Motor Issues

Diagnostics

If your motor is not engaging, the first step is to determine which functions are working and not. Let's verify a few things before we tackle the motor:

- Ensure the battery is working

- The display and the bike power on

- Your headlamp and tail light work as a rudimentary electrical system test

After double checking those previous steps, it's time to move to the motor itself.

Troubleshooting

Mid-drive motors:

• Set your pedal assist to zero and start riding the bike. Incrementally increase your pedal assist and try to pay close attention to how it feels. There is a chance you are unable to feel the power assistance from the motor at lower levels. If your'e intermittently getting assistance from the motor while pedaling, the issue is most likely your torque sensor. This device is attached to the spindle of your bottom bracket. If this unit is malfunctioning, the solution is replacing it.
• If you aren't getting any power from the motor, there are 3 possible issues:
  • A frayed cable or wire
  • A controller issue
  • The motor no longer functions
    • All 3 possibilities require the motor to be dropped by a certified mechanic; we recommend bringing or sending it to our garage so an electrical specialists can take a deeper look.

Hub-drive motors:

• Since this type of motor comes with a throttle, that is the best place to begin. After you have ensured your electrical system is powering up and functioning, hop on the bike and give the throttle a test.
• If you are getting delayed reactions from the throttle, intermittent bursts of power, or your throttle is sticking in a certain position, your handlebar grip is most likely too close to the throttle guard. Move the two apart by roughly 1mm.
• If this is not the case, unzip your cable sleeve and check to see if the throttle is connected by tracing the cable coming out the bottom. The julet connector will be yellow. If everything is connected properly, your throttle might very well be broken and in need of replacement. 
• Your throttle might appear broken if your motor is broken. If testing your throttle did not yield solutions, the next step is moving on to the pedal assist. Follow the same test procedures that are listed above for mid-drive motors. 

If these steps failed to produce positive results, its time to check the motor connection points. About 6" from where your motor cable comes out of the rear axel are connection points secured by an aluminum ring. Make sure that is seated fully without any debris inside. Its worth unscrewing this connection and checking inside for any charring or soot. If this connection was loose while riding, some of the prongs inside could likely have caused a short preventing the terminals from making a solid connection. A fine tipped cotton swap and some rubbing alcohol are the best tools for removing soot from a terminal. WARNING: BE SURE TO LET IT DRY COMPLETELY BEFORE RECONNECTING THE MOTOR. 

If your issues still persist, check the housing of the cable coming out of the motor; ensure its not frayed, ripped, or cut. 

Another area to inspect is both the motor inhibitors.  Each of your brake levers has a signal cable that connects them to the controller.  When you engage your brakes, this signal tells the bike to stop sending power to the motor.  Make sure the 7mm cable end screw, where the wire connects to the brake lever, is not screwed in too far. This issue can also cause a 'brake error 25'. 

If you are still having issues without partial or whole solution, your motor likely needs to be opened up by a certified mechanic. We highly advise against opening the motor without the proper training. Click here to submit a ticket to our support team to get packaging recommendations for sending your motor in, or schedule a time online here to drop it off in person.