Stromer ST1 Motor

[John Gorman]

I'm a first time poster to this website/forum. Hope you can give some advice. I actually have 2 ST1's. They are the same model and year. One has about 23,000 km on it and the other has only 4,000 km. The LESS used bike has a glitch. The "heat" warning flashes at a lower threshold (temperature) than on the other bike. The motor goes into protective mode and slows down its function to avoid overheating. On cool days over level ground it doesn't occur. I believe this is a new problem but I am not sure because it is rarely hot in Portland. QUESTION 1: Is there a code that I can use to view and change the heat sensor sensitivity in the motor hub? Is the motor hub damaged? I have done a bunch of hard resets on the main computer (also located in the motor hub). The "old" motor is absolutely rock solid after all those kilometers but the hub's bearing is getting a bit loose (bummer... also means an eventual rebuild). QUESTION 2: Has anyone broken open these motors for rebuild jobs? I am interested in possibly doing this since I have 2 motor hubs. BTW. These bikes are so awesome to ride! Had them for 5 years and they keep humming.... bulletproof tanks!

 

[Mtl_Biker]

Welcome John!

Have you REALLY ridden 23,000 km on that bike? Most impressive!

If you haven’t already, you might be better off to post your question in the dedicated Stromer section of the brand specific forum.

And it would be nice if you added where in the world you are in your profile.

Good luck!

 

[John Gorman]

Thanks for the advice Mtl_Biker. I will do what you suggested. And yes, I put those 23,000 km on the Stromer. It is my commuter vehicle. 32 miles per day x 150ish days per year! It adds up.

 

[Mtl_Biker]

How did the bike (the one with 23,000 km) hold up over that distance? What parts replacement did you have to do? Anything beyond the basics (chain, brake pads, etc.)?

My commute round trip is about 65km, but until I got my new e-bike, I wasn't doing the full distance. I'd drive to a halfway point with the bike on my rack and ride from there. That allowed me to still avoid the worst of the traffic jams and I got good exercise. I tried with my clunker non-e commuting bike to go the full distance, but the ride home was always very tough for me. Strong headwinds and usually high humidity and after a tough day at work it was just too much. But with the e-bike I was doing the full distance. Once my cracked rib heals I plan on resuming the full distance commute. But I'm in Montreal and our winter comes early and leaves late, so it's unlikely I'd be able to do close to 150ish days per year. I'm not going to ride when there's snow and ice on the roads, or if it's pouring rain, or too much below freezing. I guess I'm just a wimp.

 

[John Gorman]

I see what you are saying. The only thing that crimps my style in Oregon is driving rain. And we get lots of it. Snow is something that we get in a tizzy about because it only happens a few times each winter and there is no snow removal equipment here so everything shuts down.

 

[John Gorman]

As far as repairs... I have done the usual wearing parts (cassette, bottom bracket [my fault for spraying a jet of water into it], chain, various cables, brakes) NOT ONE MAJOR PART HAS FAILED! That is awesome.

 

[Mtl_Biker]

I see what you are saying. The only thing that crimps my style in Oregon is driving rain. And we get lots of it. Snow is something that we get in a tizzy about because it only happens a few times each winter and there is no snow removal equipment here so everything shuts down.

Do you ride in the rain? I'm wondering about that and riding an e-bike. I mean I have good rain gear but the bike doesn't. I'm sure a little drizzle wouldn't hurt the bike but a strong downpour? At 30kph? Any tips for riding in rain?

 

[John Gorman]

Well, If I didn't ride in the rain I wouldn't be riding very much. We get lots of it! Heavy downpours and light drizzle have zero effect on the bike. One must only be careful when washing the bike with a strong stream of water. That is how I damaged the bottom bracket. Now I just rinse it gently around all parts with bearings or electronics. I have great rain gear and the bikes have fenders. What is hard on my bike is the sand/pumice that is spread during winter to increase traction on icy roads. My bike actually maxes out at 45 kph (28 mph). It is a holy terror! Speeds come way down on wet streets (except long straightaways).