Commuting ebike / My ebikes

[Couchy]

I’ve had an ebike for several years now, the latest being a Whyte e150 which is an awesome bike. I ride a lot at a local trail centre which is only a 15minute ride from home. It’s a centre known for lots of pedalling and as such an ebike is a great tool round there, nothing extreme but lots of fast sections. Also when I rode to work my commute is through the trail centre. I could use the whyte to commute but I wanted to arrive at work not too ditched and I don’t need an excuse to add a bike to the garage. I thought a HT hybrid ebike would do but then if I fancy a quick red route on the way home it wouldn’t work there.
So I started to look for a HT ebike, I’ve had one before and it still holds some KOM’s at the local trail centre for ebikes so I know a HT would work there.

After lots of looking found a HT cannondale trail neo 2, as a bonus it has mudguard mounts and pre wiring for lights but it’s quite a nice spec HT with the same motor and 625 battery my whyte has so I can share them if needed. Also has capacity for dual battery if I decide on a long ride.

Arrived yesterday so I built it up, fitted rear midguard which hmmmm looks ok. Today fitted front guard, lights and gps mount.

Only ridden a mile locally and it feels very ‘direct’ , I’ve been running my whyte with the rear locked out as I prefer how they feel and there’s nothing local that needs full sus really. I’ll add details about the whyte as that has just had a rear sus link added to give 170mm travel, it’ll be used when the ride dictates it. I’ll commute on the HT this week and see how it goes

[Taff]

that really is nice

what does this bit mean / how does this work?

Also has capacity for dual battery if I decide on a long ride.

[Couchy]

that really is nice

what does this bit mean / how does this work?

Also has capacity for dual battery if I decide on a long ride.

Normal battery is internal, can add an additional 500wh external battery on the down tube too

[Couchy]

Been using the whyte a lot recently. Fitted a new link to rear suspension which has given 10mm more travel to 160mm. Also fitted a narrower faster rolling tyre. A new chain and cassette and it feels like new again. The suspension change has given a load more front end feel abs the narrower tyre with that has made the turn in quicker. It’s about perfect now and feels very much how I want a mtb to feel, so much so in and around the local trail centre I’ve been grabbing ebike KOMS on strava. It’s a very flattering bike to ride and is letting me push fairly hard. I’ve also managed some of the worlds smallest jumps which feels good.
Locally also found some new downhill trails which are the best I’ve ridden outside a proper downhill park. Acres of unofficial stuff I’ve got to explore.

[Couchy]

This Is one small section of the local stuff

[weeksy]

Nice. Looks fun.

Stupid lockdown

[Couchy]

So the commuting ebike the HT cannondale was no use for my arthritic knee as the lack of suspension made it go all hurty so it got sold.
Had several good rides on the whyte as always taking some ebike KOMS which is be4y important to a strava wanker

Riding a lot in lower modes thoughts turned to a lighter bike, not many options using the big battery full power motors but there is a lower powered Fazua system with a 250wh battery, that’s compared to the 625wh battery on the Bosch bike. The battery and motor are one unit and can both be removed in seconds and with a cover in place it’s a normal bike. So I found a Lapierre ezesty AM9.0 with this system, some 9kg lighter than the whyte and a big discount. Ordered on next day and 4 weeks later it arrived from winstanleys, crap comms and rubbish service wouldn’t use again.
I also got a spare battery which is small and light enough to carry in a backpack so 500wh in total. Bike built up and batteries charged. Suspension pump was knackered so locked the rear ready for a ride. Also the motor is fully programmable on the PC for power and assist levels. Had a play and tweaked them for me.
First ride I thought I’d leave in high power and see what range the 250wh battery gives, the bosch 625wh is 25-40 miles. I had an hour and 12 miles, mixture of terrains and I got home with 35% remaining. Very surprised tbh, gives a total range of 17 miles or so and 34 with a battery swap which takes less than a minute.

[Couchy]

With the 9kg lighter bike the ezesty how does it ride, it feels a lot more normal, the weight is very noticeable. The motor is far more natural and feels like going down a hill all the time, it’s maximum output is 2/3 of a normal motor too. The cut off isn’t noticeable either and there’s very little motor noise. There’s a longer delay when stopping pedalling to motor also stopping so care needed changing gear. It’s a lot different to the full power motors and far more natural feeling. On the trail it just feels massively lighter, pulling the front up is easier and it lands softer. Both bikes are pretty damn good and both have their place, the ezesty will be better at the downhill parks where an ebike isn’t really needed. Both will be good locally depending on how I feel

Also used a HR monitor for the first time, max of 168 and average for the hour ride of 135 which is about perfect for my age and proof ebikes do need effort not that I ever doubted it.

[millemille]

Really, really interested to see how it performs up in the High Peak. I have a feeling, or hope, that it could be epic...

[Couchy]

Really, really interested to see how it performs up in the High Peak. I have a feeling, or hope, that it could be epic...

I think with some sensible use 20 miles a battery is easy done. The second battery isn’t noticeable in my back pack and it’s less than a minute to swap. It won’t ever be as fast as a bigger ebike but downhill it’s better.

[Couchy]

Weighed the bikes, Lap is 19kg, Whyte is 26.2kg. Lap without battery and motor is 15.5kg

[Couchy]

[weeksy]

Looks like an actual bike. I'm more curious about this than anybof your previous ones.

[Couchy]

Looks like an actual bike. I'm more curious about this than anybof your previous ones.

My aim was to get a normal bike but tbh a few hours on my recent HT showed I need help for my knee, not fitness help but physical help when it gives up. But riding an ebike means I can feel when it’s working too hard and alter my riding or increase the assist. It works well tbh and keeps me out there. This new one is a good compromise too

[Couchy]

So the fazua system is much more customisable than the bosch system which has fixed levels. I’ve downloaded software to my PC and had a play with all the settings.
I’ve got 3 modes and in each mode there’s 3 settings, 1 is max power for the mode up to 250w, 2 is how much human power has to be put through the pedals before the motor starts to help from 90w to 200w, 3 is how quick the motor ramps up the power assist from 25 to 100% almost as soon as the human level is reached.

I’ve set the highest mode to minimum human effort and maximum motor instantly and it feels quite lively now. Can imagine this will eat the battery though. So the lower 2 modes are more sensible to get some sort of battery life. I’ve got 2 batteries and I’m not worried too much, if I do regular bike parks without an uplift a 3rd battery could be used as they aren’t as expensive as the bigger ones. What I really like is the lightness of the bike so a ,title loss in power isn’t a concern

[Couchy]

Had 3 hours on the ezesty today, first couple with kids but some hills and pushing the kids up in full power mode. Then a ride to work and back again full power. This time I flattened the battery at 15.2 miles. Seems about right for a 250wh battery as the 625wh battery on the whyte lasts 40 or so miles being sensible....or 20 not.
Had second battery in backpack and it took longer to take back pack off than it did to swap battery

[weeksy]

Had 3 hours on the ezesty today, first couple with kids but some hills and pushing the kids up in full power mode. Then a ride to work and back again full power. This time I flattened the battery at 15.2 miles. Seems about right for a 250wh battery as the 625wh battery on the whyte lasts 40 or so miles being sensible....or 20 not.
Had second battery in backpack and it took longer to take back pack off than it did to swap battery

I still just don't get it, not at all. This is a bicycle lol. Not a MX bike. I did 4 hours today, some stops, sone cake, 40km of mud. My battery had issues too, but the cake fixed that.

I get the adrenaline thing of course, but all day, every day, every minute, every trail, just seems bizarre.

For me you're 100% missing everything I love about cycling. I can't see any way you'll ever get it from my context though, so trying to persuade you would be daft.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Horses for courses, some people enjoy slogging through mud and up hills on a clockwork bike, some people enjoy powering through the mud and up hills on a proper bike.

[weeksy]

Horses for courses, some people enjoy slogging through mud and up hills on a clockwork bike, some people enjoy powering through the mud and up hills on a proper bike.

I don't do it for the slogging, the slogging is just part of the natural requirement. It's for the seclusion, the being off the beaten path, where few people ever go, out in the trees, the woods, taking in the smells, catching the sight of a red kite shooting down for food, or a couple of squirrels. But just rolling along in pure silence, just hearing the acorns crumble under your wheels as you pop off a root and land 3" further on. Sitting on a log, catching your breath and looking round over the hills and trees, nothing, no-one, just you and the bike.

That's why i'll never get the trail monkeys. Sure i love a trail center as much as the next man, i'll happily wallop my bike down the blues and reds all day any day... but they to me are such a small part of my riding. I want to come to a 5 way junction of trails and think "sure, that way, i've not been that way" and you'll always find different routes, trails, features, even if they end up in the same place.

Maybe if i had a local trailcenter nearby i'd feel differently.. I dunno.

Maybe in 2 weeks time i'll feel differently as it looks possible that a trip we've got planned to FoD may now be an e-bike adventure as my lad may have plans, if that's the case, i'll be setting the pressures on the Liv E+ and spending the day on that with Couchy and the others... I'm not completley a purist in that context, i won't deliberately NOT ride an ebike if everyone else is on one as i think it'd spoil their day waiting for me time and time again to drag myself up the hill

[Gedge]

Horses for courses, some people enjoy slogging through mud and up hills on a clockwork bike, some people enjoy powering through the mud and up hills on a proper bike.

I don't do it for the slogging, the slogging is just part of the natural requirement. It's for the seclusion, the being off the beaten path, where few people ever go, out in the trees, the woods, taking in the smells, catching the sight of a red kite shooting down for food, or a couple of squirrels. But just rolling along in pure silence, just hearing the acorns crumble under your wheels as you pop off a root and land 3" further on. Sitting on a log, catching your breath and looking round over the hills and trees, nothing, no-one, just you and the bike.

That's why i'll never get the trail monkeys. Sure i love a trail center as much as the next man, i'll happily wallop my bike down the blues and reds all day any day... but they to me are such a small part of my riding. I want to come to a 5 way junction of trails and think "sure, that way, i've not been that way" and you'll always find different routes, trails, features, even if they end up in the same place.

Maybe if i had a local trailcenter nearby i'd feel differently.. I dunno.

Maybe in 2 weeks time i'll feel differently as it looks possible that a trip we've got planned to FoD may now be an e-bike adventure as my lad may have plans, if that's the case, i'll be setting the pressures on the Liv E+ and spending the day on that with Couchy and the others... I'm not completley a purist in that context, i won't deliberately NOT ride an ebike if everyone else is on one as i think it'd spoil their day waiting for me time and time again to drag myself up the hill

I ride for pretty much all the same reasons you do...difference is, at 63 it’s that bit harder and takes that bit longer to get ‘off the beaten track’ on a normal bike ..where I live, whichever way I leave the house I know that coming home the last 2 miles will be uphill so an ebike made that a less intimidating prospect. I now manage regular 20 plus mile rides that don’t leave me feeling crippled for the next 2 days ..( from necessity I had to do a 20 mile ride on my old Gary Fisher with broken gears and I certainly knew about it the next day ) .