Giant e-Bike User Club

[Marci jo]

Don't.

It does not work as the suspension seatpost. It works as the dropper post properly.

We have studied the dropper mentioned together with my brothers. Whatever we did, it did not work as the suspension post properly. The reason was the suspension here works along the post axis but you ride in different positions of your behind. If you ascend, chances are you're sitting on the saddle beak. On long ride, you sit on the rear part of the saddle. In no position but one the dropper works properly as a suspension. It is either vigorously bobbing under you when you don't need it, or remains stiff when you just happened to ride over an obstacle. Even the youngest brother Piotr didn't want that seat-post on his HT bike!

Secondly, an e-bike deserves the internal cable routing, as it is hard to fasten the cable to the hydroformed & thick frame tube properly. Internal routing means a hard work for the LBS and is doable or not.

I'm so glad with the OneUp dropper seatpost (that replaced Giant Switch)! When starting an ascent (with the bike already up the ascent), I drop the seat to be able to stand on the pedals without the obstacle. When descending, I drop the seat to take the proper position with the bum over the rear wheel, and either I ride standing on the pedals or sit at the rear edge of the saddle. Good thing, the dropper post.

Thanks for the input Stefan, Jacek & Piotr.

I love the Kinect seat post but wanted to be able drop the seat for stops, mounting and dismounting. I tried a regular dropper post at my lbs and first thought wow it’s great. Maybe I don’t need the Kinect.

Then to test things further I switched the Vado’s seat post back to the original seat post. OUCH!! What was I thinking! Every little bump hurt like heck. Put the Kinect back on the bike and all was right with the world. So I’m sticking with the Kinect on the Vado and who knows, maybe a full suspension emtb with dropper post is in the future.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

maybe a full suspension emtb will dropper post is in the future.

Can't wait to see you on the Turbo Levo! (I hear the Brose motor on e-MTB might be noisy: all of them are!)

 

[Browneye]

Both the levo and the SL are completely silent. I rode them both, but not on a trail. But that was before I bought my Trance, so I thought the SL just didn't have enough punch.
Now with some time under my belt I'm starting to see the value of lightweight - would love to try an SL on the trail. They get rave reviews - the most like a regular mountain bike over all ebikes. The motor and battery pack are TINY.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Both the levo and the SL are completely silent.

Good to know, since @Marci jo loves silent e-bikes

 

[Anna]

@Archie, congratulations because you have just got the gorgeous Explore E+ 0 for your wife!

Charge the battery first:
View attachment 55668
View attachment 55669
View attachment 55670
View attachment 55671
I managed to miss the focus in this photo somehow

Just an aside....Does the end of your battery look like this? My Liv Valle + had a loose battery housing with a rattle which I fixed but the contact points on the battery are turned in. I am tempted to straighten these but not confident that I should. Thoughts? I did buy the dielectric grease @Browneye suggested.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

No idea, @Anna...

 

[FlatSix911]

I don't own a Giant yet, but I am a big fan of the Yamaha drive system on my BH Ebikes.

My next purchase will probably be another EMTB with an integrated battery and the PW-X2.

Yamaha unveils new full-suspension electric mountain bike straight out of the future

Yamaha has finally unveiled its new Yamaha YDX MORO electric mountain bike line. The new models feature Yamaha’s latest mid-drive...

electrek.co

 

[PDoz]

View attachment 60512
Just an aside....Does the end of your battery look like this? My Liv Valle + had a loose battery housing with a rattle which I fixed but the contact points on the battery are turned in. I am tempted to straighten these but not confident that I should. Thoughts? I did buy the dielectric grease @Browneye suggested.

The pins are normal, although your battery has been moving so they look scratched. This is mine at 2.5 years abuse. I had dielectric grease on them last time I checked but that was months ago - they look dry now and I see some corrosion starting on my top pins...oops

Interesting the differences in our battery cases - mine looks so primitive

 

[Browneye]

The ends of the contacts are bent over to assist the connection mating when you install the pack.
Grease will help keep moisture out.

 

[Anna]

No idea, @Anna...

View attachment 60531

Yes...your battery looks like the pins are straight like my Intrigue.

 

[Anna]

The ends of the contacts are bent over to assist the connection mating when you install the pack.
Grease will help keep moisture out.

Thank you! My type A was urging me to DO SOMETHING!

 

[Anna]

The pins are normal, although your battery has been moving so they look scratched. This is mine at 2.5 years abuse. I had dielectric grease on them last time I checked but that was months ago - they look dry now and I see some corrosion starting on my top pins...oops

Interesting the differences in our battery cases - mine looks so primitive
View attachment 60546

Look at that! The same! Thank you.

 

[Anna]

The ends of the contacts are bent over to assist the connection mating when you install the pack.
Grease will help keep moisture out.

Oh, all knowing! Grease grease grease!

 

[Valendius]

Recently bought a Giant Explore E+ 2 STA and I'm loving it! Does anyone know where the serial number is located on the ebike? For the life of me I couldn't find it.

 

[RandallS]

I had to search on my Fathom. It was basically under the crankset.

 

[RandallS]

Did you buy it at United? I was looking for one of those and it was the only shop in Alberta that had any in my size. I ended up with a Fathom E+1 Pro and am very happy. I did really like the Explore as well, but I am doing much more trail riding here in Calgary.

Enjoy!

 

[Valendius]

Yes, I bought it at United. Small world eh?

 

[RandallS]

Good shop. I bought bikes there when I lived in the area. Also a crap load of hockey gear too, going back to when Ken Hitchcock managed the hockey area. If you bought a medium, I had a "hold" on that bike, but couldn't pull the trigger. Glad it went to a fellow EBRer. If I ever come North with my bike, I'll DM you and see if you want to go for a ride.

Stay safe and enjoy the bike. I was suitably impressed, but went with a hardtail MTB due to the terrain just west of me. Nose Hill Park has so many trails, a MTB made more sense.

 

[Valendius]

It definitely is a good bike and was one of the first ebikes I tested after I started looking for one. It is quiet, efficient, and suited my needs as a commuter/light trailing riding bike. Yes, it is the medium size one and funny enough, none of the sales rep I talked to about the bike ever mentioned a hold on it. To be fair every time a went there it was also busy and short staffed.

Definitely DM me whenever you're up in Edmonton and hopefully I'll be fit enough to ride with you.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Breaking news! Just got the EnergyPak Smart 625 Wh, straight from China (built with Japanese 21700 cells) via a Giant LBS. The battery cost me a leg and an arm (US$1200 - 10% as a regular customer discount). It came in "bare" state, no cover but fully usable.

The battery is heavy, weighing 4002 grammes. Yet the 500 Wh battery with the skid plate weighs over 4300 grammes.

To protect the battery, I found (in my storage) the Fahrer-Berlin "AKKU Cover", which is a thick neoprene mat with a velcro strap. It fits perfectly, although I had to remove the water-bottle cage from my Trance E+.

Now, my long off-road and road mountain trips will be ridden with no range anxiety, especially with the spare battery in a pannier.