Another Frey Savannah Ultra - CC owner

[keithj69]

It was a slow progression of the chain starting to skip. When I did the chain ring swap, there were no issues. In the last 2 months I started to notice things. Luckily I haven't been riding as much as I did when I got the bike. The weather has been less than great on weekends this winter. Lots of rain.

 

[keithj69]

When I changed out the chain, I also changed out the front caliper of the bike. I did this out of pocket as I truly think I messed up the seals on the caliper when I switched out the tires. Why I think this is the rotor was also bent. I kinda remember "forcing" things while in a hurry. The good news is I have a spare mt5e brake lever for another day.
The obvious things were the sound and the fact that the new rotor and pads were saturated in mineral oil. Lesson learned.

My next big purchase is going to be getting the Silca chain waxing system when it is available again. After switching out the chain and seeing how simple it is, the Silca solution seems a no brainier if I alternate 2 chains.
Oh, and the 30ah battery that my frame can accommodate. Makes the Silca look like a st4rbucks coffee.

 

[Gionnirocket]

View attachment 159744
Results after the latest tune. From what I understand about the avg efficiency number, 11.7 is a good number. The ride was straight, really flat, with hardly any others in the way, and barely any intersections that we needed to stop. The battery is currently at 50.1v according to the cheap multimeter.
HOW THE F did I have a 18146 ft elevation gain?

Finally got around to some wh/mi stats and I'm in about the same ballpark as you. I live surrounded by hills so on shorter rides say about 15 mi or so I'm usually around 11.5wh/mi... but when I'm dragging ass I've seen as high as 12.75wh/mi.
On longer rides in the 20 to 25mi range that have the same hilly beginning but then adds mostly flat terrain I've been averaging around 10.5wh/mi. Even got that number on one ride that had 2 miles of pretty steep, rocky horse trails in the mix
On two recent 25+ mi rides that were all paved surface and I was feeling a bit more froggy than usual I achieved 9.75 and 9.2wh/mi.
These numbers are still a little higher than what I was doing on my BBS02B.. but I was also in better shape then. I'm thinking I'll probably average about 10wh/mi by the end of the riding season when I'm typically in my best shape.
My average speed and top speed are almost identical to yours (16.7mph /26mph respectively) though my elevation change I'm pretty sure is greater (when the decimal is in place). Google maps info on elevation is way off on the rail/trails I ride.

Have you had any changes in efficiency as you tweak the programming?

 

[Gionnirocket]

Been doing a little more tweaking and things have improved more than I originally predicted. Lowered my current settings marginally in PAS 1 - 4.. my most used PAS. Additionally started pushing myself a little harder by dropping 1 PAS in most of my riding. Meaning using PAS 1 when I had been using 2... 2 when previously using 3 and so on. This has resulted in rides less than 20 miles averaing 8.5wh/mi... and those over 20mi averaging 7.8wh/mi. This also has resulted in slightly slower speeds with me doing more of the work and the average falling to about 14.5mph and top speeds around 22mph.. though the last few rides I've been able to get the up a little.
Even had one 28mi ride that I was feeling particularly froggy achieve 6.9wh/mi @ 15.5mph
Though the tuning did contribute I feel most of the gain is from increased stamina since I've been riding more often. Well that and some dark chocolate espresso beans.




That said I'm finding the Ultra is as if not more efficient than the BBS02B in that the torque sensing controller eliminates many of the inefficient current spikes.
And this being on a much heavier 80lb bike compared to my 45lb BBS.

 

[keithj69]

Just ordered my 30ah battery and charger for the bike. Battery is at the U.S. warehouse and hopefully will be here by next weekend.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

Just ordered my 30ah battery and charger for the bike. Battery is at the U.S. warehouse and hopefully will be here by next weekend.

You're gonna love it. I'be been running with 35Ah's for a year new. Could not go back to a lesser amount.

 

[keithj69]

Had an issue with the battery process. The U.S. warehouse sent me the wrong "cover". I was supposed to get a metal rail like device that I need to install that replaces the plastic housing over the internally routed cables. As the picture attached shows, the original battery on the left has a valley that works well with the current setup. The new battery on the right is flat. I can get the battery in and hanging but not get the battery to lock. I have verified that the battery does work.

I ended up actually getting the outer plastic cover for the battery instead. After some sleuthing with Frey, the actual part I need is on the way.

I did do a ride with my 17.5 and 21 Ah batteries this past weekend. Decided to do a full power ride (sport pas 9) with the 17.5 Ah battery until it cut out. I rode in Sport PAS 9 for about 96% of the time. Trail etiquette was required in spots. The 17.5 cut out at 33.9 miles. Average moving speed was 20mph, with a top speed of 34.5mph (road). Taproom math after that ride figures I burned 1.9ah per mile.
So the rest of the dirty top power math (not verified yet) is I should get 40.5 miles on the 21 Ah battery and 57.9 miles on the 30ah battery if I rode the same course the same way. I wasn't doing completely flat riding. So things could change in the next test.

I did order the Route Werk handlebar bag even though they do not recommend it for a suspension fork. I am not riding in places that my front fork would be an issue. And If I was, I wouldn't use that bag. Should be here early next week. Once I get it in I'll snap some pictures (before/ after) of the setup. I reorganized the cables in a new wire loom also.

 

[Ivy Ivy]

View attachment 154089
Later today riding the C.C. rode up on a Florida Bobcat.

Animal list of the things I have seen in Central Florida riding the trails around here: turtles, rabbits, deer, black snakes. rattle snakes, pigs, goats, donkeys, horses, cows, cats, dogs, children, bobcat, multiple birds/birds of prey. chickens, turkeys, suicidal squirrels, sane squirrels, squirrel falling out of tree and splatting on the trail.

WOW, that's amazing!

 

[Ivy Ivy]

Had an issue with the battery process. The U.S. warehouse sent me the wrong "cover". I was supposed to get a metal rail like device that I need to install that replaces the plastic housing over the internally routed cables. As the picture attached shows, the original battery on the left has a valley that works well with the current setup. The new battery on the right is flat. I can get the battery in and hanging but not get the battery to lock. I have verified that the battery does work.

I ended up actually getting the outer plastic cover for the battery instead. After some sleuthing with Frey, the actual part I need is on the way.

I did do a ride with my 17.5 and 21 Ah batteries this past weekend. Decided to do a full power ride (sport pas 9) with the 17.5 Ah battery until it cut out. I rode in Sport PAS 9 for about 96% of the time. Trail etiquette was required in spots. The 17.5 cut out at 33.9 miles. Average moving speed was 20mph, with a top speed of 34.5mph (road). Taproom math after that ride figures I burned 1.9ah per mile.
So the rest of the dirty top power math (not verified yet) is I should get 40.5 miles on the 21 Ah battery and 57.9 miles on the 30ah battery if I rode the same course the same way. I wasn't doing completely flat riding. So things could change in the next test.

I did order the Route Werk handlebar bag even though they do not recommend it for a suspension fork. I am not riding in places that my front fork would be an issue. And If I was, I wouldn't use that bag. Should be here early next week. Once I get it in I'll snap some pictures (before/ after) of the setup. I reorganized the cables in a new wire loom also.

Hi Keith, thank you for your sharing. Any further update available?

 

[keithj69]

Hi Keith, thank you for your sharing. Any further update available?

I did finally get the part that Frey sent to cover the internal cables. Bike has been down for the last couple of weeks due to a front brake leak (no o-ring on the bleed valve, and other new o-rings on the banjo Joint). And horrendous Florida evening heat and rain.

As far as the new part to cover the cables, I am not overly sure that it will work. It does require me to jb weld parts to the frame. So at the moment, I have all the lines taped to the frame while I think about what I am going to do with the cables. I am thinking that I might get a cheap cutting board and trace out the the old plastic piece ends that connect like the original and use it instead with some extra tape.

As far as the 30ah battery. After the other issues as described, I finally did a 14 mile ride today and it worked. I need to reset the battery stats in the eggrider so it knows it is a 30ah battery and not a 21ah battery. I am on vacation this week and plan on doing more riding in with it.

If you have any specific questions, please let me know.

 

[Ivy Ivy]

I did finally get the part that Frey sent to cover the internal cables. Bike has been down for the last couple of weeks due to a front brake leak (no o-ring on the bleed valve, and other new o-rings on the banjo Joint). And horrendous Florida evening heat and rain.

As far as the new part to cover the cables, I am not overly sure that it will work. It does require me to jb weld parts to the frame. So at the moment, I have all the lines taped to the frame while I think about what I am going to do with the cables. I am thinking that I might get a cheap cutting board and trace out the the old plastic piece ends that connect like the original and use it instead with some extra tape.

As far as the 30ah battery. After the other issues as described, I finally did a 14 mile ride today and it worked. I need to reset the battery stats in the eggrider so it knows it is a 30ah battery and not a 21ah battery. I am on vacation this week and plan on doing more riding in with it.

If you have any specific questions, please let me know.

Great! Looking forward for your further news. if there is anything you need support from Frey, please feel free contact.

 

[keithj69]

I did a hurricane ride this weekend with my 30 ah battery. Due to road/path conditions I was only able to average 12 mph (garmin tracked). I did 36 miles and ended up having 62% battery left. I am running the last of the Mike Frey smooth tune's posted for my current settings. My top speed was 27mph but it was short lived due to debris on the road I was on.

 

[keithj69]

@Ivy Ivy Sorry that I did not realize who you are in the conversation. Can you contact me please so I can explain my thoughts as to why I have my issues with the setup that doesn't work for my frame. Battery does work, but the solution provided doesn't.

 

[keithj69]

Some current changes and thoughts on the CC after almost 1 1/2 years of ownership. I am 50 miles short of 2,000 miles on it.

I have changed the chain due to the upsizing of the chain ring and not getting a new chain. I did that around 1500 miles. So not bad.
I bought the Route Werks handlebar system, even though they do not recommend it for a suspension fork. I don't stress the forks in a way that the bag is an issue. And If I planned on trying to kill myself by riding where I compress the fork, I have the mount system also that negates their warning. Buy it if you are not descend Mt Kilimanjaro or just cruising around. They have a new bigger bag on a Kickstarter.

I thought I blew out my hub, but it was actually me messing with he barrel on the shifter and lost the sweet spot. Rode this past weekend and got the shifting back into a non-clunking gear shift.

The 30ah battery is wonderful for distance. Not so great for the feel of the bike when you are moving it around. there is a 5 lb diff between the 21ah and the 30 ah battery. Bike wants to fall over with the 30ah if you are not riding and just moving it around. Very top heavy with the 30ah battery.

I ordered 2 new parts today.
A new stem that is 70mm with a +/- 6 degree angle
Also splurged and ordered the Fox neo dropper post (with discount). So tired of the current dropper and the lack of me maintaining the cable slack and general hassle of removing the seatpost. Plus one less cable on the front of the bike.

I talked to a local bike shop about building me a dt swiss wheelset. I'll hit them up in 3 months to celebrate me not being on job probation (if I make it). When I do the wheelset I may redo the whole gearing on the bike. Might go to an 8 speed setup so I can get a heavier chain. I'm in a mostly flat area so I can do without a gear to increase the chain life.

I need to grease the motor. It has gotten loud compared to when I got the bike. This is an endeavour that I am afraid of currently. So any one that has done it recently, let me know all the things I should buy so I am not surprised. Please and thank you.


p.s. Frey did contact me about my thoughts on the battery stuff and the cable cover. I have to say that Frey has been outstanding through my whole ownership, even after some minor misunderstandings. I am not disappointed, upset or even mildly inconvenienced by buying direct from them.

 

[MartsEbike]

I need to grease the motor. It has gotten loud compared to when I got the bike. This is an endeavour that I am afraid of currently. So any one that has done it recently, let me know all the things I should buy so I am not surprised. Please and thank you.

Buy a gasket from GreenBikeKit to be on the safe side, you may damage the existing gasket by removing the casing and also buy Mobil SHC100 Grease.

Bafang Ultra M620 G510 motor gasket-greenbikekit.com BBS, ebike batteries, Bafang M620, Bafang M600, Bafang M500, Bafang M510, KT controller with display-GreenBikeKit.com

Bafang Ultra M620 G510 motor gasket

www.greenbikekit.com

 

[Tom@WashDC]

I need to grease the motor. It has gotten loud compared to when I got the bike. This is an endeavour that I am afraid of currently. So any one that has done it recently, let me know all the things I should buy so I am not surprised. Please and thank you.

Easy peazy to grease the motor. I've opend my motor abour 4 times so far, still using the original gasket, but you should probably purcahse a new gasket just in case, it's paper. kinda flimsy.

 

[keithj69]

@MartsEbike @Tom@WashDC Thank you both. I will order a gasket for my fat fingers that will possibly tear a gasket.

 

[keithj69]

I have the new parts installed. Quick take away.
New stem. It is a 70mm with a +/- 6 degree bend. I set it for the +6. I still have my Velo Orange Utility bars and with the move out I was able to rotate the bars back some to actually have what feels like a neutral riding position. I don't feel like I am reaching. I did mess with seat placement and bar rotation in the past to compensate, but that had me more upright which is not what his bike likes.
Now for the stupid money I spent. I got the new Fox Transfer Neo in the 150mm range. If you are under 5'10" and/or a 30" inseam, get the 125mm seat post. I have about a 1 inch height play where the post rests on the tube. The CC tube area is tight with the 150. But I am lucky that it works for me.
The dropper feature is awesome. I can do a click push of the button and do incremental drops of the seat, or a long push to go all the way down. I'll deal with the battery recharge portion later as I get used to using it. One warning though. If you use your pedals to slightly stand up where you are completely off the seat but lower that the high point of the dropper, and hit the button, you're sending that seatpost at full force into some delicate areas. I do believe I said "oww my nuts" once and if you have a sensitive prostrate, just be careful. All you need to do is use your pedals to help you move up as the post goes up. You get one, you'll understand.
I was also able to get rid of the dropper remote and cable to clean up the handlebars. Plus with the crap on the handlebars, the new remote is placeable in a more comfortable position that doesn't break my thumb when trying to activiate the old dropper.