ON THE FIRST. DAMN. DAY.
Posted by NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 71 comments
Shame on hiland ebikes. I just got this bike, the AMBRUM Rythm. i put it together, and go on a ride with the bike. I HIT NOTHING. And on my way back home, my tire just BURSTS out of knowhere! What the hell!
TLDR: Hiland ebikes suck. Dont buy from them, if you have a problem, they give you worse tires.
ClintBX@reddit
It's just a flat brother. I'm sure the core components of the bike are fine for now. Just get some thorn resistant tubes and maybe some thicker tires
JG-at-Prime@reddit
Flats are a common occurrence. Before I start, let me ask; what tire pressure were you running?
I ask because bicycle tires run at surprisingly high pressures. Often up to 50 psi or more.
Flats are common and can be caused by a relatively large number of things.
1) The pinch or snake-bite flat. It’s caused be low pressure. The inside of the tire impacts the wheel and cuts two parallel “snake bites” in the tube.
2) The blowout. Where the tire comes off the wheel and the tube blows out. This one blew me mind as an adult. I’ve always bought the same tires and I’ve been used to them being tight a.f. to get on and off. I could put them on however and they would always self center.
Apparently for newer bicycle tires it’s 100% normal that the tire can’t be inflated with the bike on the ground. They need to be inflated a little bit and then you have to go around the inner wheel and make the bead as even as possible on both sides.
Once everything is as centered as possible then you can raise the pressure in the tires to your running pressure.
3) The puncture. Bicycle tires are remarkably thin. They do this not to be cheap, but to keep the tires light. The lighter the tires the more nimble and efficient the bicycle can be.
This is kind of a problem for e-bikes because they tend to travel much faster than bicycles. The higher speed means that many riders won’t be able to swerve out of the way of glass or sharp objects on the road.
Slower speeds give the rider enough time to pick their lines through broken glass or potholes full of metallic debris.
For an e-bike I recommend using a tube liner like CNC or Mr. Tuffy. It’s a tough puncture resistant plastic that traps thorns and glass between the plastic strip and the tire. Grinding the offender into dust. I also recommend adding a good quality bicycle tube sealant. The liners should stop most of the punctures, the sealant will take care of anything that does get through.
Get a floor pump or a small compressor for higher pressures. Trying to reach 50PSI with a tiny hand pump is not as fun as you might imagine. You’ll also want a good digital gauge.
Higher quality tires are available, but they won’t be fitted to entry level bikes for cost reasons. The tires that come on entry level bikes are like the cheap insoles that come in shoes.
They expect you to replace them quickly.
The good news is that you are learning more about the bike. That’s good because entry level bikes require a lot of maintenance.
You might want to read through the manual and see what service intervals they recommend.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
It was at about 65 psi.
QualityPixel@reddit
65psi is very high. On my mountain bike I use 28, on my cruiser ebike that has 27.5x2.5 tires I use 35. Any higher than 35 and I don't notice any benefit and a feel more bumps in my bones.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
I know how to fix a flat. The point is the tire was made of a very soft rubber that caused my tire to puncture at the first rock i rode over.
JG-at-Prime@reddit
Which liners and tube sealant are you thinking about adding?
The CNC liners have an adhesive strip that make installing them easier. The Mr. Tuffy liners are the O.G. though. I’ve been using them for over 30 years.
What do you think about tube sealants?
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Usually i dont use tube sealants. I just get tires with thick and dense tread instead of using tire liners or sealants.
JG-at-Prime@reddit
Ahhh. The “wing and a prayer” method. That one works best at slow speeds. I recommend not exceeding around 12 to 15 mph.
That speed gives you enough time to slow or steer around most debris.
I bicycle commute in Southern California and let me tell you, there’s decades worth of metal debris scattered all over the roads here. There’s significantly more crap on the road today than when I was a kid.
I thought I could get away with riding a bike for a week before my liners came in.
NOPE
Flat as a pancake miles from home. That walk sucked out loud.
These days I won’t ride without liners and sealant. Even if AAA will come out for e-bikes. (in certain states) For me it’s not worth going without protection and potentially ending up stranded on the road.
I hear about people who run nearly nothing and somehow never get flats.
I sincerely hope you are one of them.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
I used to have the chunkiest, thickest tires known to man on my old bike. I got a nail stuck in one of my tires, pulled it out and there was no leak.
This bike im gonna go for tire liners because of how thin the tires are.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
For refrence, this is my old ebike.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
No clue why this was downvoted. Its just a picture of my old bike.
alvl5abra@reddit
Holy moly that frame looks flimsy, did you get your new bike from the same manufacturer as your old one?
youandican@reddit
Dude, hate to inform you that the Bosch ebike frames are predominantly manufactured in Asia, like China, Taiwan and Vietnam. While it is true that some of their higher end bikes may use European frames, the vast majority are produced in Asia.
alvl5abra@reddit
And they still have a qc that applies to European laws unlike the cheap Chinese bikes. The geometry, tube thickness and welds get testet. The possibility of a brand bikeframe snapping or a bosh powerpack lighting on fire are really low compared to the cheap Chinese stuff.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Had to, they wouldnt give me a refund because i bought it through amazon and they no longer sell through amazon. The frame actually stayed strong for 2 years.
alvl5abra@reddit
Stayed strong for 2 years, you say that like it is a good thing. It's highly concerning that a bike frame only held up that short.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Its not. But for a cheap bike thats a good thing.
Worried_Document8668@reddit
you buy a full e-bike at a price at a cost that barely would get you an entry level muscle-powered bike. Of course they are cutting just about any corner they can, when it comes to quality
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Thats the thing though. You shouldnt expect that. I dont have that kind of money to get something like a lectric or a aventon, otherwise i would.
Worried_Document8668@reddit
you absolutely should expect that kind of thing happening. You pay bottom of the barrel you get bottom of the barrel,no famcy secret at work here
Formal_Beautiful_969@reddit
I can't stand all this criticism of people because they don't have or are not willing to spend 3, 4, or 5000 and above for an electric bike...ppl come n here for help no all this stupid talk about thaesons choices I don't have the kind of disposable income that will allow that much on bike but even if I did, guess what, I'm still buying the best looking , fastest, and the longest range for 1200.00 or less. On all the bikes I have bought,there are no components that I haven't seen on several other bike across several price points. Even some 4 and thousands bikes have any of the components that are on my bike so all thatshit ppl keep saying about parts being unavailable in the future my research tells me thats just a crock. I can't speak for all models and names but I have researched ridden many ebike s and I have owned 7electrick bikes since I purchased my first in Oct of 2023. I have yet to see one that has these proprietary components . Thank you
LaFemmeNikitaKoloff@reddit
Not everyone spending over 1k on an ebike has disposable income.
The Shimano/SRAM/Tektro components on a 1k bike aren't the same as a 2k bike with the same brands, which aren't the same as a 4k bike...
You've owned SEVEN ebikes in 2 and a half years. You've either broken something, or you haven't ridden anything enough to replace something.
alex_c2616@reddit
Nobody is talking about those proprietary parts tho, what are you rambling about there
SlashNreap@reddit
You're correct. You shouldn't expect a product to be dogshit just because you buy it at an entry-level price. But people here do not care to hear about any of that. They will *always* point you to high-end Ebikes, no matter your financial status, no matter your preferences. And if you're handicapped or require anything remotely different, then screw you, you shouldn't be on the road because your Ebike is "Not an ebike".
I would never have thought another hobby would have more purists and elitists, but here we go. "You get what you pay for" is true, but people here are exaggerating so much just to get you to buy the same shit as them, even if your use case might not be the same as them.
And that's coming from a motorcyclist primarily, a hobby that is arguably much more expensive. I didn't have to take a loan out from the bank or drown myself financially to be into the hobby and live out my passion. Weird how that works.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
I had a my other bike was the same price and worked amazingly up until the frame snapped. 2 years i had that thing and i rode it HARD.
Sorry-Committee2069@reddit
Fun fact: the "AMBRUM Rythm" is a generic ebike meant to be rebranded, not a Hiland specific thing, and you can get it on Alibaba for $350. Not only did you spend twice the amount on an ebike when you "can't afford a good one", you've also spent a total of $1200-ish, which is just over an entry-level lightweight Aventon. I'm aware that low/fixed income can make big purchases much harder to do for a variety of reasons, but at some point you gotta stop shitting money away...
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
I did not buy the bike, and the 2nd one was a warranty claim. I didnt buy it.
LaFemmeNikitaKoloff@reddit
I gotcha. That's not too bad then. Two years of hard usage for $650 ain't too shabby. I'm honestly surprised they warrantied the whole bike after that long, props to them lol.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
It was JUST BARELY 2 years and thats why i was able to get it claimed, it arrived at my house on may 1st so i just barely didnt miss the window
LaFemmeNikitaKoloff@reddit
Ahh true. Will they still warranty the tire that just popped?
If not, then yeah, just throw some good tires on 'er and send it. Good luck brother 🤘
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Thats the plan. They wont warranty tires because they are considered "wear items".
If you ask me its code for get fucked.
LaFemmeNikitaKoloff@reddit
Unfortunately, if you spend $3-400 on a brand new ebike, you do kinda have to expect that the frame will snap in half after entering a driveway. 'You get what you pay for' and all that.
alex_c2616@reddit
You got the cheapest, the tire were shit from the start and that's to be expected. Buy a set of tire and call it a day man
EltoDoesStuff@reddit
Just change your tires or tubing and you’ll be good, if the bike is good in another areas
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
I know. The point is these are the factory tires.
youandican@reddit
Man even factory tires can be bad from time to time. It is a bummer and a real PIA that it happened to you. I would just get a replacement tire and tube and be done with it, and while you are at it, to help prevent future flats think about putting some flatout in it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While it wouldn't have helped in this case it will help with nails and such things
xJadusable@reddit
I’m not a fan of the ebike elitists that swear there’s no quality e-bikes under the price of a used car, but in this case, I have the agree with the general idea they preach. If you’re gonna get a cheap ebike, you need to be prepared to do at least basic maintenance on them. That includes things like adjusting cable brakes or replacing cheap inner tubes/tires. Unfortunately for you, it’s a tire/tube issue. That’s a place where these companies cheap out on to give you that budget price point in the first place. Best advice I can give is get used to regular maintenance and potentially replacing the uber cheap stuff they use with better stuff, in this case inner tubes.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Thats what i have been doing.
EltoDoesStuff@reddit
Tbh that’s kind of what to expect when buying a cheap ass ebike, that’s what it sounds like you did at least. Some manage to be in good condition but some aren’t, and that’s what you may have to anticipate sometimes.
My advice, as someone who just did this today for my mate: if it’s the tube buy a same sized tube that’s more durable and just replace it, good as new. Or, get a whole new wheel. It’s better to invest your money wisely, read up on reviews, etc. It’s usually easy to tell if reviews are fake too
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Im just gonna buy a new set of chunky tires and tubes, dont want this to happen again
Murky-Smoke@reddit
You should also check the rim tape and the spoke ends on the inside of the rim. It's possible that they cheapest out on the tape, maybe even left a spoke poking out and pinching the tube.
Worth an inspection before having to replace it all again
EltoDoesStuff@reddit
Okay but make sure the frame supports it. Good luck👍
alvl5abra@reddit
Holy moly that frame looks flimsy, did you get your new bike from the same manufacturer as your old one?
EndPsychological7992@reddit
To think NASA operates on the lowest bid and somehow manage. No extra niceties, no bragging rights, only performance when it comes to the task at hand. Too bad as consumers, we allow cheap to be cheap, and we as a whole pay the price. Those who have, are becoming the exception, and the nots, the rule.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
I could not say it any better.
i_am_a_mammal@reddit
It's just a flat. Flats happen, even with top gear. Buy a new tube, remove tne wheel, remove the tire tire from the wheel. Feel all around the inside of the tire to make sure there isn’t a thorn.... what am I saying? Watch a YouTube video in how to fix a flat.
LexEntityOfExistence@reddit
This happened to me right out of the box with my Lectric 3.0
snoogins355@reddit
Lectric's customer service is really good. They have gotten me free parts way outside of the warranty period
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
My brother has one. Believe me i know. They have basically replaced the whole bike for him oht of warranty
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Ive heard XP 3.0s have a habit of doing that.
LexEntityOfExistence@reddit
It was ruthless, I sold my car, and expected an E bike soon enough, but they had delays and when it finally came it arrived with a tire leak
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Yeah that sucks.
Comfortable-Fly5797@reddit
This isn't a tire or quality issue it's a tube issue. Most likely the tire pressure was too low. Did you check the tire pressure before you rode? Are you pumping your tires to the correct pressure for their size and your weight?
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Yes i was.
Luxgrin@reddit
Green slime solves flats for those.
hike2climb@reddit
Junk bikes are junk bikes. I’m surprised you went with a warranty replacement after a frame failure. Thats scary. Maybe sell the replacement and put the money towards something more reliable that won’t burn your house down.
I understand the price concern. This bike is important to you for transportation. I would argue a better bike is cheaper long term because you aren’t spending on replacing bad components out of the box. All the little costs, tires and brakes usually, add up to be close to the cost of a good bike.
I’ll add that used Aventons are $1000 on Upway or buycycle. Probably cheaper locally if you watch marketplace. Or the Aventon Soltera is $1200 new. Maybe you can put some money away to make a better investment next time.
PenaltyUnable2012@reddit
Throw some decent tires on it and call it good.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Thats the plan. Im just throwing it out there that hiland isnt a good company to get from.
PleaseAndThankuu@reddit
That whole bike costs about the same as a good ebike battery, when you buy cheap ebikes you have to expect a lot of corners cut.
you can get lucky with stock cheap ebikes but you should never expect it
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Kind if hard to get a "good" ebike when i dont have the income to support it.
unicyclegamer@reddit
You can get pretty decent muscle bikes for that much though.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
I would but i didnt buy it. It was a warranty replacement.
LaFemmeNikitaKoloff@reddit
You have two ebikes...
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
The frame snapped on one, this one was supposed to be the warranty replacement.
LaFemmeNikitaKoloff@reddit
Ahh, context helps.
Sucks that the warranty replacement fell through. Hopefully you'll have better luck with the next one 🤞
Gold_Area5109@reddit
For those wondering... according to Amazon the bike cost $269.
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
On the site its 650 dollars and i have the 10.4ah battery.
Furynine@reddit
The bike will go from shit to good/great if u change the tires
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
I know. Too many people dont realise that.
Worried_Document8668@reddit
absolutely not. all the other components including the drivetrain will still be landfill-tier
NORTHERNTWITCH@reddit (OP)
Yeah but it will work.