# Had a ride



## derrick (29 Apr 2016)

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.


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## Racing roadkill (29 Apr 2016)

derrick said:


> 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.


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## Dayvo (29 Apr 2016)

derrick said:


> Wow it went like a rocket





Racing roadkill said:


> 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.


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## steveindenmark (30 Apr 2016)

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.


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## Pale Rider (30 Apr 2016)

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.


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## Lonestar (30 Apr 2016)

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.-+


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## Pale Rider (30 Apr 2016)

Lonestar said:


> 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.


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## steveindenmark (30 Apr 2016)

Lonestar said:


> 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.


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## Lonestar (1 May 2016)

Pale Rider said:


> 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.


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## hopless500 (1 May 2016)

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.


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## summerdays (1 May 2016)

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.


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## 0lonerider (1 May 2016)

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


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## steveindenmark (1 May 2016)

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


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## .stu (16 Jul 2016)

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/


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## gavroche (16 Jul 2016)

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.


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## summerdays (16 Jul 2016)

My friend is under 50 but has various health problems, (some related to having her thyroid nuked). The e-bike makes the difference between being able to ride to work every day or only once in a blue moon. Plus that will help her general health by exercising regularly.


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## DEFENDER01 (17 Jul 2016)

summerdays said:


> My friend is under 50 but has various health problems, (some related to having her thyroid nuked). The e-bike makes the difference between being able to ride to work every day or only once in a blue moon. Plus that will help her general health by exercising regularly.


Yes i have found since getting my e cycle i use it more than i would my M T B.
There are no more hills and headwinds i now find myself going out just for the fun and exercise rather than having to go somewhere.
They certainly fill the gap between giving up cycling and cycling.


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## welsh dragon (17 Jul 2016)

I have had a go on one and I must say I was very impressed indeed. I am finding it increasingly difficult to tackle the hills around here. Serves me right I suppose for living in the foothills of the Cambrian mountains. 

Just lately my knees seem to be protesting a bit as well and I am seriously considering buying one. I want cycling to be fun and not a chore or something that I dread because of the terrain.

I'm beginning to convince myself to get one I think.


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## DEFENDER01 (17 Jul 2016)

welsh dragon said:


> I have had a go on one and I must say I was very impressed indeed. I am finding it increasingly difficult to tackle the hills around here. Serves me right I suppose for living in the foothills of the Cambrian mountains.
> 
> Just lately my knees seem to be protesting a bit as well and I am seriously considering buying one. I want cycling to be fun and not a chore or something that I dread because of the terrain.
> 
> I'm beginning to convince myself to get one I think.


When i asked the guy i bought mine from what were the downsides of having a e cycle.
He replied the only downside is you wont want to ride anything else.


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## welsh dragon (17 Jul 2016)

DEFENDER01 said:


> When i asked the guy i bought mine from what were the downsides of having a e cycle.
> He replied the only downside is you wont want to ride anything else.




I must admit, I had a rather stupid grin all over my face. It could get addictive.


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## DEFENDER01 (17 Jul 2016)

welsh dragon said:


> I must admit, I had a rather stupid grin all over my face. It could get addictive.


Trust me it is i now find myself looking for excuses just to go out.


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## welsh dragon (17 Jul 2016)

DEFENDER01 said:


> Trust me it is i now find myself looking for excuses just to go out.


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## Pale Rider (17 Jul 2016)

I've done several thousand miles on my ebikes and the positives far outweigh the negatives.

But there are some.

Ebikes are heavy, bowling along on one cannot quite match the pure cycling pleasure from riding a lightweight bicycle in favourable conditions.

Ebikes are also harder to manhandle at obstacles such as restricting gates on cycle paths.

A few steps are difficult to negotiate.

To give a small example, the Brighton ride I did recently with @ianrauk and chums finished with a flight of steps down to the beach to the chip shop.

Everyone else was able to walk/carry their bikes down the steps, but I was stranded at the top.

Fair play to the company, @StuAff offered me assistance to lift the bike, and @User pointed me in the direction of a ramp a little further along the seafront.

So not an insurmountable problem, but it does illustrate ebikes have their downsides.


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## .stu (17 Jul 2016)

DEFENDER01 said:


> Trust me it is i now find myself looking for excuses just to go out.


+1 this!


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## simon.r (17 Jul 2016)

My 82 year old father has just got back on his Giant Lafree e-bike after breaking his arm falling off his electric Brompton a few months ago

He now informs me he's looking to spend £3k on a Specialized e-bike. If it enables him to get some fresh air, some exercise and a sense of mental well-being I'll happily forego a portion of my inheritance


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## steveindenmark (17 Jul 2016)

Reading these comments it just shows how useless e bike firms are at advertising their products. The majority of people on here and the general public think that e bikes are only for the aged or infirm. That is not the case at all. They are great fun for everybody and they should be making sure everyone knows it.

Can you imagine giving this to 90 year old Mr Smith, with dicky ticker and knackered knees, to go to the corner shop for his milk?

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.imdserve.com/images/news/2015/02/17/1424184823699-3i7mp8lyt5xd-700-80.jpg


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## DEFENDER01 (18 Jul 2016)

steveindenmark said:


> Reading these comments it just shows how useless e bike firms are at advertising their products. The majority of people on here and the general public think that e bikes are only for the aged or infirm. That is not the case at all. They are great fun for everybody and they should be making sure everyone knows it.
> 
> Can you imagine giving this to 90 year old Mr Smith, with dicky ticker and knackered knees, to go to the corner shop for his milk?
> 
> http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.imdserve.com/images/news/2015/02/17/1424184823699-3i7mp8lyt5xd-700-80.jpg


Well i guess like everything in this world you need to cater for all needs.
Although that particular one does seem about as much use as a cat flap in a submarine. 
It has no pedals.


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## steveindenmark (18 Jul 2016)

DEFENDER01 said:


> Well i guess like everything in this world you need to cater for all needs.
> Although that particular one does seem about as much use as a cat flap in a submarine.
> It has no pedals.



Popular as MTB during winter in Denmark. We have seen a cycle club from about 20 miles away riding them through the snow near us. It was about -9 degrees and the guys must have been all over 60 years of age. Again, I go back to the idea that electric bikes are not just for the elderly and the infirm. That TREK bike would be great for a days ride out in trails at any time of the year. Its an easy way to see countryside that you cannot see from the car and if you want to quicker than walking. It doesn't have to be about fitness, even though you do need to put some energy into it.


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