KTM eRace P, first impression review

[flecc]

Eddie has pointed me to a new BikeTec Flyer road bike model with this Panasonic motor, this model called Vollblut (Thoroughbred), they've integrated the battery nicely with their trademark "S" bend downtube. Various versions from EU legal to 500 watts and fast:

 

[Footloose]

I can not detect any drag while riding. I have not yet lifted the back wheel and given it a spin but will report back when I have

Spin test result.
Not very scientific, but lifting the back wheel and giving it a good whiz with the hand. The wheel turns for about 1.5 revolutions. So not friction free but pretty impressive I think.

 

[Geebee]

I wonder if the controller supplies enough power to counter the drag? as the level of drag from your spin test would be noticeable otherwise.

 

[trex]

and how easy is it to ride unpowered?

 

[Footloose]

and how easy is it to ride unpowered?

When you are used to power assistance, it is difficult to judge how easy it is with the umph turned off! I was late for an appointment yesterday so tried how fast I could go. I got to 26mph. The bike felt incredibly smooth and stable, even at that speed. I was very pleased to have good hydraulic brakes at the junction but the regen does not work over 20mph.
I rode 11 miles on tracks through woodland with tree roots and stony sections. Great fun and the bike performed well on auto setting almost throughout.

 

[Footloose]

Follow-up report after 15 months...
I have done nearly 1500miles on my KTM erace P. It is my main mode of transport for work and journeys in my home town. I have also done some off road trips with which have been great fun.
I have had few problems. The tyres perform well in all the conditions I have tried them but are rather prone to punctures. A glass wound to the back tyre required a replacement. The new tyre was £40 online. Removing the back wheel with disconnection of the cables was no problem. The headset developed a knocking sound which has been fixed by stripping down, cleaning and rebuild.
For normal road use, I use only the front 3 gears with some changing of the rear for hills and fine tuning at junctions. The front gear cable has worn and will need replacement soon.
The Panasonic power system is as good as ever. I have still tried nothing better for road hill climbing. It will go up almost any road at 14mph on high power setting. (Not on auto). As expected, it is not so good for slow, very steep off road climbs. The gears get me up these. I will start a new thread comparing with the Bosch crank drive system soon!
Real life power consumption is about 2% per mile. On my longest journey (almost all road), 45 miles used 75% of the battery. The smart black and orange frame is showing wear and marks but the bike still attracts comments and turns heads. I am only aware of one occasion when the fixed control unit has been 'fiddled with' but this caused no damage.
The motor does offer some resistance to freewheeling. This is noticeable when cycling next to another bike without this feature but is not normally significant. The regenerative breaking appeals to my mechanical mind! It can be quite severe particularly when the battery is low (voltage difference?) and there is a risk of loosing traction on loose surfaces down steep hills. During routing road trips, I can often slow the bike electronically only and not use the
hydraulic disks. The amount of battery recharge is minimal.

In conclusion
I still love this bike! The acceleration and hill power is still impressive. The range is good and it has been reliable. Poor motor torque at low speed and too many gears for road use are only minor criticisms.

 

[EddiePJ]

Thanks for sharing that Footloose, it made for very interesting reading.

The lad who rode the review e-CROSS P with me, used the regen almost constantly whilst riding on flat and at any given opportunity. Being a fitness freak he saw it as a challenge.

I'll add the short cut to thread onto the KTM corner one.

 

[Staffordshirehills]

I went down a really steep drop on my KTM using regen and it worked wonderfully as a break. The time before I'd gone down on my road bike and ended up with cramp in my thumbs and a grimace of fear on my face.

 

[Footloose]

I went down a really steep drop on my KTM using regen and it worked wonderfully as a break. The time before I'd gone down on my road bike and ended up with cramp in my thumbs and a grimace of fear on my face.

I agree it can be very effective, but is variable depending on speed. It has a 'sweet spot' between 10 and 13mph. If the bike speeds above this, the breaking reduces and speed can run away. It can be quite difficult to keep a balance. As a rough guide, a hill which took 4% of battery to go up may get you back 1% going back down.

 

[EddiePJ]

Do you still run the OE Schwalbe Racing Ralph tyres?

Only you have mentioned punctures, and this something that I have found with the Racing Ralphs. They are a lovely lightweight tyre, and are a good OE choice, but sadly I guess that the compromise to weight has been thickness.

I'm still a big fan of the Panaracer XC fire Pro tyres, but as yet they still haven't launched them in 650b.

 

[Footloose]

Do you still run the OE Schwalbe Racing Ralph tyres?

Yes, I replaced like-for-like.