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Messages - VArider

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1
Service & Repair / Re: Reminder: tighten your spokes
« on: August 14, 2022, 05:23:16 AM »
"Mine were terribly noisey.  I found the right size wrench at my LBS and tweaked them all. Two were the worst. Quieted it completely down. Nice and smooth. No run out at all on the rim. Just the tire. Rolls sweetly now."

yes, I think ebike spokes need more frequent tightening than ordinary bikes


2
Service & Repair / Re: Reminder: tighten your spokes
« on: July 13, 2022, 04:06:06 AM »
I have a new bike and it?s really noisy back there and only with weight on it. I?m a little reluctant to tighten them more right from the factory.

The factory may have been sloppy installing/tightening them, so you should check them out or have a shop do it.  I'm no expert on this topic, but there are many vids out there, including a couple Rad-specific ones, about how.  Just do it in tiny increments and make sure to balance on both sides.

At a minimum, pluck them like a harp string or tap with the shaft of a screwdriver - if they're dull, flat-sounding and don't 'sing' they could probably stand a bit of tightening - if loose, definitely.  If the noise you're hearing is 'clicking', that's probably it.  Make sure to use the correct size spoke wrench to avoid damaging the flats on the nipples.

yes, I could only hear the clicking sound riding the bike.  On the rack with the wheels spinning you couldn't hear the sound



3
Service & Repair / Reminder: tighten your spokes
« on: June 17, 2022, 11:28:23 AM »
After about 800 miles on my RadCity ebike I noticed a clicking sound that varied with the wheel rotation.  I couldn't trace it to anything specific like the derailleur or something rubbing on the wheels or fender but tightening the spokes eliminated the clicking sound. 

4
Service & Repair / Re: Brake adjustment
« on: August 22, 2021, 08:07:53 AM »
Wait to see what Rad says. They may offer to pay for adjustment by a local bike shop if it squeaked from the start (my Mini did too, the factory adjustment was abysmal).

Forget about the brake cables, the chance of that being you problem on a ~1 month old bike is probably <1%.

As to the stacks of washers on the brake mounts, that's fairly common on bikes with disk brakes. On close inspection you may find some of them are beveled, cone-shaped or cupped which allows the stack to be skewed at slight angles which will hold when tightened. This allows you to align your calipers/pads to sit flat against your disks, making up for production tolerance misalignments,  minimize noise and maximize stopping power/heat transfer, IF you adjust them properly using a bicycle brake adjusting "third hand " tool, or even rubber bands on the brake levers to hold them firmly applied, and wiggling the caliper too align the whole shebang while tightening the mounting bolts.

If you don't have a lot of experience working on bikes and have to rely on Rad provided tutorials, you could be at a disadvantage, as, though well meaning, some leave a lot to be desired. There are other tutorials on the web, the best for you may be the ones that makes the most sense.

Don't get discouraged though. I've done hundreds (at least) and although I can nail some on the first try, sometimes I have to redo a daemon possessed set multiple before I get it right.

What part of Virginia are you from? I spent 20+ years in Arlington, Alexandria and Richmond (a L-O-N-G time ago).

I eventfully got a bike mechanic to get it adjusted.  I still don't like the way the rear brake calipers are stacked on the frame.  Looking at other bikes it seems a more custom fitted brake caliper with just 2 washers would be better.
 I'm in the southeast part of Virginia, close to Virginia Beach

5
Service & Repair / Re: Loud sound from drive hub motor !!!
« on: July 20, 2021, 12:15:51 PM »
Follow-up - I eventually got a replacement rear hub motor from Radpowerbikes
The hub motor came with the wheel, gears and tire attached, all I had to do was replace the rear wheel assembly and inflate the tire
 No noise  :)

6
General Chat / Re: Denali Park in Alaska Ride
« on: June 28, 2021, 03:07:38 PM »
Here is a photo from our trip last year:


https://1drv.ms/u/s!Aoehob4xbSsbgvBnhJuZ-LNJf_agYw


Here is a copy of the road elevations:


https://1drv.ms/u/s!Aoehob4xbSsbgvoEU0jV10798BFkOg


we will be leaving from Tellanika going towards Sable pass.













cool - I've stayed in Talkeetna and Denali State Park


7
Service & Repair / Re: Loud sound from drive hub motor !!!
« on: June 25, 2021, 04:30:37 PM »
The rear wheel can be unbolted and removed just like any other bicycle. The motor itself can be removed as well if you want to take out all the spokes and what not. By removing the rear wheel and spinning that off the bike I'm trying to narrow down to whether it's the wheel itself.

The drive motors on the rad city are fairly simple, there's only one moving part. Inside it's a rotor lined with magnets, and then that's surrounded by electromagnets. If it is the motor it'd probably be a bearing issue. It can be fully disassembled if you're really determined: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W8espI3WJA

In any regard. Less than three months old should be covered under warranty.

I'm just going by what the experienced bike mechanic told me when they examined my bike at    http://jimmyzmobile.com/   

I've tried repeatedly over this past week (now 9 days)  to contact Radpower bikes but I only get an automated email  "We’ll be in touch with you shortly!"
I'm starting to doubt if there is a Radpower customer service  :(




8
Service & Repair / Re: Loud sound from drive hub motor !!!
« on: June 25, 2021, 02:13:38 PM »
There's nothing brushing against the wheel is there? I had a similar noise and it ended up being a small piece of plastic making contact with the wheel itself.

Anyway. If you feel comfortable pull off the rear wheel. Hold both ends of the hub roll the wheel along the ground and see if it makes the same noise.

no, there is nothing brushing against the wheel.  The rear wheel hub, motor and electrical connections are all integrated, the bike mechanic (with a complete machine shop)   wouldn't take the rear wheel off.  He said he just replaces the entire unit, wheel and all when it goes bad. 


9
Service & Repair / Loud sound from drive hub motor !!!
« on: June 25, 2021, 07:31:53 AM »
I have a loud sound from rear gear / hub assembly motor on a RadCity 4 commuter bike.   At first I though it was the brakes but a bike mechanic said it's my rear motor drive and needs to be replaced.  The bike is less than 3 months old
I recorded the sound -  see attached m4a media file.   Any ideas ?

I have not heard anything back from RAD power bikes after a week   :( 

10
Service & Repair / Brake adjustment
« on: June 17, 2021, 11:16:54 AM »
My month old Radcity 4 commuter bike needed a brake adjustment, the rear brakes squeaked from the start but I thought it was part of the "bedding in" process but it kept getting worse.  I tried the adjustments in the guide -
https://radpowerbikes.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004786874-Brake-Adjustment-Guide

No adjustments improved the rear brakes.   I then decided to remove and inspect the caliper brake assembly but it's now worse, un-ridable.  I noticed the mounting bolts had a series of washers, five (5) on each bolt, total of 10.  Some of washers were next to the screw head and some below the caliper assembly but above the frame.    It looks very jerry rigged !   Has anyone else encountered this?
anyone have a diagram or photo on the sequence of the five washers that surround the bolt?

I have messaged the Rad Power bikes Help center but so far no response.  I understand it may take a couple of days.

Any response appreciated.    ..... I think I will have to go to a local bike shop  >:(



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