Pro Connect loose bolts/nuts

[baboon]

Just a note to all you Pro-Connectors. I was riding home on Wednesday thinking "this battery has gone flat quick today" but when I got bike out this morning I found that rear wheel had come loose and had moved so that brakes were rubbing.

I am guessing that with hub gears there is more force on the nuts so they need be be really really tight? Is this why Kalkhoff didn't fit a QR to the rear wheel?

And another thing; I found that the four bolts on the handlebar stem (the ones you see from the front of the bike --- a picture would help here) were very loose.

Of course a sensible person would check all the nuts and bolts before riding the bike. I did check the rear wheel nuts (in fact I had the wheel off to fit an 18t sprocket) and thought I'd tightened them enough, but obviously not.

Also, I had a thought. I noticed the bike was surprisingly hard to push backwards (into the shed) and realised that this was probably because I was having to turn the motor over? Does this mean I can charge the battery by riding down hills backwards? I'm only joking and don't recommend you try this.

Peter

 

[essexman]

And another thing; I found that the four bolts on the handlebar stem (the ones you see from the front of the bike --- a picture would help here) were very loose.

I have to keep tightening the nuts on my Agattu (once a month?) where the stem attaches to the handlebars. But i do have a basket which is handlebar mounted, which is clearly too much weight for the stem to handle. The Agattu has a comfort stem , i can see that the pro connect has a different mount but even so coming from a touring bike background i can see these stems are not exactly the same quality as whats on my Dawes. I've never had to touch the nuts on these over years of touring, using barbags etc

If it stays a problem get a better stem. I know i'll have to keep an eye on mine as like i say it clearly struggles with the weight of the basket.

 

[flecc]

You do need to make sure the back wheel nuts are tight enough on hub gear bikes, this is a problem which troubled some of the Lafree models which had rather weak frame drop outs. Fortunately the Kalkhoff ones are much stronger.

Hub gears cannot have normal cycle style quick release shafts, and they probably wouldn't be desirable anyway.

The push backwards resistance is indeed through having to turn the whole internal gear train and motor. The freewheel for forward motion is inside gear 3 in the photo below, gear 2 operating inside it. The second photo shows the internal needle roller and ramp freewheel parts. These are on the previous model, but the new one uses a similar setup:

 

[john]

Does this mean I can charge the battery by riding down hills backwards? I'm only joking and don't recommend you try this.

I would guess with 99% certainty that the controller would not support regeneration (since there would be no practical use for it).

 

[TomB]

seat post clamp

would also watch out for the seat post clamp on the pro connect - it is not really deep enough to do a proper job - mine kept popping loose and dropping the seat....

replaced with a better one for about £2.50 from Halfords.

p.s. all the bar bolts are all loose on arrival to make it easier to set the bike up to your personal preference.

 

[oldosc]

Just a note to all you Pro-Connectors. I was riding home on Wednesday thinking "this battery has gone flat quick today" but when I got bike out this morning I found that rear wheel had come loose and had moved so that brakes were rubbing.

I am guessing that with hub gears there is more force on the nuts so they need be be really really tight? Is this why Kalkhoff didn't fit a QR to the rear wheel?

And another thing; I found that the four bolts on the handlebar stem (the ones you see from the front of the bike --- a picture would help here) were very loose.

Of course a sensible person would check all the nuts and bolts before riding the bike. I did check the rear wheel nuts (in fact I had the wheel off to fit an 18t sprocket) and thought I'd tightened them enough, but obviously not.

Also, I had a thought. I noticed the bike was surprisingly hard to push backwards (into the shed) and realised that this was probably because I was having to turn the motor over? Does this mean I can charge the battery by riding down hills backwards? I'm only joking and don't recommend you try this.

Peter[/QUOTE
Had the same problem on my Agattu after about two weeks riding. I did check all nuts on receiving bike..(once jumped a high curb on my mountain bike only to watch the front wheel sail away without me...there's nothing you can do but wait....

 

[musicbooks]

...Had the same problem on my Agattu after about two weeks riding. I did check all nuts on receiving bike..(once jumped a high curb on my mountain bike only to watch the front wheel sail away without me...there's nothing you can do but wait....[/QUOTE]

This is rather alarming considering I cycle (fly) down a very steep hill for about two miles every day.. What do you mean exactly?

bw
musicbooks

 

[flecc]

All this refers to the more stressed hub gear back wheel.

Quick release type failures on front wheels can cause a front wheel to drop out, but the Agattu doesn't have quick release, just normal wheel nuts on the hubdyno spindle and that wouldn't happen with normally tightened wheel nuts.

No front wheel has ever come loose on me in 62 years of cycling, so I don't think it something to worry about.
.

 

[oldosc]

No front wheel has ever come loose on me in 62 years of cycling, so I don't think it something to worry about.
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Hi Flecc I guess I got carried away there, I went through a bit of a bad patch in '85, went back to biking as a way of regaining the past...bought a mountain bike..(having had road racers previous) the sense of freedom to leap things (pavements,logs) was a bit euphoric, Maintainance was the last thing on my mind....The front wheel had a quick release on it(heavens knows why) I just remember leaping, and watching this wheel bowl away before I hit the ground...more so than the cuts, and bruises...it's an image that makes my pause every time my downhill speed exceeds about 35...All flyers walk round the plane every time kick tyres, wobble the flaps, check the tail,(well the old ones do.I guess "There are old cyclists, and bold cyclists..but not many old bold cyclists)

 

[flecc]

I guessed it was a quick release, they can be untrustworthy and I've never been too keen on them.

Too slack and they're dodgy, overtight and a shaft can fail, too much of a catch 22 for me.
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