Had a ride

[derrick]

We had an electric bike in the shop today for a few repairs. After i finished it i thought i had better give it a test ride, Wow it went like a rocket, (Not really) but i was impressed with the way the power came in. I can see these things catching on, I was out on a ride last year and got chatting to a guy with one, we were going up a big long drag, not steep but it was a steady climb, he was saying that he had been a good cyclist in his day but growing older takes it's toll, But the electric bike kept him on the road, allowed him to go further a field than he would on his road bike. So i give the electric bike the thumbs up. Has anyone else ridden on? What did you think about them? When them youngsters start pushing me to hard i might invest, lol. But i think i have a few years left in me before i think about one.

 

[Racing roadkill]

We had an electric bike in the shop today for a few repairs. After i finished it i thought i had better give it a test ride, Wow it went like a rocket, (Not really) but i was impressed with the way the power came in. I can see these things catching on, I was out on a ride last year and got chatting to a guy with one, we were going up a big long drag, not steep but it was a steady climb, he was saying that he had been a good cyclist in his day but growing older takes it's toll, But the electric bike kept him on the road, allowed him to go further a field than he would on his road bike. So i give the electric bike the thumbs up. Has anyone else ridden on? What did you think about them? When them youngsters start pushing me to hard i might invest, lol. But i think i have a few years left in me before i think about one.

I didn't like the way it took off automatically, after one rotation of the crank, as I was cornering.

 

[Dayvo]

Wow it went like a rocket

I didn't like the way it took off automatically

My boss has one and uses it only in the best of weather. He asked me to have a go (being the cyclist that I am) last summer and I nearly fell off as the speed came in almost immediately and caught me completely by surprise.

I'm not in a hurry to get one, but the sales of them are rocketing here in Oslo, and used mostly for commuting.

 

[steveindenmark]

Jannie and I had one each for a couple of years and they were great. We sold them to a mate who loves them. The only people I find that knock them are those who have never tried them.

They are very popular in Denmark and I see them every time I go into town.

 

[Pale Rider]

I have two Bosch powered ebikes - a Rose trekking bike and a 20" wheel AVE semi-folder.

Power (such as it is) delivery is very smooth.

There's no throttle, so if you don't pedal, you don't go.

Speed, cadence and torque sensors mean the harder you work, the harder the motor works - and vice-versa.

I have to pedal harder into headwinds and change down/pedal harder to get up hills.

The system is designed to ride like an ordinary bike, which it does, apart from less effort required at the pedals.

By using lower assistance levels, I can ride with moderately fit cyclists, and by using higher levels I can ride with fitter cyclists.

The assistance ceases at 15mph, leaving me to propel a 20kg+ bike on my own, so a quickish roadie could easily outpace me on moderately flat roads.

That happened recently on a forum ride when @ColinJ and chums crept away from me in the early stages of the circuit which were flattish.

Pace equality was restored when we reached the hillier bit, which being a Colin ride, was most of it.

Overall, I'm not too fussed about speed, the main thing the ebike gives me is distance.

I can do 20/30 miles on my push bike, but can manage 100+ on the Rose.

The AVE is not quite as comfy and doesn't roll along quite so well on its 20" balloon tyres, but it has been very useful for forum rides because it goes in the back of my hatchback.

My record on the AVE is, if I recall, 87 miles which I did with @nickyboy on the Manchester Llandudno (we got as far as Rhyl) recce a couple of years ago.

 

[Lonestar]

Catching on? I know a few guys at work who've had these for a few years.

^^^ That's funny.I had trouble catching up to one of those sort of bikes especially as he wasn't pedaling and I realised it was an electric bike...Yes i have roide these when on holiday in the Phuket hills and I must say I was impressed.-+

 

[Pale Rider]

Catching on? I know a few guys at work who've had these for a few years.

^^^ That's funny.I had trouble catching up to one of those sort of bikes especially as he wasn't pedaling and I realised it was an electric bike...Yes i have roide these when on holiday in the Phuket hills and I must say I was impressed.-+

Lots of different types of ebike systems.

Both mine are strictly legal under Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) regulations.

Full speed throttles are now illegal, although as with anything regulatory, there are complications, not least grandfather rights.

I don't know how fit you are, but if you had trouble catching an ebiker who wasn't pedalling, the chances are he was using an illegally higher powered motor.

Nominal motor rating is in watts, 250 being the legal limit.

There are plenty of 350, 500, 750 and even 1,000 watt motors around.

Those extra watts make a huge difference.

To comply with EAPC, the motor must stop assisting at 15.5mph.

It's easy to build an ebike with no assistance limit.

A thoroughly illegal 500 watt full throttle bike could probably reach 25mph on the flat with no pedalling, although the speed would sharp drop off into a headwind or up a slight gradient.

 

[steveindenmark]

Catching on? I know a few guys at work who've had these for a few years.

^^^ That's funny.I had trouble catching up to one of those sort of bikes especially as he wasn't pedaling and I realised it was an electric bike...Yes i have roide these when on holiday in the Phuket hills and I must say I was impressed.-+

I was in Holland a few years ago on my ICE trike when a woman passed me on a bike with a wire front basket threaded with flowers. She was about 70 years old and going like the clappers. I couldnt keep up with her. It bothered me for about 2 years until Jannie suggested it may have been an Electric bike.

If I ever meet that woman again, I will give her what for.

 

[Lonestar]

I don't know how fit you are, but if you had trouble catching an ebiker who wasn't pedalling, the chances are he was using an illegally higher powered motor.

Well another problem was he was ignoring the lights.

Ironically I went all out to catch a suspect no lights RLJer (tonight) which I eventually did and he was riding a (battery) powered small fat tyred scooter thing which was quite fast and very maneuverable around corners which made him hard to catch.Caught him on Forest Lane though.

 

[hopless500]

As my back progressively gets worse I'll be considering one. Seems a better option than the wheelchair which has been mentioned in the future.

 

[summerdays]

I had a go recently on one my friend had loaned for 2 weeks to try.... She lives near a hill I do go up but will avoid if I can and it was so easy going up it. I was annoyed afterwards that I hadn't recorded it on Strava so I could compare how much faster I had done the hill than normally.

I know there are different types though I can t remember the exact details. I wasn't totally keen on how the assist kicked in, I cycled up her road with low assist (it had a 1-5 option), and then slowed right down to do a U turn, the assist kicked in as I was cycling slowly across the road sending me quicker towards the cars on the opposite side than I liked.

I am vaguely interested in it to help on hills especially when the weather is bad/head wind but I don't want it all the time, and I worry that I would take the easy option of not pedalling so hard, and it's my main form of exercise so that wouldn't be good.

My friend wants to be able to arrive at work without being sweaty, and she isn't really fit due to medical conditions. I think it would help her as currently she only rides occasionally. She did find it very heavy to get started but I pointed out she had it in the highest gear, it was fine for me to start without assist when I put it in a lower gear.

 

[0lonerider]

My friend has health issues and can't walk more than a hundred yards, having a bike's gave him the freedom he lost!

 

[steveindenmark]

This is Jannie on a legal e bike riding first without power and then turning the power on. Im fit, riding my road bike and I couldnt keep up. Jannie was pedalling effortlessly.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RXTFHMKJMHE

 

[.stu]

I have just got a gtech sport e-bike and I love it. I have customised it a bit, mainly handlebars, tyres, and mudguards, and despite being a bit unsure and at first, it is now me favorite bike. I can even ride to the 13 miles work on dry days in jeans and a shirt without worrying about working up a sweat, and it only takes me an extra 10 minutes is so. I posted summer pics in the photo gallery....
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/my-mod-o-fied-single-speed-e-bike.204054/

 

[gavroche]

I understand ebikes are useful for older people but I am only 65 so I don't qualify for one yet due to being too young.