Boardman ADV 8.9 E

[Beachbuggy]

It's great to have found you guys (and women) and this Boardman forum, having been searching for answers to my various questions on the ADV 8.9E .
I found the Biketest review of the Cairn E-Adventure 1.0 in the August/September 2020 edition of Cycling UK magazine very interesting and I pretty much agree with their conclusion - " .... the whole thing is great fun if, perhaps, not as slick overall as the main opposition." That referred to the Orbea Gain M20 (£3,999) and Boardman ADV 8.9E (£2,399).
Before I made my decision to purchase the Boardman, I visited the Cairn factory/showroom at Partridge Geeen to look at the bike and give it a short spin around the business park to make my comparions. Having already decided that I preferred the ADV 8.9E, alhough Halfords don't allow you to try out the bike, the trial ride did not change my mind. I decided that I didn't really need the Hunt wheels and hydraulic discs at an extra cost of £600, plus pedals. And I also got a special 10% discount at Halfords with the Cycling UK monthly voucher on everything I purchased, although the voucher does state that the discount does not apply to e-bikes.
Winslade, I'm just about coming to the decision that you have already made; I love the bike, but the very poor locking mechanism is negating all the positives about the bike. On Monday I will go back to Halfords to see if they can provide a solution, other than keeping the mechanism well lubricated. I am loathe to spend another £70 on the new Locker pX just now.
In your experience, is it essential to replace the Fazua battery/motor with the red locking mechanism open before clicking shut, or can it also be inserted with it the red lock "in" and then locked out with the key?
I have recently been using the bike without the battery and motor with just the Downtube Cover in place. That was another £74!
I too have found a slight rattle developing in the bottom bracket and tightened the locking screws as others here have suggested. In your experiences, did the T20 and T30 screws all work loose, and about how much torque should be put on them in tightening?
I'll be using the bike a bit more next week and let you know how it feels after making these adjustments.
Meanwhile I will continue playing with the new Fazua Toolbox 2.0, which I have found really can make a difference to the bike's response and performance.

 

[gzoom]

I've had a recent interesting 'experience' with my 8.9e. Since new its made a slight clinking noise when in Rocket mode. I finally got around to taking a video and sending it to Fauza.

I was pleasantly susprised how quickly Fazua got back to me, and informed me the whole BB/Crankset needed replacing.

It took 2 weeks for Halfords to get new parts, first ride today on my commute to work and in Rocket mode I absolutely smashed my previous PB, averaging nearly 18mph on a 15kg hybrid during a commuting ride, thats the kind of speed I aim for on my road bike when going for it!!

.

I've also taken it on some minor off roading which was fun of sorts, though am not sure the risk of falling into Thistle is any nicer than a close pass by a lorry on the road .

Thankfully I've has no issues with the lock, maybe its because I open/close it everyday, I may get the 12V switch to allow the remote to power it on/off.

Overall now that the Fazua motor on my 8.9e is working well am very pleased with the bike. My daily commute on it is about to increase from 6 miles to 15 miles, and as the weather worsens the 8.9e will be taking up more miles at the weekend as I put the road bike to rest till next year .

The bike is fab but you do have to chase Halfords to sort out issues which shouldn't really exist on a £2k pedal bike .

 

[richtea]

> I'm just about coming to the decision that you have already made; I love the bike, but the very poor locking mechanism is negating all the positives about the bike. On Monday I will go back to Halfords to see if they can provide a solution, other than keeping the mechanism well lubricated.

That bad? Ours can be stiff, but it's still pretty usable. It takes practice - maybe 2 or 3 removals before you get into the swing of it. Same goes for the lock position, which may fool some new owners into thinking the lock is stiff/faulty when it's simply locked:
- Locked = turn key anti-clockwise, and when the key is vertical remove it. The battery is now locked in. Pressing the release button now does nothing.
- Unlocked = turn key clockwise, and when the key vertical you can press the release button firmly with two thumbs, whilst supporting the battery.

You can always insert the battery, regardless of the lock position. Insertion is a positive action - you'll hear it click in (sometimes a double click), and the top of the battery will be flush with the frame.

However, for all that, the new lock mechanism must be an improvement - otherwise why would Fazua have designed it?!

 

[Beachbuggy]

> I'm just about coming to the decision that you have already made; I love the bike, but the very poor locking mechanism is negating all the positives about the bike. On Monday I will go back to Halfords to see if they can provide a solution, other than keeping the mechanism well lubricated.

That bad? Ours can be stiff, but it's still pretty usable. It takes practice - maybe 2 or 3 removals before you get into the swing of it. Same goes for the lock position, which may fool some new owners into thinking the lock is stiff/faulty when it's simply locked:
- Locked = turn key anti-clockwise, and when the key is vertical remove it. The battery is now locked in. Pressing the release button now does nothing.
- Unlocked = turn key clockwise, and when the key vertical you can press the release button firmly with two thumbs, whilst supporting the battery.

You can always insert the battery, regardless of the lock position. Insertion is a positive action - you'll hear it click in (sometimes a double click), and the top of the battery will be flush with the frame.

However, for all that, the new lock mechanism must be an improvement - otherwise why would Fazua have designed it?!

richtea, Thanks for your advice but I have been using the bike for six months, and following your guidance on (attempting) to open and close the battery compartment each time, having removed it dozens of times. Sometimes it just plain jams up and no amount of pushing the button will release it. If I bounce the bike a bit on the ground a few times it sometimes loosens it, and I can sometimes insert a wooden spatula to prise it open as I squeeze down forcibly with my other two hands on the release button.
I have also invested in a downtube cover for cycling without the battery, when the frame develops an irritating clicking sound when I push down hard on the pedals going uphill; this I put down to the slightly reduced stiffness of the frame without the heavier cover.
Only small irritations, but enough to put me off what otherwise is a brilliant bike.

 

[richtea]

If I bounce the bike a bit on the ground a few times it sometimes loosens it, and I can sometimes insert a wooden spatula to prise it open as I squeeze down forcibly with my other two hands on the release button.

Yup, I agree that sounds much worse then ours. That's a shame.
Worthy of a free exchange of the locking unit, if you can esasily reproduce it in front of Halfords. It's not fit for purpose if you can't get the battery out!

 

[gzoom]

Had more time on the bike last few days since getting the motor sorted. Have to say am very impressed, it delivers more than enough assistance for the commute which means I can hit a higher average speed and extend my commute ride home just for fun .

On a 5.6% average gradient which hits 11% in parts with Rocket mode am matching the best times I get on my road bike (green circle), and significantly quicker than before when the motor wasn't working properly (red circle).

Interestingly the Strava power estimates seem reasonable as the last two rides up the hill I had Rocket mode on which is suppose add 300Watts almost exactly the same difference between the ride pre motor fix and post .

On the flat the motor doesn't add much if at all, this is on a 3km stretch of 0% gradient. But because I wasn't as knackered when I got the segment I was able to go pretty hard, so usefully quicker than before. But you can just how much quicker my road bike is, with a best time of nearly 10km/h quicker.

Overall am really looking fowards to see how the bike handles the coming winter's commute.

 

[Wooly67]

I had same problem with battery first few times, dropped the blasted thing as it was heavier than I thought. Now my system is to unlock battery, pull battery into frame, this I feel releases the tension on the lock, push lock and gently drop the battery on to the front tyre, turn lock and release key, switch on battery, pull battery back into frame until I hear it click home, then push lock to test it wont fall out. Well it works ok for me.

no matter what I do I can’t undo the battery, don’t seem to have strength in my thumbs, have to get other half to take it off for me, the new model for 2020 as rich Tea says - has a catch which you lift up to release the battery, wish I had known that . I also just bought the cover for £70, tried that thinking less weight, I still can’t get it off.ha. .... weakling....

 

[Wooly67]

My 8.9e has just gone back in to Halfords today, for the clinking and clicking, they had a new tech Who said he would look at it... the last tech just got sacked .... the one that built my bike no doubt... any way fingers crossed.....

 

[gzoom]

@Wooly67 Well worth sticking with it to get the Halfords to sort the bike out, once working as designed its a fantastic machine.

See my other post, but I may now enjoy riding it more than my road bike!!

 

[Wooly67]

Yes I will thanks, I’ve been following what you said , glad yours is sorted now.

 

[Wooly67]

My bike went back On Sunday as previously stated so gave Halfords a call for update Wednesday and the new tech guy who has been really great said he wouldn’t do the repair as it would keep happening, so they have ordered me a new bike. He said it should be delivered to them on Friday, so hopefully this one will be problem free . Fingers crossed.

 

[Ralphbostie]

My 8.9e has just gone back in to Halfords today, for the clinking and clicking, they had a new tech Who said he would look at it... the last tech just got sacked .... the one that built my bike no doubt... any way fingers crossed.....

Hi Wooly67, I bought my first 8.9e in May this year, when I left the shop with the bike, I had a clicking noise develop within 3 days, I contacted Fazua and told them the four crank bolts had worked loose, they said tightening them up wouldn’t do any harm. About a month later I had a red light show on the remote, so the battery and drive pack wouldn’t work, Fazua suggested taking it back to Halfords. Six weeks later Halfords still hadn’t sorted the problem out, so I demanded a new bike, my 90 days warranty was nearly up, they did agree and gave me a new bike.

i picked my new bike up, just before leaving the shop I asked the guy to check the four bolts was tight, to his surprise three were loose to which he tightened them up for me. They Then worked loose again in no time, so I contacted Fazua and Boardman, both saying the bolts shouldn’t come loose, I took photos of the bolts and sent them to Fazua showing no Loctite had been used. Fazua sent me back four new bolts with Loctite on saying tighten and leave for 24 hours. I think it’s a factory problem not at the Shops, Fazua has been in touch with Boardman about it so hopefully they get to grips with it? The bolt size were M6 x16 they arrived within about four days from Fazua, I haven’t had a problem since.

 

[Wooly67]

Hi Wooly67, I bought my first 8.9e in May this year, when I left the shop with the bike, I had a clicking noise develop within 3 days, I contacted Fazua and told them the four crank bolts had worked loose, they said tightening them up wouldn’t do any harm. About a month later I had a red light show on the remote, so the battery and drive pack wouldn’t work, Fazua suggested taking it back to Halfords. Six weeks later Halfords still hadn’t sorted the problem out, so I demanded a new bike, my 90 days warranty was nearly up, they did agree and gave me a new bike.

i picked my new bike up, just before leaving the shop I asked the guy to check the four bolts was tight, to his surprise three were loose to which he tightened them up for me. They Then worked loose again in no time, so I contacted Fazua and Boardman, both saying the bolts shouldn’t come loose, I took photos of the bolts and sent them to Fazua showing no Loctite had been used. Fazua sent me back four new bolts with Loctite on saying tighten and leave for 24 hours. I think it’s a factory problem not at the Shops, Fazua has been in touch with Boardman about it so hopefully they get to grips with it? The bolt size were M6 x16 they arrived within about four days from Fazua, I haven’t had a problem since.

Thanks Ralphbostie for letting Me know, I have read a similar thing on this site so I will make sure when I pick it up that they have done that.

 

[Ralphbostie]

Thanks Ralphbostie for letting Me know, I have read a similar thing on this site so I will make sure when I pick it up that they have done that.

If they are loose Wooly67, I wouldn’t just let them tighten them back up, insist on Loctite being applied again or do it yourself, otherwise they will loosen again. They have to be tightened to a specific torq, I think it’s 8.8n or something near this figure. I’ve also bought the plastic down tube which I use when I mostly do the trails and when I don’t need the battery. I’ve found the best mudguards to use and fitted are SKS Raceblade pro, the front one protects the down tube Vent from muddying.

 

[Wooly67]

If they are loose Wooly67, I wouldn’t just let them tighten them back up, insist on Loctite being applied again or do it yourself, otherwise they will loosen again. They have to be tightened to a specific torq, I think it’s 8.8n or something near this figure. I’ve also bought the plastic down tube which I use when I mostly do the trails and when I don’t need the battery. I’ve found the best mudguards to use and fitted are SKS Raceblade pro, the front one protects the down tube Vent from muddying.

Yes I will make sure they are done with loctite And torqued up properly.
I just bought the down tube cover as well, got it for £70, thanks for the tip on mudguards as I have been looking for some, I will check them out. Seems a very good idea to stop as much dirt as possible getting on the vent. thanks again.
Just looked at the mud guards , am going to get some.