Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Electrically assisted bikes, trikes, etc. that are legal in the UK
kwackers
Posts: 15643
Joined: 4 Jun 2008, 9:29pm
Location: Warrington

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by kwackers »

Oldjohnw wrote:My bike has a retro fitted motor - front hub. Should I wish even this mechanical duffer could change it back to a conventional push bike in under 30 minutes.

Even with a mid drive most of the work is routing cables. Actually fitting the drive is just a case of taking the pedals and bottom bracket off and putting the motor unit and pedals on. In my case even the chain length didn't need altering.

I think my gut feeling for my particular use case now might be to go with a hub drive, mainly because my commute was fairly flat (but windy) and it would reduce the amount spent on chains and sprockets.

I'd want to try one along the sea front to see how well it handled 30+ mph head winds first though. That's the good thing about mid drive, you can just keep dropping gears...

(Just to add. The reason it's "in bits" isn't because it's an hard conversion but more because with 30k on the clock it's a bit tired so I'm giving it the full monty with lots of new parts)
Antbrewer
Posts: 179
Joined: 1 Jul 2016, 9:14am

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by Antbrewer »

Kwackers you are my sort of guy ( without being too personal).

In the summer of 2018 and 2019 I cycled over the Austrian alps. It was on the second trip in 2019 that I made the decision that I needed some help.. My asthma had deteriorated considerably from the previous year and I yearned for some assistance up those high passes. Highlighted not least by the fact that about 80 to 90 percent of the population young and old, shoppers/commuters and cycletourers were all on ebikes. Foolishly I didn't stop to ask them if they had de restricted their motors. Probably wouldn't have done as I was out of breath most of the time.

The decision on my return was to do considerably research on all the things that matter to me. As in the weight,, the style as I wanted a traditionally looking bike, the size and type of motor. It had to have mudguards and a pannier rack and the Cannondale Synapse fitted the bill. Though I have to say the bill was quite a lot. BUT well worth it on all counts.

However you could popped over to my place and fitted a motor on my lovely drool worthy Ridgeback.
peterb
Posts: 392
Joined: 2 Dec 2017, 10:13am

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by peterb »

Image
I'm drooling ....

Ribble SL e-PRO, ebikemotion 250W motor in the rear hub, battery in the downtube.
Last edited by peterb on 22 Jan 2021, 6:14pm, edited 1 time in total.
leftpoole
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Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by leftpoole »

Oldjohnw wrote:I suspect that leftpoole has never ridden an e-bike if the above is what he/she thinks.



Leftpoole here,
Leftpoole has never ridden and indeed never shall!
Leftpoole
Oldjohnw
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Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by Oldjohnw »

leftpoole wrote:
Oldjohnw wrote:I suspect that leftpoole has never ridden an e-bike if the above is what he/she thinks.



Leftpoole here,
Leftpoole has never ridden and indeed never shall!
Leftpoole


That is absolutely your privilege. But it makes your ability to comment on other people using ebikes somewhat illinformed and merely out of prejudice. Prejudice carries little weight with thinking people.
Last edited by Oldjohnw on 23 Jan 2021, 7:46am, edited 1 time in total.
John
Postboxer
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Joined: 24 Jul 2013, 5:19pm

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by Postboxer »

Rather than testing the e-bike/motorbike. It would be easier and far more entertaining, to test the unassisted rider on an unassisted bike.
kwackers
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Location: Warrington

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by kwackers »

Postboxer wrote:Rather than testing the e-bike/motorbike. It would be easier and far more entertaining, to test the unassisted rider on an unassisted bike.

I've probably given this more thought than I should but an "unassisted" rider on an "unassisted" bike?
Isn't that just a normal cyclist?
Postboxer
Posts: 1929
Joined: 24 Jul 2013, 5:19pm

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by Postboxer »

kwackers wrote:
Postboxer wrote:Rather than testing the e-bike/motorbike. It would be easier and far more entertaining, to test the unassisted rider on an unassisted bike.

I've probably given this more thought than I should but an "unassisted" rider on an "unassisted" bike?
Isn't that just a normal cyclist?


Yes, I suppose so, perhaps I should have said 'previously assisted cyclist.' So if the police witness a cyclist travelling at a surprising speed, without seemingly putting in much effort, they could put them on a normal cycle and ask them to go as fast, thus proving the other 'cycle' is legal.
leftpoole
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Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by leftpoole »

Oldjohnw wrote:
leftpoole wrote:
Oldjohnw wrote:I suspect that leftpoole has never ridden an e-bike if the above is what he/she thinks.



Leftpoole here,
Leftpoole has never ridden and indeed never shall!
Leftpoole


That is absolutely your privilege. But it makes your ability to comment on other people using ebikes somewhat illinformed and merely out of prejudice. Prejudice carries little weight with thinking people.


Prejudice? No .
For example, I have never ridden a horse and hope that I never will. I have never been on a ride at Alton Towers or similar, I hope I never will.
I have been up in a two seater aircraft and hope that I may again. I have been in a Helicopter-frightening-never will again.
I do not like cats, I do not like 'Left wing' Politics or those associated with. Believe it or not, I am scared witless by Feathers and certainly hope never to touch ever again. I am allergic to Vinegar . I am allergic to Codeine.
I do not like E-bikes because they are no longer bicycles!!! I am not, as mentioned above simply commenting on people using these things. I am trying to make known my point of view. I believe that I have succeeded.
John
kwackers
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Joined: 4 Jun 2008, 9:29pm
Location: Warrington

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by kwackers »

leftpoole wrote:
Oldjohnw wrote:
leftpoole wrote:

Leftpoole here,
Leftpoole has never ridden and indeed never shall!
Leftpoole


That is absolutely your privilege. But it makes your ability to comment on other people using ebikes somewhat illinformed and merely out of prejudice. Prejudice carries little weight with thinking people.


Prejudice? No .
For example, I have never ridden a horse and hope that I never will. I have never been on a ride at Alton Towers or similar, I hope I never will.
I have been up in a two seater aircraft and hope that I may again. I have been in a Helicopter-frightening-never will again.
I do not like cats, I do not like 'Left wing' Politics or those associated with. Believe it or not, I am scared witless by Feathers and certainly hope never to touch ever again. I am allergic to Vinegar . I am allergic to Codeine.
I do not like E-bikes because they are no longer bicycles!!! I am not, as mentioned above simply commenting on people using these things. I am trying to make known my point of view. I believe that I have succeeded.
John

I think holding views for no obvious reason is prejudice.

I mean "I do not like 'left wing' politics".
What exactly is it?
I mean my bias is left - but only compared to this countries general leaning and there are right wing policies I wholly endorse.
It's not like they don't overlap.

You won't go on a ride at Alton Towers but you've been in a two seat aircraft - how did you manage that?
That choice makes no sense.


Prejudice: an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge.
Oldjohnw
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Location: South Warwickshire

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by Oldjohnw »

leftpoole wrote:
Oldjohnw wrote:
leftpoole wrote:

Leftpoole here,
Leftpoole has never ridden and indeed never shall!
Leftpoole


That is absolutely your privilege. But it makes your ability to comment on other people using ebikes somewhat illinformed and merely out of prejudice. Prejudice carries little weight with thinking people.


Prejudice? No .
For example, I have never ridden a horse and hope that I never will. I have never been on a ride at Alton Towers or similar, I hope I never will.
I have been up in a two seater aircraft and hope that I may again. I have been in a Helicopter-frightening-never will again.
I do not like cats, I do not like 'Left wing' Politics or those associated with. Believe it or not, I am scared witless by Feathers and certainly hope never to touch ever again. I am allergic to Vinegar . I am allergic to Codeine.
I do not like E-bikes because they are no longer bicycles!!! I am not, as mentioned above simply commenting on people using these things. I am trying to make known my point of view. I believe that I have succeeded.
John


You have commented, negatively, onpeople "using these things".

"Oh I find the things dreadfully silly when I see people out 'pedaling' and looking so obviously like the legs are turning but the motor is doing the work."
John
Grandad
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Location: Kent

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by Grandad »

You won't go on a ride at Alton Towers but you've been in a two seat aircraft - how did you manage that?
That choice makes no sense.

My friend was an airline pilot but I painted the upstairs windows of his house as fear of heights made using a ladder impossible for him. Not a question of sense.
kwackers
Posts: 15643
Joined: 4 Jun 2008, 9:29pm
Location: Warrington

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by kwackers »

Grandad wrote:
You won't go on a ride at Alton Towers but you've been in a two seat aircraft - how did you manage that?
That choice makes no sense.

My friend was an airline pilot but I painted the upstairs windows of his house as fear of heights made using a ladder impossible for him. Not a question of sense.

My flying instructor was afraid of heights too.

But you provided a reason whereas there's no reasoning behind what he says, he just doesn't like the idea and vehemently so in the case of ebikes.
And that is the dictionary definition of prejudice.
leftpoole
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Location: Account closing 31st July '22

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by leftpoole »

I think that E-bikes are not bicycles. They are powered vehicles.
No more comment will be made.
John
kwackers
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Joined: 4 Jun 2008, 9:29pm
Location: Warrington

Re: Derestricting motor to 500w - will I notice much difference?

Post by kwackers »

leftpoole wrote:I think that E-bikes are not bicycles. They are powered vehicles.
No more comment will be made.
John

As are bicycles.

The only difference is the mechanism for motive force.
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