First E Ride

[Chislenko]

Had my first ever e ride yesterday.

Just a question, if it is a characteristic of an ebike or my inexperience of such.

Is it correct that if you stop pedalling whilst in an electric mode the bike just seems to stop, i.e. no freewheeling?

It would freewheel with the electric off.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Had my first ever e ride yesterday.

Just a question, if it is a characteristic of an ebike or my inexperience of such.

Is it correct that if you stop pedalling whilst in an electric mode the bike just seems to stop, i.e. no freewheeling?

It would freewheel with the electric off.

I think it might depend on the type of drive. I only have experience of a Brompton electric, but that freewheels like a non electric version. I often ride it with the power switched off.

 

[Slick]

There's quite a bit of motor drag with a mid-drive.

I'm sure I read somewhere that the next generation motor be able to disengage when not in use.

 

[Chislenko]

There's quite a bit of motor drag with a mid-drive.

I'm sure I read somewhere that the next generation motor be able to disengage when not in use.

Yes, this was a mid drive (Bosch, I think). And drag is a very good description.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Had my first ever e ride yesterday.

Just a question, if it is a characteristic of an ebike or my inexperience of such.

Is it correct that if you stop pedalling whilst in an electric mode the bike just seems to stop, i.e. no freewheeling?

It would freewheel with the electric off.

No thats not quite correct, there is freewheeling with no drag but when you are pedalling and the motor is not assisting (either turned off, or above the speed cut off) then yes there will be some drag.

What I mean exactly is when you are freewheeling you are not pedalling at all, you are just letting the bikes natural momentum carry you until it stops. The mid drive motor will not affect this at all as the only parts moving are your front and rear wheels.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

My Raleigh Motus has a Bosch Activline power system and it freewheels just fine - in all modes including "off"

I have heard some people saying that the PowerLine version is different - could this be what you are talking about

or have more recent version changed?

 

[Chislenko]

My Raleigh Motus has a Bosch Activline power system and it freewheels just fine - in all modes including "off"

I have heard some people saying that the PowerLine version is different - could this be what you are talking about

or have more recent version changed?

Looking at the specs of the bike I used it runs a Bosch Active Line +

Freewheeling with power off was fine, but with power on the bike just seemed to want to stop dead if you stopped pedalling.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Looking at the specs of the bike I used it runs a Bosch Active Line +

Freewheeling with power off was fine, but with power on the bike just seemed to want to stop dead if you stopped pedalling.

Worth knowing - marketing at it again!
anyone else had that experience??

I should say that on my old ebike ( I got it second hand in 2011 so pre-2016 regs) you could "ghost pedal" and just turn the pedals gently and the motor would engage - might be an alternative to freewheeling?

 

[albion]

The mid drives are just like a normal bike when pedalling stops. That means if you lift either wheel in the air they can spin freely, the front more so than the back, but not massively.

If riding above 15.5mph you sense drag because the motor turns off, much more so on a rear drive motor. The drag sensastion is that you suddeniy need to add the missing assist to your own input simply to maintain the current speed. This can be a more than doubling of energy requirement and why most people stick to about 15mph or less.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

The mid drives are just like a normal bike when pedalling stops. That means if you lift either wheel in the air they can spin freely, the front more so than the back, but not massively.

If riding above 15.5mph you sense drag because the motor turns off, much more so on a rear drive motor. The drag sensastion is that you suddeniy need to add the missing assist to your own input simply to maintain the current speed. This can be a more than doubling of energy requirement and why most people stick to about 15mph or less.

On mine if there is any drag then it is minimal - I can coast up to red lights just like a "normal" bike with no apparent drag at all

although - as I said the bike is getting on for 5 years old so they have changed things around since then

above 15.5 mph (ish) there is also no apparent drag above the normal stuff and the constant headwind that always happens

I presume there IS some drag - but it is not enough to notice and the OP was talking about it as if it was like having a light brake on

 

[wiggydiggy]

Looking at the specs of the bike I used it runs a Bosch Active Line +

Freewheeling with power off was fine, but with power on the bike just seemed to want to stop dead if you stopped pedalling.

To me somethings not right there. The mid drive motor should have no effect on the bikes ability to freewheel, and even if you pedalled too slowly to make the rear cassette engage (spinning out basically) you are still freewheeling so it still shouldn't affect it. Its either a new design I don't like, or something is broken but I have to admit I have no idea why its acting in that way.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

To me somethings not right there. The mid drive motor should have no effect on the bikes ability to freewheel, and even if you pedalled too slowly to make the rear cassette engage (spinning out basically) you are still freewheeling so it still shouldn't affect it. Its either a new design I don't like, or something is broken but I have to admit I have no idea why its acting in that way.

You are still spinning the motor - so, depending how it is designed - you can still get drag

the "depending on how it is designed" is important

 

[Chislenko]

You are still spinning the motor - so, depending how it is designed - you can still get drag

the "depending on how it is designed" is important

It was a hire bike on holiday so I will never ride it again!!

It was a Trek Marlin E bike. It was spotless so I don't think very old.

 

[wiggydiggy]

You are still spinning the motor - so, depending how it is designed - you can still get drag

the "depending on how it is designed" is important

I mean yes drag on the pedalling but not on the freewheeling, theres no reason I can think of how a mid drive motor can cause a bike to stop if you stop pedalling. I mean all bikes (eventually) stop if you stop pedalling but the OP is describing their bike being slowed by the motor if they don't pedal, thats what I don't understand.

 

[albion]

I said 'drag sensation' for above 15.5mph, it not being drag, just the reality of none assist coupled with pedalling the very heavy bike.