Flyer- first impression

[Hermann]

Hi,
got the Flyer T8 for a week now, made 45 km with it until the last of the five LEDs was on, today I recharded it to have it ready to go to work tomorrow. It was ok for me after a while. I have to get used to it to pedal slow and use a higher gear than pedal fast in a low gear riding up a hill, which still confuses me a little.

What feels also strange is that the motor power surges with my pedal pressure (what is normal because it measures my torque and reacts on it). It is quite difficult to pedal totally round without clicked-in shoes. The surges of the motor result in surges of the (not very loud) noise, too, which bothers me a little, but I get used to it. I am trying to pedal more round, but that accelerates me like a rocket.

The rest seems fine to me. The battery lasts about seven times down to town and up my hill, that means I can use it about a week before charging it. The light is fantastic, gears change smoothly. So far, I am very satisfied with it.

Best regards
Hermann

 

[Erik]

Do you have the "Sportmotor" or the standard?

 

[flecc]

You will get used to the pulsing of the power Hermann. Rather than struggling to pedal throughout the 360 degrees, it's best to just think of it as multiplying your muscle power, and then the power only coming on the downstrokes will seem natural, bionic rather than mechanical.
.

 

[Hermann]

Hi,
I have the standard motor.

Thank you, Flecc. I also went through your "Panasonic System Power Delivery Explanation" and learned a lot.

Best regards
Hermann

 

[readingaloud]

I'm in nearly the same position as Hermann, and I agree with everything that's been said so far. I just took delivery on my new Flyer T8 (standard motor, premium trim), and am generally very pleased. But there are a couple to things I'll need to re-learn.

Before I read flecc's exceptionally helpful discussion of the way the Panasonic system phases out the power assist, I was disappointed in how little help I seemed to get climbing hills. Now I know to slow my cadence, and choose a higher gear, but I must say that this doesn't come naturally to me--it seems exactly wrong.

For me, the issue with the power surge appears when I'm stopped at a light, with my left foot on the ground, and my right resting on the pedal ready to push down when the light changes. If I put a little weight on my right foot (holding the bike still with the brakes), I get an odd sort of twitch in the power, as the bike wants to start the power before I'm ready to move.

Apart form those oddities, the Flyer is wonderful. It's awfully heavy, and I wouldn't want to try to ride it any distance without a power assist. But the ride is extremely confortable, and everything about the bike seems to say that this is one well-put-together machine.

--Dan

 

[Erik]

So we all agree that the very low cadence needed for full assist is bad, and the sport motor gearing would be better.

As written before, my legs acid up in no time if i have to pedal hard at a low cadence.

Panasonic seem to have laid out the caracteristics based on many womens bad habit of a slow knee-crunching caddence in a much to high gear.

Could either of you Flyer owners inquire the price for the larger motor sprocket from the sport version?

 

[flecc]

Panasonic seem to have laid out the caracteristics based on many womens bad habit of a slow knee-crunching caddence in a much to high gear.

I think it's more an Oriental custom Erik. Every film I've seen of Far Eastern cyclists shows a very slow cadence being used, all seeming very laid back cyclists typically travelling at 8 to 12 mph. One of the eastern manufacturers has remarked that the Chinese don't understand our obsession with hill climbing, apparently they don't like cycling up hills, preferring to walk up them.

Come to think of it, not just the Far East, cyclists in India tend to cycle slowly too, so perhaps it's us who are the odd ones.
.

 

[simonbarnett]

I'm in nearly the same position as Hermann, and I agree with everything that's been said so far. I just took delivery on my new Flyer T8 (standard motor, premium trim), and am generally very pleased. But there are a couple to things I'll need to re-learn.

Before I read flecc's exceptionally helpful discussion of the way the Panasonic system phases out the power assist, I was disappointed in how little help I seemed to get climbing hills. Now I know to slow my cadence, and choose a higher gear, but I must say that this doesn't come naturally to me--it seems exactly wrong.

For me, the issue with the power surge appears when I'm stopped at a light, with my left foot on the ground, and my right resting on the pedal ready to push down when the light changes. If I put a little weight on my right foot (holding the bike still with the brakes), I get an odd sort of twitch in the power, as the bike wants to start the power before I'm ready to move.

Apart form those oddities, the Flyer is wonderful. It's awfully heavy, and I wouldn't want to try to ride it any distance without a power assist. But the ride is extremely confortable, and everything about the bike seems to say that this is one well-put-together machine.

--Dan

The power surge on applying pressure at standstill seems likely to be common to Panasonics as the Kalkhoff does it too. You quickly learn to expect it and lighten the foot pressure.

 

[flecc]

The power surge on applying pressure at standstill seems likely to be common to Panasonics as the Kalkhoff does it too. You quickly learn to expect it and lighten the foot pressure.

Yes, it is all the Panasonic units, the old one on the Lafree was the same. As you say, it's soon got used to.
.

 

[readingaloud]

Erik, I don't know the price of the HS version--I didn't seriously consider it.

If I understand correctly, that version is not considered to be a bicycle under Swiss law, and so you get into a different, and more restrictive regulatory regime, requiring special licensing and barring you from some bicycle paths. The beauty of the version I have is that it's still a bicycle for regulatory (and most practical) purposes.

I find the need to use a slow cadence a bit foreign, for now, but I expect I'll get used to it. As flecc says, this is not a bike for you if you have a racing mindset, but that's not me. I'm already getting the feeling that frenetic pedaling is really not the right way to ride this bike, even if you don't consider the issues around the phase out of the assist. The Flyer's a big, heavy bike that ought to be ridden at a stately pace--it's built for comfort, not for speed. This is a bike that's made for those of us who have overcome any lingering need to be macho on a bicycle, and simply want to enjoy the experience of riding.

I don't think there's any substitute for a test ride in this case. As soon as you get on a Flyer, you'll immediately get a feel for how it rides, and if that doesn't appeal to you, there's no reason in the world for you to part with so much money to have one. But if you want to ride the way it does--well, it's just magical.

--Dan

 

[Hermann]

Hi,
after another week of using my Flyer I must say that I really enjoy it. I have to hold back on the hills not to fall into my old "habbit" to pedel fast, and - I immediately feel how the motor starts doing its work.
It does not put a lot of stress on my knees (which still feels strange riding up a hill pedaling so slow) because the motor makes the torque and not my muscles.

What I don´t like so much is the faint but steady high pitch "ringing" of the motor. It is a little stress to my musicians ears, but most of the time, when there are cars nearby, I don´t notice it.

A few days ago I went three times down to town and back up the hill on one day, which I never ever would have done with a normal bike. So everything is perfect- now I only need a trick to switch off the rain- flecc, do you have some advice for me ?

Best regards
Hermann

 

[flecc]

now I only need a trick to switch off the rain- flecc, do you have some advice for me ?

Best regards
Hermann

Yes, that's no problem Hermann!

When it looks like being wet the next day, promise someone you'll do some job for them that you hate doing.

There will be blazing sunshine all day.
.