Solihull/Birmingham to Wolverhampton commute, advice please?

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ishaqmir

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone

You may have seen from my other posts that i'm on a mission to try to find a way to do home visits on a bike. I have done a lot of research and have the Load 75 e-cargo bike in mind with dual battery to keep me going.

However, a lot of my home visits are in Wolverhampton, and this is one thing that is really holding me back. From what I've read on the forum I do not want to use the canals (tunnels, poor surface, narrow paths, slow speed, risk of mugging, etc). Komoot is taking me through Moseley, Edgbaston, Hagley Road, Bearwood, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton, and it seems the quickest route via main roads, but I don't want to get run over either! Lol So I am in a big two minds whether this is a dead end for me. Like I said in the other posts, I can charge the batteries at every patient's house so I don't think range will be a big problem, also, once in Wolverhampton, it would be local 4-5 visits there all day so that would be a lot more relaxed. I'm just very anxious about a long journey in the morning on a bike from Brum to Wolv?

Also, has anyone any experience with the high speed (28mph) gen 2 or gen 4 Bosch motors when doing long distance etc?

Thanks
 
Location
Birmingham
Hayley road - likely to be the dodgy bit simply down to traffic.
Not a guru on the NCN - what is the way marked route for you ?
moseEly - pick up the route down past/through cannon hill park then Bristol road new cYale express to macD then left up to 5 ways then Hadley road.
Canal towpath is all stoned up since last year and is busy commuter run now. Not met any aggro at all.
canal from smelly oak to gas street basin then out to wolves is fine
 

StickyPTFE

Senior Member
Location
Birmingham
The traffic will be your greatest obstacle, I wouldnt expect your average speed to be much above 15mph. I commuted to Solihull for a training course last week; the roads are mainly ill equipped to support cyclists.
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
Apart from the legality, I wonder if you would want to barrel along at 20mph+ on this type of cargo bike.

I've only ridden one across a car park, but the rod and linkage steering would take some getting used to.

Riese and Muller, the maker of the Load 75 you mention, do offer a couple in HS - High Speed - flavour.

Avoid the Enviolo variable hub gear version, it's draggy and can be unreliable.

I think you are correct about needing the dual battery option, particularly if you go HS.

It will slurp power as quickly as it goes, so you may only get 20-30 miles from a single battery.

At a guess, two batteries should get you to Wolverhampton, some dodging about once there, and back to Birmingham.

https://www.r-m.de/en-gb/models/load-75/
 

alicat

Legendary Member
Location
Staffs
I'd go on the tram to Wolverhampton and use the bike for the local hops at the other end. I'd have to be a lot braver than I am to lug a lot of equipment through all the traffic lights and give way junctions en route.
 

C R

Guru
Location
Worcester
I'd go on the tram to Wolverhampton and use the bike for the local hops at the other end. I'd have to be a lot braver than I am to lug a lot of equipment through all the traffic lights and give way junctions en route.
I think what @alicat suggests, or a variation of it is the most sensible option. You really don't want the getting to and from work to be the most tiring part of your day.
 
OP
OP
I

ishaqmir

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the replies. I’ve been thinking more about it and have come up with an idea.

I could install a tow bar on my car with the Thule Velospace XT e bike carrier and drive to Wolverhampton, park up and then ride around all day and finally back to my car.

Now the tow bar and Velospace rack are very expensive. The rack claims to be lockable to the tow bar. What do you think likelihood is of someone trying to steal the rack while car is parked up?

obviously with this plan I won’t be able to go for the really big e cargo Load 75. Will have to go for a full suspension standard type ebike.

I will try and take photos of the kit I have and hopefully someone would be able to suggest if it can get onto the bike and what panniers etc I’ll need...
 
OP
OP
I

ishaqmir

Well-Known Member
A Tern HSD may be the answer.

It's a cleverly designed 20" wheel compact frame ebike with extra long panniers and rack.

Despite this, it's only the length of a standard bike.

The saddle and bars flop down meaning you could get it into the back of a medium sized hatchback, so no need for a bike carrier.

https://ebiketips.road.cc/content/reviews/electric-city-bikes/tern-hsd-s8i-2179

that's a fantastic idea, I did originally look into the GSD but will look at the HSD, might be perfect for home visits. Only thing is it comes with the lesser performance Bosch Active Line instead of performance line, anyone have any experience with active line?
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
that's a fantastic idea, I did originally look into the GSD but will look at the HSD, might be perfect for home visits. Only thing is it comes with the lesser performance Bosch Active Line instead of performance line, anyone have any experience with active line?

There's not a great deal in the two motors, and you still have gears and the four settings to play with.

In other words, Turbo on the lower power motor is probably equivalent to Sport on the higher power Performance one.

I can't see you missing Turbo on a Performance motor unless you are climbing steep mountains fully loaded, and possibly not even then.

I have a Performance motor and rarely use Turbo, the Tour setting is fine, often for the whole ride, sometimes with an occasional burst of Sport.
 
Hi everyone

You may have seen from my other posts that i'm on a mission to try to find a way to do home visits on a bike. I have done a lot of research and have the Load 75 e-cargo bike in mind with dual battery to keep me going.

However, a lot of my home visits are in Wolverhampton, and this is one thing that is really holding me back. From what I've read on the forum I do not want to use the canals (tunnels, poor surface, narrow paths, slow speed, risk of mugging, etc). Komoot is taking me through Moseley, Edgbaston, Hagley Road, Bearwood, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton, and it seems the quickest route via main roads, but I don't want to get run over either! Lol So I am in a big two minds whether this is a dead end for me. Like I said in the other posts, I can charge the batteries at every patient's house so I don't think range will be a big problem, also, once in Wolverhampton, it would be local 4-5 visits there all day so that would be a lot more relaxed. I'm just very anxious about a long journey in the morning on a bike from Brum to Wolv?

Also, has anyone any experience with the high speed (28mph) gen 2 or gen 4 Bosch motors when doing long distance etc?

Thanks
I'm a yam yam (Wolverhampton born) the canal route is safe an you don't have anyone hanging around apart from walkers and fisherman. All that been said, the only point I would advise you don't ride the canal is between heathtown and New cross hospital. At New cross hospital entrance to canal (Bentley bridge shopping complex) it's easy to ride into Wolverhampton cutting out heath town. You can rejoin canal in city to carry on safely, hope this helps
 

jamin100

Guru
Location
Birmingham
Personally (and I live in Birmingham but dont travel to Wolverhampton) but I would avoid canals and towpaths if at all possible. I feel safer on the road where there are people around. On a canal towpath, you could find yourself very isolated of something were to happen.
 

oldkit

Regular
Hello, do your home visits cover all of Wolverhampton or just a specific side/area?
I may be able to tell you areas to be wary of or preferable routes to take. I too do not like using the towpath these days. I live in Wolverhampton and used to ride the towpaths a lot until about 18 months ago.
Cheers
 
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