Downhill with Turbo Tero 4.0 EQ

[alpinegeek]

Hello, I bought a turbo Tero 4.0 mostly for urban riding, but on weekends I would like to ride downhill with it, but since it’s the EQ version I don’t know what downsides there are about riding downhill trails with a rear rack and fenders (although I shortened them) I mean I’m not planing to do jumps but I would like to take it off-road and I’ve never seen anyone riding trails with a equiped bike so are there any downsides about that ?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Hello, I bought a turbo Tero 4.0 mostly for urban riding, but on weekends I would like to ride downhill with it, but since it’s the EQ version I don’t know what downsides there are about riding downhill trails with a rear rack and fenders (although I shortened them) I mean I’m not planing to do jumps but I would like to take it off-road and I’ve never seen anyone riding trails with a equiped bike so are there any downsides about that ?

Depending how difficult the trail would be. Any experience with downhill riding from the past? If not: DON'T.
I strongly recommend you wear protective gear: a full face MTB helmet as a minimum.

@PDoz would you chime in?

 

[PDoz]

Hello, I bought a turbo Tero 4.0 mostly for urban riding, but on weekends I would like to ride downhill with it, but since it’s the EQ version I don’t know what downsides there are about riding downhill trails with a rear rack and fenders (although I shortened them) I mean I’m not planing to do jumps but I would like to take it off-road and I’ve never seen anyone riding trails with a equiped bike so are there any downsides about that ?

Imagine dropping off a ledge and needing to get waaaay back . But , well, your left testicle and the rack are negotiating terms.

Perhaps remove the rack, guards, and see what happens?

 

[alpinegeek]

I’m not planing into doing crazy trails just going fast on some small forest paths

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I’m not planing into doing crazy trails just going fast on some small forest paths

In the winter?

 

[PDoz]

I’m not planing into doing crazy trails just going fast on some small forest paths

Good to hear, but if you are going fast down hill, sooner or later you will come across an unexpected obstacle and wish that rack wasn't there. They're reasonably easy to remove, so at least for the first few rides I'd suggest you do so.

Hardtail bike are less forgiving at the back, so you need to be able to compensate with extra body movement. Even hitting a log / rock at speed is going to kick the back up more than it would on a dual suspension bike. That rack might make the difference between an exciting story and a lot of pain.

For what it's worth, I come from a background of taking inappropriate vehicles into unsuitable places , you'll notice I haven't advised you to not go have fun. At your age, my bike was used for delivering newspapers during the week, then I'd remove the racks and be hitting bmx / mtb trails on weekends. I've also juggled uni student transport and hard core dirt riding on motorbikes - so swapping tyres / removing racks before and after rides was just part of the deal. I've also had times I didn't bother and regretted it.

You'll notice I suggested removing the mudguards as well? About 20 years ago I attended a dirt bike event called the blue light ride - it's 120 km of mud in the mountains, a great day out shared with another 1000 dirt bikes. My wife wanted to come on the back, so we took the transalp instead of my dirt bike. A transalp is the motorbike equivalent to your tera , including low front mudguards. Down one particularly greasy and long hill, the mud under that guard locked the front wheel. Imagine negotiating 170 kg of motorbike, a pillion, and a hill littered with crashed riders at speed but without steering. Then there is a REALY slushy puddle at the end. Imagine the look on her face as she slithers out of that stinking trench of mud. Mud wrestling is over rated.

 

[alpinegeek]

Yeah I would like to remove it but the thing is the rack has a light integrated on the bike that means that i have to unplug the light and everything and that's difficult to do

 

[TrevorB]

The low front mudguard is likely to get caught on small drops more so than rear. I'dstart with removing that which should be straight forward. Would also give you clearance to run more aggresive front tire which is essential. May want strap up kickstand or remove to stop it rattling.

 

[StuartKuz]

How are you liking the Tero 4? I test rode the Tero 3, and the shifting was clunking with each gear shift. It could have just been put together poorly, or it might be the difference between the low end Deore cassettes I'm used to and the Alivio. I'm not seeing the Tero 4 on the US web page. How does it differ from the the Tero 3?
Enjoy your new bike!

 

[TrevorB]

How are you liking the Tero 4? I test rode the Tero 3, and the shifting was clunking with each gear shift. It could have just been put together poorly, or it might be the difference between the low end Deore cassettes I'm used to and the Alivio. I'm not seeing the Tero 4 on the US web page. How does it differ from the the Tero 3?
Enjoy your new bike!

There is quite a difference in shifting quality between Alivio and Deore. SLX is another step up again.

 

[StuartKuz]

yes, I rode a Yamaha YDX Torc with SLX cassette. A totally great bike, except for my butt being half off the back of the seat. If they made an XL and had a shop that dealt with bike and not just motorcycles and ATVs within 30 miles, I could quit this search for my bike. Instead it is still a question of what to compromise. Also rode Trek Allant+ 7 S today. It sure rode heavy, and what's with the smaller Purion display? I really liked bothShimano's and Yamaha's display that showed how hard the motor was working. Seeing my cadance was elightening too.

 

[TrevorB]

Displays personal thing, I like Purion as prefer looking at scenery than watching screen, have phone for that when not riding. Replaced Intuvia with Purion as found it to distracting.

 

[StuartKuz]

I can appreciate that. There is lots of frustrations associated with interfacing and keeping screen apps working.

Not being used to an ebike, yet ;-) , when the motor is on I find it hard to decide when to shift. It almost seemed that in the extreme, 1 gear and a variable motor was all that was needed to adjust to how much power was left in the legs. The power assist bars on a couple of the displays helped me learn how hard the motor was working and time shifting. Finding my cadence is in the mid 60rpm was informative. But even with the novelty of the display, the safety and scenery are the main attractions.

 

[Rich W.]

I’m not planing into doing crazy trails just going fast on some small forest paths

I do this on my Tero 5.0 and it has the EQ kit, just like the 4.0. Only change I made (on the EQ stuff) was trimming a few inches off the bottom of the plastic part of the front mud guard - it was catching on curbs and small bumps, but it was really just annoying - didn’t hurt anything. The bike in EQ trim is clunky and it rattles and bangs on every hard bump, lots of gravel runs through the fenders, but it works and is enjoyable.

One thing I don’t do is go charging down steep hills with loose surfaces. It‘s a heavy bike - 60lbs, and I weight an additional 240 and it takes a lot to slow it down - like the difference between a small sedan and a truck. I have no interest in jumping or crashing so I enjoy my speed runs pedaling hard on level tracks and minor down grades. Its a blast and I don’t have to worry about being able to control the bike when encountering some unknown obstacle, sharp turn, or jump around the next bend.

At my age, if I break another collar bone or arm (or worse) my riding season is over. You may still be in the indestructible stage. I also don’t feel like wearing a full face helmet, although I thought about it on a new trail I found a couple days ago. On the rack, it‘s lower than the seat when dropped, so I don’t see it being in the way, even if you do get a little shreddish. It’s also nice to have a place to stash stuff if you are going to be out for a couple hours or more. I use an old camera hip bag which fits the rack and works pretty well.

 

[TrevorB]

I do this on my Tero 5.0 and it has the EQ kit, just like the 4.0. Only change I made (on the EQ stuff) was trimming a few inches off the bottom of the plastic part of the front mud guard - it was catching on curbs and small bumps, but it was really just annoying - didn’t hurt anything. The bike in EQ trim is clunky and it rattles and bangs on every hard bump, lots of gravel runs through the fenders, but it works and is enjoyable.

One thing I don’t do is go charging down steep hills with loose surfaces. It‘s a heavy bike - 60lbs, and I weight an additional 240 and it takes a lot to slow it down - like the difference between a small sedan and a truck. I have no interest in jumping or crashing so I enjoy my speed runs pedaling hard on level tracks and minor down grades. Its a blast and I don’t have to worry about being able to control the bike when encountering some unknown obstacle, sharp turn, or jump around the next bend.

At my age, if I break another collar bone or arm (or worse) my riding season is over. You may still be in the indestructible stage. I also don’t feel like wearing a full face helmet, although I thought about it on a new trail I found a couple days ago. On the rack, it‘s lower than the seat when dropped, so I don’t see it being in the way, even if you do get a little shreddish. It’s also nice to have a place to stash stuff if you are going to be out for a couple hours or more. I use an old camera hip bag which fits the rack and works pretty well.

Lot rattles come from kickstand, try strapping in place with bungy.

 

[MaxwellBryan]

The downsides you might encounter are primarily related to the added weight and the bike's geometry. These extras can make the bike less nimble compared to a dedicated downhill bike, especially when navigating tricky terrain. But since you're not planning to do jumps, it should still be doable.

Shortening the fenders was a smart move as it gives you a bit more clearance on rough trails. Just be mindful of the weight distribution, and make sure everything is securely fastened to avoid any mishaps.

For more insights into downhill biking and tips on making the most of your Turbo Tero 4.0, you should check out Bicycling Land. They've got some great articles that can help you get the most out of your biking adventures.