Juiced Ripcurrent S Cassette Swap

[IOUZIP]

Currently all RCS bikes come with 9 speed 11-32 Shimano cassette's and I wanted to change the 1st gear from the 32 tooth which does not provide alot of steep hill climbing ability. Shimano offers Altus CS-HG200-9 in three different gearing specs. 11-32 and 11-34 and 11-36. I am going to install the 11-34 cassette and new chain to see if it is enough for my needs. Since I already switched the ring gear from the stock 52 tooth to 48 tooth I am interested in the way it will pedal. Climbing tight tech sections the current stock 1st gear is a little too high and I struggle getting up some climbs.
SHIMANO ALTUS 9-Speed Silver MTB Cassette Sprocket

 

[Uuzd4S]

Currently all RCS bikes come with 9 speed 11-32 Shimano cassette's and I wanted to change the 1st gear from the 32 tooth which does not provide alot of steep hill climbing ability. Shimano offers Altus CS-HG200-9 in three different gearing specs. 11-32 and 11-34 and 11-36. I am going to install the 11-34 cassette and new chain to see if it is enough for my needs. Since I already switched the ring gear from the stock 52 tooth to 48 tooth I am interested in the way it will pedal. Climbing tight tech sections the current stock 1st gear is a little too high and I struggle getting up some climbs.
SHIMANO ALTUS 9-Speed Silver MTB Cassette Sprocket

Ziponator! Hope ur Holidays are Florida . . ish and Happy New Yr's to you and yours!
Got a quick question . . . I'd purchased the same CS-HG201-9, 11-34 tooth Cassette not long after getting my RCS because of some review I'd read at the time. I plan on changing Cassette's to possibly improve shifting & drop first gear a bit. I've got a "generic" Lock Ring removal tool and Chain Whip that fit, and I see there are two different Lock Ring tools in the Shimano Manual for this Cassette; https://si.shimano.com/api/publish/storage/pdf/en/ev/CS-HG201-9/EV-CS-HG201-9-4273.pdf
The TL-LR10 and TL-15, the -10 is without a center guide pin (like my generic version) and the -15 has a guide pin. Which version of these worked for your Cassette swap out ? I haven't opened anything up yet and I was hoping you could shed some light on this . . especially since, you know, ur from the Sunshine State . . I'm Not jealous, I swear! ; )
Again, Best of the New Years to ya ! bw

 

[IOUZIP]

Park Tool FR-5.2 Cassette Lockring Tool​

20-30lb torque to install per Shimano. No real way to verify the torque using a wrench so do your best to guess. The locking ring has teeth so it’s not smooth when torquing so it slips then grabs. Cassette install, new chain 128 links and tubeless setup done. Waiting for new handlebars to arrive this week.

 

[Uuzd4S]

Park Tool FR-5.2 Cassette Lockring Tool​

20-30lb torque to install per Shimano. No real way to verify the torque using a wrench so do your best to guess. The locking ring has teeth so it’s not smooth when torquing so it slips then grabs. Cassette install, new chain 128 links and tubeless setup done. Waiting for new handlebars to arrive this week.

Appreciate the inputs . . . got a few tork wenches that read in nano newtonz & foot Lubs plus I've watched a YT vid or two on the "Freewheel" vs the other kind of casette'z . . . which is what I think this HG2000-Hyperglided+OptislickedOutCassette is. Sounds like my generic tool will work for the swap . . unless it's made from that MushMetal material China uses in their tooling, then I'll pickup a nicer cassette tool. Additionally, the loose gear sprockets 8&9 have a wider "gear projection" on each that need to match up with the same on the cluster, gears 1-7. It's one of those things that if you weren't looking, ya wouldn't notice . . . but not having done so as of yet, I suppose the assembly might not go onto the spline drive if they weren't lined up. Guess I'm gonna find out!
I'm a bit surprised the chain link count is the same as stock (127+ a master) for your setup . . thought you'd changed to a smaller Chainring and were using a Deore Derailleur (on a possibly different than stock hanger). Anyways, all good intel. Like I'd mentioned before, my stock cassette has logged a Lot of miles and according to "9 Speed" chain wear measuring methods, it shouldn't be worn out. It's still working and I'll keep it as a spare. I'm focused on improving shifting for next season, but have a feeling going to a properly cut stock Shimano Shift cable & casing will get me where I want to be, in addition to some similar changes that you've done with the RCS.
Am guessing your old tubeless rim was "bent" during the overpress event and has been replaced as required . . The new Cockpit (handlebars) sounds cool . . . will be standing by for updates . . Happy Trails & Thx Again!
bw

 

[California Flash]

Currently all RCS bikes come with 9 speed 11-32 Shimano cassette's and I wanted to change the 1st gear from the 32 tooth which does not provide alot of steep hill climbing ability. Shimano offers Altus CS-HG200-9 in three different gearing specs. 11-32 and 11-34 and 11-36. I am going to install the 11-34 cassette and new chain to see if it is enough for my needs. Since I already switched the ring gear from the stock 52 tooth to 48 tooth I am interested in the way it will pedal. Climbing tight tech sections the current stock 1st gear is a little too high and I struggle getting up some climbs.
SHIMANO ALTUS 9-Speed Silver MTB Cassette Sprocket

Hello!

In my opinion, going from a 11-32 to a 11-34 or 11-36 will not make much of a difference. I live in Michigan and the area I am in has a lot of 10-15% grades which are nearly impossible to climb with standard gearing. At 78 years, and with both knees bone on bone I have had to custom gear all my bicycles purchased within the last 15 years to be able to climb these grades.
I see you have changed your chain ring from a 52 to a 48 which should help some but I feel if you are "struggling getting up some climbs" you will need to do more. Here is a comparison between your current bike and my bike. No where apples to apples but the gearing principles should be the same regardless of the type of drive unit.

My chain ring is a 40t, upgraded from a 46t. The cassette is 11-46 upgraded from 11-42. I have no trouble climbing 10%+ grades with boost level Sport. I have never had to use Turbo which is the maximum boost available.

The goal of these calculations below was to determine the speed you will be riding at in a particular gear combination. One of my concerns was not to gear the bike so low that I would fall over when climbing. Typically around 3 m.p.h. is the tipping point for me.

I would suggest you work with your local bike shop to see what possible combinations you would need to upgrade to so it will be easier to climb these hills.

This calculator is extremely helpful to make various comparisons easily.

BikeCalc.com - Fixed Gear Calculator

You may have to upgrade to a 10 speed set up or there could be some aftermarket 9 speed upgrades available.

The higher your cadence, the more efficiently you use your battery.

What are the % grades you are climbing that make it difficult for you?

 

[john peck]

Currently all RCS bikes come with 9 speed 11-32 Shimano cassette's and I wanted to change the 1st gear from the 32 tooth which does not provide alot of steep hill climbing ability. Shimano offers Altus CS-HG200-9 in three different gearing specs. 11-32 and 11-34 and 11-36. I am going to install the 11-34 cassette and new chain to see if it is enough for my needs. Since I already switched the ring gear from the stock 52 tooth to 48 tooth I am interested in the way it will pedal. Climbing tight tech sections the current stock 1st gear is a little too high and I struggle getting up some climbs.
SHIMANO ALTUS 9-Speed Silver MTB Cassette Sprocket

One could also go to a smaller chainring, I went to a 46T on my CCS because most of the terrain here is
steep & I´ve no need for 28mph. It took a lot of stress off the motor & me pedaling.

 

[MetalBanjo]

If you still need more climbing power, get a GMAC kit

Grin Tech GMAC upgrade kit for the Juiced Crosscurrent, S, X

Juiced Crosscurrent upgrade

hilleater.ca

Has anyone bought and installed this? How's the performance/quality compared to stock Juiced?

 

[Uuzd4S]

Has anyone bought and installed this? How's the performance/quality compared to stock Juiced?

You've probably seen the Grin Technologies Promo Vid for this GMAC Motor already, but here's a link anyways;

Here's another Grin Tech link for the available "Kits"; https://ebikes.ca/product-info/grin-kits.html
I'm considering the BAFANG G60 Rear Fat Bike kit for my Ripcurrent S. For this particular kit, it Looks like there are width issues with this larger GMAC Motor which forces you to the larger diameter 203mm Disk Brake. The caliper position on the 180mm stock Rotor will interfere w/ the GMAC outer case. I've already swapped to the 203mm Disks on my RCS. It's all just a "bolt on" conversion requiring the new larger diameter 203mm Disk's and a bracket each front and rear that moves the caliper out to the bigger diameter. New Tektro 203mm Disks were $27 bucks ea from Evil Bay and the brackets were about $10 bucks ea. It's about $75 bucks total but the braking is much more "progressive" for this heavy RCS E-Bike and I can still use the same pads as for the 180mm's.
And here's another link from this forum asking the same. There are links within for another e-bike forum (endless-sphere) which may have some more info on this conversion/upgrade;

Anyone have experience with the Grin all axle or GMAC motors?

I am wondering if anyone here has any experience using these motors and for what applications. Right now I am planning on using one(or both) in my next ebike build.

electricbikereview.com

I found out about this Grin Tech GMAC motor Upgrade while looking for a planetary gear replacement for the BAFANG G60 motor on my RCS. Apparently, these BAFANG's have been known to go around 15,000miles before needing a new gearset. I have 10K miles on mine, so I'm anticipating a need to swap out the plastic planetary gearset. They're YT video's covering the "how to's" for the planetary gear swap. Additionally the BAFANG's are about a fifth the cost as these GMAC's. So, is it worth the $1,200 bucks for a few more watts of power and "regenerative" braking. (If you watch the video closely, he does use the front brakes to stop while claiming he only used the regen for this).
'regenerative
Good Luck, I'm following these threads. I'll post any more info on this if I pull the trigger on the swap.

 

[Uuzd4S]

What's your goal?
Have you considered GMAC 8T?

Motor Simulator - Tools

Our ebike motor simulator allows you to easily simulate the different performance characteristics of different ebike setups - with a wide selection of hub motors modeled, and the ability to add custom batteries and controllers and set a wide variety of vehicle parameters you'll be able to see...

ebikes.ca

As I was saying, I've got 10K+ (10,000 miles) on this RipCurrent S and Motor in 2 seasons of riding. I'm in the Pacific NorthWest & it rains a Lot here. I may get 9 months of riding per season at most. I bought the RCS in Nov 2019 and didn't start with a tracking App until I'd put at least 1000 miles on the bike. All said, the expected duty cycle of the BAFANG for THIS bike is 15K to 20K miles, so I am expecting to replace the Planetary Gearset or Motor after this season of riding . . . or next winter.
I'm looking at the Grin Tech GMAC closely because I'm using their "Satiator" programmable charger for this 52v Battery on the RCS. They make an Excellent Charger, Know what they're doing with Lithium's and have put great effort into E-Bike support. I like their products. I'm considering upgrading to their GMAC Motor when the BAFANG wears out, but I need to weigh all the variables. Yes, it's a "Regenerative" motor but there's no such thing as a "Free Lunch". IOW, there is STILL going to be a greater battery drain, likely reducing range with this higher Watt/Hr motor. So far, I haven't seen ANY real world numbers on what my expected range between charges will be. I'm NOT going to a different battery for any reason. All I'm reading so far is; Motor Change, Wheel Lacing, Programming Options beyond my knowledge level, larger diameter brakes (which I've already done for other reasons) and likely more expense surrounding Juiced wiring methods and materials. I really need to have full comprehension of this system to figure hidden costs in time, Dollars and range compromises.
That said, I started looking into this possible Motor Upgrade at least a year in advance because of the complexity involved. I'm not committed yet but still Very interested.
I've Laced & Trued bicycle wheels before and have overhauled, replaced or rebuilt everything on my bike except the Motor, Crankset & Battery. I've also rebuilt many Lithium Batteries in my Radio Control life of over 30 years and when this 52v Batt has hit its Duty Cycle limit I'll replace the 18650's in it too . . . If I buy a new Spot Welder : / So I'm not afraid to dive into this Grin Tec GMAC project . . . . I just want to know the tradeoff's before pulling the trigger & spending the time and energy.
I did not know about the 8T Motor but was aware I didn't need to invest into Grin's $1,200 "Kit". The 8T Motor is $480 bucks alone, but that's where the expenditures begin. Stay Tuned!
I'm putting together a 10K mile Review for the RCS and will include all of the mod's & equipment testing involved so far. What would REALLY be nice is to find someone who's "Been there, Done that" with the GMAS and RCS.

 

[MetalBanjo]

What's your goal?
Have you considered GMAC 8T?

Motor Simulator - Tools

Our ebike motor simulator allows you to easily simulate the different performance characteristics of different ebike setups - with a wide selection of hub motors modeled, and the ability to add custom batteries and controllers and set a wide variety of vehicle parameters you'll be able to see...

ebikes.ca

Goal: Honestly not much. Been in need of a new rear wheel and motor. Took almost 3 months to buy one from juiced and it still haven't shipped so seeing if this would be a better option

 

[Uuzd4S]

Have you considered going mid drive?

BBS02 or even BBSHD?

Yea, this guy says for a little over the $200 bucks (the cost of the Original Cadence Sensor issue) he can make this a "nice" bike for $700+ dollars and exclaims "We just replaced the Motor"! Then he proclaims there's no reason for a "Hub" drive motor except to save money. "Mid Drive" motors have Many drawbacks which aren't explained here. Whatever configuration is used, Hub vs Mid Drive, there will be a tradeoff. For example, if your suddenly stranded with a broken chain, the Hub Motor can still move the bike while the Mid Drive cannot. Hub drive Systems have the Same inherent issues as Juiced Bikes themselves have . . . the components (electrical AND mechanical) are as "Pro priority" as possible, making parts Expensive and Much less available . . . Aftermarket parts usually don't exist for Mid Drive systems. Hub Drives can be much more efficient than a Mid Drive system, getting you further down the road. There's no such thing as a Free Lunch with electrical devices . . . you want more Power? . . your going less distance with the same battery. And, he doesn't give any "real world" numbers on what to expect mileage wise on a full charge. If you follow the video he explains that the Juiced "Propriority" (uncommonly found components) electrical connections ALL needed modifications . . . that equals Time and Money for parts which he doesn't cover in the video. I guess it's assumed the customer can do so themselves or Pay someone to do the soldering and re-wiring. Who does the programming?
There are advantages to a Mid Drive . . . more power per Lb of running gear, better weight distribution, easier wheel Maintenance and I'm sure I'm missing a few other's. If you go down the Grin Technologies rabbit hole on Hub Drive "Upgrades" with their GMAC or other systems at some point your going to find you need a fairly good knowledge of basic Electrical theory and Good maintenance skills such as "Lacing" a motor into a wheel, soldering and Program understanding for the best setup.
It'd difficult to save money with either conversion if you don't comprehend Electrical Theory, an understanding of the Programmable variables with Grin and a decent mechanical skillset. Grin needs to make available ALL conversion variables per E-bike Manufacturer so an average "weekend warrior" bike enthusiast can do the conversion themselves.

 

[IOUZIP]

It's been 9 months since I swapped out the 9 speed cassette from the stock 11-32T to 11-34T. It has wild acceleration when pedaling in 1st-2nd gear and the 48T chainring. The bike 0-20mph is much faster than any Juiced Ripcurrent S or even the Aventon Adventure ebikes I have had with stock gearing. Just ordered the 11-36T cassette and will install that this weekend. I found some crazy steep climbs a little too hard to pedal out so hoping the slight increase from 34T to 36T will do the job. 10 Speed maybe in my future as chain slap is crazy with this bike. A derailleur with a clutch would make a big difference on the trails.

 

[Uuzd4S]

Currently all RCS bikes come with 9 speed 11-32 Shimano cassette's and I wanted to change the 1st gear from the 32 tooth which does not provide alot of steep hill climbing ability. Shimano offers Altus CS-HG200-9 in three different gearing specs. 11-32 and 11-34 and 11-36. I am going to install the 11-34 cassette and new chain to see if it is enough for my needs. Since I already switched the ring gear from the stock 52 tooth to 48 tooth I am interested in the way it will pedal. Climbing tight tech sections the current stock 1st gear is a little too high and I struggle getting up some climbs.
SHIMANO ALTUS 9-Speed Silver MTB Cassette Sprocket

Hey Zippy, just get one of these; https://www.juicedbikes.com/products/new-ripcurrent-s
: )