Should my folding e-bike creak constantly at the joint?

[Kangu]

Hi,
I just purchased an Enzo folding electric bike and my first impression is.. not good.

-The bike arrived damaged at the folding joint, with a significant chunk of paint chipped off. The gear lever and flick-bell also had paint chipped off.
-The fenders are bent out of alignment.
-The paint job is uneven and unprofessional, I feels smooth to the touch on one side and very rough on the other, like they forgot to put on the clear coat or polish it

But the biggest issue and disappointment is how much the bike creaks when going over any bump when riding it. It sounds like I'm riding on a cheap wooden bed frame. The source of the creaking seems to be the joint where the bike folds. Is this normal? I've never owned a folding bike so I don't know if this is just par for the course if you want a folding bike.

Returning the bike will painful and expensive for me because I live in Mexico so I actually had to go pick up the bike, pay customs, and bring it home. I foolishly didn't test ride it or inspect it before taking it across.

 

[rich c]

Creaking isn't normal. It means you are getting metal to metal movement. According to the review, you have a 2 year warranty. Fenders out of alignment isn't that hard to fix yourself. If you would include a picture of the joint damage, we might be able to offer advice. Put a drop of oil or car wax in the faces of the joint to see if that eliminates the noise. Some lessons are hard to take, but inspection at the pickup is essential for me. https://electricbikereview.com/enzo-ebikes/folding-electric-bike/

 

[pnop]

My folding bike creaks. I built mine so it wasn't a purpose built bike but I realized the bike was a compromise. I can easily take it with me but it's never going to be a trail bike.

 

[Chic Lasser]

We have two ejoe’s and they r rock solid.

 

[harryS]

I have two Downtube folders. different models. Alloy frames. One creaked and the other was silent. After fussing over the hinge and seeing nothing loose, I put a few drops of oil in it. Noises gone.

 

[Kangu]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm going to lubricate the hinge and see if things improve. As for the damage... lesson learned I guess. The Enzo guys do send "touch up" paint as part of the purchase, so I'll see how it goes with that.

Other than that the bike actually performs well, it just feels really cheap riding it with the creaking.

 

[rich c]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm going to lubricate the hinge and see if things improve. As for the damage... lesson learned I guess. The Enzo guys do send "touch up" paint as part of the purchase, so I'll see how it goes with that.

Other than that the bike actually performs well, it just feels really cheap riding it with the creaking.

Oil the hinge and the mating metal faces. I'd suspect the actual hinge is not the location of the creaking. More like the metal surfaces of the joint rubbing against each other.

 

[john peck]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm going to lubricate the hinge and see if things improve. As for the damage... lesson learned I guess. The Enzo guys do send "touch up" paint as part of the purchase, so I'll see how it goes with that.

Other than that the bike actually performs well, it just feels really cheap riding it with the creaking.

Just a guess, but perhaps a shim made from a strip of old inner tube might help??

 

[Alex M]

Shim would stop rubbing but not the frame flex.
2-part frame and 3-part stem in front (hinge and telescopic tube) are an inevitable compromise in folding bikes. I was considering a folder because of 20" wheels (balance issues), but this "necessary evil" of design has deterred me.

 

[harryS]

In my case a few drops of oil in the hinge was all that was needed.