update - 1.302 from Feb 2014. I've emailed 50cycles support for advice.

 

[hopbackguy]

Well I've just done the update as per instructions, very quick and easy to do. However, the information displayed after the update has confused me, because my motor seems to have the same level of software as before the update - 1.302 from Feb 2014. I've emailed 50cycles support for advice.

Having called Joe at 50cycles after last week's efforts, he said to try the update again as sometimes it takes a couple of tries to 'stick'. I've updated software and firmware on a lot of things in my life and never found it not sticking - but tried again this morning. Confused. Last week, when I powered off and removed the battery from the bike and put it away, the service unit had said I still had 1.302 installed. When I reconnected the service unit this morning and put the battery back on the bike, before I did anything else I checked the sw level again - and it said 1.344! I'd done nothing at this point since last time, which leaves me thinking that either the service unit was giving me duff info before I powered it all off last week, or that the new software didn't boot into the motor until I reconnected the battery and service unit this morning. Confusing either way. And it was 1.344 now, not 1.345 as it should be.

So I tried the update at least three more times, including:
1. Simply checking the level after the update without disconnecting anything.
2. Removing the battery and replacing it after the update, with the service unit still connected.
3. Removing the battery, disconnecting the service unit, reconnecting the bike display, replacing the battery and powering the bike on, then removing the battery again and reconnecting the service unit.
In all cases the motor software level stayed stubbornly at 1.344, so I called Joe again and agreed that perhaps the service unit didn't have 1.345 on the installed sd card. He's going to get another sd card to me with 1.345 on. Fingers crossed

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Does your bike mysteriously go 45 km/h now?

 

[hopbackguy]

Does your bike mysteriously go 45 km/h now?

I'm sure I can't think what you mean.

 

[Perseus]

Impulse 2.0
Impulse 2.2

Which or both have a poor reputation please?

Still not bought an ebike. Salesman selling both Bosch and Impulse recommends the Impulse for more power per buck. Said both are reliable. (From verbatim reports, I would guess both are unreliable and Bafang as well.).

 

[Perseus]

Very enlightening. I had my motor replaced last year. No mention was made of the known fault so I hope my replacement motor is the developed one. I have only been using it in Eco due to my concerns.

Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

Is the replacement motor still working?

 

[nemesis]

Th

Impulse 2.0
Impulse 2.2

Which or both have a poor reputation please?

Still not bought an ebike. Salesman selling both Bosch and Impulse recommends the Impulse for more power per buck. Said both are reliable. (From verbatim reports, I would guess both are unreliable and Bafang as well.).

The 2016-2017 impulse motors have the issues resolved and are now reliable,impulse motors have more power than the Bosch cx and usually have larger batteries.
I know because i have owned both designs.

 

[Perseus]

PS: Trouble with my knee. I really need a throttle to avoid getting stranded if my knee gives out.

 

[Roger R]

Is the replacement motor still working?

It is. But still only use it on Eco. Actually I tend to use it most of the time with no power at all, one of the reasons I bought this model - i.e. it is well geared and goes well as an ordinary bike

Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

 

[Perseus]

Th

The 2016-2017 impulse motors have the issues resolved and are now reliable,impulse motors have more power than the Bosch cx and usually have larger batteries.
I know because i have owned both designs.

Impulse 2.2 may be on 2015-16 models?

 

[Perseus]

The Impulse system has been around since 2012, and now it’s in it’s 3rd generation. Being designed by Derby Cycles, their two systems (Impulse 2.0 & Impulse Evo) is specced on all of our Kalkhoff e-bikes. The main thing that sets the Impulse system apart is its enormous battery capacity and powerful motors. http://www.50cycles.com/blog/2017-electric-bike-motor-buyers-guide/

 

[nemesis]

Impulse 2.2 may be on 2015-16 models?

Impulse 2.2 may be on 2015-16 models?

2015 motors still had the problems with reliability,The 2016 2.2 was released for sale at the end of 2015 and that has the internal upgrades.

 

[Artstu]

It is. But still only use it on Eco. Actually I tend to use it most of the time with no power at all, one of the reasons I bought this model - i.e. it is well geared and goes well as an ordinary bike

Like having a car and then walking everywhere, oh hang on I do that like having a petrol lawn mower but using hand shears, hmm that's not right either, I know, like having a 1000 cc motorbike but never going above 30 mph.

I do some odd things so take no notice of me, I'm sure you'll use the power on the hills? oh but hang on you only use Eco. Ah now I understand, you don't want anyone to know you're actually a bit of a fitness freak and the extra weight gives you a harder work-out.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Th

The 2016-2017 impulse motors have the issues resolved and are now reliable,impulse motors have more power than the Bosch cx and usually have larger batteries.
I know because i have owned both designs.

Are you basing that on one statement from the importer, who has a vested interest. Have a look at the failures database and see if you still think that statement is true.

 

[flecc]

The Impulse system has been around since 2012, and now it’s in it’s 3rd generation. Being designed by Derby Cycles, their two systems (Impulse 2.0 & Impulse Evo) is specced on all of our Kalkhoff e-bikes. The main thing that sets the Impulse system apart is its enormous battery capacity and powerful motors. http://www.50cycles.com/blog/2017-electric-bike-motor-buyers-guide/

The Impulse units were neither designed nor made by Derby Cycles gmbh. The Impulse was designed and made by German company Daum and sold under that name for quite a while before Derby Cycles started using them, calling them Impulse etc. They are still all made by Daum and the batteries made by BMZ.
.