Vanmoof Electrified S2 Rear Hub Upgrade Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          6 hours - 1 week

Sections

Rear Hub
11 steps

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Introduction

I had changed the inner tube on my old bike a few times but other than that, I basically had zero experience going into this project. There were a lot of terms and measurements I had to learn to order the right parts. Throughout the article when those things come up, I’ll try to link to definitions. If I miss something, sheldonbrown.com is a great resource!

What you need

Step 1

              Choose a hub with these specs

135mm OLD (overlocknut distance)
internally geared
6 bolt disc brake compatible
36 spoke holes if you want to reuse the same rim (Some pro wheel builders won’t reuse the rim but from what I’ve read online its okay. Do it at your own risk though. I’m no expert)
The hub I used was an Enviolo CT. Its very nice but I did have a couple fit issues and ultimately had to sacrifice the chain guard but Im okay with that.

135mm OLD (overlocknut distance)

internally geared

6 bolt disc brake compatible

36 spoke holes if you want to reuse the same rim (Some pro wheel builders won’t reuse the rim but from what I’ve read online its okay. Do it at your own risk though. I’m no expert)

The hub I used was an Enviolo CT. Its very nice but I did have a couple fit issues and ultimately had to sacrifice the chain guard but Im okay with that.

1024

Step 2

              Remove the rear wheel

Vanmoof has a great video guide to help with this. Ignore the e-shifter stuff for the S2/X2

Vanmoof has a great video guide to help with this. Ignore the e-shifter stuff for the S2/X2

Step 3

              Take the tire and rim tape off

First follow this video about changing the inner tube but stop once the tire is off.
Remove the yellow rim tape. You can do this nondestructively by getting underneath it and sliding it off the edge of the rim. I was able to reuse the rim tape when putting the wheel back together but if its too stretched or you had to cut it off, new rim tape is not too expensive.

First follow this video about changing the inner tube but stop once the tire is off.

Remove the yellow rim tape. You can do this nondestructively by getting underneath it and sliding it off the edge of the rim. I was able to reuse the rim tape when putting the wheel back together but if its too stretched or you had to cut it off, new rim tape is not too expensive.

Step 4

              Disassemble the wheel

Use the Torx wrench to remove the 6 bolts holding the disc brake and kick lock plate in place. Save these for later. They will be reused with the new hub
Remove all the spokes by loosening the nipples with the spoke wrench. Depending on how you are looking at the rim, it may seem like you turn right to loosen. If you view the rim from the outside, the lefty loosy rule should work.
After you complete this step, you should have a rim, your old hub and a bunch of spokes and nipples.

Use the Torx wrench to remove the 6 bolts holding the disc brake and kick lock plate in place. Save these for later. They will be reused with the new hub

Remove all the spokes by loosening the nipples with the spoke wrench. Depending on how you are looking at the rim, it may seem like you turn right to loosen. If you view the rim from the outside, the lefty loosy rule should work.

After you complete this step, you should have a rim, your old hub and a bunch of spokes and nipples.

Step 5

              Determine your spoke length

To do this, you will need to determine the ERD (effective rim diameter) of your rim. From what I can tell, Vanmoof uses custom rims meaning this measurement needs to be taken manually. I used a few different methods to measure it and then averaged my results.
This park tool article gives one way of measuring ERD and this Sheldon Brown article gives 2 more ways.
You will also need the dimensions of your hub. You can typically find these in the technical manual. I found the technical manual by googling around. If you are using an enviolo hub this is the manual for all of their hubs
The last thing you will need is what cross pattern is appropriate for your hub given the rim size. For the enviolo hub it is 2 cross. I found this in the hub’s manual as well.
After you have your ERD you can enter it into this website along with the dimensions of your hub and the cross pattern you intend to use. It will calculate what length spokes you need.
If you have an S2, the ERD that I got was 598mm but my spokes ended up being on the shorter side so whatever you use should probably be slightly larger than that.
If you have an S2 and are using the exact same hub as me, the spoke length I used was 254mm. Again though, my spokes were slightly short so I would add 1-2mm to this length.

To do this, you will need to determine the ERD (effective rim diameter) of your rim. From what I can tell, Vanmoof uses custom rims meaning this measurement needs to be taken manually. I used a few different methods to measure it and then averaged my results.

This park tool article gives one way of measuring ERD and this Sheldon Brown article gives 2 more ways.

You will also need the dimensions of your hub. You can typically find these in the technical manual. I found the technical manual by googling around. If you are using an enviolo hub this is the manual for all of their hubs

The last thing you will need is what cross pattern is appropriate for your hub given the rim size. For the enviolo hub it is 2 cross. I found this in the hub’s manual as well.

After you have your ERD you can enter it into this website along with the dimensions of your hub and the cross pattern you intend to use. It will calculate what length spokes you need.

If you have an S2, the ERD that I got was 598mm but my spokes ended up being on the shorter side so whatever you use should probably be slightly larger than that.

If you have an S2 and are using the exact same hub as me, the spoke length I used was 254mm. Again though, my spokes were slightly short so I would add 1-2mm to this length.

Step 6

              Add markings on your hub for the kick lock

The way the kick lock works is just by pushing a metal pin into a metal plate that has valleys and ridges. That metal plate is screwed into the same spot as the disc brake
The original hub has markings on the top of the hub that indicate where a valley in that plate is. You can add these markings in with a white paint pen.
Lightly screw in the metal plate into the new hub for reference
Try to replicate the lines on the original hub by placing the lines on the new hub lined up with the center of each valley in the plate.
Try to put the lines on the side opposite the disc brake. That’s where they were on the original hub and it is closer to the reference line on the chain guard

The way the kick lock works is just by pushing a metal pin into a metal plate that has valleys and ridges. That metal plate is screwed into the same spot as the disc brake

The original hub has markings on the top of the hub that indicate where a valley in that plate is. You can add these markings in with a white paint pen.

Lightly screw in the metal plate into the new hub for reference

Try to replicate the lines on the original hub by placing the lines on the new hub lined up with the center of each valley in the plate.

Try to put the lines on the side opposite the disc brake. That’s where they were on the original hub and it is closer to the reference line on the chain guard

Step 7

              Lace your wheel

If you can find the manual for your hub online, there is typically a recommended lacing pattern given a specific size rim.
For my hub, the recommended lacing pattern was 2 cross. (basically just means the spokes cross two times)
I didn’t know anything about lacing but this park tool video is extremely helpful. In the video they do a 3 cross pattern so I also cross referenced this video to check what modifications I needed to make for a 2 cross.
Dont skip the lubrication step! I tried to skip it at first and my spokes started creaking when I went to true my wheel. I went to a bike shop and the mechanic recommended getting linseed oil from a hardware store for lubrication.
Instead of a nipple driver, I used a small screw driver and my spoke wrench. I think it worked fine. I also used the zip tie method for truing the wheel instead of a truing stand

If you can find the manual for your hub online, there is typically a recommended lacing pattern given a specific size rim.

For my hub, the recommended lacing pattern was 2 cross. (basically just means the spokes cross two times)

I didn’t know anything about lacing but this park tool video is extremely helpful. In the video they do a 3 cross pattern so I also cross referenced this video to check what modifications I needed to make for a 2 cross.

Dont skip the lubrication step! I tried to skip it at first and my spokes started creaking when I went to true my wheel. I went to a bike shop and the mechanic recommended getting linseed oil from a hardware store for lubrication.

Instead of a nipple driver, I used a small screw driver and my spoke wrench. I think it worked fine. I also used the zip tie method for truing the wheel instead of a truing stand

Step 8

              True and dish the wheel

Your wheel is built but if you put it into the dropouts now and spin it, it should wobble.
The wheel needs to be trued and dished. Park tool has some helpful videos about this but instead of using an expensive truing stand, many people just use zip ties.
For dishing the wheel, I just used my caliper to make sure it was centered in the frame. If not follow the steps in the park tool video above

Your wheel is built but if you put it into the dropouts now and spin it, it should wobble.

The wheel needs to be trued and dished. Park tool has some helpful videos about this but instead of using an expensive truing stand, many people just use zip ties.

For dishing the wheel, I just used my caliper to make sure it was centered in the frame. If not follow the steps in the park tool video above

Step 9

              Install sprocket, disc brakes and kick lock plate

Follow your hub manufacturer’s instructions for installing the sprocket. Here are the instructions for the enviolo hub that I used.
Place the disc brake discs and then the kick lock plate over the holes in the hub and screw them in. Make sure not to flip the disc to the wrong side. It should look like the one on your front wheel

Follow your hub manufacturer’s instructions for installing the sprocket. Here are the instructions for the enviolo hub that I used.

Place the disc brake discs and then the kick lock plate over the holes in the hub and screw them in. Make sure not to flip the disc to the wrong side. It should look like the one on your front wheel

Step 10

              Install the shifting interface, cable housing and shifter

If you are using a manual shifting hub, you will need to install everything in order to control shifting. I’ll provide the links to the videos for the hub that I used but this won’t be universal to every hub.
Installing the interface
Setting cable housing length
To install the shifter on the handle bars, just wiggle and pull the grips off. I then had to loosen (there is a hex bolt on the under side of the brake lever, behind a wire coming out of the boost button) the brake lever and move that a bit further in. I still wasn’t able to fit my 90mm grip on so I think I’ll need to cut it down to size.
You will also need to install the shifter cable housing. I was able to use regular wire cutting pliers to cut the cable housing but it was very difficult. The designated pliers might be worth it if you don’t already have wire cutting pliers.
This park tool video might be helpful for installing the housing
If you are using the enviolo hub and manual interface, make sure the housing ends so that it sits inside the manual hub interface
The enviolo hub and manual interface that I used had a issue here it was running into the chain guard so I had to unscrew the plastic chain guard. I also ended up needing to slightly bend the pictured metal piece out of the way of the shifter. You won’t need to do this if you get hub with a smaller flange diameter

If you are using a manual shifting hub, you will need to install everything in order to control shifting. I’ll provide the links to the videos for the hub that I used but this won’t be universal to every hub.

Installing the interface

Setting cable housing length

To install the shifter on the handle bars, just wiggle and pull the grips off. I then had to loosen (there is a hex bolt on the under side of the brake lever, behind a wire coming out of the boost button) the brake lever and move that a bit further in. I still wasn’t able to fit my 90mm grip on so I think I’ll need to cut it down to size.

You will also need to install the shifter cable housing. I was able to use regular wire cutting pliers to cut the cable housing but it was very difficult. The designated pliers might be worth it if you don’t already have wire cutting pliers.

This park tool video might be helpful for installing the housing

If you are using the enviolo hub and manual interface, make sure the housing ends so that it sits inside the manual hub interface

The enviolo hub and manual interface that I used had a issue here it was running into the chain guard so I had to unscrew the plastic chain guard. I also ended up needing to slightly bend the pictured metal piece out of the way of the shifter. You won’t need to do this if you get hub with a smaller flange diameter

Step 11

              Put the back wheel on

slide the rim tape back on the bike or apply the new rim tape
put the inner tube and tire back like how vanmoof shows you in their video about changing a flat
Put the back wheel back on as show in the vanmoof video. If you are using the same hub as me, the chain guard likely won’t fit. I just left it off. I plant to eventually take the entire chain guard off
If you chose a different size sprocket than 18T, you might need to resize the chain. I chose a 16 tooth sprocket. This has 2 less teeth so I needed to remove 1 full link which is an inner and outer plate. From my understanding, you remove/add 1 link for every 2 teeth. If you only added or subtracted 1 tooth, you don’t adjust at all.
Here is a video on how to shorten your chain.
Do not drive the pins all the way out! You won’t be able to get them back in. You should drive it out just enough to remove the inner plate from the out plate. For me, the pin lined up exactly with the end of the tool

slide the rim tape back on the bike or apply the new rim tape

put the inner tube and tire back like how vanmoof shows you in their video about changing a flat

Put the back wheel back on as show in the vanmoof video. If you are using the same hub as me, the chain guard likely won’t fit. I just left it off. I plant to eventually take the entire chain guard off

If you chose a different size sprocket than 18T, you might need to resize the chain. I chose a 16 tooth sprocket. This has 2 less teeth so I needed to remove 1 full link which is an inner and outer plate. From my understanding, you remove/add 1 link for every 2 teeth. If you only added or subtracted 1 tooth, you don’t adjust at all.

Here is a video on how to shorten your chain.

Do not drive the pins all the way out! You won’t be able to get them back in. You should drive it out just enough to remove the inner plate from the out plate. For me, the pin lined up exactly with the end of the tool

The steps for other vanmoof bikes should be similar. For an X2, I see no issue. You definitely areg going to want to check all of my measurements to make sure it uses the same dropout spacing. I think it should but I’d double check. Also your ERD is gonna be different so you will need to measure that on your own but if you can do that, it should be a similar process.

The S3 and X3, I’m not as sure of. I think it should be possible as long as vanmoof allows you to just leave the e-shifter unplugged as this redditor pointed out. Someone might want to test this though. Maybe just unplug the shifter and ride around for a bit and see if it complains.

If you end up doing the project, please let me know how it goes. Let me know if its possible with an S3/X3 and send me the ERD you get so I can update the article with measurements for all the bikes

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                    Coleman Oei

Member since: 07/08/2022

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