Is the stated range of 40km for level 1 assist on this orbea gain f20 I'm considering buying notably low or are these app predictions inaccurate?

[scebike]

I should add that it's being offered at a very low price so it might be worth it but perhaps this is an indication this ebike is on its last legs?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

VERT low - my battery is the smallest one Bosch offer and it will do 40-50 miles even in winter - summer way more

I would suggest that the battery is worn out

which is bad news because they are expensive
but can be replaced OK -
or recelled which can be a bit cheaper but make sure it is done professionally by responsible people because Lithium batteries are dangerous if not done properly

so work out the cost to replace the battery and work it into the price you are prepared to pay

 

[Dadam]

Ignore the predicted range on the app. It's the app's very rough guess based on distance travelled and battery charge used and is often rubbish.
The previous owner may have been riding everywhere on max assist with in a hilly area carrying loads of weight. Real world range has too many variables. Rider weight and fitness, amount of climbing, speed etc etc.

There's an issue with the app syncing to the controller, it often loses the mileage data. The battery voltage looks healthy to me, bearing in mind it's a 36V nominal battery.

I have a Gain D40 and I just popped out to the garage to check and the battery is reporting 39.7V at 78% charge, albeit it's 3 degrees. I've done a 100km flat ride using only 22% charge, and some 50km hilly rides using 75% or thereabouts.

As you say it's being offered at a low price. I'd be more interested in the number of charge cycles it has had (which the app should tell you) and how it's been looked after, which you can't tell.

 

[scebike]

Ignore the predicted range on the app. It's the app's very rough guess based on distance travelled and battery charge used and is often rubbish.
The previous owner may have been riding everywhere on max assist with in a hilly area carrying loads of weight. Real world range has too many variables. Rider weight and fitness, amount of climbing, speed etc etc.

There's an issue with the app syncing to the controller, it often loses the mileage data. The battery voltage looks healthy to me, bearing in mind it's a 36V nominal battery.

I have a Gain D40 and I just popped out to the garage to check and the battery is reporting 39.7V at 78% charge, albeit it's 3 degrees. I've done a 100km flat ride using only 22% charge, and some 50km hilly rides using 75% or thereabouts.

As you say it's being offered at a low price. I'd be more interested in the number of charge cycles it has had (which the app should tell you) and how it's been looked after, which you can't tell.

Thanks for the info. If the app is showing level 1 there, is the range predicting level 1 range and thus level 3 would be less range, or is that predicted range shown not actually related to the level 1 assist?

The seller lives in London so probably not very hilly but he is probably heavier than me because I'm only about 60kg which would hopefully add some range for me, though I plan on using it in a hilly area.

 

[Dadam]

The range is just predicted based on distance done and charge used. AFAIK assist level doesn't come into the calculation.

 

[youngoldbloke]

The predicted range shown remains the same in all assistance levels, even none (shown as 'You'). It is based on the users past assistance usage and mode of cycling. If you use level 3 the predicted range will drop more quickly, as will the % battery charge remaining. I have always found both useful guides.

 

[iandg]

Looks low to me (probably spent most of the time on level 3) - this is my app screen (MAHLE ebikemotion® B1)

But I am light on battery usage, I've had up to 100km off a full charge in the past.

 

[youngoldbloke]

As I said it depends on your assistance requirement and mode of riding. Due to a medical condition I need to use assistance a lot and at 100% charge I will have a range prediction of less than 50 miles/ 80 km. This is applies to both of my Mahle x35 equipped bikes, even allowing for the older one having a 10% reduction in battery capacity over the 6 years of ownership.

 

[iandg]

What range prediction are you getting for the % of assist that you use?

Edit: I'm interested. I bought an ebike because of a health issue muscle fatigue due to PMR) and interested to know what my range would be if I used assist more? Heaviest use was trip home from Lockerbie (head wind and tired from a day's bikeability teaching), 10 miles (15%UA, 19%L1, 24%L2 and 42%L3). The trip used 37% battery - so I would have been struggling to get 30 miles from a full charge.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Just checked - Ribble SLe

Level 1: 78% - 35 miles / 56.33 km
Level 2: 78% - 35 miles / 56.33 km
Level 3: 78% - 35 miles / 56.33 km
'You' : 78% - 35 miles / 56.33 km

39.9v, 18*C, 63 cycles.

That would equate to, for me, a safe range of about 45 miles or around 72 km. For longer rides I also use a range extender. I do not over use any of the settings and ride without assistance whenever possible. The more I can ride above the 25km assistance cut off the longer my range will be - thus I get better range riding with a club run than solo, as I benefit from the group's speed (if not excessive!)

 

[youngoldbloke]

What range prediction are you getting for the % of assist that you use?

Edit: I'm interested. I bought an ebike because of a health issue muscle fatigue due to PMR) and interested to know what my range would be if I used assist more? Heaviest use was trip home from Lockerbie (head wind and tired from a day's bikeability teaching), 10 miles (15%UA, 19%L1, 24%L2 and 42%L3). The trip used 37% battery - so I would have been struggling to get 30 miles from a full charge.

I reckon it was the 42% of L3 that used much of the battery charge. On a longer ride or steep hill I use it very much as a last measure.
My sympathies re PMR. I have PVD, affecting both legs.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Back to the OP - I would be concerned about the battery watts showing only 216. For a newish bike I would want it to be approaching 240 - 250.

 

[scebike]

Ignore the predicted range on the app. It's the app's very rough guess based on distance travelled and battery charge used and is often rubbish.
The previous owner may have been riding everywhere on max assist with in a hilly area carrying loads of weight. Real world range has too many variables. Rider weight and fitness, amount of climbing, speed etc etc.

There's an issue with the app syncing to the controller, it often loses the mileage data. The battery voltage looks healthy to me, bearing in mind it's a 36V nominal battery.

I have a Gain D40 and I just popped out to the garage to check and the battery is reporting 39.7V at 78% charge, albeit it's 3 degrees. I've done a 100km flat ride using only 22% charge, and some 50km hilly rides using 75% or thereabouts.

As you say it's being offered at a low price. I'd be more interested in the number of charge cycles it has had (which the app should tell you) and how it's been looked after, which you can't tell.

He recently shared with me a screenshot of the charge cycles and mileage. About 250 cycles but only 1200 miles. Is 250 cycles a lot?

Relative to miles, by my math that's only 4.8 miles per charge cycle which is questionable. Perhaps the charge cycles are inaccurate and an overestimation rather than truly complete charge cycles? Or could it be that the mileage data has been lost but not the charge cycles? Or could it be an indication the bicycle has some other issues?

Thanks for your time

 

[youngoldbloke]

Extremely questionable. I have no reason to believe the mileages recorded by My Gain and my SLe are that far out. As I said above I would be very concerned by the battery capacity as it appears to have lost over 13%.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Both my Mahle X35 bikes indicate almost 40 miles per charge (= 100%). As I've said I need to use a lot of assistance compared to a user without medical issues. The full charge history of my 2018 Gain D30 (Tiagra) - 8220 miles - was lost in the transfer of data when the app was updated from Ebikemotion to MySmartBike, but otherwise is consistent with the data for the newer SLe2 -2460 miles / 63 charges = 39miles / charge cycle.
The Gain lost 10% of it's battery capacity through being left fully charged, and unridden for over 2 months at the end of 2019, due to unexpected illness, but has remained pretty much at 225wh ever since. The SLe battery remains at almost it's full 250wh capacity.