Troubleshooting
HOW TO DIAGNOSE A STACYC
This quick reference guide is a simple way to evaluate what is wrong with the bike. This is by no means a complete diagnostic of the bike, but it should give you a good idea where to start and how to fix it.
Electrical
NOTE: The Stacyc bikes are very heat sensitive, so there are (3) overheat sensors fitted on the bike, one on the motor, the battery, and ESC. Changing any of these heat sensors can affect other parts of the bike.
THROTTLE: The throttle contains a small circuit board and reads the signals from the ESC. Many troubleshooting errors can be solved by referring to the color of the lights on the throttle. This displays the bike settings, error codes, and diagnostics with the (3) lights. (see pic for reference) When the throttle goes bad, it is usually responsible for odd behaviors like odd beeps or motors running randomly (or not at all).
Flashing yellow LED; ESC overload, reset your power switch off and then back on.
Flashing Red LED: Temperature error, reset by turning POWER SWITCH "OFF," then back "ON"; change riding conditions and ride on flat ground to cool down cycle.
FUSE: This is the #1 item replaced in the non-brushless models. Blown fuses can result from:
- Chain is too tight
- Terrain is too tough
- Weight is too much
- Riding with brake engaged
- Tire pressure too low
- Faulty battery
- Burn-outs/wheelies
BATTERY: These can go "bad" if you over-drain them. There is a circuit board on these that communicates with the ESC (hence one of the reasons the batteries cost so much). Aftermarket batteries will work with the bike, but they will not communicate with the ESC. It is best to re-charge them after the first time the bike shuts off. However, batteries get hot after heavy usage and may not charge correctly if you try it right away. This may result in an error on the charger. It is best to charge batteries that are at room temperature, so be sure to cool them down (place in fridge/freezer for 10 min). Do not leave batteries on the charger for more than 24 hours.
ESC: Is the circuit board that controls the motor. It can overheat if the sprocket is too big or if the battery also gets too hot. So the ESC can become vulnerable when using aftermarket batteries.
MECHANICAL MOTOR: There are (2) kinds of motors.
The motor comes attached to the ESC and is usually not sold separately. The motor has an internal thermometer, and the ESC will shutdown if the motor temperature gets too high. Overheating can occur if:
- Chain is too tight
- Terrain is too tough
- Riding for too long
- Weight is too much
- Riding with brake engaged
GEARBOX: The front sprocket is attached to the gearbox and can strip the teeth if:
- The chain is too tight
- Too many aggressive jumps
- Too many wheelies
CHAIN: An over-tightened chain is THE NUMBER #1 CAUSE OF PROBLEMS with a Stacyc. A chain should have about an inch of play moving up & down. An over-tight chain can cause the following:
- Stripping teeth in the gearboxes, causing a clicking sound
- Blowing fuses frequently
- Overheating the ESC
- Stripped gearbox
- Burnt motors
- Overheat ESC
- Bent sprockets
- Overdrained batteries
- Shorter ride times
BRAKES: Brakes that are not properly adjusted will result in:
- Tires that wear down in the same spot
- Blown fuses
- Shorter ride times
- Overheat the battery.
AN OVER-TIGHTENED CHAIN IS THE NUMBER #1 CAUSE OF PROBLEMS