My Relay rocks

[Suns_PSD]

I don't hear any clicking from the motor free hub personally.

Flip your bike over, remove your chain, turn the motor on and spin the cranks by hand so that we can hear that noise in isolation. Also try just spinning the cranks and letting go with the motor off to see how freely your cranks spin. My cranks spin pretty well with the motor off. Like the cranks will maybe rotate 5-6x where-as a normal bike might spin 12-14x if you have a good BB. That doesn't represent very much drag at all.

If I was building a rear wheel from scratch for any e-bike, I'd order the old style Onyx hub with instant engagement to try and assist with the slack that's already there at the motor.

 

[QuackFU]

View attachment 120775
View attachment 120776

My medium GX AXS finally made it! Just finished my first ride on it and liked it a lot. Some details/thoughts:

• Weight: 44lbs with battery, 39lbs without
• Ride details: 11.5miles, 1433ft of vert
• Modes used: 3/4 of ride was in the breeze setting (green). 1/4 of the ride in river (blue). Used the 12 second boost mode maybe 5 times to try it out.
• Battery usage: 66% remaining
• Impressions: felt like a natural ride, both up and down. The motor kicks in smoothly and is very quiet. Really impressed with the downhill feel/ composure.
• Noise: minor "clunk?" coming from the battery area on repeated compressions. I am a fan of quiet bikes so I am going to have to do some investigation on mitigating the noise. Wasn't horrible my any means, but was present.
• GX AXS: really impressed with the shifting - especially when cranking down. Definitely an upgrade from my XX AXS version one.
• Wasn't expecting the motor coast "click/ free hub sound" to be as loud as it was. It pretty much drowned out the sound of the rear hub. If you buy hubs because of their sound and not because of engagement, then save your money....I wouldn't be tossing I9s on this ride because they sound cool lol. But I will swap out the rear wheel for a 27.5 at some point and will likely consider a nicer hub at that time.

Still some minor adjustments to work out on the suspension and need to figure out some pedals/ grips, but for the first ride I couldn't be more stoked!

Im curious about the "click/free hub sound" you mention from the motor coasting. From my knowledge (and experience with 2 different systems) there are not pawls in the motor that would make a freehub type sound. My Relay and Fuel Exe most certainly came from the rear hub.

 

[RxBike]

Not sure this link will work for the video. But coasting and spinning the crank backwards makes this pawl-esque noise. You can see that the chain is not moving, so no way it is the hub.

 

[QuackFU]

Can hear that load and clear, but I think we were on different pages when you said the noise was from coasting. That is from pedaling backwards (not coasting), which if there is a pawl mechanism in the fazua motor for its freehub body I could see it making that. Just don't remember it on mine.
And as comparison, the TQ system is dead quiet when coasting or pedaling backwards. ONYX hubs would make it silent

 

[Suns_PSD]

Not sure this link will work for the video. But coasting and spinning the crank backwards makes this pawl-esque noise. You can see that the chain is not moving, so no way it is the hub.

Yah, mine does that. It's normal. Never had noticed before cause I don't pedal backwards while riding!

 

[RxBike]

Mine makes that sound whenever I am coasting - that’s when I noticed it. Similar to a rear hub, pedaling backwards and coasting downhill are the same things. What kind of sicko pedals backwards when going downhill lol?

 

[RxBike]

Mine makes that sound whenever I am coasting - that’s when I noticed it. Similar to a rear hub, pedaling backwards and coasting downhill are the same things. What kind of sicko pedals backwards when going downhill lol?

So when I am coasting, the chain is still slightly engaging and moving forward, causing the sound in the motor like pedaling backwards. Doesn’t seem like that is normal?

 

[Suns_PSD]

I think something is causing friction and forcing that freehub forward so that you are hearing it all of the time.

Pretty darn sure it shouldn't be doing that. I only rode mine 5x before having surgery and have been off for weeks now or I'd be more definitive.

Record a brief riding video and send it to Transition's warranty department by email for a more definitive answer.

 

[RxBike]

I think something is causing friction and forcing that freehub forward so that you are hearing it all of the time.

Pretty darn sure it shouldn't be doing that. I only rode mine 5x before having surgery and have been off for weeks now or I'd be more definitive.

Record a brief riding video and send it to Transition's warranty department by email for a more definitive answer.

You are exactly right. I swung the bike by the transition booth in whistler and they confirms that it is a known issue with the trace hub. Apparently the weather seal works itself out and causes friction. He confirmed it is a warranty issue and race face will warranty it.

 

[QuackFU]

You are exactly right. I swung the bike by the transition booth in whistler and they confirms that it is a known issue with the trace hub. Apparently the weather seal works itself out and causes friction. He confirmed it is a warranty issue and race face will warranty it.

Good to know, and glad you were there so you could swing it in! Its just too bad that a bike that new has a known issue, but hopefully it will get handled quick

 

[Nerds On Dirt MTB]

Hey all got my motor from Transition, install was pretty easy with a few pointers from our shop manager, motor is so quiet compared to the first one I got I thought it was not working But its up and running and feels more punchy then the last one. First ride tomorrow, stoked!

 

[QuackFU]

Hey all got my motor from Transition, install was pretty easy with a few pointers from our shop manager, motor is so quiet compared to the first one I got I thought it was not working But its up and running and feels more punchy then the last one. First ride tomorrow, stoked!

Awesome! Hope it stays quiet for you

 

[Suns_PSD]

Hey all got my motor from Transition, install was pretty easy with a few pointers from our shop manager, motor is so quiet compared to the first one I got I thought it was not working But its up and running and feels more punchy then the last one. First ride tomorrow, stoked!

Really glad it worked out!

You swapped your own motor? I asked if I could but Transition told me it was just easier to send it to the bike shop for the warranty, so I did. Should be out early next week.

If yes, could you tell me how you did it as I tried to drop the motor on mine but got stuck pretty quickly and found another way to solve the issue I was having?

 

[Nerds On Dirt MTB]

I'm a mech (part time) at a Transition dealer and have done a few motor drops on Orbeas and Levos, so the Relay was really easy. Drop battery, drop the little "dogbone" holding in the main power cable, remove cranks, remove chainring with BB59 tool (opposite thread, this bit got me), remove rear wheel, remove rocker/shock bolts, remove the 6 bolts on the sides, pop the sensor and controller cables out comes the motor, then just reverse adding some grease to the frame contact points, and fresh Loctite to the side bolts, then reverse order. This is all from memory (which is not 100% at best ) so there may be missed steps.

 

[Suns_PSD]

Yah, I got stuck at the chainring and frankly, stripped a torx a bit so I stopped.

 

[Bringiton]

Has anyone had any issues with the dropper post sliding down into the seat tube over time while riding?
- Carbon frame
- Carbon assembly compound used during installation
- Seat clamp torqued up to 10nm in tests.

Seat will inevitably side all the way down to the dropper post collar slowly over 30-60 min of riding.

 

[Nerds On Dirt MTB]

Has anyone had any issues with the dropper post sliding down into the seat tube over time while riding?
- Carbon frame
- Carbon assembly compound used during installation
- Seat clamp torqued up to 10nm in tests.

Seat will inevitably side all the way down to the dropper post collar slowly over 30-60 min of riding.

I did have this, but carbon paste fixed it.

 

[Bringiton]

I did have this, but carbon paste fixed it.

Which band do you use?
I've been using finish line fiber grip for my other bikes and it works fine but not on this relay.

 

[Nerds On Dirt MTB]

I used the same, was pretty generous with it lol

 

[RxBike]

50 miles down on the bike. Really love the way that it rides. Unfortunately, every time I hit a bump or consecutive bumps, it sounds like it is going to fall apart. Sounds like the motor is loose and bouncing around. Haven't tested it without the battery, but I don't get the impression that it is a loose battery. It also isn't the battery garage door.

Also, I believe my motor needs warrantied. Already sounds like crap, not as quiet as it initially was. Sounds sort of like a grind/rattle noise. I will video it at some point.

4 rides in...already had a creaky headset that wasn't greased from the factory, a rear hub that needs warrantied, and the motor sounds like crap (hopefully gets warrantied).

Less than ideal experience so far.

 

[QuackFU]

50 miles down on the bike. Really love the way that it rides. Unfortunately, every time I hit a bump or consecutive bumps, it sounds like it is going to fall apart. Sounds like the motor is loose and bouncing around. Haven't tested it without the battery, but I don't get the impression that it is a loose battery. It also isn't the battery garage door.

Also, I believe my motor needs warrantied. Already sounds like crap, not as quiet as it initially was. Sounds sort of like a grind/rattle noise. I will video it at some point.

4 rides in...already had a creaky headset that wasn't greased from the factory, a rear hub that needs warrantied, and the motor sounds like crap (hopefully gets warrantied).

Less than ideal experience so far.

Sounds exactly like my experience unfortunately

 

[Suns_PSD]

Has anyone had any issues with the dropper post sliding down into the seat tube over time while riding?
- Carbon frame
- Carbon assembly compound used during installation
- Seat clamp torqued up to 10nm in tests.

Seat will inevitably side all the way down to the dropper post collar slowly over 30-60 min of riding.

I can barely squeeze my dropper in and torque to 5 nm.

Did you verify that you have a 31.6 dropper and didn't accidentally get a 30.9?

 

[Bringiton]

I can barely squeeze my dropper in and torque to 5 nm.

Did you verify that you have a 31.6 dropper and didn't accidentally get a 30.9?

Yeh verified that and checked the sizing of the seat tube with a caliper. Going to try another brand of carbon compound.

 

[Mr Tonka]

You are exactly right. I swung the bike by the transition booth in whistler and they confirms that it is a known issue with the trace hub. Apparently the weather seal works itself out and causes friction. He confirmed it is a warranty issue and race face will warranty it.

Funny, I found this out when Transition was at Howler bike park and I kept dropping my chain. The did a quick fix, I bought a new wheel set and sent that wheel in for warranty.

 

[Mr Tonka]

Guess I'm one of the few who hasn't had issues or has figured out what they are and mitigated them. Best bike I've ever ridden.

I mean, no ebike is without issues. When they first started getting popular, my local shop was replacing levo motors weekly. That went on for 2 years or so. Now they don't. But they are still searching for why some levos continue full power after peeling for a few seconds at random times. Some other mid power eeebs lose wattage output when the battery is in a lower state of charge. Others creek like crazy, EP8 motors rattle and some eeeb frames are designed well enough to not crack repeatedly.

I did find the battery retention clip position to be crucial regarding shut off on harsh hits. It's a very simple design but it can also easily be pushed out of position. Once in the right position, no more issues. Outside of that, most of the rattles come from cables. Medium density foam takes care of that. The lower shock bolt needs 13nm to not come loose instead of 10nm. The DHX coil on the PNW versions make a clicking noise when compressed. And the only slight rattle I can't get rid of is the engagement of the cranks on the motor drive. But that doesn't happen all the time and most don't even notice it. But now that I've identified it, it's much less bothersome.

In terms of bike performance, it's hard to beat. Such a good bike.

Unfortunately, I think a lot of issues come down to quality control at Transition. Whoever is building and packing the bikes can mitigate A LOT of these minor issues by taking maybe an extra 15 min when building it up.