How many people are using there e-bike off-road?

[georgehenry]

I thought I would add some pictures of my off road route to work after remembering to take the camera yesterday afternoon, around 13 miles though I can vary that by the tracks and routes I choose in the countryside between Godalming and Farnham in Surrey.


Field at Eashing leading towards Peper Harow


Shackleford Common



Broomfields,


Britty Wood



Crooksbury Common



Crooksbury Common


Huf Style House, Crooksbury Common, no smart bike to be seen, probably on his boat with his beautiful wife


Greensand Way Moor Park


View from Greensand Way Moor Park


High Mill House Mill Pond where Kingfishers can be seen if you are lucky. So much better than going to work in the car. Henry.

 

[Artstu]

Not e-bike related, but seeing that this is the muddy thread, this young man found some mud just before the new year. Our two fared much better.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/1710-photography/24043326246/in/album-72157660638175824/

 

[Nealh]

Very nice commute Henry.

 

[georgehenry]

Thanks Nealth,

I have really enjoyed this route this week. Today is my last return trip after this weeks four day work roster (100 miles ish in total). My legs are feeling tired! I only use eco on the way to work and the second standard level of assistance on the way home.

On the trip yesterday my Topeak Defender Front Mudguard 650b fell off. I shoved it in the panniers to mend later as it was apparent that an important part for retaining the mudguards in place had gone missing.

I soon started to notice their absence with the occasional gentle spraying of mud. I was always a bit dubious about how these mudguards fixed to the bike and had already replaced the original weedy tightening bolt with a much better one.

When I repaired it this morning I just needed to find the right size washers to make the whole thing a lot more secure and able to be tightened up properly. All hail the mighty and inexpensive washer.

 

[Sherman]

Now that temperature has risen to almost warm levels from -22C I could not resist a short ride on frozen sea.


Powder snow on ice. Enough traction even without studs.


A touring skating track along the shore will be plowed here later. It will be fun!

 

[Croxden]

Can you feel the difference between -14 & -22?

 

[Sherman]

Can you feel the difference between -14 & -22?

Sure. -14 is cold, -22 is freaking cold. Wind plays a big factor though, even a slight breeze will make it so much worse.

 

[anotherkiwi]

We have different values, for me anything below +10°C is freaking cold...

 

[Nealh]

Excellent love it Sherman I can see a reality tv programme here ' Ice Road biker ' , what ever you do don't fall through .

 

[EddiePJ]

Nipple rub and cycling. Not very nice is it!

I had a brilliant afternoon riding along some very technical, wet and extremely muddy sections, then heading along a main road that linked two sections together, I rode through a puddle, but unbeknown to me, the road below the puddle had collapsed, and the front wheel fell into the hole, and over the bars I sailed. The next five miles were not very pleasant to ride.

Free bike parking!

Back to this again.

 

[bebbe]

Cool when the computer broke in two pices!! [emoji1]

 

[soundwave]

ed use this on ur clothes and shoes n you will not get wet at all

http://www.nikwax.co.uk/en-gb/productselector/waterproofing.php

same nano coating as was on last dragons den and has been out for years lol

 

[georgehenry]

Hi Eddie, I experienced that when I used to run many moons ago and the solution was a liberal application of Vaseline before you set out. Challenging conditions. Good pictures. Everything will need a good clean after that ride.

 

[EddiePJ]

SW, the boots are Gore tex and are brilliant at keeping water out. If required, I also have seal skinz socks and over shoes. All are good at keeping water out, but none prevent water from running down you legs and then inside. I live pretty close to the Nikwax office/store, and used to get the stuff for free. Not something that I want to pay for.

 

[soundwave]

 

[Sherman]

Now this is what I bought my bike for! We got 8" of fresh snow. I just ploughed through snow to work. No way I could have made it with my other bikes.

Fantastic

 

[EddiePJ]

Tonight's ride was one of those rides where everything just clicked into place, and felt superb.
The conditions were terrible, with deep mud, deep water, and sleet and rain, but I didn't let this didn't deter me. I actually came close to not going out at all. The motivation just wasn't there, but I'm glad that I did.

I really do love night riding, and it's definitely when I'm at my best.

As usual the Hutchinson tyres performed brilliantly, and only once did I find their limit whilst climbing a greasy and wet grass bank. 25psi seems to currently be the optimum pressure to put in them. The route tonight went through several silver birch and beech woodlands, which have a mass of criss crossing roots, but the bike just seemed to be on rails, and tracked straight across them, with no hint of ever deviating off line.

I also realised that after swapping out to the 11-42 rear cassette, that I'm not actually using the 42T and I'm still using the 36T for the majority of the steeper climbing. I'm slightly surprised by that one, as I thought that I'd be using it constantly. I suspect that it will come into it's own when riding more in unassisted mode.

 

[Sherman]

Good to hear you had a nice ride, it just looks....plain awful :-D

 

[EddiePJ]

Good to hear you had a nice ride, it just looks....plain awful :-D

Certainly a different colour to that of your lovely snow. I'm very envious.

I don't really mind too much what the conditions are like, I just love getting in some saddle time.
The only time that I get fed up, is when mud or leaves start to block the rear chainstay area. The good thing at the moment, is that it only happens when things get sticky, and with the amount of water that is currently about, things are staying reasonably clean, with just a light coating of dirt.

I think that what made the ride yesterday, was that I was on my own, so could take full advantage of electric assist, and up the climbing speed.

Can't wait to get back out and do it all again tomorrow evening.

 

[EddiePJ]

Guess what, another night ride.

By fook, was it icy and cold tonight!