ProConnect S performance without the power.

[Dynamic Position]

Today was the first attempt to compare the performance of the ProConnect S with that of my old Raleigh P4000 on a commute run.

With the realisation that I had forgotten to install the battery pack , I decided to keep on going just to see the difference. Under the impression that the Kalkhoff ProConnect is slightly harder to ride with fewer gear options to choose from.

I was surprised that I completed the 4.2 mile outward run in 24 minutes, 2.5 minutes faster than my best recorded time on the Raleigh P4000 (under some motor assistance my normal commute time is approx. 19 minutes).

On the homeward leg the ProConnect S completed the journey in just under 21 minutes (which included a 2 minute walking push up hill), this was 4 minutes faster than my best recorded time on the P4000.

The ProConnect S performs extremely well without power. With power it is noticeably better and no sweat .

 

[Tim]

You've broken new ground with this electric bike testing methodology!

 

[Artstu]

Now I'm wondering how fast you'd be on a proper lightweight normal bike?

 

[inno-cycle]

This is interesting. I've had a customer who recently purchased a Gepida.

He was previously using a Gazelle Orange Plus, but has been very unwell of late and as a result was finding things a lot tougher going. He had cycled about 15000 miles last year, so likes life behind the handlebars!

He's just been telling me that after a number of journeys he finds it easier to ride the Gepida with the motor off, than he does his Gazelle which is only a year old.

Just interesting to see that an electric bike (with all its advantages) can still perform as a standard bike - because I think the perception is the opposite.

 

[flecc]

Just interesting to see that an electric bike (with all its advantages) can still perform as a standard bike - because I think the perception is the opposite.

This is certainly true of many of the crank drive bikes and I've found it with both the lightest of the Lafree Twist series and the Kalkhoffs, and I'm not surprised that the very similar Yamaha unit of the Gepida is the same.

Internally geared wheel hub motors are mostly a different proposition though, offering too much drag to compete with a normal bike on level terms. There's the odd honourable exceptions though, the rare examples where the freewheel fully isolates the hub drive as with Powabyke and the Tongxin roller gearing system being examples.
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[Dynamic Position]

You've broken new ground with this electric bike testing methodology!

E-bike design and performance is such that it should interest regular cycling commuters, where direct comparison is possible with standard bikes I think that it could be a useful marketing point on top of the usual e-bike advantages.

Artstu, I don't think I would like to ride proper light weight normal bike: I would need to wear the lycra gear to reach the speed these bikes are capable of achieving, I am also too fond of upright handlebars and mudguards. In any case I can just switch the power on and the Proconnect S silently overtakes these bikes on medium assist.

Just for comparison with my previous post, the homeward leg of my commute today was completed with medium assist for the complete journey (except for the last hill on high assist), the journey was completed in just under 15 minutes.