Range anxiety

[HH66]

Hi.
I came very close to draining my battery today - 56 miles on some fairly steep Cumbrian roads. I was cursing myself for not bringing my charger but then I wondered if I'd have been able to find a cafe/pub willing to charge my battery for an hour while I ate and drank. What are other peoples experiences of this? Are pub/cafe owners generally helpful if you offer a couple of quid or a donation for their charity box. Anybody ever asked and been refused?
Thanks

 

[StuartsProjects]

Hi.
I came very close to draining my battery today - 56 miles on some fairly steep Cumbrian roads. I was cursing myself for not bringing my charger but then I wondered if I'd have been able to find a cafe/pub willing to charge my battery for an hour while I ate and drank. What are other peoples experiences of this? Are pub/cafe owners generally helpful if you offer a couple of quid or a donation for their charity box. Anybody ever asked and been refused?
Thanks

Eh ?

Consider how long a meaningful recharge will take ?

A standard charger would be 2Amp so you would only be able to put in maybe 17% capacity to a 10Ahr battery.

If you can hang around for a couple of hours or more to put a decent charge into a battery then fine, otherwise carry a spare (charged) battery.

 

[matthewslack]

Hi.
I came very close to draining my battery today - 56 miles on some fairly steep Cumbrian roads. I was cursing myself for not bringing my charger but then I wondered if I'd have been able to find a cafe/pub willing to charge my battery for an hour while I ate and drank. What are other peoples experiences of this? Are pub/cafe owners generally helpful if you offer a couple of quid or a donation for their charity box. Anybody ever asked and been refused?
Thanks

In 3100 miles of ebike touring, I have never been refused, and only once been charged for the electricity.

I always ask, not demand, make clear that I'll be having food and drink, that the electricity cost is pennies, that only the battery needs to come indoors, and that all I need is a standard plug socket, and usually there is no issue.

Best to have a 'fast' i.e. 4A or so charger, and a removable battery. On longer days before my solar trailer, I carried two batteries, two fast chargers and a short two way extension lead for 9.2A charging!

Maybe have a trial run before you need it to practice your lines!

I've charged twice in the Lakes, both last October. The village shop and cafe in Hesket Newmarket, and the Golden Rule in Ambleside.

 

[cyclebuddy]

Like MS, I've never been refused. Simply ask rather than assume it's okay, and always buy something... a meal, coffee and sandwich, beer... just something.

Like motorists that stop at a pub or cafe just to take a leak and buy nothing... it really cheeses the owners off.

 

[Barnsleyrob]

A standard charger would be 2Amp so you would only be able to put in maybe 17% capacity to a 10Ahr battery.

That’d be around 9 miles range which would probably be sufficient to allay most people’s worries. If he needed much more than that then it’s down to poor route planning.

 

[HH66]

That’d be around 9 miles range which would probably be sufficient to allay most people’s worries. If he needed much more than that then it’s down to poor route planning.

I have a 4 Amp charger so an hour's charge would give me a good few miles.
Yesterday's worry was partly down to poor route planning. I hadn't really factored in how much assistance I'd need for some of the hills. Live and learn.

 

[Barnsleyrob]

I have a 4 Amp charger so an hour's charge would give me a good few miles.
Yesterday's worry was partly down to poor route planning. I hadn't really factored in how much assistance I'd need for some of the hills. Live and learn.

Lol. Done it myself. Having estimated my max range on a number of 15-20 mile round trips, I headed off with a mate on a 30+ mile jaunt in the opposite direction. A few wrong turns and the elevation was around twice that of the cumulative trial runs so we were both on around 30% battery at the halfway stage. Fortunately, we had an escape plan that would have meant pushing the bikes up a steep but fairly short hill but eventually (fortified by cider) decided on the longer flatter route with the possibility of a walk of shame through the village.

 

[HH66]

Found this whilst researching the issue. Might be useful for anybody heading to Cumbria with their ebike.

Travel in and around the Lake District, Cumbria.

Find out how to get to the Lake District, Cumbria and how to get around the county. The Lake District, Cumbria is well connected to all major transport links including rail, road, sea and air.

www.visitlakedistrict.com