E-Escarpe 2020 - Set up and changes

[VWsurfbum]

Hi all,

Just purchased for my daughter a E-escarpe and misunderstood the blurb being 27.5+ / 29er, I thought it was either, not a mullet.
Has anyone un-mulleted their escarpe? I am thinking to swap out the wheels for standard 27.5 (probably non plus) depending how much BB height is an issue?
Worst way just take the 29er off the front?

What other upgrades have you all done? comes pretty well spec'd really, possibly a set of brakes but she's only light so maybe ok?

 

[STATO]

I have the same bike and run it with 29 both ends (rear is limited to 2.3 and its close, but my choice) as lets me swap wheels with other bikes, raises the BB a bit but rides fine. Not sure it would have the ground clearance with 27.5 both ends as thats quite a significant step down from 29x2.5 and 27.5x2.8 specced.

However, the e-Sommet was the same frame but with 27.5x2.5 wheels and a 170mm 27.5 fork, this is about 10-15mm longer from axle to crown than the Z2 you have fitted. Dropping down wheelsize with the longer fork obviously kept things close enough geometry wise for Vitus to be happy, so perhaps just changing wheel size alone might not be too bad?

Really though as it comes its pretty good. Im 100kg so swapped to 4pot breaks but it has 203mm rotors so might be enough as is. 34front chainring is about right for lower cadence and motor assist. Its only the e7000 motor so outclassed by top end stuff. Forks and shock are good, wheels solid and the rear has a steel freehub which is good to prevent damage from high torque. I disliked the grips and saddle, but that personal preference.

For me the biggest thing to do was get the right pressure in the shock and especially the fork. Being an ebike fork its pretty firmly damped and even at my weight it seems to be sensitive to a few psi pressure change, too low and it wallows, too high and it beats you up. Tokens make a big difference too, you may want to remove some if installed. Also, as that bike is second hand I would also strongly suggest doing a basic service to the suspension, the Z2 forks are known for lack of lube/oil in the lowers and seals are basic and apparently performance is improved with a set of skf seals (i have a set to fit to mine but not done it yet).

Otherwise, just ride as is and replace as you find necessary.

 

[VWsurfbum]

Good info there, cheers @STATO
I'm genuinely excited for her.
I build wheels for fun so whatever setup we decide upon we can adapt, but maybe increasing the front travel on 27.5 is an easy fix to keep the same BB clearance? I'll have a quick look inside the fork when I do the service on it.
I guess I'll be swapping out saddles/grips and pedals for more coloured ones anyway. (I think it'll be red bits?) as I have carbon wheels with Red writing to go on.

 

[StuE]

What's the problem with the mullet setup?

 

[R120]

Being an E-Sommett owner and having risen the E-Sentier, I would be sticking with the Mullet set up.

The E- Sentier is a great riding bike out the box, whereas the Sommett is a full on enduro rig, the Sentier is a really fun trail bike, and the 29r up front combined with the shorter travel set up makes a good combo of playfulness and stability when stuff gets rougher.

 

[VWsurfbum]

What's the problem with the mullet setup?

She's only 11 and 5' 1" at the moment coming from a 26" pedeller

 

[StuE]

She's only 11 and 5' 1" at the moment coming from a 26" pedeller

If you swap to a smaller wheel with a longer fork stand over etc will be hardly any different, what size frame is it ? If she's only 11 I imagine she's got a bit of growing to do

 

[STATO]

If you swap to a smaller wheel with a longer fork stand over etc will be hardly any different, what size frame is it ? If she's only 11 I imagine she's got a bit of growing to do

Wheels and tyres weigh a fair bit less in 27.5 than 29, so that may be useful making handling easier for smaller rider, especially on an already heavy bike.

One option at that age might be getting some shorter cranks. Shimano spec 165 but shorter can be found, that would balance out the loss of BB height in terms of catching pedals. Im sure at that age grounding out over obstacles wont be a huge issue, and if it is then at least it means she is riding harder stuff than many adult riders .

 

[VWsurfbum]

If you swap to a smaller wheel with a longer fork stand over etc will be hardly any different, what size frame is it ? If she's only 11 I imagine she's got a bit of growing to do

its a medium 17" sh'es probably got another 4-5" if No1 is anything to go by. Standover looks pretty low anyway so thats good. I'm more worried that the jump between 26 & 29" will be a bit too much of a distraction?

 

[StuE]

its a medium 17" sh'es probably got another 4-5" if No1 is anything to go by. Standover looks pretty low anyway so thats good. I'm more worried that the jump between 26 & 29" will be a bit too much of a distraction?

Kids adapt very quickly, give it a few rides and I'm sure she will be fine

 

[R120]

Your biggest issue i suspect will be the fact that the Vitus frames of this generation don't have the ability to fully insert a dropper post due to how the shock passes through the frame - the seat tubes are fairly tall despite the standover being reasonable to allow enough tube above the shock window, and for example even in a size L a 150mm dropper cannot be fully inserted (pic attached of my L with 150mm One up as inserted as far as it will go).

I cant recall what dropper comes with a medium bike (looks like a 125?)but you will likely want to look at a 100mm dropper, or just a cut down normal seat post with qr clamp in the short term.

Other than that its the 23kg weight that I would have though is the biggest issue for an 11 Year old if they cant put their feet flat on the ground.

 

[R120]

Miranda do decent cheap 150mm cranks for the steps motor

DELTA SH

Compatible with Shimano STEPS E8000, Miranda's award-winning Delta S crank is manufactured through a proprietary cold-forging process with cutting-edge metal processing technologies. A dedicated engineering process to eliminate weak points by distributing loads is seamlessly applied to produce a...

mirandabikeparts.com

 

[VWsurfbum]

Cheers chaps, its arrived at the delivery depot so hopefully will be at home when i get back later.

I was worried about the seat post, I do have the 100mm on her current bike that I may be able to swap over. The weight I think is the one thats going to catch her out, I'm off all half term so hopefully, we'll get enough rides in to make her feel comfortable. might even get her over to the Surrey Alps (weather permitting) before a trip upto Deggy.

 

[VWsurfbum]

Well it's turned up, it fits perfectly, which is a massive relief.
She's super happy and zooming up and down making lots of exciting noises and now won't shut up about riding plans.

Job jobbed.

 

[R120]

Nice work! My kids are younger but I love going out riding with them.

Always amazes me that we spend out time on here moaning that top end components aren’t up to the job, yet an 8 year old will send it on a fully rigid!

 

[VWsurfbum]

So forks swapped out, dropper sorted, suspension set up to her weight.
Tomorrow we send!
Not put the carbon wheels on yet, need an adapter for the front hub ( should be at home when I get back)
Impressed with the Vitus hubs though, they spin for ages!

 

[VWsurfbum]

Right so our week off didn't go to plan, after all the swap around and setting up for her weight it fitted perfectly!
So we headed for the hills, she was smashing it, keeping up with us on the climbs, doing a few more technical features than she normally would (confidence of an ebike) and we were all really enjoying it.
Then just before a short climb, a dreaded error code popped up, W013, E010 etc etc.
We've had it read by a mate with windows - shimano link and we think its the torque sensor. No faults logged at all up until that morning.
So now its awaiting a visit with the Shimano service centre to hopefully be fixed?

Bit i'm worried about is if Shimano wont honour the 2 year warranty on the motor as the second owner ?

 

[STATO]

Ive had those pop up before, but switching off and on again without weight on the bike and bike vertical cleared them and didnt come back, at least not for months. Will they not clear at all?

If not shimano Warranty then you got it from Wiggles clearence ebay didnt you? can you not deal with them?

 

[VWsurfbum]

Yeah they've been really good and have agreed if it's not fixed I can send it back ( i don't want to have to do that if i can help it)
No, the good old off and on again wouldn't clear it or the resetting from the windows connection or even the re-installing the software wouldn't

 

[R120]

Have you checked that the speed sensor on the wheel is correctly aligned with the pick up on the stay? This can cause this, info in manual here:

https://si.shimano.com/pdfs/sm/SM-SHIMANO_STEPS_US-000.pdf

 

[VWsurfbum]

Yup, that was the first thing. The error code comes up straight away before turning wheels or pedals.
I tried replacing the speed sensor as well as i have a spare, that didn't work either

 

[VWsurfbum]

So heard back from the Shimano centre last night. it's dead jim.
So off it will go back to wiggle.
Hopefully got another bike lined up for her and we'll get her back out on the trails.

 

[StuE]

So heard back from the Shimano centre last night. it's dead jim.
So off it will go back to wiggle.
Hopefully got another bike lined up for her and we'll get her back out on the trails.

If it's a Shimano service centre they could have sent the motor directly to Madison for exchange, it's what they did with mine and it saved me the hassle of dealing with CRC

 

[VWsurfbum]

They're a shimano center, Shimano said no because we're the second owner.

 

[R120]

Did you get he bike off Wiggles eBay sales shop? Wonder if the bike had originally been sent back to them with a fault and they have just flipped it on.

 

[VWsurfbum]

Did you get he bike off Wiggles eBay sales shop? Wonder if the bike had originally been sent back to them with a fault and they have just flipped it on.

I think that's exactly what has happened. No faults at all showing on the data before her's, but checking the paperwork supplied, it had faults prior.