Cross Current

[theaggravatedjew]

@EriderM the dropout was drilled and then tapped for fasteners suitable for the rack. If you have a decent tap set, it should be a straightforward task once you bend & arrange the rack's 4 mounting points to suit. FWIW - and I'll bet you already know this - the Topeak gear seems to be first class. Patricia looked at those two panniers, once I unzipped and revealed them, and said I'd be going to the store a LOT!

@Jack Tyler this is exactly the rack that I have, and I'm far from a bike expert. I didn't see how this could be outfitted at all even if you were to drill a new hole. Th erack itself doesn't seem to stretch far enough, did you happen to see what was done for that issue? Also I am not familiar with what a tap set is. Maybe I'll swing by the shop with the rack in hand and see if they can recreate what you have done here, that would be awesome!

 

[Jack Tyler]

@theaggravatedjew it isn't terribly apparent because the angle of photo #1 catches them edge-on, so maybe you didn't notice there are two aluminum extenders that are mounted to the seat stay? That brings the rack aft to a point where the lower supports can be attached to the dropouts.

The frame is aluminum so tapping threads into the dropouts should be pretty easy if you've done it once or twice before (e.g. on some scrap aluminum stock). Youtube is your friend - try 'Using Taps & Dies'. You'll find tap & die sets at any hardware store plus the Northern Tool/Harbor Freight shops. These will allow you to create a threaded hole (or a threaded rod, using the dies) of most any dimension and thread you choose, so buying a quality set (still not very expensive) and keeping them clean & oiled, they will last a lifetime for us novice mechanics.

 

[youth]

@theaggravatedjew it isn't terribly apparent because the angle of photo #1 catches them edge-on, so maybe you didn't notice there are two aluminum extenders that are mounted to the seat stay? That brings the rack aft to a point where the lower supports can be attached to the dropouts.

A photo of the other side would be more clear, but did you make another threaded hole or just enlarge an existing one?

Going back to what I did with the Performance Bike branded disc rack I have the brake side leg extended one notch lower then the other side, but still not perfect so I also took out material in the leg mounting hole (now more of a slot) so it would sit a little lower making the rack level from side to side. Then I bent it forward so it would be align with the bike & not tilted. I also made the drive side spacer shorter to account for the extra width from the torque sensor & sit centered with the wheel. This is mostly cosmetic for me, but doing this may not be feasible for the Topeak rack since the legs aren't adjustable & the spacing cannot be cut down.

 

[Jack Tyler]

@youth hopefully these pics will be helpful. A view of the Topeak rack's mounting on the left side...and for @theaggravatedjew a better pic of the rack 'extenders'.

 

[Dunbar]

So I've been wanting to take my Cross Current across Los Angeles to my brother's place which is about 14 miles each way. I had a bit of range anxiety on the 7.8ah battery so I did a 'dry run' yesterday and went half way (on familiar roads), turned around, and came back. At 28mph I don't know if I could make it on the 7.8ah battery. At about 10 miles it was already starting to drop to 2 bars under load. I actually dropped down to assist level 3 at that point to make sure I'd get home. I have a 10.4ah on order through the bike shop but I think that one will only do 15-17 miles @ 28mph. I'm seriously thinking about going straight to the 23.4ah battery so that I can do a round trip to my brother's place on one charge. I think that the other advantage to the large battery is that you can charge it to 75% when you don't need maximum range and increase the battery life 4-5 fold.

@Jack Tyler, what seat post clamp is that? I assume it's a security post so that somebody can't easily steal your body float seat post? I'm thinking about demoing one myself to see how much it smoothes out the ride.

 

[EriderM]

Jack Tyler, this seems straightforward now. They used two pre existing holes and rethreaded them or one. Thanks for your pics and help. One last question, are the holes level, or is the rack bent to level?​

 

[youth]

@youth hopefully these pics will be helpful. A view of the Topeak rack's mounting on the left side...and for @theaggravatedjew a better pic of the rack 'extenders'.

Ok pretty much using the same points I used only without the extra rack mods. So the hole on that side was re-tapped.

Nice idea with removing the quick release lever from the seatpost collar. Should save me $5 on a new one.

The Blackburn Central 700x60 fenders I ordered should arrive tomorrow & if they fit I'll try to mount them on the same spot as the rack. If everything fits that should complete my CC as a full fledge commuter.

 

[Rob02150]

Hooked up my throttle kit. Here is a little overview.

 

[Jack Tyler]

@Dunbar what you see is just the stock seat post clamp without its lever. I'd hoped to find star fasteners or some other unusual type to replace the allen screw since just about everyone has a set of allen wrenches, but no luck so far in my small city. I'll probably fill the allen head in some fashion as discussed here (see below for more detail). As for your battery Q, you sound very committed to running at top speed, so the largest battery seems like a simple if more expensive choice to make...if those distances and that speed are what you see in your future. Presumably, the larger battery will require a higher amp-rated charger, and so it might be a bit bigger & heavier as well.

@EriderM the mounting points on the dropouts are not even. The right side is mounted higher than the left tho' they are even, fore & aft. To accommodate the higher mounting point, the rack's supports on the right side were bowed out a bit to keep the rack level.

This is from the website linked above:
"You can make a standard clamp difficult to unscrew by filling the socket with something that prevents a tool being used to loosen it. Whatever you use, it should be difficult to remove. But the thing to remember is that the more difficult it is for a thief to remove, the more difficult it will also be for you should you want to make some adjustments.

What to use? There are a few different options. For example, super gluing a ball bearing into the socket is a popular choice. Simply find a ball bearing that fits snugly into the socket, slather it in super glue and press it into the socket. Should you later need to remove the ball bearing to make some adjustments, you can use acetone or Z-7 Debonder to dissolve the glue.

Other materials you could use to fill the socket include steel epoxy, solder, Sugru or candle wax. Each one provides a different level of security depending on how difficult it is for a thief to remove. Don’t forget, the more secure it is, the more difficult and frustrating it will be when you need to remove it! But in fact, this technique is very effective and can be used to secure any of your bike components."

I had no idea 'Sugru' was a thing.

 

[youth]

The Blackburn Central 700 x 60 fenders just came in & they are a good fit for the CC. I wanted to try them out before mentioning where I got them from but they're a great deal on closeout at $25 (+$5 shipping to IL) from https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/blackburn-central-full-fender-set

You'll need to cut down the braces, shorten the one long screw for the front fender (or have the long end sticking out front), & get/fabricate adapters to attach the front braces to the fork legs. I work in a machine shop so I just made them myself out of an L-shape aluminum extrusion & drilled a hole in each side, though you can probably can find something at a hardware store that would work just as well. For the rear I just attached the brace to same points as a the rack. Of course you'll need to accommodate for it with either longer screws or shorter spacers.

 

[Dunbar]

I went to my bike shop to demo the Bodyfloat seat post. The salesman said if I bought it I would have 7 days to return it so I took one home with me. So far I'm really impressed with how much it smoothes out the road. I may need to play with the damping to dial out some of the bounce I'm getting under high cadence.

 

[danno]

I test rode the CC yesterday and liked it quite a bit. I got a question for those of you that have installed the throttle as I'm not sure the salesman knew what he was talking about. He claimed that if I added the throttle, I would no longer have the 28 mph capability on pedal assist. He called it a "downgrade." Is this accurate?

 

[Dunbar]

See the following thread regarding the throttle kit. The short answer is no, you do not need to install the display included in the throttle kit that limits you to 20mph. Technically the salesman was correct however.

https://electricbikereview.com/community/threads/throttle-or-no-throttle-the-solution-adapt.3402/

 

[danno]

See the following thread regarding the throttle kit. The short answer is no, you do not need to install the display included in the throttle kit that limits you to 20mph. Technically the salesman was correct however.

https://electricbikereview.com/community/threads/throttle-or-no-throttle-the-solution-adapt.3402/

Thanks! Somehow I missed that thread. So it sounds like there may be a legal issue, but there's no limitation if you keep the original display on the bike.

 

[Dunbar]

Thanks! Somehow I missed that thread. So it sounds like there may be a legal issue, but there's no limitation if you keep the original display on the bike.

Yes, I have the throttle 0n my bike with the original display and it works fine and I can still do 28mph on pedal assist. The EG Bali 500 EX is a 28mph class 3 bike that comes stock with a throttle installed that is limited to 20mph. Juiced Bikes may be interpreting the law to read that you cannot have both a class 3 bike capable of 28mph and a throttle. Or it could vary by state but I know here in California we are allowed to do 28mph in bike lanes.

 

[EriderM]

Just got my bike. Glad I pulled the trigger on this. I have a Haibike Xduro FS RX and a Diamondback Trace Disc (not electric). Setup was super easy out of the box. My seat came with a small rip in it, and I am working with Juiced to get it replaced.

The bike gets up to speed easily and feels great. I am glad I got this bike.

Will do my first commute tomorrow. I am going to run 50 psi and see how the road feels.

 

[geekflyer]

Hi all, new crosscurrent owner here.

Just took the bike today for a 2x7 miles commute. However I'm overall honestly slightly dissapointed. It was quite hard to ride the bike comfortably faster than 20mph (on flat street, no wind). The absolute top speed I could reach after multiple attempts on flat ground (pedaling while I'm standing as much as I could) was 25.9mph as per my phone gps. The motor itself one can hear of course, but sometimes it seems sometimes its stuttering a bit - it's sound isn't continuous.

Does anyone have similar observations and problems to get the bike to 28mph peak? What is the speed ur comfortably riding at? Is this just how the crosscurrent is, or may there be some problem with my bike?

I once test rode an izip dash 2014 and as far as I remember it was far easier to get to 28mph (in fact I got it to 28.9mph).

 

[Dunbar]

Just took the bike today for a 2x7 miles commute. However I'm overall honestly slightly dissapointed. It was quite hard to ride the bike comfortably faster than 20mph (on flat street, no wind).

Make sure you charge the battery to 100% and put the display in 'S' mode to diagnose your bike. The charger will show a green LED when the battery is fully charged. The motor assist cuts power at 20mph in eco mode through level 3. The battery level indicator is very optimistic. I can drain the battery almost completely and it will show 4/5 bars on the display when the bike is stationary (not under load.) Once you drain the battery enough it will hit the low voltage cutoff under load and start to feel like it is struggling/surging. I don't have a speedometer on my bike but based on Strava data my Cross Current has no problem cruising at 28mph under the right conditions.

 

[EriderM]

Mine definitely doesn't cruise at 28 easily, but the power is comparable to my Haibike that is also rated at 350w. They both seem about the same to me. I would like more power, but that would use more energy and cost more. I weigh 210 with accessories on the bike. For the price, the bike is perfect.

 

[youth]

I can feel assist up to mid 20's on level 3, but usually cruise in low 20's. You do have to work to maintain it but 28mph should be easily achievable on lvl ground with no wind.