Review 2021 Reid E-Trail 2.0

[offroad]

The Bike:

Manufacturer: Reid
Model: E-Trail 2.0
Model Year: 2021
Price Paid: AUD2500
New/Used: Brand New
Score (out of 10): 4

Review: Big Motor - Small Battery.

Out of the (well packed) box the E-Trail 2.0 is reasonable value for money for AUD2500 and near identical to Shogun EBX5. Ananda M100 motor is over powered and chews the small 374w battery fast. Range around 40-50km off road, 70km on flat road in low 1/5, 50% assistance mode. Disappointing. Ananda D10 display includes PAS ranging options for 0-5, 0-7, 0-9 but locked to 0-5. If 7 or 9 was available, motor and battery could be tuned for longer range. Motor needs lower assistance modes as it's over powered for flat level riding terrain in lowest 1/5 50% setting. (Needs 30% + 40%).

Motor noise remains low after 200km and suffers same knocking sound like many motors over bumps, and it's LOUD ! (see below). Ananda B17 battery (made by Tianjin Anshi Energy Technology Co.), is their lowest size and sceptical about 'LG' cells inside. Shogun EBX5 claim 'Samsung' cells ? Charger is rated at 2A but can only output 1.85A so a long 6-7 hour charge time ?

Frame is odd with rough weld lines, mounts for rear rack and fender but no bottle cage mounts - Hello ??? (Two holes and two 5c rivet nuts on the (30.9mm) seat tube would cost $2 at manufacture).

Components are low specification. Shimano Altus derailleur is clunky and rough. Seat, pedals and grips are reasonable while the Suntour shocks are spring loaded and hard. Nutt brakes have lots of lever play before they grab, very average. Maxxis 61mm tyres work well off road, but sidewalls are thin.

Overall, as a casual off roader the bike performs OK for average rider if you don't expect too much and treat it gently. Value proposition at time of writing (11/22) is reasonable. Build quality is average. Rear cable exit seal was twisted and near impossible to align. Broken hinge on display mount and rear left calliper piston seized. Repairs I was capable of fixing, but pitfalls of buying bikes online.

(Reid's pre and post sales support was dismal with email and phone calls going unanswered. Like talking to a brick wall and frustrating. Appears only one person in the role. God help you and I needing warranty claim...)

(Me: 43yo, 63kg, 170cm, experienced cyclist. Medium frame).

 

[offroad]

"The bike I love to hate" (did I get a lemon ?) - 300km update.

The bike has been destined to pavement riding. The rear brake caliper and lever have been ongoing issue, the front pair not far behind. The NUTT brakes are not great quality overall in materials and assembly. Air leaks continue to pose problems with lever pull getting weaker and weaker. The brake pads are not Shimano compatible using smaller type A03 rather than Shimano type S01 which has become a defacto norm on many bikes.

The motor knocking noise drives me crazy, especially noticeable on bumps and really annoying on any rough, off road cross country or rough bitumen riding, elevates when you coast. A loud cracking noise has started which I suspect was chain ring bolts or bottom bracket. All re-tightened to no avail. Have now tightened all three motor frame bolts (one inside plastic LHS cover) and cracking has diminished.

LCD D10 display started coming loose and discovered broken plastic hinge which appears a common fault reported elsewhere, maybe a weak point or over tightened during assembly. DIY repair with cable tie and two small drill holes.

Shimano Altus derailleur difficult to tune for accurate changing, it and the matching Altus shifters are just low quality components and they are what they are. Suntour XCM32 forks beginning to show oil marks on left stanchion, but not uncommon for coil shocks.

Tyres replaced with Continental Ride Tour 700x47 for on road / rail trail / gravel use. Suntour NCX suspension seat post with blue soft spring option added which transforms riding comfort.

At time of writing (01/22) Reid have increased the RRP to $2800 and the value proposition has diminished when you can buy a Giant Talon or Roam which can be found for $2700.

 

[offroad]

Ananda M100 speed unlock.

I voided my warranty the day I opened the box so might as well share my unlocking modification to remove the nonsense 25kph Australian limit and bring the bike up to the New Zealand 32kph limit.

Relocate the speed sensor from the rear wheel to the side of the motor. This confuses the motor firmware to think you are moving slower and the speed limit cut out threshold is not reached, letting the motor spin higher giving you more speed.

The Ananda M100 has a very convenient screw point on the left hand plastic motor cover. Remove the short M4 hex head bolt and attach the sensor using a longer 15-20mm bolt and washer. The cable run back to the motor 'port hole' is same run length.

Remove magnet from back wheel and attach to inside of left crank arm with some Blue-Tac, glue or silicone. Get the distance between magnet and sensor similar to original position. You can also add a black cable tie for extra security or use any suitable magnet that will be strong enough to activate the Hall effect poles in the sensor.

The upside is a potential speed limit approaching 60kph if you can pedal hard enough. Even in the lowest 50% 1/5 setting I easily achieve 32kph with little effort. (The M100 is stupidly powerful).

Downside is losing accurate speed and distant measurements on the LCD display which generally equates to a third of actual measurements. But the loss of these features are quickly overcome with a bicycle that becomes a far more practical transport option.

 

[offroad]

The supplied 2A (1.85) charger gets frightfully hot. I measured the plastic case at a blistering 57'c. I have replaced it with a 4A aluminium case charger with fan for peace of mind. The Ananda B17 battery will happily draw around 3.9-4.1A maximum which shortens a full charge from 6 hours to around 3-3.5 hours.

 

[offroad]

The LOUD 'motor knock' is finally sorted thanks to owner in East Gippsland who had same problem. Would you believe the kick stand (WTF) ? Turns out the spring has little tension in up position, so it bangs on the mount over every bump and the vibration transferred along the frame to the left motor side where the noise comes out ! A bit like referred pain in humans.

Cannot believe this stupid oversight, but other owners caught out the same. 4mm rubber strip glued to arm at hinge point temporary solution. Angle grinder to remove hinge rivet and spring steel bent outwards to provide more tension. The bike is now near silent and a PLEASURE to ride FINALLY !

 

[offroad]

Has Reid been reading ? The 2023 model has some improvements. Bigger 14.5ah (520w) battery - hooray ! Extra 30mm suspension travel up front, an all in one display controller and finally a water bottle mount... but it's upside down under the top tube ? Is there some reason rivet nuts cannot be fitted to the seat tube next to that nice big space above the motor ?

Sadly the clunky Altus derailleur and shifters remain. But best news is TEKTRO brakes, possibly M285 to replace the low quality Nutt units and price tag AUD2800 07/23.

 

[offroad]

Gone Nutty - I see red.

The problematic low quality poor performance Nutt brakes are finally gone ! Replaced with Shimano compatible units from JSHOU BIKE complete with front 180mm disc for NZD51 landed. Bargain. Standard Shimano / Tektro B01s pads, lines, olives , needles and pad bolts. One piece cast caliper and nice one finger ergo alloy levers. Master cylinder has big raised bleed port. Bike now stops 'on a dime'.

eBikes are heavy and generally faster and the Nutt units spec'd by Reid unsuitable, hence why they dumped them on 2023 model for Tektro units.

 

[offroad]

Project Ten - battery upgrade. 10.4A is small these days and the battery cavity is to blame. Battery is 10S4P configuration. 10 x 3.6V = 36V / 40 cells x 2600mAH.

Aluminium extrusion is (LWH) 350mm x 60mm x 70mm. Replacing 2600mAH cells with 3500mAH cells will make 14 AH battery with upgraded Daly 10S BMS but it's a considerable challenge and cost and is the effort worthwhile for a 'low end' bike ?

The 2023 model appears to have a longer down tube to accommodate longer battery rated at 14.5AH battery and it appears a 10S5P configuration.

 

[offroad]

Finally found my perfect rear rack after a 'global' search spanning months... turns out it was right in my own backyard. NZD60 from CyclingDeal. Sturdy well made aluminium frame with lift up wings either side. Perfect for carrying wide loads and offers 3 height levels for panniers. The mechanical lift and click mechanism works a gem and all aluminium. Tail light recess well positioned.

 

[ari]

I v been riding and racing one for a year now and 100% agree on your findings, have made dozens of mods just to keep it on the track, so far unbeaten no mater who turns up to race , even on $15000 top end bikes, crazy over powereded motor with terrible everything else..

 

[ari]

and dealer backup and service is horrid...

 

[offroad]

Well worn eTrail ! You need to move that speed sensor to the crank (as above) then nobody will get near you on the track ! (Hello 40kph).

Curious about the cable, wire from top tube to rear of motor, is that some mod you would like to share ?

 

[ari]

Thats just the shifter cable , because of the kink where it exits behind the motor[straight route ], and also faster to change as it does not last very long .

 

[ari]

Small stick did this

 

[ari]

Well worn eTrail ! You need to move that speed sensor to the crank (as above) then nobody will get near you on the track ! (Hello 40kph).

Curious about the cable, wire from top tube to rear of motor, is that some mod you would like to share ?

Have you accessed where the speed sensor plugs into the harness , mine is cracking up , i wonder if the motor needs pulling apart?

 

[offroad]

The speed sensor plugs directly into the M100 motor which has a bank of JST sockets which are soldered to the motherboard and then epoxy glued through a 'window' behind LHS plastic motor cover. Not a bad setup actually. Easy access for diagnostics and modifications. Only issue, if board needs replacing, removing the epoxy resin will be challenging. Speed sensor cable appears standard Giant, 3 pin JST. (Green arrow sensor, yellow arrow 2 pin 6v lights).

 

[ari]

The speed sensor plugs directly into the M100 motor which has a bank of JST sockets which are soldered to the motherboard and then epoxy glued through a 'window' behind LHS plastic motor cover. Not a bad setup actually. Easy access for diagnostics and modifications. Only issue, if board needs replacing, removing the epoxy resin will be challenging. Speed sensor cable appears standard Giant, 3 pin JST. (Green arrow sensor, yellow arrow 2 pin 6v lights).

View attachment 139018

Awesome , thank you very much. I ordered a universal sensor from ebay[ $15] and the plug looks the same, i might be lucky and it will work.