Pro-Connect first range test.

[poppy]

50cycles don't offer an opinion as such, they repeat the official Kalkhoff information: Range up to 80 km assisted. (that's 50 miles)

My review of the similar Agattu supports that as I showed I can exceed that figure. However, if the off switch isn't used when assist isn't necessary or Eco isn't used, the range can fall to anything between 30 and 35 miles.

If the rider weight is very high, and/or the terrain is extremely hilly, that can also reduce the range.

If the rear sprocket is changed to gear up the bike, that reduces the range.

The rock bottom if everything is hopelessly unfavourable would still be well over 20 miles (32 km), still covering your popular trips. The highest with a very powerful rider in moderately rolling country could be approaching three figures.
.

Totally agree with your estimate. 3 charges took 169 km. The laziest one (never switch off, almost never on eco mode) with gentle hills: 57 km. I am 72 kg.

 

[poppy]

UPDATE.

After some workouts on the bike in the gym on holiday, my internal battery seems to have achieved an upgrade.

Instead of using 1st gear on the steeps, I now use 2nd gear.
The old heart and lung are starting to come to life.

New methods are high power on hearty hills and medium on the flats, though mainly high power.

Got 30miles out of the battery.

Just though I'd let everyone know.

Bob

Bob: My technique(sounds absurdly pedantic in a rookie) is Eco and 7/8 gear on flats, Top mode on hills-4/5th gear on gentle hills and 2/1 on steep ones. I´ve never used Standard. When i can´t cope with Eco i have the impression that Standard won´t do the job and i skip it. Haven´t made any changes on the bike.

 

[burncycle]

You could choose to work hard on the Torq tackling some hills, wouldn´t you? And of course, there is still the switch off mode ha ha!

Hi Poppy.
PS Vigo was great !
Yes the Torq will always be a fun fun bike, but the pro connect beats it hands down.
The bike is so adaptable to your changing needs.
When I commute to work I just leave it on high power all the way cus im off to work of course and I dont want to get to work too sweaty.
But for pleasure rides im now using a combination of all the power settings, depanding on the terrian.
Your could never do that with the torq.

PS a correction to my ascent.
its 3000feet and not 300feet.

The ascents do zap the battery too I find, especially the long steep ascents.

 

[Julian]

I have now done a couple of commutes on my Pro Connect 53cm. I fully charged the battery last night and when I got home this evening the battery still had 3 LEDs on it. I left it in medium mode all the time. The gears have not been modified (yet), I have never used 1st or 2nd gear and only once used 3rd, I use 7th and 8th most of the time.

According to bikely.com the journey to work (one way) is:

14.8 miles / 23.8 km
total descent 1164 ft / 355 m
total ascent 564 ft / 172 m

So that's a total of 29.6 miles and 1728 ft ascent but none of the hills are particularly steep. It takes about 55 minutes to get to work and 1 hour 5 minutes to get home. I was hoping to be able to get to work in under 1 hour so I'm happy with this. Since I'm averaging about 15 miles an hour I guess I'm doing more work than the Pro Connect. Maybe if I changed the sprocket I could get to work a bit faster, there is certainly enough range at the moment to allow a slight reduction as I would expect to be able to do well over 50 miles on one charge in medium mode on the standard Pro Connect.

Julian

 

[JohnInStockie]

Good report Julian

you have a 53cm Pro-Connect - How tall are you may I ask?

John

 

[JohnInStockie]

Hello all concerned.
Just finished my first range testing of my Pro-Connect and the results are very good.

Conditions.
49cm Pro-Connect.
18 tooth rear sprocket modification.
Male rider (not that fit).
5ft 11inch tall.
13stone 7lbs.
Pannier with total weight of 10lbs.
Total weight 199lbs.
Bike on high power all the way.

Fully charged to dead battery based on 5 identical commutes.
I basically lost 1 light on the battery for each commute.
Each commute was an average of 5.13 miles and 464 feet of climb (12hills), the max hill was a 1 in 10.

Results....

25miles which included 2,325 feet of ascent.

All data came from my Garmin etrex attached to the bike.
Data was then uploaded to my PC and compiled by my Fugawi mapping software.

I am very pleased with this result for a very hilly area like Sheffield.

Mid power setting range in the next few weeks.


Any comparisons?

Regards Bob.

Bob

Can I just ask, youare 5'11" on a 49cm?

According to the manual and web site thats only for a 5'4"-5'6" person?

How does it feel?

John

 

[poppy]

Hi Poppy.
PS Vigo was great !
Yes the Torq will always be a fun fun bike, but the pro connect beats it hands down.
The bike is so adaptable to your changing needs.
When I commute to work I just leave it on high power all the way cus im off to work of course and I dont want to get to work too sweaty.
But for pleasure rides im now using a combination of all the power settings, depanding on the terrian.
Your could never do that with the torq.

PS a correction to my ascent.
its 3000feet and not 300feet.

The ascents do zap the battery too I find, especially the long steep ascents.

Best thing about Vigo are its surroundings. But these days they are crowded.
Why don´t you ride the Torq to work as you would arrive more rested? Is it because it´s hilly to get there?
Can´t you control your speed/pace on the Torq?

 

[Julian]

Good report Julian

you have a 53cm Pro-Connect - How tall are you may I ask?

John

I'm 5'10". I think the 53cm Pro-Connect is the right size for me.

 

[poppy]

Hi Poppy.
PS Vigo was great !
Yes the Torq will always be a fun fun bike, but the pro connect beats it hands down.
The bike is so adaptable to your changing needs.
When I commute to work I just leave it on high power all the way cus im off to work of course and I dont want to get to work too sweaty.
But for pleasure rides im now using a combination of all the power settings, depanding on the terrian.
Your could never do that with the torq.

PS a correction to my ascent.
its 3000feet and not 300feet.

The ascents do zap the battery too I find, especially the long steep ascents.

Is it too personal to ask if your stay in Vigo was business or pleasure?

 

[poppy]

Panasonic power modes.

I scarcely feel any difference between Standard and Top modes? Is it insensitive me or the bike?

 

[flecc]

I scarcely feel any difference between Standard and Top modes? Is it insensitive me or the bike?

It's not a big change, 1 to 1.3 times.

Put as a percentage of your effort added shows how close it is, 57% up from 50% added.
.

 

[burncycle]

I have now done a couple of commutes on my Pro Connect 53cm. I fully charged the battery last night and when I got home this evening the battery still had 3 LEDs on it. I left it in medium mode all the time. The gears have not been modified (yet), I have never used 1st or 2nd gear and only once used 3rd, I use 7th and 8th most of the time.

According to bikely.com the journey to work (one way) is:

14.8 miles / 23.8 km
total descent 1164 ft / 355 m
total ascent 564 ft / 172 m

So that's a total of 29.6 miles and 1728 ft ascent but none of the hills are particularly steep. It takes about 55 minutes to get to work and 1 hour 5 minutes to get home. I was hoping to be able to get to work in under 1 hour so I'm happy with this. Since I'm averaging about 15 miles an hour I guess I'm doing more work than the Pro Connect. Maybe if I changed the sprocket I could get to work a bit faster, there is certainly enough range at the moment to allow a slight reduction as I would expect to be able to do well over 50 miles on one charge in medium mode on the standard Pro Connect.

Julian

hi julian,
You will get to work that bit quicker or you can take it a bit more easy and get there a bit less sweaty.
I commute to work in the same time though less sweaty, and on the way home I cut 5 mins off my return though very sweaty.
Ive got an 18tooth rear sprocket upgrade on mine, though the mileage has reduced somewhat to the standard sprocket.

 

[JohnInStockie]

Is there any need to alter the chain if you change to an 18T Sprocket?

Does it need to be an offset or flat sprocket?

Does anyone know the change in gear range with an 18T?



John

 

[flecc]

You need to remove two links John.

I don't know if the Nexus 8 on those bikes uses the offset sprocket though I think it does. You can tell by looking at it whether it's a completely flat piece of metal or is dished inwards at the middle in a saucer shape (offset).

The sprocket change leaves the gear range at 306% unchanged as that's a percentage from bottom to top. The gear inch numbers will all go up by 22%, just over one fifth.
.

 

[flecc]

Here's the old and new gear inches that I've worked out on your new Kalkhoff Pro Connect John:

23 tooth sprocket: 25", 30", 36", 41", 48", 59", 68", 78"

18 tooth sprocket: 32", 38", 46", 52", 61", 75", 87", 99"

Your wifes one with the low frame has 26" wheels and I'd need to know the rear sprocket number of teeth to work that one out. It will be smaller, almost certainly a 21 tooth and would need to drop to a 17 tooth to match your bike for riding together.
.

 

[JohnInStockie]

Flecc thats brill!!! Thank you for that

 

[JohnInStockie]

I have a link extraction tool, and I have a very vague memory of doing his as a 13yr old. Is this an easy job?

 

[flecc]

Yes, you shouldn't find it difficult. This webpage covers the use of the chaintool well:

Using the chainlink tool

You can't use the quick connector type shown there, but you can use this type if wished.

If you do, point the closed end of the clip in the direction of chain travel and insert it from the rear of the chain, so the clip sits outside. You'll probably find these connectors at a local bike shop.
.

 

[JamesC]

ProConnect Nexus Inter-8 Sprockets

Is there any need to alter the chain if you change to an 18T Sprocket?

Does it need to be an offset or flat sprocket?

Does anyone know the change in gear range with an 18T?



John

John
The 57cm ProConnect with the 700C wheels uses the Shimano Rear Wheel WH-8R25.

The parts list for this, including references for the dished sprockets under Item 27 is here.

Petra Cycles do all the sprockets.
When searching for Shimano part numbers at Petra, remove dashes and spaces from the Shimano Code No.

From what I can see, the unusual outer casing of the Nexus Inter-8 hub used on the ProConnect is only found on the Shimano WH-8R25 complete wheel. Normally the Nexus Inter-8 is shown with a smooth round flange for the spoke attachment, rather than the "castellated" look.

Internally, I believe that they are both the same - Item 1 Internal Assembly is more generally available.


I am sorry that I have no knowledge of the parts used on the small stepthru ProConnect with 26" wheels. Does that use the same shape of Nexus hub in a Shimano rim ?

James

 

[JohnInStockie]

Brilliant, thanks James and Flecc.

Looking at it, it 'looks' exactly the same. Although I am quite curious about how they work, I am also a bit reticent to touch them after breaking the gears on my Twist.

I may actually ask the bike shop to do this for me

John

[EDIT No I wont - cant let the technology win - must do it myself]