Did not have the heart to tell him

Cycling into work this morning, a beautiful sunny day i stopped at the traffic lights. Was parallel with a cyclist and he started to chat to me, proclaiming that the tail wind was a godsend. I agreed with him and had a small chat, to be honest i never even noticed there was a wind I tried to change the conversation but i really could not tell him lol.

 

Thats the beauty of the Trek, no one has any idea its an electric bike, throw a set of panniers on and only the really keen eyed cyclist will notice.

Indeed, the benefit of such a quiet motor too. They're great stealth bikes when fitted with large enough panniers.

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You really need to get over your shame of being an e biker.....is it the Lycra that does it?

I've now moved my controller etc to the tank bag from my motorbike that sits on the rack. If I had a rear motor I don't think anyone would ever know.

 

Even when I set the bike up with controller on the down post no one seemed to notice at all.

 

Love stealth, its also helps detract from potential thieves!

It's funny I had a similar experience yesterday on way home, I overtook this guy on a really long hill, He was on a road bike and had all the gear i.e. racing top etc . I came up behind him and waited for about half a mile I was in two minds whether to overtake as he was going fairly quickly for that hill, (I have overtaken a lot slower people ) but as hill got steeper I was really holding back so I took him He caught up at the lights at top of hill and first thing he said was I hope that bike is assisted The devil in me thought about saying no at first but I then nodded . He joked he thought he was losing it

It is pretty funny, a good e-bike can really cover decent distances they really should be more popular. Today i arrived for the first time with over half my battery power left, normally it is completely flat. I would like to think i was getting fitter, but the bike received a software update a couple of weeks ago and since then the battery has been lasting longer and i have been getting fitter so maybe a combination.

Not a very good photo, excuse the mess in the office

 

This is what the Trek looks like with the panniers on.

 

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20915414/Trek.jpg

It is pretty funny, a good e-bike can really cover decent distances they really should be more popular. Today i arrived for the first time with over half my battery power left, normally it is completely flat. I would like to think i was getting fitter, but the bike received a software update a couple of weeks ago and since then the battery has been lasting longer and i have been getting fitter so maybe a combination.

I expect the tail wind helped out as well. Unfortuneately I was headed into it!

Just don`t be so clever.

 

If you ever meet this guy going up a set of steps carrying your TREK he will know it is an electric bike.

 

I picked one up the other day and it is heavier than my 65cc motorbike.

 

Steve

When I overtake someone on a hill and they ask if mine is an electric bike I usually say, " Yes, I was thinking of switching the motor on".

Just don`t be so clever.

 

If you ever meet this guy going up a set of steps carrying your TREK he will know it is an electric bike.

 

I picked one up the other day and it is heavier than my 65cc motorbike.

 

Steve

 

Its a fair old lump, but i do believe its very light compared to most electric bikes, i think the overall weight is 19Kg. I have not lifted many other e-bikes but i think 19Kg is very light. What i do not like about it, the weight is all at the back end so its difficult to get a good balance on it when lifting it.

everybody on here extoles the use of electric bikes and yet do not seem to like people knowing that they are riding one ?

Edited April 26, 201114 yr by theskip1

everybody on here extoles the use of electric bikes and yet does their best to hide them ?

 

I'm with you, theskip1 - I don't understand the desire for stealth. I'm perfectly happy for anyone to know that I'm assisted.

Ditto. I can see the appeal of stealth bikes, but I'm proud to ride electric and never hide it.

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Ditto. I can see the appeal of stealth bikes, but I'm proud to ride electric and never hide it.

.

 

Agreed.....but I do get really fed up with people shouting......''thats cheating'' as I cycle past them.......

 

Lynda

I don't give a rats *rse what people think. I ride my electric bike to keep fit, get to work on time and have fun on single track. I also hope they notice my road manners more than my bike.

everybody on here extoles the use of electric bikes and yet do not seem to like people knowing that they are riding one ?

 

I think part of the fun of owning an electric bike,is passing somebody on a normal bike that does not realise you are riding an electric bike,or a lycra rider that expects to leave you for dead but cant.stealth is great fun obvious is a bit boring.

Agreed.....but I do get really fed up with people shouting......''thats cheating'' as I cycle past them.......

 

Lynda

 

just stop and ask them if they ever use the bus or train or car or any wheeled transport because by definition thats also " cheating " after all a motorbike is as it says - a bike with a motor!!

You could reply "I didn't realise I was in a race....". Or "I didn't realise I was in the Tour De France" or something similar.....

..but I do get really fed up with people shouting......''thats cheating'' as I cycle past them.......

 

Lynda

 

That doesn't happen so much when you are towing a trailer with 2 kids in it - by rights I should be shouting ''thats cheating'' at every passing car with fewer than 4 occupants.

 

In a similar vein, I was tooted by a young guy in a car as I (fairly slowly) cycled down the main street in our village (semi-pedestrianised, cobbled, single track, no passing but only about 100m long). I looked round, feigned amazement, stopped, walked back to him and pointed out that we were three and he was one (in my dodgy French) and we had a right to use the road, before slowly getting back on and lumbering off. The toot probably delayed him a couple of minutes - hopefully he got the point.

Edited April 27, 201114 yr by lectureral

I've now moved my controller etc to the tank bag from my motorbike that sits on the rack. If I had a rear motor I don't think anyone would ever know.

 

Is it possible to fit a rear motor into your Marine Kentfield FS? I've marked both your model and the San Rafael as candidates for the conversion. So can it be done?

Yes you can. I.ve brought a higher powered 350 watt for the rear which i'll collect and fit saturday.

 

The bikes good for a simple commuter and you can fit with disk brakes which would be better.

Only grip is that the front suspension could be better but least is cromoly so quite strong for a front motor. Although suspension could be better dampened.

Whenever someone suggests I'm cheating i ask them if my Kalkhoff is in anyway disguised as an ordinary bike? and then ask them if they use an escalator or stairs, or if they use an electric mower or push-along, they soon get the point.

Things that make life easier are a benefit

Yes you can. I.ve brought a higher powered 350 watt for the rear which i'll collect and fit saturday.

 

The bikes good for a simple commuter and you can fit with disk brakes which would be better.

Only grip is that the front suspension could be better but least is cromoly so quite strong for a front motor. Although suspension could be better dampened.

Thanks for your reply. I am completely with you on your decision to use the rear hub, since it makes things less visible. Disk brakes also help a lot here. Too bad this BPM-baby is still bigger than than 160 disk brakes.

 

I still can't decide if I should go with the BPM or with the 350W kit from E-bikekit.com, which has smaller diameter, black and fitted into a nice wheel. Their motor is with Hall sensors if this matters. This will cast approximately £360 (including SLA battery + charger) before shipping and taxes plus it comes with 2 year warranty.

Indeed the decision is yours. But most people would say to avoid sla due to the weight!