Electric bike - see mode note post #298

magicbastarder

it'd be fairly typical for a fit cyclist to be able to maintain over 30km/h.

KevRossi

rubadub wrote: »

The limitation is not just annoying but can be dangerous at first if you are not used to it. As the bike is a total hog to get around with no power you are effectively limited to just over 25km/h on the flat. e.g. if you are entering a roundabout or overtaking somebody you would be used to being able to ramp up your speed under your own power on a regular bike, but on the ebike it is like somebody has put the brakes on you just when you might need it most.

Not sure how old your bike is, but it possibly needs to be repaired. I never notice if the motor in mine is on or off as it's that smooth. I've often cruised long distances at a 28 Km/h average, only putting on the motor at hills.
And the tyres I have are chunky enough: 28x1.75 Schwalbe Marathon Plus.

I had a similar experience to you with an older Ebike that I rented out for a half day, but the bike was knackered in more ways than one.

As mentioned above mine is a 2018 Cube One Hybrid.

rubadub

n1st wrote: »

What speed are you cycling you push bike at? I wouldn't have thought much over 25kmph.
I never thought that the 25kmph limit would be an issue, is it for some?

I would have been faster than most people on my old hybrid, usually was only lads on roadbikes that would pass me. Not sure of my speeds. It is important not to simply look at your average speed. When I suggest upping the limit people keep coming out with figures about their average commute speed. But I was saying they should get those figures and every figure over say 27 should be brought back to maybe 26 or 27, unless it is a known downhill section -THEN work out your average.

The real issue I was saying is being momentarily able to go fast to get out of trouble, pass people, enter a roundabout etc. I certainly could not sustain the high speed for long but need it, an ebike is horrible as its like the brakes are on. I was saying it should be like the suggested speedlimiting for cars where it would allow a very short burst of high speed now & then.

KevRossi wrote: »

Not sure how old your bike is, but it possibly needs to be repaired.

Its like this from day 1, others have said it is normal and the newer bosch motors do not have this "drag" or whatever the term is, or at least the drag is nowhwere near as much.

n1st

rubadub wrote: »

due to the 25km/h limit I am faster commuting on a knackered old single speed hybrid with suspension than on my ebike.

With my bosch system the power drops off as you approach 25km/h, this means it does take more effort to be cycling at 25km/h.

The limitation is not just annoying but can be dangerous at first if you are not used to it. As the bike is a total hog to get around with no power you are effectively limited to just over 25km/h on the flat. e.g. if you are entering a roundabout or overtaking somebody you would be used to being able to ramp up your speed under your own power on a regular bike, but on the ebike it is like somebody has put the brakes on you just when you might need it most.

rubadub wrote: »

I would have been faster than most people on my old hybrid, usually was only lads on roadbikes that would pass me. Not sure of my speeds. It is important not to simply look at your average speed. When I suggest upping the limit people keep coming out with figures about their average commute speed. But I was saying they should get those figures and every figure over say 27 should be brought back to maybe 26 or 27, unless it is a known downhill section -THEN work out your average.

The real issue I was saying is being momentarily able to go fast to get out of trouble, pass people, enter a roundabout etc. I certainly could not sustain the high speed for long but need it, an ebike is horrible as its like the brakes are on. I was saying it should be like the suggested speedlimiting for cars where it would allow a very short burst of high speed now & then.


Its like this from day 1, others have said it is normal and the newer bosch motors do not have this "drag" or whatever the term is, or at least the drag is nowhwere near as much.

Should Ebikes not limit the unassisted speed?

i.e. the motor can get you to 25 but if you can pedal faster then it will not stop you or will not make it more difficult.

Ray Palmer

n1st wrote: »

Should Ebikes not limit the unassisted speed?

i.e. the motor can get you to 25 but if you can pedal faster then it will not stop you or will not make it more difficult.

It depends on the model. The cheaper and older drive wheel types won't go over 25kph no matter how much you peddle.

It was one reason my first ebike was a mid motor. So I could cycle faster. The comment there seems to be about ones that use the cheap/old system as I believe most hub motors now don't have that restriction bar the cheap Chinese ones.

I bought a high end haibike and regret it. The components are just so expensive to replace. I first had a Gepida ebike and it was better value. Much cheaper sale price and cheaper to maintain.

The thing that will go and probably determines a new bike it the battery. Make sure the battery is used by a lot of designs or you might find it hard to replace in a few years. The price tends to make it worth your while to buy a new bike

rubadub

n1st wrote: »

Should Ebikes not limit the unassisted speed?

i.e. the motor can get you to 25 but if you can pedal faster then it will not stop you or will not make it more difficult.

It is not like it purposely is designed to impose a restriction, its just naturally there. Its a mountain bike with big tyres and about 20kg and there is just more to overcome trying to surpass the internal gearing or mechanisms or whatever it is.

You get into this repeat cycle effect of easy, easy easy, hit 25, absolute hog!, slow down, motor engages again, easy easy easy, HOG!. Going on a slight decline is fine, you can pick up decent speed due to momentum, I would not be pedalling and be catching up with people going at a fairly OK speed.

I commuted on crap mountain bikes before with suspension and it was NOTHING like this, an absolute hog. I have left it outside shops before unlocked and kept catching a glimpse of it, knowing that if it was gone I would be able to sprint after the thief as I take the display off it so it has no power.

Ray Palmer wrote: »

The thing that will go and probably determines a new bike it the battery. Make sure the battery is used by a lot of designs or you might find it hard to replace in a few years. The price tends to make it worth your while to buy a new bike

I plan on replacing the cells on mine if it wears down a lot, it has held up very well though. I get 2 round commutes out of it no problem, so it would be a long time before I need to do that. THe charger is very light so I could bring it into work if it did get to a stage where it was not enough for a single round commute.

reg114

While Id rather see ebikes on the road than yet more cars, its a real lost fitness opportunity I feel. If you're going to go to the effort of exposing yourself to all the elements and dangers of being on a bike, then why not at least have the benefit of improved health and fitness to go with it. You'd be surprised at how quickly your fitness becomes enhances and at how quickly your average speed increases once you're cycling regularly. I'm at the point where I would pass most ebikes without too much effort but i would be hitting mid to high 30s kmph on the flat , plus i own a turbo trainer, the fact is many people underestimate their potential and unnecessarily opt for an ebike.

magicbastarder

that's great if you're fit and healthy, and not having to worry about getting to work in a lather of sweat.
they're a great option for people who don't have showers in work, or are getting on a bit (or might have health issues) and still want to get out for a good old spin.

reg114

magicbastarder wrote: »

that's great if you're fit and healthy, and not having to worry about getting to work in a lather of sweat.
they're a great option for people who don't have showers in work, or are getting on a bit (or might have health issues) and still want to get out for a good old spin.

But you're not going to get any fitter or healthier on an ebike. As far as arriving in work in a lather of sweat is concerned, I have the option of bringing a change of clothes. If you have health issues , you simply pace yourself. You arent going to get a good ole spin of any consequence on an ebike.

CramCycle

reg114 wrote: »

But you're not going to get any fitter or healthier on an ebike. As far as arriving in work in a lather of sweat is concerned, I have the option of bringing a change of clothes. If you have health issues , you simply pace yourself. You arent going to get a good ole spin of any consequence on an ebike.

Well that's untrue. If you are on an ebike as opposed to a car or bus, you will be fitter. If someone has to go at sub 12kmph to evade sweating they are more likely going to opt for the bus or car. Plenty of people I have met would never have went on a bike only for the intro of ebikes and they are fitter because of it.

rubadub

magicbastarder wrote: »

that's great if you're fit and healthy, and not having to worry about getting to work in a lather of sweat...

^^ was going to make that point above.

also

reg114 wrote: »

If you're going to go to the effort of exposing yourself to all the elements.

In my work if its raining or very windy there are about 1/3rd the bikes there would be on a sunny day. I cycle rain/sleet/snow, and can use nasty cheap 100% waterproof raingear, which would be horrible on a regular bike.

I enjoy cycling for excerise far more on an ebike, I can easily work up a sweat by dropping the assistance, which still having the benefit of being able to take off at lights with full assistance so have rapid acceleration. I can also go scenic routes I would never consider before. I will cycle places I would have got a taxi or bus before.

reg114 wrote: »

If you're going to go to the effort of exposing yourself to all the elements and dangers of being on a bike, then why not at least have the benefit of improved health and fitness to go with it.

Same could be said to people who choose to walk to work, why not jog or run? and their answer would often be the same as those who use an ebike. The effort to me on the ebike is similar to walking, so its a ~20-25min stroll, I would not be on for walking that distance to work daily, did cycle for years..

This is a post on reddit, I think I have read 1 or 2 of the links before.

We sell 1000's of E-bikes and from our experience, it is true that E-bikes help you burn more calories than a regular bike. Because, you go much longer distance and you stay in aerobic breathing zone more consistently. If you keep all factors identical then obviously regular bikes win. But, the point is, E-bikes prompt you to ride more often in real life. our customers report that they go on trips, commutes that they would have never thought of on a regular bike. Let's break it down.

Here is a scientific article on how cardiometabolic risk factors are affected by E-bikes. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00421-016-3408-9

University of Basel study on how E-bikes improve health compared to regular bikes. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180726161118.htm

The effect of E-bikes on physical activity levels: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5644161/

A very good NYT article on the health benefits of E-bikes. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/06/the-surprising-health-benefits-of-an-electric-bike-2/

n1st

ebike really limits to 25 unless downhill.
Ebike will not improve fitness dramatically.
Ebike allows you cycle to work without breaking sweat.
Ebike allows you to cycle greater distances at ease.

beauf

reg114 wrote: »

...the fact is many people underestimate their potential and unnecessarily opt for an ebike.

A lot of people who've been cycling for years buy ebikes.

magicbastarder

reg114 wrote: »

But you're not going to get any fitter or healthier on an ebike. As far as arriving in work in a lather of sweat is concerned, I have the option of bringing a change of clothes. If you have health issues , you simply pace yourself. You arent going to get a good ole spin of any consequence on an ebike.

it's quite simple - for many people, cycling is not necessarily about going faster/getting fitter (delete as appropriate). for some people, it may be about getting out in the fresh air; for others, it may be about getting to or from work. e-bikes are great for them, because it allows them to get their fresh air more easily, or more easily commute to work.
and if they want to push themselves harder, they can.

Hamsterchops

E-bike technical issue.

I've only had it for a couple of months & she's started to creak already.

So with every rotation of the pedals there is an annoying 'creak-creak' sound, which at first I thought was coming from the plastic housing on the Bosch Active Line motor, then I thought the noise came from the headset, then finally I tracked it down to [inside the down tube] at the top, where the cables enter the tube from the Bosch Purion display on the way down to the motor!

There is a tiny little rubber grommet where the cable enters the tube, so I guess there's a plastic channel inside that's creaking, but how do I get access, and how can it be fixed?

So any theories or suggestions are very welcome.

Step through (no crossbar) adult unisex e-bike
Bosch Active Line motor/ battery on rear rack.

rubadub

magicbastarder wrote: »

more easily commute to work.

I would wager that the majority of people who have issues with ebikes are the sort who would pay handsomely to shave 500g off their commuting bike (not even competitive racing bike) weight, and would spend ages comparing the rolling resistance of their new potential commuting tires. Yet look sneeringly at somebody else trying to make life a bit easier simply since its electrical and so not "pure". I would not be surprised if some of the cheaper electric bikes with lower power motors would take more energy input than a light highly efficient road bike. I know I would be faster on my clapped out bybrid than my ebike in "eco mode".

Ebike will not improve fitness dramatically.

Can depend on the person, same could be said of walkingg., which I was saying my ebike cycle feels like to me, a 20-25min stroll. For people with very low fitness levels and/or high weight issues and sort of light exercise is going to make a decent difference.

I used to pass a very overweight woman on a MTB on my commute. I thought fair play to her getting out there, it was a shame it was a MTB which did make it harder but she was that large it might have been advisable. I was thinking how an ebike would have suited far more, esp. as she was going so slow. I do not see her any more and guess she might have given up.

Pigeon Reaper

You can try unplugging the cable and then wrapping something plumbers tape around the cable and re-feed it into the tube. Most of the cables are sealed but unplug easily from the bottom where they connect into the motor. If in doubt bring it to the shop where you bought it from.

Ray Palmer

Anybody suggesting ebikes are not good for your health should just Google it to see they studies that say it is good for you. I guess many of the people commenting have never used one regularly or tried cheap or old models. Half of what has been said can be true.
1. You won't work up a sweat.
Unless you are an incredibly passive cyclist you will easily sweat on a commute.
2. Can't cycle over 25kph
You certainly can and people saying that is an easy speed on a regular bicycle are ignoring stopping and starting. You will reach 25 kph more or less instantly and it takes time and effort to get up to speed on a regular bike. In urban cycling you stop and start a lot. Many times have I passed and caught up with people with ultra light bikes and bikes. Yes on a straight continuous cycle they will be faster. Stopping and starting and going up hills I will be faster and a lot less effort

3. You won't get any health benefits
You certainly will get benefits. It is still cycling and mainly only kicks in starting off or up hills. Studies show people also cycle more with ebikes. People with heart problems benefit greatly due to the consistency of the cycle without peaks.

When I first mentioned getting an ebike on boards I got loads if snobbery about it being a cheat and I should try regular cycling. I am a commuter who cycles so don't need to be 'pure'

homer911

I bought my ebike to get me up the hills, not so I could go faster - on the flat I'm generally going faster than 25 kmh

On a side note, mine is Bosch mid-drive and when I bought it, the power would start to drop out above 25 and be gone by 27. I got the bike serviced a while back and they updated the controller OS and the power now drops out by 26 kmh

Hamsterchops

Hey, same motor as me

Hamsterchops

Was driving along in the N11 this morning, and along side me was a black e-bike with the thick tyres and yellow panniers doing 45km/h.....

Looked very comfortable at that speed, very little effort, pedals turning slowly and the bike was flying along, nice integrated lights too!

CramCycle

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Was driving along in the N11 this morning, and along side me was a black e-bike with the thick tyres and yellow panniers doing 45km/h.....

Looked very comfortable at that speed, very little effort, pedals turning slowly and the bike was flying along, nice integrated lights too!

Nice tailwind this morning which would help, there was an upright hybrid beside me tipping north of 40kmph (not electric). Haven't seen the guy who used to have the white ebike and the integrated lights in a while, he was great for a draft on a headwind day.

Hamsterchops

...this one was heavily laden, big rear hub motor with the battery on the down tube, going up inclines as if they weren't there.

Impressive.

Ray Palmer

Hamsterchops wrote: »

Was driving along in the N11 this morning, and along side me was a black e-bike with the thick tyres and yellow panniers doing 45km/h.....

Looked very comfortable at that speed, very little effort, pedals turning slowly and the bike was flying along, nice integrated lights too!

Probably a Sonos. Illegal to use on the roads here. They go over the 25kph assist limit and a throttle.

Saw a school boy this morning using a mod kit on their bike. Was doing 35kph without peddling. He also had no lights on the bike. What parent would allow their child out like that?

Lordsnutchi

Would anyone be able to suggest some good legal e bikes in Ireland? Mainly for getting about the city.