Woosh Santana CD. Hill climbing and gear changing.

[Jimod]

I took my wife's Santana CD to a longish climb this morning due to reading about the gear changing and hill climbing ability.
The steepest bit of the hill is about 13 or 14 % according to Strava and my VDO bike computer.

I'm about 82kg. The santana got up it but not on throttle alone I had to assist it a bit.
As to the gear changing. I went up to gear 5 on a flat bit so that I could change down as the hill steepened. Once the power was on with the motor and me pedalling I waited until the bike started to slow.From gear 5 down to 4 a bit of a loud clunk, from gear 4 down to 3 less of a clunk, from gear 3 down to 2 it went OK and from gear 2 down to 1 it was pretty seamless.

I've read reports of people cutting the power off as they change down and I don't doubt them but to be honest I think if i'd cut the power the bike would have stopped.

I'll be typing a thread tonight about ebikes on that hill but thought I'd post about the Woosh alone on this thread since people have been debating it.

 

[Jason Scott]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on hill climbing.

 

[trex]

jimod, in my test I found on 8%+ hills, the Santana CD is best climbing in gear 1 with assist level 5 and full throttle even when it looks like you don't need it. I think that is because you get higher motor output when the chainring runs fast.

 

[Jimod]

jimod, in my test I found on 8%+ hills, the Santana CD is best climbing in gear 1 with assist level 5 and full throttle even when it looks like you don't need it. I think that is because you get higher motor output when the chainring runs fast.

I was in power level 5 all the time and the throttle was full open all the time. If I'm honest I thought the Woosh would have been slightly better than it was. However, I intend to try it again and maybe just let it go on throttle alone but it was slowing down below 6 mph when I started pedalling. I'm not faulting the Woosh, it got me up to the top and I have done that hill a few times on the Kudos Typhoon which is a different animal.

I'll maybe try it again tomorrow if I get a chance, if not it will be another week before I can try again.

I have a plan to get a lighter female to try it and see what happens.

 

[jdallan]

I was in power level 5 all the time and the throttle was full open all the time. If I'm honest I thought the Woosh would have been slightly better than it was. However, I intend to try it again and maybe just let it go on throttle alone but it was slowing down below 6 mph when I started pedalling. I'm not faulting the Woosh, it got me up to the top and I have done that hill a few times on the Kudos Typhoon which is a different animal.

I'll maybe try it again tomorrow if I get a chance, if not it will be another week before I can try again.

I have a plan to get a lighter female to try it and see what happens.

That's a good plan