ReAspire Hurricane – Worth Fixing for Gravel/Trail Use

[Zach_MTB]

I’ve got a ReAspire Hurricane hardtail with the Ananda M100 mid-drive. The goal for this bike is paved trail riding, gravel, bikepacking ovenighters, and light singletrack — basically a reliable all-arounder that I can ride in places where my full suspension ebike is overkill, and I can take along on trips for friends to ride.

Current setup:

• Ananda M100 mid-drive
• RockShox Judy Gold 120mm fork (upgrade)
• Hydraulic brakes
• Square taper cranks
• 27.2mm seatpost

Issues:

• Right crank arm keeps loosening. It’s square taper and I’ve tightened it multiple times. Left side is fine. Not sure if it’s a crank tolerance issue or something more serious.
• Rear brake is weak. Front feels strong. Rear lacks power even after bleeding.
• Rear wheel was going out of true frequently. I tensioned it and it’s holding for now, but I don’t fully trust it long-term.

Any advice on how to deal with these issues for a very budget bike, The crank arm is the biggest hurdle because if I can't fix that then there isn't much point in fixing the rest

 

[Greg Watts]

I’ve got a ReAspire Hurricane hardtail with the Ananda M100 mid-drive. The goal for this bike is paved trail riding, gravel, bikepacking ovenighters, and light singletrack — basically a reliable all-arounder that I can ride in places where my full suspension ebike is overkill, and I can take along o...

The crank arm issue is the right thing to focus on first, and the good news is that it's usually fixable - the bad news is that square taper cranks on budget eBikes are genuinely the weakest link in the drivetrain.

The most likely culprit is that the taper bore on the right crank has been damaged from riding it loose. Square taper interfaces work on an interference fit, and once that fit is compromised by micro-movement, you're in a cycle where it loosens faster and faster each time. If you've already tightened it multiple times and it keeps coming back, there's a good chance the bore is already wallowed out. The fix at that point isn't tightening harder - it's a new crank arm.

Before condemning it though, check the spindle itself. Is the right taper visibly worn or pitted? Compare it to the left side. If the spindle looks fine, try this: clean both the spindle and the crank bore with isopropyl alcohol, let them dry completely, apply no grease or anti-seize (this is a debate, but on a loose crank, go dry), and torque the bolt to the manufacturer's spec, ideally 35-40Nm if you have a torque wrench. Ride it 30 minutes, re-torque. If it's still loose after that, the bore is gone and you need a replacement crank arm. A square taper right arm is cheap - look on eBay for a matching or compatible unit.

On the rear brake, if it's weak after bleeding, the first suspects are a contaminated pad or rotor. A small amount of hydraulic fluid on the pad during a bleed is enough to ruin it. New pads are a few quid; worth replacing them before spending more time bleeding. The rear caliper pistons can also stick unevenly on budget brakes - push them back, clean with isopropyl, and check they're extending evenly when you pull the lever.

The wheel truing situation is less alarming if it held after you tensioned it. Keep an eye on it and check spoke tension periodically. On a budget bike doing gravel and light trails it'll probably be fine, but if spokes start snapping rather than just going slack, that's when you look at a replacement rim.

Honestly for the use case you're describing, this bike is worth keeping sorted. It doesn't need to be perfect, just reliable enough that your mates aren't walking back to the car.