espin NESTA Electric Bike User Guide

espin NESTA Electric Bike

Thank you for your purchase, and welcome to the Espin family! This guide will help you assemble, operate, maintain, and enjoy your Espin for as long as possible. For any questions or issues along the way, please reach out to us online or on the phone and one of our e-bike experts will be glad to help!

TAKING THE BIKE OUT OF THE BOX

1. Open the top of the main box and remove the parts box inside.
2. The parts box checklist :
   • Bike manual
   • Pedals
   • Front and rear reflectors and their mounting brackets
   • Front light and 2 mounting bracket options
   • Charger
   • Multi-tool and crescent wrench for assembling your bike
3. To remove the bike, lift the bike straight up out of the box. Two people might be needed for this. Remember, NEVER PLACE THE BOX ON ITS SIDE. This can damage the derailleur and other components.
4. Remove all packaging on the bike. Zip ties are easiest to remove with a pair of wire cutters. Do not accidentally cut any cables, hoses, or the zip-ties holding them in place. While removing the packaging on the bike, lean it up against something vertical. Do not lie the bike down on its side. Please leave all of the packagings inside the main box and hold onto it for at least 14 days in case the bike needs to be returned. Make sure to register your bike at espinbikes.com/pages/espin-support. The primary purpose of this is to record the frame number of your bike in case it gets stolen. The frame number is stamped into the metal on the front of the head tube.
5. If present, remove the plastic insert wedged in the front brake caliper by pulling down on it gently until it slides out. This is there to prevent the pads from clamping together accidentally.
6. Remove the metal or plastic dummy axle from the fork dropouts, where the front wheel mounts. This is there to protect the fork arms from damage during shipping. If the dummy axle is metal, unscrew the nuts holding it on with the provided tools. If it is plastic, it can either be pushed out by hand or tapped outwith a hammer or any heavy tool.

The bike shown above is the 21 Sport. Look through this diagram and find the labeled parts on your own bike. Other Espin models might not have a top tube, have the battery in a different location, or have a different type of stem. The only part not labeled in this diagram or elsewhere in the manual is the controller. The controller is the computer of the bike and is located inside the frame above the bottom bracket on all Espin models. All Espin frames are made of 6061 aluminum. The Nesta comes with a 750W motor and a 10.4Ah battery. The brakes are Zoom HB-875E, which take mineral oil and are compatible with Shimano M06 disc brake pads. The shifter and derailleur are S-Ride and are compatible with Shimano Altus parts. The spokes are all 13 gauge, thicker than normal bicycle spokes. If a replacement spoke is ever needed, contact us at hello@espinbikes.com for recommendations on proper sizes and spoke suppliers.

BATTERY REMOVAL, INSTALLATION, AND CHARGING

1. Remove the two keys zip-tied to the handlebar. These are for unlocking and locking the battery. Keep one of the keys in a safe place in case the other gets lost.
2. To unlock the battery, insert the key and turn it counter-clockwise 180°, then pull upwards on the battery until it slides out from the battery base.
3. The battery can be charged out of the bike or while it is still installed. Plug the charger into a wall outlet, then plug it into the battery.
4. When the charger is plugged into the wall and not the battery, the light on the charger will be green. When the battery is plugged in and charged, the light will be red. Once the battery finishes charging, the light will turn green again. Simply put, the red light indicates a flow of electricity through the charger.
5. Charging an empty battery can take up to7 hours. The battery has overcharge protection it will stop charging as soon as it is full. This means it can safely be left plugged in overnight.
6. While charging, leave the battery and charger on a smooth hard surface like wood or tile. The charger may get fairly warm if left on the carpet or other insulating materials. When done charging, always cover the charging port with the rubber cap. If water or keys go into the charging port, the battery will short out and need to be replaced.
7. To check the battery’s charge level, first, switch the battery on with the switch shown in Figure 2, then press the button by the charge level indicator shown in Figure 1. With a full charge, the indicator will show 3 green lights and 1 red light.
8. To install the battery, first, make sure that it is unlocked. Then line up the teeth on the battery with the battery base, press it in as shown in Figure 3, then slide the battery downwards onto the connector. After installing the battery, make sure to lock it inplace by rotating the key clockwise 180°. This extends a deadbolt that prevents the battery from bouncing up while riding.
9. When turning the bike on, first switch the battery on with the power switch shown in Figure 2.
10. To maximize battery life and capacity, allow the battery to warm up to room temperature before plugging it into the charger. Charging a cold battery will deplete the capacity. If the bike is not being used for several months, plugging the battery into the charger until it is full once a month will also help with battery life.

INSTALL THE FRONT WHEEL

1. Unscrew the front axle nuts until they are flush with the end of the axle. Pull the axle washer out against the nut as shown in Figure 4. The washer will need to be between the nut and the fork dropout once installed.
2. With the rear wheel resting on the ground and the bike upright, lift the front end of the bike up and lower the fork onto the wheel so that the disc brake rotor goes into the gap in the disc brake caliper and the axle goes in the fork dropouts, as shown in Figure  Rock the wheel side-to-side to make sure both sides of the axle are all the way in the dropouts. DO NOT FLIP THE BIKE UPSIDE DOWN TO INSTALL THE WHEEL. This can put too much weight on the display and other components on the handlebar and damage them. It is also best to use the bike’s weight to ensure the axles are fully in the fork dropouts. Once the front wheel is in, the kickstand can be used to keep the bike upright.
3. Use the provided 15mm crescent wrench to tighten the axle nuts. Tighten one side all the way, then while pressing the top of the wheel towards the tightened side, tighten the other nut. This will ensure that both sides of the axle are fully in the dropouts.
4. The front axle assembly should now look like Figure 6.
5. Lift the front wheel off the ground and spin it. If the tire is rubbing the fender or the disc brake rotor is rubbing the caliper, the axle might not be fully in the fork dropouts. Place the wheel back on the ground and unscrew the axle nuts until they are just loose. Rock the wheel side-to-side by pushing the top of the wheel left and right, until the axle clunks into the top of the dropouts. Once the wheel is centered and fully in the dropouts, tighten the axle nuts and give the wheel another test spin. If something is still rubbing, contact our tech support agents at hello@espinbikes.com.

INSTALL THE HANDLEBAR

1. To install the handlebar, first, the faceplate must be removed as shown in Figure 7. Unscrew the 4 faceplate bolts all the way, and be careful not to drop them!
2. Place the center of the handlebar in the stem with the Espin logo on the display facing the rider. Put the faceplate back into place over the handlebar, as shown in Figure 8. There is no top or bottom side of the faceplate. Make sure there are no wires between the faceplate, stem, or handlebar as these can get pinched and damaged. When riding the bike, the handlebar should be angled so that your wrists are straight when grabbing the brake levers.
3. Thread all 4 bolts back on, but only halfway. When the faceplate is tightened properly, there will be even gaps on the top and bottom of the faceplate as shown in Figure 9. To do this, thread the top and bottom bolt on the left side all the way in until the gaps are balanced, but don’t tighten them. Once the gaps are set, thread the other two bolts all the way in without tightening them.
4. When tightening the faceplate bolts, they must be tightened in an X pattern, similar to the star pattern used when tightening the lugnuts on a car wheel. As shown in Figure 10, tighten 1, 2, 3, and 4 in that order, one quarter turn each. After one quarter turns each,go back to bolt 1 and give them all another quarter turn and repeat this process until they are all evenly tight. The torque for these bolts is 5 to 6Nm.

INSTALL THE PEDALS

1. Remove the pedals from the parts box. One is labeled R for right (drive side) and the other is labeled L for left (non-drive side). The left pedal is threaded opposite from all the other bolts, READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY!
2. The right pedal is threaded normally. Thread it into the crank arm clockwise. Once it is threaded in a couple of turns, it can be quickly threaded in the rest of the way by holding the flats of the pedal axle with the provided tool and pedaling backward, as shown in Figure 11. Tighten this well.
3. The left pedal has left-hand threading, meaning it threads COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. Once it is threaded in a couple of turns, it can be quickly threaded in the rest of the way by holding the flats of the pedal axle with the provided tool and pedaling backward, as shown in Figure 12. Tighten this well.
4. Using the wrench to thread in the pedals is just a tip for threading them in quickly. The wrench is only necessary for the final tightening of the pedals. The pedals should be able to be threaded in all the way with just your fingers. If screwing the pedals in becomes too hard after just a couple of turns, STOP and make sure that the pedals aren‘t getting cross-threaded. If the pedal isn‘t threaded in completely straight, the threads of the pedal and crank arm could be getting damaged.

INFLATE THE TIRES

• Before every ride, it is very important to check the tire pressure. Too low of a tire pressure will make pedaling more difficult, decrease range, and can cause pinch flats. The recommended pressure range is printed on the drive side of every tire, so make sure to check the label on the tire before inflating it. When removing the bike from the packaging, the tires will be at too low of a pressure to ride safely. This is because the bike will have been inside the box for at least a month before being delivered, and in this time the tire pressure will slowly decrease.
• The Nero and Nesta come with 26” x 4.0” and 20” x 4.0” tires respectively. These might not include a pressure range printed on the side, and instead just say 20PSI. We recommend 20PSI for paved surfaces, 15PSI for hard dirt trails, and 10PSI for snow, sand, or soft dirt/mud. • Make sure to check the tire pressures about once a week. Although tires may seem air-tight, the rubber is still a semi-permeable membrane that will slowly let air molecules through. This is why bicycles have flat tires after being left alone for a couple of months. If a tire goes flat overnight, however, the inner tube has a slow leak that will either need to be patched or replaced.
• All Espin bikes use tires with Schrader valve inner tubes. Do not use tubes with Presta valves. The rims are not compatible with tubeless tires. Espin uses tires with the standard level of puncture protection, but for maximum puncture protection, we recommend using either Tannus Armour Inserts or Mr. Tuffy Tire Liners. Check your tire size and the charts on their websites to see which sizes to get. To maximize traction in icy winter conditions, there are options available in most tire sizes for studded tires. For specific recommendations for which winter tires will work with your model, contact our tech team at hello@espinbikes.com.

INSTALL THE SADDLE AND ADJUST THE SADDLE HEIGHT

• Remove the packaging from the seat post and saddle.
• Make sure the seat post collar is loose, then insert the seat post into the seat tube.
• If the seat post collar has a lever, that operates the same as the quick-release skewer for the front wheel. Hold the lever open 90°, make the adjustment nut finger tight, then close the lever pointing forwards, so it is parallel with the seat post collar.
• If the seat post collar only has a hex bolt, that can be tightened with the provided hex wrenches. Make sure that the gap in the seat post collar is lined up with the gap in the seat tube.
• The saddle angle and position can be adjusted by loosening the large hex bolt directly underneath the saddle, where the seat post clamps onto the saddle rails. A good starting point for making saddle adjustments is to have the saddle angle flat, and the saddle clamp in the middle of the rails. From there most riders like to angle the saddle down a bit and move the saddle further forward.
• To adjust the saddle height, stand next to the bike and raise the saddle up to hip level. When seated on the saddle and pedaling, the balls of your feet should be in the center of the pedal. At the bottom of the pedal stroke, your leg should be almost fully extended but still slightly bent. With correct saddle height, you should NOT be able to rest your feet flat on the ground while seated. This would indicate too low of a saddle height and can cause knee damage. You should only be able to touch the ground with your toes while seated. When stopping on a bicycle, you will always need to stand up off the saddle until you start going again.

FOLDING THE NESTA

• The Nesta has two folding points, one on the frame by the pedals and one on the stem just below the handlebar. Both latches have similar levers with a safety switch that must be slid in the direction of the arrow to allow the lever to be opened. This switch locks the lever and prevents it from opening when the bike is folded and unfolded.
• When folding and unfolding the bike, please pay close attention to the cables and wires so that they do not get caught, snagged, or pinched. If your Nesta has a front rack, use the provided rack spacers to make room for the cables. If folding the stem puts tension on the cables, reroute them around the front rack so that there is no tension. When unfolding the frame and locking it in position, make sure that none of the internally routed cables are getting pinched between the plates.
• When storing the Nesta in its folded state, make sure that it remains upright and resting on the support bar under the pedals. NEVER lay the bike on its side, this could damage the derailleur, brake rotors, or other components.
• The Nesta has an adjustable height stem that operates the same as the adjustable height seat post. It will arrive with the stem adjusted as low as possible, but the handlebar height can be increased up to the max-height line printed on the stem. When folding the stem down, make sure that the stem has its height adjusted as low as possible.
• The Nesta pedals can also fold to minimize storing size. To fold the pedals, pull outwards on them until they can be folded. While riding the bike, try not to press outwards on the pedals while pedaling or else they could fold unexpectedly.

FRONT FENDER, FRONT RACK, AND FRONT LIGHT INSTALLATION

1. Our bikes come with the front fender, front light, and front rack removed for safer shipping.
2. The front fender mounts onto the fork using the supplied bolts, nuts, and washers. The two metal arms of the fender attach to the sides of the fork dropouts. The metal tab at the top of the fender mounts to the back of the fork bridge. The hole in this tab is an oval. When fastening the bolt for this tab, make sure that the fender is as high in the oval as it will go to provide maximum clearance between the tire and the fender. If the fender is too low, leaves and other debris can get stuck in the fender.
3. The front light also mounts to the back of the fork bridge when not using a front rack, as shown in Figure 13.
4. When using a front rack, the front light must be mounted to the underside of the rack as shown in Figure 14. If the light is mounted to the fork, the suspension travel will ram the light up into the rack and damage the light.
5. When mounting the front rack, make sure that the provided spacers are between the rack and the frame mounts to provide space for the cables to be routed behind the rack. After the front rack is mounted, turn the handlebar all the way left and all the way right and check to see if any of the cables are getting caught. There should be enough range of motion for the suspension caps or the brake levers to touch the frame. If there is too much tension on the cables for this to happen easily, the cables will need to be moved to a better position, either to the left or right side of the rack mounts.

ADJUSTING THE SUSPENSION FORK

• The Sport, Flow, Nero, and Nesta all come with the same type of suspension fork. It has a black lockout lever on the top of the right side, and a clear yellow cap labeled PRELOAD on the top of the left side.
• The PRELOAD cap is actually a rebound adjuster. To make rebound slower for slow-speed off-road riding, turn the cap clockwise. To make rebound faster for going over bumps at high speeds, turn the cap counter-clockwise. Turning the cap all the way counter-clockwise will make the fork feel like a pogo stick. We recommend leaving this cap in a middle setting, which should work fine for most conditions.
• The lockout lever can only be rotated a quarter turn, either to close or open. Set to open, the fork will have suspension. Set to close, the suspension will be locked out. Locking out the suspension is recommended for flat, paved terrain and especially for climbing hills. When riding off-road or going downhill, the lockout can be left open to take advantage of the suspension.

HOW TO SHIFT GEARS AND OPERATE THE PEDAL ASSIST SYSTEM (PAS)

1. The shifter is located on the right side of the handlebar and has 2 levers, shown in Figure 15. DO NOT shift the bike unless pedaling, this can damage the shift line. Only shift while pedaling.
2. The high-gear lever shifts the derailleur into higher gears (smaller cogs). Pressing it forward will make it click once and shift the derailleur into a higher gear. If pedaling feels too fast or easy, shift into a higher gear.
3. The low-gear lever shifts the derailleur into lower gears (larger cogs). This lever has a larger range of motion than the high-gear lever, and pressing it all the way forward will make it click multiple times. Each click signifies one lower gear. This larger range helps to quickly shift into a lower gear if a hill is suddenly encountered. If pedaling feels too slow or difficult, shift into a lower gear.
4. The electrical controls are located on the left side of the handlebar and are highlighted in Figure 16.
5. The throttle is used for instantaneous power, and the toggle switch is used to select PAS levels, turn the lights on or off, activate walk mode, turn on the USB charger, and toggle through all of the display options and settings.
6. The display shows the current speed, distance traveled, battery level, PAS level, and all of the bike’s functions and settings.
7. To turn the bike on, make sure the battery is connected, locked, and turned on, then hold the power button (I/O) on the toggle switch for one second. When turning the bike on, it will start in PAS 1. This is the slowest PAS level. To select faster PAS levels, press the + button. The fastest speed is PAS 5. For slower speeds or to turn the PAS off with PAS 0, press the – button.
8. Whether using the throttle or PAS, the motor can be instantly shut off by squeezing either of the brake levers. The brake levers have integrated motor cutoff switches, the wires for which come out of the lever next to the brake line.
9. To activate walk mode for walking the bike uphill or upstairs, hold the – button. The motor will kick in after a second and will keep providing power until the – button is released.
10. To turn the lights on, hold the + button for one second. To turn the lights off, also hold the + button for one second.
11. To turn on the USB charging port, hold the M button for one second. To turn it off, also hold the M button for one second. The USB port is on the front side of the display, covered by a rubber cap.
12. To turn the bike off, hold the power button for one second. If the bike is not moving and receives no user input for 5 minutes, it will automatically turn off. When off the bike or walking it, ALWAYS either turn it off or set to PAS 0.

SAFETY CHECKS

Before the first ride, please make sure the following are tight and secure:

• All bolts on the stem and stem faceplate (DO NOT tighten the top cap bolt unless adjusting the headset)
• Seatpost Collar and Saddle Bolt
• Front Wheel Axle Nut or Quick Release
• Pedals (right side/drive side clockwise, left side/non-drive side counter-clockwise)
• Front Fender, Light, and Rack Bolts
• All electronic plugs, including the motor cable plug behind the pedals, as well as the plugs by the handlebar for the display, throttle, and brake motor cutoffs. All the plugs have arrows on the male and female sides that should be aligned when plugged in.
• There are two small screws on the derailleur that look like they are unscrewed partway. They are limiting screws and are set as intended. DO NOT screw these in unless you have experience adjusting bicycle derailleurs.

TEST RIDE

For the first test ride, please test the following at slow speeds with the power off and while wearing a helmet:

• Brakes, rear and front separately, then together. The right brake is rear, the left brake is front. When squeezing the rear brake lever all the way, there should be enough braking force for the tire to skid. Disc brakes might squeak for the first mile because of the fresh brake rotors and pads. If the brakes continue squeaking or if there seems to be a lack of braking force, contact us at hello@espinbikes.com.
• While constantly pedaling, shift all the way from gear 1 to 8, then back to 1. Pedal several revolutions for each gear. If the chain is making unusual noises or feels like it’s getting stuck on any gear or skipping, contact us at hello@espinbikes.com.
• After ensuring operational brakes and smooth shifting, stand up off the saddle and pedal as hard as you can! If the maximum rider pedaling force produces any rhythmic clicking or creaking sounds, contact us at hello@espinbikes.com. Get a feel for the brakes when riding fast. For optimal braking force and brake pad wear, always squeeze both brake levers at the same time with equal force. Never lean forward when braking.
• Turn the power on. The Nero and Nesta will need the battery switched on before the display can be turned on. Test the throttle without any pedaling. Then, without using the throttle and while pedaling, test the Pedal Assist System starting with PAS 1, progressively moving to PAS 5. As programmed, PAS 1 should be about 10mph, and PAS 5 should be about 25mph. There will be a slight delay when the PAS turns on or off, but the throttle should be immediate. If there seem to be any issues with the motorized performance or any unusual sounds coming from the motor, contact us at hello@espinbikes.com.
• Before riding at night, test the front and rear lights by holding the + button to turn them on. If either does not turn on, contact us at hello@espinbikes.com.

CARING FOR YOUR BIKE

• The most frequent maintenance necessary for a bicycle is to inflate the tires once a week and to keep the chain clean and lubricated. We recommend any bicycle chain lube, but Tri-Flow can be used for the chain and derailleur joints and pulleys. If the chain gets dirty or gunked up, good chain cleaners are either isopropyl alcohol or Clean Streak. These can be sprayed directly onto the chain and wiped clean with a rag or paper towel. Most bicycle shops offer complete drivetrain cleaning services.
• The main components of a bicycle that wear out are the tires, brake pads, chain, cassette, shifting cable/housing, and brake fluid or brake cable/housing. If the bike is being ridden almost every day, these will likely all need to be replaced about once a year. Most bicycle shops carry replacement parts that will fit our bikes. Nesta tires and inner tubes can either be purchased online or directly from Espin by emailing us at hello@espinbikes.com.
• All Espin bikes (except the Aero and some models before 2021) have hydraulic disc brakes. If these brakes ever lose their stopping power, or if one lever feels squishier than the other, it might be time for a brake bleed. Most bike shops offer this as a service. Our bikes have Zoom hydraulic disc brakes and use mineral oil. DO NOT use DOT fluid. DO NOT get oil or grease on the brake rotor or pads. This will ruin the brake pads.
• Other components that can wear out over a much longer period of time are the chainring, derailleur pulleys, spokes, suspension fork, saddle, handlebar grips, and all of the bearings including those for the headset, bottom bracket, and hubs. All of these items will likely be fine for at least 5 years.
• For e-bikes, the main component that can wear out is the battery. Espin batteries are rated to maintain their charge capacity for at least 500 charge/discharge cycles. The hall sensor of the hub motor can burn out, but this is a fairly rare occurrence and should always be brought up with Espin at hello@espinbikes.com.
• If the bike gets dirty or dusty, it can be washed off like a regular bicycle. First, turn off the power at the display, and turn off the battery for the Nero and Nesta. Leave the battery attached to maintain the water-tight seal over the connection. Use a hose on the mist or shower setting to rinse off the bike. DO NOT use the jet setting or high-pressure flow on any bearings or electrical components. The bike can be wiped off with a soft cloth or paper towel. Leave the bike outside to dry completely before turning the bike back on.

ERROR CODES

1. Occasionally your display might show one of the above error codes with an H next to it. This generally happens because a plug somewhere is loose due to jostling during shipping or after a crash while riding the bike.
2. All of the plugs on the bike are round, water-resistant plugs with two arrows pointing toward each other to indicate proper alignment. The seam for the plug is between the two arrows, and can just be pulled apart.
3. The inside of the throttle plug is orange, the display plug green, and the motor cutoff plugs red. These 4 plugs are all located in front of the handlebar and are in the middle of the cables coming out of their respective components.
4. The motor plug is underneath the non-drive side chain stay (refer to the bike diagram on page 5). This plug has a metal ring on it that must be unscrewed before the plug can be pulled apart. Espin models before 2021 did not have this ring, and can simply be pulled apart.
5. The controller is located in the compartment between the pedals. To access this, remove the panel on the non-drive side held in place with 4 bolts. All of the controller plugs and wires are matched by color.

DISPLAY SETTINGS

1. You can access most of the settings programmed into the controller through the display and toggle switch. Some of these settings are welcome to be changed by the user, including P1, P2,P3, and A3. Most of the other parameters should not be changed from the settings recommended above, or else the bike might not function correctly or the circuitry could even get fried.
2. To access the parameter menu, turn on the bike, then double-tap the M button. Press the + button to move from P1, to P2, P3, etc. To change a parameter, press the M button once while on that parameter, then use the + or – buttons to adjust the value at the bottom of the display. Once the value has been adjusted, press the M button once to enter the new value and to start moving to other parameters. Once the password section is reached, use the + and – buttons to input 1801 and press M to enter each value. After adjusting any necessary settings, double-tap M to escape the parameters menu or simply wait 30 seconds.
3. To adjust the power output of the individual PAS levels, navigate to parameter A2. Then, press and hold + and – together to get to the PAS adjustment menu. You will see 1 (Indicating PAS1) set to 40 and blinking. This means that PAS 1 will give you 40% motor power, which will make the bike go about 10mph. Press the + or – button to adjust this to the desired setting and hit M. Then you will be on the parameter for PAS 2. Adjust PAS 2 to the desired setting and hit M. Do this for 3, 4 & 5. Once you hit M after setting PAS 5 you will be brought back to the regular display menu.

Note: Doing this will not change the value of A2. Pressing + and – together at the A2 screen will safely navigate away from A2.

CONTACT US
HELLO@ESPINBIKES.COM. PHONE NUMBER : (888) 296-4550

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