Power button issues in the mud?

[theremotejuggernaut]

Anyone else had this yet?

Stopped for lunch on a particularly wet and muddy ride.

After eating a sarnie that was somehow gritty and muddy just like everything else, I was ready to get going. The bike had shut down after 10 minutes (or whatever) of inactivity.

Brushed/ smeared a load of mud away from the on/ off button and when I pressed it to power the bike up, it got stuck!

It allowed me to press the button in, but it didn't pop back out so failed to latch and power the bike up.

Fairly sure it was grit or something that caused it to stick.

20 or so cold minutes later, I was on my way again after continually wiggling, pressing, coercing and swearing at the power button. Wondering whether I'd have to ride 10 miles across surry Hills with no assistance. I was almost at the point of giving up and felt a warm sense of relief when it finally popped out. I had to use a pen knife to clean grit out around the perimeter of the button. Then more wiggling and slight twisting. Tapping and swearing.

Currently, I've smeared a healthy blob of grease over the top of the button in an attempt to prevent a repeat.

Anyone else suffered with this issue? Or am I just unlucky?

(awaiting smug Americans who live in the desert asking what wet mud looks like )

 

[irie]

What bike/motor?

 

[theremotejuggernaut]

What bike/motor?

A good point...

Rise Alloy with the power button on top of the motor housing.

 

[Mikerb]

there is no way I would leave that uncovered!

My Whyte bikes have the charging port in that position and whilst they have a good rubber cover I still cover them with a patch of neoprene. A power button is even more subject to ingress of water dust and mud. I use HD self adhesive velcro to hold the patch in place. For a power button you probably want a transparent cap of some sort, preferably a flexible one that allows you to both press the button and see the power on light without having to remove it.....time to get inventive!

 

[irie]

A good point...

Rise Alloy with the power button on top of the motor housing.

Bluntly, a stupid place to put a power button.

 

[GTBusso]

My mate had this on his ally Rise a couple of weeks back.
I think he’s now put some helli tape over it. I know it’ll look crap, but maybe cut the nipple off a suction cup and use the cup.
30mm Round Button Suction Cups (10 Pack) by Rubbersuckers UK
Or
45mm black, less inconspicuous
IKAAR 10 Packs Suction Cup Glass Suction Pads 45mm Car Sunshade Suction Cup Clear PVC Plastic Sucker Black

 

[Erjabato]

Check this: Rise Club Tips

Simple and cheap.

 

[theremotejuggernaut]

Cheers everyone.

I can't quite understand why there isnt a dust cover over the button as standard.

I already have some frame protection tape, I'll go with a bit of that over the top for the time being.

 

[eddomak]

Just a quick tip that might have helped. In the latest Jeff Kendall-Weed video review of the Rise Alloy he also had power button issues and got stranded. He has since been advised (and shared on the video) that you can "jump start" the electronics (and switch the bike on) by lifting your back wheel and rotating it backwards 3 revolutions.

I tried it on the weekend a couple of times and it works! Took a couple of tries as I needed to shift into one of the gears that made it easier to rotate the wheel.

 

[Nicho]

Just a quick tip that might have helped. In the latest Jeff Kendall-Weed video review of the Rise Alloy he also had power button issues and got stranded. He has since been advise (and shared on the video) that you can "jump start" the electronics (and switch the bike on) by lifting your back wheel and rotating it backwards 3 revolutions.

I tried it on the weekend a couple of times and it works! Took a couple of tries as I needed to shift into one of the gears that made it easier to rotate the wheel.

This is also a good reason to take out the battery before you put the bike in a stand to do maintenance.
You don't want the bike to start up when your hand is oiling the chain and you turn the wheel!

 

[eddomak]

This is also a good reason to take out the battery before you put the bike in a stand to do maintenance.
You don't want the bike to start up when your hand is oiling the chain and you turn the wheel!

That might be the case for most bikes with (easily) removeable batteries but with the Rise and the jump start process above, it definitely won't switch on as it needs quite a lot of continuous wheel rotation. It'd be a real pain to need to remove the battery each time to lube the chain.

 

[Longfellow78]

I bought a rubber light switch cover and some modable plastic called sugruu to create a watertight seal around the switch. Has been perfect so far.

 

[Plutohora]

OK my fix. I've had a number of gritty wet rides now and I've found one thing works everytime- DONT turn the bike off at the end of the ride. I don't always wash the whole bike just the drivetrain but even if I do I leave it switched on so it'll power itself off. Never fails to switch back on. No need for flaps etc. Now if I stopped at a cafe halfway round... but I don't.