2500 mile update
I've been commuting on my crossfire virtually every weekday this year doing about 25 miles each day and have now passed the 2500 mile mark so thought I would give an update on how it's doing. Unfortunately not all is well at the moment !
Cut-outs - I along with everyone else it seems have experienced the cut out problem and I am suprised that Halfords haven't come up with a solution for this by now. It is very irritating when it happens and for me the only solution that seems to work everytime is to unlock the battery and remove it, put it back in and restart and all is well. It tends to come in waves for me, with no cutouts for several weeks, then a several for a few days running. It does tend to happen to me at similar points on my journey in or home but I can't really pinpoint why it would do it at that point.
Battery - I have been very careful to follow the instructions on recharging the battery and to try and run it down to below 20% before recharging. For the first 6 months of use this would mean putting the power setting up to max for the final 5 miles of my journey. However in the last couple of months I've noticed that the battery is not charging to full. It shows it as 99% but after a few pedals on the bike and it's down to 91%. So it has obviously degraded already. In addition to this the range is reducing dramatically and now I dare not use the bike on full power unless I'm within 1/2 mile from home as the battery drains very fast. So whereas previously I could easily do my daily commute and get home with plenty of battery to spare I have to manage the power to ensure I get home ! I have referred this to Halfords and apparently they have to send the battery off for it to be fully tested (3 week turnaround) but have suggested that I may be riding it incorrectly ! Apparently riding it in Tour mode all the time will have a detrimental effect on the battery life. Really, what I am meant to do then, ride it on Eco all the time. Also they have said that I should always use the Climb setting for hills rather than full power. I can understand this on long hill climbs where the battery could overheat, but my hills are short but steep. So I will wait and see what they come back with.
Spokes - A couple of months back I had a blowout puncture which turned out to be a broken spoke that had penetrated the inner tube. Halfords repaired the spokes affected (4 in the end) and all seemed well until last week. Once again some of the spokes have gone leaving the bike unridable and me having a 7 mile walk home! I suspect that this has been caused by the original spoke failure and although the broken spokes were repaired others were weakened and the wheel not balanced properly once repaired. It should also be noted Halfords don't keep the spokes in stock for this bike. They have to be ordered in specially. Halfords are now suggesting that the bike is not suitable to take a weight over 17st in total and this could be why the spokes are failing. Now I am very tall and overweight so I am definitely over this limit, but they never mentioned this when I was purchasing the bike originally. So what do I do ? Do I just have to accept that this is going to be a regular occurrence going forward unless I can shed a couple of stone.
It's a shame because the bike when it is running well is a very nice ride but if the battery is going to wear out much faster than the 400 recharges indicated by Halfords then it's going to become a much more expensive commute.
Has anyone else had issues with their battery ?
Really helpful to hear your experience 2500 miles on, thanks. I commute 32 miles a day but only twice a week so I could expect to hit 2500 miles and possibly new battery territory in a little over 1 year, not 2 years as expected. Battery life is great at the moment, hitting nearly 60 miles in Eco mode, 40 miles in Tour/Climb, even with my weight, which is another point...
I am really overweight at over 17st (110KG) and 6ft, and so I am concerned about what Halfords are saying to you about max load! The max rider weight is quoted as 120KG (19st) and I checked that before buying, plus I also accounted for my laptop on the luggage rack (2-3Kg)... It looks like might be taking a trip down the old broken spoke corral too.
I have been dealing with Cycle Republic and although they have been pretty good so far, replacing my display and fixing my cutout (for now). Like most shops they're going to fix the bare minimum and stick to the letter of the warranty. So with the spokes, potentially £130 for a wheel rebuild, and £400 for a battery, that's basically close to the difference to upgrade to a Bosch powered Crossfuse.
BUT!
Wouldn't it just have the same problems with battery lifespan?
In fact, these battery issues, and 2 year lifespan, aren't they more or less the same with ALL e-bikes including the more expensive Bosch powered models? Maybe you get another 6 months then you'd be facing the a new battery bill? Although, the wheel and spokes might be more robust without the hub motor and you might also have a more reliable commute without cut-outs.
Or is it better to get a Crossfire on the Cyclescheme for £600 every 2 years, with new motor, battery and everything? Maybe less if you can trade-in your old one like some shops offer.
Also I really like the sidestand, I'd really miss it if I went to a Crossfuse
You expect the battery life to drop off after a year or so as it does with phones. I don't think you've done anything wrong BTW, Halfords are just giving you some BS about the usage I am sure. If my battery was getting to the same state as yours I'd be taking my charger and charging it up at work. That said, less range, makes it less useful, I took mine on a 24 mile trail (light) ride over the weekend, turned the power off in a few places - Damn! That's one heavy bike to ride, it would not be fun if the battery left you stranded
