Ebikes helping with anxiety strange question?

[Deleted member 26715]

I don't ride an ebike, but if I did I would be constantly worried that I would run out of battery power on the wrong side of some big steep Yorkshire/Lancashire hill and be left with a heavy bike to drag over with just leg power.

That's a very irrational fear tbh, in the worst case scenario it's only like riding a ladened touring bike

 

[ColinJ]

That's a very irrational fear tbh, in the worst case scenario it's only like riding a ladened touring bike

I suspect that somebody who would not struggle with riding a heavy touring bike over monster hills would not need an ebike...!

The hills shown in this route profile are very hard on an 8 kg racing bike. Doing them on a 20 kg ebike whose battery had died after 60 km would be horrid!

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I suspect that somebody who would not struggle with riding a heavy touring bike over monster hills would not need an ebike...!

Why, do you have to be an invalid to want/have/use an Ebike? I presume you also believe they are also cheating, but who the F they are cheating has always been beyond me.

 

[ColinJ]

Why, do you have to be an invalid to want/have/use an Ebike? I presume you also believe they are also cheating, but who the F they are cheating has always been beyond me.

You presume way too much, sir!

I have no problem whatsoever with anybody riding whatever bike they want to ride, for whatever reason they want to ride it. 'Cheating' only applies to racing and I don't race.

I am talking purely from the point of view of someone who now NEEDS an ebike and very definitely MUST NOT have it run out of power on the wrong side of a big hill or it could mean us trying to find a phone signal AND a taxi company willing to come out into the middle of nowhere and able to transport a big heavy ebike home for him.

We have been out riding together the past couple of weeks and gradually seeing how much the bike can do with the amount of work that he can still put in.

So far we have got to about 55% of battery power used in one ride. Next time we might go a bit further and/or add another hill. I imagine that 80-85% might be a sensible eventual limit, just in case.

When I talk about anxiety about an ebike battery going flat, of course I am NOT talking about people who would NOT find that a problem, I am talking about people who WOULD find that a problem!

 

[CXRAndy]

NEEDS an ebike

I dont need an ebike. I have one because they're fun. I can go shopping, go out for a ride with the Mrs (who has an ebike). My Mrs is not a regular cyclist, and where we have moved, there are some steep hills which would destroy her. We can now trundle up and down hills in relative ease, have a drink from pubs far further than she would be able on a non ebike. We have been out several times last week done over 80 miles- that would before ebikes require a car to visit

 

[presta]

I would be constantly worried that I would run out of battery power on the wrong side of some big steep Yorkshire/Lancashire hill and be left with a heavy bike to drag over with just leg power.

I'm considering getting a mobility scooter, and what worries me is the increasing inaccuracy of the charge state indicator as the battery ages when they don't have pedals. I'm assuming they don't have indicators that recalibrate to the reduced battery capacity like electric cars do.

 

[Sharky]

I'm considering getting a mobility scooter, and what worries me is the increasing inaccuracy of the charge state indicator as the battery ages when they don't have pedals. I'm assuming they don't have indicators that recalibrate to the reduced battery capacity like electric cars do.

I think you can insure against flat battery and any mechanical failure. ETA provide a policy.

 

[Gwylan]

They obviously are - for you!

I don't ride an ebike, but if I did I would be constantly worried that I would run out of battery power on the wrong side of some big steep Yorkshire/Lancashire hill and be left with a heavy bike to drag over with just leg power. Obviously, if you never get close to running your battery flat then that would not apply.

Yes to that! Never worried with a regular bike. Took tubes, pump, water and so on.

With battery bike I do get anxious about the battery having enough capacity for the trip. Still take all the usual bits. They now include a gravy chain and lock.

Pushed my panic limits the other day doing the Malham circuit. Hot and steep - well the going up bit is.

At one point a passing twerp meant I lost pace and couldn't get momentum back. He in his 4×4 willy substitute just let the computer choose new gear and zoomed off.
Whereas I had to push the thing the rest of the hill. Wrong gear when it all went off and too steep to pedal and change gear to get the motor to kick in.
Realised just how heavy the thing is.
Would never have happened on my faithful Peugeot.

So, I get anxious about the battery. More importantly that the fickle thing will die on me and leave me with thousands of pounds worth of scrap metal.

The Peugeot looks increasingly attractive.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Yes to that! Never worried with a regular bike. Took tubes, pump, water and so on.

With battery bike I do get anxious about the battery having enough capacity for the trip. Still take all the usual bits. They now include a gravy chain and lock.

Pushed my panic limits the other day doing the Malham circuit. Hot and steep - well the going up bit is.

At one point a passing twerp meant I lost pace and couldn't get momentum back. He in his 4×4 willy substitute just let the computer choose new gear and zoomed off.
Whereas I had to push the thing the rest of the hill. Wrong gear when it all went off and too steep to pedal and change gear to get the motor to kick in.
Realised just how heavy the thing is.
Would never have happened on my faithful Peugeot.

So, I get anxious about the battery. More importantly that the fickle thing will die on me and leave me with thousands of pounds worth of scrap metal.

The Peugeot looks increasingly attractive.

Just carry a 2nd battery, it's not rocket science if it is a big as issue as you're making out

 

[Gwylan]

Just carry a 2nd battery, it's not rocket science if it is a big as issue as you're making out

It's all about managing as well as measuring angst.
I'm not Chicken Lickin, shoot does happen. I just like to have some sort of yardstick to work to.

My angst about a battery dieing is there, the rational side knows that on about a 1000 outings it has not happened.
The test is whether my angst weighs 5 or 6 kg. At the moment I have the angst, but it obviously does not weigh that much.

Angst of a puncture weighs more than the weight of an inner tube and associated paraphernalia. So I carry the necessary.

Clearly the probability or risk of a puncture is much higher.

Anyway, it's G&T time.
What's the risk of me cutting myself instead of the lemon and haemorrhaging on the kitchen floor?
Not enough to stop me from going and making one

 

[ColinJ]

The test is whether my angst weighs 5 or 6 kg.

And costs about £500!

 

[Gwylan]

And costs about £500!

Gosh to think that cyclists worry about mere money.....

 

[richtea]

I think you can insure against flat battery and any mechanical failure. ETA provide a policy.

That's a very good point, Sharkey. I checked with them and two others ('Please can you tell me if running out of battery on an eBike is covered?'):
- ETA will cover you
- CycleGuard won't cover you
- Call-Assist didn't respond within 48 hours

So ETA is the correct choice. Other companies may be available.

 

[harlechjoe]

I've got an e-bike fitted with a Shimano XT, 11-speed 11-42t cassette. When cycling with friends who don't have an e-bike, I turn the pedal assist off toride at their pace and it feels just like an ordinary bike.

 

[ColinJ]

I've got an e-bike fitted with a Shimano XT, 11-speed 11-42t cassette. When cycling with friends who don't have an e-bike, I turn the pedal assist off toride at their pace and it feels just like an ordinary bike.

Even going up some of the steep hills that you have round there...?

How much does it weigh?