CCX Arriving Friday! Any preventative maintenance/ QC checks I should do at unboxing?

T

TXCrash

New Member
Hey y'all, excited to have a CCX coming Friday. Seasoned cyclist/ bike commuter, I'll be doing a 30 mile each way commute - sometimes I'll hop on the train if I'm in a hurry, the weather sucks, or I feel like slacking off. I took a break from bike commuting due to the time commitment and life happening, but the extra speed of the CCX will make bike commuting on a regular basis much more practical. I'll start a thread for updates once I've started putting miles on the bike - Hopefully there won't be much to report.

My planned preventative maintenance/ farkling at unbox is:
Check spoke tension at unbox, after a few rides, and at a regular interval afterwards.
Clean the wax off the chain, lube properly.
Check fastener tightness.
Eff with the fenders so they're set up properly. If I'm displeased with the quality of them, I have a nice set of fenders in the parts bin.
Lights! I look like a christmas tree going down the road. Better to be the annoying guy with too many lights than the guy that gets hit because he's invisible.
Mirror! Haven't decided on which one, and I rode for years without, but with the extra speed (and noise) from the pedelec system I feel I'll now need a mirror.
Cycle satiator for charging at home (to 80%), and I'll set the voltage cutoff at 20% (I understand this to be 45V and 55V, though this may be incorrect/ a bit conservative?
Stock charger with a timer at work, I'll monitor occasionally with the LCD display.

Is QC on things like greased bearings, etc good, or do I need to dig into the headset/ bb/ wheel bearings to make sure they're greased?

Thanks in advance for any input, or things I'm not considering. This'll be a push to get my grumpy fat butt back on a bike regularly. Gimme those endorphins!
 
Unlock S and R mode. I can't recall if they are enabled by default. Basically, watch that 20 minute Juiced video of Tora going over the available display settings, like how to turn on the headlight, set cruise control, enable all 5 assist modes, set the top speed, set the low voltage cutoff, etc.

Best of luck to you! I just made sure the spokes were tense to the touch, bolts weren't loose and connectors were all solid. Set the tire pressure to 60psi both front and rear. Adjusted the brakes - both front and rear were rubbing on mine.
 
Luis Mtz said:
Hi! maybe this can help a bit as well
First ride recommendations

And for all the newcomers to the cycling world
New Brakes Bedding in by our pals at Park Tool

Be safe and have fun!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I’d planned on doing all of that, but I appreciate you pointing me to the reference.
SirJonathan said:
Unlock S and R mode. I can't recall if they are enabled by default. Basically, watch that 20 minute Juiced video of Tora going over the available display settings, like how to turn on the headlight, set cruise control, enable all 5 assist modes, set the top speed, set the low voltage cutoff, etc.

Best of luck to you! I just made sure the spokes were tense to the touch, bolts weren't loose and connectors were all solid. Set the tire pressure to 60psi both front and rear. Adjusted the brakes - both front and rear were rubbing on mine.
Click to expand...

I most definitely plan on unlocking R mode (depending on actual watts pulled and how much battery is left at the end of my usual ride, I can see it being useful in a few short sections of road... legal or not) and setting the volt limits. I THINK S mode is unlocked from the factory, it certainly will be when it’s unboxed if not.

I’ll try and get her ready and charged up on Friday, and try and get a 30 mile ride in on Saturday. Raining Sunday and Monday, hopefully I can ride this bad boy to work on Tuesday if the rain passes us by (currently 20% chance of rain, and too cold for me to ride in the rain, but not terrible weather - 50 in the morning and about the same in the pm).
 
Saw these two videos in my feed. Check for any damage on the racks and battery connectors.

Maybe consider getting velcro straps for the battery pack too. Check that Sport and Race mode work as intended.


 
BrianMura said:
Saw these two videos in my feed. Check for any damage on the racks and battery connectors.

Maybe consider getting velcro straps for the battery pack too. Check that Sport and Race mode work as intended.


Click to expand...
Wow. I’d be upset about both of those. Here’s hoping Juiced takes care of him. Based on feedback here and elsewhere, it seems they should.
 
BrianMura said:
Saw these two videos in my feed. Check for any damage on the racks and battery connectors.

Maybe consider getting velcro straps for the battery pack too. Check that Sport and Race mode work as intended.


Click to expand...

What was the top video? It has been removed by the user.
 
TXCrash said:
Hey y'all, excited to have a CCX coming Friday. Seasoned cyclist/ bike commuter, I'll be doing a 30 mile each way commute - sometimes I'll hop on the train if I'm in a hurry, the weather sucks, or I feel like slacking off. I took a break from bike commuting due to the time commitment and life happening, but the extra speed of the CCX will make bike commuting on a regular basis much more practical. I'll start a thread for updates once I've started putting miles on the bike - Hopefully there won't be much to report.

My planned preventative maintenance/ farkling at unbox is:
Check spoke tension at unbox, after a few rides, and at a regular interval afterwards.
Clean the wax off the chain, lube properly.
Check fastener tightness.
Eff with the fenders so they're set up properly. If I'm displeased with the quality of them, I have a nice set of fenders in the parts bin.
Lights! I look like a christmas tree going down the road. Better to be the annoying guy with too many lights than the guy that gets hit because he's invisible.
Mirror! Haven't decided on which one, and I rode for years without, but with the extra speed (and noise) from the pedelec system I feel I'll now need a mirror.
Cycle satiator for charging at home (to 80%), and I'll set the voltage cutoff at 20% (I understand this to be 45V and 55V, though this may be incorrect/ a bit conservative?
Stock charger with a timer at work, I'll monitor occasionally with the LCD display.

Is QC on things like greased bearings, etc good, or do I need to dig into the headset/ bb/ wheel bearings to make sure they're greased?

Thanks in advance for any input, or things I'm not considering. This'll be a push to get my grumpy fat butt back on a bike regularly. Gimme those endorphins!
Click to expand...

Great questions! I am planning ordering direct to consumer as well, but keep in mind that doing so makes you, the buyer, the bike shop mechanic.

A bike shop, a quality one, will perform the following checks at minimum:

1.derailleur and brake adjustment
2. wheels trued, spokes tensioned
3. check and adjust hubs, headset and bottom bracket
4. grease seatpost and pedal threads

A more thorough shop will also:
5. check hubs, headset and bottom bracket and cassette for adequate grease from the factory
6. ride test the bike (adjustment on stand is not the same as applying pedaling torque in an actual ride)
7. Some shops apply grease to QR skewers or thru axles as a pre-caution. Some mechanics used to apply grease to cables, but housing is supposed to be frictionless now so I don't know how common this practice is. A small dab of lube at entry and exit points of cables probably wouldn't hurt, but probably not completely necessary either however.


These latter checks can help parts from seizing, rusting or corroding during rainy rides or storage in a damp garage or storage facility.

In reality an experienced mechanic or team of mechanics can take up to a couple of hours to build, adjust and test a bike properly. If you don't work on bikes regularly it could take you considerably longer.

You should also check that the fenders and rack bolts are tightened adequately and adjusted properly.

DO NOT remove the factory lube on the chain! It is the highest quality lube the chain will ever have! Your chain will never shift as well or perform as quietly as with this factory lube or magic grease or whatever it is. It will wear off in under 200 miles at which point you need to relube.

You can never be too visible. Wheel lights and reflectors, a tail light, an adjustable angle headlight and reflective clothing help a lot. Lightweight headlight and taillight for the helmet can help also. Emphasis on lightweight.

Two more points:
-I definitely recommend using a torque wrench. It's not absolutely necessary but it eliminates any guesswork when tightening bolts. Check recommended torque values when checking brakes and attaching the handlebar for example.
-the bedding in process for your brakes is very important.

Let us know how it goes!
 
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I have a stupid newbie question (my CCX just arrived today). The manual doesn't make mention of the button on the battery pack, and makes it sound like you can power the bike on and off using just the controller. But it seems like the button on the battery has to be on first, yes? Please help me figure out the use of the button, and if it should be turned off any time the bike is powered off. Thanks! Lots more newbie questions to come!
 
Captain Walnut said:
I have a stupid newbie question (my CCX just arrived today). The manual doesn't make mention of the button on the battery pack, and makes it sound like you can power the bike on and off using just the controller. But it seems like the button on the battery has to be on first, yes? Please help me figure out the use of the button, and if it should be turned off any time the bike is powered off. Thanks! Lots more newbie questions to come!
Click to expand...
The button turns the battery power itself, on/off.

To start riding, you press the button on the battery, then turn the controller on. Power down in reverse. I’ve been turning off via the battery button, not sure if that has a chance to bugger things up or not.
 
TXCrash said:
The button turns the battery power itself, on/off.

To start riding, you press the button on the battery, then turn the controller on. Power down in reverse. I’ve been turning off via the battery button, not sure if that has a chance to bugger things up or not.
Click to expand...

Thanks!

I have some more potentially stupid newbie questions as I set up my CCX today. This is my first bike in a long time, and my first ebike, so bear with me. It seems like they didn't include the wrench needed to attach the front fender. No big deal, I think I have one, but wanted to verify that, because I have to remove the light to mount the fender (sure would be nice if they'd done this!).

Also, where am I supposed to mount the extra reflector, and what is the extra mount thingy in the parts bag for? Thanks for your help!
 
Captain Walnut said:
Thanks!

I have some more potentially stupid newbie questions as I set up my CCX today. This is my first bike in a long time, and my first ebike, so bear with me. It seems like they didn't include the wrench needed to attach the front fender. No big deal, I think I have one, but wanted to verify that, because I have to remove the light to mount the fender (sure would be nice if they'd done this!).

Also, where am I supposed to mount the extra reflector, and what is the extra mount thingy in the parts bag for? Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
Reflector you’re referring to is white? I think that’s intended for the front, but I binned mine. (Or rather, it sits unused in the bag). If it’s red, it’s for the rear.

You’ll want to use a socket for the front fender, and it’s a pain in the butt to install. I’m impressed with the bike so far other than the front fender and the truing of the front wheel.

There’s a video on the juiced website showing fender installation. It’ll take some fiddling with the fender stays to get it... squeak free.

Good luck!
 
I would run the chain with the factory wax for 100 miles and then degrease and clean the whole drivetrain. Lube with a good paraffin based product.
Get some good wax, carnuba, on it now while its new and clean. Maybe even some paint protection strips in high abuse areas.

Enjoy!
 
TXCrash said:
Hey y'all, excited to have a CCX coming Friday. Seasoned cyclist/ bike commuter, I'll be doing a 30 mile each way commute - sometimes I'll hop on the train if I'm in a hurry, the weather sucks, or I feel like slacking off. I took a break from bike commuting due to the time commitment and life happening, but the extra speed of the CCX will make bike commuting on a regular basis much more practical. I'll start a thread for updates once I've started putting miles on the bike - Hopefully there won't be much to report.

My planned preventative maintenance/ farkling at unbox is:
Check spoke tension at unbox, after a few rides, and at a regular interval afterwards.
Clean the wax off the chain, lube properly.
Check fastener tightness.
Eff with the fenders so they're set up properly. If I'm displeased with the quality of them, I have a nice set of fenders in the parts bin.
Lights! I look like a christmas tree going down the road. Better to be the annoying guy with too many lights than the guy that gets hit because he's invisible.
Mirror! Haven't decided on which one, and I rode for years without, but with the extra speed (and noise) from the pedelec system I feel I'll now need a mirror.
Cycle satiator for charging at home (to 80%), and I'll set the voltage cutoff at 20% (I understand this to be 45V and 55V, though this may be incorrect/ a bit conservative?
Stock charger with a timer at work, I'll monitor occasionally with the LCD display.

Is QC on things like greased bearings, etc good, or do I need to dig into the headset/ bb/ wheel bearings to make sure they're greased?

Thanks in advance for any input, or things I'm not considering. This'll be a push to get my grumpy fat butt back on a bike regularly. Gimme those endorphins!
Click to expand...

My suggestions:

- Important: Don't forget to "fill" the warranty form online, in the specified time slot, otherwise your warranty may have a "sudden death"!
- Be sure the battery is properly locked in place. Turn on battery and display. Hit hard with the palm of you hand on the right side of the battery to be sure you have a good engagement of the electrical connectors. You should not observe any power glitch.
- From time to time you may need to charge the battery to 95% or close. Try not to keep it charged at that level for long. This has been suggested by others and seems to improve the battery capacity.
- I like the mirror "Hafny New Handlebar Bike Mirror, HD,Blast-Resistant, Glass Lens, HF-MR095 (Anti-Glare Left)" recommended by other bikers in this forum.
Enjoy!
 
Captain Walnut said:
I found my chain dropping off on both the highest and lowest gears on my first test rides, so I brought it to my LBS for an initial tune up.
Click to expand...

Be sure the "chain catcher" (piece of plastic on the seatpost that keeps the chain in place) is installed and in the right position.
 
TXCrash said:
Hey y'all, excited to have a CCX coming Friday. Seasoned cyclist/ bike commuter, I'll be doing a 30 mile each way commute - sometimes I'll hop on the train if I'm in a hurry, the weather sucks, or I feel like slacking off. I took a break from bike commuting due to the time commitment and life happening, but the extra speed of the CCX will make bike commuting on a regular basis much more practical. I'll start a thread for updates once I've started putting miles on the bike - Hopefully there won't be much to report.

My planned preventative maintenance/ farkling at unbox is:
Check spoke tension at unbox, after a few rides, and at a regular interval afterwards.
Clean the wax off the chain, lube properly.
Check fastener tightness.
Eff with the fenders so they're set up properly. If I'm displeased with the quality of them, I have a nice set of fenders in the parts bin.
Lights! I look like a christmas tree going down the road. Better to be the annoying guy with too many lights than the guy that gets hit because he's invisible.
Mirror! Haven't decided on which one, and I rode for years without, but with the extra speed (and noise) from the pedelec system I feel I'll now need a mirror.
Cycle satiator for charging at home (to 80%), and I'll set the voltage cutoff at 20% (I understand this to be 45V and 55V, though this may be incorrect/ a bit conservative?
Stock charger with a timer at work, I'll monitor occasionally with the LCD display.

Is QC on things like greased bearings, etc good, or do I need to dig into the headset/ bb/ wheel bearings to make sure they're greased?

Thanks in advance for any input, or things I'm not considering. This'll be a push to get my grumpy fat butt back on a bike regularly. Gimme those endorphins!
Click to expand...

My only suggestion: ride it alot and enjoy the heck out of it!
Oh, and a photo please.
 
Completed my first commute this morning. 1:40 door to door, including a detour that took me an extra ~10 minutes due to terrible signage and unfamiliarity with that particular part of town. Driving this same route takes 1:15, so I'm happy with the time it took. (Freeway takes 40 minutes to 1:15 depending on the supply of stupid juice that morning/afternoon). On a normal pedal bike, I'd do this in 1:17 door to door using a train for all but 8 miles, and it took about 2:15-2:40 to ride the entire route depending on wind and effort level.

Assist level 2, I'll post the AH used when she's done charging (decided that the cycle satiator will live in the ortleib saddle bag - the weight penalty is worth extending the life of the battery).

I'll try and snap a pic on the way home at my favorite spot of the commute - a lovely pedestrian bridge that borders a rose garden. I posted a night pic of the bike in my other thread.

Mods/accessories so far are:
Cycle Satiator
Ortleib Back Roller Classic bags
Relevate Design Mountain Feed Bags (2) for hydration/ phone/wallet
Mirricycle
Ergon Grips (they're ok, might switch back to stock grips with a mod to allow for the mirricycle)
Cycliq Fly 6 CE and Fly 12 CE camera/battery. Drivers recognize these, so they definitely help with average driver interaction, and I've used video (from a Garmin Virb) in the past to get bad commercial drivers reprimanded. The stock mount is crap, I cobbledsomething together with an old off brand gopro helmet mount and zip ties - I'll replace this with something less... cobbled.
Cygolite head and tail light on the helmet, flashing. The headlight helps a lot - some perceive it as a camera, and the "pointability" helps grab attention from the phone.


Edit: charge complete. 10.94 ah used. Uploaded picture taken the other night on a test run. 6228C85D-A69E-401A-862D-D8D5766B8F79.jpeg
 
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jom said:
My suggestions:

- Important: Don't forget to "fill" the warranty form online, in the specified time slot, otherwise your warranty may have a "sudden death"!
- Be sure the battery is properly locked in place. Turn on battery and display. Hit hard with the palm of you hand on the right side of the battery to be sure you have a good engagement of the electrical connectors. You should not observe any power glitch.
- From time to time you may need to charge the battery to 95% or close. Try not to keep it charged at that level for long. This has been suggested by others and seems to improve the battery capacity.
- I like the mirror "Hafny New Handlebar Bike Mirror, HD,Blast-Resistant, Glass Lens, HF-MR095 (Anti-Glare Left)" recommended by other bikers in this forum.
Enjoy!
Click to expand...

I'm trying to install the Hafney mirror and feeling dumb. Did you move the throttle and display to fit the mirror? Could you share a photo of your setup?
 
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