Vitus E-Sommet VR

[smokey_jo]

So mine arrived over the weekend and got it built up yesterday had a few issues which I managed to sort myself thankfully:

1. Dropper cable routing - the cable routing means that it's very hard to move the cable outer. As I am right at the bottom of the size range of a medium (5'6" and a bit) I needed to have the seat at it's lowest position. Due to the lip in the seat tube it means that I have to ride with the post just a bit less than fully extended. I don't have a problem with this but the outer cable being so stubborn to move meant that I had to shorten the outer cable to allow the seatpost to be fully inserted. Silicone spray on the outer eventually got it moving enough but I dread the day any of those internally routed outers need replacing!
2. Pairing the e-tube app to my phone (Nexus 5x) from the app wouldn't work - kept failing at the pin code. By initiating the pairing from the bluetooth settings in my phone it worked forst time albeit not using the 000000 code but 123456 instead - weird?
3. Test ride tonight hopefully and assuming all is well I'll set the tyres up tubeless ready for the weekend.
4. Managed to find a position where the dropper and motor remotes can work ok with my hands for now will see how it is in riding conditions though.

 

[sibot]

How long did you have to wait for CRC/Wiggle to build and deliver it? I'm on day 8 now and they still haven't done the PDI as far as I can tell...

Also, I believe you can internally shim the brand-x seatpost to restrict the drop so that you don't have to mess about with it to get back to your desired ride height all the time. Have a look for the shims that fit in the new Oneup components posts to do exactly that, I've seen at least one report of someone making their own shim to that pattern and fitting it in a brand-X.

(Surely you have to post a picture, is that not in the rules? )

 

[smokey_jo]

Mine took 7 days from order to door and they did respond to an email saying they were having delays due to flogging loads of bikes.
Internal shim sounds interesting if you find a link can you post it please - I'll have a google too.
Pics later once I've got it dirty, well a bit dusty is probably all I can expect

 

[sibot]

Dropper post shim - heres the oneup page with an image of the shim, looks fairly straightforward actually especially since it has measurements on one arm so you can scale the rest of it properly.

STW thread - heres the thread on STW where someone mentioned they had done it to their BrandX (about 2/3 way down the first page).

Yeah, they told me they were delayed due to selling so many bikes - hopefully it turns up before the sun does one .

 

[smokey_jo]

Spacer instructions OneUp Components' Travel-Adjustable Dropper Post - First Ride - Pinkbike
As I have a laser cutter in my shed I will be making my own once I've found some suitable material to make it out of

Ooops should have refreshed before posting!

 

[smokey_jo]

Just back from a cheeky pre-tea 45 min blast round the local hill.

Uphill on eco on tarmac and dry stony track easily twice as quick as on my mtb for much less exertion.

On techy but not steep climb on eco a bit quicker but much less effort.

Downhill felt just as quick and it felt just as easy to pump off lips and change direction. Braking points need to be a tiny bit earlier but not huge amounts.

Too many stiles on the route though, only bit that got me in a sweat!

The fork and shock are so much better than my pike and float CTD circa 2012. (I have the lower spec model)

Just need to tubeless the tyres and shim my post and all will be good.

Came back grinning,

 

[R120]

Welcome to the family!

 

[peteh80]

Just back from a cheeky pre-tea 45 min blast round the local hill.

Uphill on eco on tarmac and dry stony track easily twice as quick as on my mtb for much less exertion.

On techy but not steep climb on eco a bit quicker but much less effort.

Downhill felt just as quick and it felt just as easy to pump off lips and change direction. Braking points need to be a tiny bit earlier but not huge amounts.

Too many stiles on the route though, only bit that got me in a sweat!

The fork and shock are so much better than my pike and float CTD circa 2012. (I have the lower spec model)

Just need to tubeless the tyres and shim my post and all will be good.

Came back grinning, View attachment 2934 View attachment 2934

Yep, that's definitely made my mind up now. I wanted the blue VR but none available. A couple of yours left in XL. So I take it your happy with it etc? £2800 with BC discount is unreal too!

 

[smokey_jo]

Doubt there's a better value £2800 e mtb out there in the UK available new! I feel I've made a good choice, feels as good to ride as the merida e-onesixty 800 i test rode for nearly 2k less

 

[R120]

Buy it and spend the change on upgrades - the basic elements that make it such a good bike are the same, namely a really sorted geometry and suspension kinematics.

Personally essential upgrades regardless of model IMO are:

-Shorter cranks
-Swap out the stock E8000 controller for a E6000, or wait a bit for the new E7000 controller coming out in a few moths as it makes dropper placement much better
-Change the stock dropper remote to a Wolftooth Light action, not essential but transforms the action on the Brand X dropper, though you will need a new gear cable to do this. Go one step further and pair it with a One Up 170mm dropper post if the budget allows.

Loads of info on all this in this thread anyway.

 

[peteh80]

Buy it and spend the change on upgrades - the basic elements that make it such a good bike are the same, namely a really sorted geometry and suspension kinematics.

Personally essential upgrades regardless of model IMO are:

-Shorter cranks
-Swap out the stock E8000 controller for a E6000, or wait a bit for the new E7000 controller coming out in a few moths as it makes dropper placement much better
-Change the stock dropper remote to a Wolftooth Light action, not essential but transforms the action on the Brand X dropper, though you will need a new gear cable to do this. Go one step further and pair it with a One Up 170mm dropper post if the budget allows.

Loads of info on all this in this thread anyway.

Great advice pal!
Yeah I've had a good read today, how do you go about programming the controller in or is it a simple plug and play item?

 

[R120]

Just pull out the old one and plug in the new

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Finally got out on it!

 

[davosaurusrex]

Go on then, enlighten us!

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Go on then, enlighten us!

Only a few hours riding. It is a very capable bike, felt like I had to man handle it around the tight switchbacks, no surprise as its geometry is not best suited for what I was riding. Looking forward to getting more time on it.

 

[peteh80]

GRRRRRRRR Theres none left in XL!!!!!!

 

[peteh80]

Finally got out on it!

View attachment 3034

That looks ace.......

 

[SteveVentoux]

@Rob Hancill Glad you got it charged up and over to Swinley, look forward to the write-up/video.

 

[smokey_jo]

First big ride done:
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All done in eco except for 20 mins of pushing which even turbo wouldn't get me up. Battery went to 1 bar at the top of the last climb.

There's nothing wrong with the handling of this downhill, the extra weight does mean you pick up speed a bit quicker in the steep stuff so you have to concentrate. Rock gardens, drop offs, fast grassy and nadgery tech sections all dispatched as easily as on my Commencal Hip Hop.

On the steep ups the front does wander a little bit and some practice will be required to start popping the front over obstacles.

The brakes are ok but I'll try some sintered pads next time I think just to see if they improve things. Braking control was fine though with good feel and modulation.

Had a battery error after stopping for some lunch where the bike auto turned itself on and when I restarted it it had an aw013 error code.
Switching off and on didn't sort it but taking the battery pack off and refitting did.

My 'shimming' of the post to limit travel worked fine, I used 1" sections of zip ties in each of the keyways to limit things as my first attempt with a lid of a takeaway tray proved to be not sturdy enough.

Would have been nice to have finished with two bars left but 5000ft most of which were pretty steep on a hot day obviously took its toll. It will be interesting to see how it goes on climbs that aren't as steep.

I might knock the assistance back on all of the levels though as I find trail on steep climbs caused the front to lift too much.

 

[peteh80]

Ordered my black/orange deore yesterday, can't wait now!

 

[smokey_jo]

I see you're not too far away, I'm over near Skipton. Give me a shout if you fancy a ride out in the Dales, South Lakes or Rivi

 

[peteh80]

Yeah will do. I mostly hit Gisburn Whinlatter etc as I don't know my way over the Moore's! Ha

 

[smokey_jo]

Happy to show you round, so much good natural stuff on the doorstep, been riding these parts for 20 odd years now.

 

[R120]

Has anyone stripped down there bike yet? I.E Fully removed the motor, battery mounts, all cabling etc from the frame? I am looking at doing some mods that will require this, and tested to do it myself rather than get a shop to.

 

[peteh80]

Has anyone stripped down there bike yet? I.E Fully removed the motor, battery mounts, all cabling etc from the frame? I am looking at doing some mods that will require this, and tested to do it myself rather than get a shop to.

What mods are you thinking about? I'm sure it's not a hard job to remove the motor. Just a few bolts and wires etc

 

[smokey_jo]

I had to drop the motor to free up the cable outers when sorting my dropper. Chain off, Cranks off, chain guide off, Undo mount bolts - make sure your torx wrench is decent quality as it appears they're done up with an airgun at the factory - had to use the big bar to loosen off a couple of mine.

The internally routed cabling is a right rats nest so at least you'll have the opportunity to tidy it up. Before reassembly I would put some wax polish or rub a candle over the cable outers so that they can move against each other - will help if you have to replace in the future.

 

[R120]

I need to strip everything off, I.e totally break down the bike to its frame only.

Having read the dealer manual from shimano the only thing I can see as difficult is the speed sensor

I have dropped the motor before, but never unplugged everything.

 

[Kernow]

I need to strip everything off, I.e totally break down the bike to its frame only.

Having read the dealer manual from shimano the only thing I can see as difficult is the speed sensor

I have dropped the motor before, but never unplugged everything.

That’s interesting , what makes the speed sensor difficult to remove on the vitus , it must be very similar to the commencal ?

 

[davosaurusrex]

Speed sensor just unplugs from the side of the motor assembly and cable feeds back through the gap under the shock. The whole thing comes apart very easily, handy to have something under the motor to rest it on while you free up the cabling and particularly vice versa when reassembling. Just don't do what a mate did when he phoned me and asked for a hand as "the motor bolts are really tight, I've already rounded off an Allen key". I tried not to take the piss too much when I pointed they're Torx bolts....

 

[R120]

That’s interesting , what makes the speed sensor difficult to remove on the vitus , it must be very similar to the commencal ?

Its not shown/clear in the manual, but makes sense now with replies in thread