Sadly about to return my Kathmandu Hybrid one 500

[jpkara]

Hi,

I've put only 30 miles on my new 2022 Kathmandu and really like almost everything about the bike except an annoying vibration that I feel in the pedals. I haven't found any particular combination of boost, gear and cadence that is immune to this. It happens intermittently but fairly frequently and doesn't have any sound associated with it. It happens with the motor turned off and with the battery removed. I feel it regularly, the mechanics never do. I've had the shop change the profiles from the original to the one that has eMTB but that hasn't helped. I am a heavy rider so thought that might be a factor but the mechanics I've spoken to don't think it is.

I hate to return a bike that I like in so many ways, but this is just too annoying. Have any of you experienced this? Have you found any resolution if so? Maybe I need one more mattress between me and the pea?

-jim

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Hi,

I've put only 30 miles on my new 2022 Kathmandu and really like almost everything about the bike except an annoying vibration that I feel in the pedals. I haven't found any particular combination of boost, gear and cadence that is immune to this. It happens intermittently but fairly frequently and doesn't have any sound associated with it. It happens with the motor turned off and with the battery removed. I feel it regularly, the mechanics never do. I've had the shop change the profiles from the original to the one that has eMTB but that hasn't helped. I am a heavy rider so thought that might be a factor but the mechanics I've spoken to don't think it is.

I hate to return a bike that I like in so many ways, but this is just too annoying. Have any of you experienced this? Have you found any resolution if so? Maybe I need one more mattress between me and the pea?

-jim

If you like the bike otherwise, I’d return it for another one of the same and test ride it before taking it home. My Cube Kathmandu is like butter. There’s something wrong with the one you’ve been given. CN

 

[jpkara]

I'm curious if anyone else has experienced this vibration in their Kathmandu. Is it a trend or a one-off situation?

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Why not go to the dealer tell them you want to ride another one to compare?
I think it's a one-off, frankly. If it was common Cube owners would be griping here.
I wouldn't think I'd trust a mechanic when they say they don't feel it. I'd tell 'em "I'm not making this up, so ride it for as long as it takes, or give me another one."
It's a bloody new bike with a warranty. I'd be all over them like a fat kid on cupcakes.
CN

 

[DaveMatthews]

I rode a Kathmandu while @Court reviewed my 2021 Giant Stance E.
The Kat was smooth, fast, and a beautiful ride.
As others have suggested I would take it to the LBS and make sure you're not dealing with a one off defect.
I really liked the one I rode.

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Why not go to the dealer tell them you want to ride another one to compare?
I think it's a one-off, frankly. If it was common Cube owners would be griping here.
I wouldn't think I'd trust a mechanic when they say they don't feel it. I'd tell 'em "I'm not making this up, so ride it for as long as it takes, or give me another one."
It's a bloody new bike with a warranty. I'd be all over them like a fat kid on cupcakes.
CN

Just thinking out loud.....if it's something to do with the bike itself, (other than the drivetrain) it ought to do it even while coasting and NOT pedalling.
If it's the motor/drivetrain it will do it while pedalling, as you say. There are plenty of LIGHTWEIGHT guys who can put a LOT of power to the pedals, so unless you've got hulk-like power, and sprinter legs, your weight shouldn't have any impact at all while pedalling. I say there is something wrong in the drivetrain. Duh.
This doesn't mean I am ruling out the drive unit itself, because stuff is going on in there when pedalling even with the motor off, I think. I believe they need to have a good look at the the drivetrain beyond the mid-drive itself. Chainring, chain, rear hub, gear cluster, derailleur, etc. An issue there could feedback thru to the pedals. I'd initially even think checking the rear wheel, except that would show up while coasting.
Does this vibration seem to be road speed related? Pedalling speed related? Does it change, speed up, slow down, become more pronounced? CN

 

[jpkara]

It doesn't depend on road speed. It seems to happen whenever I settle in to a constant cadence. Actually it doesn't seem to happen when I'm pushing the motor, which is something I hadn't realized till just now. The vibration feels the same whenever it does occur, meaning that the frequency of the vibration is consistent. My LBS test rode it twice. Different mechanics on different days and said they felt nothing but "normal operation" and asked if I'd ever ridden a mid motor ebike before. I have ridden I guess a half dozen different ebikes, some for a couple hours, and haven't noticed this before. At this point of I don't return the bike I exceed the return window so I think I'll return it for credit and ask them to build another in the meantime. I'm feeling a bit squeezed since this bike is at the top of my price range and it's near the bottom of the bikes at the store.

 

[jpkara]

I'm not trolling Okay I'm trolling.
As a courtesy please include photos of said ebike.
Kathmandu sounds like something smokeable with THC.

Just for you

 

[jpkara]

It doesn't depend on road speed. It seems to happen whenever I settle in to a constant cadence. Actually it doesn't seem to happen when I'm pushing the motor, which is something I hadn't realized till just now. The vibration feels the same whenever it does occur, meaning that the frequency of the vibration is consistent. My LBS test rode it twice. Different mechanics on different days and said they felt nothing but "normal operation" and asked if I'd ever ridden a mid motor ebike before. I have ridden I guess a half dozen different ebikes, some for a couple hours, and haven't noticed this before. At this point of I don't return the bike I exceed the return window so I think I'll return it for credit and ask them to build another in the meantime. I'm feeling a bit squeezed since this bike is at the top of my price range and it's near the bottom of the bikes at the store.

Duh. When I "settle in" it is probably at about the same cadence no matter the speed. I think I'll have to do some counting.

 

[jpkara]

I've been able to reliably reproduce this vibration now. It happens in a lot of different combinations of parameters but it's easy to get it to happen in the 60-70 rpm range at 10+/- mph in eMTB mode on the fifth cog and on flat ground. It definitely feels like a chain resonance and it goes away when I apply more torque to the pedals. My neighborhood is pretty hilly so for the most part it doesn't show up there. It's been a long time since I had a new bike and I'm really blown away by how tight the chain - cog tolerances are. This one is an 11-42 10 speed cassette and I think the prior model years were 9 speed. I am really hoping it can be adjusted away since I really like this bike. @Comfortably Numb which cassette do you have?

 

[DaveMatthews]

I've been able to reliably reproduce this vibration now. It happens in a lot of different combinations of parameters but it's easy to get it to happen in the 60-70 rpm range at 10+/- mph in eMTB mode on the fifth cog and on flat ground. It definitely feels like a chain resonance and it goes away when I apply more torque to the pedals. My neighborhood is pretty hilly so for the most part it doesn't show up there. It's been a long time since I had a new bike and I'm really blown away by how tight the chain - cog tolerances are. This one is an 11-42 10 speed cassette and I think the prior model years were 9 speed. I am really hoping it can be adjusted away since I really like this bike. @Comfortably Numb which cassette do you have?

Is there a clutch on the derailleur and is it engaged?

 

[jpkara]

Is there a clutch on the derailleur and is it engaged?

I don't know. I don't think I've had (or known I had) a derailleur with a clutch before. The exploded view for the Shimano Deore RD-M4120-SGS, 10-Speed doesn't show anything like that.

 

[Comfortably Numb]

I've been able to reliably reproduce this vibration now. It happens in a lot of different combinations of parameters but it's easy to get it to happen in the 60-70 rpm range at 10+/- mph in eMTB mode on the fifth cog and on flat ground. It definitely feels like a chain resonance and it goes away when I apply more torque to the pedals. My neighborhood is pretty hilly so for the most part it doesn't show up there. It's been a long time since I had a new bike and I'm really blown away by how tight the chain - cog tolerances are. This one is an 11-42 10 speed cassette and I think the prior model years were 9 speed. I am really hoping it can be adjusted away since I really like this bike. @Comfortably Numb which cassette do you have?

I believe my cassette is a 12 speed, 53-11. My Kathmandu is a 2021 625 EXC. For the life of me, I've misplaced my Cube's Manual. I'm confident the big cog is a 53.
I think you're getting there. Check the clutch like Dave says, and maybe physically check every link in the chain for free movement. Also check to see if the chain was installed on the chainring correctly. There's an inner tooth and an outer tooth on the chainring and the chain needs to be on right. CN

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Geez....I was just down at my bike seeing if the Manual was in a pannier. I could have taken a picture to show you the clutch. I'll go back down and do that. CN

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Geez....I was just down at my bike seeing if the Manual was in a pannier. I could have taken a picture to show you the clutch. I'll go back down and do that. CN

I have to wait for the photos to come into my laptop. If you look to the derailleur just to the right of where the Deore logo is, there is a lever that will flip forward to release the clutch. Mine has OFF stamped on the lever that shows when it's forward. This lever is vertical when the clutch is engaged. It'll look like a little tab sticking up, just to the right and behind the logo. CN

 

[jpkara]

I have to wait for the photos to come into my laptop. If you look to the derailleur just to the right of where the Deore logo is, there is a lever that will flip forward to release the clutch. Mine has OFF stamped on the lever that shows when it's forward. This lever is vertical when the clutch is engaged. It'll look like a little tab sticking up, just to the right and behind the logo. CN

Ah thanks. No clutch for me. I wonder if there's a way to simulate the functionality temporarily to see if that has an effect. I'll have to look at the chainring later. I don't know about the inner/outer tooth thing. Sounds like another new thing since I've been out of the biking world. Google should help i hope.

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Here's the photos.
Do a search on this site. There are many threads regarding the chain being on correctly. CN

OFF ON

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Here's a thread about it. Post #12 or right to #22. CN

My chain is jumping off the chain ring on my Creo

Okay, two times it may be because I forgot to re-engage the damn clutch. In my favor, I've never had a clutch before so .... But today it jumped off on an uphill and the clutch was engaged. When the chain does this, it appears to want to make life difficult for me and jumps off toward the...

electricbikereview.com

 

[jpkara]

Here's a thread about it. Post #12 or right to #22. CN

My chain is jumping off the chain ring on my Creo

Okay, two times it may be because I forgot to re-engage the damn clutch. In my favor, I've never had a clutch before so .... But today it jumped off on an uphill and the clutch was engaged. When the chain does this, it appears to want to make life difficult for me and jumps off toward the...

electricbikereview.com

Ohhhh. Thanks for that. I'll take a look. So by 'inner' and 'outer' they mean a specific tooth for a narrower link and a wider link.

Attached a pic of the derailleur. I don't see a clutch there.

 

[jpkara]

I'll have to look closer later. I just spun the cranks a few times and can see no indication of an inner or outer tooth geometry on this chain ring. The crankset is described as Acid E-Crank 38T, 175mm but I haven't yet found documentation about it.