Recommend me a cassette, chain and derailleur for my Aventon ebike

[Greydog]

the shifting is better because of the design but don't expect it to hold up for 20 years even 5 if you shift on a regular basis would be pushing it

I don't expect any derailleur to hold up for 20 year with lots of miles. I would expect a current Alivio derailleur to hold up for more than 5 years with regular shifting. Just don't abuse it and cross shift. The Alivio's are not that flimsy IMHO. And, it is way better than a Tourney or Altus. You could also use a 9 speed Sora with rapid fire shifters. I am not sure that it is any better than the Alivio. However, you can still buy 9 speed Deore rear derailleurs. They will be more durable. And that would be my pick although I still stand by Alivio. There are thousands of bikes that have Alivio and I really have not read anything about them having limited durability.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

I remember that bike. It stuck out because my Advent drivetrain - with the 11-46T steel cluster - is on my own Mongoose Envoy. I did the long cage version of the derailleur. It works splendidly... but you know that for yourself .

Not so long ago I scored an 11-48T steel Advent X system on clearance at California Ebike (they are still on sale there). I ended up replacing my 12-50T Box 2 XW derailleur on my Bullitt and I actually get better performance out of it than the much more-expensive Box system (with a Box 1 shifter no less). On a tip from a Youtuber I put an 11s chain on that 10s system and it worked beautifully. 11s chains are the same width internally but a hair narrower externally. The idea is they run silently and when I put it on it was like a minor miracle. I never realized how much chain noise there normally is until I did this (its been awhile since I had a Gates belt so I'd forgotten that part).

In the last few years Microshift has made a concerted effort to leave their old reputation behind. It started with the 9s Advent system, and continued with the Advent X. Both my Advent and Advent X were super easy to adjust at install and neither has needed any further tinkering. It helped maybe to use the Microshift install videos which have very different - but really easy - derailleur adjustment instructions.

Their clusters are a marvel for mid drive durability. 1-pc steel if you want that version. Pinned together all over the place so no worries about tacos, with bolsters in between the big ones to further brace them. Even the two smallest cogs are steel which is unusual. In the pics below, the first one is 10s Advent X and the second is 9s Advent. These are like $39 cassettes too so MUCH better choice than Shimano HG400 for example, which used to be my favorite 9s mid-drive cluster.

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My Advent X experience is not a knock on Box Components. I have several Box 2 setups and the only reason it didn't work on my new Bullitt is its super short chainstays coupled to a BBSHD. Not enough room to maneuver, and I gained a couple extra usable gears thanks to the slightly different teeth and closer cog spacing. Box would be overkill by a wide margin for an Aventon.

Installed the Microshift 9 Speed Advent shifter, derailleur, and cassette on my BBSHD Fat Bike and it has been the best system I've used thus far. Smooth shifting, reliable, and durable

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Yes the entire drivetrain. I have also sprayed the rear cluster with wd40-brand aerosol ptfe dry lube but I can't say for sure it does any good.

I would not do that. All of the gadgets associated chain cleaning are unnecessary. Here's my chain regimen: First of all, I use Rock and Roll. Its a combination solvent and lubricant, so you apply it and it cleans the chain, and the residue after you wipe it off is the lubricant. It comes in a squirt bottle. Keeping the rear wheel off the ground a little (my dual kickstand gets two hockey pucks underneath to give the bike some space), with a rag under the area I am about to squirt, I squirt carefully (not overdoing it) over the top of the chain for about a 10 to 15-link length. Then I take the rag that soaked up the oversquirt from the top and use it to wipe the chain I just squirted over, taking care to wipe the side plates. Move the chain back forward another 10-15 links (you can see where the clean part stops) and repeat for a full revolution.

Thats it. I get no less than 3000 miles on a mid drive chain doing just this for maintenance. And its sandy here as noted. 215 links on this chain. 1672 miles on it so far and you can see the wear indicator showing effectively no measurable wear.
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Your chain-cleaning regimen also sounds worth a try.

Tried a garden sprayer for rinsing after sandy/salty rides. Excellent! The angled wand and fan spray pattern make for very accurate targeting and easy access to otherwise hard-to-reach places — like under the bottom bracket.

One last question: Since the water delivery is so precise, I don't see a need to remove the battery for this rinse operation. Do you?

 

[m@Robertson]

One last question: Since the water delivery is so precise, I don't see a need to remove the battery for this rinse operation. Do you?

Nah. I don't worry about the wiring or connections, either. My bikes all use HIGO/Julet plugs though and they are supposed to be IP65.

With that said I am careful about where I aim a stream of water