Is it me? Second faulty EP8 after 315 miles total…

[crsb]

So… I’m wondering if it’s me or the motor?

I ride a Vitus eSommet VRX. The torque sensor went in the first EP8 after 160 miles, and now the second motor has another internal issue after 155 miles.

My general riding style involves stuff like the red and black runs at Bike Park Wales, Dyfi, FOD, etc. So I’m wondering if it’s the rough terrain and jumps?

Does anyone have any experience with this happening? Or is there a better suited motor for my style of riding? Or does anyone have any advise if I’m actually doing anything wrong or if I’ve just been unlucky?

I’ve always been careful with cleaning it, never washed it with a hose, always just wiped it down and then cleaned with damp cloth, just generally taken as much care as I can whilst cleaning.

Thanks in advance!
Chris

 

[Martinfartincentrepartin]

around 2k miles on my ep8 . No issues so far

 

[Davvee]

My Vitus E-Sommet VRS 2022 has just passed 275 miles and I cant fault the motor. Most of my riding has been in the Peaks (The Beast, Potato alley, lockerbrook) So its had a pretty hard life so far.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I’m wondering if it’s me or the motor?

It's possible you've just been really unlucky for two to fail. You're certainly not alone with the issue though.

At the same time, I take it you don't jet wash it or have it on the back of the car in the rain - can create quite a lot of water pressure.

 

[mike_kelly]

500 miles on EP8, no problems.

 

[RustyIron]

the second motor has another internal issue

You'll want to work out a more precise description of the problem before you take take the bike to the shop.

 

[Ark]

do you get many Pedal strikes? are you changing gear whilst pedalling full force?
Pulling away in a seriously hard gear might not be motor friendly either.


stay in the gear you would usually start off from with the motor on but turn the motor assistance off and see how hard it feels.

It's probably not so good for torque sensors etc when your basically having to stand and put all of your weight on the pedals to start moving.

It seems like there's a bunch of ebike riders who would be fine with a 4 cog cassette and they get a lot of motor issues

 

[steve_sordy]

2200 miles issue free. I agree with the thrust of what @Ark is saying.

 

[mike_kelly]

Shift like you were on an analog bike.

 

[crsb]

At the same time, I take it you don't jet wash it or have it on the back of the car in the rain - can create quite a lot of water pressure.

Nope, I never jet wash it and it it only get transported in my van

 

[crsb]

At the same time, I take it you don't jet wash it or have it on the back of the car in the rain - can create quite a lot of water pressure.

Nope, I never jet wash it and it it only get transported in my van

do you get many Pedal strikes? are you changing gear whilst pedalling full force?
Pulling away in a seriously hard gear might not be motor friendly either.


stay in the gear you would usually start off from with the motor on but turn the motor assistance off and see how hard it feels.

It's probably not so good for torque sensors etc when your basically having to stand and put all of your weight on the pedals to start moving.

It seems like there's a bunch of ebike riders who would be fine with a 4 cog cassette and they get a lot of motor issues

I would say I get the odd pedal strike, but hardly ever to be honest.

As for changing gears, I would say I don’t change gear any differently than I would on a normal bike. After the first motor went, I made sure I was extra careful with everything, even to the point that if I was stopped, I would turn the assist off in case I was to rest my foot on the pedal, so It didn’t put any pressure on the motor thinking I was about to pedal away.

The issue with the motor now is almost like there are teeth missing on some internal cogs, I get 2 very loud clicks and the cranks judder whenever I pull away, even in 1st.

Either way, Wiggle have agreed to take the whole bike back and give me a full refund, even after 9 months of ownership, so they must know somethings up? Very annoying as I love the bike! But I just can’t trust it anymore.

 

[Bob Orbea Rise]

That “could” just be a slipping freehub, or a missing tooth on a small sprocket, from experience. What’s the error code exactly?

 

[Bob Orbea Rise]

Further …. Could it be that the fault is with the transmission carried over from the first motor that remains undiagnosed ?

 

[maynard]

R u chugging up hills In small sprockets?

 

[maynard]

In turbo

 

[InRustWeTrust]

I ride a e-sommet vrx to and ride most bikepark and enduro and no problem so far. I think you are are just unlucky to have a second problem.

 

[crsb]

R u chugging up hills In small sprockets?

Definitely not, I would say I range between 1st and 4th when going up hill. But yes I’m in boost mostly when going up hill

 

[Guyt]

1 115 km (693 miles) on my EP8 powered E-FATBIKE. But it is true that I ride mostly on smooth terrain, change gear like if I was riding a plain fatbike and rarely use the "boost" mode.

 

[Bad Mechanic]

Take a look at Rocky Mountain. From an engineering and sustainability stand point, their system is much better. It uses a standard bottom bracket that's separate from the motor, and the torque sensor is a reliable externally mounted strain gauge. The motor itself is a simply the motor running a chain reduction to the output sprocket.

 

[mikegarf]

So… I’m wondering if it’s me or the motor?

I ride a Vitus eSommet VRX. The torque sensor went in the first EP8 after 160 miles, and now the second motor has another internal issue after 155 miles.

My general riding style involves stuff like the red and black runs at Bike Park Wales, Dyfi, FOD, etc. So I’m wondering if it’s the rough terrain and jumps?

Does anyone have any experience with this happening? Or is there a better suited motor for my style of riding? Or does anyone have any advise if I’m actually doing anything wrong or if I’ve just been unlucky?

I’ve always been careful with cleaning it, never washed it with a hose, always just wiped it down and then cleaned with damp cloth, just generally taken as much care as I can whilst cleaning.

Thanks in advance!
Chris

Hi Chris
1200 trouble free miles so far on my Orbea Rise. General trails with a few jumps etc. I'm hoping that the detuned EP8 RS will last longer than a standard tune because it's not working as hard but who knows.
Out of interest how quickly / easily did you manage to get replacement motors?
Cheers.

 

[jcismo1]

I’m currently at 3724 miles on my Orbea Rise. Though, about 70% of those miles have been pretty much on gravel. I haven’t had any issues yet. When I do get to the mountains, some of the trails are over 20% grade, so there’s a lot of load put on the motor for sure.
I wish we lived a little closer to the mountains.

 

[seamarsh]

So… I’m wondering if it’s me or the motor?

I ride a Vitus eSommet VRX. The torque sensor went in the first EP8 after 160 miles, and now the second motor has another internal issue after 155 miles.

My general riding style involves stuff like the red and black runs at Bike Park Wales, Dyfi, FOD, etc. So I’m wondering if it’s the rough terrain and jumps?

Does anyone have any experience with this happening? Or is there a better suited motor for my style of riding? Or does anyone have any advise if I’m actually doing anything wrong or if I’ve just been unlucky?

I’ve always been careful with cleaning it, never washed it with a hose, always just wiped it down and then cleaned with damp cloth, just generally taken as much care as I can whilst cleaning.

Thanks in advance!
Chris

Never ever wash your bike. It's the reason some people have problems and other don't. I suspect it's why so many in uk have issues.. just let mud dry and brush it off, then wipe with wet microfiber towel. No need to be hosing it down.

 

[RJUK]

Am i right in thinking that once the motors break an entire replacement is needed? There's no way to service them?

 

[Cyclopath1000]

Correct Shimano motors are not serviceable. I replaced my e8000 at 5k miles all sorts of clunking started for the last 500 miles. Motor was $1200 direct from Shimano. 2019 model year so approx $300/year without installation. That’s in my acceptable range. Not much different than what 5k miles of drivetrain parts typically cost. Or a couple sets of linkage bearing replacement. E biking isn’t exactly a cheap sport.

 

[B1rdie]

Definitely not, I would say I range between 1st and 4th when going up hill. But yes I’m in boost mostly when going up hill

Wow, how steep are the climbs around there? Using a 34 t chainring an 11-40 11speed cassete I hardly use boost on 20% of the time spent climbing. At 80 rpm cadence.
I’d say that landing jumps and using turbo/boost out the design scope of a motor are the most usual reasons for motor failures.

 

[Wilbur]

So, jumping, gearing and washing bikes destroys motors..
Remind me why we are buying these overpriced fragile electric toys again?

 

[Stoneilove]

Never ever wash your bike. It's the reason some people have problems and other don't. I suspect it's why so many in uk have issues.. just let mud dry and brush it off, then wipe with wet microfiber towel. No need to be hosing it down.

110% this.

 

[Bob Orbea Rise]

Never wash your bike? Are you in the UK? You’d never ride it it’s always bloody raining

 

[Cyclopath1000]

Granted I have the old style removable e8010 battery, but if I’m going to apply water to bike I always remove the battery ,wash , dry,wait overnight and keep bike in a warm place to totally dry out on the fear that water will short circuit something. I have zero proof that this is a good idea but it seems right to me

 

[Choppersquad]

So, jumping, gearing and washing bikes destroys motors..
Remind me why we are buying these overpriced fragile electric toys again?

100% agree. I'm really starting to wonder how long it's actually going to take bike companies to nail this whole ebike thing. We seem to be spending £5k on bikes which we're fully expecting to break down at some point.