Raleigh Stow-e-way (stoweway) - Very slow and barely doing any assist

[atlas]

I bought this e-bike in December and I'm so disappointed...
I can't seem to get much out of it.
When cycling downhill the engine shuts off. Because of the small wheels - it is slow
When going uphill - the engine barely kicks in, you have to go very slowly for it to do any assistance and the moment you push a bit faster - it switches itself off.
It seems slow and lazy and I'd really want to make it go faster or at least put more power when going uphill.
At the moment I feel like I still have to do 80% of the work and won't go faster than an average walking person.
I'm 98kg for reference.
Anyone had any similar or different experiences?
Is there any way I can make it kick in faster and give more assistance?
I'm planning to use it in another country so not worried about UK regulations on speed.
Thank you!

 

[cyclebuddy]

Is there any way I can make it kick in faster and give more assistance?

The answer is no. It's a closed CANbus system. Even with the dealer diagnostics software (which I have here) you can't change the maximum assisted speed beyond the statutory 15.5mph, and the amount of assistance is what it is (there's 4 levels of assist IIRC?).

If you feel the bike isn't working as well as it should, your only option is to take it back to your dealer to have the bike checked by plugging it into the LogiX diagnostics. It's a TranzX hub motor - quite a feisty little thing by all accounts: Maybe yours needs checking?

 

[saneagle]

You are using the plus and minus buttons on the control panel?

 

[cyclebuddy]

When going uphill - the engine barely kicks in, you have to go very slowly for it to do any assistance and the moment you push a bit faster - it switches itself off.

Afterthought: When you say you bought the bike in December, was it new or secondhand? I ask because this sounds like a knackered/worn-out battery.

 

[atlas]

there's 4 levels of assist IIRC?

Yes, there are 4 levels of assistance
Maybe I should take it back. I also noticed that if I'm going uphill and in a lower gear, the rear hub or motor makes a clicking noise. This goes away when back on flat again but that surely shouldn't happen.

You are using the plus and minus buttons

Yes, I'm always on 4. I thought it's slow because I'm too big for it... but then it says it can cary up to 125kg so I should be ok.

was it new or secondhand?

I bought it new from tredz on interest free credit. still paying for it but because it's so troublesome, it's not bringing me any joy and I avoid using it which is a shame

 

[saneagle]

Yes, there are 4 levels of assistance
Maybe I should take it back. I also noticed that if I'm going uphill and in a lower gear, the rear hub or motor makes a clicking noise. This goes away when back on flat again but that surely shouldn't happen.


Yes, I'm always on 4. I thought it's slow because I'm too big for it... but then it says it can cary up to 125kg so I should be ok.



I bought it new from tredz on interest free credit. still paying for it but because it's so troublesome, it's not bringing me any joy and I avoid using it which is a shame

Did you try spinning both wheels to make sure that the wheel isn't rubbing on something or the brakes binding or something like that? They should spin freely.

 

[cyclebuddy]

Your weight is well within limits (I'm heavier and have a similar 20" folding e-bike). How steep are the hills you're riding where the bike "switches itself off"?

 

[atlas]

How steep are the hills

Not steep at all... 20 meters or so according to google maps

 

[cyclebuddy]

In ebiketips review, they say "In the highest of the four power levels the bike romped up all but the steepest of hills", and they test ride up some of Bristol's most vicious hills.

When the bike cuts out, do all 5 of the battery indicators go out too?

 

[atlas]

I remember that review, it was one of the reviews that actually motivated me to buy it.
Looks like I need to give tredz a ring tomorrow and see what can be done.

When the bike cuts out, do all 5 of the battery indicators go out too?

The lights on the battery do not stay on. You press the button at the top and it shows 5 lines and then after I don't know how much time, they go off. I never paid attention to it since I thought that's how it's supposed to be. If they are supposed to always stay on - then I might have an issue. Every time I end the ride, the battery green lights are off.

 

[cyclebuddy]

The lights on the battery do not stay on. You press the button at the top and it shows 5 lines and then after I don't know how much time, they go off. I never paid attention to it since I thought that's how it's supposed to be. If they are supposed to always stay on - then I might have an issue. Every time I end the ride, the battery green lights are off.

That sounds normal... I actually meant the 5 red battery LED's on the handlebar display. Do they all suddenly cut-out too whilst riding up your hill and the bike "switches itself off", or do you just lose motor power?

Either way, IMO there's something wrong and your only remedy whilst the bike is still under warranty is to take it back to Tredz and have it checked.

 

[Bonzo Banana]

Doesn't surprise me the assistance is so poor. The Tranz hub motors are tiny and the ebike only comes with a 250Wh battery. A lot of the cheaper 20" wheel ebikes aren't really even 250W, they are more around 140-180W and only peak just over 250W and those ebikes look to have similar size hub motors and battery capacity. The low capacity battery pack means the discharge rate is probably reduced i.e. the torque. So even though the peak torque is meant to be 45Nm I suspect that is only happening with higher capacity battery packs. It's not a torque sensor either which can sometimes restrict motor power its a cadence sensor I believe so simply registers the turning of the cranks, less to go wrong. They are stating a range up to 50Km with a 250Wh battery pack so basically less than 5Wh of battery consumption per kilometre (the battery pack will not discharge to 100% empty so you never get the full battery capacity, it probably keeps reserve capacity between 5 and 20% depending on design. I think the reserve capacity percentage goes up with smaller capacity battery packs so you get even less capacity than you think.) 4-5Wh per kilometre seems low to me. 50Km is probably around 3hrs+ riding so its consuming perhaps 70Wh per hour allowing for reserve battery capacity so averaging 70W use over that hour. The 50Km range is I realise for the lowest power setting but still power consumption seems very low. Just for an extreme comparison the other way I read of a e-mountain bike with Bosch mid-drive using its 400 or 500Wh battery capacity in only 30 minutes with extreme off-road hill climbing. So lets say 400Wh that is effectively averaging 800W or 800Wh per hour although admittedly this would also reduce the battery capacity much quicker because of the much higher discharge rate. Battery cells last longer with lower discharge rates. You also have to factor in the reserve capacity of the Bosch battery pack and its age which I don't know.

Raleigh stuff is very over-priced. It's a long time since it was a British company and I've felt in recent years they have milked UK consumers for money with fairly poor overpriced products generally. This is a proprietary ebike motor system too. It's basically a poor throw away product. Unsatisfactory spec and destined to be uneconomic to repair fairly quickly.

I would definitely explore your consumer rights and try to get it returned and refunded as not fit for purpose. The ebike looks garbage by its spec and clearly that is the reality too.

 

[KimEbiker]

I bought this e-bike in December and I'm so disappointed...
I can't seem to get much out of it.
When cycling downhill the engine shuts off. Because of the small wheels - it is slow
When going uphill - the engine barely kicks in, you have to go very slowly for it to do any assistance and the moment you push a bit faster - it switches itself off.
It seems slow and lazy and I'd really want to make it go faster or at least put more power when going uphill.
At the moment I feel like I still have to do 80% of the work and won't go faster than an average walking person.
I'm 98kg for reference.
Anyone had any similar or different experiences?
Is there any way I can make it kick in faster and give more assistance?
I'm planning to use it in another country so not worried about UK regulations on speed.
Thank you!

Hi. I just bought a Stow-E-Way in the Raleigh Sale. I had the same experience that you describe here. On a hill I changed the gears, there was level 3 assist in place. The power didn't seem to assist at all. I have had a similar difficulty when trying to set off on an incline.

I called Raleigh customer assistance who said the Stow-E-Way isn't designed for hill climbing. She also recommended I get it checked out with the nearest Raleigh dealer. It's very disappointing as, where I live, even if you are on a cycle path, you will encounter hills. It seems I might have to plan enough time to get off and walk using the assist button.

 

[thelarkbox]

Hi. I just bought a Stow-E-Way in the Raleigh Sale. I had the same experience that you describe here. On a hill I changed the gears, there was level 3 assist in place. The power didn't seem to assist at all. I have had a similar difficulty when trying to set off on an incline.

I called Raleigh customer assistance who said the Stow-E-Way isn't designed for hill climbing. She also recommended I get it checked out with the nearest Raleigh dealer. It's very disappointing as, where I live, even if you are on a cycle path, you will encounter hills. It seems I might have to plan enough time to get off and walk using the assist button.

Starting upwards on an incline Is the worst possible scenario for an ebike, and will stress/tax the motor the hardest/worst. but as long as your pedaling in a low enough gear to rotate the pedals easily the assistance should be noticeable and helpful!..

Even so your initial reaction to a new ebike should be "WEEEEEEEEEEE" not "meh"

So for some perspective..

There are hills and then there are HILLS, For example i shop at a supermarket sunk below the ring road off a roundabout junction and my return journey is on a track beside the feed back onto the ring- rd up a slope rising about 10-15m? over 130m? or so, zero motor I can pedal up but am hot and panting a bit(lot) at the top.. with the motor i sail up at 15.5mph withe some pedal input, but not much as im not superseding the 15.5mph limit..

a hill i would never attempt to ride up as it feels like 45 degrees when walking up (google informs me its a bump) i can crest at 12mph in 3rd gear sat comfortably in the saddle.. If longer i would slow down more but ample scope still..

I ride a kit conversion using a 250w motor 15a stock eu-uk limited controller and 13 ah battery on a sub £250 when new bike, ( see icon pic) and am not a skinny fit cyclist..

My bikes performance is nothing special, and is probably pretty poor in comparison to most well considered and designed off the shelf ebike solutions. but should provide a realistic standard expectation imho?

If your bike is lacking in comparison after the seller has tried to rectify things, i hope a return is still a viable option.

 

[KimEbiker]

Hi. I'm familiar with riding a Raleigh Voyager hybrid bike, 21 speed, with a Swytch bike kit. 26 inch wheels. So, I'm needing to adjust to the power assist of the stow e way motor and the little 20 inch wheels. I have taken it out on some cycle paths, some of which include hills, near where I live. I have learned to get the power assist level in place before the start of the incline and with the appropriate gear, so the assist level is consistent, just leaving the gears to be changed to suit the gradient. This is ok if there is no need to stop. There are still some odd noises and a bit of a sensation of drag when I drop the assist, given that the gears are appropriate.
I'm taking it to the Raleigh dealer tomorrow and they will hook it up onto their computer. I'm also hoping they will sort out some other adjustments. I'm determined to get to grips with this bike as I'm a state pensioner and want to use the bike on buses and trains and also to use Park and Ride sites. I want to make the most of cycle routes in some of my local towns e.g. Truro and Falmouth. So, fingers crossed.