Planning my First Ride...

[DAJ]

My eBike is due for delivery on Good Friday, so I am planning my first ride. 32 miles each way with 1637ft climb, I will take my charger for a top up before the return leg. It is a route I have taken many times un assisted in the past (like 15 years ago) but I have never done a return on the same day!

Upon arrival I then plan to then kick my mates butt up and around the Pennines, then to add insult to injury leave him exhausted whilst I set off home on the 32 mile return leg, HaHa. my bet he will have an eBike order in before the day is out LOL.

 

[VictoryV]

My eBike is due for delivery on Good Friday,LOL.

What will your new machine be?

 

[DAJ]

This..




and this..

 

[soundwave]

you may want to up the front sprocket size

 

[Kinninvie]

The pennines is a big place and I ride there all the time.
Perhaps you should put your general location on your profile in case others are riding the same area.

 

[Gubbins]

you may want to up the front sprocket size

I have heard this comment a few times about gearing. The std gearing on mine is such that I could pedal to nearly 30 mph (could) and on steep hills and anything technical at anything les than 6mph resulted in a really low cadence and drop off of power.

 

[DAJ]

First eBike adventure is on for tomorrow .
I have fitted panniers, changed the very pretty saddle for one I am used to and am ready for a early start tomorrow.

The Nutrail was sold within 36 hours of delivery so I am on the SUV.

 

[DAJ]

After todays ride I am really starting to appreciate eBikes...

Here we are crossing the M1 about 15 miles out from home



This is the Yorkshire side of the Woodhead Tunnels



I think this is Bottoms Reservoir just outside Hadfield, although they all look the same to me.



I had to stop and take a picture of this, I was already 16 miles into the return journey..



And back home, although this picture really doesn't seem to show how caked in mud we both were.


Took about 6 hours of riding...

 

[Wolfie70]

How did that hub perform DAJ? You set the cadence and let it do its thing?

Dave.

 

[DAJ]

How did that hub perform DAJ? You set the cadence and let it do its thing?

Dave.

Ah, no! My bike has the S7000 Alfine 8 speed hub, I think you are thinking of the NuVinci CVT hub. To be honest I am yet to be won over by the hub and am having some difficulty setting it up so that it performs as I would expect.

 

[Artstu]

So in the photo where you're 16 miles into the return journey with a range of 74 miles left how many miles had you done at that point? or what was the total distance and average speed? It seems like you're getting a quite staggering range from the bike.

 

[Artstu]

Ah I see my questions are answered in another thread.

I can help with some of your questions, I have just purchased a Cube SUV Hybrid 500 and its maiden voyage was over the Pennines climbing from 64ft above sea level to 1426ft with relative ease at an average 11mph. On one section I climbed on the way there at 7-8mph and gravity assisted on the return hit 37mph (to give you an idea how well it copes with hills).

The bike has road tyres yet coped with rough stone covered track, single track through wooded areas, extended very muddy sections (although this taxed all my bike handling ability to stay upright and moving forward) and tarmac.

The journey each way was about 34 miles and was achieved with battery life left, I charged the battery before my return journey.

I am about 16 stone but quite cycling fit and very used to my saddle. I should add though the bike cost £2k and I am not entirely happy with the hub gears - yet!

 

[DAJ]

Map of my route, I took almost exactly the same route in both directions so only showing one track at this setting



An indication of the amount of climbing I had to do..



Distance was 34 miles each way with a re-charge in between. The steepest/longest section of tarmac was Windle Edge climbing 440ft in 1 mile. I was able to ascend with relative ease in turbo mode at 7-8mph, on the return leg with Gravity assistance alone I hit 37.1mph!

I think I learn't a lot about how to ride an eMTB on this ride, I went from being a bit "Meh" about it to really appreciating its capability once I started to understand how to use it. I was also able to spend quite a bit of time over the 15.5mph limit, despite the bikes weight once rolling it is easy enough to keep there on the flatter sections, hence my good range indication on the return leg.

 

[Artstu]

Thanks, it was the recharge that had me foxed.

 

[DAJ]

Upon arrival I then plan to then kick my mates butt up and around the Pennines.

Done

then to add insult to injury leave him exhausted whilst I set off home on the 32 mile return leg,

He rode out 7 miles to meet me but was too exhausted to accompany me out when I set off home LOL

my bet he will have an eBike order in before the day is out LOL.

Between me leaving him in Hollingworth to me getting home to Wath he had bought a new bike! Although despite being impressed with the eBikes ability to demolish hills he did buy an analogue bike!

 

[Artstu]

A sedate ride then, do you think you'd be able to do it just as quickly on a lighter bike?

I like to make my bike work a bit harder for its keep.

 

[DAJ]

22mph+ average speed? Not even at the height of my cycling efficiency, some 15 years ago, could I have achieved that speed over that distance. I could hold that speed over 10 miles on my Bottecchia race bike, but I was "done" at the end of it.

I have though just done my first fast road ride and I am astonished at the way the eBike eats up the distance. I sometimes think I may be faster on an analogue bike in flat sections, but as the eBike gives you a launch pad at 15.5mph the slightly lower top speed (due to weight) may be negligible in the scheme of things.

I am genuinely starting to warm to this bike and it took "My First Ride" to start to understand how to get the most out of it. Sadly I am in work on 16 hour days until Sunday, so no more bike rides for me till then!

If your question was "Could I have done it as quick on an lightweight unassisted bike" then No, and I also would not have been in a fit state to make the return leg on the same day!

 

[Daniel Chapman]

I love reading these sorts of stories for some reason!

I've only recently got my electric bike and I am far too heavy to even contemplate a ride like that, but I agree that it's very easy to warm up to an electric bik and I've loved racking up my 100 odd miles in 2 weeks and can't wait to just keep going. I look forward to dropping some weight so I can venture further afield.


Glad to see your also enjoying