Other My experience with Bearing Man's US affiliate - completed

[RebornRider]

I think the sprag clutch in my 3-year-old replacement Brose is failing. Since the bike is more than 4 years old, I sent the motor to Bearing Man's US affiliate, Ebike Motor Repair in Tennessee. Have any of you sent your motor to this place for service?

I'll let y'all know how it goes.

 

[UnreasonableMuppet]

I haven't sent my motor there, but I did talk to them on the phone. Super helpful via phone.

 

[Husky430]

I haven't sent my motor there, but I did talk to them on the phone. Super helpful via phone.

Same here in Oz with Bearing Mans Australian affiliate

 

[High Rock Ruti]

I think the sprag clutch in my 3-year-old replacement Brose is failing. Since the bike is more than 4 years old, I sent the motor to Bearing Man's US affiliate, Ebike Motor Repair in Tennessee. Have any of you sent your motor to this place for service?

I'll let y'all know how it goes.

High Rock Ruti
Hello there Ruti here!

Please let us know how the rebuild goes, I'm about to have the US guy's rebuild mine

Warm Regards Ruti

 

[RebornRider]

Timeline so far:
Sep 18: US Post Office has my motor.
Sep 21: Ebike Motor Repair picks up motor from their local post office.
Sep 30: Ebike Motor Repair sends email with diagnosis and refurb/upgrade cost (ouch!!!!).
Sep 31: Worry about an old geezer on Social Security (me) spending a kilobuck to fix a bike.

Oct 1: Learn that a new motor is more than a kilobuck; decide to close my eyes and open my wallet.

 

[luna87824]

Timeline so far:
Sep 18: US Post Office has my motor.
Sep 21: Ebike Motor Repair picks up motor from their local post office.
Sep 30: Ebike Motor Repair sends email with diagnosis and refurb/upgrade cost (ouch!!!!).
Sep 31: Worry about an old geezer on Social Security (me) spending a kilobuck to fix a bike. View attachment 125911
Oct 1: Learn that a new motor is more than a kilobuck; decide to close my eyes and open my wallet.

A new motor has a two year warranty........

 

[RebornRider]

A new motor has a two year warranty........

True enough. The upgraded refurb has a one year warranty, plus it's supposed to have much improved water ingress protection. Bearingman has a YouTube video showing the added seals. I'm assuming his US affiliate has access to the same parts. Since my motor died from main shaft corrosion due to water ingress (according to the shop), it's tempting to try a product that is supposed to protect against that.

Note that this shop offers a factory parts rebuild for significantly less money. My $1000US is supposed to include beefier bearings and sprag clutch as well as additional sealing, plus the new main shaft. It should last longer than a new factory motor.

 

[malc101]

True enough. The upgraded refurb has a one year warranty, plus it's supposed to have much improved water ingress protection. Bearingman has a YouTube video showing the added seals. I'm assuming his US affiliate has access to the same parts. Since my motor died from main shaft corrosion due to water ingress (according to the shop), it's tempting to try a product that is supposed to protect against that.

Note that this shop offers a factory parts rebuild for significantly less money. My $1000US is supposed to include beefier bearings and sprag clutch as well as additional sealing, plus the new main shaft. It should last longer than a new factory motor.

I thought the going rate for an upgraded rebuild in UK was about 1/2 of that in USD. I am sure it is justified, but wow! I love my spesh bikes but they do seem to require more rebuilds than their Bosch counterparts. So unfortunate that they will not sell the parts for the motors, especially since they must have quite a graveyard of returned motors.

 

[RebornRider]

For those of you keeping score at home, my final bill with the shop came to US$1010.72, which includes shipping the motor back to me. Adding another US$26.35 to send the motor to the shop brings my total to US$1037.07.

Ouch! I may have to come out of retirement in order to afford bike maintenance!

Be careful with bike washing, stream crossing, and riding in the rain!!!

Keep in mind that I asked for the full motor refurbish/upgrade package that includes sturdier bearings and sprag clutch as well as improved sealing. My motor also needed a replacement main shaft due to corrosion. This shop's basic service starts at US$541.

 

[RebornRider]

Timeline so far:
Sep 18: US Post Office has my motor.
Sep 21: Ebike Motor Repair picks up motor from their local post office.
Sep 30: Ebike Motor Repair sends email with diagnosis and refurb/upgrade cost (ouch!!!!).
Sep 31: Worry about an old geezer on Social Security (me) spending a kilobuck to fix a bike. View attachment 125911
Oct 1: Learn that a new motor is more than a kilobuck; decide to close my eyes and open my wallet.

Oct 11 (6:00 pm): Motor is back in my hands. 3-1/2 weeks from disassembly to reassembly.

 

[RebornRider]

I blame anything but me for this, but it has taken another week after the return of my motor to finish reassembly.

There is a predictable side effect of improved water ingress sealing, and that is more pedaling drag with the motor off. It may not affect normal riding much, but it is definitely harder to run the pedals with my hand with the bike on the stand. I expect the newly added drag will decrease as the seals "wear in".

My plan is do my regular ride today, which is 21 miles with a total of 2000 feet of climbing. I wonder how much fitness I've lost in 5 weeks of no riding?