E-Bike Problems

This post is about the mechanical and electrical problems I had with my ebike during my recent trip through Europe and how I have (hopefully) resolved them.

Battery Charger

The bike battery charger stopped working.  This caused a slight panic as I depended upon the battery to assist my old legs.  In my haste to resolve the problem I initially forgot the golden rule “Look for the simple things first!”

I pulled the charger apart and used my poor eyesight and bad sense of smell tried and identify any faults.

There didn’t appear to be any visual issues and there was no smell of burning components.

Then I remembered the golden rule.   I checked continuity on the 240V and 48V cables.  No continuity on the 48V side.  After dismantling the plug I found the soldering on negative cable had broken at the pin.

A simple repair.  Thank goodness!

Reader you may recall I had a problem with the Shimano Alfine 11 speed internally geared hub in the rear wheel.  After getting a bungee strap caught in it all I was left with were gears 1, 9 and 10.  Although I managed to arrange for a French bike mechanic to attempt a repair; he was unsuccessful.  Eventually I had to wait several days for a replacement wheel and hub to be delivered before continuing with the trip.  The defective wheel was sent back to the UK using DHL.  When I returned to the UK I disassembled the rim, spokes and hub in order to take it home.

Once back home I partially stripped the hub to see if I could identify the problem.  The tolerances in the hub are very tight and I had previously read online others had damaged their hubs by placing them under too much strain.

The first thing I noticed was half a rubber ‘O’ ring which dropped onto the bench when I removed the outer cap.  Had I damaged the ‘O’ ring resulting in there being too much lateral movement in the axle?  This is what the French bike mechanic had suggested.

After looking at a hub parts diagram I realised the hub didn’t contain a small ‘O’ ring.

Then I remembered the problem was caused by a rubber bungee like the one below

 

The bungee was so tightly entwined in the hub I had been forced to cut it into pieces as part of the removal process. 

Using a magnifying glass I examined the sprocket end of the hub.

Something appeared to be caught in the mechanism

Using a sewing needle I was able to remove a tiny piece of rubber which I believe came from the bungee.  I’m hopefully I’ve solved the hub problem and am now the proud owner of two serviceable Shimano Alfine 11 internally geared hubs

Whilst disassembling the bike ready to box for the return to Australia I noticed the combined motor on/off and speed controller buttons was broken.  It must have happened during one of my falls during the trip.

Controller

The plastic hinge had broken. 

I couldn’t glue the hinge back together as the broken pieces were missing.  Moreover the bracket still needs to open and close when being installed or removed for travel.

My solution has been to cut a strip of plastic from the side of an old empty ice cream container and Araldite it to the bracket making a hinge.

It appears to be working.

The last problem wasn’t with the bike.  It was the small ‘FlexTail Zero’ pump for inflating the camping mattress.

The head unscrews from the body in order to gain access to the rechargeable battery.  The problem was the threads were so fine they seized and it took two pairs of pliers to separate them.  This not only damaged the threads but also the head portion of the pump.

Rechargeable battery with a USB-C socket

I managed to force the head and body back together but they will never be completely satisfactory. However the pump works.

IMHO this is a design problem.  The pump would be better if the USB-C charging socket was on the exterior of the pump body negating the requirement to separate the components.

Castleton Walk

Our youngest son thought he had a long list of maintenance tasks to keep me busy before my return flight home.   However I was able to complete them far faster than he expected.  With time on my hands I decided to go for a half day walk.  One of the criteria was to stay away from the English canal network as I didn’t want to get too nostalgic.  Avoiding canals is easier said than done, but I found an 8km walk in the Peak District.

My starting point would be Castleton in the Hope Valley.  The road into Castleton from the west is very steep, which triggered a memory.  I had previously driven this road!  Then I remembered it was near here where Jan and I had a meeting with Dot & Derek (nb Gypsy Rover) after they had sold their boat and bought a motorhome.

The village was my starting point with the circuit to the north. 

Castleton Visitor Centre.

To the south and above the village is the ruined Norman Peveril Castle built for William Peverel who was one of William the Conquerors knights.  Its strategic position dominates the surrounding countryside.

To the north was a nice ridgeline which would give my legs and lungs a workout.

In the distance to the south was what looked like a ruined factory.  Perhaps an old mill?

I was slightly surprised when an hour later I noticed smoke coming from the chimney!

In the valley to the north there appeared to be several former mills.  I believe the one in the photo below is Edale Mill.  It was built c.1793, and closed as a mill in 1932.  In the 1960s, buildings were converted into maisonettes.  Originally it was a corn mill and then a tannery before being converted into a cotton mill in 1795.

I’d completed my walk by midday and decided to have lunch in the Bulls Head, Castleton before return to Sale.

Rotterdam to Hull

After worrying all night about the bike being at the railway station I was up early and swiftly on my way to check if it was still there and OK.  Yes… sigh of relief!  With the bike back at the hotel foyer I packed my panniers and headed out of the city.  Only a short ride of approximately 50km to the village of Brielle (left arrow below).  Reaching it involved detouring off the direct route to the P&O terminal, but I have plenty of time.

Reluctantly I used Google Maps to navigate my way out of Rotterdam.  The directions from Google had me going around a small boat harbour then across a bridge over the river.  Being the Netherlands there was a good cycle path.  Moreover all the motorist are very mindful of cyclists and give way!

The boat harbour was picturesque BUT there was no bridge across the river.

I was in the midst of cursing Google when I noticed in the distance three dismounted cyclist standing in front of a grey door.  The door opened and they disappeared.  It was a lift!  There is no bridge.  It’s a pedestrian and cycle tunnel under the river!

Cycling along the south bank of the river was rather uninteresting.  Numerous cargo terminals and petrochemical plants.

On turning south I passed over a canal to reach a more rural region, eventually reaching my destination, Brielle.  What an attractive little village where cycling is the main form of transport.

I found a small hotel down a side street and before paying for a room ask if they had secure bike storage?  Of course they did… the Netherlands is cycling paradise.

After securing the bike in their locked courtyard, I went for a walk around the village noticing someone’s pride and joy in a suburban street.

A good night of sleep not worrying about the bike. 

The next day I slowly cycled to the P&O Terminal arriving just before boarding commenced, only to find a long queue of vehicles.  Eventually I reached the front of the queue and provided my passport and booking number (on my phone) to the lady in the booth.  What a shock when she informed me I wasn’t booked on the ferry.   Somehow I’d managed to book from Hull to Rotterdam rather than Rotterdam to Hull.  There was even more concern when she then informed me the sailing was fully booked.  Then she took pity on me and suggested I cycle to the main ferry office and ask if they could assist me.

Off I cycled only to find a long queue of elderly foot passengers attempting to board.

Finally I was at the front of the queue and after considerable and pitiful whining, grovelling and abasing they found me a cabin.  I then had to cycle back to the check-in booth before going through immigration and customs to board.  It was actually quite a nice cabin… with a window!

Departure wasn’t until 8pm so I wandered around the ship along with all the other passengers.

The next morning I woke a 5am and decided to have breakfast when the restaurant opened at 6am.

There was no one around!

Then I noticed a clock on the wall.  It was 4am.   A one hour time zone change for the UK.

At 7am I was packing the panniers as the ‘Maid of Rotterdam’ sailed up the Humber for an 8am arrival.

Back in England.  Cold, grey sky and threatening to rain (it did)

  

My 2024 European cycling trip is over.

Reflections

• The Netherlands cycling infrastructure is excellent.
• Namur to Dinant in Belgium was very attractive.
• I probably would have enjoyed the very hilly Ardennes if it hadn’t been raining.
• The path beside the River Saar between Saarbrucken and Luxembourg was scenic.
• Switzerland was very scenic but also very expensive.
• I enjoyed riding the north bank of Lake Constance
• Much of the EV15 (Rhine) route wasn’t what I had been expecting.  Little scenery or industrial.  Only the part between Mainz and Cologne was particularly enjoyable.
• Almost everyone I conversed with spoke English.
• The vast majority of cyclist were riding ebikes. 
• Would I do the trip again?  No!  There are other areas in Europe I’d like to see.

Duisburg to Rotterdam

The route along the Rhine almost took me to Nijmegen but then turned north away from the river as I cross the border into the Netherlands.  Having missed breakfast and again feeling dehydrated, I stopped for a bite and fluids

You wouldn’t realise you had just crossed the border into the Netherlands (former border post on the right) except for the conversion of the road to single lane with very nice red cycle paths on either side.

Towards the end of the day it started to rain and I decided against camping.  It was a small room but sufficient for my needs. 

Dinner was……. ‘Pork Schnitzel!’  What a surprise

The following morning the rain had stopped and I continued west.  The EV15 has moved north of the Rhine and I won’t see it again until Rotterdam.  The terrain is now very flat…. Easy cycling!  However I needed to rest my saddle sores at midday stopping in an attractive Dutch village.

It proved to be so interesting I lost concentration, cycling down the main pedestrian mall before realising I’d missed the turn back at the rest stop. More backtracking.

This is the land of canals and dykes. 

That evening I decided to treat myself to something other than a pork schnitzel.  Even if it was slightly more expensive.  French onion soup and beef burger

Not knowing what day I will eventually reach the ferry to the UK I’ve held off making a booking.  However today I calculated I can reach it in two days.  That fits in nicely with the end of the UK school holidays and will be a Monday, thus avoiding the weekend traffic.

To my surprise the Monday sailing is fully booked.   I’ll need to keep an eye on availability as I continue west.

This is the land of windmills

I wonder if it really is a house underneath?  This looks more like a windmill to pump water than grind grain.

It was at this point I made a mistake erred in my judgement and decided to book accommodation in Rotterdam rather than spending a night wrestling with the air mattress (sometimes it wins!).  Usually I book using Booking.com but this time I booked directly with the budget hotel located in the centre of Rotterdam.  It proved to be a mistake.

The Netherlands is a nation of cyclists, but to my surprise the hotel had no bike storage facilities.  A FIRST on the trip!  Moreover the staff at reception told me not to leave the bike out the front of the hotel as it was almost certain to be stolen.  They suggested I take it to the Rotterdam Central Railway Station, a 15 minute walk away, where there were numerous bike racks with CCTV coverage. 

There were thousands of bikes at the station.   But how many would be collected by their owners as the evening progressed.  Would my bike be on its own for the night.

A small sample

I carefully selected an anonymous vacant spot on a upper rack, securing the bike with my flimsy combination lock, which would only deter a casual or lazy thief.

All evening I worried about the bike; returning three times to check on it.  Those people loitering around the storage area looked unsavoury and I had a restless night.

  Central Railway Station

Eventually I decided if I was going to get any sleep I’d need to eliminate the worry by moving somewhere into the countryside for my last night in Europe.

Bonn to Duisburg

Cycling to Duisburg would also mean I’d reached the 1100km point on the return journey.

Today I left the hills behind and I’m not going to see them again as it will be flat all the way to Rotterdam.

The approach to Dusseldorf was interesting.  The cycleway southern approach was on a flood meadow and little could be seen of the city as it was obscured by the flood bank.

Over the past week I’ve seen several of the towers similar to the one in the above photo.  They look like airport control towers and my thought is they are river traffic control towers?

My butt was starting to get sore so I stopped and rested it for 30 minutes in a park on the northern edge of the city. Nice cycle path!

Initially I thought both towers in the photo below were part of the same building.  After further investigation I realised one was the cathedral spire and the other on the town hall.

The city Rathaus  (Town Hall)

Obviously the remains of an earlier tower, likely part of the city walls.  My understanding of German wasn’t good enough to read the plaque

Just north of Duisburg I found a quiet camping ground beside the Rhine.  Most of the residents appeared to be permanent, but the lady caretaker indicated they did provide tent sites for passing cyclists.  The cost was 12 euro with a further one euro to gain access to the showers.  These were on a timer (5 minutes). 

After establishing my campsite I went for a refreshing shower before sitting in my folding chair to rest. 

Within 30 minutes five more cyclists had arrived.

That evening I walked to ‘Gretchen’ the local pub/restaurant where I found yet more cyclists (mostly locals) enjoying an evening drink.

I settled on another pork schnitzel with chips and a side salad.  Washed it down with a coke!

Afterwards I watched the sunset over the river as several large barges and a cruise boat went past.

Another early night.  However it was quite noisy because of the river traffic.  The barges sound like approaching and departing jumbo jets.  I should have realised there would be continuous river traffic.