BarnBoy's Hydra Adventures...

[BarnBoy]

PREFACE
Hello all and welcome! I received my Hydra yesterday, got to ride it today and absolutely love it. It looks just like I imagined in the Hydra FAQ pseudo-photo. More on this later…

EXPECTATIONS I believe is a perfect word to describe why many on this forum are having issues with so many other things in their lives. It is the glue to how I do business personally and professionally. And just like you, I do not like it when expectations are not met. But is it really just my unrealistic expectations? So, the following is going to be a series or “CHAPTERS” in my Hydra Adventure. As of now, I have about a half dozen or more topics I think are worthy of sharing with the group. There will be info, tips/tricks, humor, and sadness all to help you set your expectations and to reduce your angst in the process. Hopefully Pushkar & the WW team will see this as opportunities to change meeting expectations to exceeding them…



CHAPTER 1 – The beginning…
Back in December 2020, my wife asked what I wanted for the Holidays. So once again I said, “A BIKE”. Now I have been giving that answer to her for Birthdays and Christmas/Chanukah for the last 15 years, and this time I was serious and owed. I have a good Hawaiian friend who built up a Santa Cruz with a Bafang via Luna. Though his bike was way too small for me, I could see the “FUN” potential as I went racing through an empty parking lot. So, my first stop was with the Lunatics in SoCal as they had impressive stuff and my buddy had good luck with them. While researching other NEXT BIG THINGS, I stumbled onto WattWagons (WW), but honestly didn’t like the name. I then tried to work with Luna to purchase a bike. Sure, COVID was a nightmare then and no vaccine in site. Honestly it looked like Armageddon back then. But in my month plus of attempts, I would have expected some communication; no return of phone calls and the few emails I did get were so terse, I got the clear indication they didn’t want my money. Back to searching, and back to stumbling more and more on WW. So, I gave them a call to talk about belt drives and XL frames, and Pushkar answered. We talked; man we talked…

I then spent about a week straight reading all there was on the WW forum. Members saw my presence because I gave likes to the posts that deserved them. I still do this when I search and find old posts that have good info. I suspect you have seen my footprints too…

Enter ORDER #1262, placed Feb 15, 2021 rather late east coast time. Basically, the configuration was the WW configuration matrix filled out for max $$$ and the first XL Hydra 26Fat. I mean everything! I got a text response from Pushkar 5 minutes after purchase that I was crazy…

I then started inundating Pushkar with question after question. I felt bad that I was using all of his time. As a result, I took my notes and created the FAQ in hopes that it would reduce the same BS questions that I suspected he had to deal with every day. Not to sound like the Progressive Commercial, but honestly folks, the prices we are paying, I am still surprised he can pay rent and paychecks. Expect an overburdened guy that may or may not have the time of day to deal with your mundane. It may be important to you but again, try to be realistic with your communications expectations and search the forum. One good email/text is better than many. I told him I was not interested in coupons, purchased the extended warrantee and WW charger to support the company as I believe in it after having had the opportunity to talk to Pushkar many times. Maybe I was lucky. I know my wife calls me at the worst times…



CHAPTER 2 – The waiting…
Somewhere in the 274 days from Feb 15 to Nov 16, there was a configuration sheet phase where an Excel sheet is used to make final choices. Here I added a second set of 29ers and did final paint color choices (had time to purchase Cerakote samples). Up until the first batch of bad news for WW, I would weekly send Pushkar a reminder that I needed to pay him money for all the extra goodies I wanted. He never asked….

I think it was May where I got the bad news that the XL was not going to happen. I totally freaked out as I didn’t want another “LARGE” frame where I am having to tweak stems and seat posts to get a cock-pit I can kind-of fit. With lots of help from @reed scott, was able to simulate his Large Hydra and determined it might work, but clearly not as a Fat26. Fortunately there were other serendipitous events that also pushed the Fat26 into the non-reality column. So, my constant weekly nudges to Pushkar became monthly…

One day in early September I get a FaceTime call from Pushkar. He showed me my wheels on a bike with my seat, etc. I was too excited so I took some screen shots of the bike. After the call, I sat down to look them over and quickly sent a question as to what was the frame color. OOPS! Pushkar then corrected the mistake so that our next FaceTime was mid-late October and I saw my girl for the first time. It is this time when your whole body is going to itch to have it in your hands ASAP. My daily hounding activated until I got my FexEx number. Just a FYI, WW uses www.shipbikes.com....



We all know shipping is insane. So I had to laugh when my delivery was Oct 30, then Oct 31, and then Nov 1 all while the bike was still several states away. My father in-law passed away very unexpectedly so I had to put the bike on vacation hold. New target date was November 15, exactly 9 months from purchase date. I took a vacation day to meet the FedEx person and got disappointed with the results. At 4:20pm (not joking, not toking!) FedEx changed status to LOST. By 4:30pm my time in California, Pushkar had FedEx on the line and asking questions. The next morning while in the shower (5am), I received a text that my bike was loaded on a truck and would be delivered that day. 2pm it arrived, I signed for it, and by 5pm I did a small test ride…



I have a laundry list of items that need attention, and Pushkar is already working on them. I received a new FedEx number today…

But the waiting is now over. I now have my BleedingEdge girl in my stable…
More to come....
-BB

 

[vincent]

Congrats!!!

 

[Ebiker33]

Looks great, nice color schematic, cool rims too, and that front break disc is ultra HD
One little aesthetic detail, the minor orange on the rims pulls the orange on the much smaller Bafang logo on the ultra motor, kind of a neat match, not sure if you were going for that, but it works.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Nice, I was just wondering if you were back yet and....

That whole color scheme works - good looking bike.

 

[reed scott]

View attachment 107191

PREFACE
Hello all and welcome! I received my Hydra yesterday, got to ride it today and absolutely love it. It looks just like I imagined in the Hydra FAQ pseudo-photo. More on this later…

EXPECTATIONS I believe is a perfect word to describe why many on this forum are having issues with so many other things in their lives. It is the glue to how I do business personally and professionally. And just like you, I do not like it when expectations are not met. But is it really just my unrealistic expectations? So, the following is going to be a series or “CHAPTERS” in my Hydra Adventure. As of now, I have about a half dozen or more topics I think are worthy of sharing with the group. There will be info, tips/tricks, humor, and sadness all to help you set your expectations and to reduce your angst in the process. Hopefully Pushkar & the WW team will see this as opportunities to change meeting expectations to exceeding them…



CHAPTER 1 – The beginning…
Back in December 2020, my wife asked what I wanted for the Holidays. So once again I said, “A BIKE”. Now I have been giving that answer to her for Birthdays and Christmas/Chanukah for the last 15 years, and this time I was serious and owed. I have a good Hawaiian friend who built up a Santa Cruz with a Bafang via Luna. Though his bike was way too small for me, I could see the “FUN” potential as I went racing through an empty parking lot. So, my first stop was with the Lunatics in SoCal as they had impressive stuff and my buddy had good luck with them. While researching other NEXT BIG THINGS, I stumbled onto WattWagons (WW), but honestly didn’t like the name. I then tried to work with Luna to purchase a bike. Sure, COVID was a nightmare then and no vaccine in site. Honestly it looked like Armageddon back then. But in my month plus of attempts, I would have expected some communication; no return of phone calls and the few emails I did get were so terse, I got the clear indication they didn’t want my money. Back to searching, and back to stumbling more and more on WW. So, I gave them a call to talk about belt drives and XL frames, and Pushkar answered. We talked; man we talked…

I then spent about a week straight reading all there was on the WW forum. Members saw my presence because I gave likes to the posts that deserved them. I still do this when I search and find old posts that have good info. I suspect you have seen my footprints too…

Enter ORDER #1262, placed Feb 15, 2021 rather late east coast time. Basically, the configuration was the WW configuration matrix filled out for max $$$ and the first XL Hydra 26Fat. I mean everything! I got a text response from Pushkar 5 minutes after purchase that I was crazy…

I then started inundating Pushkar with question after question. I felt bad that I was using all of his time. As a result, I took my notes and created the FAQ in hopes that it would reduce the same BS questions that I suspected he had to deal with every day. Not to sound like the Progressive Commercial, but honestly folks, the prices we are paying, I am still surprised he can pay rent and paychecks. Expect an overburdened guy that may or may not have the time of day to deal with your mundane. It may be important to you but again, try to be realistic with your communications expectations and search the forum. One good email/text is better than many. I told him I was not interested in coupons, purchased the extended warrantee and WW charger to support the company as I believe in it after having had the opportunity to talk to Pushkar many times. Maybe I was lucky. I know my wife calls me at the worst times…



CHAPTER 2 – The waiting…
Somewhere in the 274 days from Feb 15 to Nov 16, there was a configuration sheet phase where an Excel sheet is used to make final choices. Here I added a second set of 29ers and did final paint color choices (had time to purchase Cerakote samples). Up until the first batch of bad news for WW, I would weekly send Pushkar a reminder that I needed to pay him money for all the extra goodies I wanted. He never asked….

I think it was May where I got the bad news that the XL was not going to happen. I totally freaked out as I didn’t want another “LARGE” frame where I am having to tweak stems and seat posts to get a cock-pit I can kind-of fit. With lots of help from @reed scott, was able to simulate his Large Hydra and determined it might work, but clearly not as a Fat26. Fortunately there were other serendipitous events that also pushed the Fat26 into the non-reality column. So, my constant weekly nudges to Pushkar became monthly…

One day in early September I get a FaceTime call from Pushkar. He showed me my wheels on a bike with my seat, etc. I was too excited so I took some screen shots of the bike. After the call, I sat down to look them over and quickly sent a question as to what was the frame color. OOPS! Pushkar then corrected the mistake so that our next FaceTime was mid-late October and I saw my girl for the first time. It is this time when your whole body is going to itch to have it in your hands ASAP. My daily hounding activated until I got my FexEx number. Just a FYI, WW uses www.shipbikes.com....

View attachment 107192

We all know shipping is insane. So I had to laugh when my delivery was Oct 30, then Oct 31, and then Nov 1 all while the bike was still several states away. My father in-law passed away very unexpectedly so I had to put the bike on vacation hold. New target date was November 15, exactly 9 months from purchase date. I took a vacation day to meet the FedEx person and got disappointed with the results. At 4:20pm (not joking, not toking!) FedEx changed status to LOST. By 4:30pm my time in California, Pushkar had FedEx on the line and asking questions. The next morning while in the shower (5am), I received a text that my bike was loaded on a truck and would be delivered that day. 2pm it arrived, I signed for it, and by 5pm I did a small test ride…

View attachment 107193

I have a laundry list of items that need attention, and Pushkar is already working on them. I received a new FedEx number today…

But the waiting is now over. I now have my BleedingEdge girl in my stable…
More to come....
-BB

Why do your wires and cables look SO much better than mine? Or anybody else's for that matter?!

Oh, and we require lots more pics with different angles ... and also I need to see this bike dirty. Soon!

 

[BarnBoy]

@reed scott - IMHO proof the WW processes are ever improving. Yes I agree it is nice, but I plan to make it look yet better.... (stay tuned! and wish granted below...)

CHAPTER 3 – The unpacking… (PARTIAL ASSEMBLY REQUIRED!)
So while waiting, I did something that I strongly urge EVERYONE that operates either an analog or electric bike do. I took our states Motorcycle Safety Course. With my scooter, I know it has already helped. Even on my first ride yesterday I did some techniques learned and was so impressed as to how the Hydra performed/handles especially on counter steering. If you don’t know what counter steering is, you really should look into a local motorcycle safety class. IMHO- it was the best $350 I spent lately…

From the previous chapter, we saw that the big box got to me relatively unscathed. Only a superficial wound to the outer box dermis layer. I used the straps as handles to drag the box to an area I cleared to unbox and photo. Cutting the straps, lifting & removing the outer cover gives the inside results… (click thumbnails for full view!)



Appears to be well packed, you can see the front tire was bulging on the box side. That was because the rotor was placed facing the outside in a protective layer of bubble. More on this later. Removing the black foam layer(s), I could see the handlebar and brake lever was not wrapped well enough, had shifted, moved, and rubbed against the frame on the trip from Natick MA to Pleasanton CA. I am upset, but more upset that I was not the first to scratch her in a very visible area. So just like a new car, I have to laugh it off; first scratch is done and over with. Actually a relief! No doubt, NOT THE LAST either….


Here are the parts and accessories that came in my box. I am missing some items (laundry list), and once again @pushkar stepped up and is making it right. But clearly PARTIAL ASSEMBLY IS REQUIRED so do not be surprised. And a WW QA check list or traveler would help…



One of the tools you will need to install the handlebar is a T25 Torx driver. Fortunately, my local HW store is very close. 10 minutes later, I had them mounted. But something you will notice and possibly be concerned is the Bafang display mount is designed for a 31.5mm bar, not the FAT bar 35m(??) that comes on the Hydra. As a result, there will not be any HW to clamp to the bar tight. My first real ride proved it is fine, but I did add a little rubber bumper (foot) from an old IKEA project to help protect the display back from the steerer tube…



So now a little trick for those who have never played with a dropper post. The Hydra is my first real internally routed bike. The EVG is just plastic covers that can be removed. This is real internal routings and IMHO well done, so I am shocked by the UC Pro. The seat post comes removed, how do you get it back on when the cable is down the seat tube hole on a tie-wrap? The trick is to first remove the seat post thumb lever and clamp to allow the housing to slide inside the frame. This allows the cable to extend from the seat tube and attach to the post. A special thank you shoutout to Jonas who called me literally seconds after I figured it out, to thus confirm it was the right way…. GLIDE!



We’re getting closer to power it up. But BEFORE YOU DO, please add some UHMW tape (ultra high molecular weight) in the following areas. I got a roll long ago on McMaster. This really should be done by WW and suggest custom units get made, especially for the swing arm chain stay. And for those with chain-line issues, sorry but mine is perfect. Another plus for the Kindernay…



OK, we are now ready to power. But how do you do that? A Bafang display manual (not that I really looked!) was not provided. So you can either do a YouTube on the “DP C18.UART” or just press here for the manual. Read it, set it up how you want the display, is super simple to use. But power greater than 1500W (or 30A) is not displayed. I recommend using battery VOLTAGE over PERCENT; try both, but I think you will agree. I am waiting to get the Innotrace program so I can program her. My first ride, I found Mode 1 was still way too much power. I was able to climb a hill I have not been able to climb in 15 years. But with Mode 0, it is a 63lbs (28.5kg) lead-sled! Crazy power…



TIME TO GO PLAY! More to come…
-BB

 

[scrambler]

Nice color scheme!!

 

[Merle Nelson]

Thanks for all the first hand info.

 

[bexamous]

Hah, hello neighbor, I'm over in Livermore.

Interesting seeing how your bike was packaged. I just unboxed my bike and it came with seat installed. With a dropper post not sure why they'd have to ship it with it not installed?

Having seen a few people had bikes damaged in shipping when I unboxed mine I was paying extra attention to how everything was packed. It all looked good to me. My handle bars were really well wrapped, I'm not sure how they could have rubbed on frame. Only thing I didn't like was my rear tire was flat. I'm not sure if it has a small hole and it just lost air during shipping, but can't imagine how no air would be better than even 10psi just to protect rim. But yeah interesting there were any differences in how our bikes were packed.

Oh the screen not having right mount for 35mm bar is kinda dumb. I'm hoping they don't think this is reasonable and are working to get correct mounts but didn't want further delays so shipped them like this.

Also agreed.. even mode1 can feel like too much power. I think issue is even if pedaling lightly how motor goes from off to too much assist, it needs to just ramp up more. Mode1 if you stand on pedals and ride hard as you can it doesn't feel like too much power, its just when lightly pedaling assist doesn't go low enough gives impression of too much power.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Glad you received your Hydra Bexamous.

 

[BarnBoy]

@bexamous – Yes, the front wheel was packed so the rotor was facing out toward the box and not protected by the frame. It looks like some side loading bent two of the six rotor spider legs. I tried to straighten it, but do not have good enough equipment to do it correctly. Pushkar is making it right and has a new one in the mail. For what it is worth, the Bafang display mount is not a big deal as it holds angle very well without a locking/clamping screw (is a Bafang mount). I suspect a longer screw could be added. But seeing a bar break on this forum has me thinking a single display clamp may be his cause for the stress, this bigger 35mm bar is better…. (good bars just don’t break!)

All this stated, it would be a good idea if the WW pakers used a few tie wraps to secure the bar and front wheel (etc!!!) to the frame so they do not shift and rub in transit… (as well as protective boots for the forks!!!)

CHAPTER 4 – The fit… (how a Large can be an XL….)
Some may recall I have mentioned that I would be the first to get an XL Hydra 26fat. I spent hours mocking up a Hydra geometry and was convinced a XL Hydra 26fat was the schiznick! Due to a series of unfortunate events, the XL was/is not a reality. And fortunately with Kinderny, the fat cage was not a reality. Why fortunate? Because it forced me into my secondary wheel option I requested, and that was the 29er Nextie that you see. I am also not sure the 26fat and wider swing arm would have worked with my size 15 4E wide (50 euro) feet. I just hope @pushkar didn’t lose money on the 26fat as I never paid for the 29er… (assume fat and 29er are same $$)

Apologies in advance for the photo below. I wear 36-inch inseam Levi’s 501 jeans. This Hydra fits me like a nice pair of jeans…



I am so happy with this bike’s fit! As you can see from the previous/future photos, the seat and bar are at the same approx. height and seat in the middle of the rails. This is my first SMALLER bike (large) that doesn’t have the seat higher than bars, nor seat set back. The result is a very comfortable and natural ride. None of the trails I have are narrow, so the ultrawide Protaper bar just provides all kinds of stability and ease in turning, especially for my gorilla length arms. My knees are a good 5 inches from the bar. On even some of my XL bikes, I have had to use XY posts to offset the seat further back to give my knees room. This has to be one of the better fitting bikes I have in my stable. And the dropper can easily take the edge off of a steep downhill; even a few inches is sweet, and these are so much better than the old Height Right external spring from the 90’s I used…

The one shocker with height and the 170mm cranks, I keep hitting my feet on the ground. All of my other bikes have 175mm cranks and don’t recall any feet hits. Some of this is just poor feet position and bad technique. But I hope the 165mm carbon cranks come soon!!!! (@pushkar – best time guess?)



CHAPTER 5 – The Kindernay…
While searching the next big thing on ebikes, I saw an advertisement about Rolloff and I was intrigued. This added to my BELT DRIVE desires. Thankfully Pushkar suggested Kindernay, and I am further impressed! I have hill climbing goat gears, as well as some high-speed capabilities (max speed so far is 37.5mph – INSANE for a MTB with MTB tires!!!). The mental problem I had with them was not the shifting (right down shifts, left up shifts), but WHEN to shift. Normal cassette gears require one to shift while pedaling. With Kindernay you don’t pedal nor allow the Bafang to pedal, and then you shift. Shifting at a complete stop is perfectly OK, something you would never want to do with a traditional cassette & derailleur. So before that killer hill, get all the speed you can, relax to let the system shut off (or anticipate that half second lag!), then shift. Yesterday I did a hill I NEVER was able to climb before…



So what happens if you mess up on a hill? There was a thread about starting on a hill, but I think I have the best method for you all. OK, you messed up and can go back to the bottom and try again, or start from where you are. The following steps will help you to get back on and going (works for non-Kindernay too!)…

• Shift gears to your GOAT GEAR. Here Kindernay is awesome!
• Grab/apply brakes and get on bike, with butt planted on the seat
• Position leading foot to 10:00 (left) or 2:00 (right) positions to prepare to launch
• Release the brakes and apply pressure to pedals for about a second, but not enough pressure to actually launch. You need the second delay with pressure applied to activate the X1…
• Launch and there is ZERO delay and full power…

CHAPTER 6 – The Apple AirTag…
There is a lot of discussion about GPS TRACKERS on the forum. I am sure you can add one and have that battery drain. But everyone has an iPhone. As a test, I bought x4 of them and opted for the custom engraving (did icon characters; $100). Wife and daughter have them on their keys and LOVE them. The other two were put in my scooter battery box, and the last in my Hydra. I was surprised that it worked inside my scooter battery box and did some testing at a local park; other iPhones reported/updated my scooter position. Even parked at home, my wife’s or daughter’s phone would report position or last known position well enough for me to trust and add it to my Hydra. Here is where I have it placed in a Belkin rubber holder, locked in place and hidden by the battery.



Enjoy the eye-candy below!
-BB

DIRTY as requested @reed scott ....

 

[reed scott]

View attachment 107476
@bexamous – Yes, the front wheel was packed so the rotor was facing out toward the box and not protected by the frame. It looks like some side loading bent two of the six rotor spider legs. I tried to straighten it, but do not have good enough equipment to do it correctly. Pushkar is making it right and has a new one in the mail. For what it is worth, the Bafang display mount is not a big deal as it holds angle very well without a locking/clamping screw (is a Bafang mount). I suspect a longer screw could be added. But seeing a bar break on this forum has me thinking a single display clamp may be his cause for the stress, this bigger 35mm bar is better…. (good bars just don’t break!)

All this stated, it would be a good idea if the WW pakers used a few tie wraps to secure the bar and front wheel (etc!!!) to the frame so they do not shift and rub in transit… (as well as protective boots for the forks!!!)

CHAPTER 4 – The fit… (how a Large can be an XL….)
Some may recall I have mentioned that I would be the first to get an XL Hydra 26fat. I spent hours mocking up a Hydra geometry and was convinced a XL Hydra 26fat was the schiznick! Due to a series of unfortunate events, the XL was/is not a reality. And fortunately with Kinderny, the fat cage was not a reality. Why fortunate? Because it forced me into my secondary wheel option I requested, and that was the 29er Nextie that you see. I am also not sure the 26fat and wider swing arm would have worked with my size 15 4E wide (50 euro) feet. I just hope @pushkar didn’t lose money on the 26fat as I never paid for the 29er… (assume fat and 29er are same $$)

Apologies in advance for the photo below. I wear 36-inch inseam Levi’s 501 jeans. This Hydra fits me like a nice pair of jeans…

View attachment 107477

I am so happy with this bike’s fit! As you can see from the previous/future photos, the seat and bar are at the same approx. height and seat in the middle of the rails. This is my first SMALLER bike (large) that doesn’t have the seat higher than bars, nor seat set back. The result is a very comfortable and natural ride. None of the trails I have are narrow, so the ultrawide Protaper bar just provides all kinds of stability and ease in turning, especially for my gorilla length arms. My knees are a good 5 inches from the bar. On even some of my XL bikes, I have had to use XY posts to offset the seat further back to give my knees room. This has to be one of the better fitting bikes I have in my stable. And the dropper can easily take the edge off of a steep downhill; even a few inches is sweet, and these are so much better than the old Height Right external spring from the 90’s I used…

The one shocker with height and the 170mm cranks, I keep hitting my feet on the ground. All of my other bikes have 175mm cranks and don’t recall any feet hits. Some of this is just poor feet position and bad technique. But I hope the 165mm carbon cranks come soon!!!! (@pushkar – best time guess?)



CHAPTER 5 – The Kindernay…
While searching the next big thing on ebikes, I saw an advertisement about Rolloff and I was intrigued. This added to my BELT DRIVE desires. Thankfully Pushkar suggested Kindernay, and I am further impressed! I have hill climbing goat gears, as well as some high-speed capabilities (max speed so far is 37.5mph – INSANE for a MTB with MTB tires!!!). The mental problem I had with them was not the shifting (right down shifts, left up shifts), but WHEN to shift. Normal cassette gears require one to shift while pedaling. With Kindernay you don’t pedal nor allow the Bafang to pedal, and then you shift. Shifting at a complete stop is perfectly OK, something you would never want to do with a traditional cassette & derailleur. So before that killer hill, get all the speed you can, relax to let the system shut off (or anticipate that half second lag!), then shift. Yesterday I did a hill I NEVER was able to climb before…



So what happens if you mess up on a hill? There was a thread about starting on a hill, but I think I have the best method for you all. OK, you messed up and can go back to the bottom and try again, or start from where you are. The following steps will help you to get back on and going (works for non-Kindernay too!)…

• Shift gears to your GOAT GEAR. Here Kindernay is awesome!
• Grab/apply brakes and get on bike, with butt planted on the seat
• Position leading foot to 10:00 (left) or 2:00 (right) positions to prepare to launch
• Release the brakes and apply pressure to pedals for about a second, but not enough pressure to actually launch. You need the second delay with pressure applied to activate the X1…
• Launch and there is ZERO delay and full power…

CHAPTER 6 – The Apple AirTag…
There is a lot of discussion about GPS TRACKERS on the forum. I am sure you can add one and have that battery drain. But everyone has an iPhone. As a test, I bought x4 of them and opted for the custom engraving (did icon characters; $100). Wife and daughter have them on their keys and LOVE them. The other two were put in my scooter battery box, and the last in my Hydra. I was surprised that it worked inside my scooter battery box and did some testing at a local park; other iPhones reported/updated my scooter position. Even parked at home, my wife’s or daughter’s phone would report position or last known position well enough for me to trust and add it to my Hydra. Here is where I have it placed in a Belkin rubber holder, locked in place and hidden by the battery.

View attachment 107478

Enjoy the eye-candy below!
-BB

DIRTY as requested @reed scott ....
View attachment 107479 View attachment 107480 View attachment 107481 View attachment 107482 View attachment 107483 View attachment 107484 View attachment 107485

GOOD! Let the dirt flow ...past. But keep your drive line clean. And may that contraption of an IGH not go kablooey.

 

[kwseattle]

Why do your wires and cables look SO much better than mine? Or anybody else's for that matter?!

Oh, and we require lots more pics with different angles ... and also I need to see this bike dirty. Soon!

I did some quick rerouting of my cables after modifying my throttle, made it look so much better! I might buy some spiral wrap but if I can't find it in a matte finish I'll probably skip it.

CHAPTER 6 – The Apple AirTag…
There is a lot of discussion about GPS TRACKERS on the forum. I am sure you can add one and have that battery drain. But everyone has an iPhone. As a test, I bought x4 of them and opted for the custom engraving (did icon characters; $100). Wife and daughter have them on their keys and LOVE them. The other two were put in my scooter battery box, and the last in my Hydra. I was surprised that it worked inside my scooter battery box and did some testing at a local park; other iPhones reported/updated my scooter position. Even parked at home, my wife’s or daughter’s phone would report position or last known position well enough for me to trust and add it to my Hydra. Here is where I have it placed in a Belkin rubber holder, locked in place and hidden by the battery.

View attachment 107478

I'm trying to find a GPS solution as an Android user lol. After using Android for 10 years I really can't stand iOS the few times I've tried. T-Mobile has an LTE enabled tracker for something like $5 a month, plus I'm looking to get an insurance policy on the bike.

The bike looks awesome and congrats on finally taking delivery!

 

[scrambler]

One of the best one so far seems to be the TK419

The TK419 works anywhere as you can use your own SIM card.
There is a long thread on this forum about GPS trackers, and in the middle of it @TomD has provided quite a bit of feedback on it

Anti theft GPS

Protecting our awesome and value electric bikes is always an issue so I wanted to share this info. There is a pretty cool device by a UK company available for direct purchase online called Spybike: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists) Spybike cost $150-160 and comes in either a seat post...

electricbikereview.com

tracker page

4G LTE SOS GPS tracker|4G SOS Tracking Devices

There is a SOS Button in 4G LTE GPS tracker TK419,which widely used in fleet/vehicle tracking for driver's safety.

www.eelinktracker.com

Default App and Platform page (you can use a lot of different tracking platform with it if you don't like the one they provide)

Eelink GPS Tracking platform and software APP

The Eelink tracking platform is developed by Eelink great team of professional hardware and software engineers. Currently, many devices we sell to customers are working well on this platform.

www.eelinktracker.com

 

[reed scott]

Hey BB, You got a parrot?

 

[BarnBoy]

Anyone for squab a vin???
F-me!
-BB

 

[BarnBoy]

CHAPTER 7 – Basic Maintenance…
If you plan to work on your bike, you will need a stand and tools. There is a ton of discussion about what stand is good for your heavy ebike and you can get some really expensive lifting stands, but I can testify to the Park Tool PCS-10.3 as to having fixed the issues reported in the PCS-10.2 of the stand collapsing with a new locking pin. Though SCARY, I felt confident I could work on the BleedingEdge in this position. With a DROPPER, you need to clamp on the lower post part. I even suggest collapsing the post before clamping to prevent you from clamping on the wrong area….



One of the nicest surprises I got after splashing in some mixed muck on my test/tuning rides, the Cerakote is SUPER SIMPLE to clean! A microfiber cloth is all that is needed to peal off caked splash layers on the special porous coating. There were a few spots that needed a bit of rubbing, but a moist micro-cloth will take it off with zero problem. I just don’t like the look of the finish after water (hard water?), so I then hit it with a little bike polish I got at the LBS. Is now even easier to remove the grime…. (WOW!)

My chain came lubricated with some kind of oil based product (could smell it). In my area, oil based anything will kill a drive train super-fast. So, I washed the chain and added my latest favorite chain lube Squirt e-bike. Be cautious if purchasing this on eBay (Bulgaria) as it will take as much as 6 months to get to you using the postal system they use, with USPS tracking info only and blamestorms galore…. (HINT- support your LBS!)



Some of the tools you will need are the standard hex wrenches, “NEW” torx wrenches (bike is a 50/50 mix), normal bike tools and a torque wrench(es). There are a ton of moving parts and each pivot bolt/screw has a torque specification. This is probably your most important tool. That and Google converting units of measure to your tool. But seriously folks, check your torque on EVERYTHING before your next ride; especially them crank arms…


CHAPTER 8 – The Gearing… (Kindernay part II)
My Hydra came with a 44T and 16T on the Kindernay. If I use the tool on www.gear-calculator.com, I can set it for my configuration (29er tires) and I am getting pretty much what this tool calculates. With the programming (below), I have an excellent mix of hill climbing and speed in nice even increments. There is some is some discussion as to if the Kindernay can survive the Hydra. Yes, so far, so good and I do plan to keep all informed if problems happen. And I hear from @Acme that I need to change the oil, just like a car in the first 1000 miles….

But my feeling is the torque spec is for shifting. IMHO- shifting under ANY torque is just plain stupid! I tried once under moderate power and thought I had killed it. Shifting at complete stop and zero power applied is best. But a trick – make sure the lever is at the DETENT STOP and not in between. This might mean releasing the thumb lever and then pressing it lightly to the STOP. This has provided perfect fault free shifting. Other things to consider, if you can’t crank it or are spinning out – SHIFT IT!!!!!! Tap brakes to kill power super fast…


CHAPTER 9 –Programming… (my suggestions!)
Folks, there is a process and this process may take more than the advertised 24 hours. The WW side of the process does happen within 24 hours. The Innotrace side takes longer…

Your first step is to reach out to WW. They will provide a link to a ZIP file (Windows) for the drivers and X1 tool, plus video instructions. Next, they will provide you a unique WW email address that you use to REGISTER your X1 controller; BE SURE TO ENTER THIS CORRECTLY! You will then need to be calm and wait. I suspect that Innotrace is doing their part of the authentication only once a week based on the forum feedback and timelines from others.



Once you are able to login, you can then program your Hydra. Keep program opened with RED “no programming dongle” error on bottom. My Hydra came programmed at 100% Torque (power), 40% Throttle, 100% Motor Torque, 100% speeds and only change the Sensitivity Torque to match the Mode #. This is perfectly fine, but I found it would drain my battery, and even in Mode 1, I was climbing stuff I do not think I should be climbing in Mode 1. Even on flats, Mode 1 led to a bit of ghost pedaling. Be sure to save a copy before you change anything so you have a DEFAULT configuration to easily go back to…

Turn off your bike and unplug your charger. Identify the cable from the Bafang display to the bike frame (motor); cable has a 3-pin GREEN connector. Plug in the X1 Programming Adapter (polarity notch), then the USB Micro-cable to the adapter (be careful!), and then plug the USB cable into your computer. There will be a Windows new USB device bing, the program error banner will transition from RED, to YELLOW to GREEN and download your current configuration. Reverse these steps when done programming (remove USB from computer, then adapter from motor, and reconnect display!).

So, after a bunch of experiments I offer you the BarnBoy configuration. First, trying to use SENSITIVITY TORQUE or the new MOTOR TORQUE to control the full raw power this beast can provide is just wrong unless you like that Superman feel. You need to use these parameters to moderate the power (TORQUE) potential. As a set of experiments, I did several rides with various parameters and found I really liked the overall pedaling feel for the bike when I made a mix of SENSITIVITY TORQUE (is based on pedal pressure) and MOTOR TORQUE (is based on pedal pressure (?) and cadence). Being saturated or anything higher gave the bike a TOO MUCH power feeling. So programming part 1 is to set SENSITIVITY TORQUE to 2 and MOTOR TORQUE to 3. Play with these to meet your needs/likes/desires….

To get the best use of battery power, I found it was better to limit or adjust the TORQUE as a function of the Mode number. My first attempt was 25%, 33%, 50%, 75%, 100% and it was OK. I’m still fine adjusting, but yesterday I tried 10% increments and am really super happy with the simplistic but amazing performance benefits this has given me. If I need a boost to get up an incline, I hit the “+”. And beyond 50% is really a lot of power. This also pushes 60-100% to SPORT modes to chase down roadies to/from the mountain and home. I may do a more exponential transition to 50%... (TBD!)

More to come...
-BB

 

[soopaman]

Nice one @BarnBoy! This is top shelf WW porn! Thanks for sharing your adventures and looking forward to hear more!

 

[rtp]

CHAPTER 7 – Basic Maintenance…
If you plan to work on your bike, you will need a stand and tools. There is a ton of discussion about what stand is good for your heavy ebike and you can get some really expensive lifting stands, but I can testify to the Park Tool PCS-10.3 as to having fixed the issues reported in the PCS-10.2 of the stand collapsing with a new locking pin. Though SCARY, I felt confident I could work on the BleedingEdge in this position. With a DROPPER, you need to clamp on the lower post part. I even suggest collapsing the post before clamping to prevent you from clamping on the wrong area….

View attachment 108266

One of the nicest surprises I got after splashing in some mixed muck on my test/tuning rides, the Cerakote is SUPER SIMPLE to clean! A microfiber cloth is all that is needed to peal off caked splash layers on the special porous coating. There were a few spots that needed a bit of rubbing, but a moist micro-cloth will take it off with zero problem. I just don’t like the look of the finish after water (hard water?), so I then hit it with a little bike polish I got at the LBS. Is now even easier to remove the grime…. (WOW!)

I went the same route on bike stand. What handlebar clamp (blue rod) is that? Mine will def NOT let me flip the bike..

Cerakote is awesome! You can try something like a spray ceramic detailer spray, but make sure you go NOWHERE near the rotors or will probably need to replace them... (e.g. spray onto clean rag, don't mist onto the bike..)

 

[Merle Nelson]

BB or anyone else - any new experiences you can share riding your Hydra?