Yamaha Wabash RT

[Smaug]

I brought my cycling kit, ready to ride it 20+ miles.

They had it half charged when I got there, which was enough for about 25 miles. No problems.

It’s awesome pedaling this efficient ebike around at 20-25 mph.

I’m going to need a few hundred trouble-free miles to give me confidence in it.

 

[Dirthog]

It is a very versatile bike. I can't imagine that you not making good use of it's capabilities.

 

[Smaug]

It is a very versatile bike. I can't imagine that you not making good use of it's capabilities.

Thanks, I’ll try!
It seems to be built pretty ruggedly, but I don’t think I’ll ever use the dropper seat post or knobby tires.

I think I’ll remove the dropper and when I wear out the knobbies, replace them with chunky road tread tires.

 

[Dirthog]

To help dampen the harshness of the aluminum frame and fork combo, I would go with the largest size tire that will fit comfortably along with a tread that fits your needs. I am pretty sure a 50mm width would work. Running tubeless you should be able to run 50mm tires at tire pressures in the low twenties if necessary to smooth out the ride. My gravel group rides a lot of rough gravel and single-track. Everyone in my gravel group of about 10 riders has a suspension stem, none have a dropper post on their gravel bike and only one rider uses a suspension seatpost.

 

[Smaug]

To help dampen the harshness of the aluminum frame and fork combo, I would go with the largest size tire that will fit comfortably along with a tread that fits your needs. I am pretty sure a 50mm width would work. Running tubeless you should be able to run 50mm tires at tire pressures in the low twenties if necessary to smooth out the ride. My gravel group rides a lot of rough gravel and single-track. Everyone in my gravel group of about 10 riders has a suspension stem, none have a dropper post on their gravel bike and only one rider uses a suspension seatpost.

I'll probably use this bike 80% on paved roads and 20% on gravel roads. I do like the chunky 40 mm tires that are on it now, so we'll have to see if I use it differently. Maybe I'll bring it to a gravel ride this year and ride it anyway, just don't enter for timed. Can I eke 80 miles out of a battery charge or will I be stuck doing the dreaded hike-a-bike up the tough hills later in the ride when it dies? (it weighs 47 lbs, IIRC)

What's funny is that I have two gravel bikes including this one. The other is a Priority Apollo 11, with belt drive and IGH. Neither of them are ideal for gravel rides/races, because the Yamaha doesn't qualify, being electric, and the Priority puts me at a handicap, due to the lower efficiency of the belt/IGH compared to chain/derailleur.

I toy with the idea of selling the Priority and getting a more conventional gravel bike, but I sure do like having zero chain maintenance and I'm not that serious of a gravel rider. It just sucks getting left behind by my one buddy that rides gravel and I'm SURE it's due to that last 5-10% of lost efficiency. I tell myself: "Well, this will make me stronger then." but it's still frustrating. ;-)

 

[Smaug]

I took the Wabash out for a rip at lunchtime today. 20-30 mph wind, gusting higher, so I was the only one out on a bike. Muggle bikers stay indoors. Temperature was 44 °F, but with such a spicy wind, it felt colder. I was a smidge under-dressed with a short sleeve golf shirt under my vented riding jacket. No overpants either.

Another 13 miles and no shut-down problem.

Ride stats:

 

[Annieolnie]

So, no issues with the Wabash so far?

 

[Smaug]

So, no issues with the Wabash so far?

No MORE issues, so far. ;-)

---

I think its time to add a rack, fenders, kickstand and a side exit bottle cage for the teeny little triangle.
I'll may go with a pannier-only rack, as there's not much room between the seat and rear wheel for a trunk bag.

 

[Annieolnie]

That's great! We need a fingers crossed emoji. I just picked up this little Rock Bros. bag. The $13.26 one. It's super handy for small stuff while I ride, even though I'm on a step through, it works.

 

[Smaug]

• Saddle: I decided that the saddle is too hard after all; needs a gap in the perineal region to keep the prostate area from going numb.
  I had a Brooks B67 (road shape, sprung) on a nail in the garage, so I swapped that on and will give it a try.
• Fenders: I ordered set of full Planet Bike fenders; they should be in this week.
• Kickstand: I bought a kickstand. The kickstand holes in the chain stay are smooth, but the bolts that came with the kickstand are only long enough for threaded kickstand holes. So I have to buy some hardware to mount it now. I'll have a look in my bolt box, but I don't think I have the right stuff. Gonna probably have to spend $10 on it at the hardware store.
• Rack: After I pick up the fenders and mount them, I'll mount the Topeak MTX rack, which already has my favorite Planet Bike Grateful Red tail light mounted on back.

 

[Annieolnie]

Do you have a Lowes in SE Wisconsin? I don't know why, but out here they do a much better job of carrying metric nuts and bolts and others at a reasonable price, plus they have small packets, so you can just get what you need.

 

[Smaug]

Do you have a Lowes in SE Wisconsin? I don't know why, but out here they do a much better job of carrying metric nuts and bolts and others at a reasonable price, plus they have small packets, so you can just get what you need.

We do, and thanks for the tip. I feel as though I've been raped every time I buy metric hardware at the local Ace...

 

[HumanPerson]

Do you have a Lowes in SE Wisconsin? I don't know why, but out here they do a much better job of carrying metric nuts and bolts and others at a reasonable price, plus they have small packets, so you can just get what you need.

oh they also have the thread and pitch tool for nuts and bolts

 

[HumanPerson]

I might eat bluegill eggs this yeah but wut time of year dom they spawn?

 

[LeVV]

I rode my road bike 70 miles Saturday. Halfway through the ride, a buddy I visited in the bike shop where he works invited me to join him and another guy for a gravel ride Sunday. I said: "Probably not; my legs will be shot from today's ride."

...but then I remembered that I'd just bought this electric gravel bike. Perfect! I thought I'd take that, and then just work as much or little as I wanted.
Alas, electrical demons reared their ugly heads. The display kept showing 'Err 71' and shutting down the electrics of the bike. I would restart the controller and it would work for a minute, or just a few seconds, then shut down again. I had to abandon the ride 16 miles in. (out of 33) Took the most direct route back to the parking lot and pedaled along unpowered. (11 miles)

I got home and looked into the Troubleshooting part of the manual, and this is the advice Yamaha gives me:

"There is a problem in the eBike Systems. Turn off the power and then turn it on again.
If the problem cannot be solved, have your bicycle inspected by a dealer as soon as possible.
For Er71 - The problem occurs in the battery pack. Remove the battery pack and check the battery capacity indicator lamps on the battery pack."

Those LEDs can tell us what different errors are. Mine just shows a full battery pack.

I did that, checked all the connections and made sure I had inserted the battery properly. No dice.

I wrote to the dealer asking what I should do. I was hoping he might file a warranty claim and get me a new battery. No response yet today. It's a 55 mile drive with Milwaukee in the middle, but I think I'm going to eventually have to make the journey and drop off the crippled bike.

I'm glad I have a couple other eBikes, or it would've been a lot more painful.

Fix I found for the Error 71 -

 

[Smaug]

Thanks!
I'll look and see if the dealer put those spacers in or what.
I haven't heard back yet about the free 2nd battery...