For me Southern I decided to wait for the carbon version. Not necessarily to have a lighter bike, but purely for comfort. Over the decades I've owned many Steel, Alloy and Carbon frames bikes. I recall the Vitus 979 coming out and purchasing one. Having ridden both the Alloy and Carbon Gains, it came as no surprise the M version is smoother and more compliant on the road. This is the usual case. That said I will be ordering a D version for winter riding, with it's ability to take mudguards (something to consider) With you having back problems, I believe you would find the M Gain more suitable, for your situation?
Orbea Gain
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For me Southern I decided to wait for the carbon version. Not necessarily to have a lighter bike, but purely for comfort. Over the decades I've owned many Steel, Alloy and Carbon frames bikes. I recall the Vitus 979 coming out and purchasing one. Having ridden both the Alloy and Carbon Gains, it came as no surprise the M version is smoother and more compliant on the road. This is the usual case. That said I will be ordering a D version for winter riding, with it's ability to take mudguards (something to consider) With you having back problems, I believe you would find the M Gain more suitable, for your situation?
OP
OP
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
Level 1 throughout - minimum - undulating ride. On a longer ride I'll use all 3 levels as required, but I try to use no more assistance than is absolutely necessary. My calf muscles will only allow 2 - 3 flat miles now on a conventional bike before pain forces me to stop - and that's on an 8kg Rose Xeon, so obviously the Gain is assisting me a lot. Not completely pain free, but really happy to be able to ride a reasonable distance again.
Really pleased for you that the Gain is helping you with your cycling. You are also helping confirm what I believe to be the case? Higher cadence (under the cut off point) is probably using more of the charge, than a lower rpm for the same speed? Here's hoping for good weather after The Crucible has finished in order to put theory to the test? Will keep you posted.
Scaleyback
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- North Yorkshire
Hi Southernguns, well speaking personally (and I'm betting the others agree ?) please do not apologise for 'jumping in. This thread will hopefully benefit riders of all ability/ages/shapes and sizes and the more riders experiences we get the better.
I also ride a 8kg carbon road bike (a Felt ) and when I get off the Gain onto the Felt it feels like I am flying
until I hit a mile long climb peaking at 15%. I don't consider 15-16mph average too bad but if you are sometimes riding with friends of a similar age I'm guessing they are a fair bit faster than that.
The single biggest factor when climbing is (as you probably know) w/kg (watts per Kilogram) That is your weight plus the bike weight v gravity.
I am thinking you will save 1kg max by getting a carbon frame over an alloy frame. Do you have a kilo of body weight you could spare to lose ?
Quite honestly if you struggle to get up hills on a 8Kg bike the Orbea Gain is going to be a great help, but unless money is no object I would get the D30.
Be wary of makers claims for bike weights, 'on the road' they are always going to be heavier than presented in 'marketing language'
All just my opinion of course.
Scaleyback
Veteran
- Location
- North Yorkshire
Reading Storck's 129 miles on a single battery charge interested me and I found it very believable.
I did a ride today over what is probably the flattest 20 miles I can find around here.
Turned out it was 568ft (173 metres) of climbing.
I 'pressed on' as they say but not ‘eyeballs out’ and these are the essential stats from my Garmin 130.
Distance: 20.07 mi
Time: 1:14:15
Avg Speed: 16.2 mph
Elev Gain: 568 ft
ebikemotion app reports 91% of battery still remaining ! I kid you not, I was expecting around 85% remaining.
By the way, I ride with a high cadence 80-90rpm I find it more efficient (for me) and easier on the knees
So this gives me a potential range in similar conditions over the same course of 11 x 20 = 220 miles.
Yes, I know its not real world cycling, who wants to ride the same course over and over. Plus throw in a few decent climbs
and this potential range will quickly tumble.
Incidentally my D30 weighs 16.3kg (on the road) this is with full mudguards, Schwalbe G-One 38c Gravel tyres.
Rear seat pack with spare tube/pump/levers etc. Garmin 130 + Garmin Varia RTL510 rear light. No water bottle.
I did a ride today over what is probably the flattest 20 miles I can find around here.
Turned out it was 568ft (173 metres) of climbing.
I 'pressed on' as they say but not ‘eyeballs out’ and these are the essential stats from my Garmin 130.
Distance: 20.07 mi
Time: 1:14:15
Avg Speed: 16.2 mph
Elev Gain: 568 ft
ebikemotion app reports 91% of battery still remaining ! I kid you not, I was expecting around 85% remaining.
By the way, I ride with a high cadence 80-90rpm I find it more efficient (for me) and easier on the knees
So this gives me a potential range in similar conditions over the same course of 11 x 20 = 220 miles.
Yes, I know its not real world cycling, who wants to ride the same course over and over. Plus throw in a few decent climbs
and this potential range will quickly tumble.
Incidentally my D30 weighs 16.3kg (on the road) this is with full mudguards, Schwalbe G-One 38c Gravel tyres.
Rear seat pack with spare tube/pump/levers etc. Garmin 130 + Garmin Varia RTL510 rear light. No water bottle.
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Don't forget Scaley, there's also your own weight to consider? What I do find encouraging perhaps more than any other data, with that kind of potential mileage been possible? Is going to be a longer shelf life for the battery, requiring less frequent charging.
OP
OP
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
I'm not sure that I am, I've tended to use the 50T chainring a lot more since I've had the Gain, often climbing hills in the big ring that I would have been climbing using the 34T in my unassisted past. I'm not usually spinning. For me cadence seems to make little difference. Am I right in thinking that as I'm not able to put much energy through the pedals the motor is working that much harder for me to attain any given speed than it would for someone capable of inputting more power?
You have first of all confirmed what I have discovered? I'm riding a couple of gears higher, ans rarely dropping down to the inner ring for all but the steapest of climbs. And yes, the less input in the way of torque through the pedals, then the motor is assisting more. But then again? That's one the reasons for such a bike. Enjoy.
Southernguns
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Uk
Hi Stork. Thank you for your quick reply. I was somewhat thinking along the same lines as I have read about alloy frames being a little less compliant. Having not ridden one for many years I am a little nervous about the D30. However, adding mudguards would be a huge benefit, so I need to do some more thinking.
Southernguns
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Uk
Hi Scaleyback. Thank you for your quick reply. At 76 kg I could certainly do with losing 1-3 kg! Hopefully the Gain will help me to do that. Yes, my friends are generally waiting for me at the top of any incline or hill when I am riding with them. When they ride on their own they average speeds of about 18-20mph over hillier terrain than I am currently able to ride. As Storck mentioned, the carbon M30 may be more compliant and therefore, more comfortable but the idea of mudguards for winter is drawing me back to the D30. I notice the D31 comes with wider tyres which may soften the ride, I guess, but it does come with SRam 1x gearing which I have no experience of. Generally I rarely use the 50 tooth chainring and tend to use the lower to middle cogs of the cassette whilst on the 34 tooth chainring on my Trek Emonda, so maybe the 1x will not be so different? If anyone has any experience of this then any advice would be most helpful.Hi Southernguns, well speaking personally (and I'm betting the others agree ?) please do not apologise for 'jumping in. This thread will hopefully benefit riders of all ability/ages/shapes and sizes and the more riders experiences we get the better.
I also ride a 8kg carbon road bike (a Felt ) and when I get off the Gain onto the Felt it feels like I am flying
I don't consider 15-16mph average too bad but if you are sometimes riding with friends of a similar age I'm guessing they are a fair bit faster than that.
The single biggest factor when climbing is (as you probably know) w/kg (watts per Kilogram) That is your weight plus the bike weight v gravity.
I am thinking you will save 1kg max by getting a carbon frame over an alloy frame. Do you have a kilo of body weight you could spare to lose ?
Quite honestly if you struggle to get up hills on a 8Kg bike the Orbea Gain is going to be a great help, but unless money is no object I would get the D30.
Be wary of makers claims for bike weights, 'on the road' they are always going to be heavier than presented in 'marketing language'
All just my opinion of course.
Scaleyback
Veteran
- Location
- North Yorkshire
Yes, that’s correct, the battery has a finite number of charge cycles
But if it is the same as the the Bosch batteries ( and I believe it is )
It is the ‘depth’ of the charge that counts. E.g 5 20% charges = 1 charge.
I'm lead to believe, you should never charge too 100% and then leave standing without using? If ya gonna do so? You should use immediately. Also another factor to consider that will have a big impact on battery life is? Storage. I have mine along with my Trek chained to a BIG snooker table leg. Although the table is in converted stable, during the winter months it is heated 24 hours, never dropping below 15c (for the benifit of the table) Consideration should be given for the cold months on storage, if best performance is to be extracted from the battery? I believe the batteries are Panasonic?
Southern, if it's gonna be an all year bike? No question about it for me, you have to have guards on. From late October til January (when it gets colder and drier) you know well how damp our roads are, no pleasure in riding in those conditions without. Many times without a bike with guards fitted has stopped me going out. You could also make a alloy frame bike ride smoother by riding with tubeless tyres. Tubeless tyres, equals less pressure in them. And the Gain comes with TLR tyres as standard.
Southernguns
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Uk
Okay, not only am I learning a lot, I am also going to have to do a lot more thinking. I only generally dry weather ride, but if I am to increase my cycling mileage then wet weather will be a serious consideration. Tubeless tyres sounds like an interesting idea. I think someone here (Scaleyback or youngoldbloke?) tried them and found it hard to get a seal. How do these work if you get a puncture? Sorry for the noob questions!
