Bruce Arnold
Well-Known Member
Well, 108 miles. 
I had some trouble with a chain link that was too tight. Took it in to the LBS and got that fixed. They fine-tuned the rear derailleur too. It now shifts so well. Being able to effortlessly get it into the right gear is a real joy. Before, it would hesitate, sometimes shift 2 gears instead of one, stuff like that. This is not a Juiced Bikes problem, I've seen it on other bikes also. Regardless, the shop only charged me $16; well worth it.
I'm still fine with riding in the 18-20 mph range. My rationale is this: being a heavy guy (me plus gear = ~300 lbs), I'm already putting a certain amount of stress on the bike, primarily the wheels. The frame itself is built plenty strong. You smaller guys, hitting the same bumps and holes in the pavement at maximum speed are putting the same stress on the system. As Trek says in their manual, "The most significant variable in durability is the manner in which you ride ... If you ride hard or aggressively, you should replace the bicycle and/or its parts more often than riders who ride smoothly or cautiously."
That being said, I haven't had any problems with the spokes. That was an issue for many riders when the CCS first came out. It seems that the move to the 13 gauge Sapim spokes has fixed that. So much of the spoke breakage was within the first 100 miles. I've had none at all. I was sort of leery about this at first, but other than occasional inspection of the wheels for proper spoke tension (which we should all be doing anyway), I'm just not worried about it.
As I get in better condition, I find that I use level 1 less and less for recreational riding. Eco does the job for me at all speeds up to 20 mph, and I rarely even use 9th gear (although it's fun to sail down hills for bursts of up to 25 mph in 9th.) For commuting, Level 2 and 3 are great so I arrive without being sweaty and out of breath.
Using combinations of the pedal assist levels and the gears is becoming more and more automatic. At first I had to think about it. Now it's getting natural. Totally awesome to move from Eco to 1 to climb a hill in the same gear, for instance, without having to give it any thought.
As I've said elsewhere in the forum, I'm not worried about the "charging to 80%" thing. I charge when it drops to around 44 volts, and take it off the charger at around 53 volts. This gets me over 50 miles, without losing any significant performance. This may not absolutely maximize the battery life, but will provide many years and thousands of miles of riding enjoyment. I'm sure I'll want one of those 52 volt batteries Tora just started selling, long before this battery bites the dust.
My wife's Pedego doesn't have the cruise control or the boost function. I'm really glad the CCS has 'em. I use them both all the time. I don't find myself using the throttle a whole lot, except for the boost. With the cruise control, I just don't need it.
Another degree of rake would suit my riding style better. I mentioned this soon after getting the bike. It's just fine the way it is, but a little more stability over nimbleness would be welcome.
I'm very happy with the Marathon Plus tires. I've read that some people feel they are too heavy or stiff or something. To me they give a comfortable ride, with the added security as well. As tech reviewer Flossy Carter says, "One a scale of one to ten, this is a major win."
I really appreciate the advanced read-out on the LCD panel. I wish the font were bigger -- which would require a bigger display unit overall -- but that may be just a function of 65-year-old eyes. The information provided is so helpful. Again, my wife's Pedego doesn't provide this level of information, which I find both interesting and helpful. The only thing I'd add would be a trip odometer. My workaround for that is that I've added the BikeComputer Pro app to my Android. It has a lot of great features. I added a "dashboard" to the top tube to carry the smartphone. It has some basic bike tools in the side pockets also. The red and black version looks great on the red CCS.
I've ordered a MirrCycle mirror and Wald folding basket panniers to make my commuting safer and more efficient.
The CCS is, for me, a perfect platform for commuting and recreation. Thank you, Tora and the rest of the team at Juiced Bikes!
I had some trouble with a chain link that was too tight. Took it in to the LBS and got that fixed. They fine-tuned the rear derailleur too. It now shifts so well. Being able to effortlessly get it into the right gear is a real joy. Before, it would hesitate, sometimes shift 2 gears instead of one, stuff like that. This is not a Juiced Bikes problem, I've seen it on other bikes also. Regardless, the shop only charged me $16; well worth it.
I'm still fine with riding in the 18-20 mph range. My rationale is this: being a heavy guy (me plus gear = ~300 lbs), I'm already putting a certain amount of stress on the bike, primarily the wheels. The frame itself is built plenty strong. You smaller guys, hitting the same bumps and holes in the pavement at maximum speed are putting the same stress on the system. As Trek says in their manual, "The most significant variable in durability is the manner in which you ride ... If you ride hard or aggressively, you should replace the bicycle and/or its parts more often than riders who ride smoothly or cautiously."
That being said, I haven't had any problems with the spokes. That was an issue for many riders when the CCS first came out. It seems that the move to the 13 gauge Sapim spokes has fixed that. So much of the spoke breakage was within the first 100 miles. I've had none at all. I was sort of leery about this at first, but other than occasional inspection of the wheels for proper spoke tension (which we should all be doing anyway), I'm just not worried about it.
As I get in better condition, I find that I use level 1 less and less for recreational riding. Eco does the job for me at all speeds up to 20 mph, and I rarely even use 9th gear (although it's fun to sail down hills for bursts of up to 25 mph in 9th.) For commuting, Level 2 and 3 are great so I arrive without being sweaty and out of breath.
Using combinations of the pedal assist levels and the gears is becoming more and more automatic. At first I had to think about it. Now it's getting natural. Totally awesome to move from Eco to 1 to climb a hill in the same gear, for instance, without having to give it any thought.
As I've said elsewhere in the forum, I'm not worried about the "charging to 80%" thing. I charge when it drops to around 44 volts, and take it off the charger at around 53 volts. This gets me over 50 miles, without losing any significant performance. This may not absolutely maximize the battery life, but will provide many years and thousands of miles of riding enjoyment. I'm sure I'll want one of those 52 volt batteries Tora just started selling, long before this battery bites the dust.
My wife's Pedego doesn't have the cruise control or the boost function. I'm really glad the CCS has 'em. I use them both all the time. I don't find myself using the throttle a whole lot, except for the boost. With the cruise control, I just don't need it.
Another degree of rake would suit my riding style better. I mentioned this soon after getting the bike. It's just fine the way it is, but a little more stability over nimbleness would be welcome.
I'm very happy with the Marathon Plus tires. I've read that some people feel they are too heavy or stiff or something. To me they give a comfortable ride, with the added security as well. As tech reviewer Flossy Carter says, "One a scale of one to ten, this is a major win."
I really appreciate the advanced read-out on the LCD panel. I wish the font were bigger -- which would require a bigger display unit overall -- but that may be just a function of 65-year-old eyes. The information provided is so helpful. Again, my wife's Pedego doesn't provide this level of information, which I find both interesting and helpful. The only thing I'd add would be a trip odometer. My workaround for that is that I've added the BikeComputer Pro app to my Android. It has a lot of great features. I added a "dashboard" to the top tube to carry the smartphone. It has some basic bike tools in the side pockets also. The red and black version looks great on the red CCS.
I've ordered a MirrCycle mirror and Wald folding basket panniers to make my commuting safer and more efficient.
The CCS is, for me, a perfect platform for commuting and recreation. Thank you, Tora and the rest of the team at Juiced Bikes!
