General e-bike function questions

Justin Fleming

Pedelecer
Mar 6, 2015
31
6
48
I have the Woosh Big Bear. I'm having quite a bit of trouble with hills which I think is just down to learning how to ride an electric bike.
I get a lot of front wheel spin on steep hills and have to go quite slow and stand up to lean over and put more weight on the front wheel.
Is the standard way to tackle hills to slow down, drop the gears down and stand up?

Also I'm finding the pedal assist tricky. If you have junctions and stops, you have to keep changing the assist level so that the bike doesn't pull away at full speed. On any incline this means uncontrollable skidding and the bike doesn't move. Yesterday I went up a county road that was a little slick from the trees and it bends around the corner. I slowed down to change gear and the front wheel lost all traction. I had to stop on a corner and couldn't move the bike! I had to get off and out the way.

I tried riding this morning by having the assist on 2/5 and peddling at normal but using the throttle instead. This means when I have to stop, I pull away at a manageable assist 2 and can use the throttle to slowly increase up to full speed.
Is using the throttle and peddling to a set speed the same efficiency as using assist 5 at the same speed?

Another issue is I find with no assist it feels like riding a bike with the brakes full on. Is it the case that electric bike motors forcibly slow down if there is no power? It feels like I lose speed very quickly when I cut the power. I did adjust the back brakes a little last night since they were rubbing a bit but didn't notice much difference today.
Basically there is no way I could ride this without any power.
 

trex

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 15, 2011
7,703
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The way to tackle steep hills with Chinese ebikes is to use the throttle.
The assist level controls the maximum speed you'll get with pedalling, the throttle overriddes that assist level.
Keep to assist level 1 and use the throttle.
After you get used to controlling the bike with the throttle, increase assist level if you like.
If you feel you can get more friction by standing up, lower the stem and adjust the angle to move the handlebars forwards, making the bike more like a mountain bike, that will shift your weight forward.
 
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Deleted member 4366

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The problem of the bike slowing down rapidly when you take off the power is normally just an illusion. It's the difference between the motor's power and your own power, which is a lot.

You can check whether there's any problem by lifting one wheel at a time into the air and spinning it with your hand in the forward direction. It should spin easily and continue spinning for several turns. If it doesn't, something needs adjusting.

It sounds to me like you have a problem at the back of your bike. Maybe the back brake is stuck on. That would explain both of your problems.

The front wheel shouldn't spin like that. You get an occasional slip on steep hills when the surface is bad, but not all the time. To reduce the slipping, the normal technique is to lean forward to get more weight on the front wheel. I've ridden bikes with the same setup as yours, but with a lot more power. You can ride them normally without having to worry about the wheel spinning except on grass or gravel. You shouldn't have to go down to level one. When I rode Big Bears, I had them set on the maximum all the time. There must be something wrong with your bike.
 
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
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I rode the Bigbear on the Redbridge cycle track last year and had no problem with wheel slip (dry track). Another factor to consider is your weight if you are a light weight then this may be a disadvantage.
 

Justin Fleming

Pedelecer
Mar 6, 2015
31
6
48
Do you mean you didn't get any spin because you maintained the 'full' speed up the hill? My problem was because I slowed down then couldn't get going again on assist. Should the throttle always be used to get up to speed first?
 

Justin Fleming

Pedelecer
Mar 6, 2015
31
6
48
I rode the Bigbear on the Redbridge cycle track last year and had no problem with wheel slip (dry track). Another factor to consider is your weight if you are a light weight then this may be a disadvantage.
I am a bit of a lightweight ;)
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
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I'm 84kg and at low speed up hill had no problem, Redbridge has some good varying hiIly sections. suspect you may not be able to add much weight over then front wheel which is giving a light front end. A front rack and a bag of sand may help:rolleyes:. Try as mentioned adjusting the ride position so that you might be able to apply more forward weight the front bpm is quite powerful. The throttle is more controllable than the pas so use it gradually until you are happy to engage the pas to prevent any slip.
 

Justin Fleming

Pedelecer
Mar 6, 2015
31
6
48
So basically treat the assist as a sort of cruise control?

I have 2 Kryptonite locks which weigh a ton so I'll try mounting those at the front for a bit of extra weight.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,910
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Tested. The wheels spin free. The back one didn't last night but I have since adjusted it.
So now go for a test ride to see if any thing has changed.
 

4bound

Pedelecer
May 1, 2014
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Neston
www.facebook.com
I have the Woosh Big Bear. I'm having quite a bit of trouble with hills which I think is just down to learning how to ride an electric bike.
.
There are many differences between electric bikes of course - for example front or rear drive, hub motor or crank assist, throttle assist/pedelec or both. Thus there is no one best way to ride electric bikes. For example my Kalkhoff with crank assist, pedelec only, is quite different to your Woosh, front hub drive, pedelec and throttle. I had never thought of it before but this must create a number of different riding techniques.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,152
30,567
For example my Kalkhoff with crank assist, pedelec only, is quite different to your Woosh, front hub drive, pedelec and throttle. I had never thought of it before but this must create a number of different riding techniques.
It certainly does, the two types are completely different vehicles. I've owned both, including at the same time, but had to ride with very different techniques according to what I was using.

I see the sophisticated crank-drive-unit pedelec bikes as bicycles, throttle-controlled hub-motor e-bikes as very low powered motorcycles.

It's another reason why we tend to ask people to try before buying, and ideally that is to try both types before deciding.
.
 
C

Cyclezee

Guest
It certainly does, the two types are completely different vehicles. I've owned both, including at the same time, but had to ride with very different techniques according to what I was using.

I see the sophisticated crank-drive-unit pedelec bikes as bicycles, throttle-controlled hub-motor e-bikes as very low powered motorcycles.

It's another reason why we tend to ask people to try before buying, and ideally that is to try both types before deciding.
.
Exactamundo.
 

Jimod

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 9, 2010
1,065
634
Polmont
The way to tackle steep hills with Chinese ebikes is to use the throttle..
That's a bit of a sweeping statement. Not all Chinese bikes have a throttle nor do they all have front Hubs.
 

Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
2,590
1,746
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West Wales
My wife has a Big Bear and we live in Wales, so steep hills and slick lanes are common. That said she is not having the problems you are and she is no expert cyclist. She rides on level 2 or 3 with quite a slow cadence, coming into lower gears to get up hills. She has used level 5 to get up very steep hills but I'm sure I'd have heard the scream if she had your problem.
Wheel spin can happen on gravel or wet grass but, as the boys have said, you just need to stand and/or hunch over the bars more to get weight onto the front wheel.
If you apply throttle at a junction when you are out of the saddle with feet on the ground, then you will get wheel spin because your weight is not on the bike.
 

D C

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 25, 2013
1,142
577
I am a bit of a lightweight ;)
Maybe a bit less pressure in the front tyre would help, I run mine at 35 psi max though it's a different bike to yours with an aggresive tread.
I've played around with pressures in the past, 45psi upwards does make the wheel spin a lot more readily and I'm pretty heavy, well not pretty, just heavy.

Dave.
 

Justin Fleming

Pedelecer
Mar 6, 2015
31
6
48
Thanks everyone. I think I do need to think of the bike as a small motorbike - using throttle to get up to speed and the assist as a cruise control and help on hills. I had a better experience on the way home today and part of the problem is you become an immediate speed demon and forget how relatively slow normal cycling used to be.
That said, the same hill still have me sliding but other hills with similar climbs didn't so it must be down to the road conditions - mud and algae from the surrounding trees.
I'm going to watch my speed more and not be quite so keen to go flat out all the time!

On a slightly different note, does anyone know if its safe to leave the battery on charge overnight?
 

mike killay

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 17, 2011
3,012
1,629
Safe to leave a battery on charge overnight?
Probably!
I leave mine in the garage and have never had a problem, but the potential for a fire is there.
Having said that, I leave my mobile phone, VHF hand set and vaping batteries on charge in the house.
 

Justin Fleming

Pedelecer
Mar 6, 2015
31
6
48
I wonder if it would over charge or something? The light goes green when it's done but not sure if that means it stops charging