Orbea Gain

[youngoldbloke]

- well, I don't understand why my figures are so different. There doesn't appear to be anything amiss with my bike. I can only believe that to attain such good miles per charge that your speed must be above the 15.5mph cut off or assistance is turned off for the majority of the ride. Or is it simply that my leg muscle strength is very low, and a weaker rider uses more assistance at any given level?

 

[Scaleyback]

I feel your confusion Peter. and I may not have helped ?
When I said in my previous post (after reading Baldricks rides v battery consumption) I said:
" I am not surprised at your battery consumption figures as i have had similar results on hilly rides "
I was reading his gradient climbed as feet not meters (I still measure in old money)
Baldricks 57miles 1300m (4265ft) at 47% battery usage is I think remarkably good performance for battery and especially for a 76 year old rider. Perhaps Baldrick rides up hills above the cut-off speed ?
I think, as you say, that " a weaker rider uses more assistance at any given level? "
However, don't beat yourself up, we all have different strengths (I haven't actually found mine yet ) you are out riding your bike when 90%+ of gentlemen your age are probably sitting at home getting fat(ter)

 

[theboxers]

I'm 56 and over weight and have tried both no/minimum assistance and lowest assistance all the time.

I am able to to hold above the limiter on flat ground, of which there is very little where I live. My normal ride style on my ebike is no assistance until I have to, usually over 7%.

I will get about 1000m of ascent for about 50-75% of battery power depending on Grade over a 50-75km ride.

The longest ride was 100km with 1350m of elevation gain for iirc 70% battery usage.

 

[martinbyw]

Have the Orbea Gain F40 Hybrid. Tempted to change the tyres to SCHWALBE Marathon Plus HS Wire Tire.
Happy with the comfort of the original Kenda 700 x 38 but having read here of how hard they are to remove.
My concern is do I go for the 700 x 35 max size available or loose what I hope is a little comfort and go for 700 x 32?

 

[Southernguns]

- well, I don't understand why my figures are so different. There doesn't appear to be anything amiss with my bike. I can only believe that to attain such good miles per charge that your speed must be above the 15.5mph cut off or assistance is turned off for the majority of the ride. Or is it simply that my leg muscle strength is very low, and a weaker rider uses more assistance at any given level?

Yeah, I'm with you on this, Young. I'm a wee pup at only 47, although have had a series of back injuries - hence the electric assistance. I ride a variety of terrain - but if I am on the road (rather than gravel) then I sometimes cycle out across the levels with only 800 - 1200ft of climbing over 30 or 45 miles. Other times I will cycle over the hills with 2800ft of climbing over 15 -20 miles. My average speed is usually 15.5 - 16.5 mph and I generally only use level 1 (green) assistance set at 100%. I stick it on level 1 and leave it there, occasionally moving to a higher level if the hills require. On the flat rides I will generally use about 1.2-1.5% of the battery per mile. As an estimate (and allowing for a bigger drop in battery performance as the battery drains (I have found it depletes more rapidly once it hits 25% remaining), and human performance as I drain) I predict that I could get around 65-70 miles on a full charge (possibly 80 miles on a good day and with a strong tail wind). On hilly routes I reckon this could drop to about 50-60 miles. I have never tested this though as I generally only cycle 30-45 mile rides on road and 20 - 30 miles on gravel.

 

[martinbyw]

Yes they feel comfortable and no problem with grip even over the winter

 

[Scaleyback]

Have the Orbea Gain F40 Hybrid. Tempted to change the tyres to SCHWALBE Marathon Plus HS Wire Tire.
Happy with the comfort of the original Kenda 700 x 38 but having read here of how hard they are to remove.
My concern is do I go for the 700 x 35 max size available or loose what I hope is a little comfort and go for 700 x 32?

I do agree with removing the original Kenda 700 x 38 tyres due to the impossibility of removing them if you puncture. However I seem to remember similar struggles with Marathon Plus tyres in the distant past ? What do others say about fitting/removing these Schwalbe's ? They are also very heavy tyres.
P.S I ride on Schwalbe G-one All round 35mm, brilliant tyres imo.

 

[CXRAndy]

I do agree with removing the original Kenda 700 x 38 tyres due to the impossibility of removing them if you puncture. However I seem to remember similar struggles with Marathon Plus tyres in the distant past ? What do others say about fitting/removing these Schwalbe's ? They are also very heavy tyres.

Marathons are quite tough to fit. The technique with any tyre is get the beads into the middle of the rim whilst fitting. This is the smallest circumference and gives that little bit of extra to get the last section over the rim lip. Keep pushing the tyre into the middle repeatedly all the way around the tyre whilst fitting

 

[Scaleyback]

Is the odometer reading on your Gain correct ? I know mine used to accurately log the miles I was doing. When I used to log on to http://www.ebikemotion.com the mileage was incrementing as I rode and was accurate on the 'App'
I noticed after todays ride, (dated and timed correctly) the odometer online & the App records 1,125 miles when I know I must be close to 4.500 miles ? I can only assume as some point (long time ago) it has reset back to zero ?
The bike has never been 'in the hands' of a Orbea dealer for a service etc, not that they would reset the odometer ?
Anyone any thoughts ?

 

[youngoldbloke]

Mine seems to be what I'd expect. at 4753.676 miles.

 

[Scaleyback]

Thanks Peter,
I assumed this would be just my problem. Actually it's not a great problem because all my rides are documented on ' https://connect.garmin.com ' and I did occassionally log my miles there. My last count was 3,980 and I've just added from there and I'm now on 4,300.
My 1st thought when I looked today was the mileage just wasn't incrementing anymore but todays ride was accurately recorded ?
Oh well, if I ever come to sell it the odometer will show a 'low mileage bike' eh only kidding..
Coincidence ? my odometer reading today said 1,125.676 ! we have that .676 in common.

 

[Scaleyback]

Here's a little tale that that left me with 'egg on my face' but I will recount here in case others are prone to make the same mistake I did (surely not I say ?)
I put a new chain on my D30, the 3rd new one so I decided it was about time for a new 11 speed cassette as well. I have changed many chains and the odd cassette over the years so nothing new here . . . Hmmm
Went for a ride yesterday, a pretty flat 18 miles and my overriding impression was I don't have ' the legs' today ? I'm 74, . . . . it happens.
When home I used the phone app to check the battery power remaining and thought. . . strange ? it is still reporting the same battery charge as the last previous check, I had charged it to 85% a couple of days before. A google search on "Orbea Gain battery problems" led me to diagnose the problem. When I changed the cassette I used the new cassette lock ring. I now know that the original Gain cassette lockring has a series of small 'pips' that are magnetic and are 'talking' to the motor. It is blindingly obvious if you look at this lockring that it is a 'little different' but i never noticed. So I did 18 miles without any assistence and thought I was having an 'off day' Good job it was pretty flat eh ?
Bet you all knew this about the lockring eh ?

P.S Good job I still had the old cassette & lockring.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Oh yes!

 

[Scaleyback]

Oh yes!

And why didn't you tell me earlier Peter ?

 

[youngoldbloke]

And why didn't you tell me earlier Peter ?

- you never asked ....