E-Mopeds, harshly judged

[shambolic]

Been browsing on here and researching all over the net for a while before buying and I've got to correct the view on here about the E-mopeds only being good on the flat. It simply just not true. I bought one of the bikes the original poster asked about here: http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/what-should-i-buy-trike-eped-allseasons-emotor-e-scooter-moped.17430/ ( I won't say which as it is my first post and think I could be suspected of being connected to the company). I live in Colchester and anyone who's been there will know it is built on a very steep hill. So I tried the bike on a few small slopes and it took them with no effort at all. Every slope I tried, no problem not even the need to pedal at all. So I went for the big ones. North Hill road and East Hill, both quite extreme. No problem at all. So I really can't see why there is considered such an issue with these bikes on that front.
I can see there may be other issues e.g, the waste of energy due to increased weight. For me I went for this as an alternative to a mobility vehicle, I have limited mobility and a standard bike saddle would be too difficult for me these bikes are ideal. Comfortable and effortless, with the added option of a bit of cycling for exercise when I can . Only had it a week so far and who knows how durable it is but I love it.
The big problem I have with the bike I have and I believe this is common to most E-bikes is not knowing how the battery is doing. Not being able to walk far this will be a big problem should I run out of juice. It tells me the voltage but that's not a lot of use. This I have to sort out if I want to get any distance on it.

 

[trex]

If it fits your requirements, that's all that matters.
North Hill Road, steepest bit is only 8.7% gradient, parallel to it, Balkerne Hill, slightly steeper. East Hill Road, again, less than 10% gradient (8.4% at steepest bit) and none of these hills is long enough to test anything (20-25m elevation).

 

[Wicky]

Funny thing with North Hill in Colchester is that cruelly there is traffic lights at the top - Usually red of course by the time I've spun my way to the top. Along the way the smokers outside the pubs and restaurants dotted along the hill road cheer you on the way up!

If your e-scoot beastie can handle those hills then there's nothing inaccessible in and around Colchester town.

The hill in Maldon might be a different challenge

 

[flecc]

North Hill Road, steepest bit is only 8.7% gradient, parallel to it, Balkerne Hill, slightly steeper. East Hill Road, again, less than 10% gradient (8.4% at steepest bit) and none of these hills is long enough to test anything (20-25m elevation).

This is the problem with owner experience Shambolic, what is considered steep. In my area I say everything up to 10% is just a slope. For me the real hills are beyond that, my riding encounters many hills of 14 to 25%, and I live up a 14% so have to climb it on the remaining charge at the end of every trip. One hill I ride has variable sections between 10 and 25%, and it goes on for one and a quarter miles continuous.

Those e-scooters specified really are useless in such conditions, and some riders have even steeper and very much longer hills to conquer. Even on just 10% hills the lower powered e-mopeds are so slow they can be embarrassing to ride in busy conditions.

And of course rider weight is a big factor since that can vary from around 60 kilos up to 140 kilos or more. What the lighter rider can climb will be far beyond anything the heavy rider can achieve.

Therefore every claim of hill climbing ability needs to have the rider weight and the exact measure of the gradient quoted to be useful to others.

But I agree that to say they are useless anywhere but the flat is too harsh, they will climb moderate hills, especially if low speed doesn't matter and/or the rider is on the light side.

 

[shambolic]

Well I guess we're into the realms of relativity here. I mean I am 14 stone, which is overweight but I'm sure there's a lot heavier than me wanting to climb hills. It certainly isn't going slow when it gets up those hills. In general when people come to visit they consider the hills in this town rather steep, but as I said, relative. If I had friends from the Himalayas they wouldn't think much of it at all. I guess I am using the bike for comfort and convenience rather than trekking or sport. I consider it well up to those functions..

 

[peerjay56]

Well I guess we're into the realms of relativity here. I mean I am 14 stone, which is overweight but I'm sure there's a lot heavier than me wanting to climb hills. It certainly isn't going slow when it gets up those hills. In general when people come to visit they consider the hills in this town rather steep, but as I said, relative. If I had friends from the Himalayas they wouldn't think much of it at all. I guess I am using the bike for comfort and convenience rather than trekking or sport. I consider it well up to those functions..

Having climbed Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary brought Sherpa Tenzing back to Britain, and took him to see Snowdon, where the party did much of their early training. Apparently, Tenzing was much impressed by Snowdon, viewing it from afar, and asked Hillary how many days it took to climb to the summit…

 

[Geebee]

As others have stated peoples view of steep terrain is different, I actually owned a moped scooter and even modding it to pull over 1 kw it could not climb back to my house.
In reasonable flat terrain (say sub 10~12% grade shortish hills) it was great cheap transport, with my daughter riding it was a different beast as she only weighed 40 kg it was like a motor bike hills and all.

 

[smee]

The big problem I have with the bike I have and I believe this is common to most E-bikes is not knowing how the battery is doing. Not being able to walk far this will be a big problem should I run out of juice. It tells me the voltage but that's not a lot of use. This I have to sort out if I want to get any distance on it.

I think you can judge how the battery is doing by how far the voltage falls when delivering full power, say, going up a hill. I could be wrong, others can comment/correct.

 

[Geebee]

Just wire a watt meter into the battery circuit (do a search plenty of threads), you could even leave it in with the battery pack if there is room so you dont need to extend the wiring, it will show how many amp hours you have used and you will quickly learn the safe range.

 

[pdarnett]

One of these meters would be good to have permanently wired in http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-0-200V-0-150A-Programmable-Meter-Controller-Volt-Amp-Power-Ah-Auto-Shut-Down-/171330857434?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27e41d69da

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Saneagle's boy had one for a while. I think it started life as a 36v, but had been modded to 48v. It had the normal big DD motor in the back wheel. It didn't have any problem getting me up our 14% test hill. I'm 100kg.

 

[Geebee]

Saneagle's boy had one for a while. I think it started life as a 36v, but had been modded to 48v. It had the normal big DD motor in the back wheel. It didn't have any problem getting me up our 14% test hill. I'm 100kg.

How many kw was it pulling?

 

[flecc]

In China these mopeds are often 700 watt rated, and I'm sure some of these are brought in but just said to be 250 watt. I've known of one here rated as 680 watt. Of course they can climb well.
.

 

[Chainring]

http://www.sportx.is/products/dayun-electric-bike
Someone has started selling them in the area where I live. I first noticed one parked outside a house just a hundred yards away. A local motorcycle dealer also has them on his forecourt. A lady who comes into my place of work has had one for quite some time. It's a form of transport, and should not be sneered at. This magazine I found http://www.atob.org.uk/ , points out the flavour of the UK market. 'Mid-Atlantic MTB bikes'. It points out that bikes sold on the Continent would not be tolerated without all the fittings you need to actually use the thing, while in the UK, a frame and wheels is considered adequate.

 

[shambolic]

If your e-scoot beastie can handle those hills then there's nothing inaccessible in and around Colchester town.

The hill in Maldon might be a different challenge

Is that Layer Marney Hill? I'm looking for some hills to pedal up, as the assisted cycling is quite brutal and hits around 30mph on the flat. I want to do some short bursts of assisted cycling up hills to get my heart a bit toned up. I only get about 20 miles out of a full charge so all the way to Maldon and back is not on but looking at Google maps (the cycling part gives a cross section of the landscape) that looks to be the best option, any other hills about without too much heavy traffic?

 

[Wicky]

Significant hills around Colchester around that range are Clingoe Hill out towards the Uni/ Wivenhoe (nice pubs & fish & chips as a reward) - out towards Abberton along Mersea Rd dipping into Roman River then climbing up out then along a bit to Butterfly Lodge Farm with lovely goat icecream. Or up to the Hospital in Mile End to feed the ducks and if needed A&E! Watch your range as gradient assist will hit your battery range if 20 miles is achieved on more flattish terrain.

 

[shambolic]

Thanks, with all those temptations , looks like losing calories might be out of the question I actually live on Turner Rd , so I've been doing that one every evening. Avoided the A&E so far..