Project Magnum Metro+

Trail Cruiser

Trail Cruiser

Well-Known Member
I changed the Freewheel cog to a close ratio from 11-32 to 13-28, 8 speed free wheel. Since the ebike can max out to 26 mph only (I get it, to prevent overheating on sustained ride and preserve battery range) so there is no need for me to use the 11 teeth cog. The 32 teeth cog is also redundant for me since the motor itself can produce 90 NM of torque and the 28 teeth cog is already adequate for me to climb a 16% grade, which is the steepest hill my ebike will ever encounter. In exchange for losing both the top end and lowest end, I get closer ratio gearing that provides me of always having the right gearing. I don't have the big gaps anymore, especially when at cruising 18-22 mph.

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Also placed a home-made front mud flap.
Other modifications were;
replaced adjustable stem with stem riser and blue short stem,
replaced handle bar with more backward swept,
replaced with blue grips,
instrument bar with cadence monitor and relocated display,
rerouted the shift cable to the left,
Cloud 9 seat with coil springs,
relocated the thumb throttle to the right, I called Magnum USA to give me the proper right side throttle.

1531429839416.png
 
Looks good!

When mine wears some, I plan to replace the cassette on my Ui6 with a taller ratio. 2nd gear handles any hills I have, and 8 has no bite over 24 mph or so.
 
Nice work! I also don't like the big gap in gears while cruising around 20 mph. Perhaps I'll do the same this winter.
 
Really like the mod ideas...what material did you use for the front flap? Looks real functional with class. Thanks..
 
How do you like the seat. I'm considering a change for my metro + too. Because of a bad wrist I have my bike set up to be more upright to take pressure off the wrist. But the seat that came on the bike is designed, I think, to work for a less upright position. I've adjusted with some success at reducing pressure on my tail bone but wonder if a more comfortable seat like on the magnum cruiser wouldn't be the best solution.
 
MetroDuck said:
How do you like the seat. I'm considering a change for my metro + too. Because of a bad wrist I have my bike set up to be more upright to take pressure off the wrist. But the seat that came on the bike is designed, I think, to work for a less upright position. I've adjusted with some success at reducing pressure on my tail bone but wonder if a more comfortable seat like on the magnum cruiser wouldn't be the best solution.
Click to expand...

Much better than the original since the springs provide additional vertical travel to smooth out the bumps.
 
MetroDuck said:
How do you like the seat. I'm considering a change for my metro + too. Because of a bad wrist I have my bike set up to be more upright to take pressure off the wrist. But the seat that came on the bike is designed, I think, to work for a less upright position. I've adjusted with some success at reducing pressure on my tail bone but wonder if a more comfortable seat like on the magnum cruiser wouldn't be the best solution.
Click to expand...

Take a look at the Brooks B67 for more of a upright position. At first your would think a thinner leather seat would not be comfortable but its about where the sit bones come in contact with the seat. Over cushy seats are actually worse in the long run. It takes a little bit of miles to break in a Brooks but mine felt much better the first day I rode with it than my Velo Plush that came with my Rad.


VZUXEC5.jpg
 
Last edited:
CodyDog said:
Take a look at the Brooks B67 for more of a upright position. At first your would think a thinner leather seat would not be comfortable but its about where the sit bones come in contact with the seat. Over cushy seats are actually worse in the long run. It takes a little bit of miles to break in a Brooks but mine felt much better the first day I rode with it than my Velo Plush that came with my Rad.


VZUXEC5.jpg
Click to expand...

I did not have much luck with the Brooks B67. I thought that it would be more comfortable especially for the premium price of $120 (ouch). After more than 500 miles, it still didn't feel like the shape conformed to my body and it felt uncomfortable. I changed it to the familiar $30 cloud 9 with springs and I instantly felt more comfortable.
 
Mark Peralta said:
I did not have much luck with the Brooks B67. I thought that it would be more comfortable especially for the premium price of $120 (ouch). After more than 500 miles, it still didn't feel like the shape conformed to my body and it felt uncomfortable. I changed it to the familiar $30 cloud 9 with springs and I instantly felt more comfortable.
Click to expand...

I guess some seats are hit and miss. I'm lucky the Brooks works for me.
 
I found my fix in soaking the entire Brooks saddle in lukewarm water for 15 minutes or so. Just get the leather good and wet!

Next I rode it for 5 miles, only. And then dried the saddle pretty fast in the blast of an electric fan.

BINGO: the saddle fits my sit bones and I am so happy today, despite failed previous attempts many years ago, to brainwash my bottom to like a Brooks saddle. I failed. My prior Brooks' saddles never did break in to fit me.

However, I truly like my new Brooks Swift bought a month ago, today! So glad to be able to promote the soak-it-wet break-in technique I read about on the web.

Soak it and ride it for a few miles, only. And let it dry and re-tension, if needed, to remove hummocking. And do not get it wet over and over again in rainstorms in the future, if you can help it. Some Brooks can take that, others may continue to stretch. Depends on the saddle model and the cut of the leather.

My month-old, now fully perfectly fitted to my sitbones Swift, came with a black nylon rain cover.

I carry and instantly use the raincover when rain is imminent, because, once fitted, there is no benefit to getting the saddle soaked ever again.

My low-sided Swift is not amenable to endless, future re-tensionings. The deep sides of the majority of Brooks saddles are what give the top some resistance to hummocking. So, to forestall hummocking in my racing Brooks saddle, I have laced its shallow sides against splaying;

but still, these creations of dead moos are organic and may always stretch further if gotten wet. Think about the fibrous nature of dried skin and the moisturizing, lubricating effect of water. Rehydrating dry skin makes it supple. And in the case of hide, makes it weak against stretching.
 
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Reid said:
I found my fix in soaking the entire Brooks saddle in lukewarm water for 15 minutes or so. Just get the leather good and wet!

Next I rode it for 5 miles, only. And then dried the saddle pretty fast in the blast of an electric fan.

BINGO: the saddle fits my tailbone and I am so happy today, despite failed previous attempts many years ago, to brainwash my bottom to like a Brooks saddle. I failed. My prior Brooks' saddles never did break in to fit me.

However, I truly like my new Brooks Swift bought a month ago, today! So glad to be able to promote the soak-it-wet break-in technique I read about on the web.

Soak it and ride it for a few miles, only. And let it dry and re-tension, if needed, to remove hummocking. And do not get it wet over and over again in rainstorms in the future, if you can help it. Some Brooks can take that, others may continue to stretch. Depends on the saddle model and the cut of the leather.

My month-old, now fully perfectly fitted to my tailbone Swift, came with a black nylon rain cover.

I carry and instantly use the raincover when rain is imminent, because, once fitted, there is no benefit to getting the saddle soaked ever again.

My low-sided Swift is not amenable to endless, future re-tensionings. The deep sides of the majority of Brooks saddles are what give the top some resistance to hummocking. So, to forestall hummocking in my racing Brooks saddle, I have laced its shallow sides against splaying;

but still, these creations of dead moos are organic and may always stretch further if gotten wet. Think about the fibrous nature of dried skin and the moisturizing, lubricating effect of water. Rehydrating dry skin makes it supple. And in the case of hide, makes it weak against stretching.
Click to expand...

Great advice Reid. I love the looks of a Brooks saddle as well.
 
Thanks for the ideas. I'm going to keep them in mind.

It occurred to me a few days ago that the seat was origianlly set up with the idea that I would be less upright and and because of that it might be distributing more of my weight to the back (tailbone). I have experimented raising the front of the seat up one tiny click at a time and this seems to be improving things greatly. I know that raising the front too much can cause other issues but I'm pretty positive I haven't done that.
 
Timpo said:
I know I'm the minority here but I don't know why you would want to diminish the range of gears you had.

Yes I know you said you won't likely use the highest or lowest gears you had, but still.. me personally I like having that option.
Click to expand...

I wanted to have narrow ratio spacing between gears at my cruising speed (18-22 mph).
 
MetroDuck said:
Thanks for the ideas. I'm going to keep them in mind.

It occurred to me a few days ago that the seat was origianlly set up with the idea that I would be less upright and and because of that it might be distributing more of my weight to the back (tailbone). I have experimented raising the front of the seat up one tiny click at a time and this seems to be improving things greatly. I know that raising the front too much can cause other issues but I'm pretty positive I haven't done that.
Click to expand...

As a follow up I wanted to say that these adjustments have made all the difference. I think I am dialed in now having taken a 22 mile ride today with zero soreness to the lower back/tailbone area.
 
Just added the air horn. Velcroed the light weight air tank to the display panel housing and the other end to the cable cluster.

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