30 mile each way commute, which bike is best?

RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
2,312
The Stromer is not a moped it is a speed pedelec, most models cut off at 45km/h although they may still make a UK legal 25km/h one.

I see some have a 983 wh battery, which stands a chance of doing the OP's round trip commute at a reasonable speed.

If charging is easy enough at work, using a bike with a standard sized battery would be more cost effective.

https://www.stromerbike.com/en_GB/e-bikes/st2.html
 

Topdog206

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jun 14, 2018
23
16
40
I've just got the Oxygen MTB loving it, put some marathon plus tyres on it and it's loads better, you need the hydraulic brakes!

When I picked mine up last Saturday, the dealer said he has the last one available until the next shipment in August. Said they can't meet the demand currently.
 
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danielrlee

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 27, 2012
1,392
720
Westbury, Wiltshire
torquetech.co.uk

cwah

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 3, 2011
3,048
179
www.whatonlondon.co.uk
Looks like you got a great deal there! I always enjoy reading about your next mental build. What's your plan for it?
Putting a rear leaf motor direct drive with a 48V40ah battery on it. 2000W peak only.

It would be my long journey cruiser :)
 

Omadorinlooer

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 2, 2018
12
1
46
I've just got the Oxygen MTB loving it, put some marathon plus tyres on it and it's loads better, you need the hydraulic brakes!

When I picked mine up last Saturday, the dealer said he has the last one available until the next shipment in August. Said they can't meet the demand currently.
I k ow everybody says don’t go for a mountain bike because you are mostly on road, they all tell me to go for a road bike.

But I just feel so much more comfortable on a mtb.

I suppose it’s similar to all these people driving 4x4s on the road and never really go off road.

They just like the roughty toughty
 

Topdog206

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jun 14, 2018
23
16
40
The main reason I went for the mtb was hydraulic disc brakes, tried the step through Oxygen and the mechanical disc brakes were ok you could feel the stretch in the cable when needing to brake hard. I wanted to know if I needed to stop quick with the extra weight of the bike plus me if they could do it........ the hydraulic ones can do it and have more brake feel which is nice. Plus you get better from forks on the Oxygen MTB, gears wise I haven't moved it out of the top gear on the front as there no need to, just use the back range.
 

Trevormonty

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 18, 2016
1,135
564
17
NZ
I k ow everybody says don’t go for a mountain bike because you are mostly on road, they all tell me to go for a road bike.

But I just feel so much more comfortable on a mtb.

I suppose it’s similar to all these people driving 4x4s on the road and never really go off road.

They just like the roughty toughty
In case of cars, car is safer as it has better handling due to lower center of gravity.
Bikes are different, MTB gives far better control, braking and can handle those unexpected potholes, down side is higher rolling and wind resistance. The motor overcomes both negatives.
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,786
The European Union
In case of cars, car is safer as it has better handling due to lower center of gravity.
Bikes are different, MTB gives far better control, braking and can handle those unexpected potholes, down side is higher rolling and wind resistance. The motor overcomes both negatives.
Physics say the contrary but hey! Who cares about range. Oh! The OP needs range too...

He is on the road. Balloon tyres and a more aerodynamic riding position than on a MTB will serve him much better. Notice I suggested a Stromer not a trike? A trike will do what he wants much better but that is my choice of ride for distance and I will not recommend it to a cyclist.
 

Omadorinlooer

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 2, 2018
12
1
46
This seems to happen a lot. It is puzzling to me why people think a MTB is a good choice for a road commute of that distance. That requires a hybrid as a minimum.
The hybrid is not as roughty toughty

Yes it may be a little less efficient on the MTB but it's more hard wearing

Just as I choose to drive a 4x4 as my main car, yes I never ever drive off road and its inefficient to drive my 4x4 on road. But I like it.

Same reason I prefer MTB on road.
 

Omadorinlooer

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 2, 2018
12
1
46
In case of cars, car is safer as it has better handling due to lower center of gravity.
Bikes are different, MTB gives far better control, braking and can handle those unexpected potholes, down side is higher rolling and wind resistance. The motor overcomes both negatives.
Yes this is the same with a 4x4, the motor overcomes the inefficiency
 

Deno

Pedelecer
Jan 24, 2018
91
47
44
Dublin
I do find the size, grip, brakes and stability of the eMTB great in traffic. The simple fact is that a Bosch CX with 500wh battery (or similar) will not do 34 miles at 20-25mph on an eMTB.

The Oxygen MTB might do it with the larger 13ah battery? Might be edging it. Good value however.

A Stromer will do it but I have no experience of them other than seeing them out on the road. Very expensive however.

Also v. expensive are Riese and Muller bikes but they have some interesting features such as twin battery systems and front and rear suspension. Wouldn't qualify as efficient but certainly have the power to overcome.

https://www.r-m.de/en-us//e-bike/
 

Topdog206

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jun 14, 2018
23
16
40
On the Oxygen S Cross the comuter and MTB is exsactly the same frame, but the MTB has 27.5 wheel comuter is 700c, MTB has better longer travel front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, and flat bars and more gears. You don't get the rear rack and mud guards but these can be fitted if required. Just done my ride to work 22miles on max assist. Had 3 out of the 5 bars of battery left on the LCD screen. Performed excellent. Up hill on the way home will let you know
 
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Omadorinlooer

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jul 2, 2018
12
1
46
On the Oxygen S Cross the comuter and MTB is exsactly the same frame, but the MTB has 27.5 wheel comuter is 700c, MTB has better longer travel front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, and flat bars and more gears. You don't get the rear rack and mud guards but these can be fitted if required. Just done my ride to work 22miles on max assist. Had 3 out of the 5 bars of battery left on the LCD screen. Performed excellent. Up hill on the way home will let you know
How long does it take you to do the 22miles?
 

Topdog206

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jun 14, 2018
23
16
40
How long does it take you to do the 22miles?
Took me an hour and 7 mins.......that's peddling hard.

Got home from work fine yesterday, bike performers floorlessly, it's makes any climbs a breeze and irons them out so you can just keep cranking the peddles. Battery had just gone onto 2 bars out of 5 when i got home. This was full power all the way. Very impressed!
 

Deno

Pedelecer
Jan 24, 2018
91
47
44
Dublin
Took me an hour and 7 mins.......that's peddling hard.
Impressive range / speed. I'd like to try the Oxygen but there is no dealer in Ireland which is a great shame. I suspect that the Oxygen is slower than a dongled CX powered bike but that its range is far higher. I suspect that I would exhaust the battery on mine in 22miles but would average 27-28mph, thats like you, cycling hard.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
20,305
16,837
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
geared hub motors are limited by their construction. You can test this if the bike has a throttle, just lift up the motor wheel and turn the throttle up to full to see how fast its noload speed is.
The Oxygen has a maximum noload speed around 24mph on 700C wheels, that is the maximum speed when the motor ceases to furnish any useful mechanical power. You can of course reach higher speed downhill.
Crank drive bikes can reach higher noload speed when the chain is on the smallest rear cog. That's why you see most S-pedelecs are crank driven. You can get up to 28mph easily with a CD bike. That's one big reason putting me off selling CD bikes, they can easily be abused leaving me to pick up the tab for repairs.
Battery consumption per mile is approximately proportional to speed squared (speed * speed). If your battery can get you 100 miles restricted to legal max assist speed 15mph, you'd get about 60 miles at 20mph and 40 miles at 28mph.
 
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But this would require dvla registration and insurance would it not?
Don't forget that what you want to create by deresticting the speed on a normal pedlec will also need DVLA registration and insurance, you'll have just made it yourself, not bought one.

So if you're riding on the roads regularly on the same route, check out the impact of having an accident on what is essentially a home made moped that you've not tax, tested or insured.
 

georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,446
1,264
Surrey
I commute to work and back on a 2015 Yamaha PW powered de restricted Haibike sDuro Hard seven mountain bike with rear rack panniers mudguards and puncture resistant tyres.

I have just completed four days with a total of 94 miles covered, averaging around 24 miles a day.

My total milage since buying the bike is now just over 9500 miles.

I needed a crank drive as my 14 mile route to work is mostly off road and in my opinion you need a crank drive for serious off road.

My ride home is 10 miles on the road where I consistently manage to achieve an average speed of 20 miles an hour. I use around 35% of my battery on the road trip home sometimes a bit more and sometimes a bit less (only 33% last night). In winter my battery consumption is more variable due to the weather and temperature and I use up to just over 40% in poor conditions (Cold/Wind/Rain).

I weigh over 100kg and carry 5KG in two panniers.

So in this glorious summer weather I am using 35% of my 400Wh three and a half year old 9500 mile battery to cover 10 miles in thirty minutes, or 140Wh for the journey or 14Wh per mile.

This would equate to using 420Wh for a 30 mile journey or 84% of a 500Wh battery, but only if you can consume the same amount of your battery per mile as I do.

If your battery consumption was higher in the winter as mine is you would be right on the limit of the range of a 500Wh battery consuming the same amount of electricity as me.

I am still using my original battery (now in fourth year of ownership) but my battery is discharged a relatively small amount on any part of my commute before I charge it up again which lithium batteries seem to like and regular deep discharges may wear a battery out much quicker.

On my 20mph average road ride home I never ride on full power but mostly in my lowest power setting eco of the three I have and use this power level for all the level slightly up slightly down sections. I do use the middle standard power setting to climb my steeper hills quicker or maintain my speed over the crest of longer hills to keep my speed up. I turn my power off for the steeper downhills.

I put in a lot of effort myself and this morning my legs are tired after my four days commuting.

This is far from an effortless commute and I take my work clothes with me in my panniers and allow half an hour when I reach work to flannel wash get changed recuperate and leave my bike locked and on charge in a room I can use before heading to pick up my schedule of work and make a cup of tea and chat to my work colleagues.

I need to shower when I get home. At the moment in the heatwave I have an intex 12 foot by 3 foot deep pool on my back patio that I jump in when I get home. Lovely.

I am still very impressed by the build quality of my Haibike which is standing up to the regular punishment I am dishing out really well. Remember that at least half of my miles are off road where the bike gets a proper pounding.

If I am honest I probably think that a 30 mile one way commute is a bit far and right on the limit of what you can regularly do on an ebike. Averaging 20 mph which is a tough target you will be riding three hours a day.

However a lot of people at work think I am crazy to do what I do and your proposed commute should be at least possible. I would definitely be inclined to buy as high a quality bike as I could afford.

Probably a high speed dual battery Reise and Muller Delete Rohloff would be my choice. However my Haibike cost £1750 and is holding up really well.

I notice Reise a d Muller also sell a high speed touring bike for just under £3000 with a 500Wh battery, Hydraulic brakes (essential) as well as lights mudguards and pannier rack. Pretty much ready to go.

That would be an interesting bike to have on a long term test. It also looks very much like an ordinary bike.

The bike shop I bought my bike from have provided really good customer service and back up when I have needed it and when you do high milages you will at some point need mechanical support.

The Reise and Muller bikes I mention above were on the 50 cycles web site and I bought my first Oxygen Emate city from 50 cycles in 2011 and got really poor customer support from them, and although this may have changed it has put me off buying from them again.

Ride to work Beech avenue 8 6 18 004.JPG

The perennially thorny issue of either de restricting a legal bike or using a high speed pedelec needs careful consideration and brings undoubted risk. The vast majority of my own riding at busy times is off road in the middle of nowhere away from cars and people (where incidentally I do not need my bike to be de restricted) and as a shift worker my road riding is done either very early in the morning or very late at night when the roads are very quiet.

You need to think about the risks of your particular journey, the times you are riding and how busy the roads are. You need to ride more carefully and with even more due diligence for other people. Being cynical you need a speed up device that can be removed quickly.

At the moment The Old Bill seem not to be interested at all. I am sure they would be if you were at fault in an accident where someone got hurt. The thing about risk accessing is that it is not infallible and you have to keep doing it and potentially change what you do if the risk changes. As ebikes become more popular the attitude of the police might change and the risk of riding an illegal bike become unacceptably high. That would be the time to change.

Some people would never countenance riding an illegal bike and I respect this. This whole issue has been debated to death, and at the end of the day it is a personal choice with some serious implications. Light the blue touch paper!

I began this reply really just to talk about how possible a commute like this might be in the light of my own experience committing.