Oxygen S Cross E-Bike!

[LeighPing]

I reckon that I must have the filthiest, manky, most mire clogged bikes on this forum. I never clean them, because I'm back out in it most days. Wet grass is as close to a bike wash as they get.

All 3 of my ebikes have done well over a thousand miles each, and you might think that my chain and other parts would be in a right state by now. I ride them and they drip dry. Yet, after checking them yesterday, I can see that they're still immaculate. Why? Because I use 'Thick greasy lube'.

Yes, 'Thick greasy lube' is all I need to keep my bikes going strong in all weathers. Don't be a fool! Use 'Thick greasy lube' now, for all your biking pleasure.

 

[Croxden]

I managed over eight thousand mikes with nothing other that the chain came with.

Keep it clean and they will last.

 

[Mal69]

I was out on the bike today and had done over 20 miles and was coming home, I had a feeling something wasn't right so got off the bike, the back wheel tyre was deflating, it seemed to have come partly off the rim.

I walked for an hour with the tyre coming off the wheel progressly more and more before someone in a nice expensive four wheel drive stopped and asked me what was wrong, they moved the golf clubs in their car, put the seats forward and helped me put the bike in, they then drove me five miles home, he was an absolute lifesaver.

Now here is my problem, why did this happen, I have not tested for a puncture but it does not look like anything is lodged in the tyre and I thought these tyres from Schwalbe were puncture proof.

Could a tyre come off the rim and deflate if the tyre pressure was too high?

I am too tired at the moment but have ordered a new mini pump and some tyre levers off Amazon which are being delivered tomorrow, I cannot do any technical stuff with these bikes, no taking wheels off and I am hoping the tyre can be salvaged, perhaps it was just the shop putting the tyre pressure too high and maybe added pressure because of the hub motor and maybe that's why the front wheel was okay.

I will test the tyre pressure on the front tomorrow or over the weekend, it's disheartening when this sort of thing happens and I am totally clueless on fixing issues with bikes.

If it wasn't tyre pressure and the Schwalbe somehow got a puncture can I just fix it using the puncture repair kit I have? Stick the tyre through water and look for air bubbles, I hope in a way it is a puncture because if the tyre came off the rim then it really worries me using these Schwalbe tyres, could have had a nasty accident if I was going fast downhill and spokes broke but I was on a straight when I stopped.

Does anyone have any advice for me, bearing in mind I am totally clueless and useless with fixing this sort of thing and the shop I bought it from is 70 miles away and I know no one who can fix these things, most I can do is repair a puncture and even that takes me more time than most people.

 

[Nealh]

It will be a puncture either a thorn/nail etc small pin prick hole or a pinch puncture/snake bite puncture caused by the tyre grounding on a kerb or bumpy uneven ground of some kind. Snake bite punctures usually a pair of 3 or 4mm slits adjacent to each other about 20/25mm a apart.
You can repair a tube with out taking the wheel off. With the tyre off one side you can access the tube and pop the valve out of the rim, pumping it up should reveal the puncture via the air escaping or a small container with water to feed the tube in to.
Once the tube is repaired feel the inside of the tyre for any thorns if a pin prick puncture.

I would gladly come and help/show you but alas am no where near you.

 

[Mal69]

I think trying to walk it home popped the tubing out of the tyre, it looks okay and I hope it's not damaged, I will test for a puncture tomorrow, my problem will be getting the tubing and tyre back on the wheel if I repair a puncture. I have some tyre levers coming, don't know if they will help, hoping they do.

 

[BornAgainCyclist]

I think trying to walk it home popped the tubing out of the tyre, it looks okay and I hope it's not damaged, I will test for a puncture tomorrow, my problem will be getting the tubing and tyre back on the wheel if I repair a puncture. I have some tyre levers coming, don't know if they will help, hoping they do.

Holding the tyre levers in your right hand and waving them aggressively at the wheel in question will almost certainly help.

 

[Danidl]

I was out on the bike today and had done over 20 miles and was coming home, I had a feeling something wasn't right so got off the bike, the back wheel tyre was deflating, it seemed to have come partly off the rim.

I walked for an hour with the tyre coming off the wheel progressly more and more before someone in a nice expensive four wheel drive stopped and asked me what was wrong, they moved the golf clubs in their car, put the seats forward and helped me put the bike in, they then drove me five miles home, he was an absolute lifesaver.

Now here is my problem, why did this happen, I have not tested for a puncture but it does not look like anything is lodged in the tyre and I thought these tyres from Schwalbe were puncture pr

Could a tyre come off the rim and deflate if the tyre pressure was too high?

I am too tired at the moment but have ordered a new mini pump and some tyre levers off Amazon which are being delivered tomorrow, I cannot do any technical stuff with these bikes, no taking wheels off and I am hoping the tyre can be salvaged, perhaps it was just the shop putting the tyre pressure too high and maybe added pressure because of the hub motor and maybe that's why the front wheel was okay.

I will test the tyre pressure on the front tomorrow or over the weekend, it's disheartening when this sort of thing happens and I am totally clueless on fixing issues with bikes.

If it wasn't tyre pressure and the Schwalbe somehow got a puncture can I just fix it using the puncture repair kit I have? Stick the tyre through water and look for air bubbles, I hope in a way it is a puncture because if the tyre came off the rim then it really worries me using these Schwalbe tyres, could have had a nasty accident if I was going fast downhill and spokes broke but I was on a straight when I stopped.

Does anyone have any advice for me, bearing in mind I am totally clueless and useless with fixing this sort of thing and the shop I bought it from is 70 miles away and I know no one who can fix these things, most I can do is repair a puncture and even that takes me more time than most people.

.. an adult male should be able to remove the tyre even without tyre levers. In fact it may cause less damage than a tyre lever. If the tube is visible you are half way there. .. depending on the valve type, there may be a retaining ring.. car type valves don't ,presta do. Unscrew this and push the valve back into the wheel, so as not to put undue pressure on it. Then start pulling the exposed tube out .. once out use the bubble test to find the locations of any holes . Ideally the tyre should have one edge inside and one outside the wheel rim. Once the puncture is fixed, run your fingers around the inside of the tyre in case there is a rack, a nail, thorn , glass stuck in the rubber. Not a good idea to leave it there!
Then feed the valve into its place and feed the tube in , usually a good idea is to put a tiny amount of air into the tubeto give it shape. Make sure the tube is not kinked.. then deflate the tube and work the free edge over the rim. .. like I said an adult male should have enough thumb strength to work it round.. the last 2 inches can be difficult and a spoon or tyre lever would help, but should not be essential. But just working it will make the rubber pliable. Then make sure that the tube is inside , not trapped by the tyre.and inflate.
New tyres are pretty rough so unless you were actually riding on the bike for miles, I doubt that the tyre is damaged.

 

[Mal69]

Holding the tyre levers in your right hand and waving them aggressively at the wheel in question will almost certainly help.

Sound advice.

.. an adult male should be able to remove the tyre even without tyre levers. In fact it may cause less damage than a tyre lever. If the tube is visible you are half way there. .. depending on the valve type, there may be a retaining ring.. car type valves don't ,presta do. Unscrew this and push the valve back into the wheel, so as not to put undue pressure on it. Then start pulling the exposed tube out .. once out use the bubble test to find the locations of any holes . Ideally the tyre should have one edge inside and one outside the wheel rim. Once the puncture is fixed, run your fingers around the inside of the tyre in case there is a rack, a nail, thorn , glass stuck in the rubber. Not a good idea to leave it there!
Then feed the valve into its place and feed the tube in , usually a good idea is to put a tiny amount of air into the tubeto give it shape. Make sure the tube is not kinked.. then deflate the tube and work the free edge over the rim. .. like I said an adult male should have enough thumb strength to work it round.. the last 2 inches can be difficult and a spoon or tyre lever would help, but should not be essential. But just working it will make the rubber pliable. Then make sure that the tube is inside , not trapped by the tyre.and inflate.
New tyres are pretty rough so unless you were actually riding on the bike for miles, I doubt that the tyre is damaged.

Thanks, useful info, I have some nerve damage in the hands, arms, legs and feet, some days are worse than others, hopefully I can manage this.

 

[Danidl]

Sound advice.



Thanks, useful info, I have some nerve damage in the hands, arms, legs and feet, some days are worse than others, hopefully I can manage this.

I was not aware of any disability, so apologies if it sounded condescending.
I would not claim to have strong or big hands but usually have little difficulty (a lifetime of non manual work, ). A tyre lever does make things a bit easier.
If using tyre levers, use one then two very close to each other force a bit of the tyre edge over the rim and then try and run it along. If you can get about 4 inches over the rim, it can usually be just pulled off ..you can also use the garage trick of wetting the tyre rim area with washing up liquid diluted.
I usually find it easier to remove the wheel from the bike first, but others don't bother.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I've had a Schwalbe MP burst off the rim. I had a lot of trouble lining it up with the rim when i fitted the tyre, which had been on and off a few rims before i got hold of it. I lined it up the best I good, which was OK for about 20 miles until it blew off. I did my best to refit it, but it burst off again after about 200 meters, so I called for a lift home.

A new MP fitted perfectly without any problems, so I guess that somebody had used excessive force to lever it on of off the rim. I've heard of others bursting off in the same way, including one which had been folded during shipping, which you're not supposed to do.

My guess is that yours burst in a similar way, so if you attempt to re-fit it, check that the white band is concentric. If you can't get it concentric, chuck it and get a new one. Put it on by hand only, i.e. no levers.

I think the bead gets easily stretched by levers or folding, which is what causes the problem.

 

[topographer]

Make sure the tube is not kinked.. then deflate the tube and work the free edge over the rim

What's the reason for deflating the tube after initially putting a tiny bit in?

 

[Danidl]

What's the reason for deflating the tube after initially putting a tiny bit in?

You want to get the tyre edge, with its wire reinforcement to sit into a groove on the wheel rim and the extra pressure might stop it doing so... I am trying to describe the most fail-safe method. When the tyre has been mounted, I would go around and with hand pressure only push down on the middle of the tyre so as to spread the edges of tyre , you might hear or sense a click as the tyres wire bead locks into place.

If a wheel had been removed and the bike has rim brakes, you need to have the tyre deflated to mount the wheel, as the inflated tyre, being wider will interfere with the brake mechanism.

 

[Mal69]

I have not replied to this thread after my puncture because I just left the bike alone for the winter.

I have just the last few days fixed the tyre, I did not have to remove a wheel, I just used a bowl of water and put the tubing around it, I found the issue, air bubbles came up, I looked, I could not see anything at normal eye distance, I then looked closer, a very small hole, I mean tiny.

I fixed with glue and a patch and before inflating it I took mudguards off, I never go out in the rain so why carry extra weight, the rear mudguard was difficult due to the wheel still being on and the location of one screw but I got the small spanner in and loosened it then undone it with my hand.

My disc brakes were making noises when wheel got turned, I used an online article, hold brake and loosen and tighten two bits on the bike, it fixed the noises which were the brake pads scraping as the wheel went around.

The only issue I am having is tyre pressure, I bought a smart gauge D2, I pumped up the tyres, I am getting 1.5 bar, the Schwalbe site says these tyres should be between 4 and 6 bar but they feel pretty pumped up, should I really try and get 4 bar, not sure if the tubing itself can take that even if the tyres can, anyone know? Also is the pressure gauge accurate, it says the same for both tyres.

My battery was left over winter and still looks charged, although not fully, I hope that was okay, I am sure I read that it’s better than taking all the charge out.

So does anyone have advice on pressure and the tyre pressure gauge I have.

 

[Benjahmin]

I run my Marathon +'s at about 4 bar. The higher the pressure the less the punctures. Haven't had one in 3000 miles.
If you're going to leave your battery for substantial periods it should be between 50-80% full charge. What I do is charge it, then go out for 10 or 12 miles or so. Then repeat every couple on months.

 

[Mal69]

Yes the battery is around that figure.

I am a bit scared they will explode if I keep pumping them up, that’s me being silly then, using my thumb and fingers they feel very pumped up but I guess the finger method isn’t as good as a gauge that tells you exactly what the pressure is.

Ok pumped it up more 4.2 bar for back tyre and 4.1 bar for the front, around 60 psi, hopefully that’s perfect, air must have been lost during the winter because that front tyre was 0.9 bar, maybe that’s how I received it, seems high using fingers but gauge shows it’s not what it should be.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I would say that 3 bar is a nice compromise between comfort, handling and everything else. I never use a pressure gauge. I just use the thumb test. Pump up until you can hardly make a dent with your thumb.

 

[Mal69]

I would say that 3 bar is a nice compromise between comfort, handling and everything else. I never use a pressure gauge. I just use the thumb test. Pump up until you can hardly make a dent with your thumb.

I will try the recommended 4 bar, if I don’t like it I can always lower it, I think when I got the bike it was much lower and maybe that’s why it punctured.

One issue, I meant to check the inside of the tyre, I forgot, the puncture was tiny, I feel I got it going over a pothole but if anything is inside the tyre I would think it would show up before I am five miles into the countryside like last time, I am going to take a puncture repair kit and pump and pressure gauge whenever I cycle now, maybe I will deflate the tyre and check the inside, cannot make my mind up.

I was expecting these Schwalbe energizer plus tour tyres to be difficult to put on but they went on easy enough, pressure was needed for the final part, a lot of pressure but they went on, I did one side of the rim first, then the other with the tube slightly inflated, seemed to work well.

 

[RobF]

Schwalbe say the thumb pressure test is not reliable for their tyres because of the puncture protection band.

Using a gauge makes sense, but there's no need to fret over a few psi here or there.

I would aim for about 40psi in the front and bit more in the back.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Schwalbe say the thumb pressure test is not reliable for their tyres because of the puncture protection band.

I think you'd have to pretty well at the thick end of the dunderhead spectrum not to be able to feel when they're hard.

 

[RobF]

I think you'd have to pretty well at the thick end of the dunderhead spectrum not to be able to feel when they're hard.

According to Schwalbe: "The widespread thumbtest method is very inaccurate, as all tyres will feel identically hard from a pressure of approx. 2 bar up.
"The thumb test is completely insufficient for Marathon Plus tyres due to the special puncture belt."

So it comes down to who knows more about Schwalbe tyres, some random bloke on the internet or the manufacturer.

https://www.schwalbe.com/en-GB/luftdruck.html