Enough Power for a Pensioner on Steep Hills

[Stewart Lochhead]

I bought a pedelec. A Raleigh Array Low Step. It was incapable of carrying me home up the steep hills needed to get me home. I've taken it back and after 3 weeks am still confused about what to replace it with. I'm told that a 250W motor is enough? So I rented a 250W ebike for a trial yesterday in very hilly Bath and failed to reach home. What do I do? Break the law?

 

[Woosh]

The bikes you have tried have a torque sensor,. It's hard to go up a steep hill with bikes that have a torque sensor. You need a bike with cadence sensor which lets you pedal as much (or as little) as you like. A throttle will also help you start on steep hill and get more from the motor.

 

[flecc]

I bought a pedelec. A Raleigh Array Low Step. It was incapable of carrying me home up the steep hills needed to get me home. I've taken it back and after 3 weeks am still confused about what to replace it with. I'm told that a 250W motor is enough? So I rented a 250W ebike for a trial yesterday in very hilly Bath and failed to reach home. What do I do? Break the law?

No, you shouldn't break the law of course. Pedelecs only have assist motors so do need a reasonable input from the rider to cope, especially on the steepest hills.

However, some do have very high torque motors which cope far better, so one of those might suit. What make and model was the rental bike you tried?
.

 

[guerney]

You should consider getting a bike converted/convert a bike using a 48V 250W BBS01 - my 36V BBS01B is set up specifically in firmware (requires a programming lead and a computer running Windows 7 or newer, or newish Android phone or tablet) to require zero effort no matter the terrain. I was willing to increase amps drawn by the controller from 15A to 20A, but it hasn't been necessary, even for towing heavy trailers up steep hills.

 

[guerney]

The bikes you have tried have a torque sensor,. It's hard to go up a steep hill with bikes that have a torque sensor. You need a bike with cadence sensor which lets you pedal as much (or as little) as you like. A throttle will also help you start on steep hill and get more from the motor.

Do you convert bikes like Brighton ebikes?

Complete E-bike conversion incl. motor kit and battery - from

Electric bike conversions in Brighton and Hove. Bespoke E-bikes with Bafang BBS01B BBS02B BBSHD motors and quality lithium-ion battery cells. E-bike fitting service. Lekkie Bling Ring stockist

www.brightonebikes.co.uk

 

[saneagle]

I bought a pedelec. A Raleigh Array Low Step. It was incapable of carrying me home up the steep hills needed to get me home. I've taken it back and after 3 weeks am still confused about what to replace it with. I'm told that a 250W motor is enough? So I rented a 250W ebike for a trial yesterday in very hilly Bath and failed to reach home. What do I do? Break the law?

The 250w is not the power of the motor. In actual fact, there is no regulation that limits the output power of the motor. Some electric bikes have weak 250w motors, and some have powerful ones.

As a general guide, 48v 250w electric bikes will get you up hills 30% better than a 36v one, so that's what you should look for. Apart from that, electric bikes with small wheels generally climb better, so if you can find a 48v one, you have a double chance of getting what you need. Leon Cycles sell 48v bikes, otherwise there are loads on Ebay and Amazon that are pretty good, and you can get 48v ones with small wheels there.

Wisper have 44v bikes that are pretty good too. That gives 20% extra climbing power.

 

[Stewart Lochhead]

The 250w is not the power of the motor. In actual fact, there is no regulation that limits the output power of the motor. Some electric bikes have weak 250w motors, and some have powerful ones.

As a general guide, 48v 250w electric bikes will get you up hills 30% better than a 36v one, so that's what you should look for. Apart from that, electric bikes with small wheels generally climb better, so if you can find a 48v one, you have a double chance of getting what you need. Leon Cycles sell 48v bikes, otherwise there are loads on Ebay and Amazon that are pretty good, and you can get 48v ones with small wheels there.

Wisper have 44v bikes that are pretty good too. That gives 20% extra climbing power.

Thanks for the Wisper link. Nobody had said it was legally possible to have a throttle to assist on hills until now. https://wisperbikes.com/full-throttle-option/

 

[Woosh]

Do you convert bikes like Brighton ebikes?

yes, we do. The cost is parts + labour which is around £80-£90.

 

[Woosh]

I know Bath pretty well. How much do you weigh?

 

[Stewart Lochhead]

I know Bath pretty well. How much do you weigh?

90kg

 

[Woosh]

is this the Raleigh that you bought (and returned)?

Also, which hill did it fail to get you up and how far up that hill when it had enough?

 

[Stewart Lochhead]

is this the Raleigh that you bought (and returned)?

Also, which hill did it fail to get you up and how far up that hill when it had enough?

It looks like it. Winsley Hill (see Strava) About 1/3rd

 

[Stewart Lochhead]

It looks like it. Winsley Hill (see Strava) About 1/3rd

Whats the torque of the Santana?

 

[saneagle]

is this the Raleigh that you bought (and returned)?

Also, which hill did it fail to get you up and how far up that hill when it had enough?

Suntour system. Their power isn't bad and it's fairly easy to get full power. It looks like OP just needs more oomph. What happened to your 48v bike?

 

[saneagle]

Whats the torque of the Santana?

Don't go by numbers. They don't mean anything.

 

[Woosh]

Whats the torque of the Santana?

it's 55NM, 20A Lishui controller, Bafang SWX02 motor.
With your weight, it may struggle up some of the hills in Bath.

 

[Woosh]

Suntour system. Their power isn't bad and it's fairly easy to get full power. It looks like OP just needs more oomph. What happened to your 48v bike?

I have plenty of 48V kits but not 48V bikes at the moment. I would have suggested a 48V BBS01 kit.

 

[Stewart Lochhead]

I'm better informed but still not there yet...

 

[saneagle]

I'm better informed but still not there yet...

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

 

[AndyBike]

You can lead a horse to water.

But a pencil must me lead

Whats the torque of the Santana?

Dont know about the santana, but took a look to see if any torque figures on the suntour motors and its listing at 40nm for the basic hub, 60nm for the better quality ones - if thats the torque info you were after.