OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Electrically assisted bikes, trikes, etc. that are legal in the UK
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willcee
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Location: castleroe,co.derryUlster

Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by willcee »

Kwackers, ref.. across the world issue.. ime there's no way that USA users will be content at 25kph i asked this very question to Orbea some weeks after Davy my bud got his Gain and didn't get any decent clear answer.. the lock ring has i think 9 magnets on it so one of these may have a speed control or something that tells what revs the wheel is making..will
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willcee
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Joined: 14 Aug 2008, 11:30pm
Location: castleroe,co.derryUlster

Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by willcee »

My cycling chum has taken another Gain under his wing, traded his 8 month old gray Gain against a new carbon Custom model 11sp 105 with hyd braking.. weight now 26lbs frame geo is different he says but still a medium and he is happy that theres a bit more come and go on the head height which was his issue as well as hating the drab gray matt finish of the previous steed.. pics.. will
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BertYardbrush
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Joined: 4 Oct 2011, 9:18am
Location: Holmfirth

Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by BertYardbrush »

Hi fellow Gain owners. I have a D40 2019 with 10sp Tiagra. I got it at the end of August and have done 1500 miles.
Living in Derbyshire, it's fairly hilly. I too have a blood condition, CLL, stamina has deteriorated and I need the assistance, particularly when riding with a group.
Up till recently I've turned down the power using the Ebikemotion app to 70%. But as I seem to be lacking oomph in the cold weather, I've just turned it up to 80%.
I like the bike though it's a bit of a firm ride. The Iwoc button is becoming slightly irritating and I would really like to control the power level from a switch on the bars. The motor is ok on most hills but when it gets really steep, over 12%, there is a lot of groaning from the motor no matter what the power level - it does not like it.
If the Ebikemotion app worked properly it would be brilliant. Also I haven't found a way of putting a planned route on it. I just use it to check the battery level and use Garmin for everything else.
As I have less energy, I have been after an auxiliary battery - I ordered one at the same time as the bike, last June. My LBS have been telling me they have problems shipping them over because they are Lithium. I have contacted Orbea as the batteries are not in the current catalogue.
Orbea tell me that they are still waiting for EBM (Ebikemotion) to launch this option and that EBM have a meeting with UK dealers in January.
A bit disheartening, hope its out for touring next year.
Even taking all this into consideration, it's a decent bike.
peterb
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Joined: 2 Dec 2017, 10:13am

Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by peterb »

Finally collected my Orbea Gain D30 (the Grey, 2018 Tiagra version) last July, and have ridden around 600 miles on it since. It has enabled me to ride again, and join the club leisure rides again. I've developed peripheral vascular disease - arteries in the groin and legs becoming narrowed so the blood supply to the muscles is severely restricted - I had reached the point where I was managing just 2-3 miles or so on a 'conventional' bike before calf pain forced me to stop (and no, I'm not diabetic). I'm really appreciating it - it does what it promises - just enough help, but you can still get a workout if you want. It's sometimes hard to stay with the group over the 15.5 mph cut off, (it's roughly twice the weight of my 'best' carbon bike), but the real assistance comes on the hills, places that were completely defeating me (and I can't get off and walk any more - that's excruciatingly painful after a couple of hundred yards too, even on the flat). On an averagely hilly ride I reckon 2% battery to the mile, so a range of 40 - 50 miles, perhaps a little more by judicious 'coasting'. My only gripes are with the app, which has been very unpredictable. I've had more success after trying it with a MOTO E5 - it wouldn't link to my Huawei at all. It does not give an incline reading at all, and I've realised that the (more or less accurate) distance shown when on a ride is registering 10% under when downloaded to 'Activities' and the EBM Dashboard. It was reassuring to read of others users problems with it. The other gripe is with the positioning of the charging socket - seems to me it is potentially vulnerable to damp, and while I've got used to the IWOC a more sophisticated bar mounted control might be better. Overall though, I love it!
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robgul
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Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by robgul »

peterb wrote: ^ <SNIP> ^

Yep - I love mine too!

A few comments .... have to say I found the app to be a pointless feature - the battery level/usage stats seem dubious on the inbuilt Gain system . . . better using a Garmin (Edge 1000) that does loads more ... like navigating! ... charging port would have been better in a "sheltered" position ... perhaps back end of the toptube so sort of under the saddle .... and the single IWOC button on the toptube is an outstandingly elegant feature to me (I sell ebikes in myshop and they handlebar dashboards are pretty ugly). Takes all sorts!

Rob
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
HoECC http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
Cytech accredited mechanic . . . and woodworker
MikeDee
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Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by MikeDee »

I bought a carbon Gain M30 a few weeks ago. I live in the US so it has the 20 mph cut-off speed, and I've put 275 miles on it thus far. I love it. I haven't used the app except to check the power level at the end of the ride. I just ordered a Topeak bar mount for my iPhone.

Does the bike increase the power output the harder you pedal (i.e . does it have a torque sensor; seems it does)? I tried soft pedaling up a climb in max power mode, and it seemed it wasn't putting out much power. It doesn't have a true cadence sensor (only knows if you're pedaling or not).
peterb
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Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by peterb »

MikeDee wrote:I bought a carbon Gain M30 a few weeks ago. I live in the US so it has the 20 mph cut-off speed, and I've put 275 miles on it thus far. I love it. I haven't used the app except to check the power level at the end of the ride. I just ordered a Topeak bar mount for my iPhone.

Does the bike increase the power output the harder you pedal (i.e . does it have a torque sensor; seems it does)? I tried soft pedaling up a climb in max power mode, and it seemed it wasn't putting out much power. It doesn't have a true cadence sensor (only knows if you're pedaling or not).

If you use the app while riding (assuming the app connects successfully and is behaving - it has just been updated) it should show you the % assistance given in the different assistance levels as you increase or decrease your pedalling rate and effort. If you upload your ride to the dashboard it does show a cadence figure but this seems to have little relation to reality - roughly twice the actual figures?
MikeDee
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Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by MikeDee »

Can anyone recommend a heart rate monitor chest strap that works with an iPhone and the ebikemotion app?
MikeDee
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Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by MikeDee »

peterb wrote:
MikeDee wrote:I bought a carbon Gain M30 a few weeks ago. I live in the US so it has the 20 mph cut-off speed, and I've put 275 miles on it thus far. I love it. I haven't used the app except to check the power level at the end of the ride. I just ordered a Topeak bar mount for my iPhone.

Does the bike increase the power output the harder you pedal (i.e . does it have a torque sensor; seems it does)? I tried soft pedaling up a climb in max power mode, and it seemed it wasn't putting out much power. It doesn't have a true cadence sensor (only knows if you're pedaling or not).

If you use the app while riding (assuming the app connects successfully and is behaving - it has just been updated) it should show you the % assistance given in the different assistance levels as you increase or decrease your pedalling rate and effort. If you upload your ride to the dashboard it does show a cadence figure but this seems to have little relation to reality - roughly twice the actual figures?


That cadence figure is motor rpm, I believe. I had no problem with my phone connecting. The motor power percentage reading jumps around. Is that normal?
peterb
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Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by peterb »

I've had a lot of problems with the app, (since mid 2018), but after the 2 most recent updates it now seems to be connecting OK and giving accurate information. Some features are no longer on screen, such as gradient, replaced by 'pace'. Distance covered is much more accurate now too. The app is much more stable and has been uploading to my dashboard OK too.
I think the level of power assistance given is constantly changing as you ride and gives the impression of jumping around, so normal.
MikeDee
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Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by MikeDee »

peterb wrote:I've had a lot of problems with the app, (since mid 2018), but after the 2 most recent updates it now seems to be connecting OK and giving accurate information. Some features are no longer on screen, such as gradient, replaced by 'pace'. Distance covered is much more accurate now too. The app is much more stable and has been uploading to my dashboard OK too.
I think the level of power assistance given is constantly changing as you ride and gives the impression of jumping around, so normal.


Mine has gradient, no pace. I have no problems with connectivity to my phone. Have you noticed that when in Level 0 (no assistance) when pedaling below the 25 kph cutoff, that you are seeing significant motor rpm, then when you pedal, past the cutoff, it drops to a low level?
peterb
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Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by peterb »

"Mine has gradient, no pace. I have no problems with connectivity to my phone. Have you noticed that when in Level 0 (no assistance) when pedaling below the 25 kph cutoff, that you are seeing significant motor rpm, then when you pedal, past the cutoff, it drops to a low level?"[/quote]


I can't say I've paid much attention to the rpm displayed, but I did notice today that if I kept pedalling above the cutoff speed in level one assistance it continued to register 200 or so. If I stopped pedalling and coasted above 15 mph it dropped to 0.
Re pace/gradient etc - Have you installed the most recent updates? Might we be running different versions of the app? I understand it is still in development - it's better than it was for me but still not totally reliable, dropping out sometimes and not allowing the interrupted ride data to be saved.
kevin01041961
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Joined: 13 Mar 2019, 4:25pm

Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by kevin01041961 »

Hi, I have one and love it, yes its a fair whack of money but a top class road bike isn't cheap, its easy responsive and powerful, if you want any more let me know, I wouldn't change mine
Grandad
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Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by Grandad »

At 83 I am the oldest non e-bike rider in our club oldies group. We have other none e-bikers and the power assisted ones do not attempt to force the pace so it's all very comfortable.

Anticipating the inevitability of needing help at some time in the not too distant future I've been looking at the drop handlebar e-bikes as I can't get on with my recently acquired hybrid. There is a lot of useful information in this thread but also some technical bits that give cause for concern as my mobile phone has no bells or whistles, it's a big button phone and text only.

Will the lack of a modern phone create any problems with the bike settings?
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Cugel
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Re: OBREA GAIN D40 (e-bike)

Post by Cugel »

Grandad wrote:(snip)

Anticipating the inevitability of needing help at some time in the not too distant future I've been looking at the drop handlebar e-bikes as I can't get on with my recently acquired hybrid. There is a lot of useful information in this thread but also some technical bits that give cause for concern as my mobile phone has no bells or whistles, it's a big button phone and text only.

Will the lack of a modern phone create any problems with the bike settings?


No.

The apps and such are for the data-addicted. E-bikes can be controlled easily with a button or perhaps two on the bars or downtube. They switch the power on and off; they set the power level when on, typically to one of three settings - low, medium, high. No phone required. Phones and other gizmos are best left at home so one may enjoy the cycling. :-)

Cugel
“Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence are usually the slaves of some defunct economist”.
John Maynard Keynes
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