Boardman ADV 8.9 E

[ianmac62]

Thank you, @gzoom - noted and will do!

 

[Ralphbostie]

Hello everyone! Really grateful to have found this thread towards the end of a long time researching into / dithering about an e-bike. Everyone's comments have been really helpful to me; I've appreciated the photos too, both the ones in the wild and the ones going into those parts of a bike that you just don't see on manufacturers' / retailers' websites or in commercial reviews.

It's usually invidious to pick anyone out for special thanks in these situations ... but I'll give it a go. So thank you especially to @goo_mason @richtea and @gzoom for so many words and photos of wisdom; and to @Mandauk40 and @Notxal for their photos. You were very helpful.

I've ordered on the Halfords website an ADV 8.9e, a spare Fazua battery, and an empty battery compartment cover. I collect the bike "built" from my local Halfords in eleven days time. Yippee!

I've also spent a long time looking in my shed at torx sockets that will fit on the end of a small torque wrench. I was also pleased to discover that I had a small screwdriver set, purchased years ago in Lidl, that has a choice of torx heads! The first job will be to check that the bike has been "built". And then check that the firmware is up-to-date, I guess.

Other stuff - saddle, pedals - I know I've got. I'll want to fit mudguards (thanks for the advice and photos) and a pannier rack. I'll give the bike a few miles before deciding on better bar tape.

So many, many thanks!

P.S. I read somewhere, possibly on the CTC site / forum, that I can reduce the gearing further by swapping to a Sunrise 11 - 46 cassette (with a longer chain). Does any have any thoughts about this?

Hi Ianmac, when you pick the Bike up get them to check that the Torx bolts are tight, on two occasions (they swapped my first bike) the bolts wasn’t tight. I’ve emailed Boardman and Fazua about this problem, Halfords just build the bike up as like per delivered to your house, i think the problem has been traced back to manufacture build up.

 

[ianmac62]

Thanks, @Ralphbostie - added to my notes of things to ask / check when I go to Halfords!

 

[Ralphbostie]

Thanks, @Ralphbostie - added to my notes of things to ask / check when I go to Halfords!

My first Bik

Thanks, @Ralphbostie - added to my notes of things to ask / check when I go to Halfords!

I don’t know if your bike will come with the new Locker PX, I’ve just had it fitted to my bike, it’s made such a difference getting the battery out.

https://ebikeufo.co.uk/products/fazua-evation-locker-px

 

[ianmac62]

new Locker PX

Also on my list when I go to collect the bike! 👍

 

[CXRAndy]

The motor bolts coming loose seems to be a common issue. I would check myself, remove each bolt clean and apply blue thread lock torque down to setting

 

[Ralphbostie]

The motor bolts coming loose seems to be a common issue. I would check myself, remove each bolt clean and apply blue thread lock torque down to setting

When I asked them at Halfords to check mine, they said “they hadn’t heard of the problem” I told them to check on here and see how many had had the problem. So I took delivery of my bike and asked them to check the bolts and three of the four bolts were loose backing up my claim. If we keep doing it ourselves the issue never gets sorted, Fazua said they shouldn’t be loose and to keep reporting it to Halfords.

 

[ianmac62]

The motor bolts coming loose seems to be a common issue. I would check myself, remove each bolt clean and apply blue thread lock torque down to setting

Fazua said they shouldn’t be loose and to keep reporting it to Halfords

Added to my to do list 👍

 

[ianmac62]

Collect my ADV 8.9e tomorrow morning from my local Halfords (I've had an e-mail & a text from them) so 🤞🤞 for the build. Spent quite a while this evening rereading this thread. Now have a long checklist for the shop and for when I get home (so long it's a spreadsheet).

Thanks again to all contributors and for all the photos too. I let you know how I get on.

 

[Ralphbostie]

Collect my ADV 8.9e tomorrow morning from my local Halfords (I've had an e-mail & a text from them) so 🤞🤞 for the build. Spent quite a while this evening rereading this thread. Now have a long checklist for the shop and for when I get home (so long it's a spreadsheet).

Thanks again to all contributors and for all the photos too. I let you know how I get on.

Good Luck Ianmac, I’ve been out today around Hardwick Hall, 32k and loved it, just brought a Polaris frame bag (mini) large doesn’t fit, for my tools and spares. Have you paid for it yet Ianmac? If you join British cycling for £25 it gives you a 10% discount off Halfords?

 

[ianmac62]

Thanks @Ralphbostie I aim to fit a pannier rack rather than a frame bag (I'm old skool). I *think* that Halfords exclude e-bikes from the discount from British Cycling. I have paid and went through a link from the Barclays Bank website (rather than directly to the Halfords website) where Halfords are signed up to that bank's "Blue Rewards" scheme. Should receive a small cashback into a current account I have with that bank. Also a small cashback from using a cashback credit card. Not great but helps! (Another online retailer that is signed up for "Blue Rewards" is Apple who don't appear to offer any discounts elsewhere.)

 

[CXRAndy]

I aim to fit a pannier rack rather than a frame bag

The Topeak MTX panniers touring are excellent, folding away when not needed and quick slide removal.

 

[ianmac62]

Thanks @CXRAndy - I've got a spare Tubus rack that I'm thinking of using but I've noted your suggestion.

 

[ianmac62]

Well, I've collected my new Boardman e-bike. Didn't ride it home; the weather is a bit unkind at the moment - for the same reason, no photos in beautiful sunshine. Will either wait a day or two for good weather, or when I've fitted mudguards, for a proper test ride as I'd read the earlier comments about the exposed cables under the bottom bracket. (OTOH all my non e bikes have cables running there; but those cables will be wire or pneumatic rather than electric.)

First impressions:

• love the colour as it's an understated blue and not as shiny as shown on the Boardman and Halfords websites
• the down tube is just a little bulkier than shows on the websites
• the battery is lighter than I thought it would be

The kit on the bike:

• the controller (the remote) is in the top tube; I think I'm going to prefer that to on the handlebars, partly because it's clearly not likely to be detached and partly because it leaves more bar space for Garmin, lights etc
• the battery lock is the newer model with the little lever
• I like the flared drop to the bars; leaves the "on the hoods" position nice and narrow for a thin chap like me
• the saddle is a Fizik Tundra M7
• The tyres are Vittoria Terreno Zero TLS Graphene 2.0; the TLS stands for "tubeless ready" which is marked on the tyre; 700x38; recommended pressure 45-80psi also marked on tyre.

How I got on at Halfords:

• the first thing that happened was that the assistant gave me the key (& spare) before I got my checklist our of my pocket; so no chance of leaving without it
• the charger (both parts) was in a plastic bag firmly attached to the handlebars together with two manuals: a generic Boardman owner's manual and a Fazua Evation quickguide; so again no chance of leaving without them
• moving on to stuff this thread had advised me to check - when I asked him, the assistant checked the torx bolts of the bottom bracket/cranks in front of me; nothing at all moved (and he was a good strong lad)
• he then gave me a sheet filled in and signed by the assembler/mechanic with a list of what he'd done (and he spoke to him by phone); I *think* the numbers he'd filled in indicate the torque for four items (seat post, saddle, stem & bars, and those bb bolts) and the pressure in the tyres; he'd tightened the BB bolts to 40Nm - which is a great deal more than the 8.8Nm I saw earlier in this thread - but coincidentally that's the same number as the tyre pressure (!) he'd filled in, so I'll double-check
• the same sheet had the frame number on it
• I'm not used to thru' axles; the assistant didn't give me a demonstration but talked me through removal; this isn't in the generic Boardman owner's manual which is solely concerned with QR axles

Next steps while the weather is lousy:

• put a Garmin mount on the bars
• order SPD pedals; I have two sets of spares but they are well used (and it is a new bike!)
• order mudguards; thanks for the advice above
• fit mudguards first, then pannier rack
• download & install desktop app and mobile app; update firmware/software; check power settings as above (or I might leave that until I've put in some miles)
• visit the Boardman and especially Fazua websites for detailed instructions / videos - again thanks for the links posted above - there are no online references / addresses in the manuals I received
• check the recommended torque of those BB bolts!
• and charge the batteries!!

I don't think I'll go with the blue threadlock recommendation above at first as the bolts really did seem very tight in the shop.

But any thoughts on those recommended torques?

I've been really helped by this thread and so hope that this post gives a little help to future readers.

 

[gzoom]

@ianmac62 The weather isn't great am sure you will love it after a ride....am contemplating if I should commute tomorrow. 40mph gusts, I wouldn't try it on my road bike, but these eBikes are heavy things.....