(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.)
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 have been working on updating/modifying another upcoming thread in regards to my Mighty Beast, the 2018 KUSH dual-suspension 750w rear hub ebike. That particular effort is (was) going on 12 pages in length, so I have decided to go ahead and formulate this thread of “stuff” to reduce that other threads' length.
The “10,000 Mile Update” thread would have been posted by now if it were not for the following:
My Newest ebike toy: The 2019 M2S(brand) R750 (model) 750 watt rear hub, white frame (color), size Medium -- aka WhiteyFord..
Delivery date: July 11, 2019 (62 days ago) – current mileage is 1,204..
I'll go into detail about that new toy, and some neat-o lessons learned because of it, in the upcoming KUSH thread. By the way, as of Sept.11,2019, the KUSH has 8,891 miles on its' odometer. I chose to name the newest M2S ebike “WhiteyFord” because “R750” just seemed kind of blase to be typing out on these posts AND because the frame color is white.. Those readers/viewers of a certain age will know who Whitey Ford is.
If you have read my other M2S threads, you know that I also own a 2018 Xtreme (brand) Sedona (model) dual suspension 500w ebike. About its only redeeming quality is that it uses the same battery as my KUSH: a Reention Dorado 48v battery. The only difference between the 2 batteries is that the Sedona battery is 10.4ah (15 inches/390mm long) and the KUSH battery is 16ah (17.5inches/460mm long). The top side connection point is the exact same for both batteries. However, while it is possible to use the Sedona battery on the KUSH, the KUSH battery is too long to accommodate the Sedona battery frame.
I had been knocking around the idea of adapting the Sedona battery for use in the KUSH for quite some time. Finally, I got to work and fabricated a 2.5” long “L” block/brace to fill the space left by the shorter battery. Now I needed a way to keep both the brace AND the battery secured on the bike frame. I have a bunch of knee supports ( at WalMart in the sporting goods department), you know the kind that have a hole for your knee cap and 3 wide velcro strap fasteners. The 2 outside strap fasteners are longer than the middle strap. I cut off one of the outside straps and used the smaller (middle) strap to wrap around the “L” block/brace AND the bike frame. I used the long strap to wrap around both the bottom section of the battery AND the bike frame. Works like a charm, too. I even secured the block/brace to the knee support with a small length of bungee cord to assure that the 2 items would NOT become separated (if ya need one, you need the other, too).
Why am I telling you all this? A new 16ah (KUSH) battery costs $500+. You may want to buy an additional battery to supplement your current one, but you don't really need $500 worth. Instead you can buy a 10ah battery (like on my Sedona) for $250 delivered to your front door. Granted, your miles-per-charge will be less (I'm getting 25+ miles on my 10ah), but you may not need/want $500 worth of extra miles. Another option (with this 2 battery configuration) is to start your ride using the 10ah battery. See how far you can go on a charge. Then, install the original 16ah battery knowing that you can go at least as far as you already have with the 10ah battery. The Reention Dorado 48v batteries https://www.aliexpress.com/item/330...000&pvid=d0ac7153-94cd-48cc-8158-2fb91f918b2a
are available in a variety of ah's-- just be mindful of bike frame top tube clearance requirements.. anything less than 16ah should work just fine and dandy..
Another interesting item that I have discovered since having the luxury of more than one battery, is what happens when your “battery bar indicator” on the computer display goes from 5 bars(100%) down to 1 bar(20%). As I have always ridden 40+ miles on my ebike rides, I eventually have to deal with the dreaded lethargic power output which arises during 1 bar. Since I would always use PAS2, but sometime during the 1 bar power-down I would revert to stepping the PAS down from 2 to PAS1 in an attempt to prolong the miles ridden. Sure, the ebike would still feel/be lacking in power, but logic dictated a reduction in PAS. WRONG!! Since employing the multi-battery method, I have had the luxury of being able to experiment. By INCREASING the PAS from PAS2 to PAS3, the motor attained a degree of “giddy-up-go” that was very noticeable. Sure the battery used more juice, but you are only dealing with a couple of miles difference in the ride length-- and the upward power difference is really quite nice. I will be addressing PAS situation findings again when I post the KUSH's “10,000 Mile Update” thread-- it currently is registering (as of Sept. 11,2019) 8,891 miles on the odometer.
A BUMPER GUARD/PROTECTOR FOR EVERY EBIKE HANDLEBAR..
FYI: The following bit of info was a Copy&Paste taken from a website that has Customer Review;
UPDATE: So I crashed this bike into the side of a bus at full speed a couple of weeks ago. Don't ask me why though cause I don't remember a damn thing. I broke my shoulder and a few ribs, collapsed a lung, and basically turned half my body into a horrible bruise
The BIKE however... is perfectly fine. I can't really figure it out. I don't remember the accident, but I've seen the camera footage from inside the bus, which means I saw myself ride this bike straight thru the front door of the bus and then rebound a good 10 feet. Me=wrecked Bike=fine. I mean it didn't even pop the front tire..
The bike involved just happened to be a sub-$1,000 fat tire ebike. The reason I'm posting this is because, if you are going to be puttering around at speeds of 17+ mph (PAS4), you had better be paying attention to the task at hand-- awareness of your cycling surroundings-- instead of dinking around with your smart phone (that is just an assumption on my part, but I see way too much of that inattention by other cyclists on my many bike rides).
Another item in regards to collisions/over-the-handlebars crashes of any sort:
Lets face it; We are all going to have a “deal” sooner or later-- that is just the nature of the bicycle-beast world. You want to protect all the electronic gizmo's and ebike controls on your handlebar area. In one of my other KUSH threads, I have made mention of using bar ends on the very ends of the handlebar to act as a type of “protective bumper”. Utilizing these items means having to loosen the screws on every item on the handlebar, moving inward 1/2” to 1”, and then re-tightening said items. Plus, you will have to loosen the rubber hand grips (and then re-glue them).
An alternative to bar ends are those triathlon super long (12”+) aero bars : https://www.amazon.com/VAQM-Cycling...&pd_rd_r=8e462135-6603-4cc5-a669-1b061adbcefa that attach close in on the handlebars, near the stem. You don't need to use the included sponge armrests. These bars attach via a 2-piece clamp that negates the need to loosen/move the items already located on the handlebar. Also, once you have mounted/experimented with various lengths/positions/angles for the aero bars, you can use a trusty $8.00 tubing cutter https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tubing-Cutter/14971782 to trim them to your preferred overall bar length. This tubing cutter is also excellent for seatposts, handlebars, pvc pipe, etc.
Some aero bars use handlebar clamps which are 22.2mm to 25.4mm in diameter (see hyperlink below). Those will be too SMALL. Look for the ones with 31.8mm maximum handlebar diameter (see hyperlink above) – you can always use shims/tape to increase the area where you finally decide to mount the clamp. The following curved one-piece bar is 25.4mm ONLY but, since I like the added rigidity of it, I combined its bar with the other aerobars 31.8mm clamps.
https://www.amazon.com/VGEBY1-Handl...X3J4Z7TCZP6&psc=1&refRID=PKDPS7KY0X3J4Z7TCZP6
The tubing cutter made quick work of cutting the bar(s) about 1 inch below the foam on each side, thus giving me a wider footprint to work with on the handlebar, plus a shorter overall aerobar length.
ADDENDUM: Sept. 10th.. I received the two types of aforementioned aero bars in the mail today. It took me about 10 minutes of dinking around to decide to combine both bars into one really awesome heavy-duty unit. Naturally, the tube/pipe cutter came into play, too.. zip..zip.. I was so impressed by my handiwork that I immediately ordered another of each type bar to combine/install on my other M2S ebike monster. These things make for a truly awesome bumper/fender to protect every item on your handlebar. For a total delivered cost
of $40, they are Da Bomb (or for only $20 if ya just want to use the straight (kinda) not-connected-bars unit). I'll be attaching some photo's in a week or so.
Just remember to always Protect Your “Junk”..
Bottom Bracket Bumper/Splash Guard:
In regards to pretty much any rear hub ebike, if you look under the bottom bracket/crankset area, you will see a multitude of wires exposed. That location can be particularly hazardous if you do any technical/off-road riding. Even on smooth paved surfaces, you have to deal with hazards sticking up/poking out of of places, and rocks,or water puddles doing their best to assault your mighty ebike. Lets face it, the very last thing you ever want to have to do on an ebike is chase down the “phantom” malady that has disabled your beast, especially if its an electrical condition. Oh, the horror, the horror.
What I have installed on each of my M2S mighty beasts is the following:https://www.walmart.com/ip/Planet-Bike-Clip-on-ATB-Fenders-Black/31970683
There are many, many variations of this fender set, so take your pick. What I did was to measure off 8 inches of one fender and then cut the sucker off. I then took two 24” long heavy duty zip ties (in black or white) and used them to fasten the fender fragment around the down tube, just above the bottom bracket location and below the battery tray. The extra zip tie material was then cut off. The fender extends about 3 inches below the exposed wires and acts as a fantastic barrier against anything, plus its concave shape fits perfectly with the curve of the down tube. No drilling or gluing is needed-- easy on, easy off.
Front Wheel Bearing issue for every Fat Tire Bike:
WhiteyFord: On Sept. 1, 2019, at mileage 950..
I'm noticing a “metallic” non-smooth feeling coming from the front wheel area. At first I thought it was a spoke problem. However, having encountered this same phenomenon with the Kush, I was quick to identify the problem; a re-greasing of the front wheel bearings was needed.
OPTION “A”:
There are 9 loose bearings on each side of the front hub (18 in total). It is a rather simple fix IF you have a couple of cone wrenches. These are specialized tools so you might have to go to internet mode to locate them, OR I can save you some time; https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0748FHZV...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl ..
In addition, you will also need some decent grease. This is what I use on all 7 of my bikes, be it for wheel bearings or lubricating brake/shifter cables, and even bolts/screws; https://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Tech-Marine-Grease-14-oz-Tube/16928008 .. Naturally this much grease will be enough for 6,572 wheels. Who da thunk it..
SideNote: When planning to lube shifter/mechanical brake cables, go to the very end, where the silver cable is actually exposed, and mark that location on the cable with a Magic Marker. Now withdraw the cable up at the handlebar UNTIL that marker shows. STOP. Commence lubing the boat grease onto the cable as you begin the long process of re-inserting the cable back in the outer housing. By not completely withdrawing the silver braided cable, you eliminate the need to possibly have to deal with a braided cable that is now coming unbraided. If unbraiding occurs, it will be impossible to insert the silver cable back into the outer housing, thus requiring a re-cut/shortening of the silver cable (requiring a special tool) or a trip to the local bike shop to buy a new cable. I always dip mine (the end) in glue (any glue) to lessen the chance of unbraiding occurring in the future. My KUSH had its shifter cable grease-lubed at mile 2,500 and it's still shifting perfectly at 8,800+ miles.
When working on any of my many bikes wheel/tire related adventures, I have found the 18 gallon Storage Tote box https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-18-Gal-68-L-Tote-Box-Steel/716536537 to be invaluable. It is tall enough, and sturdy enough, that I can rest a wheel on it (lid removed) and I'm able to sit on a chair, etc. to do whatever task is required. Plus, if I drop a part/tool (which is often) it will be easily recoverable inside the tote. . This tote is a godsend for when having to deal with the 25 pound 750w rear hub rear wheel-- you don't have to be concerned about the disc plate/multi-teeth cassette/electrical wiring resting on something solid (like the floor) and being crimped/bent/abused. Between the KUSH and WhiteyFord, I have had to dink around with those very heavy rear wheels at least 30 times.
For working on the front wheel bearing fiasco, I find the lid, with its large depressed area, to be awesome for containing/ keeping track of small items like 18 loose wheel bearings.
I'm not gonna go into detail about re-greasing the wheel because there are probably a zillion YouTube video's to show you how. It really is a very simple procedure.
By the way, the “grease” used by the factory in China is actually more akin to kinda thick motor oil than to heavy duty greasey grease. Since every fat tire wheel ever mass-built most likely originated from the same factory/location, I must assume that EVERY fat tire ebike is going to have this same cheap lightweight “grease” inside its front wheel hub. Just listen for the metallic/grindy-type sound/feeling when riding. If that same type sensation is coming from the REAR portion of the ebike, it is probably your chain screaming “oil me, oil me!!!”, so, oil it. I use motor oil on the chain and silicone spray on the rear derailleur-- just be sure to insert a big piece of cardboard (cereal box, etc) behind the rear cassette to keep spray off the disc plate on the other side-- that would be a BIG TIME bad situation...
From what I have been able to surmise, the rear hub rear wheel bearings are sealed cartridge units so they should remain maintenance-free for quite some mileage distance.
OPTION “B”: Have a local bike shop do the evil deed. In this case, you only need to take them the front wheel itself, NOT the entire ebike. Since the shop will probably keep the wheel for a few days, take your ebike to the location in your home where you intend to keep it stored until the front wheel, all fixed, returns. At that spot, remove the front wheel by releasing the quick-release lever, unscrewing it, lift the front fork slightly, and allowing the front wheel to drop out. There is no need to take the quick-release unit to the bike shop, so completely unwind it, install the 2 conical compression springs back onto the rod, and set the item aside to await the return of the front wheel, fixed all fine and dandy by der bike shop.
When the wheel is ready to be-reinstalled, if you have an assistant, one of you can lift the front fork, and the other person CAREFULLY align the disc plate into the disc housing. If you are doing this procedure solo, you might want to, at this time, unscrew the 2 screws connecting the disc housing bracket to the front fork and just let the housing hang. This negates the possibility of jamming/bending the disc plate.
I have also discovered the practical use of the honorable tennis ball: insert it between the brake lever and the handlebar of whichever wheel (front or rear) that you are currently dinking with. Doing so will keep you from accidentally squeezing the brake lever while no disc plate is installed to stop the pads from closing in too far. Plus, the ball squeezes tight enough so as to NOT fall out. You don't even need to buy a new tennis ball-- I just went to the local dog park and pilfered an errant slobber-coated ball-- however, be forewarned, you may have to first lick yourself and then sniff some butt, but, what the hey..
By the way, whichever of the above options you decide upon, when you initially have the front wheel disconnected from the ebike, hold each end of the axle and spin the wheel. Feel the grindage/roughage?? That's lack of ball bearing grease.
Now for an added bonus:
For some reason, when I initially set up the new 2019 WhiteyFord white frame bike, I decided to give the MrTuffy 3xl ($40+) tire liners ONE MORE chance;
MrTuffy 3xl tire liners: https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Bike-Tir...P8ZW/ref=pd_day0_hl_468_3/141-7381249-4465446?
So, here is how the installation sequence went:
26”x3” blue Duro beach cruiser tire..
MrTuffy 3xl tire liner..
26”x2.5” tire..
2.3”- 2.7” inner tube..
Well, for the first 399 miles, everything seemed just fine and dandy. Then, at mile 400, I looked down and noticed a frigging lump the size of a sliced-in-half golf ball protruding from the sidewall of the rear tire. It was just small enough so as to not rub on the frame (and quickly destroy the tires sidewall). That damn tire liner had worked its way around to the sidewall despite the fact that it was literally sandwiched between a 3” tire and a 2.5” tire with 17+ psi in the inner tube..
I did an emergency removal of the Tuffy and, in its place, went with the same tried and true formula as the KUSH bike: 3” tire,, 2.5” tire,, 2.3” tire,, and then 2.3-2.7” inner tube.
So, did I finally learn my lesson?? Maybe.. Maybe not.. Stay tuned.
Due to the fact that I now own 2 M2S fat tire ebikes, but am not a fan of the 4” knobbie tires originally installed on them (I prefer the 3” Duro Beach Bum city tread-type tires for my many forays out and about), I have the luxury of extra tires laying around just begging to be abused. So be it.
I formed a thought in my peanut head to go ahead and give those damn MrTuffy 3XL tire liners ONE more chance. It will soon be winter and that means lots of snow. I have taken the tire liners and installed them onto the 4” knobbie tires via the following formula:
I have some 1.5” long small diameter nails (kinda like wall paneling nails) with small heads. I took 10 of these nails (for each tire) and, using a set of vise grips, pressed them thru the MrTuffys and THEN pressed them through the 4” knobbie tire from the inside, being sure that the nail was centered on the tread. I then used some FlexGlue (yes, the stuff you see on tv) and ran a bead all the way around the tire by bending the MrTuffy enough to allow the glue spout to run on the center of the tire. After doing that, I went around the outside of the tire and pulled the nails taunt. I then installed the 3.5” tire https://www.modernbike.com/product-...lZ-cgdkAB3ZxppebJ-XvIynT3lQDAjNRoCY9gQAvD_BwE inside the 4” tire/MrTuffy 3XL liner. This was done mostly to protect the 4” inner tube from possible puncture from an errant nail head. Gorilla brand HeavyDuty duct tape cut into 1” squares and then pressed onto/over the nail head works good, too, in lieu of the 3.5” tire. I then inflated the inner tube as full as I dare.
I left the whole shebang to cure (the FlexGlue) for 48 hours. At that time I deflated, and removed, the inner tube and pulled the 3.5” tire to the center far enough to gain access to each nail from the inside. Next, I grabbed the vise grips and pushed each nail back into the tire interior far enough to get a grip on the nail head. Out it came (the nail). When all of the nails had been removed, I re-positioned the 3.5” tire, re-installed the inner tube, inflated it up ALOT, and have left everything as is (to cure REAL GOOD) while I await the snow, at which time I will mount the experiment (4”tire/tire liner/3.5” tire) onto the dual suspension KUSH wheel/rim and see what the hell the MrTuffy will end up doing this time. Last chance for it either way.. Oh, by the way, performing the aforementioned ritual will become an ongoing crucifixion (kinda sorta) as you continuously forget about the protruding nails as you grab the perimeter of the tire, thus impaling your palms many times.
Well, that's it for now. I hope that you were able to glean at least one small bit of useful information from this kinda long posting.. Sic Puppy/ Sic Puppy2
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.)
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 have been working on updating/modifying another upcoming thread in regards to my Mighty Beast, the 2018 KUSH dual-suspension 750w rear hub ebike. That particular effort is (was) going on 12 pages in length, so I have decided to go ahead and formulate this thread of “stuff” to reduce that other threads' length.
The “10,000 Mile Update” thread would have been posted by now if it were not for the following:
My Newest ebike toy: The 2019 M2S(brand) R750 (model) 750 watt rear hub, white frame (color), size Medium -- aka WhiteyFord..
Delivery date: July 11, 2019 (62 days ago) – current mileage is 1,204..
I'll go into detail about that new toy, and some neat-o lessons learned because of it, in the upcoming KUSH thread. By the way, as of Sept.11,2019, the KUSH has 8,891 miles on its' odometer. I chose to name the newest M2S ebike “WhiteyFord” because “R750” just seemed kind of blase to be typing out on these posts AND because the frame color is white.. Those readers/viewers of a certain age will know who Whitey Ford is.
If you have read my other M2S threads, you know that I also own a 2018 Xtreme (brand) Sedona (model) dual suspension 500w ebike. About its only redeeming quality is that it uses the same battery as my KUSH: a Reention Dorado 48v battery. The only difference between the 2 batteries is that the Sedona battery is 10.4ah (15 inches/390mm long) and the KUSH battery is 16ah (17.5inches/460mm long). The top side connection point is the exact same for both batteries. However, while it is possible to use the Sedona battery on the KUSH, the KUSH battery is too long to accommodate the Sedona battery frame.
I had been knocking around the idea of adapting the Sedona battery for use in the KUSH for quite some time. Finally, I got to work and fabricated a 2.5” long “L” block/brace to fill the space left by the shorter battery. Now I needed a way to keep both the brace AND the battery secured on the bike frame. I have a bunch of knee supports ( at WalMart in the sporting goods department), you know the kind that have a hole for your knee cap and 3 wide velcro strap fasteners. The 2 outside strap fasteners are longer than the middle strap. I cut off one of the outside straps and used the smaller (middle) strap to wrap around the “L” block/brace AND the bike frame. I used the long strap to wrap around both the bottom section of the battery AND the bike frame. Works like a charm, too. I even secured the block/brace to the knee support with a small length of bungee cord to assure that the 2 items would NOT become separated (if ya need one, you need the other, too).
Why am I telling you all this? A new 16ah (KUSH) battery costs $500+. You may want to buy an additional battery to supplement your current one, but you don't really need $500 worth. Instead you can buy a 10ah battery (like on my Sedona) for $250 delivered to your front door. Granted, your miles-per-charge will be less (I'm getting 25+ miles on my 10ah), but you may not need/want $500 worth of extra miles. Another option (with this 2 battery configuration) is to start your ride using the 10ah battery. See how far you can go on a charge. Then, install the original 16ah battery knowing that you can go at least as far as you already have with the 10ah battery. The Reention Dorado 48v batteries https://www.aliexpress.com/item/330...000&pvid=d0ac7153-94cd-48cc-8158-2fb91f918b2a
are available in a variety of ah's-- just be mindful of bike frame top tube clearance requirements.. anything less than 16ah should work just fine and dandy..
Another interesting item that I have discovered since having the luxury of more than one battery, is what happens when your “battery bar indicator” on the computer display goes from 5 bars(100%) down to 1 bar(20%). As I have always ridden 40+ miles on my ebike rides, I eventually have to deal with the dreaded lethargic power output which arises during 1 bar. Since I would always use PAS2, but sometime during the 1 bar power-down I would revert to stepping the PAS down from 2 to PAS1 in an attempt to prolong the miles ridden. Sure, the ebike would still feel/be lacking in power, but logic dictated a reduction in PAS. WRONG!! Since employing the multi-battery method, I have had the luxury of being able to experiment. By INCREASING the PAS from PAS2 to PAS3, the motor attained a degree of “giddy-up-go” that was very noticeable. Sure the battery used more juice, but you are only dealing with a couple of miles difference in the ride length-- and the upward power difference is really quite nice. I will be addressing PAS situation findings again when I post the KUSH's “10,000 Mile Update” thread-- it currently is registering (as of Sept. 11,2019) 8,891 miles on the odometer.
A BUMPER GUARD/PROTECTOR FOR EVERY EBIKE HANDLEBAR..
FYI: The following bit of info was a Copy&Paste taken from a website that has Customer Review;
UPDATE: So I crashed this bike into the side of a bus at full speed a couple of weeks ago. Don't ask me why though cause I don't remember a damn thing. I broke my shoulder and a few ribs, collapsed a lung, and basically turned half my body into a horrible bruise
The BIKE however... is perfectly fine. I can't really figure it out. I don't remember the accident, but I've seen the camera footage from inside the bus, which means I saw myself ride this bike straight thru the front door of the bus and then rebound a good 10 feet. Me=wrecked Bike=fine. I mean it didn't even pop the front tire..
The bike involved just happened to be a sub-$1,000 fat tire ebike. The reason I'm posting this is because, if you are going to be puttering around at speeds of 17+ mph (PAS4), you had better be paying attention to the task at hand-- awareness of your cycling surroundings-- instead of dinking around with your smart phone (that is just an assumption on my part, but I see way too much of that inattention by other cyclists on my many bike rides).
Another item in regards to collisions/over-the-handlebars crashes of any sort:
Lets face it; We are all going to have a “deal” sooner or later-- that is just the nature of the bicycle-beast world. You want to protect all the electronic gizmo's and ebike controls on your handlebar area. In one of my other KUSH threads, I have made mention of using bar ends on the very ends of the handlebar to act as a type of “protective bumper”. Utilizing these items means having to loosen the screws on every item on the handlebar, moving inward 1/2” to 1”, and then re-tightening said items. Plus, you will have to loosen the rubber hand grips (and then re-glue them).
An alternative to bar ends are those triathlon super long (12”+) aero bars : https://www.amazon.com/VAQM-Cycling...&pd_rd_r=8e462135-6603-4cc5-a669-1b061adbcefa that attach close in on the handlebars, near the stem. You don't need to use the included sponge armrests. These bars attach via a 2-piece clamp that negates the need to loosen/move the items already located on the handlebar. Also, once you have mounted/experimented with various lengths/positions/angles for the aero bars, you can use a trusty $8.00 tubing cutter https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tubing-Cutter/14971782 to trim them to your preferred overall bar length. This tubing cutter is also excellent for seatposts, handlebars, pvc pipe, etc.
Some aero bars use handlebar clamps which are 22.2mm to 25.4mm in diameter (see hyperlink below). Those will be too SMALL. Look for the ones with 31.8mm maximum handlebar diameter (see hyperlink above) – you can always use shims/tape to increase the area where you finally decide to mount the clamp. The following curved one-piece bar is 25.4mm ONLY but, since I like the added rigidity of it, I combined its bar with the other aerobars 31.8mm clamps.
https://www.amazon.com/VGEBY1-Handl...X3J4Z7TCZP6&psc=1&refRID=PKDPS7KY0X3J4Z7TCZP6
The tubing cutter made quick work of cutting the bar(s) about 1 inch below the foam on each side, thus giving me a wider footprint to work with on the handlebar, plus a shorter overall aerobar length.
ADDENDUM: Sept. 10th.. I received the two types of aforementioned aero bars in the mail today. It took me about 10 minutes of dinking around to decide to combine both bars into one really awesome heavy-duty unit. Naturally, the tube/pipe cutter came into play, too.. zip..zip.. I was so impressed by my handiwork that I immediately ordered another of each type bar to combine/install on my other M2S ebike monster. These things make for a truly awesome bumper/fender to protect every item on your handlebar. For a total delivered cost
of $40, they are Da Bomb (or for only $20 if ya just want to use the straight (kinda) not-connected-bars unit). I'll be attaching some photo's in a week or so.
Just remember to always Protect Your “Junk”..
Bottom Bracket Bumper/Splash Guard:
In regards to pretty much any rear hub ebike, if you look under the bottom bracket/crankset area, you will see a multitude of wires exposed. That location can be particularly hazardous if you do any technical/off-road riding. Even on smooth paved surfaces, you have to deal with hazards sticking up/poking out of of places, and rocks,or water puddles doing their best to assault your mighty ebike. Lets face it, the very last thing you ever want to have to do on an ebike is chase down the “phantom” malady that has disabled your beast, especially if its an electrical condition. Oh, the horror, the horror.
What I have installed on each of my M2S mighty beasts is the following:https://www.walmart.com/ip/Planet-Bike-Clip-on-ATB-Fenders-Black/31970683
There are many, many variations of this fender set, so take your pick. What I did was to measure off 8 inches of one fender and then cut the sucker off. I then took two 24” long heavy duty zip ties (in black or white) and used them to fasten the fender fragment around the down tube, just above the bottom bracket location and below the battery tray. The extra zip tie material was then cut off. The fender extends about 3 inches below the exposed wires and acts as a fantastic barrier against anything, plus its concave shape fits perfectly with the curve of the down tube. No drilling or gluing is needed-- easy on, easy off.
Front Wheel Bearing issue for every Fat Tire Bike:
WhiteyFord: On Sept. 1, 2019, at mileage 950..
I'm noticing a “metallic” non-smooth feeling coming from the front wheel area. At first I thought it was a spoke problem. However, having encountered this same phenomenon with the Kush, I was quick to identify the problem; a re-greasing of the front wheel bearings was needed.
OPTION “A”:
There are 9 loose bearings on each side of the front hub (18 in total). It is a rather simple fix IF you have a couple of cone wrenches. These are specialized tools so you might have to go to internet mode to locate them, OR I can save you some time; https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0748FHZV...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl ..
In addition, you will also need some decent grease. This is what I use on all 7 of my bikes, be it for wheel bearings or lubricating brake/shifter cables, and even bolts/screws; https://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Tech-Marine-Grease-14-oz-Tube/16928008 .. Naturally this much grease will be enough for 6,572 wheels. Who da thunk it..
SideNote: When planning to lube shifter/mechanical brake cables, go to the very end, where the silver cable is actually exposed, and mark that location on the cable with a Magic Marker. Now withdraw the cable up at the handlebar UNTIL that marker shows. STOP. Commence lubing the boat grease onto the cable as you begin the long process of re-inserting the cable back in the outer housing. By not completely withdrawing the silver braided cable, you eliminate the need to possibly have to deal with a braided cable that is now coming unbraided. If unbraiding occurs, it will be impossible to insert the silver cable back into the outer housing, thus requiring a re-cut/shortening of the silver cable (requiring a special tool) or a trip to the local bike shop to buy a new cable. I always dip mine (the end) in glue (any glue) to lessen the chance of unbraiding occurring in the future. My KUSH had its shifter cable grease-lubed at mile 2,500 and it's still shifting perfectly at 8,800+ miles.
When working on any of my many bikes wheel/tire related adventures, I have found the 18 gallon Storage Tote box https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-18-Gal-68-L-Tote-Box-Steel/716536537 to be invaluable. It is tall enough, and sturdy enough, that I can rest a wheel on it (lid removed) and I'm able to sit on a chair, etc. to do whatever task is required. Plus, if I drop a part/tool (which is often) it will be easily recoverable inside the tote. . This tote is a godsend for when having to deal with the 25 pound 750w rear hub rear wheel-- you don't have to be concerned about the disc plate/multi-teeth cassette/electrical wiring resting on something solid (like the floor) and being crimped/bent/abused. Between the KUSH and WhiteyFord, I have had to dink around with those very heavy rear wheels at least 30 times.
For working on the front wheel bearing fiasco, I find the lid, with its large depressed area, to be awesome for containing/ keeping track of small items like 18 loose wheel bearings.
I'm not gonna go into detail about re-greasing the wheel because there are probably a zillion YouTube video's to show you how. It really is a very simple procedure.
By the way, the “grease” used by the factory in China is actually more akin to kinda thick motor oil than to heavy duty greasey grease. Since every fat tire wheel ever mass-built most likely originated from the same factory/location, I must assume that EVERY fat tire ebike is going to have this same cheap lightweight “grease” inside its front wheel hub. Just listen for the metallic/grindy-type sound/feeling when riding. If that same type sensation is coming from the REAR portion of the ebike, it is probably your chain screaming “oil me, oil me!!!”, so, oil it. I use motor oil on the chain and silicone spray on the rear derailleur-- just be sure to insert a big piece of cardboard (cereal box, etc) behind the rear cassette to keep spray off the disc plate on the other side-- that would be a BIG TIME bad situation...
From what I have been able to surmise, the rear hub rear wheel bearings are sealed cartridge units so they should remain maintenance-free for quite some mileage distance.
OPTION “B”: Have a local bike shop do the evil deed. In this case, you only need to take them the front wheel itself, NOT the entire ebike. Since the shop will probably keep the wheel for a few days, take your ebike to the location in your home where you intend to keep it stored until the front wheel, all fixed, returns. At that spot, remove the front wheel by releasing the quick-release lever, unscrewing it, lift the front fork slightly, and allowing the front wheel to drop out. There is no need to take the quick-release unit to the bike shop, so completely unwind it, install the 2 conical compression springs back onto the rod, and set the item aside to await the return of the front wheel, fixed all fine and dandy by der bike shop.
When the wheel is ready to be-reinstalled, if you have an assistant, one of you can lift the front fork, and the other person CAREFULLY align the disc plate into the disc housing. If you are doing this procedure solo, you might want to, at this time, unscrew the 2 screws connecting the disc housing bracket to the front fork and just let the housing hang. This negates the possibility of jamming/bending the disc plate.
I have also discovered the practical use of the honorable tennis ball: insert it between the brake lever and the handlebar of whichever wheel (front or rear) that you are currently dinking with. Doing so will keep you from accidentally squeezing the brake lever while no disc plate is installed to stop the pads from closing in too far. Plus, the ball squeezes tight enough so as to NOT fall out. You don't even need to buy a new tennis ball-- I just went to the local dog park and pilfered an errant slobber-coated ball-- however, be forewarned, you may have to first lick yourself and then sniff some butt, but, what the hey..
By the way, whichever of the above options you decide upon, when you initially have the front wheel disconnected from the ebike, hold each end of the axle and spin the wheel. Feel the grindage/roughage?? That's lack of ball bearing grease.
Now for an added bonus:
For some reason, when I initially set up the new 2019 WhiteyFord white frame bike, I decided to give the MrTuffy 3xl ($40+) tire liners ONE MORE chance;
MrTuffy 3xl tire liners: https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Bike-Tir...P8ZW/ref=pd_day0_hl_468_3/141-7381249-4465446?
So, here is how the installation sequence went:
26”x3” blue Duro beach cruiser tire..
MrTuffy 3xl tire liner..
26”x2.5” tire..
2.3”- 2.7” inner tube..
Well, for the first 399 miles, everything seemed just fine and dandy. Then, at mile 400, I looked down and noticed a frigging lump the size of a sliced-in-half golf ball protruding from the sidewall of the rear tire. It was just small enough so as to not rub on the frame (and quickly destroy the tires sidewall). That damn tire liner had worked its way around to the sidewall despite the fact that it was literally sandwiched between a 3” tire and a 2.5” tire with 17+ psi in the inner tube..
I did an emergency removal of the Tuffy and, in its place, went with the same tried and true formula as the KUSH bike: 3” tire,, 2.5” tire,, 2.3” tire,, and then 2.3-2.7” inner tube.
So, did I finally learn my lesson?? Maybe.. Maybe not.. Stay tuned.
Due to the fact that I now own 2 M2S fat tire ebikes, but am not a fan of the 4” knobbie tires originally installed on them (I prefer the 3” Duro Beach Bum city tread-type tires for my many forays out and about), I have the luxury of extra tires laying around just begging to be abused. So be it.
I formed a thought in my peanut head to go ahead and give those damn MrTuffy 3XL tire liners ONE more chance. It will soon be winter and that means lots of snow. I have taken the tire liners and installed them onto the 4” knobbie tires via the following formula:
I have some 1.5” long small diameter nails (kinda like wall paneling nails) with small heads. I took 10 of these nails (for each tire) and, using a set of vise grips, pressed them thru the MrTuffys and THEN pressed them through the 4” knobbie tire from the inside, being sure that the nail was centered on the tread. I then used some FlexGlue (yes, the stuff you see on tv) and ran a bead all the way around the tire by bending the MrTuffy enough to allow the glue spout to run on the center of the tire. After doing that, I went around the outside of the tire and pulled the nails taunt. I then installed the 3.5” tire https://www.modernbike.com/product-...lZ-cgdkAB3ZxppebJ-XvIynT3lQDAjNRoCY9gQAvD_BwE inside the 4” tire/MrTuffy 3XL liner. This was done mostly to protect the 4” inner tube from possible puncture from an errant nail head. Gorilla brand HeavyDuty duct tape cut into 1” squares and then pressed onto/over the nail head works good, too, in lieu of the 3.5” tire. I then inflated the inner tube as full as I dare.
I left the whole shebang to cure (the FlexGlue) for 48 hours. At that time I deflated, and removed, the inner tube and pulled the 3.5” tire to the center far enough to gain access to each nail from the inside. Next, I grabbed the vise grips and pushed each nail back into the tire interior far enough to get a grip on the nail head. Out it came (the nail). When all of the nails had been removed, I re-positioned the 3.5” tire, re-installed the inner tube, inflated it up ALOT, and have left everything as is (to cure REAL GOOD) while I await the snow, at which time I will mount the experiment (4”tire/tire liner/3.5” tire) onto the dual suspension KUSH wheel/rim and see what the hell the MrTuffy will end up doing this time. Last chance for it either way.. Oh, by the way, performing the aforementioned ritual will become an ongoing crucifixion (kinda sorta) as you continuously forget about the protruding nails as you grab the perimeter of the tire, thus impaling your palms many times.
Well, that's it for now. I hope that you were able to glean at least one small bit of useful information from this kinda long posting.. Sic Puppy/ Sic Puppy2
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