Trek FX + Problem
 

I rode the FX + into work this morning & noticed at the end of the ride that it seemed to be a lot harder to peddle than it was before. When I went out to lunch, the electric system won't engage. I can ride the bike & I can even cycle through the assist levels, but no matter what level I'm on, the assist does not kick in. Also, it shows my speed as 0 mph no matter how fast I am going. I checked for all of the obvious solutions (turn the computer off, then on/ make sure all connections are tight, etc) but that doesn't seem to matter.

Has anyone else come across this situation? Any icdeas for how to fix it? I'm not looking forward to the ride home without the battery if I can't get this fixed,

Thanks,
Mark

Some Bionx owners have reported that their electric power assist systems freeze up occasionally. One solution that some have reported is unplugging the controller then replugging it in. Unfortunately, some Bionx batteries apparently have had bad solder points, too. Hopefully, unplugging the controller will work for you. Good luck. If it's under warranty, get it into the shop.

Thanks for the tips. I checked the controller, but no dice. Looks like it's going back to the store. I was hoping it was something simple but no dice.

I had the same problem on my FX+. They had to change the cable assembly connected to the battery.

Thanks for the heads up. I head in tomorrow to get it fixed. I hope it's something they can do same day, but we'll see.

My LBS took the part of another FX+ they had in stock until they got the part from Trek.

Good Luck!

Jerry, I wish I had the same luck. The shop has the problem narrowed down to a bad cable assembly or a bad motor in the hub. Unfortunately, they do not stock either of these parts and need to contact Trek tomorrow morning to diagnose this further. As the shop is several hours away, it looks like I own't have the bike for at least another week, which is a shame as the weather is supposed to be beautiful.

Yah, I figured it is just one of those things. From the few rides I've had on it, this little inconvencience will be well worth it in the long run. I've already commuted more on this bike that I did on my old bike last year to this point. It's such a great commuter. Can't wait to get it back. Here's hoping it's this weekend & not next.

It is good to hear that you've only had that one problem. I'm hoping for the same thing here.

I have the Valencia. I didn't have that problem but did have a problem where I couldn't get the battery into the mounting and ended up denting the connectors. They fixed it though. I think I need to test the battery to make sure they didn't give me a more used one though. It's dropping off the first bar very quickly but that might just be a calibration thing.

If I have a problem with it just dragging though I now know where to look.

FX+ owners, another area to look out for is the headlight cable. Seems to be a bit short from the rear connection, through the frame, to especially the right/ground connection on the headlight. If you turn the bars to the extreme right, it's very easy to snap that particular connection, requiring warranty relacement of the cable. Not an issue during normal operation, but something to pay attention to in any situation where the bars inadvertently swing right. Hopefully, your Trek dealer adjusted wiring for optimal reach in this situation during assembly.

I'll keep that in mind. I was wondering how well it will do on the upcoming 5 Boro Bike Tour. Do you keep it plugged in or disconnect it when it turns green? The manual says to disconnect but I can't believe that anything this expensive needs to be disconnected. I would like it charged as much as possible before starting the 5BBT. I think I'll try to do the first 10 miles with no assist just to make sure that I have some juice for that last hill before the ferry.

It looks like the 3773 code (supposed to knock off the speed governer) doesn't do anything on the Trek series. The assist seems to cut off around 16 mph as is. Hard to tell.

I hope all those people that continue to rubbish el-cheapo Chinese-made electric bikes (such as the one I ride) are taking note of this thread:

Here we have a relatively expensive American-sourced bike, with an allegedly quality Canadian-made motor, but a major problem that has apparently presented a few repair issues. According to another member, this has been known to have occured in the past with the Bionx drive. It doesn't really make for a good advertisement for Bionx then does it?

On the other hand, I've been riding my clunky, heavy, roughly-welded steel-framed Chinese bike with unbranded battery, controller and motor for over 12 months, and it's never missed a beat. Nothing's loose or fallen off, or broken under load.

I've noticed all too often on this forum that many folks disrespect Chinese-made bikes out of hand to a point that verges on brand snobbery. Let this prove to them that in many cases, it's NOT the cheap Chinese electric bike that'll leave you stranded but an American one.

I await the inevitable howls of reproach!

The Trek bikes are made in China...

Geoff,

I haven't been around the boards for very long, so I don't know who is bashing the chinese brands. No howls of reproach here, but I just want to say that my Trek has been a great bike. Aside from this problem, I've had nothing but great luck with it & it has completely changed my commute.

I have nothing against the cheap chinese bikes, I'm all for whatever gets people riding. I just want to point out that, even with my one issue, the Trek/Bionx combo has been amazing & I would recommend it to anyone.

I just took my Valencia+ through the Five Boro Bike Tour and didn't even use the assist until mile 27. I could have gone the whole way without it but, I bought it, I might as well use it. It does make all the difference going up the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.

dgk, is the Five Boro relatively flat? I'm going on a 62 miler this summer, but it's very hilly & I'm afraid to take the FX+ & have the battery die half way through & then have to carry all that extra weight up the hills.

Pretty flat. Only the bridges and a few highway ramps are steep climbs. The pace in the front part, where I normally find myself, is pretty fast, around 17-18. That means the assist is almost useless. But I was with a sick friend for the first 27 miles and we were going pretty slowly so I didn't use the assist at all. The extra weight is no real problem on the flats, in fact it sort of helps keep up momentum. But I sure wouldn't want to be going up hills without the assist. Maybe you can borrow an extra battery from someone...