Viking E-Go 24 impulse purchase

[thirteen]

I stopped by the local cycle shop at lunchtime today and spotted this ittle E-Go sat outside looking forlorn.

I enquired about it and was told it had been taken in part exchange for a new e-bike. It was a 2013 model and was well used, a statement borne out by its condition.

The pedal crank was wobbly but everything electrical worked. The bike and cycle parts were a little tired although there was a decent Schwalbe tyre on the rear and the pedals looked decidedly aftermarket.

£20 later it went home with me. Other than fixing the crank and a new chain and maybe a new cassette I haven't a clue what I'll do with it yet.

 

[Nealh]

£20 fantastic , did you have his shirt as well.

 

[D8ve]

Bertie bargin indeed

 

[thirteen]

Indeed.

I suspect that it's been used for commuting and left outside either for the day time or even 24/7. Maintenance has obviously been kept to a minimum to keep it rolling.

At least the battery hasn't been stood discharged. I'l see how it is after some use. Charger appears to work fine. There are sme cracks and corrosion around the battery casing and connectors but from a brief test run on a crank shimmed with thin metal strips it all works at least for a short distance so far.

Whether it's a bit of a steal or a money pit is undecided yet. Mrs 13 has her eyes on it already!

 

[Nealh]

The motor and electrics would cost a 5x what you paid, the battery is the bit that maybe suspect but easily replace in one way or another.

 

[thirteen]

A £5.99 crank from ebay and it's good to go.



Rides well above expectations, considering its bargain price. It reminds me of a Velosolex moped I rode back in the late 70s.

I gave it a very quick clean up and lube, then let Mrs 13 loose on it, hence the reduction in seat height. She loves it.

It has evidently been used quite a bit and the owner has seen fit to oil the chain regularly, but not to clean any of the old oil and accumulated cack off it.

The electrics all work as well as we can hope for and I feel that it's worth the investment in some cheap-as-chips drivetrain bits and new inner cables. That rear drum brake is binding a bit, too.

 

[thirteen]

It's finished, well as far as it's going to be for the foreseeable future.


It was a little more work than I first thought, but still easy enough to do over a week of an hour or two each evening.

It's been completely apart, all the bearings greased up, plus:-

- New alloy cranks, replacing the wobbly steel chainring and crank, and the left steel arm, with lighter alloy ones.

- New cassette, chain, plus dérailleur stripped, cleaned, re-greased and set up.

- New indexed old school thumb gear lever replacing the broken gripshift and new inner gear cable.

- Rear drum brake, stripped, cleaned and rebuilt to stop it binding.

- Battery casing repaired with epoxy resin, and broken connectors replaced with a cable link and insulated crimps.

Total outlay under £60 including the original purchase price of the bike.

It now rolls and rides marvellously ... and feels even more like a Velosolex moped.

I'm happy with it. It will be both useful and fun I'm sure.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I have spare battery cases that you can have for the cost of postage if you want to experiment with a 36v battery or if your repair gives way.

 

[thirteen]

I have spare battery cases that you can have for the cost of postage if you want to experiment with a 36v battery or if your repair gives way.

That's a very kind offer, thanks. I'll see how it goes as it is but it's certainly something to consider.

The way the casing and the connector on the bike were damaged led me to believe it was caused by heavy-handed fitting and removal of the battery. However, chatting to another E-Go 24 rider he reckoned that the cause lay more in the way the battery shakes around on its mounts over uneven surfaces.

Either way, it's maybe something for anyone who owns one of these to keep an eye on.

 

[thirteen]

I have spare battery cases that you can have for the cost of postage if you want to experiment with a 36v battery or if your repair gives way.

If your offer still stands I would love to take you up on it.

Several months later I figured I woud check in and report on progress with the E-Go.

...and there's not a lot to report. Those nice pedals got transferred onto a cheap DiamondBack MTB I acquired, replaced by the cheap plastic ones that came with the MTB.

The dérailleur is showing signs of use and doesn't swing over to the 6th cog quite so readily. Replacement is due soon.

The power has cut out infrequently, mostly after use in heavy rain. I couldn't find any excess moisture around the controller or connections and re-crimped all the hard-wired joints so I know it's not that. My suspicion lies with the led display and its on/off switch. After it cuts out it restarts readily and runs a while and if left dry for a few days it stops cutting out completely.

It's not a big deal, though and for what I've paid out it is completely forgiven.

The battery casing is failing progressively in use and is now held together with Sudall Fix-all and cable ties, hence the plea to d8veh regarding his offer.

I've used it almost every evening since April for a few miles up and down hills to go and walk a friend's dog. I suspect the range of the current battery is about 10 miles but I charge it every few nights so it doesn't really bother me.

Not a very interesting post, but perhaps helpful to anyone considering an E-Go 24 as this one has had some heavy use and very little preventative maintenance in its early life yet is still soldiering on being useful and fun.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The derailleur is not failing. It needs adjusting or the cable needs lubricating. There's nothing in the derailleur that can wear and stop it going to 6th gear.

I have a couple of battery cases left.

 

[thirteen]

The derailleur is not failing. It needs adjusting or the cable needs lubricating. There's nothing in the derailleur that can wear and stop it going to 6th gear.

I have a couple of battery cases left.

The dérailleur gets the chain over to the 6th cog but not far enough to stop it catching and rubbing on the 5th cog slightly. Even with the adjustment at full limit and the cable removed completely it doesn't quite get far enough over unless you physically nudge it.

It's almost as if the springs have lost tension. I have a past history of making even the cheapest gear components do their job properly but for the sake of a couple of quid on ebay I'll replace it.

 

[RobF]

There are two opposing springs in most deraillers.

If one of those is weak or has snapped it could give the symptoms described.

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-overhaul

 

[Deleted member 4366]

If it were struck by lightning too, that could compromise its operation, or maybe an alien nicked the spring when he came to earth searching for a spring to repair the throttle in his space ship.

I think I'll put my money on a bit of oil on the cable sorting it, or maybe a new cable. It's very comon to see the cable damaged when people try and fold the bike. I just had to fix one recently on a Batribike folder.

 

[thirteen]

If it were struck by lightning too, that could compromise its operation, or maybe an alien nicked the spring when he came to earth searching for a spring to repair the throttle in his space ship.

I think I'll put my money on a bit of oil on the cable sorting it, or maybe a new cable. It's very comon to see the cable damaged when people try and fold the bike. I just had to fix one recently on a Batribike folder.

The cable is fine. It's fairly new and smooth as silk in operation. Since te new cable was fitted in April the bike has not been folded at all.The problem persists even when the adjustment screw is backed right out and the cable completely removed.

ie the dérailleur in that circumstance should move the chain way outside the 6th cog due to its spring tension ... except it doesn't unless you physically push it (and I did say this before).

Hence my diagnosis that he dérailleur is tired from use (and lack of maintenance) and my decision to replace it with a replacement costing less than £10 shipped to my door.

If I'm wrong, and the problem I can see with my own eyes doesn't actually exist I will post up a statement to this effect.

 

[RobF]

If it were struck by lightning too, that could compromise its operation, or maybe an alien nicked the spring when he came to earth searching for a spring to repair the throttle in his space ship.

I think I'll put my money on a bit of oil on the cable sorting it, or maybe a new cable. It's very comon to see the cable damaged when people try and fold the bike. I just had to fix one recently on a Batribike folder.

Needlessly sarcastic, although it has been bit showery here today so I think the OP should check the mech for scorch marks.

The problem, as the OP has diagnosed and as I ventured, is almost certainly with one of the springs.

Clearly not worth fixing when a replacement can be had for a tenner.

But were it a classic restoration, or part of some ridiculously expensive roadie groupset, it could be worth fixing.

 

[thirteen]

I think the OP should check the mech for scorch marks.

Done, none found.

Clearly not worth fixing when a replacement can be had for a tenner.

Yes, although said tenner represents 50% of the original purchase cost of the bike.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Just get hold of the bottom and tug it outwards. You've probably bent it then.

 

[selrahc1992]

Just get hold of the bottom and tug it outwards. You've probably bent it then.

second that (just yanking it outwards until it more or less shifts OK and do finer adjustment with the adjusting screw), bizarrely works, after my last wipeout did just that despite st Sheldon saying its bad practice http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html and it's been just fine

 

[thirteen]

OK it's bent (despite what my eyes and experience tell me).

End of conversation.