Anyone else still putting miles on their RipCurrent S?

[Chazmo]

Sounds like you’re having a lot of bad luck, olbriar. Good luck with your solution(s).

 

[olbriar]

Sounds like you’re having a lot of bad luck, olbriar. Good luck with your solution(s).

I went on a flat spree. I ended up having seven flats in eleven days. I edited my normal ride to eliminate almost all of the use of the concrete siding of the state highway. It makes for a great no stop return to my daily loop. However, that is where I'm getting all of the flats.
I am still riding just a third of a mile on that siding before cutting through an addition and catching a sidewalk. I had flat number eight today. Tonight I slowly walked that third of a mile and here is a pic of the flat makers I picked up. (three of my flats were the same sort of staple)

 

[olbriar]

On the brighter side, though it's been brutally hot, I'm still riding.

 

[Chazmo]

On the brighter side, though it's been brutally hot, I'm still riding.
View attachment 215022

outstanding!

 

[olbriar]

I ran into a guy while out riding. He was on a Lectric foldable e-bike. He lives along the state highway that I use to ride and we have exchanged a wave a few times. He said he hadn't seen me on the highway and hoped I was okay. I explained about the flats ruining my ride. He marveled on the amount of miles I have on the RCS and asked what I have had to replace with all of those miles. I told him that it was easier to name the items that were still original.
I still think it's a great bike and maybe the best bike for the money and time I purchased. I would recommend the bike to anyone wanting an e-bike if Juiced was still in business and parts were available.

 

[Chazmo]

I ran into a guy while out riding. He was on a Lectric foldable e-bike. He lives along the state highway that I use to ride and we have exchanged a wave a few times. He said he hadn't seen me on the highway and hoped I was okay. I explained about the flats ruining my ride. He marveled on the amount of miles I have on the RCS and asked what I have had to replace with all of those miles. I told him that it was easier to name the items that were still original.
I still think it's a great bike and maybe the best bike for the money and time I purchased. I would recommend the bike to anyone wanting an e-bike if Juiced was still in business and parts were available.

Well, while Juiced is back in business, there is no sign of real e-bikes coming from them. Maybe that will evolve in time. And, there are no legacy bike parts available from them; at least not that I'm aware of.

Great that you've been keeping yours going @olbriar . I'd like to have mine for another couple of years or so, but for a variety of reasons I have not been riding this summer.

 

[olbriar]

Well, while Juiced is back in business, there is no sign of real e-bikes coming from them. Maybe that will evolve in time. And, there are no legacy bike parts available from them; at least not that I'm aware of.

Great that you've been keeping yours going @olbriar . I'd like to have mine for another couple of years or so, but for a variety of reasons I have not been riding this summer.

Not riding.. I hate the sounds of that. I spent the time to walk the four miles of state highway siding to clean off all of the debris. I'm back to riding my old 9 mile loop over and over. I also ventured the other direction from town into the city. It's a great ride along the river but to get there is no fun. Too many busy four lanes to cross and drivers who are turning right when they don't have the light.
While at the liquor store last night, the clerk asked me if I was the guy he sees riding an e-bike. I told him I was quite likely that guy. He said I see you all the time. I said I ride all the time. He asked how many miles I have on the bike. The look on his face when I answered almost 31K was priceless.
I had a new stock tire I put on the back. Tire number four... not bad. I'm close to needing another chain and cassette. The jockey wheels on the derailleur are still good. Nothing lasts forever and parts are getting harder to find. I don't know how many more miles my RCS has in it. It will be a sad day when I have to move on.

 

[olbriar]

I experienced a glitch the other night. I was just a few miles from home when I lost all assist. It wasn't a power problem, the display was still lit up. It wasn't a sensor problem, the throttle was unresponsive. I checked the power connection from the controller to the motor and it was securely connected. I had no meter with me to confirm there was power present from the controller. That basically leaves the controller as the primary suspect. I cycled the bike off and back on and found the reboot restored power to the motor. I'm left thinking the problem was likely with the controller and not the motor. I've put over a 100 trouble free miles on the bike since the hiccup. It certainly left me with an uneasy feeling.

I purchased the upgraded controller and put it on the bike when it had less than 200 miles on it. I put the original controller back on the bike when I was trying to diagnose the problem with the bike when my first motor finally quit at 24k or so. That's a lot of miles on the controller but I could put it back on the bike if need be. Another motor or a motor repair is not in the bike's future. If I can't fix the bike with what I have, I will sadly retire my RCS. My wife insists that I move on and she is likely right. I have spent a lot of money keeping the bike in running order. Maybe a new bike would be less worry and a better investment. For now, I happily ride my RCS and enjoy my time on the bike... and try not to worry about trying to pedal the bike home with no assist.

 

[olbriar]

I'm 700 miles down the road since the outage mentioned above. I've been looking at bike options. I'm interested in lots of miles on a charge and not traveling 50mph on throttle only.
There are some paths I would ride most all day if I had the battery to do so. I'm considering a dual battery bike that is similar in build to the RCS. Pedaling it with minimal assistance, like I ride, should yield over 100 miles per charge. That's what I'm after. However, I'm in no hurry.
My RCS is performing well. I'm staying within fifteen miles of home just in case. It's sad that I've lost confidence in the old girl. Odometer is sitting at 31,693 miles today, before riding.

 

[olbriar]

I rolled my RCS over the 32K mark today. It's been cold and rainy lately which has cut into my riding fun. The last couple of day have been dry, warm, and windy. I can do wind but I hate cold. I had a widow maker heart attack three years ago. They have my blood so thin that I freeze when it is in the fifties. I try to suck it up for I love riding. My hands go numb when it's in the forties. That's with double gloves and handlebar mittens. I still ride.. I have to, I'm addicted.