Cross Current

[Itsmejson]

40 miles on the bike and loving it. My bike commute to work avg 17 mins vs 12 mins driving.

One thing that came up today on the way in to work is I hit a bump and the power shutoff. I pulled over turned the bike back on and it was fine. On the last stop to work the power shut off again.

Anyone know what I should check on the bike or have an idea of what might have happened?

 

[nocluedude]

40 miles on the bike and loving it. My bike commute to work avg 17 mins vs 12 mins driving.

One thing that came up today on the way in to work is I hit a bump and the power shutoff. I pulled over turned the bike back on and it was fine. On the last stop to work the power shut off again.

Anyone know what I should check on the bike or have an idea of what might have happened?

That's been happening to me too lately. I'm pretty sure it's the battery jiggling loose when I hit bumps. I think someone on this forum put Velcro between the battery and the frame to keep it from disconnecting like that. I may try that.

 

[Luis Mtz]

40 miles on the bike and loving it. My bike commute to work avg 17 mins vs 12 mins driving.

One thing that came up today on the way in to work is I hit a bump and the power shutoff. I pulled over turned the bike back on and it was fine. On the last stop to work the power shut off again.

Anyone know what I should check on the bike or have an idea of what might have happened?

Hi, could you please send an email with your bike serial and contact info to [email protected]?

And also if posible the status of the shipping box when you got it
Thanks

 

[youth]

Anyone one else have continuing issues with rear flats? I'm on my 5th or 6th inner tube now. It was ok for about 2-3 month & then I suddenly got two flats recently after having to deflate & re-inflate to replace a spoke. The blowouts came soon after this. Luckily this happened not during riding, but rather while just sitting at home. I don't feel anything sharp there, but they occurred in the same area on the valve side. After the first time I doubled up on the rim tape, but that only lasted until today. I think the issue is the high pressure the rear tire is subject to causing the inner tube to bulge into the rather big spoke holes. What I don't get is why the bulges are so close to each other. Maybe the inner tube is also shifting? The 17mm rim tape here is the Performance bike brand Made in France (Velox?). The front tire has been no problem with the stock tire & rubber rim strip. I run around 60-65 PSI. I'm going to look into maybe plastic rim strips next. My previous 26" wheeled e-bike came with them & had no issues through 10,000 miles. What would be ideal though would be plugs for these spoke holes.

 

[Patrick Daniels]

Anyone one else have continuing issues with rear flats? I'm on my 5th or 6th inner tube now. It was ok for about 2-3 month & then I suddenly got two flats recently after having to deflate & re-inflate to replace a spoke. The blowouts came soon after this. Luckily this happened not during riding, but rather while just sitting at home. I don't feel anything sharp there, but they occurred in the same area on the valve side. After the first time I doubled up on the rim tape, but that only lasted until today. I think the issue is the high pressure the rear tire is subject to causing the inner tube to bulge into the rather big spoke holes. What I don't get is why the bulges are so close to each other. Maybe the inner tube is also shifting? The 17mm rim tape here is the Performance bike brand Made in France (Velox?). The front tire has been no problem with the stock tire & rubber rim strip. I run around 60-65 PSI. I'm going to look into maybe plastic rim strips next. My previous 26" wheeled e-bike came with them & had no issues through 10,000 miles. What would be ideal though would be plugs for these spoke holes.View attachment 11429 View attachment 11432 View attachment 11435 View attachment 11438

That's the best rim tape available, definitely contact support at Juiced- they will help.

 

[Dunbar]

It could be the tubes getting pinched between the rim and tire when you install them. It can take a while for the tube to fail when you do that. I always put some air in the tube so it's pretty firm before I put the tire on to protect against that happening. I doubt it's the rim tape as it looks fine to me. That slight depression is normal and isn't going to cause repeated tube failures. If you are convinced it's the spoke holes I would suggest Veloplugs covered with rim tape.

 

[youth]

It could be the tubes getting pinched between the rim and tire when you install them. I always put some air in the tube so it's pretty firm before I put the tire on to protect against that happening. I doubt it's the rim tape as it looks fine to me. That slight depression is normal and isn't going to cause repeated tube failures. If you are convinced it's the spoke holes I would suggest Veloplugs covered with rim tape.

The tires with these rims are so loose that I can install & remove without tire irons which surprised me when I first took off the tire since I;m use to having to use them with my other bikes. Also scares me since the inner tube will blow out the tire if not careful to make sure it's seated evenly all around by the bead. So not likely a pinching issue. It's a bit tough to see but the depression in the one spoke hole where the inner tube is bulging is a bit deeper then the other holes. I think plugs would fix this, but the holes are over 10mm in diameter so too big for the stock veloplugs. I'm just gonna try some Ritchy snap-on rim strips next.

 

[Dunbar]

The tires with these rims are so loose that I can install & remove without tire irons which surprised me when I first took off the tire since I;m use to having to use them with my other bikes.

The issue is a small bit of the deflated tube gets trapped between the rim and tire bead and you can't see it. Once you inflate the tire it starts moving around and eventually fails in a similar fashion to a pinch flat. Your second picture of the failed tube looks like the tube was caught between the rim and tire bead. Some guys go around the tire and push the bead towards the center of the rim before inflating to make sure the tube isn't caught in there. I like putting some air in the tube so it's not possible for it to get caught. I can't blame you for trying a new strip if you keep getting blowouts though. I got some cloth rim tape to put on when I get my new Schwalbe tires. I think I'll install them OVER the stock plastic strips to reduce the dimpling if that is indeed the problem.

 

[JE92024]

Juiced Cross Current XL Owner here with 500 miles of commuting. I've had issues with the rear wheel from day one. Test ride at LBS revealed many spokes with bad tension. I've had rear spokes break under normal riding without hitting bumps etc. A few weeks back I had the rear tube blow out at 20mph, eject itself from rim and wrap around rear cogs. I've never had this happen before with mountain or road bikes but I understand it happens on occasion an probably more so on heavy rear hub motored bikes. I have stock tires and run 70psi. I managed to stop without crashing but it's not something I want to experience again. I struggled to change tube as I was lacking an 18mm offset wrench to remove rear axle nut on drive side. Be sure your roadside tool kit includes an 18mm offset wrench and a spoke wrench big enough to work with 12/13ga spokes. Check spoke tension often. I'm thinking there is an issue with these wheels/tires/spokes/rim strips but it's could be as simple as pinched tube tire install. I think I all is ok with my wheels now but time will tell.

 

[Ann M.]

I'm looking at the two pictures of the blown tubes and wondering if the tubes are the correct width to match the tire and rim, those look a bit too narrow. If you try to use a tube that's too narrow for the tire, it's vulnerable to a pinch flat or to rolling around on the rim when it shouldn't. It is always a good idea to add a bit of air in the tube before putting it inside the tire so the tube doesn't twist around and lies flat but not really that much. Too much and you risk pinching it when you install the tire on the rim.

If the tire seems too loose check that the metric measurements of the tire match that of the rim. That number should be printed on both the tire and tube. For instance, not all 26" wheels have the same metric measurement, some are 599's, some 590's or 587 which will affect the fit of a tire on the rim. You have a little more flexibility with the tube since it can inflate to fit a few sizes. Sheldon Brown has a nicely illustrated expose all about the size of tires & rims. Consider switching to a wired bead if you're riding on rougher surfaces or bumpy roads or carrying a good sized load in back along with the motor; they're stronger.

 

[youth]

I do inflate the tire a little so it has some volume to avoid bunching inside the tire. What you see in the pictures were the same issues I had with most of the flats in the beginning when I got the bike which I thought I had fixed through deburring the spoke holes & switching to the cloth rim tape. My patch jobs would actually bulge out like that & eventually fail in the same spot.

The tubes are advertised as 35-45 & Giant branded from the LBS. These are probably low quality. Looking online I see the Continental Tour 700x32-47 tubes which may be better.

 

[Dunbar]

You might try those snap on rim strips covered with rim tape. Some of the reviews say the sharp edge of the snap on strips can rub a hole in the tube. I don't patch tubes myself, just throw them away and install a new one. As far as the looseness of the tires I think has to do with a fairly narrow rim with a wider tire. Sheldon Brown has some info on recommended tire width for various rim widths. I ran 700x35 on a 15c rim which was bigger than recommended. It was a bit loose before inflation but I never had any problems in the 3 years they were installed. I wouldn't run more than 6opsi in the stock tires or it seems you risk an explosive blowout (according to the earlier discussion in this thread.)

I bought a spoke wrench to even up the tension on the loose spokes. I noticed one spoke was pretty loose. My plan is to take it to an experienced mechanic at some point to have them even up the spoke tensions and re-true the wheel. That problem is not unique to Juiced Bikes. I popped a spoke on the stock rear wheel of my $2700 Cervelo S2 after 2500 miles and I weigh all of 150lbs.

 

[youth]

I bought a spoke wrench to even up the tension on the loose spokes. I noticed one spoke was pretty loose. My plan is to take it to an experienced mechanic at some point to have them even up the spoke tensions and re-true the wheel. That problem is not unique to Juiced Bikes. I popped a spoke on the stock rear wheel of my $2700 Cervelo S2 after 2500 miles and I weigh all of 150lbs.

I bought a park tension meter to try to work this out on my own. Waiting to see if they can provide a tension spec for this unbranded rim. Currently the drive side is 130 Kgf & 100 on the other side. Also gonna switch to Continental Tour 700x32-47 inner tubes hoping that better quality inner tubes help. I do wish the rear did used normal gauge spokes because what I've read about them in some endless-sphere threads 12g spokes are unnecessary. I'm about 40lbs heavier & the the stock $140 Velocity DYAD 36 hole wheels on my non electric commuter have been bombproof riding through much of the same conditions. I'm approaching 3,000 miles on my CC.

 

[Dunbar]

I installed my 28x2.0 (622x50) Schwalbe Marathon Almotion tires today. I Switched to Continental presta valve tubes at the same time since I don't own a pump that works with Shrader valves (I had been using an adapter.) Installed they measure the same width as the stock tires so I'd get the 28x2.15 size if I could do it again. I ordered them from Bike24 in Germany so I didn't want to chance the 2.15's not fitting. At 40-45psi they ride really nice and you can feel the rolling resistance is much lower than the stock Kendas. The bike rolls a lot farther when you stop pedaling. The main reason I upgraded the tires is I want something with very good puncture protection. Changing a rear tube in my living room is enough of a hassle and it's not something I care to do in the field. These Almotions have the same 3mm Greenguard in the regular Marathons but they have the lowest rolling restistance of any touring tire tested by bicyclerollingresistance.com.

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

 

[youth]

Got my rim strips & new inner tubes today. Going back to the Giant tubes I could feel a thick seam between the bulges where they failed. The made in China Conti's feel uniform all around so the quality of those other tubes could've played a part in their failure.

After getting it all installed I noticed this on my Schwalbe Energizer Plus HS 427 tire. One big gash & a piece of glass that both cut all the way to the green integrated liner. Luckily the liner looks to have kept it from slicing the carcass and it's not bulging out so I'm hoping I won't have to replace it.

 

[grench]

Got my rim strips & new inner tubes today. Going back to the Giant tubes I could feel a thick seam between the bulges where they failed. The made in China Conti's feel uniform all around so the quality of those other tubes could've played a part in their failure.
View attachment 11564

After getting it all installed I noticed this on my Schwalbe Energizer Plus HS 427 tire. One big gash & a piece of glass that both cut all the way to the green integrated liner. Luckily the liner looks to have kept it from slicing the carcass and it's not bulging out so I'm hoping I won't have to replace it.

View attachment 11567

Replace it...

 

[theaggravatedjew]

I installed my 28x2.0 (622x50) Schwalbe Marathon Almotion tires today. I Switched to Continental presta valve tubes at the same time since I don't own a pump that works with Shrader valves (I had been using an adapter.) Installed they measure the same width as the stock tires so I'd get the 28x2.15 size if I could do it again. I ordered them from Bike24 in Germany so I didn't want to chance the 2.15's not fitting. At 40-45psi they ride really nice and you can feel the rolling resistance is much lower than the stock Kendas. The bike rolls a lot farther when you stop pedaling. The main reason I upgraded the tires is I want something with very good puncture protection. Changing a rear tube in my living room is enough of a hassle and it's not something I care to do in the field. These Almotions have the same 3mm Greenguard in the regular Marathons but they have the lowest rolling restistance of any touring tire tested by bicyclerollingresistance.com.

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

I wish I knew of the importance of rolling resistince prior to buying these. This tire feels heavy when I ride, it's well worth the lack of flats though, that as getting very frustrating. THIS is the aftermarket tire I used, Schwalbe Marathon Plus RLX 700 x 45 C Bicycle Tire, Black Wire Beaded https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00277GFDU/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_xqHfyb60TQJSS

 

[Dunbar]

The Marathon Plus isn't bad in rolling resistance when you consider its insane level of puncture resistance. The regular Marathon is a good middle ground. I'm a fan of using the widest tires that will fit your frame and lowering the pressure to improve the ride. I'd get the 28x2.15's if I could do it all over again and drop the pressure another 5psi.

 

[youth]

Replace it...

Though the tire is likely still good since the casing isn't compromised I probably will replace it just for peace of mind. I can see the slice cut into the greenguard liner. Also on 2nd thought I should've gone with the Schwalbe rim strips instead of these Ritchy's as they're only 17mm wide whereas Schwalbe's come in wider widths that would cover all the way to the inside walls.

 

[Dunbar]

I only see Schwalbe selling rim tape. I think 15-17mm is what you want anyways. It just needs to be wide enough to cover the spoke hole area. That 25mm rim tape is meant for wider mountain bike rims. With those plastic rim strips if it's too wide it will curl up at the edges and expose a sharp edge.