Electric Bikes - Rear flat with Canadian Tire Schwinn ebike

I just had my first flat on the rear tire yesterday with my Canadian Tire Schwinn ebike. :notamused:
I was about 5 miles from home. I finally found the puncture and patched the hole locally without taking the wheel off. I took off my rear wheel today. I can tell you, that while on the road, I will never take off the rear wheel. It's too complicated and long to do because of the Currie motor. I had to remove the motor because I could never take off the small chain. Is there a quick method to do remove the wheel without touching the motor that I don't know about? Please tell if there is a tip I for this.

no i had the same problems with the currie motor on my izip so i swiched to a hubmotor.
it's not a nice setup to work with.

I was afraid of this. Thanks Karma.

I'm looking at replacing the rear tire with a Amerityre All terrain (http://www.cycleslambert.com/customers/en/catalogue/products/?menu=3&categorie=4&section=17668&family=&result=21063&mark=0&actions=result) or a Marathon Plus ATB HS 353 (http://schwalbetires.com/node/38).

Both are supposed to be puncture proof (or almost).
Does anyone have experience with any of these tires?

I always run with a puncture-proof tire on the rear wheel. Schwalbe and Specialized Armadillo are good too.

My local bike shop had the American All Terrain tire in stock ($50 + taxes). I installed it today. I'll see in the coming days how it feels with the bike. Since it's filled and has no tube it is absolutely impossible to get a flat with this tire.

While I took off the motor, I took the opportunity to make a hole in the casing of the gear section to insert grease without having to remove the motor.

good idea :) when you drilled the hole in the gearbox did you take it apart to clean it out? just a few shavings can ruin your ride.

Yes I did. I took the gear section apart. I also took off the cover plate, but didn't sand the rotor where the brushes connect. I'm thinking of doing this soon. I need to get some extra fine sandpaper. It seemed like my motor lost some torque today. It might be the new tire. I did my first commute with the new filled tire. It's fine when rolling forward, but feels loose and wobbly when turning or avoiding an obstacle. I'm thinking of filling the sides of the rim with clear silicone to remove the loose feelling.

Yes I did. I took the gear section apart. I also took off the cover plate, but didn't sand the rotor where the brushes connect. I'm thinking of doing this soon. I need to get some extra fine sandpaper. It seemed like my motor lost some torque today. It might be the new tire. I did my first commute with the new filled tire. It's fine when rolling forward, but feels loose and wobbly when turning or avoiding an obstacle. I'm thinking of filling the sides of the rim with clear silicone to remove the loose feelling.

toyfountain
Good stuff. I wondered if you had to remove the motor, motor mount and all to get the wheel off. It seemed that way. I was going to try it some rainy day if fate didn't push for an earlier test. The hole for greasing the gear reduction makes sense. I read a note somewhere that drilling holes in the motor casing, I think it's a Unite MY1018z or clone, makes it run cooler. I check the case temp on mine on hot days after big hills. If the design is right the case should reflect internal temp, it's not hot.

I read the same thread. It showed someone who had drilled the gear mount and had placed two screws to fill his up with grease. Another poster in the same thread had installed a zert.
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3249&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=60
I figured one hole should be enough.

This morning I finished balancing the two rims I took apart and switched on their respective bikes. The Izip kinda looks funny with different rims and tires for the front and back wheels, but I can live with this if it works. I just did a short test of the Amerityre All Terrain tire with a steel rim instead of aluminum. It is much more solid and feels safer compared to the feeling I had when it was in the original AL rim. I even shut off the motor and used it pedalling only to see how it was. It felt alright. I'll know more on Monday when I do my round trip commute. I want to see if it uses more battery and if the rim stays true when the bike has added a few more miles on it. I'm really hoping it works, because if it does this would be a solution to a rear flat problem with an Izip or Ezip bike. Taking the motor off every time is really too much work just to remove the wheel.

toyfountain

I'm still pursuing the chain from the Currie eZip motor to a Stoker's crank. Some people from that other site have helped. MORE parts are in the mail. (Just like the check, if Canadians share that joke, if not, ask). A good side effect 'could be', maybe, perhaps, the motor could stay mounted to the dropouts and the "new, different wheel could be mounted on a quick release axle.

This is still 'pie in the sky'. The proof is still in the puddin'.

take care, Don

toyfountain

I'm headed to bed, this idea may be just an dream before pillow, but.. This is all in terms of the horizontal motor mount, I think you can translate, you probably speak some french.

On the horizontal mount, what if a person needing to change a tire, looked and said Oh! poo and then thought, what if, while I have the tire, motor and mount off, I take the motor mount to a machine shop and have them saw away the material in the motor mount below the axle hole, so that it looks like a WIDER dropout slot. On the horizontal mount, my mind's image says there is still lots of material for strength.

Don

I don't know about the horizontal mount, but on mine (vertical mount) that's where the tension of the chain is adjusted. If I were to open it up to make a dropout slot another method to adjust the chain's tension would need to be figured out.

Another problem might be to remove the small chain from the sprocket. The only way now is to adjust the tension to the minimum.

I don't know about the horizontal mount, but on mine (vertical mount) that's where the tension of the chain is adjusted. If I were to open it up to make a dropout slot another method to adjust the chain's tension would need to be figured out.

Another problem might be to remove the small chain from the sprocket. The only way now is to adjust the tension to the minimum.

Toyfountain

Your concerns make sense to me. I forgot to mention in my earlier note that this gap in the motor mount plate would necessitate a fender washer ( a round slab of metal with a hole in middle) to bridge the gap and allow tighting the wheel axle in place.

About the motor to freewheel/wheel chain, you can buy ‘master links’ doodads that allow a chain to be taken apart/put back together at a whim.

As always these ideas are worth every penny you’ve paid for them. No guarantee available at no extra cost

I have never seen a currie motor setup up-close so this idea may be of no help.

But I wonder if the motor-chain can be opened and re-closed with a chain tool (will a regular bike chain tool work?) as an easier way to remove the rear wheel.

I have never seen a currie motor setup up-close so this idea may be of no help.

But I wonder if the motor-chain can be opened and re-closed with a chain tool (will a regular bike chain tool work?) as an easier way to remove the rear wheel.

Cerewa
You are correct as often seems to be the case. In fact a person would need a 'chain breaker' to get the little beauty apart, take out a link, then add a master link only if your bike shorts are too tight to always carry a 'chain breaker'. ;-)
Don

I have never seen a currie motor setup up-close so this idea may be of no help.

But I wonder if the motor-chain can be opened and re-closed with a chain tool (will a regular bike chain tool work?) as an easier way to remove the rear wheel.

In this thread you can see pics of the horizontal mount.
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3249&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

and both
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=431376

I'm not familiar with chain tools. The chain is very close to the mount plate. Would there be enough room to use the chain tool you mention?

In this thread you can see pics of the horizontal mount.
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3249&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

and both
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=431376

I'm not familiar with chain tools. The chain is very close to the mount plate. Would there be enough room to use the chain tool you mention?

toy fountain

Yes, it would just fine. It's not as big as a nutcracker. Its just a mini vise with a pin that pushes one pin of the chain out of the side plates holding things together and ten later can push it back into place to make the chain whole again. Any good bike shop probably has several different kinds.

Don

toyfountain
I should have added, my local Walmart has them.

A further thought about chain breakers. I have a neat little combo tool made by Topeak. It's maybe 80mm by 60mm by 50mm has about 8 hex (allen) wrenches, 2 screw drivers, .... AND a chain breaker. I wasn't carrying it, I have another combo that's more compact, but based on your experience it now in my eZip bike's bag. I'm sorry my thoughts come in dribbles. Life is a little hectic here just now.

toyfountain
last on this for a while. I ordered a extra 1/8" motor drive chain from Currie. I already have a 1/8" master link and the 17mm cone wrench necessary to loosen the nut that holds the axle to the motor plate. When the chain gets here, I'll take things apart, knowing I have an unmodified chain if things go south. The question then will be whether the drop outs will spread enough to allow room for that fender washer between the 17mm nut and the slotted out plate. I have a new blade for my hacksaw if things look good.