# Boardman HYB 8.9 ebike gear changing.



## Pioneer303 (25 Jul 2020)

Hi All in the know,
My recently acquired cycle is very clankey when changing gear, I have taken it back to Halford's on 3 occasions now and most recently to have a new 10 Cassette fitted, due to the chain hanging up on change, and it is still clanking away! The cycle Mechanic said it was due to the rather large sprockets on the cassette. Anyone else with a similar problem? If you had and sorted it out, can you pass on the information please. Love the bike but could do without the noise. Thanks.


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## sleuthey (25 Jul 2020)

I had a HYB8.8 earlier this year and this issue to start with. After adjusting the HL screw, cable tension, oiling chain and clamping down the grey lever thingy on the Derailier that allows you to remove the rear wheel the problem went away.


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## ebikeerwidnes (25 Jul 2020)

If you have had it back to Halfords several time and they still have not fixed it - then I would suggest that this time you take it back and tell them that you either want it fixed or you want your money back.
In my experience different Halfords branches vary a lot - some have great cycle mechanics - but others have very little experience.
I know you say that you like the bike - but if they are messing you about I would get awkward while you guarantee and rights are still shiny and new

You could always go to another Halfords and try to get a test ride on an identical bike and see if that is the same - then if it is get you money back from the first store and by it again from the second


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## gzoom (25 Jul 2020)

No issues at all with gear changes on my 8.9e hyb.


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## Pioneer303 (26 Jul 2020)

gzoom said:


> No issues at all with gear changes on my 8.9e hyb.


Thanks for your information.


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## Pioneer303 (26 Aug 2020)

I am still having clunking noises on changing gear! I took the bike to an in dependant cycle shop and they said it was due to having larger than most cassette similar to a MTB!! was away last week on holiday and it was awful to say the least, so back it will go to Halfords, not holding my breath. It is difficult to find a dealer that will have a new bike that I can test ride to check this fault out, a shortage of cycles apparently?


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## richtea (27 Aug 2020)

I have no problem either. I'm pretty sure that the rear derailleur is designed to cope with that large gear.

When you say 'clanky' is it clanky during the change, or is it clanky having finished?

Is the top jockey wheel nearly touching that big gear when you're in 1st/lowest gear?
If so, they have an adjuster screw to push the derailleur away from the gears (as in swing it away from the cogs slightly).
See Section 5 - The B screw in this article: https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment


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## Pioneer303 (28 Aug 2020)

richtea said:


> I have no problem either. I'm pretty sure that the rear derailleur is designed to cope with that large gear.
> 
> When you say 'clanky' is it clanky during the change, or is it clanky having finished?
> 
> ...


Thanks for he advice richtea, I will check this adjustment. The bike was in for its first service check yesterday and Halfords once again said the cluncking gear change noise is normal on this type of bike, we will see.


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## richtea (28 Aug 2020)

Let us know how you get on!


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## Wooly67 (3 Sep 2020)

Hi 
I bought a Boardman 8.9 e with all the usual Problems here about Halfords. Mine has been in 3 times for a clicking noise on pedals or bottom Bracket somewhere. Anyway my question is ..I was looking underneath the bottom for my frame number and saw that there was a space showing 2 cables ( look like electric cables) this should surely have a cover on, does anyone know if this is right please


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## gzoom (3 Sep 2020)

Pioneer303 said:


> I am still having clunking noises on changing gear! I took the bike to an in dependant cycle shop and they said it was due to having larger than most cassette similar to a MTB!!



Rubbish, my 8.9e has a particular hard week with rain/wind/sun lugging around 5-10kg of additional work gear than normal, me turning up the boost to 300Watts + whilst stamping on the pedals to, and today as I was riding home I was just admiring how well the Shimano Deore groupset has been so smooth despite all the abuse, infact the shifting isn't far off the Ultegra gears on my road bike.

I can try do a video for you with the bike stationary?


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## gzoom (3 Sep 2020)

Here you go, filming one handed so had to change gear on the shifter than turn the crank. Most of the gears shift within half a turn of the crank, and when pedaling and shifting feels very smooth.

There is a 'clunk' when shifting down from a big rings to the small, but I think thats the derailleur design?


View: https://youtu.be/xjIRfk1S9bc


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## gzoom (3 Sep 2020)

Wooly67 said:


> Hi
> I bought a Boardman 8.9 e with all the usual Problems here about Halfords. Mine has been in 3 times for a clicking noise on pedals or bottom Bracket somewhere. Anyway my question is ..I was looking underneath the bottom for my frame number and saw that there was a space showing 2 cables ( look like electric cables) this should surely have a cover on, does anyone know if this is right please



The wires are normal.

Mine had to have a new BB fitted to remove the clunking/clicking noise, its working fine now and am very happy with it but my bike has been back to Halfords 4 times before they finally sorted it.

Keep chasing them to sort it out, its a £2k pedal bike not a £200 one.


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## Wooly67 (3 Sep 2020)

gzoom said:


> The wires are normal.
> 
> Mine had to have a new BB fitted to remove the clunking/clicking noise, its working fine now and am very happy with it but my bike has been back to Halfords 4 times before they finally sorted it.
> 
> Keep chasing them to sort it out, its a £2k pedal bike not a £200 one.


Thanks very much for your reply. I am currently waiting for the Manager to ring me. I will certainly do that.


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## Wooly67 (3 Sep 2020)

gzoom said:


> The wires are normal.
> 
> Mine had to have a new BB fitted to remove the clunking/clicking noise, its working fine now and am very happy with it but my bike has been back to Halfords 4 times before they finally sorted it.
> 
> Keep chasing them to sort it out, its a £2k pedal bike not a £200 one.


Has there never been a cover over those wires , I was worried about them getting dirty or damaged ?


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## richtea (4 Sep 2020)

There is no cover. I asked Fazua.

However, it's got lovely little holes to clip one in, if it existed.
I wait in hope of a 3D printing expert to dig us out.

We've had no problems with rain, so maybe that's why they never fitted one.


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## Wooly67 (4 Sep 2020)

richtea said:


> There is no cover. I asked Fazua.
> 
> However, it's got lovely little holes to clip one in, if it existed.
> I wait in hope of a 3D printing expert to dig us out.
> ...


Thanks very much for that , seems like there should be one, we live in hope hey . That’s put my mind at rest thank you ,


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## Oscaroo7 (17 Aug 2021)

There is now a cover available, I got one for mine.

fazua as-5002005301 bottom bracket cover.


I was of the same opinion that it should have one, rang boardman direct and the bike doesnt come with one. 
As so many people have asked about it, Fazua have had them made.

I got mine from 'upgrade bikes'.
Came in about 2 days.


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## Wooly67 (26 Aug 2021)

Oscaroo7 said:


> There is now a cover available, I got one for mine.
> 
> fazua as-5002005301 bottom bracket cover.
> 
> ...


Yes I got a cover too, fitted it on the bike, did part of a charity ride and next morning my bike was stolen from my shed. Gutted ....😡😡😡... they didn’t get the back wheel, the battery or the key, but it had a battery cover on (£70). And the bottom bracket cover £26, Typical waited ages for it too ha.


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## Colin_P (30 Aug 2021)

I'm sure these have a Deore rear derailleur. If so these have a clutch mechanism that can be locked out via a lever. Make sure the clutch isn't locked out!


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## theboxers (4 Sep 2021)

My experience with wide range, 11-36 or 11-42, 11spd cassettes is that the up shift to a smaller cog, particularly from the biggest cogs can, where the step is larger and if under load, be a bit clunky. From about the 3rd or 4th cog down to the smallest I hardly notice the change. I really only get it where there is a 3 or 4 or more tooth difference detween cogs. If I jump 2 or 3 it can happen as well, particularly under load.


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## theboxers (4 Sep 2021)

Oscaroo7 said:


> There is now a cover available, I got one for mine.
> 
> fazua as-5002005301 bottom bracket cover.
> 
> ...


It's a cost cutting measure. My 2018 Cube Agree Hybrid has one. Weigh Anchors


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## SamDuncan09 (20 Jun 2022)

gzoom said:


> The wires are normal.
> 
> Mine had to have a new BB fitted to remove the clunking/clicking noise, its working fine now and am very happy with it but my bike has been back to Halfords 4 times before they finally sorted it.
> 
> Keep chasing them to sort it out, its a £2k pedal bike not a £200 one.



I apologise for picking up on something nearly 2 years ago, but I have recently purchased a Boardman 8.9e and my main issue with the bike has been a creaking/straining noise from the BB (typically when putting pressure down on the left pedal) I was told it's a typical issue for the bike and is at worst a "feature" rather than an issue. 
They tightened it up and I took it away, but after giving it a bit of a ride today I really cannot stand the noise and definitely don't feel the issue is a "feature" and just feel like they don't want the hassle.

Please could I have a bit more insight into how yours was handled/rectified please?  

The only other issue currently is the battery seems to drain rather quickly (the bike was an ex-display and according to the app it has already been ridden around 400+ miles). Still, I am unsure if this is because of the hills or just my over-expectations of the bike. I will also note that I am a novice cyclist and this is my first e-bike.


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## ebikeerwidnes (21 Jun 2022)

Possibly irrelevant - but my Raleigh Motus creaks when I put power through the left pedal

The LBS has looked at it several times and not fixed it

I did read somewhere that it could be due to a torque sensor and is not a problem - mine has been doing it for several years and it doesn;t seem to be a big problem
so far


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## gzoom (22 Jun 2022)

SamDuncan09 said:


> I apologise for picking up on something nearly 2 years ago, but I have recently purchased a Boardman 8.9e and my main issue with the bike has been a creaking/straining noise from the BB (typically when putting pressure down on the left pedal) I was told it's a typical issue for the bike and is at worst a "feature" rather than an issue.



Its not normal, probably to do with poor frame tolerances on the Boardman frames. They 'thread locked' the BB to my bike and its been fine now for 18 months+.


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## gzoom (22 Jun 2022)

SamDuncan09 said:


> The only other issue currently is the battery seems to drain rather quickly (the bike was an ex-display and according to the app it has already been ridden around 400+ miles). Still, I am unsure if this is because of the hills or just my over-expectations of the bike. I will also note that I am a novice cyclist and this is my first e-bike.



The bike has a small batter versus some eMtbs, in full assist mode I can drain the battery in 10 miles, but used in combination with my legs I can make the battery last 60-70 miles and still give decent assistance on hills. Try only using the max power (red/rocket mode) up hills, and green/mim assistance on flats.


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## richtea (23 Jun 2022)

SamDuncan09 said:


> ... I have recently purchased a Boardman 8.9e and my main issue with the bike has been a creaking/straining noise from the BB (typically when putting pressure down on the left pedal) I was told it's a typical issue for the bike and is at worst a "feature" rather than an issue.


Pedal / crank creaking is very likely to be from the bolts that attach the bottom bracket to the frame not being tight enough. We had the same problem - as have a few other owners. It seems relatively common for the creaking to start on a brand new bike after a few rides because those bolts came under-torqued from the factory, so the whole of the bottom bracket moves very slightly under pressure. It's not something you can see/do with hands but a hefty push will make it creak every time. Soft pedal pushing probably won't.

You can tighten them yourself using a Torx key - like an allen key but a star shape. I can't remember if the torque is defined in the user manual.
Also consider putting a little Loctite thread-locking liquid on them to stop them loosening again.

If tightening doesn't solve the problem maybe some damage has been done in the previous 400 miles of use by not rectifying it immediately.

In summary, it's not 'normal', so don't accept that rubbish excuse. If they can't fix it, it's warranty / exchange time!

Original image courtesy of eBikeTips:


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## SamDuncan09 (1 Jul 2022)

@richtea @gzoom

Thank you both for those replies, I gave it a go and tightened myself and was pleasantly pleased to not hear a peep. The bike went back in for a repair to the locking mechanism for the battery, they have done the 6-week service and thread locked the bolts and all appears to be well.
As for the battery, I tend to do as you suggested anyway as I only want real assistance for the hills. Typically, the battery will last 3 days, but I haven't measured the miles I am doing, so I will do that later.

Thanks again both of you.


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