Prodeco Owners - Question about tight dropouts
11-18-13, 02:55 PM
#1
Flying Pig
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 318
Bikes: 06 Specialized Allez Sport, '10 Trek Fuel EX 7
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Prodeco Owners - Question about tight dropouts
I bought a new Prodeco Phantom X2 with a Phantom O frame from a dealer (pretty much identical) and the rear dropouts are not aligned with the wheel's bolt. In fact, it's nearly an inch too inwards, making it extremely difficult to reinstall the wheel especially with the disc brake rotor. Can any Prodeco owners verify this is the same for them?
Prodeco themselves confirmed they are tight but I simply cannot believe this must be the case. Their manual and Youtube videos even say the rear wheel slides right off like a normal bike. I brought it to the dealer to reinstall the wheel and it too 2 of their guys around half an hour to put back on with a rubber hammer to boot. It took me 2 hours figuring out a way to put it on myself in my garage by taking off the disc brake (so the rotor doesn't need to be lined up), derailleur, and chain, and then sitting down and prying the dropouts with my bare foot (through the wheel and spokes and pulling with both arms.
I really want to keep it as I don't know of any other sub $1k-$2k ebike with a 500w motor and 12amp/hr battery like this has. I get very worried while riding that I get a flat and have to replace the inner tube.
Prodeco themselves confirmed they are tight but I simply cannot believe this must be the case. Their manual and Youtube videos even say the rear wheel slides right off like a normal bike. I brought it to the dealer to reinstall the wheel and it too 2 of their guys around half an hour to put back on with a rubber hammer to boot. It took me 2 hours figuring out a way to put it on myself in my garage by taking off the disc brake (so the rotor doesn't need to be lined up), derailleur, and chain, and then sitting down and prying the dropouts with my bare foot (through the wheel and spokes and pulling with both arms.
I really want to keep it as I don't know of any other sub $1k-$2k ebike with a 500w motor and 12amp/hr battery like this has. I get very worried while riding that I get a flat and have to replace the inner tube.
11-19-13, 07:47 PM
#2
Twilight Requiem
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Lonely Mountain
Posts: 461
Bikes: TrekFX
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I bought a new Prodeco Phantom X2 with a Phantom O frame from a dealer (pretty much identical) and the rear dropouts are not aligned with the wheel's bolt. In fact, it's nearly an inch too inwards, making it extremely difficult to reinstall the wheel especially with the disc brake rotor. Can any Prodeco owners verify this is the same for them?
Prodeco themselves confirmed they are tight but I simply cannot believe this must be the case. Their manual and Youtube videos even say the rear wheel slides right off like a normal bike. I brought it to the dealer to reinstall the wheel and it too 2 of their guys around half an hour to put back on with a rubber hammer to boot. It took me 2 hours figuring out a way to put it on myself in my garage by taking off the disc brake (so the rotor doesn't need to be lined up), derailleur, and chain, and then sitting down and prying the dropouts with my bare foot (through the wheel and spokes and pulling with both arms.
I really want to keep it as I don't know of any other sub $1k-$2k ebike with a 500w motor and 12amp/hr battery like this has. I get very worried while riding that I get a flat and have to replace the inner tube.
Prodeco themselves confirmed they are tight but I simply cannot believe this must be the case. Their manual and Youtube videos even say the rear wheel slides right off like a normal bike. I brought it to the dealer to reinstall the wheel and it too 2 of their guys around half an hour to put back on with a rubber hammer to boot. It took me 2 hours figuring out a way to put it on myself in my garage by taking off the disc brake (so the rotor doesn't need to be lined up), derailleur, and chain, and then sitting down and prying the dropouts with my bare foot (through the wheel and spokes and pulling with both arms.
I really want to keep it as I don't know of any other sub $1k-$2k ebike with a 500w motor and 12amp/hr battery like this has. I get very worried while riding that I get a flat and have to replace the inner tube.
Hi Rollie! Outlaw SS Owner here!
I've beat this bike pretty hard since I got it and bent the back wheel in the process. I removed it for trueing and upon an attempt to slide it back into place within the dropouts found myself restricted. It was a challenge to get it back in place correctly.
If it's true that this is done by design then it must be safety related for increased stability so the wheel doesn't come loose from torque related issues. Just a guess.
Last edited by AdrianFly; 11-20-13 at 09:44 PM. Reason: removed beer induced babble.. edited to the point this time.
11-19-13, 07:57 PM
#3
Flying Pig
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 318
Bikes: 06 Specialized Allez Sport, '10 Trek Fuel EX 7
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hey Adrian. You didn't need to pry the dropouts open? My issue wasn't the disc brake or rotor, but the dropouts not aligning with the wheel's hub. As you can imagine, prying it with my foot and both arms makes aligning difficult even with the brake and derailleur off. Prodeco actually contacted my dealer and myself to confirm it's "by design" so I'm totally baffled why this is so. I'm in the process of deciding whether to ask for a refund or get a smaller foldable ebike.
11-20-13, 07:50 PM
#4
Senior Member
Note: Often you can patch a tube in situ, without removing the wheel. Often necessary or preferred with internal hubs as well. Just open'er up, find the leak. You can still rotate the tire with all of its guts hanging out, carefully.
11-20-13, 09:16 PM
#5
Twilight Requiem
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Lonely Mountain
Posts: 461
Bikes: TrekFX
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thinking back to last March when I was wrestling with the wheel, I do believe I had to pry the dropouts open to get it to slide in.
This reminded me of my PX10 when I switched from Tubies to Clinchers with Mavic Rims/Campy hubs+wider axle.
Check with Scaliboy if you ditch the Prodeco and get the refund. He owns a company that imports Mipower Ebikes but I'm not sure if he offers a folding version yet.
This reminded me of my PX10 when I switched from Tubies to Clinchers with Mavic Rims/Campy hubs+wider axle.
Check with Scaliboy if you ditch the Prodeco and get the refund. He owns a company that imports Mipower Ebikes but I'm not sure if he offers a folding version yet.
11-20-13, 09:57 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Florida west coast
Posts: 227
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thinking back to last March when I was wrestling with the wheel, I do believe I had to pry the dropouts open to get it to slide in.
This reminded me of my PX10 when I switched from Tubies to Clinchers with Mavic Rims/Campy hubs+wider axle.
Check with Scaliboy if you ditch the Prodeco and get the refund. He owns a company that imports Mipower Ebikes but I'm not sure if he offers a folding version yet.
This reminded me of my PX10 when I switched from Tubies to Clinchers with Mavic Rims/Campy hubs+wider axle.
Check with Scaliboy if you ditch the Prodeco and get the refund. He owns a company that imports Mipower Ebikes but I'm not sure if he offers a folding version yet.
I did ditch my Prodeco after a month true. They have upgraded many components i see, BB7 brakes now on the latest Phantom model, better back racks etc.. I wish them well it seems they listen to the consumer & really try to improve the product. I dont remember having a hard time replacing the R. wheel on my Storm 500 it just dropped right in & came right off, different brakes though & the folding frame so maybe slightly different drop outs then the Outlaw.
This company seems to put bikes into production before all the bugs are ironed out, my Storm's seat springs hit the battery when post was lowered then they changed seats, maybe they'll remedy this issue too for future bikes..
11-21-13, 04:22 AM
#7
Flying Pig
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 318
Bikes: 06 Specialized Allez Sport, '10 Trek Fuel EX 7
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I decided to keep the Prodeco. I wasn't elligible for a refund, but was given the choice to at least exchange it for another bike. Didn't really care for the others and asked to see if a Volton bike had tight dropouts as well. The wheel slid off after a few nudges, but getting it back on was a chore as well due to aligning the hub into the dropouts just right. He used a rubber mallet and it still wouldn't go back all the way in. Maybe it was just the paint but I didn't want to push the issue anymore. I still liked the Prodeco for the quality of components (near everything is name-brand) for the current model, plus like chvid said and I was told, I can patch the tube without removing the wheel. I'm just worried I happened to be unable to fix or find the leak, but then again bringing it to a bike store and paying for a fix in those (hopefully) rare occasions wouldn't be too bad I suppose.
Interesting tidbit when I asked how their sales of ebikes were doing, and he replied they sold about 1 or 2 Currie IZips, Stromers.... and over 30 Prodecos. The guy from Prodeco I talked to about the issue also said nobody has called about the tight dropouts being an issue and I was the first. So, I think it's worth a shot and at $1500 it's still a hell of a bargain compared to similar ebikes.
Interesting tidbit when I asked how their sales of ebikes were doing, and he replied they sold about 1 or 2 Currie IZips, Stromers.... and over 30 Prodecos. The guy from Prodeco I talked to about the issue also said nobody has called about the tight dropouts being an issue and I was the first. So, I think it's worth a shot and at $1500 it's still a hell of a bargain compared to similar ebikes.
