Giant USA spec sheet shows 42T so wonder what the story is with your bike?
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/toughroad-gx-eplus-2018
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/toughroad-gx-eplus-2018
ToughRoad GX E+
- Thread starter Kristjan
- Start date
Another weird aspect is the cadence. Today, I tried and I was able to reach 110. I know some yamaha motors on the toughroad can't go above 80 or 90. Personally, when I ride naturally I never go above 80 or 90. But I'm guessing for training, some riders might like to go above that.
On my 32 km/h restricted bike the top speed I recorded was 60 km/h with a 60 kph wind at my back. Cadence was about 100. I was having trouble with my derailer that day and couldn’t get into the top gear so that was with 48 x 13. It took a fair bit of distance to get up to that speed then I ran out of straight. On a calm day I can get it going 45 for a bit with a lot of effort. I’m thinking with bikespeed 45 will be comfortable. For now I’m happy with the cassette but I’m guessing I’ll consider a 10-42 when it’s time to replace it.
Today I received the bikespeed-rs and just completed the installation. It took me 3 and half hours and I was surprised by how difficult the whole installation process was.
I had 3 main problems during installation:
1. I have the 48T crankset and this ring size covers one screw. I tried removing the crankset but it was impossible. Do not remove the 48T ring from the crankset, you will not be able to put the ring back on without removing the whole crankset. Luckily, I was able to remove the screw on an angle with a star screwdriver. This is not ideal since you might strip the star screw.
2. The 3 main bolts are hard to remove, I had to go to a hardware store and purchase a T30 star socket. I also had to use an extension tool to have more leverage.
3. There are so many unnecessarily long wires all packed inside the frame located under the battery (down-tube). The down tube is also very narrow. On top of that you need to place inside the down-tube the bikespeed wires and controller. This process took a very long time. Finally, I decided to cut and remove the 6" black wire shield. This is not ideal but that was the only way to give myself extra space. The black wire shield is approximately 6 inches long and it wraps around several wires including the power wires (red and white). I don't know why it is there. Probably it protects the wires when they are squished inside the frame under the battery. There was no way to add the bikespeed and keep the black wire shield. On top of that, the wires under the motor are also squished against the frame. Overall, the whole process about the wire placement is extremely complicated. You might want to take a picture before you start pulling the wires. That will help you when eventually you need to squish those wires again inside the frame. I even ended up re-routing the wheel spinning sensor wire.
Overall, the whole process is very difficult. There are also high chances of damaging the wires.
I would strongly suggest to have a bike store install the bikespeed-rs. Assuming you have some good bike mechanics in your area. They might ask for some $40-50 and that is a great price considering the amount of work required.
Right after the installation, I rode my bike for 5 minutes and bikespeed-rs works great. However, you need to pedal hard to reach 28 miles per hour. When it gets warmer in a couple of days, I will go on a longer ride and post an update.
If you have a different bike with more space inside your frame, the whole installation process will be much easier.
Bikespeed-rs is fantastic and it makes sense if you live in Europe with the 15mph limit. Connecting bikespeed to the bike wires is a very straightforward process.
In the US, bikespeed will increase the limit from 20 to 28mph. I am not sure if it is worth all of the trouble and risk damaging your bike for just an extra 8mph pedalling hard.
I got bikespeed for 149 Euros with free shipping to the US. I ordered it from bikespeed directly. They were very professional.
I had 3 main problems during installation:
1. I have the 48T crankset and this ring size covers one screw. I tried removing the crankset but it was impossible. Do not remove the 48T ring from the crankset, you will not be able to put the ring back on without removing the whole crankset. Luckily, I was able to remove the screw on an angle with a star screwdriver. This is not ideal since you might strip the star screw.
2. The 3 main bolts are hard to remove, I had to go to a hardware store and purchase a T30 star socket. I also had to use an extension tool to have more leverage.
3. There are so many unnecessarily long wires all packed inside the frame located under the battery (down-tube). The down tube is also very narrow. On top of that you need to place inside the down-tube the bikespeed wires and controller. This process took a very long time. Finally, I decided to cut and remove the 6" black wire shield. This is not ideal but that was the only way to give myself extra space. The black wire shield is approximately 6 inches long and it wraps around several wires including the power wires (red and white). I don't know why it is there. Probably it protects the wires when they are squished inside the frame under the battery. There was no way to add the bikespeed and keep the black wire shield. On top of that, the wires under the motor are also squished against the frame. Overall, the whole process about the wire placement is extremely complicated. You might want to take a picture before you start pulling the wires. That will help you when eventually you need to squish those wires again inside the frame. I even ended up re-routing the wheel spinning sensor wire.
Overall, the whole process is very difficult. There are also high chances of damaging the wires.
I would strongly suggest to have a bike store install the bikespeed-rs. Assuming you have some good bike mechanics in your area. They might ask for some $40-50 and that is a great price considering the amount of work required.
Right after the installation, I rode my bike for 5 minutes and bikespeed-rs works great. However, you need to pedal hard to reach 28 miles per hour. When it gets warmer in a couple of days, I will go on a longer ride and post an update.
If you have a different bike with more space inside your frame, the whole installation process will be much easier.
Bikespeed-rs is fantastic and it makes sense if you live in Europe with the 15mph limit. Connecting bikespeed to the bike wires is a very straightforward process.
In the US, bikespeed will increase the limit from 20 to 28mph. I am not sure if it is worth all of the trouble and risk damaging your bike for just an extra 8mph pedalling hard.
I got bikespeed for 149 Euros with free shipping to the US. I ordered it from bikespeed directly. They were very professional.
Super cool picture of the kid bike!
I used to be a Specialized Bike guy but now I am really starting to like Giant bikes. They are nicely priced too.
Regarding the bikespeed-rs. I did 33 miles yesterday. The controller works perfectly well. I had no issues with the screen.
That said, I do think that 95% of people out there are going to be super happy with the 20mph limit.
There are some aspects to consider before purchasing the bikespeed-rs:
1. the yamaha motor is not efficient at all when running over 20mph. My bike range dropped by half, and it is not that I was going over 20mph all of the time.
2. installation is a pain unless you are lucky and your motor did not come with extra long wires.
3. your 2 year motor warranty might not be honored after you hack the speed
4. you might damage the wires during installation
5. bikespeed has no speed limit, this means that your bike can end up going 32mph or more and that is very dangerous. This bike is not really designed to go that fast.
6. the wheels have no thru axle, they come with 9mm skewers and this is also not ideal for high speed.
7. the handlebar is very narrow, this makes the bike very unstable at high speed.
8. you might end up stressing unnecessarily the battery.
9. you might end up stressing and overheating the motor. The motor should handle up to 28mph (I am assuming this is the same motor installed on the Road-E+) but it might not be designed to go 32mph. You might not want to push the motor over 28mph.
10. the disc brakes installed on this bike are not really top quality to handle such a high speed. They might not be able to stop the bike quickly and the rotors and pads might overheat.
11. is bikespeed-rs going to last for several years. Do you have higher chances for a motor and/or battery failure?
12. you need to spend 149 Euros plus installation cost unless you install it yourself.
13. In most US cities, it is illegal to ride a class 3 bike on bike trails and I can't agree more.
The company bikespeed is great though. They are selling a good product for those who need it.
I used to be a Specialized Bike guy but now I am really starting to like Giant bikes. They are nicely priced too.
Regarding the bikespeed-rs. I did 33 miles yesterday. The controller works perfectly well. I had no issues with the screen.
That said, I do think that 95% of people out there are going to be super happy with the 20mph limit.
There are some aspects to consider before purchasing the bikespeed-rs:
1. the yamaha motor is not efficient at all when running over 20mph. My bike range dropped by half, and it is not that I was going over 20mph all of the time.
2. installation is a pain unless you are lucky and your motor did not come with extra long wires.
3. your 2 year motor warranty might not be honored after you hack the speed
4. you might damage the wires during installation
5. bikespeed has no speed limit, this means that your bike can end up going 32mph or more and that is very dangerous. This bike is not really designed to go that fast.
6. the wheels have no thru axle, they come with 9mm skewers and this is also not ideal for high speed.
7. the handlebar is very narrow, this makes the bike very unstable at high speed.
8. you might end up stressing unnecessarily the battery.
9. you might end up stressing and overheating the motor. The motor should handle up to 28mph (I am assuming this is the same motor installed on the Road-E+) but it might not be designed to go 32mph. You might not want to push the motor over 28mph.
10. the disc brakes installed on this bike are not really top quality to handle such a high speed. They might not be able to stop the bike quickly and the rotors and pads might overheat.
11. is bikespeed-rs going to last for several years. Do you have higher chances for a motor and/or battery failure?
12. you need to spend 149 Euros plus installation cost unless you install it yourself.
13. In most US cities, it is illegal to ride a class 3 bike on bike trails and I can't agree more.
The company bikespeed is great though. They are selling a good product for those who need it.
Hello all Ti-man here, just picked up a 2018 USA model 48t 3 assist levels for my wife and she loves it. I ordered a carbon S15VCLS seatpost with 20mm of flex suspension and a different saddle, I have her set up with some Iberia bags for longer day trips. As well I put her Garmin and torch headlight out front and out of the way so as to keep her handlebars free and open providing her with the drop bars intended multiple hand positioning. I haven’t had the pleasure of riding it yet and although I have her set up tubeless I’m thinking 700 x 40mm tires would make for a better all around fit both on the road as well as off. I am happy to hear that everyone is loving there bikes and hope toget on for myself next year. Oh yea batt is 36v 11.3 ah and after if asking if the 2019 batt 36v 13.8 ah would fit I was told both rear batteries are identical, does anyone know different for sure? Thank you all.
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XyloSesame
New Member
This straddles the on-topic Toughroad thread and a more generalized Intro/Bike Garage post... But when looking for information, I found myself in bike-specific threads more than the hits from searches, so here I am. Yesterday I picked up a 2018 model Toughroad, my first ebike and my first "real" bike in quite some time. Test riding, I really liked the Trek Supercommuter but absolutely loved the ride of the Road E; I don't need a road bike, so I was hoping the Toughroad would be similar enough. It did not disappoint.
My commute to work is ridiculously short, so I'm constantly thinking that I need to be on a bicycle; however, inclines have made it difficult for my wife and I to enjoy riding more. Laziness and comfort have been difficult hurdles. I used to ride 2-3 mile errands weekly on my trusty old ride, but I haven't been active at all for the past few years and have plateaued at 230lb and not near the physical stamina of years past. Though my family eats fresh and healthy most days, at 47 I've found it more difficult to lose weight and find motivation. I've been wearing a Fitbit for the past year to track my baseline and the data doesn't lie - I need exercise in addition to the healthy (ish) diet. I think folks like me know this already, we just don't want to make that change.
I was nervous picking up the Toughroad due to the long ride home and the unfamiliar route. I decided to have my wife take me to pick up the bike after work thinking it might fit in the car with the front wheel removed. I wasn't sure of myself and fearful of the cardio -- flushed face, gasping for breath, head pounding with over exertion. Everyone at the shop was confident I could make it home, though, and after the LBS manager realized we live near each other he suggested we ride together. I'm up for an adventure, and the no-pressure support from the shop took away the excuses; I sent my wife home with the car and told her I'd see her in an hour.
In researching ebikes, I realized I had been out of the saddle and mashing rather than spinning -- probably a habit from riding a 20" freestyle for so long. Looking back, I figure this is why my quads always burned and I was winded after a short ride. So my main goal (other than making it home) was to be aware of my cadence. We set off from the shop and rode 1 mile on a high traffic five-lane road to connect with the local paved trail. I began with no assist so I could feel the bike and sense when it was "helping" -- after half a mile or so, I turned assist to ECO and it simply felt easier to move my weight. I was keeping a 90-95rpm cadence at 15-20mph.
Once on the path, I could see this portion was a slight rolling decline with twists and turns, but again no issue in ECO and keeping a steady cadence in the 70-80rpm range; I thought my cadence should have been higher, but this was comfortable and I was maintaining 15mph. I was afraid this bike wouldn't be as nimble as I wanted, but it thread the tight turns effortlessly. The path follows stormwater retention ponds, and at 2 miles we made a turn into an incline with storm water discharge areas that looked like tiny 1-foot box jumps, one after another. With the incline and obstacles ahead, I switched to NORMAL assist and kept cadence with ease. The Toughroad took these bumps like a champ. I was expecting it to be more jarring since there are no shocks and a rigid seat post, but I barely felt anything other than the rise and fall.
About this time I started (over) thinking assist vs gears; I'm sure this will come naturally as I ride more, but I'm still trying to find the balance between more assist and lower gearing. The SRAM double tap shifter is a dream, by the way.
At 5 miles, the trail ended and we dog-legged to the tallest incline of the ride: about a quarter-mile at 40' rise according to Google. I definitely would have walked this hill in the past. Stepping up to POWER assist allowed me to make it without issue, though speed and cadence both dropped. I think, had I been more experienced, I would have geared more effectively in these climbs. Shortly after cresting the major incline and entering the (only slightly) more manageable uphill, I saw what used to be a glass bottle in the residential bike lane. My brain didn't tell my body to zig fast enough and I clipped the pile of shards with my front tire. Immediately the tire began hissing and spraying sealant everywhere. We pulled over to check the damage and wiggle-spin the tire to distribute the sealant; I've never ridden tubeless, so I was glad to have an experienced riding companion. The spray of sealant stopped and we started again, chalking this up to a learning experience and true test of the bike. Coming out of the uphill, I realized that I hadn't geared higher or taken the assist out of POWER; my cadence quickly increased to 100-110rpm and took me by surprise. I wondered where the curve-off was with the SyncroDrive, but we hit another incline almost immediately and my cadence was back to the mid 80's.
We had rolling residential streets for quite a while; we were in familiar territory for me so the ride itself was more relaxed. The drop bars were a life saver; I loved the positioning and ability to switch when my body began to feel stiff. This is totally subjective, but I think these drop bars made a big difference for me even though I never rode in the drops. By 6 miles, though, I was really feeling my breathing and heart rate. This was about 30 minutes of cardio - I don't remember the last time I've had five minutes of cardio. I recalled reading about the "conversation test," if you could carry a conversation you were not over-exerting yourself, and realized I would be okay. Taking stock, I noticed that the saddle had been surprisingly comfortable and that I didn't feel any of the soreness my LBS warned against with my jeans and ankle strap. But what I noticed most was that I could feel my quads working, but they weren't burning or aching. It felt good. I think this is why the purists look down on ebikes; anyone in my physical condition should be burning by now. I didn't earn these miles. But I'm not trying to impress anyone. I'm going to get home and my legs won't buckle from exertion. Of course, I'll also be getting home completely covered in sealant, as my tire continues struggling to heal. It spurted and sprayed, went quiet, then started spraying again, on repeat, for the rest of the ride. We stopped to take stock one last time, but the pressure was holding well enough so we kept moving forward. Around 11 miles, we split ways and I rode the final mile home.
I'm sure as I put more miles on this bike, I'll find small things to fault or tweak. But right now, after riding more in one day than I have in decades, I couldn't be happier.
My commute to work is ridiculously short, so I'm constantly thinking that I need to be on a bicycle; however, inclines have made it difficult for my wife and I to enjoy riding more. Laziness and comfort have been difficult hurdles. I used to ride 2-3 mile errands weekly on my trusty old ride, but I haven't been active at all for the past few years and have plateaued at 230lb and not near the physical stamina of years past. Though my family eats fresh and healthy most days, at 47 I've found it more difficult to lose weight and find motivation. I've been wearing a Fitbit for the past year to track my baseline and the data doesn't lie - I need exercise in addition to the healthy (ish) diet. I think folks like me know this already, we just don't want to make that change.
I was nervous picking up the Toughroad due to the long ride home and the unfamiliar route. I decided to have my wife take me to pick up the bike after work thinking it might fit in the car with the front wheel removed. I wasn't sure of myself and fearful of the cardio -- flushed face, gasping for breath, head pounding with over exertion. Everyone at the shop was confident I could make it home, though, and after the LBS manager realized we live near each other he suggested we ride together. I'm up for an adventure, and the no-pressure support from the shop took away the excuses; I sent my wife home with the car and told her I'd see her in an hour.
In researching ebikes, I realized I had been out of the saddle and mashing rather than spinning -- probably a habit from riding a 20" freestyle for so long. Looking back, I figure this is why my quads always burned and I was winded after a short ride. So my main goal (other than making it home) was to be aware of my cadence. We set off from the shop and rode 1 mile on a high traffic five-lane road to connect with the local paved trail. I began with no assist so I could feel the bike and sense when it was "helping" -- after half a mile or so, I turned assist to ECO and it simply felt easier to move my weight. I was keeping a 90-95rpm cadence at 15-20mph.
Once on the path, I could see this portion was a slight rolling decline with twists and turns, but again no issue in ECO and keeping a steady cadence in the 70-80rpm range; I thought my cadence should have been higher, but this was comfortable and I was maintaining 15mph. I was afraid this bike wouldn't be as nimble as I wanted, but it thread the tight turns effortlessly. The path follows stormwater retention ponds, and at 2 miles we made a turn into an incline with storm water discharge areas that looked like tiny 1-foot box jumps, one after another. With the incline and obstacles ahead, I switched to NORMAL assist and kept cadence with ease. The Toughroad took these bumps like a champ. I was expecting it to be more jarring since there are no shocks and a rigid seat post, but I barely felt anything other than the rise and fall.
About this time I started (over) thinking assist vs gears; I'm sure this will come naturally as I ride more, but I'm still trying to find the balance between more assist and lower gearing. The SRAM double tap shifter is a dream, by the way.
At 5 miles, the trail ended and we dog-legged to the tallest incline of the ride: about a quarter-mile at 40' rise according to Google. I definitely would have walked this hill in the past. Stepping up to POWER assist allowed me to make it without issue, though speed and cadence both dropped. I think, had I been more experienced, I would have geared more effectively in these climbs. Shortly after cresting the major incline and entering the (only slightly) more manageable uphill, I saw what used to be a glass bottle in the residential bike lane. My brain didn't tell my body to zig fast enough and I clipped the pile of shards with my front tire. Immediately the tire began hissing and spraying sealant everywhere. We pulled over to check the damage and wiggle-spin the tire to distribute the sealant; I've never ridden tubeless, so I was glad to have an experienced riding companion. The spray of sealant stopped and we started again, chalking this up to a learning experience and true test of the bike. Coming out of the uphill, I realized that I hadn't geared higher or taken the assist out of POWER; my cadence quickly increased to 100-110rpm and took me by surprise. I wondered where the curve-off was with the SyncroDrive, but we hit another incline almost immediately and my cadence was back to the mid 80's.
We had rolling residential streets for quite a while; we were in familiar territory for me so the ride itself was more relaxed. The drop bars were a life saver; I loved the positioning and ability to switch when my body began to feel stiff. This is totally subjective, but I think these drop bars made a big difference for me even though I never rode in the drops. By 6 miles, though, I was really feeling my breathing and heart rate. This was about 30 minutes of cardio - I don't remember the last time I've had five minutes of cardio. I recalled reading about the "conversation test," if you could carry a conversation you were not over-exerting yourself, and realized I would be okay. Taking stock, I noticed that the saddle had been surprisingly comfortable and that I didn't feel any of the soreness my LBS warned against with my jeans and ankle strap. But what I noticed most was that I could feel my quads working, but they weren't burning or aching. It felt good. I think this is why the purists look down on ebikes; anyone in my physical condition should be burning by now. I didn't earn these miles. But I'm not trying to impress anyone. I'm going to get home and my legs won't buckle from exertion. Of course, I'll also be getting home completely covered in sealant, as my tire continues struggling to heal. It spurted and sprayed, went quiet, then started spraying again, on repeat, for the rest of the ride. We stopped to take stock one last time, but the pressure was holding well enough so we kept moving forward. Around 11 miles, we split ways and I rode the final mile home.
I'm sure as I put more miles on this bike, I'll find small things to fault or tweak. But right now, after riding more in one day than I have in decades, I couldn't be happier.
linklemming
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the ride report XyloSesame, sounds like alot of ebiking might be in your future
I bought my first eMTB on a whim. I was walking about 5 miles a day and very mild MTBing about 10-15 miles a week (more for maintenance than anything else) at the time. I used to MTB about 50 miles a week from my mid 20s to mid 40s but as I have gotten older(now mid 50s) and slower it wasnt as much fun.
My eMTB totally changed my life and fitness. While I was reasonably fit from the walking and MTBing, getting an eMTB totally changed that.
I now ride pretty much every day and just dial in the workout I want to do (regardless of terrain).
Today was supposed to be a mellow exploratory ride, just get out and enjoy a reasonable workout and enjoy the sunset and hopefully see some wildlife (coyotes/deer/hawks/eagles/lots of suicidal rabbits and prairie dogs, even elk sometimes). In the end I just didnt want to get off the bike and ended up doing 43 miles. I discovered some new trails/hills today that I could never do(these days) without an ebike...so much fun.
Not sure I agree on 'not earning these miles', enjoy the fruits of technology that allow you to enjoy the best way to experience the world(riding a bike).
I bought my first eMTB on a whim. I was walking about 5 miles a day and very mild MTBing about 10-15 miles a week (more for maintenance than anything else) at the time. I used to MTB about 50 miles a week from my mid 20s to mid 40s but as I have gotten older(now mid 50s) and slower it wasnt as much fun.
My eMTB totally changed my life and fitness. While I was reasonably fit from the walking and MTBing, getting an eMTB totally changed that.
I now ride pretty much every day and just dial in the workout I want to do (regardless of terrain).
Today was supposed to be a mellow exploratory ride, just get out and enjoy a reasonable workout and enjoy the sunset and hopefully see some wildlife (coyotes/deer/hawks/eagles/lots of suicidal rabbits and prairie dogs, even elk sometimes). In the end I just didnt want to get off the bike and ended up doing 43 miles. I discovered some new trails/hills today that I could never do(these days) without an ebike...so much fun.
Not sure I agree on 'not earning these miles', enjoy the fruits of technology that allow you to enjoy the best way to experience the world(riding a bike).
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Awesome no need to fear pedaling now right ?
Can you guys tell me what racks you are using? I ordered a "Topeak Explorer Bicycle Rack with Disc Brake Mounts" but it does not line up with the mounting holes on the rear hub, and also comes with two metal straps for the seat stay where mine has one in the middle with different orientation. It's a shame because I have some of their MTX accessories.
Checking the Giant website, the only one that looks correct is the "GIANT RACK IT REAR RACK" but that's bigger than I need.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Checking the Giant website, the only one that looks correct is the "GIANT RACK IT REAR RACK" but that's bigger than I need.
Thanks for any suggestions.
That’s the one I have. Rack It for E-bike or something like that. It doesn’t seem overly large to me and the way it integrates into the frame is actually quite nice - other than the fact it is a proprietary mount that doesn’t work with any other rack.
I’m sure you’ll be happy with it. I am using an old pair of Mountain Equipment Coop panniers that are no longer available. I tried the Thule ones recently but took them back because the material was super stiff in the cold. I did like the way they clipped on but they just didn’t suit my needs.
Saratoga Dave
Well-Known Member
After looking around a bit and seeing how the seatstay attachments work, I ordered the same rack from Giant. It showed up the next day! Amazing.
Yeah, you have to take the rear wheel off to mount it, but it’s solid as a rock and looks very good, no surprise since it’s designed for the bike.
I already had a set of the Giant City Commuter small panniers that hang over the rack. I’m planning on replacing them with a larger set of Giant panniers. They have two sizes and they look pretty good. Inside pocket that fits a spare battery, not a bad idea either.
I like the idea of the Topeak trunk bags, but the panniers are easy, they’re connected - the thing drapes over the rack and can be carried easily when removed, and they’re lower and roomy. Even the small set I have used for three years now are pretty damn convenient.
I am absolutely loving this ToughRoad. Terrific bike, my third ebike. EJoe Koda, Trek XM-700+, ToughRoad. Really got it right on this one. No knock particularly on the Trek, but this suits me right down to the ground.
Yeah, you have to take the rear wheel off to mount it, but it’s solid as a rock and looks very good, no surprise since it’s designed for the bike.
I already had a set of the Giant City Commuter small panniers that hang over the rack. I’m planning on replacing them with a larger set of Giant panniers. They have two sizes and they look pretty good. Inside pocket that fits a spare battery, not a bad idea either.
I like the idea of the Topeak trunk bags, but the panniers are easy, they’re connected - the thing drapes over the rack and can be carried easily when removed, and they’re lower and roomy. Even the small set I have used for three years now are pretty damn convenient.
I am absolutely loving this ToughRoad. Terrific bike, my third ebike. EJoe Koda, Trek XM-700+, ToughRoad. Really got it right on this one. No knock particularly on the Trek, but this suits me right down to the ground.
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