Chatting to a mate today ..........

Electrically assisted bikes, trikes, etc. that are legal in the UK
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Mick F
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Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by Mick F »

Socially distant of course. :D

My mate rode to the pub, but I'd walked with there with the dog, but we sat down (outside) at the same table and chatted about cycling.
He bought his wife (a few years ago) an Ebike. She wasn't so good at cycling, so when she got on her new machine, she was leaving him behind on rides, so he bought himself an Ebike as well.

Does anyone on here have the same situation?
Do Ebikes leave the "normal cyclists" behind?
If so, what does the future hold for non Ebike riders?
Mick F. Cornwall
Jdsk
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by Jdsk »

Many eBikes are bought to allow cyclists of different strength or stamina to ride together. They're a brilliant development from that point of view.

Leaving other riders behind is a property of riders, not bikes.

Jonathan
Last edited by Jdsk on 20 Apr 2021, 4:34pm, edited 1 time in total.
freeflow
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by freeflow »

Mrs F has an e-bike. We are both 60+. Mrs F can now ride out with me on relatively equal terms. She is faster up hills. I am faster on the flat and downhill. This is when using minimal battery assist e.g. after a 40km ride yesterday, Mrs F still had 5 bars on her battery.

So, it's the ability of an e-bike rider to ride consistently in the 20-25 kph range compared to the more variable speed of a regular, (audax riding), older rider that is the issue.
Stradageek
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by Stradageek »

Jean is electric and I'm acoustic

Jean varies the power/speed control, turning her power down for the hills, so that I can stay with her, then up for the flats so that she stays with me - result :D
Jdsk
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by Jdsk »

Stradageek wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 4:38pm Jean is electric and I'm acoustic
: - )

But who gets to shout "Judas"?

Jonathan
Sgpeg2016
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by Sgpeg2016 »

I think it depends on who you are cycling with. In a group of friends on Saturday I "held" back and rode with the group at the speed of the slowest person. Made sure I didnt bomb up hills shouting "look at me on an e bike".

But then on Sunday with hubby, rode it as it should - bombed up hill out of Tintern at 13mph - mind you that was behind hubby who is a fit person!
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simonineaston
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by simonineaston »

I deliberately plumped for some kit that left my Brompton pretty much normal so I could just carry on cycling-as-usual and just use the 'leccy for the stiffer hills. I got the conversion done round about the time I moved from low down (not far from the course of the river Frome, although you'd never know it, it running in subterranean culverts these days) to higher up, on what used to be a wind-swept common, at the top of Ashley Hill.
Funnily enough, my current place is in flats named after WG Grace and my old local used to be his, too ie The Fox Tavern, which was said to overlook the Frome, folks arrving for a pint by boat and the beer cellar being so close to the water as to keep the walls cool!!
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
Oldjohnw
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by Oldjohnw »

My bike was assisted not to leave anyone behind but to simply get out there again. Other cyclists leave me behind. I really don’t mind.
John
Jdsk
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by Jdsk »

Great collection of positive (!) responses.

Jonathan
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by Grandad »

Great collection of positive (!) responses
Waiting for Cyril.....
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Mick F
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by Mick F »

Waiting for the OP? :D

My issue here is that here, we have HILLS.
Chatting today and pointing down the road at Colley Cliff hill, and how when I ride up there, I'm in bottom gear and breathing heavily.
My mate agreed with me.

I'm on here saying how Ebike riders sail up that hill.
Not long, but steep and sudden.
Google Streetview flattens it out.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.51400 ... 312!8i6656

My point here, is that a mechanical rider in company with an electrical rider, is at a disadvantage in hilly rides.
Flat and downhill, the issue disappears.
Mick F. Cornwall
markjohnobrien
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by markjohnobrien »

Jdsk wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 5:35pm Great collection of positive (!) responses.

Jonathan
Yes, and long may it last.
Raleigh Randonneur 708 (Magura hydraulic brakes); Blue Raleigh Randonneur 708 dynamo; Pearson Compass 631 tourer; Dawes One Down 631 dynamo winter bike;Raleigh Travelogue 708 tourer dynamo; Kona Sutra; Trek 920 disc Sram Force.
richtea99
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by richtea99 »

Mick F wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 3:30pm Does anyone on here have the same situation?
Do Ebikes leave the "normal cyclists" behind?
If so, what does the future hold for non Ebike riders?
Yes, my better half got an ebike first, and I couldn't keep up on the hills - just sailed away. On the flat was fine, as were gentle inclines.
So I got one too. She uses a lot more power than me, but I can now keep up on the hills so everything is nicely balanced.

In terms of the future, the main two barriers are cost and complexity:
- the cost is too high for most casual cyclists at the moment, but in 10 year's time I can forsee say 50% of bikes being electric
- the complexity kicks in when they go wrong. Most things on a standard bike can be fixed with some skill & ingenuity. That's not so true of ebikes. Its often a lump/unit replacement (whole motor/battery/controller replaced) - which then feeds into cost...
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willcee
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by willcee »

AS regards costs.. I had in region of 2.5 K miles on my Bafang which had been in 3 bikes before it started to be slightly noisy still going like a watch but sounds like an old grand father clock.. no heat no smell just this faint noise which had appeared on the last few days late November, Rang my supplier he said not fixable if totally internal so pull the motor, I suggested he send me another, I bought it, I took the other to a friend a very competent Spark who rang me 2 days later saying simple fix, nothing serious would you sell me it.. we did a deal, and I fitted another updated motor.. So 2.5 K none of the others that I've fitted have given any issues, batteries take care 2 of them replaced by friends who dropped them while cycling. my bud who runs 2 machine Giant road E with over 3 k on it now and he had a starter Gain ,1.5 k no issues , traded it for a carbon Gain maybe 2 k on it no issues.. so with care no water over switches etc and knowledge of how and when to service and if noises appear get them checked, and if its not Bosch costs should be manageable... will
stodd
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Re: Chatting to a mate today ..........

Post by stodd »

richtea99 wrote: 20 Apr 2021, 6:25pm In terms of the future, the main two barriers are cost and complexity:
- the cost is too high for most casual cyclists at the moment, but in 10 year's time I can forsee say 50% of bikes being electric
- the complexity kicks in when they go wrong. Most things on a standard bike can be fixed with some skill & ingenuity. That's not so true of ebikes. Its often a lump/unit replacement (whole motor/battery/controller replaced) - which then feeds into cost...
Absolutely. The second point is particularly true of mid/up-market e-bikes with propriety systems (Bosch, Shimano, etc). Bikes using fairly standard (typically Chinese) electrics are much more repairable, and replacements are much cheaper when they are needed.

We have found our (now electrified) tandem an excellent way to make sure my wife and I keep pretty much the same pace on the level or up hills.
Last edited by stodd on 20 Apr 2021, 9:10pm, edited 1 time in total.
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