I wonder though, having an electric bike that makes you work harder, whether it would make you more likely to quit after you get it? Maybe?
Replacing Second Cars with Electric Bikes
- Thread starter EdBike
- Start date
Electric turbine engine modification? Maybe? No?Rich, 27 miles on that terrain is asking a lot from your battery, i know the A170 pretty well, and its not exactly flat! I think perhaps your expectations are a little unrealistic. Or you're ungodly fit, in which case i'd love to be proven wrong!
I'm sure there is some truth in that, and no doubt some unfit people have bought a lower spec bike and found it too heavy going up hills and have just jacked it in, the first few times I went up a steep hills on my izip lento I was surprised just how much effort I had to put in!
D
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One thing to be careful of when replacing cars with bikes is that some companies cancel or reduce your no claims bonus after a period of time without a car (sometimes 1 year) so that you go back to zero when you eventually get another car. This could possibly wipe out all your savings.
unrealistic and unfit !!!!!
Hi Streethawk, I think you might well be right, it is fair to say that this is a huge undertaking I have however, thrown the gauntlet down and challenged myself to test this out at least two to three times a week!
I work as a psychiatric nurse, so once at work its a sedentary pace (at least most of the time!) but it is also a stressful job and the mammoth commute is I hope, a way of releasing the stress and a method of getting fit.
Two or three times a week doesn't always mean there and back in the same day, I work shifts and some of the time I do a late 1330hrs-2200hrs and start back the next morning at 0700-1500 and therefore, I usually stay over at my parents home in Scarborough, as its not worth the travel home.
I should also acknowledge, I'm not fit at all-far from it-45 years old-5'10 and almost 15st!
So, today I rode the Giant back from Fulford in York to my home near to Helmsley, I drastically underestimated just how far it was, I thought around 20 miles, never really clocked it before, and the actual distance was 28.78 miles! about the distance I intend to commute. I will admit, at Terrington Bank and at Caulkleys Bank near Nunnington, I got off and pushed! but the rest of the time, it was an enjoyable ride-and the time taken-a massive 2:23:14, at an average speed of 12.06 mph top speed 33.28mph slowest speed- s-l-o-w pushing the Giant up the two (big) Banks!
Here's some screenshots from my phone, MobileMe Gallery
I used an app called 'Cyclemeter' £2.99 from the itunes app store, its brilliant, and I shall post a review of it as soon as I can stop gazing at my new bike! I love it.
Nearly forgot!
In terms of asking a lot from the battery, your right! The battery conked out around 500yds from my home! The 28 mile mark-not bad, but I have no evidence to say that it was fully charged to start with, as I wasn't intending to pick the bike up today, I rang the shop at 10am this morning and asked them to charge it, I got there at around 1.30pm so I guess 3 and a half hours isn't long if it started the charge from the 2 lights displayed when I test rode it last week so maybe the battery wasn't full? I have been given the opportunity to buy a second battery from Fulford Cycles at cost! they say thats £220, so it will be worth doing so, as the bikes rack takes a spare.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rich, 27 miles on that terrain is asking a lot from your battery, i know the A170 pretty well, and its not exactly flat! I think perhaps your expectations are a little unrealistic. Or you're ungodly fit, in which case i'd love to be proven wrong!
Hi Streethawk, I think you might well be right, it is fair to say that this is a huge undertaking I have however, thrown the gauntlet down and challenged myself to test this out at least two to three times a week!
I work as a psychiatric nurse, so once at work its a sedentary pace (at least most of the time!) but it is also a stressful job and the mammoth commute is I hope, a way of releasing the stress and a method of getting fit.
Two or three times a week doesn't always mean there and back in the same day, I work shifts and some of the time I do a late 1330hrs-2200hrs and start back the next morning at 0700-1500 and therefore, I usually stay over at my parents home in Scarborough, as its not worth the travel home.
I should also acknowledge, I'm not fit at all-far from it-45 years old-5'10 and almost 15st!
So, today I rode the Giant back from Fulford in York to my home near to Helmsley, I drastically underestimated just how far it was, I thought around 20 miles, never really clocked it before, and the actual distance was 28.78 miles! about the distance I intend to commute. I will admit, at Terrington Bank and at Caulkleys Bank near Nunnington, I got off and pushed! but the rest of the time, it was an enjoyable ride-and the time taken-a massive 2:23:14, at an average speed of 12.06 mph top speed 33.28mph slowest speed- s-l-o-w pushing the Giant up the two (big) Banks!
Here's some screenshots from my phone, MobileMe Gallery
I used an app called 'Cyclemeter' £2.99 from the itunes app store, its brilliant, and I shall post a review of it as soon as I can stop gazing at my new bike! I love it.
Nearly forgot!
In terms of asking a lot from the battery, your right! The battery conked out around 500yds from my home! The 28 mile mark-not bad, but I have no evidence to say that it was fully charged to start with, as I wasn't intending to pick the bike up today, I rang the shop at 10am this morning and asked them to charge it, I got there at around 1.30pm so I guess 3 and a half hours isn't long if it started the charge from the 2 lights displayed when I test rode it last week so maybe the battery wasn't full? I have been given the opportunity to buy a second battery from Fulford Cycles at cost! they say thats £220, so it will be worth doing so, as the bikes rack takes a spare.
Well done richatthecroft - 12 mph is actually quite a realistic average speed. Surprised you had to walk up some hills though - I have found most ebikes overgeared meaning that I can keep going up almost anything. I think that second battery is a good idea if you are serious about the commute - after some use the capacity of the battery will decline - I am down to about 50% after nearly 3 years.
Good luck to you.
Good luck to you.
Hi richatthecroft and well done for riding 28 mies at a really good average speed.
You haven't described how much of your journey was power-assisted but if you rode most of the way with help from the battery, then I think it held up very well. Regardless of whether the battery was fully charged or not, I'm sure it will be the next time you undertake the trip. Should it be the case that 27 miles or thereabouts is pretty well the limit of the battery in that terrain, then I've got to think that, were you to cycle up those hills where you got off and pushed, the battery would probably expire earlier.
I'm not sure that fully draining a lithium battery on every usage is the the healthiest option for battery longevity but some of the electrical wizards on here will know far better than me. Anyway, once again, congratulations on what you've achieved thus far and do let us know how you progress.
Indalo
You haven't described how much of your journey was power-assisted but if you rode most of the way with help from the battery, then I think it held up very well. Regardless of whether the battery was fully charged or not, I'm sure it will be the next time you undertake the trip. Should it be the case that 27 miles or thereabouts is pretty well the limit of the battery in that terrain, then I've got to think that, were you to cycle up those hills where you got off and pushed, the battery would probably expire earlier.
I'm not sure that fully draining a lithium battery on every usage is the the healthiest option for battery longevity but some of the electrical wizards on here will know far better than me. Anyway, once again, congratulations on what you've achieved thus far and do let us know how you progress.
Indalo
Hi indalo. The 28 mile journey was nearly all performed using power assist excepting down hill, which did not make up much of the journey. Generally I used 'normal' power on the flat- power assist levels on the Giant: ECO/Normal/Sport.
Not sure about fully draining the battery each ride, it would be good to have some technical wizard give some input, but I guess nothing beats empirically testing my own battery. I think I shall probably get a second one though.
Today I am going to test the bike a little further.
I intend to travel from my home to Pickering-9.7 miles then on to Malton-8.7 miles and return a shorter route-14.9 miles. This route is mainly flat except one long steady incline at Wrelton. Given the battery test yesterday, it conking at the 28 mile mark, I shall try to use purely 'eco' throughout the journey, and of course, the battery is fully charged. The journey will be staged stopping off at both towns for some bits and pieces I need.
Not sure about fully draining the battery each ride, it would be good to have some technical wizard give some input, but I guess nothing beats empirically testing my own battery. I think I shall probably get a second one though.
Today I am going to test the bike a little further.
I intend to travel from my home to Pickering-9.7 miles then on to Malton-8.7 miles and return a shorter route-14.9 miles. This route is mainly flat except one long steady incline at Wrelton. Given the battery test yesterday, it conking at the 28 mile mark, I shall try to use purely 'eco' throughout the journey, and of course, the battery is fully charged. The journey will be staged stopping off at both towns for some bits and pieces I need.
D
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Guest
After you've been using the bike for a bit regularly, your legs will get stronger. My commute is 29.1 miles round trip and total climb of about 850ft with one big hill of about a mile and a half. At first I was taking 6aH out of the battery for the journey, which was just about the limit, but now, after a couple of months, I'm only using about 3aH and my average speed has increased from about 11.5 to 13.5mph. I'm starting to lose a bit of weight (from 100 to 95kg), so I'm expecting further gains. As soon as you have enough power to pedal over the maximum assist speed, your consumption goes right down. If my commute was flat, I wouldn't need any assist at all, except when windy. So, to summarise, don't judge it too soon: Hang in there and see how you're doing after a couple of months.
...don't judge it too soon: Hang in there and see how you're doing after a couple of months....
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d8veh, thanks for the encouragement and advice, I'm going to keep going, I think fitness is undoubtedly the key to being successful or not, in terms of being able to regularly doing the commute.
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d8veh, thanks for the encouragement and advice, I'm going to keep going, I think fitness is undoubtedly the key to being successful or not, in terms of being able to regularly doing the commute.
And always remember, there are good days and bad days when cycle commuting. Dont let the bad days put you off because the good days are truly great!
Take this morning, it was pouring down with rain, i cocooned myself in my Endura waterproof kit, hood over helmet and everything, then preceded to ride to work, just as fast and happy as in the dry, the only bit that got wet was my face, peeled off my soaking kit in work to feel very smug when everything was dry underneath. Great day, i'm doing the weekly food shop on my way home tonight (ok, only food for myself), so two big heavy panniers full, which will make no difference whatsoever to the Aurora, and no doubt leave me feeling smug again as i watch the queue for taxi's outside the supermarket, and ride past all the rush hour traffic queues too.
Take this morning, it was pouring down with rain, i cocooned myself in my Endura waterproof kit, hood over helmet and everything, then preceded to ride to work, just as fast and happy as in the dry, the only bit that got wet was my face, peeled off my soaking kit in work to feel very smug when everything was dry underneath. Great day, i'm doing the weekly food shop on my way home tonight (ok, only food for myself), so two big heavy panniers full, which will make no difference whatsoever to the Aurora, and no doubt leave me feeling smug again as i watch the queue for taxi's outside the supermarket, and ride past all the rush hour traffic queues too.
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