2020 Allant 9.9S Grinding Noise from motor or is it?

[GuruUno]

Attached MP3 21 second clip ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/o9p8yu135qyhy59/Allant 9.9S Motor Grinding.mp3?dl=0 )
Getting worse day by day
700 miles on new bike
Here we go.....again!

 

[tegnamo]

Sounds like it matches up with your pedaling cadence?

 

[GuruUno]

Yes

 

[Alaskan]

I have the same noise that showed up yesterday, a rhythmic scratchy sound that matches the cadence . It is not present with easy pedaling but shows up when I am pushing up a hill or accelerating with at least 120 watts of power to the cranks. She goes into the shop today for evaluation. Our local trek shop has van for service pickup and delivery and strict hygiene protocols. I can't say enough good things about the Bellingham Trek shop. I will report here what I learn about the issue.

 

[Alaskan]

By the way @GuruUno thanks for the recording. It may prove useful.

 

[StmbtDave]

My Yamaha Wabash started making noises much like that, although not that loud. I could feel the grinding in the pedals. The dealer finally replaced the motor after me bugging them for about 3 weeks.

 

[GuruUno]

It was dropped off today also. Odd noise from a newcomer 4th generation motor. Hopefully resolvable. I'd go out on a limb and say it's the internal gears, not sure if they are plastic or metal, but remember reading about the change from 1 to the other, and I think previous gens were plastic, and new gen is metal.

 

[Alaskan]

@GuruUno Which Trek shop has your Allant?

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Attached MP3 21 second clip ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/o9p8yu135qyhy59/Allant 9.9S Motor Grinding.mp3?dl=0 )
Getting worse day by day
700 miles on new bike
Here we go.....again!

To me it sounds like it's coming from the external mechanicals or some other structural component not inside the motor.
The tolerances within the motor are extremely tight. Since it is rhythmic, it might be related to the crank arm motion and its interaction with structural components.

 

[GuruUno]

@GuruUno Which Trek shop has your Allant?

Trek/Stirling NJ

 

[Over50]

To me it sounds like it's coming from the external mechanicals or some other structural component not inside the motor.
The tolerances within the motor are extremely tight. Since it is rhythmic, it might be related to the crank arm motion and its interaction with structural components.

Was thinking similarly. Seems less likely that it is the motor and more likely coming from something else. But eager to find out for sure.

 

[Alaskan]

My Allant is in the shop they confirmed my Allant is making the identical sound. The sound file was uploaded to Trek HQ and Bosch today. Hoping to hear back early next week. Will repot back here.

 

[GuruUno]

I checked in with my LBS yesterday, and they too also informed me that nothing is happening until the start of the work week.
My curiosity and concerns are like, really? New Generation 4 motor, and NOW, these types of issues are happening? I really, really, really, feel like maybe we are beta testers and the product may have been released too soon.
Just like the 1st year production of a car as an example, I should have been the wiser.
In any event, I got my previously owned Super Commuter back as a loaner (that has 1200 miles on the 2nd motor that was replaced after 5,000+ miles the LBS has it sitting in their store room), Trek never asked for it back, who knows why or what), but in any event, I put 25 miles on it today and it was a good feeling, albeit the occasional grumpy noises from the motor that initially created the reason for a replacement.
So, even the previous generation motor had issues, the new one too maybe....so what are the options, if any, a Yamaha motor bike, a Brose motor bike, or a no motor bike?

 

[Alaskan]

I checked in with my LBS yesterday, and they too also informed me that nothing is happening until the start of the work week.
My curiosity and concerns are like, really? New Generation 4 motor, and NOW, these types of issues are happening? I really, really, really, feel like maybe we are beta testers and the product may have been released too soon.
Just like the 1st year production of a car as an example, I should have been the wiser.
In any event, I got my previously owned Super Commuter back as a loaner (that has 1200 miles on the 2nd motor that was replaced after 5,000+ miles the LBS has it sitting in their store room), Trek never asked for it back, who knows why or what), but in any event, I put 25 miles on it today and it was a good feeling, albeit the occasional grumpy noises from the motor that initially created the reason for a replacement.
So, even the previous generation motor had issues, the new one too maybe....so what are the options, if any, a Yamaha motor bike, a Brose motor bike, or a no motor bike?

some perspective. I own four other bikes with Bosch motors, 2 gen 2 CX and 2 Gen 2 Speed. Between the four of them there is almost 17,000 miles of riding on them. None have ever had any motor, battery or display issues. All Bosch component have been trouble free. This is my first potential Bosch issue in that many miles. So I am willing to give them so latitude, so long as they fix the noise. Don't care how they do it, just fix it and do so promptly.

 

[GuruUno]

Agreed

 

[Johnny]

It is a new motor and bike so these problems may happen. It is a periodic sound so it maybe coming from the bearings or frame mount.

Bosch is one of the most reliable motors out there but I wouldn't call them bulletproof. I have seen quite a few failures on gen 2 and gen 3 active lines.

 

[Rob NJ]

Hey guys. Mine has only 350 miles, so a bit early. Had a similar sound and spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out the origin. It would go in an out, quiet for 20 miles, and then the noise would come strongly. In the end, it was aligned with the cadence of the wheels not the motor. Changing gears would not change the sound, so it seemed it was from the rear hub. Mentioned it to the bike shop, they say the found nothing, but magically it has not come back in the last 50 miles.

My guess was the rear hub. They probably greased it and it is quiet now. Good luck GuroUno. My wife is keeping me doing projects rather than riding in the good weather these past few weeks.

 

[Alaskan]

Got the word from the manager at the Trek shop. Bosch has initiated a warranty claim for a replacement motor.

 

[GuruUno]

Wow, that's scary. I sure hope it does not keep occurring, I already went through this with the previous Super Commuter.

 

[Kevmk81]

This is disappointing to hear. Alaskan - how many miles again do you have on your Allant? I haven't been using mine since it's my commuting bike - and well I'm not commuting due to working remote - so each month that goes by it's 1 less month closer to end of warranty that I have to add miles to the bike to determine if mine is one of the units with issues. Maybe I should start riding junk miles... I've been wanting a good reason to take it out for rides. Wondering how many miles it typically takes for this damage to occur. Mine currently has 400 miles and is fine.