Aventure rear brakes do nothing, fronts barely engage

[PoconoJoe]

See, that's the type of arrogant BS that's pissing me off. Assuming I have a place that's "l;ocal" I trust or would buy from. I bought online SPECIFICALLY because I lack the means to travel 30+ miles just to go to a bike shop, and the ONE remaining place in town I not only wouldn't trust, is utterly and totally priced out of what I can afford.

We can't all be the idle rich white collar criminal dirtbags who can magically pull 25 large out of our backsides to have a COLLECTION of five or six 4000 a pop e-bikes.

Comments like that truly make this sound like a rich man's sport, mixed far too much with an effete elitist attitude. I've seen similar comments on repairs on YouTube, where there's always some jerk saying "just take it to your LBS" or "just spend twice as much" as if it's magically that ****ing easy for everybody! Seriously, those of you saying stuff like that are doing nothing more than driving people away from even CONSIDERING buying an e-bike... and to be frank I can't figure out if that's intentional or not.

I have a limited budget for being a cripple on disability -- that's STILL working because this shitheel nation chews people up, spits them out, then says "lotsa luck" -- I don't trust my local shop, no shop even within 50 miles has anything in my price range unless I saved up for four more YEARS, I'm LESS impressed with the rinky garbage I saw in more expensive models -- as if increasing the price DECREASES the build quality, I was BARELY able to afford the Nakto because of a surprise windfall, and it took six more months and two more "surprise paydays" to even come CLOSE to the Aventon with everything else going on in my life.

So no, I can't just freaking go to my LBS and buy something "well supported" because that doesn't exist here. STOP assuming everyone else is a rich privileged 2nd generation money trust-fund baby living in the perfect world of a e-bike store on every flipping corner! Pluck you, and pluck that noise!

Well, you really handled that like a gentleman..

 

[Jason Knight]

Well, you really handled that like a gentleman..

Sorry, but shallow platitudes, soothing syrup words, and the entire "don't say anything naughty" attitude has always struck me as nothing more than lame excuses to cover up for scam artists, predatory lies, and an elitist exclusionism rooted in privilege. As my grandfather used to say "Those who insist on civility are usually those most lacking in it."
. You can use a lot of really nice words to try and hide just being an ass. But how DARE anyone respond in kind calling out the BS for what it is.

What really set it off is @Stefan Mikes post here felt like some wealthy narcissistic twaddle shoving my nose in a pile of manure.

And honestly I've had that response bottled up for near-on a week. Two days ago I was actually going to make an entire standalone post about it but thought the wiser. @Dallant did a great job lighting the fire under my tuchas in reviving my ire. There's actually a LOT I've noticed across multiple forums, twitter, and youtube I could say about the e-biking community and how it treats "outsiders". It feels like an insular, inbred, blue-blood old boys club that tells anyone who can't magically pull thousands of dollars out of their arse like it was nothing or doesn't live in their special "communities" where everyone has a e-bike shop, to go **** themselves.

A situation only exacerbated by everyone I know saying I'm out of my freaking mind for spending near-on two grand for a bicycle. Not that I give a damn what others think, but it's so in conflict with what you folks are saying, it's no wonder e-bikes aren't really catching on as much as they should. The predators running local bike shops who want $150 up front to even LOOK at it, the online communities of echo-chambers creating "rich people only" clubs, and general attitude one receives when asking for help is why many people I know who looked at e-bikes said "no". Hell it was the first response I got to my medium article about how I'm FINALLY at the point where I can ride it. Someone saying "yeah, I looked at them, screw these prices".

But sure, oh noes somebodies usededed teh naughty wurds...

 

[Dallant]

See, that's the type of arrogant BS that's pissing me off. Assuming I have a place that's "l;ocal" I trust or would buy from. I bought online SPECIFICALLY because I lack the means to travel 30+ miles just to go to a bike shop, and the ONE remaining place in town I not only wouldn't trust, is utterly and totally priced out of what I can afford.

We can't all be the idle rich white collar criminal dirtbags who can magically pull 25 large out of our backsides to have a COLLECTION of five or six 4000 a pop e-bikes.

Comments like that truly make this sound like a rich man's sport, mixed far too much with an effete elitist attitude. I've seen similar comments on repairs on YouTube, where there's always some jerk saying "just take it to your LBS" or "just spend twice as much" as if it's magically that ****ing easy for everybody! Seriously, those of you saying stuff like that are doing nothing more than driving people away from even CONSIDERING buying an e-bike... and to be frank I can't figure out if that's intentional or not.

I have a limited budget for being a cripple on disability -- that's STILL working because this shitheel nation chews people up, spits them out, then says "lotsa luck" -- I don't trust my local shop, no shop even within 50 miles has anything in my price range unless I saved up for four more YEARS, I'm LESS impressed with the rinky garbage I saw in more expensive models -- as if increasing the price DECREASES the build quality, I was BARELY able to afford the Nakto because of a surprise windfall, and it took six more months and two more "surprise paydays" to even come CLOSE to the Aventon with everything else going on in my life.

So no, I can't just freaking go to my LBS and buy something "well supported" because that doesn't exist here. STOP assuming everyone else is a rich privileged 2nd generation money trust-fund baby living in the perfect world of a e-bike store on every flipping corner!

This is what I meant in my "misaventure" thread when I said there was something I was going to say to the community that might get me banned; and to be frank I don't give a flying purple fish when you get this type of "welcome". Those of you who post like that can go pluck yourselves.

First, I worked my ass off for many, many years to get what I have. So shoot me, I’m a capitalist.
I see all kinds of folks here say they can’t afford something and then spent weeks/months whining on this forum because they ended up with some POS with no support that costs them even more time/money to get fixed/working. If that makes it a rich mans sport, so be it.
Your being “less impressed with rinky garbage (?)” is meaningless since you even distrust hydraulic brakes.

 

[RunForTheHills]

If everyone had the same opinion, discussions on this forum would be pretty boring. However, for me, personal attacks make these discussions a lot less enjoyable.

 

[webopus]

Just got it out of the box and put together, and the rear brake does nothing. The handle doesn't even feel like it's attached to anything the way it flops around, and compressing it all the way barely moves the caliper. The front has similar woes in that even fully engaged I'm only getting about a third the braking force I should.

Looking at these "zoom" brand brakes, I can find no adjustment for strength on either the levers or the calipers. There's a red piece with one of those goofy two prong screws on the levers that doesn't turn, a screw that controls where the lever is on the plunger for the hydraulic which doesn't seem to help. On the caliper there's nothing remotely resembling a place to adjust it apart from another red two-prong that specifically says "no adjustment, do not unscrew".

Seriously, do these things literally have no way to adjust them? Though the way the rear one feels, I'm wondering if there's even fluid in it.

Again the front ALMOST works, but I risked a spin and it sounds like sandpaper and has nowhere near the force it should.

Also is it normal for the pedal assist to take two or three rotations before kicking in? Cause that's some serious weaksauce. Can't say the motor felt all that "peppy" either.

Starting to think my distrust of the whole idea of hydraulic brakes on a bike was actually well founded. Though I'm decades out of date on bike tech, am I missing something obvious?

Howdy Jason, Both the rear brakes on our Aventures had the same issue. Purchase a bleed kit for Zoom Hydraulic Brakes and simply add some mineral oil to the brakes. There are quite a few Youtube videos showing you how to complete this. The a torx screw on the top of the handle that allows you to add oil. Finding a bleed kit specifically for Zoom brakes will be the challenge. Here's one on eBay, but there aren't many others. Good luck!

 

[Jason Knight]

Howdy Jason, Both the rear brakes on our Aventures had the same issue. Purchase a bleed kit for Zoom Hydraulic Brakes and simply add some mineral oil to the brakes. There are quite a few Youtube videos showing you how to complete this. The a torx screw on the top of the handle that allows you to add oil. Finding a bleed kit specifically for Zoom brakes will be the challenge. Here's one on eBay, but there aren't many others. Good luck!

Got a bleed kit shortly after posting here, which got the front working. The rear had one piston seized. They said they'd send me a new rear brake kit, but rather than waiting I ordered a caliper off Amazon which arrived next day.

Laughably, when the ones from Aventon FINALLY arrived (along with a replacement chain that's also too short for the bike) both pistons had fallen out of the replacement and were bouncing around in the box along with the pads because they didn't leave or put a chock in and the cotter pin seemed to have never been bent over. They couldn't even pack the blasted things properly for shipping. Still no reply some week after receiving it from their ALLEGED "support".

Unlike the one I got from Amazon that had a nice big yellow factory fresh one holding the pistons in. No idea if what they sent me even works, but at least I've got spare parts.

That the "padding' in the box was just some wadded up brown paper didn't impress me much either... and they sent me an entire kit instead of just the caliper. Though if they just took what's shipped to them and slopped them into a box that could be why we're all getting non-functional calipers. If you're not holding the pistons apart during shipping of course they can get screwed up.

Though I did "have" to order a whole kit (non-ebike kit at that) off Amazon just to get the needed caliper. I wonder if that's why they had to send me the full kit is that "parts" isn't a thing. Which would impress me even less.