This time I really am 'asking for a friend'. My friend - let's call him 'Eddy', not his real name but he'd like that - is fundamentally a very strong rider, who regularly rides more than 100 miles in a day and goes like a locomotive on flat or undulating roads (where the rest of us form up like carriages behind) but struggles on climbs due to a gammy right leg. Eddy's left leg does it all really and once he's up to speed momentum keeps him rolling. But gravity sucks 
. Drag increases, momentum decreases and eventually Eddy stalls between left pushes. And once Eddy stops, he cannot easily re-start.
Starting is dodgy enough at any time or place for Eddy: his right leg can neither push the pedal down hard enough, nor provide a steady prop to stand on while his left leg does the job. On a hill his only option is to point the bike downhill then do a U-turn. Not very safe - and Eddy really does not like to stop at junctions, for a much better reason than most of us have!
Eddy's recently got an E-bike and it helps keep him moving uphill, but on anything much over 15% (1:7) the motor stalls too. And here's another thing: we ride in the Derbyshire Peak District, where the hills are fiercely steep. It's just too route-limiting for us to avoid the double arrows that Ordnance Survey sprinkles generously over our local lanes - indicating 20% and even steeper gradients!
This E-bike (it's a Ribble) has a Mahle hub-motor. I guess the current and torque increase the slower it rotates, but only up to a point and surely that drains a battery faster than a motor that keeps spinning at its most efficient rpm? I'm thinking Eddy would do better with a bottom-bracket drive, where both rider and motor get an easier and more efficient ride when a lower gear is selected. And the Mahle system does not offer start-assist, not at all. I know, I asked Mahle if a different controller was available that did that, but no. So I'm wondering, does Fazua offer start-assist? Or is there another super light and efficient 'stealth' e-bike system that does?
What would anyone recommend for my impressive friend? Remember, Eddy can go faster on the flat with his one good leg than most of us can with two. He doesn't need any help with that, just for starting and the steep stuff. And it's still got to look and ride just like a pure muscle bike. Nothing less will do for our Eddy.
. Drag increases, momentum decreases and eventually Eddy stalls between left pushes. And once Eddy stops, he cannot easily re-start.Starting is dodgy enough at any time or place for Eddy: his right leg can neither push the pedal down hard enough, nor provide a steady prop to stand on while his left leg does the job. On a hill his only option is to point the bike downhill then do a U-turn. Not very safe - and Eddy really does not like to stop at junctions, for a much better reason than most of us have
!Eddy's recently got an E-bike and it helps keep him moving uphill, but on anything much over 15% (1:7) the motor stalls too. And here's another thing: we ride in the Derbyshire Peak District, where the hills are fiercely steep. It's just too route-limiting for us to avoid the double arrows that Ordnance Survey sprinkles generously over our local lanes - indicating 20% and even steeper gradients!
This E-bike (it's a Ribble) has a Mahle hub-motor. I guess the current and torque increase the slower it rotates, but only up to a point and surely that drains a battery faster than a motor that keeps spinning at its most efficient rpm? I'm thinking Eddy would do better with a bottom-bracket drive, where both rider and motor get an easier and more efficient ride when a lower gear is selected. And the Mahle system does not offer start-assist, not at all. I know, I asked Mahle if a different controller was available that did that, but no. So I'm wondering, does Fazua offer start-assist? Or is there another super light and efficient 'stealth' e-bike system that does?
What would anyone recommend for my impressive friend? Remember, Eddy can go faster on the flat with his one good leg than most of us can with two. He doesn't need any help with that, just for starting and the steep stuff. And it's still got to look and ride just like a pure muscle bike. Nothing less will do for our Eddy
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