(Jan 2021 update: I am attaching the following link to my posting(s) located over at the BikTrix ebike companys' EBReview forum site:
https://electricbikereview.com/foru...-sensor-bottom-bracket-price-is-200-00.40097/
As of today, Jan 5th, it is a work-in-progress. It should make current M2S ebike owners really appreciate their very correct ebike purchase. I also realize that many potential ebike buyers cruise these forums as an aid in their search for the ideal ebike at the most practical price. They also need to be made aware of “brand service after the sale”, or lack/deception thereof. After all, an ebike purchase of $1,500+ is no small investment. You be the judge.)
ADDENDUM on Jan 10, 2020: Since I now have numerous threads posted (sorry about that), I want to let viewers know their chronological sequence, thus every thread title will begin with (# ).
I hope everyone is doing well during this “moment” in world history. Luckily, outdoors exercise is acceptable to the powers-that-be in my state. So, that being the case, I am able to do (and do) my daily 50 mile+ ebike rides. I have customized my “cootie” (covid) mask and the kiddo's love it; initially, their eyes get REAL BIG, and then they grin/smile REAL BIG. Too much fun.
I, too, have noticed the reduction in the number of ebikes currently available for sale at M2S website. The mighty KUSH/R750FS is not displayed. But, time will tell. What I will say is that the KUSH is, in my humble opinion, the absolute best $$ deal of any ebike on the market. Those of you who bought one recently at the awesomely low $$$ really got the Deal of deals.
My 2018 KUSH is now 25 months old. It has 13,425 miles on the odometer. It would have had 18,300 miles, but the extra 4,875 miles are attached to the 2019 R750 hardtail (aka WhiteyFord) that I bought in July 2019. Too many toyz-- too much fun.
Onward to the subject at hand:
So, I'm dinking around with one of the ebikes and I glance down at the carpet and notice a shiny little BALL BEARING.. Where the heck it came FROM is beyond me because I haven't done any abuse to my ebike toyz, in relation to ball bearing items, in at least 2 weeks. Time goes on. A few days later, I find another ball.
That same day, I took the mighty KUSH for a ride. I immediately noticed “play” in the rear suspension. Upon closer inspection, I find the source of the errant ball bearings: the center pivot bolt of the 3-bolt configuration on the rear pivot arm. The center pivot is located on the seat tube and right above the black control box. There is a sealed bearing on each side.
Upon returning home, I zipped off an email to M2S asking about the bearings. The reply was that bearings were not used on the suspension-- bushings, which are sold on their website for $2 a pair+$10 shipping, are the way to go. I found this interesting because I had already removed the retaining bolts-- a short male bolt and a long female bolt-- and tapped out the good ball bearing sealed cluster. Such is life on the internet.I was already preparing to buy a few other items; an extra rear derailleur mount for both the KUSH and the R750-- for just in case. Also, a spare thumb accelerator. I included the $2 bushing, too. I was expecting metal bushings, but 2 yellow plasticy units arrived instead. They didn't seem strong/sturdy enough for the job at hand. I hadn't bother with examining the good ball bearing unit because the printing on the side was too small to make out without a magnifying glass. Eventually, I remembered to buy the glass at WalMart.
The ball bearing unit product # is 698Z (Z, not 2):
https://www.walmart.com/ip/19mm-x-8mm-x-6mm-698Z-Double-Shields-Deep-Groove-Ball-Bearing/47554979
The important info here is the numbers --698-- they stipulate the exact size of the bearing unit. Any letters (Z) just signify the degree of protection to/for the bearing unit. I bought the above shown units, but cheaper items (different letters) are available on the internet. Remember to buy 2-- if one goes caa-caa, the other one is most likely on its way out, too. Also, as an added measure of insurance (on your part), when you re-install the new bearings, put a washer on next to the bolt head (on both bolts). This will keep those rascally bearings from making an unwanted exit from the frame pivot arm. As a matter of fact, even if your own KUSH is righty-didy at this time, go ahead and install those washers. It should save you having to deal with my situation at your house.
As for buying the ball bearing units: go ahead and order them anyway so that you will already have 'em handy. It took me 3 weeks to actually get mine delivered to my mail box. The Covid-19 stuff has EVERYTHING screwed up.
In regards to removing the 2 pivot arm bolts: you need two 7mm allen head wrenches. Do 2 complete circuits of backing out the bolts. Now stop and check the exposed bolts. One is shiny. One is threaded. Push the shiny bolt (that is the 3 inch long female bolt) back towards the frame. Now completely remove the short threaded male bolt. Also, lift the frame gently at the main frame/top of seat tube area to take pressure OFF the pivot bolts being removed/replaced.
Next, use either a phillips head screwdriver or a large diameter allen wrench to push the long female bolt completely out from the male bolt hole side. This “replacement bolt unit” will insure that the suspension pivot arm/frame will remain aligned. Just DO NOT remove it-- the female bolt, when being re-inserted, will “back it out” just fine and dandy.
As for the removal of the old bearing(s): just tap it out from the opposite side. I used the large allen wrench. As for installing the new unit(s): again, use a hammer to tap it into the pivot arm space. Use the 2 original bolts (remember those washers) being re-tightened to complete the re-installation process.And that should do it..
By the way, last week I used my Stimulus Check to buy the following new toy: https://www.biktrix.com/pages/swift-detailsI got the black color and 14.5ah battery version. I figure that for the $$ difference between it and the larger batteries, I could buy an additional (and larger ah) battery (if ever needed) on the internet for the same (or less) cost. However, my 16ah batteries used on my 2 M2S ebikes will fit it perfectly – one of the reasons I bought it.Needless to say, I will probably abuse the BikTrix forum in much the same way as I have this M2S forum.. I will explain my twisted reasoning for buying yet another ebike toy over on that forum-- after I have put a few hundred “shake down” miles on it.. Too Much Fun..
https://electricbikereview.com/foru...-sensor-bottom-bracket-price-is-200-00.40097/
As of today, Jan 5th, it is a work-in-progress. It should make current M2S ebike owners really appreciate their very correct ebike purchase. I also realize that many potential ebike buyers cruise these forums as an aid in their search for the ideal ebike at the most practical price. They also need to be made aware of “brand service after the sale”, or lack/deception thereof. After all, an ebike purchase of $1,500+ is no small investment. You be the judge.)
ADDENDUM on Jan 10, 2020: Since I now have numerous threads posted (sorry about that), I want to let viewers know their chronological sequence, thus every thread title will begin with (# ).
I hope everyone is doing well during this “moment” in world history. Luckily, outdoors exercise is acceptable to the powers-that-be in my state. So, that being the case, I am able to do (and do) my daily 50 mile+ ebike rides. I have customized my “cootie” (covid) mask and the kiddo's love it; initially, their eyes get REAL BIG, and then they grin/smile REAL BIG. Too much fun.
I, too, have noticed the reduction in the number of ebikes currently available for sale at M2S website. The mighty KUSH/R750FS is not displayed. But, time will tell. What I will say is that the KUSH is, in my humble opinion, the absolute best $$ deal of any ebike on the market. Those of you who bought one recently at the awesomely low $$$ really got the Deal of deals.
My 2018 KUSH is now 25 months old. It has 13,425 miles on the odometer. It would have had 18,300 miles, but the extra 4,875 miles are attached to the 2019 R750 hardtail (aka WhiteyFord) that I bought in July 2019. Too many toyz-- too much fun.
Onward to the subject at hand:
So, I'm dinking around with one of the ebikes and I glance down at the carpet and notice a shiny little BALL BEARING.. Where the heck it came FROM is beyond me because I haven't done any abuse to my ebike toyz, in relation to ball bearing items, in at least 2 weeks. Time goes on. A few days later, I find another ball.
That same day, I took the mighty KUSH for a ride. I immediately noticed “play” in the rear suspension. Upon closer inspection, I find the source of the errant ball bearings: the center pivot bolt of the 3-bolt configuration on the rear pivot arm. The center pivot is located on the seat tube and right above the black control box. There is a sealed bearing on each side.
Upon returning home, I zipped off an email to M2S asking about the bearings. The reply was that bearings were not used on the suspension-- bushings, which are sold on their website for $2 a pair+$10 shipping, are the way to go. I found this interesting because I had already removed the retaining bolts-- a short male bolt and a long female bolt-- and tapped out the good ball bearing sealed cluster. Such is life on the internet.I was already preparing to buy a few other items; an extra rear derailleur mount for both the KUSH and the R750-- for just in case. Also, a spare thumb accelerator. I included the $2 bushing, too. I was expecting metal bushings, but 2 yellow plasticy units arrived instead. They didn't seem strong/sturdy enough for the job at hand. I hadn't bother with examining the good ball bearing unit because the printing on the side was too small to make out without a magnifying glass. Eventually, I remembered to buy the glass at WalMart.
The ball bearing unit product # is 698Z (Z, not 2):
https://www.walmart.com/ip/19mm-x-8mm-x-6mm-698Z-Double-Shields-Deep-Groove-Ball-Bearing/47554979
The important info here is the numbers --698-- they stipulate the exact size of the bearing unit. Any letters (Z) just signify the degree of protection to/for the bearing unit. I bought the above shown units, but cheaper items (different letters) are available on the internet. Remember to buy 2-- if one goes caa-caa, the other one is most likely on its way out, too. Also, as an added measure of insurance (on your part), when you re-install the new bearings, put a washer on next to the bolt head (on both bolts). This will keep those rascally bearings from making an unwanted exit from the frame pivot arm. As a matter of fact, even if your own KUSH is righty-didy at this time, go ahead and install those washers. It should save you having to deal with my situation at your house.
As for buying the ball bearing units: go ahead and order them anyway so that you will already have 'em handy. It took me 3 weeks to actually get mine delivered to my mail box. The Covid-19 stuff has EVERYTHING screwed up.
In regards to removing the 2 pivot arm bolts: you need two 7mm allen head wrenches. Do 2 complete circuits of backing out the bolts. Now stop and check the exposed bolts. One is shiny. One is threaded. Push the shiny bolt (that is the 3 inch long female bolt) back towards the frame. Now completely remove the short threaded male bolt. Also, lift the frame gently at the main frame/top of seat tube area to take pressure OFF the pivot bolts being removed/replaced.
Next, use either a phillips head screwdriver or a large diameter allen wrench to push the long female bolt completely out from the male bolt hole side. This “replacement bolt unit” will insure that the suspension pivot arm/frame will remain aligned. Just DO NOT remove it-- the female bolt, when being re-inserted, will “back it out” just fine and dandy.
As for the removal of the old bearing(s): just tap it out from the opposite side. I used the large allen wrench. As for installing the new unit(s): again, use a hammer to tap it into the pivot arm space. Use the 2 original bolts (remember those washers) being re-tightened to complete the re-installation process.And that should do it..
By the way, last week I used my Stimulus Check to buy the following new toy: https://www.biktrix.com/pages/swift-detailsI got the black color and 14.5ah battery version. I figure that for the $$ difference between it and the larger batteries, I could buy an additional (and larger ah) battery (if ever needed) on the internet for the same (or less) cost. However, my 16ah batteries used on my 2 M2S ebikes will fit it perfectly – one of the reasons I bought it.Needless to say, I will probably abuse the BikTrix forum in much the same way as I have this M2S forum.. I will explain my twisted reasoning for buying yet another ebike toy over on that forum-- after I have put a few hundred “shake down” miles on it.. Too Much Fun..
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