Front Fork Adjustment and Cleaning - Tinkering Turtle 

Thanks, will do!

Great tip! Thanks for watching!

Geez thanks! That made it easier to compress them when the bike is bigger than you! Lol

Glad to help

Glad to help

Awesome, thank you!

Glad it was helpful!

Your welcome!

Amazon has them in stock

Thanks, I try. Glad you enjoyed the video!

Thanks!

Glad to help!

Glad it was helpful!

Good info, thx!

Glad I could help!

Glad it was helpful!

Glad to help! Enjoy the ride!

Glad it helped!

Glad you like them!

I’m glad they have been helpful!

Nice!

Glad to help!

My pleasure.

Happy to help

Awesome!

Your welcome!

I am glad it was enlightening! I have been to the Riley trails, nice area. Although my wife and I tend to the bike paths and beach destinations. lol Enjoy the ride, I look forward to seeing you out there!

Glad you liked it!

You're welcome

Your welcome!

Cool.

Glad it helped

Glad it was helpful!

Any time!

My pleasure!

Thank you! I don’t currently have a video for cleaning the chain and cassette. I will take a look at the links later, but there are various brands of those products that you can choose from.

Your right the lizard skins are out of stock. I imagine that the will be restocked before long!

@@TinkeringTurtle Thanks a bunch, I like your Bike-Hand stand, are you still liking it?

Sorry I have been busy in the shop for my business. I haven’t had a chance to use it again yet. I will update in future videos.

Your welcome!

You are so welcome!

Thanks. There is some discussion of what the right knob actually does. On mine it feels like it just clicks until it locks out. But some people are suggesting that each click reduces the travel slightly. I can’t feel that on my bikes, but maybe it’s true. Himiway has been good to me, they donated the Escape to my channel. That gives me a whole new line of videos I can do. So I feel pretty well taken care of. Thanks for the comment!

Your welcome. Thanks for watching!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Glad to help! As far as online complaints, I would keep in mind that the squeaky wheel does not define the cart. Himiway has sold well over ten thousand bikes...if a hundred people have issues that is still only 1%. Those people tend to post frequently online. And did they mention if Himiway took care of the problem? Likely not, once they get it fixed they just go for a ride. My experience with Himiway support has been good. I have reached out to them with questions over a dozen times. Usually within 24-48 hrs I have a response. In the end I haven’t heard of any customers that didn’t get their issue resolved eventually. Hope this helps.

@@TinkeringTurtle Thanks so much for that information and for replying!

This video is for mechanical forks. I am not certain what pressure is required or recommended for pneumatic forks. Sorry I couldn’t help. Perhaps a RU-vid search for your type of forks would find some info.

Good tip!

From the reading I have done, I haven’t seen anybody using a dry lube on suspension. I am not sure if the residue from a dry lube would cause issues with your suspension long term. I probably wouldn’t risk it.

Yes, absolutely. We ordered during the height of Covid, if I remember correctly it took 8 weeks for them to arrive. It’s much faster now. No major issues, some scuffed paint and a rivet that I replaced. Its too cold right now here in Michigan, and the wife and I are chomping at the bit to get back out there. Before we put them up for the winter we had over 1400 miles on them. At my age and physical shape I didn’t think I would ever ride that much again. We love them!

Hi Roger, I did have a bike before. But the mtn bike I had was 20 yrs old, and going 7 miles was my max...and it ended my movement for the day. I was pooped after. Because of that I did not ride more a than a few times each summer. So I can’t really say that I was a “biker”. It definitely got me back into biking. I got mine in August and put on 1400 miles before winter! My wife and I got the cruiser and stepthru (which have the same battery) on longer trips we switch them at the half way point because I use more battery than her. Still, we have done 45 mile trips and still had bars left on the battery. So as a bigger guy I would guess that I could get 50 miles or better instead of the 60 miles they quote...give or take depending on how much you pedal vs throttle.

@rogerwa123 I did look at other bikes while researching ebikes. In the end the larger battery and the price point that Himiway offers won me over. For the price they seem to have a very competitive setup. I personally would not get a bigger motor than 750 watts. Mostly because of bike laws. Most states limit their three classes of bikes to 750 watts. And it has power enough (with my help pedaling of course) to pull me up pretty steep hills. And the larger battery takes away any concerns about distance. Once I rode 45 miles and three hours I realized that is about as much as I really want to do. Other, more expensive bikes, had interesting features but I did not want to spend that much more. I paid $1349 for each bike after the $100 discount for two bikes. And after that we put $200-$300 more into them (per bike) with accessories, upgrades, etc. Price was a major deciding factor in getting Himiway. Anyway, I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

@@TinkeringTurtle Thanks for the response. All told this looks like the best bang for the buck. I always want more power and features but not sure it is worth $300-$400.

I think these are the same ones I used. amzn.to/3Pi0bGy

you can check out these from another site too carsoncitybikeshop.com/fork-boot-stanchion-protector-lizard-bk/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0bWvBhBjEiwAtEsoW0C0eyEZsL6cUT3ehnH9HaOaVf-E--I_TJiJg_DjFmIxltI5hNZjpRoCcHkQAvD_BwE

I honestly don’t know. I think I would contact support and get their opinion. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.

One correction for this video is that most people say the right knob increases fork compression each click. I had a difficult time detecting that on my bike but a lot of people have reported that. As far as is it the same for all bikes, forks can be different. But I think for the most part it should be similar.

@@TinkeringTurtle mine (aventon aventure) is actually marked - I don't have a clue (now I do ) thanks - bike is fresh out of box and charger apparently doesn't work - I hope I didn't make a BIG mistake - thanks 👍

I don’t really have any suggestions. It sounds like there is a problem inside your fork. I would contact support for troubleshooting tips.

Good morning Doug, I assume your referring to a pannier bag. My wife and I use the Lixada pannier bag. It has lots of space and even has fold out saddle bags. I did modify the straps so I could cinch them tighter, but for $30 it’s a pretty good deal. I talk about it in my accessories video. (links in the description of that video) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_0K8kiCP1Jo.html

@@TinkeringTurtle How did you modify the straps?? I have been unable to cinch them up tight enough.

My wife sewed on extra Velcro to the “bare” part of the strap. Now we can cinch them very tightly.

@Charles Burnham if you watch my accessories video, at 12 min 30 sec, I show where we added the Velcro. Here is the link to the video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_0K8kiCP1Jo.html

@@TinkeringTurtle Thanks. Lucky you have a clever wife!

Sorry I don’t.

Sounds like you have a short James. I would guess that water got into a connector or the controller housing and is causing the issue. I would pull the controller housing off and dry or blow it out with air, then check all the connectors between there and the tail light for water intrusion. Make sure to pull the connectors straight apart, do not twist. And carefully line them up when putting them back together. After that I would reach out to Himiway support for more troubleshooting tips.

Removing the crank arm, from what I understand, requires a special tool. If you do a search on Amazon for “crank removal tool” you will see quite a few options. Unfortunately I have not researched which one works with our Himiway’s. Hopefully this gets you looking down the right path.

Maybe post in one of the Himiway Facebook groups, perhaps someone has already figured out which one. Also, look up “Park tool” videos on crank removal. Those might help as well.

@@TinkeringTurtle Thanks Tim, I ordered one from Amazon, due tomorrow. I'll let you know of progress.

Hey Tim, the Park Tool CWP-7 worked great. Less than $20.

Nice!

I’m sorry Mark, outside of the cleaning and lube I show in this video I haven’t taken it any further. At some point I will attempt to learn how to disassemble and lube the shocks, but I haven’t taken the time yet. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.

Sorry I don’t.

WPL forkboost fork lubricant and cleaner biodegradable amzn.to/35I75x2

I’m not certain. It is very difficult to turn regardless, (and I didn’t adjust my ocelot at all) if you don’t need to adjust it I would stay away from it. You can always reach out to Magicycle and inquire to them.

I would think so. As far as the locking knob there is conflicting information about that. The prevailing thought is that each click incremental limits the travel.

Yes it is.

I’m sorry I don’t. I know some manufacturers lock them in place, maybe Himiway changed the way they set up the forks.

Sorry Ken, I have to admit I am still learning about the forks. It is also becoming apparent that the right knob may not just be a lockout. there may be some incremental adjustment there as well. I have an extra set of forks I want to pull apart. When I get a chance I will do more videos on the subject.

It depends if it comes with the steerer tube cut to size and the star nut installed or not. If it comes ready to assemble (cut down with star nut installed) then it should be relatively easy. Basically just a little more than replacing the stem. But if it doesn’t come trimmed with the star nut installed, depending on your mechanical abilities, you may consider having a local bike shop do it. If so, ask Himiway if they will reimburse you for the cost.

Oops was looking at wrong item…sorry.

I know they are sold out on Amazon. But I found these this morning. Looks like there are three sets left. planetcyclery.com/lizard-skins-fork-boot-black?gclid=Cj0KCQjws-OEBhCkARIsAPhOkIYLJkwFs1kPNLO5U9wKFO-Q8gk6pcshW89tki270FABUGS8drSUcFAaAnuBEALw_wcB

Seems like vegetable oil would eventually go rancid and cause issues. I can say this stuff works well. Link to the lube on Amazon is in the description.

@@TinkeringTurtle Thanks I do have this and use it myself I was just wondering because the bottle says all natural. I know a lot of paper shredder lube is actually some type of refined vegetable oil. I may try some one day.

Although I plan on pulling apart a set of forks down the road, I haven’t done it yet. I would assume there is a problem inside the forks on that side. But I can’t be sure until I can see how the forks work inside. I would reach out to Himiway for troubleshooting.

@@TinkeringTurtle Will do. Thank you.

Hi Edric, I am assuming you mean the “crank” arm that the pedal is attached to. You will need a special tool called a “crank puller”. I did a quick search on the Facebook groups and found these mentioned by other Himiway bike owners. I have not used these, so take the info as a guide and do what you can to confirm before ordering. This is the one that can be used for the Escape. amzn.to/2XRMhDk And this one was mentioned with use on the cruiser and stepthru. amzn.to/3jMmpk6 I hope this helps! let us know how it goes.

@@TinkeringTurtle God! thank you very much for your input. It was driving me crazy. I found the correct puller and it should be here tomorrow. Every mechanical site should have an expert. Drive safely.....Edric

I hope it goes well!

I saw someone post this a while back about fixing a locked fork. My fork was not adjusting and Himiway told me the left side was just a decoration. Another member of this group found the fix. I used a 26 mm 12 point socket to unscrew the top of the left fork and mine was stuck in the maximum setting. The knob is connected to a plastic set screw and I gently released it with a pair of pliers. Screwed the adjustment to minimum level and put back together. It now works properly. The right side adjustment just locks or unlocks the fork. Beyond that you should contact Himiway for troubleshooting.

@@TinkeringTurtle Thanks man!

Thanks, enjoy your bike!

I’ll try to remember to mention those points in future videos!

I would email Himiway support. On mine it is difficult to turn.

It is always possible that it has some adjustments. My experience, clicking one at a time, and testing it showed that I really can’t feel any significant difference in the shocks until the forks locked out. In addition to that, I watched a video done for RAD and they have a similar setup and indicated the same thing. circumstantial I know but it’s all I got. Did you test each click? What did you feel?

@@TinkeringTurtle I'm going to find a good way to do that test. It's too hard just standing beside the bike and pushing it down. I was in the beginning of a long charge today ( dropped 3 bars ) so I haven't got to the real test yet. I will come back and let You know what I find. Just so puzzling as to all the adj. symbols on that dial. Stay Safe.

Yes, I was going to ask about rebound. My forks top out hard when compressed (on dirt). Could this control rebound? Thanks

I messed with this a bit last night, it seems to me with each click it allows the fork to go further down into the tube. I wonder if its a lock out at different levels. Like click 1, goes 90% down, click 2 - 80% and so on. I am no expert so do not know if its true, but it did seem that way last night.

The Rize looks pretty similar. Spring preload on the left and lock out on the right. There has been some debate about the lockout knob on my bike. Some people say that it is an adjustment as well. Each click will get progressively harder until the forks lockout. But I don’t feel much of that. Maybe it’s different on your Rize. But I would think at this price point that most of the suspension forks will be similar in function. As far as lizard skins, I think their a good idea to protect the stanchion tubes on all shocks if you can find something that fits. It will keep the dust and dirt off and help stop them getting scratched up. Enjoy the ride!

@@TinkeringTurtle Yeah the right knob for compression has a dial with a meter graph on it that either gets larger or smaller, there is a slight difference in ease of compression when turned all the way to either side, but I am not able to compress the shocks as far you do on your Himiway, I think the Rize is just more rigid all around. I don't seem to see a difference when adjusting the preload though, either direction on the dial feels the same. What are Stanton tubes? The silver part that slides in and out? SO if putting on these sleeves, they also compress with the shocks I'm guessing? Thanks for the reply!

Sorry, I spelled that wrong. The stanchion tubes are the silver tubes. This page has a good image with the parts labeled. www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/suspension.html The lizard skins are neoprene and flex with the suspension as it compresses. They are meant to simply keep the dirt and debris off the tubes so the metal doesn’t get scratched up over time.

@@TinkeringTurtle ah ok thanks. I found some no name skins on Amazon, lizard ones aren't available in Canada..see how they are when they arrive in a month!

I’m not sure how to help you. What device are you using to access RU-vid?

@@TinkeringTurtle I'm using an HP All In One new computer with Windows 10.

I show how to access the description using a laptop in this video. Fast forward to 17 min 50 sec. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_0K8kiCP1Jo.html

Thank you for your kind comment! I do plan on doing a video taking apart forks for extended maintenance. But that video will not be coming for a while. Your best bet is to reach out to Himiway support for troubleshooting tips.

@@TinkeringTurtle I did just before emailing you. I see their responses are 24 - 48 hours so hopefully I will hear something from them. Thanks again for what you are doing, much appreciated.

Well I contacted Himiway and after several emails back and forth, me sending a picture of the top of the left side, pre-load side, she came back this morning with and I quote "I have received your feedback, this one on the left is just decoration, only the right one has an adjustment function, please try the function on the right. Don't worry, feel free to use." It looks like my forks are different then yours, yours being chrome and my being black. Evidently they have changed what they are using for forks. On my right side I have played with the adjustment and I want to say it seems to make a difference when I turn it towards the lock out, probably just me wanting it to make a difference, and then it locks out. I kinda feel like I got the brush off from Himiway.

I just went out and looked at my Escape forks. (which are black) And I have to admit, adjusting the left “tensioner” seemed to have no affect. While the right knob had significantly more incremental affect than my cruiser or stepthru. So there may be some validity to what their saying. Although it seems VERY odd to have a knob on the forks that doesn’t do anything...weird. By the way my left knob is still very difficult to turn and when it gets to a certain point will not turn further.

@@TinkeringTurtle A additional follow up on the pre-load adjuster on the left fork. Being somewhat a tinker as you are I couldn't accept that the knob on the top was for decoration only. I have worked on forks on motorcycles so I have went out and partially taken apart the top of the fork. I took a 12 point 26mm socket and backed (counter clock wise) out the plastic fork plug that the decorative knob turns on. Take a little weight off the front of the bike as the spring will pop out when the plastic plug is completely out and you will need this to ease assembly. What I found was the decorative knob fits into a threaded plastic piece like a pipe nipple and screws into the bottom of the plastic fork plug that I used a 26mm socket to remove. My little plastic threaded piece was completely unscrewed from the fork plug, thus nothing was happening when I turned the knob either way. Either it was not hooked up at the factory or when I first put the bike together I turned it too far (clock wise) increasing the preload and it came unscrewed. By what I see there is right at 1/2" give or take a little of adjustable pre-load. Like you said in your video there is about 5 & 1/2 turns of adjustment. If you turn the knob all the way (counter clockwise) it will stop as the threaded nipple (like a pipe nipple) bottoms out on the bottom of the large plastic fork plug. Before putting the fork back together I backed the knob counter clock wise till it bottomed out. The I turned it the 5 & 1/2 turns with no problem. So seeing how far I could turn it before it unscrewed and didn't work, just before 7 turns it came undone. It is all back together and works like it should, an easy fix to the little decorative knob. Thanks for all your videos Tim and hopes this will help some out there.

I haven’t had any major issues with either the stepthru or cruiser. I haven’t had the escape that long and it has pretty low miles. I have taken a spill on my cruiser, and other than some scrapes on some of the aluminum parts I didn’t have any repairs. We have around 1800 miles on each of the bikes and I am not seeing any signs of impending issues at all. So as for now I am happy with them, we will see more as time marches on.

@@TinkeringTurtle Thanks Tim. That's what I was hoping you would say. Himiway was my first choice and then I got talked into folding bikes to take in our RV. I'm glad people started posting about the frame issues Lectric bikes are having in enough time to cancel my order. I should have just bought the Himiway to begin with. I just placed an order for two Cruisers. One regular and one step through. Now the wait begins to get them. I should have just trusted my instincts. I could be riding them by now.

I am hoping they will eventually restock the listing on Amazon. But until then, the only other place to get them that I know of would be the Lizardskin website. www.lizardskins.com/product-details?h=fork-and-stanction-neoprene-protector-black&c=bike_protection&t=suspension_protector&v=0

There is a double whammy going on at the moment, as e-bikes are very popular, and sales are high, and of course 'shipping' from Asia (or just about anywhere else in the world) is held up significantly because of Covid. Unsure if bikes are shipped here by ship or flown by airline...but both bikes and all accessories are at a crawl at the moment. I was trying to get a specific 'bike rack/carrier' and was told they where on back order (basically at all locations that sell them) and they won't start getting them in until the end of April or early May! Since it's now early March..the wait time seems excessive, but for the reasons I mentioned above.

Darn. Sold out on the lizardskin website too!

crazy shortages everywhere!

Hi Jim, I showed how to find the description of a RU-vid video in my accessories video. Fast forward to 16min 30sec. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_0K8kiCP1Jo.html But in short there is a small downward facing arrow underneath the right hand side of the video on RU-vid. click on it and the description will pop out. Hope this helps. Let me know if you need more assistance.

Thanks so much. Love your videos.

For the stock Tektro mechanical brakes you can use these: amzn.to/2Ozbygv

@James Scovel hey I got an email notice that said you were asking about water bottle holders. I can’t find the question but I thought you might be interested in this bracket adapter for the front basket bolts. You still need to purchase bottle holders to bolt onto it, but I thought it was pretty cool. amzn.to/3ckhimR

Thanks

I haven’t had a 250w or 350w, but for reference the 750watt is equal to 1 HP (horse power). That would make the 250watt about 1/3 HP, and the 350watt just a touch more powerful. But a big part of that equation will be the voltage of the battery. I know that a 52v battery will give you more power than the 48v will. Depending on the battery your power levels will be more or less. Hope this helps you some!