Ninebot Z 10 does not let you calibrate to a required tilt angle

[Planemo]

OK cheers. I find it not exactly easy to check roll when carrying out a manual calibration, due to the footplates themselves not always being at the same angle as each other. I am pretty sure that both my Z6 and Z10 were not matched. It's not a lot of difference, but enough to cause issues when you are trying to get it exactly right. It's not like there is any other flat area on the Z to place a level either. The only method I can think of is to use a perfectly flat floor, with two pedestals exactly the same length to support the hangers. That would get the roll correct, but then you would still need an accurate, firm method of holding it at the pitch you want whilst calibrating.

It would be so easy if this was done at the factory, stored by default in the wheel and we could see the roll/pitch angles because it would really help on any subsequent calibration. I am guessing that NB may do this, but as soon as you do a manual calibration it all goes out the window and you are on your own. I wouldn't have touched my wheels personally, were it not for the Z6 being around 6 deg back and the Z10 3 deg forward, neither of which I like to ride with.

 

[Marty Backe]

20 minutes ago, Planemo said:

My May 2019 Z10 came with about 3 deg forward tilt. I was staggered how different it felt compared to the previous 1 deg back that my Z6 had. During my initial ride of the Z10 I felt like my feet were going to slip off the front of the pedals when I braked - didn't like it all all. Kudos to being able to ride with 8 deg forward - jeez.

I used the manual calibration to set it to zero and have left it at that since but I may try 1 deg back again.

Oddly, compared to Marty, I have had neither the Z6 nor the Z10 go out of calibration at any point, even after being dropped.

So are we saying that the NB app DOES cater for calibration to the users preference now? Or can it only reset to whatever it came out the factory with? I must admit, the ability to set it at will on the V5F via the Inmotion app is really handy.

This discussion has been a revelation to me regarding the manual calibration. I was unaware of that capability.

The app based calibration only levels the wheel - you can't introduce any offset. But last night I experimented and sure enough, manual calibration allows you to introduce an offset.

Unfortunately, manual calibration has had no effect on the calibration-drift that I experience. But it's still nice to be able to calibrate the wheel without having to use the app.

[Retrovertigo]

5 minutes ago, Planemo said:

OK cheers. I find it not exactly easy to check roll when carrying out a manual calibration, due to the footplates themselves not always being at the same angle as each other. I am pretty sure that both my Z6 and Z10 were not matched. It's not a lot of difference, but enough to cause issues when you are trying to get it exactly right. It's not like there is any other flat area on the Z to place a level either. The only method I can think of is to use a perfectly flat floor, with two pedestals exactly the same length to support the hangers. That would get the roll correct, but then you would still need an accurate, firm method of holding it at the pitch you want whilst calibrating.

It would be so easy if this was done at the factory, stored by default in the wheel and we could see the roll/pitch angles because it would really help on any subsequent calibration. I am guessing that NB may do this, but as soon as you do a manual calibration it all goes out the window and you are on your own. I wouldn't have touched my wheels personally, were it not for the Z6 being around 6 deg back and the Z10 3 deg forward, neither of which I like to ride with.

 

I used two hi-fi speakers placed apart, and then placed the wheel on them, with it resting on the footplate mounting area. I then checked each way with a spirit level and it is indeed completely flat that way. Then did the manual calibration. 

I intended to use the same speaker method, but with small shims at one end of each speaker, and a protractor app, to check what angle the speakers are then sitting at, and manually calibrate that way again if I wish to set a different angle.

 That sounds really clear in my head, but reading it back, it might be as clear as mud?

[Planemo]

No, it makes sense. The speakers are probably close enough in length and are obviously strong enough to give an accurate roll centre (as long as your floor is flat... I agree, pitch could be set with shims and I think that a digital level (mobile phone or otherwise) on the plates would be good enough to set pitch rather than some kind of protractor.

I believe the pitch on the plates is probably pretty accurate between the two, as the steel pin is pretty tight and is unlikely to be different between the plates. it's only the roll that can change a bit depending on wear on the hangar/plate and how accurately they were cast/milled. I only know they can be different as I have measured it. Come to think of it, I might actually re-measure the pitch on the plates as well to see if they are indeed different. I don't think they were, but I will check.

 

[Planemo]

22 minutes ago, Marty Backe said:

This discussion has been a revelation to me regarding the manual calibration. I was unaware of that capability.

I thought you were aware of this back in September 2018 Marty?! your post seemed to suggest you were, but that it wasn't much help to you when on the trails.

[Retrovertigo]

I was super paranoid doing my first manual calibration this morning so checked everything was flat first And yeah I meant a digital protractor. Grabbed a combination protractor/spirit level off the app store before.

[Planemo]

I use Bubble Level on Android, it gives X and Y at the same time which is handy

 

[Retrovertigo]

2 minutes ago, Planemo said:

I use Bubble Level on Android, it gives X and Y at the same time which is handy

 

I meant Android....bad habit saying app store I grabbed the same one actually, then later on grabbed protractor by jrsoftworx - it's really nice and has really small amounts of degree measurement on it.

[Marty Backe]

35 minutes ago, Planemo said:

I thought you were aware of this back in September 2018 Marty?! your post seemed to suggest you were, but that it wasn't much help to you when on the trails.

Re-reading the earlier posts in this thread...

I guess you're right - I knew about it a year ago    Maybe because it wasn't focused on the Z10 I never tried it and subsequently forgot.

I don't think I'll forget again, and it's certainly nice to know if I don't have the app. It still ultimately doesn't help my particular case of drifting calibration.

[Planemo]

1 hour ago, Retrovertigo said:

I meant Android....bad habit saying app store I grabbed the same one actually, then later on grabbed protractor by jrsoftworx - it's really nice and has really small amounts of degree measurement on it.

I'm gonna try the jrsoftworx one I think - the bubble level is really simple to use but the figures could use some damping - they jump around like crazy and you can't 'freeze' them either.

Edit: Yep you can lock the figures in the jrsoft app. Cheers for that!

Edited August 27, 2019 by Planemo

[Planemo]

1 hour ago, Marty Backe said:

Re-reading the earlier posts in this thread...

I guess you're right - I knew about it a year ago    Maybe because it wasn't focused on the Z10 I never tried it and subsequently forgot.

I don't think I'll forget again, and it's certainly nice to know if I don't have the app. It still ultimately doesn't help my particular case of drifting calibration.

Getting old mate......