I finally took my ebike for a test ride.

[Marcela]

For your perviewing pleasure, click the about steel at the top and make a choice.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[PCeBiker]

For your perviewing pleasure, click the about steel at the top and make a choice.

Yeah, I already did that.
I counted 66 types of steel rod to research.

That's too much homework.

 

[PCeBiker]

This is what my seat looks like with the spring released and the backrest tied down a bit,..

When I'm riding I've got about an inch of space between the backrest bracket and the rack.

The backrest bracket is attached to the plastic underside of the seat, and not the seat rails.
The whole plastic underside of the seat is bending when I push back on the backrest.


It does work though, and the plastic seems quite durable, but I wonder how long it's going to last??

I moved the backrest forward a notch in the bolt holes, and that helps a bit, and I moved the double bracket forward to not be using as much of the spring steel length.

 

[Marcela]

About 3-4 yrs ago I had some awful lower back pain, figured it was a disc issue. It was a new experience in pain. Never went to the doctor and started exercising and stuff for the back. Haven’t had any issues since, just have to tend to the body. I figure these are the golden years, the gov pays me to stay home now.

 

[PCeBiker]

I Really Am Digging the seat further back.
I'm more comfortable in my seat, and I can lean into my backrest.

I don't pedal, so I alternate "standing" on one leg at a time to help take the pressure off my ass.
I push my heel down, and lift my toes until my knee locks.

The pedals used to feel directly under my seat, so I would push straight up outta my seat.

With the seat moved back my leg straightens out more in front of me now, so I push backwards a little bit into my backrest.
That helps me kinda "lock into" my seat and I have better control to ride no-hands.
I'm better connected to my bike, and I don't get thrown forward as easily when I hit a rough patch on the road.

I've also got more heel clearance above the ground now with my foot more forward.

 

[PCeBiker]

@stompandgo
I'm going to answer this post of yours here where I can post LOTS of pictures to waste everybody's bandwidth.

"There are plenty of fakes on these Chinese marketplaces. Do you know how to tell the difference? You should."


No, I didn't know how, so I checked out a few YouTube videos.

My packaging looks good with the proper font on the "S" in speed. (the fake "S" is more curled)

There's no missing spaces or printing mistakes,..

The chain came with instructions were in a sealed package to keep them from getting all greasy,..

The instructions were in 16 different languages, But No Chinesium!!
They even got the grammar right by spelling "other's" properly !!

The chain itself looks good,..


The inner and outer plates appear to be properly beveled,..

The only possible issue might be the "X" shaped stamp on the outer plates.

The stamp itself apparently isn't supposed to go all the way up to the edge of the plate.
That creates a weak spot where the plate could break.


That looks pretty damn close to the edge of the plate, but it appears to be rounded up a smidgen right before the edge??

A YouTube video showed the stamp mark Clearly not going all the way to the edge, but that was for a different model of chain.

The different types of KMC chains are all built differently, so it was hard to find a specific YouTube video for an e8 chain.

The different e-series chains (e8-e12) may be built differently from each other as well? (other than just chain width.)

 

[stompandgo]

Why use Youtube? Go right to the source. https://www.kmcchain.eu/service/fake-chains

Yours appears to be genuine, but the fakes are always improving. A common thing to do on the online sites is to take pictures of the real thing and ship the fake.

Your money, your risk.

 

[PCeBiker]

Why use Youtube? Go right to the source. https://www.kmcchain.eu/service/fake-chains

I was at the website, and I couldn't find any half decent pictures that show what they're talking about.

I couldn't even zoom in or download a picture of an e8 chain to see what a real one looks like.

Your money, your risk.

I've had pretty good luck with that on Aliexpress.
Both my SR Suntour seat posts turned out to be genuine as well.

 

[PCeBiker]

@EMGX
I'm gunna respond to this statement here in my thread,..

" Need to have a feel for when pin is pushed out enough without completely removing it (although the pin can be replaced if accidentally removed), "



I finally got around to installing my new chain, and decided to reinstall the pin instead of using the QuickLink.

And I took some pictures to piss everyone off.


I didn't bother counting the links again, and just hung the two chains on a nail and tied them together.


The pin appeared to have a lip on one end and beveled at the other end, so I thought it was a directional pin?


The chain was almost back together when I realized that I forgot to put it on my ebike first.

Then it occured to me that maybe it's not a directional pin, and I broke the lip off when I pushed the pin out??

So I pushed the pin all way through to the other plate,..

There's definitely a lip that breaks off the pin when it's pushed out.

But that is my e8 chain.

My original KMC Z series chain has peened pins, that are completely different,..


There's also hollow pins on some KMC chains, as well as hollow/slotted plates,..


So I guess that it all depends on what type of KMC chain you have when it comes to reusing your pins?


My chains came with a Quick Link, so I'm just gunna use them.
.

 

[EMGX]

All I can say is that it always works for me (fingers crossed) done on many chains and brands over several decades without a failure (so far). I do use quick links when that seems the easiest option.

 

[stompandgo]

You do not have to use a quick link on a KMC chain. You will have to make sure that the pin is centered on the link that you disconnected, and that the link isn't tight. If this is not the case, the chain can break.

 

[PCeBiker]

You do not have to use a quick link on a KMC chain. You will have to make sure that the pin is centered on the link that you disconnected, and that the link isn't tight. If this is not the case, the chain can break.

I was more worried about the chain falling apart than breaking.
I was thinking that the pin could work it's way out of the plate since the mushroomed end is missing?


But that pin is Pretty Damn Tight in that outer plate,..

I tried to rotate the outer plates on the adjacent pin, but they won't budge.
I put two pliers on the plates and tried to twist them and it wasn't gunna happen (partly because the plates have beveled edges and are hard to grab.)


I'm still probably gunna use the provided Missing Link even though it's a non-reusable version?

I remove the chain every year for a cleaning and rewaxing, but I've got a couple reusable Missing Links to reconnect it afterwards.

 

[PCeBiker]

I'm still probably gunna use the provided Missing Link even though it's a non-reusable version?

It turns out that the reusable Missing Link has the same CL573 serial number with an R added at the end.

The non-reusable link has an added dedent.

I wonder how hard it's going to be to get it apart?
I might have to break it or something?

My reusable Missing Links have been a Royal PITA to get apart.

I wonder if the non-reusable links are gunna be even worse??
I might have to use the chain breaker?

 

[PCeBiker]

My reusable Missing Links have been a Royal PITA to get apart.

I wonder if the non-reusable links are gunna be even worse??
I might have to use the chain breaker?

I bought a better Quick Link tool,..


I bought a crappy $4 link tool a few years ago but it's a piece of junk and it's too small.

I also made my own quick link tool that Works Great, except it's made outta crappy metal, and I bent the handles into a pretzel shape when I tried to remove the "removeable" KMC Missing Link.
(I bent the handles back straight again for the picture, and had to use my adjustable pliers to remove the link.)


The new one is supposed to be "Certified Brand +" and it's apparently "Chrome Vanadium Steel" so I won't be bending the handles.


This is what was said about removing quick links for a different quick link tool.

They're not kidding about how hard a used quick link is to remove.

.

 

[PCeBiker]

This is the only way to open a quick link after you bend the handles of your two dollar tool.

You've gotta squeeze the link together diagonally on the corners.

Even with the 10" channel lock pliers, I had to squeeze the handles Pretty Damn Hard to pop it open.