Zen Photon Ultra - limited version (Bafang Ultra, Rohloff Speed hub, Gates belt drive)
- Thread starter Ravi Kempaiah
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Brat
New Member
Thanks for the offer, but I'm in Ontario Canada. I don't think that would work out .
May I ask why you're selling? Am thinking about doing the same with the Pro, TBH(Once I repair mine). Have wondered if the Rohloff was any better than the CVT: Mine's broken badly a bunch of times now. This last time quite badly on gravel(such that I'm replacing the belt and manual hub interface, and shifter/cables this time.)
Gionnirocket
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My Zen with the Ultra and Rohloff have been working well. More than a few installation issues but the set up itself has been solid.
4000mi on one Rohloff / 3000mi on another. Not a long term evaluation but I'm happy to date.
That's good to hear...My experience with this enviolo CVT has been nothing short of a bummer. I spend WAY too much time trying to keep tension correct/the belt from skipping, and the shifter cables have snapped 2x. Once in the first 25km, and again now. I sort of wish I had taken the hint at 25km. Much regret over here. Nothing but that, in fact. Only 2000km and change on it as a result.
Cybersnow
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I have now put close to 1,000 miles on the Zen. While I really cannot complain about any one issue on the bike I have decided to make some changes to make the bike better align with my riding style. I am going to drive the bike down to Boise Idaho and see if it is possible to replace the rohloff and gates belt with a more traditional derailed and HD chain/gearing set up. I took a ride from Astoria to Larkspur and had some problems with the Rohloff, could not find a shop that would work on them and had to rent a truck, haul the bike back to Idaho, pick up my old E-MTB drive back to the West Coast and finish the ride. As there are a few more 300mile + rides we want to make, I need a set up that I can get fixed without wasting 4 days.
Gionnirocket
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Curious... What issue did you have with the Rohloff.
+5000mi on mine now without issue.
+5000mi on mine now without issue.
Kiwibru
Member
I have five+ years and over 12,000 km on my Bosch + eRohloff, original belt and drive train gears. Just oil changes and checking tension on the belt. I do not miss chain cleaning. The mess that was part of derailleur / gear / chain maintenance for over fifty-five years of riding and I am so glad. I just can't understand how anyone could have issues with a similar setup but do tell.
Gionnirocket
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My setup is chain dive but I still feel the Rohloff is a low maintenance, low failure solution. Same +5000mi on my chain and it doesn't seem to be wearing much with the 1x1 gear setup and no lateral forces and an always perfect chainline.
Cybersnow
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The Rohloff locked up and stopped shifting. Up until this point there was never a problem. Oil was changed once a year. Rohloff has offered a replacement/repair and so no complaints there. The other option is to get the Rohloff repaired and use the bike only locally, it pulls my doggie trailer with no issues. I just do not want to repeat the experience of trying to get it fixed only to be told by the nearest LBS that they have no clue or tools to work on it.
Gionnirocket
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You're just not having good luck with this bike.
Curious... How are you receiving Rohloff support? From an LBS or thru Zen?
That said my first Rohloff from Zen came with a myriad of installation mistakes and fuck_ups. From a missing Freewheel Spring to torn gaskets, missing bolts, crimped cable housing and cable to a nice scratch on the shifter. Prior to shipping they held on to the bike for two weeks for so called quality control.. but when received, I was miffed by how poorly it functioned. Their in-house mechanics/engineers are beyond clueless.
That, that said... Everything was replaced by Zen and when done correctly (by me) it works wonderfully and I love the pairing with the M620.
Curious... How are you receiving Rohloff support? From an LBS or thru Zen?
That said my first Rohloff from Zen came with a myriad of installation mistakes and fuck_ups. From a missing Freewheel Spring to torn gaskets, missing bolts, crimped cable housing and cable to a nice scratch on the shifter. Prior to shipping they held on to the bike for two weeks for so called quality control.. but when received, I was miffed by how poorly it functioned. Their in-house mechanics/engineers are beyond clueless.
That, that said... Everything was replaced by Zen and when done correctly (by me) it works wonderfully and I love the pairing with the M620.
Cybersnow
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The Zen is out of warranty and to honest, their customer support was excellent during the first few months as we worked a few minor bugs out of the bike. The only thing they never fixed was a rubbing front fender on the Johnny Watts tires. I ultimately just took off the offending fender. Other than the shifter never matching up with the gears, the Rohloff worked just fine. Oh and I agree with your opinion that their mechanics are pretty clueless. My biggest problem, besides weight, is the lack of Rohloff mechanics here in the Northwest and the predominant expertise in MTB and E-MTB technology. We love multi day long rides and carry just our basic necessities and limit daily rides to our battery charge. Murphy’s law says that the bike will fail at the most inopportune time. I really don’t expect any weight or speed changes but a change inthe ability to get the bike repaired when I am a long way from home.
Gionnirocket
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Supposedly the Zen has a 3yr Warranty... but they've all been missing in action since the beginning of the year.
And yet I see Zen ebike socials are being posted to again about the Battery factory -- which I thought was Zen Energy(a separate company and venture)? Anyway yeah...I had really high hopes buying from a scrappy upstart in Canada. Funny that I ribbed Biktrix in the past--they're still here and selling and servicing bikes. They do indeed honour the warranty and make it right, Zen has been a rather separate experience(especially not being located directly in Halifax, like most of us aren't). Never did hear back anything useful on the drivetrain work I did in June when mine blew up. "I wish I could help you" was about it. Probs going to go through an LBS to buy something else after this experience when mine breaks again. Let the market shake out the players that don't or won't stick around. Get bikes and service from places that will.
Gionnirocket
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Yeah it's all a bit sad.
Seems that Canadian eBike sellers with Indian owners (Zen, Biktrix and WattWagon) all suffer from the same over promising and under delivering.
Me personally am in a bit of a different situation in that my bike was a one_off prototype with all off the shelf easily sourced parts (except for the frame). I've even tracked down several battery sources for when that becomes a need. Also I do all of my own repairs so I have no issue with DTC.
Zen has been very generous with getting me everything +, but it did take quite a bit of follow up. And this all transpired before the battery factory start and their disappearance.
I'm curious... Post some links of the social updates you've seen as I haven't come across anything.
This was the most recent I've seen. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1798902154160924
I found it curious that it had nothing to do with bikes. Feels like the bike business was just a stepping stone to battery factory from the outside looking in in this case. And I guess fair enough, just wish there was transparency that it was going to be the case. Too bad they couldn't hand the business to someone else to run if so, too. I would have loved to keep seeing improvements...and service, and all the good stuff that comes with a solid bike company.
And yeah, I just don't have that comfort level with electronics, so it's a shame for me. Need that extra bit of help with service(and heck, there's times I just want to hand it to more skilled hands and say, "please help"). The regular bike-related stuff? No problem. I can generally figure it out, or have friends who can help me. Makes me think I should drop the electric part...but it's so much fun, and I get such distance per ride, I don't think I ever will.
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