LEJOG on ebike

[oldun]

Hello...I have just got back from a 500 klm ride in the Spain Pyrenees and one evening i was talking ( more with my hands ) to a Spanish guy who was riding an e bike ( cost him 2300 euros , i think the make was Conor ) and he was covering between 130 and 150 klms per day with all his touring gear , as most of the route was on gravel/stone tracks i was impressed with the performance of the battery .

[Elizabethsdad]

Yes, a major operation.

This is a warning to long distance E bikers, I reckon.
Taking the wheels off a heavy beast could be rather hard to do, especially the rear wheel.

This thread has been dealing with the electrical side, but there's a mechanical side too.

Another reason why a crank drive system scores over a wheel mounted motor

[Vetus Ossa]

Yes, a major operation.

This is a warning to long distance E bikers, I reckon.
Taking the wheels off a heavy beast could be rather hard to do, especially the rear wheel.

This thread has been dealing with the electrical side, but there's a mechanical side too.

Another reason why a crank drive system scores over a wheel mounted motor

My bike has a Bosch crank drive motor and still is a pig to mend a puncture on due mainly to the weight of the thing, rear wheel of course. As it happens my tyre was extremely tight on the rim and required a considerable amount of pressure to break the seal, my thumbs still ache.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, my ebike has got me out riding again and I won’t be parting with it, just pointing out punctures do happen even on supposedly puncture protected tyres, so be warned.

[Ruadh495]

I carry a GAADI "snake" tube on my commuter e-bike. That way I don't have to get wheels out at the roadside (front motor and IGH rear, so either is a bit of a faff). I'll always try to patch, that way I save a tube, but if a self-adhesive patch won't do it then I'll cut the tube out and put the GAADI in. Probably should run GAADIs in both wheels all the time, then I wouldn't have to cut the old one, but they are expensive so I've only got one and change it for a normal tube at home.

That said I've had four punctures in the last 18 months / 10,000 miles so it's not something that needs doing very often.

There have been a few reports of battery fires recently, so some hotels might be wary of charging in your room. There is, after all, a reason why e-bike batteries are not allowed on planes.

[cakefiend]

Hello there....my wife and I, in our 60s, are considering LEJOG June 2018. Does anyone have any experience or advice doing this on an ebike? We live in Australia so would also need to either rent or buy bikes (including helmets, panniers, lights, lock etc) for a 4-5 week period. We have the Sustrans book LEJOG on the National Cycle Network.

Hi Ian,
sounds like a nice adventure, if you want advice then these people are probably a good source :- http://ebikecycletourists.com/welcome/. they have toured a fairly large part of the UK, but not End To End, as well as Europe.
Good luck with your trip, munch cake at least once a day.

[horizon]

This is a quote from their blog:

Given their age on the wrong side of their mid-50s, Gary and Rachel hope that by successfully setting a new world record they will have clearly shown that riding an electric bicycle – even on a long distance world record ride – is not only feasible for two ageing Baby Boomers, but for anyone of any age and fitness level.

I don't know about anyone else but I find this distinctly odd. Surely the whole idea of electric motors is to enable people to do just that. What are they comparing their "success" to?

[Vetus Ossa]

This is a quote from their blog:

Given their age on the wrong side of their mid-50s, Gary and Rachel hope that by successfully setting a new world record they will have clearly shown that riding an electric bicycle – even on a long distance world record ride – is not only feasible for two ageing Baby Boomers, but for anyone of any age and fitness level.

I don't know about anyone else but I find this distinctly odd. Surely the whole idea of electric motors is to enable people to do just that. What are they comparing their "success" to?

To be honest I don’t really see the point either.
I am nearly 70 (August) and given enough time I’m pretty sure I could quite comfortably do it to…if I wanted, which I don’t. I think most people capable of pedalling a bike could also.

[Vorpal]

They are from Australia, where cycling is unsafe and only a tiny minority of the population risk their lives so wantonly.

[Vetus Ossa]

I carry a GAADI "snake" tube on my commuter e-bike. That way I don't have to get wheels out at the roadside (front motor and IGH rear, so either is a bit of a faff). I'll always try to patch, that way I save a tube, but if a self-adhesive patch won't do it then I'll cut the tube out and put the GAADI in. Probably should run GAADIs in both wheels all the time, then I wouldn't have to cut the old one, but they are expensive so I've only got one and change it for a normal tube at home.

That said I've had four punctures in the last 18 months / 10,000 miles so it's not something that needs doing very often.

There have been a few reports of battery fires recently, so some hotels might be wary of charging in your room. There is, after all, a reason why e-bike batteries are not allowed on planes.

Now that’s a clever idea and a new one to me. I can see it would be easier to fit one of those with the wheel in situ rather than removing it, but still a bit of a faff.
What I clearly need to do is rethink my roadside puncture repair method.
For years I have been riding road bikes, and was up until it became too difficult to do so anymore due to health problems. I have always carried a spare inner tube previously and replaced the punctured one with it because it’s the quickest and easiest way to get going again. I haven’t patched a tube at the roadside for years.
Now to see if I can get a GAADI in 27.5 to use as a last resort, but if I have enough time and patience I will patch the puncture first.

[Vetus Ossa]

They are from Australia, where cycling is unsafe and only a tiny minority of the population risk their lives so wantonly.

Do I spot a tongue in cheek

[thornie1543]

I met that aussie couple in Plymouth ferry terminal and spent a little bit of time with them in roscoff on the first day of one of my tours,they didnt half carry a lot of very nice kit,nice couple and glad they did what they set out to do.

[Vorpal]

They are from Australia, where cycling is unsafe and only a tiny minority of the population risk their lives so wantonly.

Do I spot a tongue in cheek

I hope so!

But I grew up in the US, where many people think that commuting on a bicycle is an extraordinary thing. I used to ride 11 miles to school, and I didn't know anyone else who rode their bike more than a mile or so. My friends thought I was certifiably insane.

But the point was (even if it wasn't explicit) that I think that even in places with many more cyclists, we (cyclists) often lack the perspective to understand how others perceive it.

[Paulatic]

Just come across this 70 yo lady from Wales who is near the end of her LEJOG.
It looks like an e assist bike to me. So it can be done.

[horizon]

Thanks for that, though I'm surprised there isn't more evidence coming forward - the forum has several strong e-bike supporters.

If it is indeed true that LEJOG is easily done on an e-bike (and I'm genuinely unsure either way) then I will dusting off the thread I have ready to post - "Is this the end of cycling as we know it?"

[francovendee]

Slightly off topic but I'm interested in how one of these electric assist bikes ride when the battery has lost all it's charge. I know that they are heavier than a normal bike but is there additional drag from the motor.
I know at some point I'll end up needing one of these if I want to keep cycling and the idea of having a flat battery, some way off from home, is a concern.