Thanks dblhelix.
Our plans are to spend up to 3 months cycling in Spain, England and Ireland starting next May. We will fly into Spain and buy the bike there (the Nevo is for my wife, I'll be bringing my non-e-bike). This way we only need to worry about shipping the battery back to Australia and not both directions but it means we need to be setup before getting the bike to experiment with.
Sounds like a lot of fun. Jealous!
As you suspect, when R&M designate a model as “touring” it merely means chain/derailleur as compared to belt/IGH. There are two descriptors I ignore when it comes to ebikes: “sporty” and “touring.”
Tourers tend to stay away from proprietary components. The front fork on this bike has a proprietary Suntour skewer. All R&M models do, except for models with the Fox upgrade path. When you pick up your Nevo, make sure that your dealer’s service department has greased up the skewer. Mine seized, and I have been told by multiple sources that this is not uncommon. It was so severe that it could not be removed without putting it in a stand first for the rubber mallet whack. Imagine flatting and not being able to remove the skewer!!
Skewer, cont. Make sure to watch the YouTube video on removing/installing the skewer yourself (you’ll find at least two). Not all bike shops have experience with Suntour products. I’ve had mechanics ask me to remove it; come out with a worried look and the retaining clip in his hand; or refuse service in fear of responsibility for a “rebuild.” Too many revolutions unscrewing sometimes results in a shower of small parts, apparently. My dealer’s service dept mentioned that customers have brought back the skewer to be put together after too much fiddling.
Seizing, small parts in the dirt .... a touring nightmare. Familiarity and pre-trip maintenance is key.
I would think about whether a tire swap is in order. There are multiple threads on this site comparing Super Moto X to Rock Razor and Smart Sams in the Schwalbe line. The quick summary is that Super Moto X is favored for road-dominated with light off-road. No matter your choice, be aware that getting these tires off and on the rim is a chore. Not a joke: you might want to practice, bearing in mind the sub-optimal conditions “on the road,”
The headset has a “block lock” feature that restricts the range of motion of your handlebars. I assume the tightening torque is not very high bc on two occasions (two different R&M models) the turning sweep was highly restricted on one side while generous on the other. It’s not your handlebars relative to the tires but both together. The adjustment screw is small (3mm IIRC) so make sure your multitool has all the sizes you might need ....
Why a “block lock?” Responses have been unconvincing (prevent cable break, prevent fork crowns from hitting downtube). My guess: it’s to improve bike stability while standing. If we are three meals away from revolution, the R&M is one kickstand away from lethal weapon status. Long story short, I had a kickstand break, what a misery. A Trek ebike dealer kindly donated a kickstand. It looked very similar to the Pletscher, but the RM instantly tipped over and kickstand #2 went with it. The Trek dealer gave me another one. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it broke 20min later. It was only when I put on the OEM Pletscher that reliable kickstand functionality was restored. I hate to say this, but if I were to tour again with an R&M, I’d consider the weight penalty of a spare kickstand. Life really sucks when you are camping for a week with a kickstandless R&M. I should mention that at least you are fortunate that the “touring” model is the lightest model.
Charging - luckily you will get the 6A charger which is currently the fastest in the Bosch line-up. If you anticipate charging during the day, you’ll want to keep it. If you are in a hotel every night, the lighter 4A charger will be sufficient. I took two with me, one for each battery. The 6A is not available in the US. People often ask if they will need a 3rd battery, which depends on your daily anticipated distance/terrain. Feel free to DM if you have questions.
The Nevo will need increased chain cleaning, wear check and replacement as compared to your bike. There has been tremendous variation in self-reported chain/cassette life at this site, so at least put some thought into whether these parts will be accessible to you over 1500km-2000km intervals as a precaution.
Brand new Bosch components are generally trouble-free. For rainy conditions I’ve never done much more than protect the Intuvia/Nyon button pad with a plastic bag as needed overnight. One thing: I do keep a very small bottle of rubbing alcohol with me that I use with a q-tip to clean the contacts on the Intuvia mount and display. Summer 2018 I suffered the well-documented inability to switch between ride modes until I cleaned the contacts after a dusty ride.
If you have the diameter-adjusting inserts to clip on Ortlieb panniers, remove them for the Nevo rack.
There is a trim piece at the lower end of the optional battery assembly that is attached solely by adhesive. Watch for it to come loose.
I’ll add more as I think of it. Feel free to ask about specific issues on your mind.
