Charging E-bike France

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
jack1
Posts: 165
Joined: 30 Dec 2010, 10:45pm

E-Bike touring

Post by jack1 »

Hi,has anybody toured with E-bike. ? Any problem (Charging battery) ? Many Thanks.
Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: E-Bike touring

Post by Jdsk »

There's a recent discussion somewhere but I can't find it. Seems to work OK at hotels etc and campsites. And increases range.

I haven't tried but that's consistent with people I've asked when touring in Western Europe.

Jonathan
Oldjohnw
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Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: E-Bike touring

Post by Oldjohnw »

jack1 wrote:Hi,has anybody toured with E-bike. ? Any problem (Charging battery) ? Many Thanks.


Regularly. Three or four separate weeks a year, a couple of hundred miles or so each time. I get about 50-60 miles out of a charge. Occasionally a bit more if easy terrain and no wind.

I phone ahead to the camp site charges the battery overnight, usually in the office. Or if wild camping I charge at a pub. A couple of times at a visitor centre.

I always offer to make a charitable donation - there is usually some favourite charity box displayed - and have never been charged. I have only once been refused. Most people are very interested in this old guy with an old bike touring.
Last edited by Oldjohnw on 23 Jan 2021, 6:07pm, edited 2 times in total.
John
borisface
Posts: 360
Joined: 19 Feb 2010, 3:48pm

Re: E-Bike touring

Post by borisface »

Oldjohnw wrote:
jack1 wrote:Hi,has anybody toured with E-bike. ? Any problem (Charging battery) ? Many Thanks.


Regularly. Three or four separate weeks a year, 2 or 3 hundred miles each time.

I phone ahead and the camp site charges overnight. Or if wild camping I charge at a pub.


Ah yes a pub. I remember those.
Psamathe
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Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: E-Bike touring

Post by Psamathe »

Probably depends on how you are touring. I'd guess hotels, B&Bs, Warm Showers all have plenty of electricity coming out of wall sockets.

But when I've been (non eBike) touring camping in France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, observing the few eBikes and they leave their batteries on charge in the office overnight. I often pack up and leave early but if your batteries are locked charging in the campsite office you obviously are more limited (and site offices vary a lot depending on the type of site (I've stayed in one Municipal when office only opened 19:00-20:00 and reality was that was when somebody does rounds to collect money from anybody turned-up during the day).

Ian
ChrisF
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Joined: 22 Mar 2014, 7:34pm

Re: E-Bike touring

Post by ChrisF »

If camping (in a site) you could also ask someone who has a caravan or motorhome; they will probably be 'plugged in' already . If you see that they have their own e-bikes as well, (or even standard bikes) it should be eay enough to ask.
Chris F, Cornwall
Psamathe
Posts: 17650
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: E-Bike touring

Post by Psamathe »

ChrisF wrote:If camping (in a site) you could also ask someone who has a caravan or motorhome; they will probably be 'plugged in' already . If you see that they have their own e-bikes as well, (or even standard bikes) it should be eay enough to ask.

Not on an e-bike I've had people from motorhomes offering to change my electronics (GPS, phone) and campsite operators loan me a mains hookup adapter (for free electricity, "leave it outside office when you depart"). But I assume with an e-bike you need to know you'll get electricity rather than rely on occasional generous offers. A fair number campsite pitches for cyclists/tents in France are in an open area, pitch where you want, mains hook-ups only on pitches used for motorhomes & caravans.

Ian
astramonk21
Posts: 1
Joined: 17 Mar 2021, 11:27am

E-bike touring: overnight

Post by astramonk21 »

For those who have toured on e-bike, any suggestions/tips on charging your battery as you camp overnight or after a day's trip?

Do you seek libraries/fast food restaurants/community centers,etc. to charge your battery inconspicuously?

Or have you resigned to staying overnight only at hotels/motels/campgrounds with electrical outlets?

Not interested in a solar panel hookup as that will not carry enough juice for my 800 Wh battery.



(Please do not send me to ebiketouring sub. It is not very useful).
PT1029
Posts: 1744
Joined: 16 Apr 2012, 9:20pm

Re: E-bike touring: overnight

Post by PT1029 »

The other year our club had a long weekend based in Caen. Three of us rode Oxford - Portsmouth for the ferry (about 85 miles or so). I rode down on my own, the other 2 went together, one on an e bike. I think they had 2 1 hour stops (lunch/afternoon tea) during which he charged his battery, which mean they both arrived in Portmouth in good order.
The next charge would have been either on the over night ferry or the hotel in Caen (about 12 miles from the French ferry port.
My friend uses his motor on a low setting (unless a steep hill) which helps eek out the milage.

There might also be other useful forum threads under the electric bikes heading.
Oldjohnw
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Joined: 16 Oct 2018, 4:23am
Location: South Warwickshire

Re: E-Bike touring

Post by Oldjohnw »

I usually plan ahead well. I arrange ahead to charge it in the campsite office overnight or if wild camping at a pub overnight. No problems yet in about 10 multi-dat trips and several thousands of miles. Only one refusal so far.
John
1982john
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Contact:

Touring with an electric bike?

Post by 1982john »

No doubt this is something that has been asked many times before but as the tech changes and becomes more prominent then the answers might also change.

I really don't know much about electric bikes but I'm looking to get one later this year as I'm struggling to get out on the colder days.

I would love to use it for touring, and if it's viable that will impact which one I go for.

The main question is are there people who tour on a standard 250kw battery (without any extender).
If you do how many miles do you per day?
Do you camp at all and if so is it easy enough to recharge at campsites - guessing it comes with a fee.
PT1029
Posts: 1744
Joined: 16 Apr 2012, 9:20pm

Re: Touring with an electric bike?

Post by PT1029 »

I don't use an electric bike (but it's fine if you need one!).
A few years ago our club met at Portmouth for the night ferry to France - a long fixed centre weekend in Caen.
I cycled Oxford - Portsmouth, about 86 miles I think. A friend in his 70's rode down separately from me on his electric bike (step through Trek I think). He started with a full battery, charged for 1 hour at lunch and 1 hour at tea time (using pub/cafe plug sockets) and he got to Portsmouth fine. Not only did he have charge left in the battery, but he was full of beans as well!
He also uses it on our regular Sunday rides, on longer or very hilly rides (I guess 50ml +?) he carries a spare battery as the first one runs low in the afternoon and it is up a substantial hill to get to his house!. He usually uses the "low" setting, upping the help level for head winds or steep hills.
There might already be some help/answers in the electric bike section.
simonhill
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Touring with an electric bike?

Post by simonhill »

I suspect that bike (and car) charging at campsites is something that is being considered now.

Paying for normal camping hook up to charge a bike may be worth it - usually a fiver or more. Plus any other devices you have. However, I suspect that campsite owners will be wary of e-cars using the often unlimited hook up facility to charge their cars, albeit slowly. Could be worth keeping an eye on camping organisations and forums.

With the price of electricity going through the roof, I don't think you can expect too many to let you charge for free, in office, etc. This could also be the case for people charging their gadgets.

One thing that has come up on this forum is charging in hotels. A removable battery makes this much easier.
MarcusT
Posts: 443
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 10:33am

Re: Touring with an electric bike?

Post by MarcusT »

On the mainland many people are touring with ebikes.
It does require planning and as mentioned above, a removable battery is much more convenient, and perhaps an extension cord.
You should look at the specs more. A 250 kw battery would weigh several thousand pounds
The motor most likely is 250 watts and the battery can be anywhere from 350 wh to 1,000 wh. You would want the most powerful charger permitted for the battery to cut down on charging times. These can be from 2-6 amp.
Most places especially campsites usually have no problem with charging, just be polite about it
I wish it were as easy as riding a bike
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