E-Bike

[Newton472]

Hi PH, I currently have a 2019 Giant Defy and an 2011 Giant Anthem and am looking at getting an ebike as well, prob mainly for road cycling.

Presumably a 1k one from Halfords (Carrera Subway?) will be a POS so looking at a Fastroad but only really as I don't really know the market. Presumably will require a spend of £2k+ to get anything decent?

I probably only do up to 30km at a time on the Defy but the hill assistance and potential to get much further on an ebike certainly appeals. Any advice / suggestions welcome.

[PushedDover]

this is the thread you are looking for (and essentially where the EBikers hang out)

[Newton472]

Thanks but not sure which thread you mean? Anyway have been reading around the subject and am now deciding between a Haibike nduro hardseven at two grand vs the giant trance e+ at 3k. Already have FS so trying to decide If the FS giant is worth the extra grand...

[PushedDover]

Apols. a dork missing to link the thread : https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...


There is a lot of chatter on the Ebikes/ Options/ best etc there.

I would say the suntour suspension seat post on the Hardtail is a great compromise.

[Newton472]

Thanks.

Went for the Haibike in the end, hardtail is fine for my requirements and as you say the suspension post option is there if you really need+ it's a cheaper. Picked up yesterday and took it for a brief 20 mile spin to test on road and also cross country with some average hills.

Findings

Bike is heavier than both my other two (23kg vs I think 8 for my roadie and 10-11? for the MTB). However with the power assist the weight is less of an issue and an e-mtb rather than an e-hybrid or road bike provides the most versatile usage for my requirements.

Bike has four modes, sport (most assist), std, eco and eco+ (least) as well as an auto function. The auto function is just about perfect for all conditions based on my first ride.

On the flat

Pulling away from junctions and getting up to speed is where it really comes into its own. The boosted acceleration makes it much easier getting around on the flat and at junctions etc you can pull away immediately and keep pace with the traffic. So far so good. The speed limiting is a bit of a pain think I may look for a hack to disengage it. That said cruising at 15.5 mph is fine albeit a bit slow for road use.

Off road

This in my view is where the electric assist really comes into its own. Off road trails are always tough going for me and the ability to blast through incredibly muddy and rough terrain with ease was just fantastic. Must invest in some mud guards though as I so far gained a face full of mud...

Hills

Again, ebikes really come into their own on the hills. Road ascents are one thing, and the speed limiting is a bit annoying, however hills off road, particularly muddy steep ones are where the boost is just superb.

ebikes vs non-e

They definitely enable the non-physically fit / older rider to get much further and go far out of their comfort zone. Not being that old yet it does feel a bit lazy but if you have to commute or use day to day I imagine they are fantastic. But for exercise I won't be selling my conventional bikes as yet.

[nickfrog]

Newton472 said:

But for exercise I won't be selling my conventional bikes as yet.

For exercise an ebike can be equally effective as you can adjust the level of assistance (on the Shimano system I can infinitely adjust it, even down to simulating acoustic bike effort).

Or simply go faster and/or further to replicate a non-ebike work rate.

In fact, I am pretty sure that I work as hard on my ebike but I cycle twice as much so I probably do more exercise.

[Toltec]

nickfrog said:

For exercise an ebike can be equally effective as you can adjust the level of assistance (on the Shimano system I can infinitely adjust it, even down to simulating acoustic bike effort).

Or simply go faster and/or further to replicate a non-ebike work rate.

In fact, I am pretty sure that I work as hard on my ebike but I cycle twice as much so I probably do more exercise.

That is what I find, it helps manage your peak or sustained high level output so you can end up riding for a lot longer and getting far more exercise.

[Newton472]

You guys crack me up - purely speaking from personal experience a conventional ride is way harder than what I experienced earlier today on the ebike.

I've heard equivalent cycling distance is about 3x running distance to get the same work out give or take but not sure for ebikes. My ebike battery has a 60 mile range, but based on what I experienced today I think I'd need an extra battery or two to put in enough range to equal a conventional work out... Or perhaps the exercise is to be had when the battery runs out and you have to lug 23kgs all the way back home ...

Don't get me wrong I love ebikes, but I think as 'exercise' the benefit vs conventional cycling must be marginal.

[nickfrog]

Newton472 said:

You guys crack me up - purely speaking from personal experience a conventional ride is way harder than what I experienced earlier today on the ebike.

Again, it depends entirely on how much assistance you use and on your average speed. An ebike ride can be way easier or way harder than on an acoustic, it's up to you. I have climbed very steep/rocky stuff in ECO that you couldn't even cycle up on an acoustic. It was hard work, obviously.

As you say, you can even ride in OFF if you want to, I do occasionally to conserve range.

I don't know what cracks you up tbh but perhaps you haven't explored the possibilities of your new bike yet.

Edited by nickfrog on Wednesday 27th January 18:29

[Newton472]

I find I get the most exercise from the necessity of having to climb hills or cycle the, say, twenty miles to return back home on a conventional cycle.

Fine as you say to run the ebike in low assist modes or switch off entirely, but if I have a button to make it easier I’m far more likely to use it. Remove that option and you have no choice but to put in the effort.

Will update again once I’ve put in some more miles...

[LeadFarmer]

Newton472 said:

but if I have a button to make it easier I’m far more likely to use it. Remove that option and you have no choice but to put in the effort.

Remove that option and I wouldn't;t even bother going out on a bike at all. Having an ebike gets me out cycling to work every day, I'd otherwise be riding my motorbike to work, so for me ebikes give me exercise I wouldn't otherwise get.

[Malo]

I've recently bought an Orbea Gain M30i. I do 95% of my ride with no assist at all then for the last bit assist, but still ride with the same cadence/heart rate as the rest of the ride. It just helps getting up the last hills without burning out.

[PushedDover]

OP you’ll not be getting 60 miles range without the assist wound down- aka: you’ll be exercising more

[gangzoom]

Newton472 said:

You guys crack me up - purely speaking from personal experience a conventional ride is way harder than what I experienced earlier today on the ebike.

That's the great thing about eBikes, especially in the current weather, it gives you a choice and means overall some exercise is better than none.

Thanks to my eBike, I've managed to keep riding through out the whole winter, never managed that before. My resting heart rate is current 46bpm, in October when I put my roadbike into hibernation it was 44bpm. I do no other forms of exercise apart from spending about 1hr a day commuting to work and back on the eBike.

Some days when the legs are tired and there is a nasty headwind I put the bike into max power mode and just take it easy. Most days though the bike is on minimal assist, and its great to be out on the bike going to work versus the car.

[Newton472]

Well I scoffed earlier at the exercise argument, and said when you're limited to 15.5 mph there's no real motivation to put in as much effort. So today I hacked the speed limiter, and it seriously flies now.

What I did find was hacking the limiter gave me a pretty tough workout, because I was (as ever) motivated by the desire to go as fast as possible. What can I say, it's just too much fun and I can't recommend it enough. I actually think it's safer on the road as the speed differentials are lower with other cars going at 30mph say.

Battery life wasn't as bad as I thought either. Wish my mudguards would arrive though, essential in winter weather as every time I go out at present I end up with a faceful of mud and rain.

Edited by Newton472 on Friday 29th January 16:02

[gangzoom]

My eBike has a built in powermeter at the crank, these are the kind of figures I'm seeing currently on the flat with no assistance. Whilst not impressive for any serious cyclists for a MAML whos only exercise for the last few months has been the eBike am quite happy.

Since about October my eBike had been my only form of exercise.

.



My eBike it lets me ride future (and harder), more often, which all means I've taken my bike to parts of the countryside I would never have before .

Edited by gangzoom on Saturday 30th January 05:18

[Newton472]

Definitely agree with the above. Fitted my new Mudhuggar mudguards today and all the issues I had getting covered in road spray and a face full of dirt every time I go out are now solved. Definite necessity in this weather.

Went for distance today so did a fair amount in eco mode to prolong the battery, works really well and I have to admit you do then get some really good exercise with the benefit of having electric support for the hills.

So to sum up re ebikes I can’t recommend enough. Have scoped out some good routes I’ve not tried before to try on my conventional bikes come the summer. Will be interesting to see how much they get used when the weather finally turns.

One final thing, possibly not popular here but I must say I really do enjoy blasting past other ‘conventional’ cyclists at speed now I’ve hacked the limiter. After all the work some put in to getting their fitness levels up having a fat oaf like me just blast past with comparative ease must surely be slightly annoying.

[nickfrog]

Glad you're enjoying it and that it has become a decent solution for exercise. I actually find that it cuts the spikes in high BPM heatrate which at 51 is quite good.

As for annoying conventional riders, it is a bit weird make the most of it now as the playing field is getting levelled at quite a pace what with the massive amount of people switching.

[towser44]

Newton472 said:

Definitely agree with the above. Fitted my new Mudhuggar mudguards today and all the issues I had getting covered in road spray and a face full of dirt every time I go out are now solved. Definite necessity in this weather.

Went for distance today so did a fair amount in eco mode to prolong the battery, works really well and I have to admit you do then get some really good exercise with the benefit of having electric support for the hills.

So to sum up re ebikes I can’t recommend enough. Have scoped out some good routes I’ve not tried before to try on my conventional bikes come the summer. Will be interesting to see how much they get used when the weather finally turns.

One final thing, possibly not popular here but I must say I really do enjoy blasting past other ‘conventional’ cyclists at speed now I’ve hacked the limiter. After all the work some put in to getting their fitness levels up having a fat oaf like me just blast past with comparative ease must surely be slightly annoying.

Fair play on getting out and about, the more who do the better whether they need help with electric power or not, but as a conventional cyclist, when someone blasts past me on an ebike, I don't get annoyed as I have that warm glow inside that I can cycle 100 miles without any help ;-)

[LeadFarmer]

towser44 said:

Fair play on getting out and about, the more who do the better whether they need help with electric power or not, but as a conventional cyclist, when someone blasts past me on an ebike, I don't get annoyed as I have that warm glow inside that I can cycle 100 miles without any help ;-)

Bear in mind the guy whizzing past on the ebike is probably someone like me who has no great interest in cycling at all and has no intention of ever being able to ride long distance, but just uses their ebike as a tool to commute, and for fun. And they are fun.

I've not mastered the etiquette of overtaking on my ebike yet, when I'm making good progress at a comfortable speed and find I happen to be catching up a cyclist in front, I'm never sure whether to acknowledge them as I pass, with a 'Good morning" as a friendly gesture, or to say nothing ao they don't think I'm taking the pi$$. I generally choose to say say nothing as they are probably hating me.

I once did a double overtake, in that a serious looking cyclist was overtaking another cyclist, and at the exact same time I overtook them both, so we were all abreast each other. The planets aligned that day I guess, for that to happen. Chance in a million