ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

John Lewis
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby John Lewis » Tue May 21, 2013 1:18 pm

Just a quick hint to help with preventing cable fraying.

When you fit a new cable just soak the end. the last 1 or 2 cm in a bit of superglue and let it set. This will lock the strands together. You now don't really need the little end cap anymore either.

John

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VeloGiro
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby VeloGiro » Tue May 21, 2013 9:12 pm

John Lewis wrote:Just a quick hint to help with preventing cable fraying.

When you fit a new cable just soak the end. the last 1 or 2 cm in a bit of superglue and let it set. This will lock the strands together. You now don't really need the little end cap anymore either.

John
I love this forum! Thanks John - I'll keep this one in mind every time i need to cut a cable or thread a cable - even trying to thread an old cable with the odd loose bit could be sorted with a dob of superglue - bewdy!

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VeloGiro
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby VeloGiro » Thu Jul 04, 2013 8:11 am

HI folks - looks like us 2011 orange pure innergy owners are going to be the last standing as our beloved model is no longer available in the Gazelle AU range. its been relegated to the archive page on the Gazelle website- http://www.gazellebicycles.com.au/produ ... dit&id=209" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Seems the extra torque of the XT is the go for Gazelle in Australia.

I was chatting with the Gazelle guys earlier in the week about a broken strut on the battery rack...all sorted! Whilst on the phone I was curious about the level of additional assistance that the XT offers...so I asked them (in terms of assistance) how the boost setting on the orange pure would compare with the XT. The fella on the phone suggested that the Eco setting on the XT would be comparable to the Boost setting on the pure innergy. As detailed elsewhere in this forum the XT has 3 times the torque of the now archived standard model.

I am really happy with the pure innergy, its (quite subtle) level of assistance actually suits my needs really well. I had for a brief time one of those diamond framed Chinese MTB ebikes (Nope Dyno V) which was way too powerful IMO - When i first got the innergy i really noticed that the level of assistance (even in boost) was not even close to that of the Dyno. I have since gotten used to this and actually really like the way the bike rides and feels more like a conventional bicycle.

I completely understand the rationale for the extra assistance (torque) of the XT and whilst I suffer badly from "upgradeitis" in this case i reckon my affair with the standard innergy will end up as a long term relationship!

I wonder when we will refer to the pure innergy as being retro!
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VeloGiro
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby VeloGiro » Wed Jul 24, 2013 10:10 pm

Hi folks - I recently had a week commuting without either my Gazelle - (In for repairs with the battery struts on the rear rack failing) and my touring bike, Vivente Randonneur out of action due to the rear derailleur somehow getting caught up in the rear wheel spokes = completely buckled wheel and complete rear drive needing to be replaced...

So my 42k (one way) commute to work was on the roadie...interesting! In terms of average speed and total riding time, riding the roadie wins hands down - A couple of nights riding home i smashed any time that could be achieved with the heavy tourer or the Gazelle...

So why has this week on the roadie completely confirmed why the Gazelle is a better commuter option?

The roadie doesn't have...racks for panniers loaded up with laptop/lunch/change of clothes/books/keys/phone/rain jacket etc etc - I had to cram what i could into a backpack - sweaty back/shoulder pain etc

The roadie also doesn't have mudguards built in - One wet morning ride that backpack was the target of 90 minutes of rear wheel road spray and it got completely soaked...i luckily had a plastic bag that i was able to protect the laptop with, but everything else was pretty soaked...

The roadie also doesn't have an enclosed chain guard - About 3k's of the ride is on dirt road - which is really muddy when wet - Straight onto the drive chain - nice and gritty...

The roadie doesn't have lights built in...or a lock built in...The roadie also has roadie tyres - 3 punctures for the week!

I love riding my road bike - but for those loong weekend rides, or short sharp hitouts, or hill climbs ...Its completely a case of horses for courses. For mine the Gazelle ebike wins hands down as a made to measure commuter. It may not be as twitchy or quick as a road bike but for me commuting is not about average speed - its about payload and other features that the Gazelle has in spades!

Onya Gazelle!
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Comedian
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby Comedian » Thu Jul 25, 2013 10:33 am

VeloGiro wrote:Shooting off in another direction here...whilst i really love the Gazelle Innergy as a commuter I am underwhelmed with the front light and what it puts out. Not sure how many lumens it generates, which is one thing but its also a very directional light and there is little (if any) lateral light spill. In winter I augment the front light with a separate rechargeable (more powerful) front light. I was wondering if anyone knows if its possible to replace the front light with a light that would normally be driven by a front hub dynamo? The Busch and Muller light that i have on my Vivente Randonneur is a fantastic light for lighting up unlit trails. I would buy one tomorrow if its compatible. Anyone tried a different front light combo?

I also have added a blinking red taillight to the seatpost to be seen from behind - but that just seems to be a no brainer!

Cheers folks...
All those reasons are also why the non electric gazelle bikes are very under rated in my opinion.

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Aushiker
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby Aushiker » Fri Mar 07, 2014 11:22 am

Bringing this thread back from the dead. Interested in any longer term owner experiences with their Gazelle bikes, particularly the XT. Yes I am re-visiting this idea again and yes I would rather have a Mango but cannot afford one at present.

Andrew

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VeloGiro
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby VeloGiro » Wed Mar 12, 2014 5:38 pm

Aushiker wrote:Bringing this thread back from the dead. Interested in any longer term owner experiences with their Gazelle bikes, particularly the XT. Yes I am re-visiting this idea again and yes I would rather have a Mango but cannot afford one at present.

Andrew
Hi Andrew - Whats your intended use for the Gazelle? If its commuting then i reckon the Gazelle would be a really good option - I must be approaching 20,000 k's on a 2011 pure innergy (now an archived model) and apart from a couple of minor mechanical issues such as a broken strut on the rear pannier rack, gear cables wearing and breaking and the need to true the backwheel every couple of months it hasn't missed a beat. I have worn out the bottom bracket and am in the process of getting it replaced. The battery is great - I have a gold battery and its holding charge and i can barely notice any decline in capacity...the quality of the frame and components is top notch - great paint job too, not a scratch to the frame with ample opportunity for scratches to occur whilst parking the bike in all manner of public bike parking and against street pole etc.

The level of power assist on the pure innergy is subtle so its not an ebike for those wanting significant levels of assistance -the XT from all accounts offers more assistance and indeed probably more options to use the 3 levels of assistance - I rarely ride in anything other than the boost mode which i think equates to about eco on the XT model?

Racks/Lights/Guards/Lock/Chainguard all built in is wonderful...As is the after sales service that Gazelle offer is alos fantastic - No qualms at all about replacing the rear rack on warranty even thought it failed outside the 12 month warranty period...

I found that the bolt upright position was not for me so i changed the headstem/bars set up with a long stem (130mm) with flat bars and bar ends.

I use the Gazelle as my commuter - and occasionally as a shopping cart going to the market etc. Its perfect for both these things. It aint twitchy or nimble but its a case of horses for courses...

I am a HUGE wrap for my Gazelle -I'd have no hesitation to advocate adding one in your bike fleet...

I'd be happy to provide any additional info you might be seeking here - It would be good to hear from some XT owners here too!
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Aushiker
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby Aushiker » Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:25 pm

VeloGiro wrote:Hi Andrew - Whats your intended use for the Gazelle? If its commuting then i reckon the Gazelle would be a really good option
Yes commuting ... 84 km round trip :)
I found that the bolt upright position was not for me so i changed the headstem/bars set up with a long stem (130mm) with flat bars and bar ends.
That is something that I didn't like about the look of them. Can't believe I hadn't thought of swapping out the stem/bars ... duh.

The other aspects that haven't excited me (looking at the Fuente Lite X2 Innergy and the Orange Plus X2 Innergy) given the $3,299 price tag plus gold battery is

(1) V-brakes and roller brakes; for this price point I would prefer discs;
(2) Suspended front fork ...
(3) Integrated front headlight ... would much prefer to be able to fit a B&M light
(4) Shimano Alivio on the Fuente

Plus the lack of detailed specifications. Lack of details tends to signal low quality components. I would also like to know the weight.

That said I appreciate there are a lot of fans and you have given me some food for thought but at the moment whilst more expensive the Bergamont E-line CMGN is getting my attention more (discs, B&M lights, Gates belt drive, Bosch mid-drive, Nuvinc 360). ALl that said I really need to get a chance to ride the three contenders: till then no decision.

Thanks for taking the trouble of providing some feedback. You have at least got the Gazelle back in the mix for me :)

Andrew

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Comedian
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ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby Comedian » Mon Apr 07, 2014 3:44 pm

As an innergy XT owner... I think you've picked the wrong bike if you have an 85k commute.

With the 27k limiter - they are just too slow!

They aren't a bad bike for shorter trips done in hilly areas. Especially if you don't have shower facilities.

We are happy with ours - but it's not a long distance commuter.

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VeloGiro
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby VeloGiro » Thu May 08, 2014 8:01 am

Comedian wrote:As an innergy XT owner... I think you've picked the wrong bike if you have an 85k commute.

With the 27k limiter - they are just too slow!

They aren't a bad bike for shorter trips done in hilly areas. Especially if you don't have shower facilities.

We are happy with ours - but it's not a long distance commuter.
I'd be interested to know what would you suggest as an alternative? Some of the 200 watt machines on the market seem still to be governed to 32kph?
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby Mububban » Fri May 09, 2014 12:59 pm

I got my MTB converted to e-assist, without pedalling on a flat, 32kph is about the max I can go according to my cycle computer.
When you are driving your car, you are not stuck IN traffic - you ARE the traffic!!!

donny70
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby donny70 » Fri May 09, 2014 2:06 pm

I think I can get to about 50kph with my legs on 2.25 tyres :)

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GBanger
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Re: ORANGE PURE INNERGY (2011)

Postby GBanger » Wed May 14, 2014 7:56 pm

Aushiker wrote:Bringing this thread back from the dead. Interested in any longer term owner experiences with their Gazelle bikes, particularly the XT. Yes I am re-visiting this idea again and yes I would rather have a Mango but cannot afford one at present.

Andrew
I'd agree with Comedian - these machines are too slow for a commute of that distance. They go 27kmph, but no faster. If you can make the Gazelle e-bike go faster than 27, i.e. by using your own legs without e-assist, then you're wasted on an e-bike anyway and would get more benefit from a faster and more purpose built traditional bicycle.

Regarding your question about the brakes, the rear roller brake is next to useless, especially given the weight of the bike. The front rim brakes are OK (I replaced the standard pads for cool-stops), but I can definitely see the advantage of the disc brakes used by other manufacturers. E-bikes are heavy, as in loaded touring bike heavy, so brakes are really important.

To add my two-cents about the Gazelle XT's, we own two of them. One's an XT and other is an X2. They're a great concept, but reliability let's them down. In the 12 months I've owned the XT it's had the computer replaced, the front motor replaced, the rear wheel completely rebuilt owing to a QC failure on the spokes, the gear cable snapped, my rear break cable just snapped clean in two in the middle (I suspect another QC problem like the spokes). The X2 has had a sensor randomly come out of alignment (causing the e-assist to stop working) and need to be readjusted at the shop while hooked up the computer, the registration of the battery fail causing the bike not to turn on when we were ready to ride home from work, and most recently the e-assist is now only providing 1/3 of the assistance it would normally give (tested by riding next to our other bicycle). All of the electronic failures (5 for both bikes) have caused the bicycle to be a 30kg dead-weight that is horrific to ride 15 km, uphill, home from work each time they have broken down. Gazelle have honoured the warranty and I've not had to pay for any of the repairs. However, to repair the bikes, it's a 45 minute drive each way to the bike shop, and we can only fit one of these massive bicycles in our car at a time. Given that we purchased these bicycles for convenience, they fail to serve the intended purpose. What's the result? $6,000 worth of bicycles that are generally slower and less reliable than my $400 commuter.

I'm still an advocate of e-bikes. I've used my gazelle xt to ride my way through a significant knee injury that would have otherwise stopped me riding to work, and my partner has used her X2 to ride to work in conditions that would have otherwise caused her to drive. However, if I had my time again I would keep our existing regular commuting bicycles and fit an after-market kit (perhaps a Solarbike kit here in Perth) for a fraction of the cost. If the reliability was as poor as the Gazelle's have been, well I'd still be $4000 better off than I am now, and they would not be as difficult to ride home following a breakdown.

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