Electric Bike Thread

[grinch]

If you end up hating Ergon like I did, you could try some silicone grips. The problem with the thinnest lock-ons is that the sleeve takes up some of the thickness, so you don't get much padding. The disadvantage to silicone is that they're not lock-on, but there's no sleeve, so it's all padding. I never thought I'd use a non-lock-on grip again, but they're worth it to me. The ESI Racer's Edge are just right.

Im interested, the ergons look too bulky. I dont want a rest station, i want something i can get lots of finger wrap. How thick are these silicon grips? Thinner than a lock on ruffian? I can handle some squish(sounds like a good compromise) as long as they dont move

Edit; exact same 30mm diameter as lock on ruffians. Worth a try
https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF...Piq6j8As37:667
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[grinch]

A couple of minutes ago, out walking the dog, some tool just blew through on a 3 wheel electric recumbant, 25 mph at least, fullface moto helmet and goggles, middle of the path, everyone pulling their dogs and kids and spouses out of his way.

Maybe we just have especially retarded people where I live. I could easily believe that, given everything else here.

Quite the visual im getting on that. Sounds hilarious. A yt moment only made better if you captured someone clotheslining him. You need to start wearing a camera to capture these good times

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[Bunion 2020]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/20/o...ike-aging.html

BELGRADE, Me. — You might have heard by now that 1969 was the summer of Apollo 11, and Woodstock, and Chappaquiddick. But in my neighborhood, out in the Philadelphia suburbs, it was the summer of Vrroom.

Made by Mattel, Vrroom — usually written with an exclamation point; Vrroom! — was a bicycle designed, as one commercial explained, “to look and sound just like a motorcycle.” A flick of a switch, and all at once your bike roared like a shovelhead.

All that noise didn’t make your bike go any faster, of course, but that was hardly the point.

I had forgotten all about Vrroom until last month. I was doing my usual bike circuit around the north half of Long Pond, here in Belgrade. As I turned left, I found myself accidentally merging into the Trek Across Maine, a three-day event in which cyclists ride from Brunswick to Augusta to Waterville and back again. It’s a huge event, drawing more than 2,000 riders; money raised during the trek benefits the American Lung Association.

It felt good to suddenly join the pack, and to find myself surrounded by all those other cyclists. But it was awkward, too, and not only because I wasn’t wearing a race number. More embarrassing was the fact that I was passing everyone, sailing up the hill on Castle Island Road in front of the Travis Mills Foundation for wounded veterans while everyone else was grinding away in low gear.

That’s because my bike was no ordinary road bike, but one of the new e-bikes now taking over the cycling world.

Although they’ve been around since the 1990s, until recently e-bikes were sold mostly in China and in Europe. But now sales are through the roof; in 2017 over a quarter-million of them were sold in this country, a 25 percent jump from the year before.

The principle is fairly simple: You plug the bike in at night, and it charges a battery that provides an extra level of support as you ride. You still have to pedal, but the battery silently doubles the amount of power provided by your muscles to the wheels.

For older riders like me — I’m in my 60s — the assist makes all the difference in the world. I’ve been riding all my life, and while I’ve never been a competitive cyclist, biking has always been my favorite form of exercise. In part it’s because I like the solitude of riding, especially on the remote trails where I take my mountain bike. I’ve encountered moose and deer and bald eagles during my rides in the Kennebec Highlands Reserved Land, eaten my lunch by a rushing stream, explored blueberry barrens high atop Vienna Mountain in Kennebec County.

(It is worth mentioning that in a column I wrote about cycling five years ago, I committed an error that demanded a correction that is still legendary among Times editors. I spoke of observing purple bird poop on a rock, the result, I said, of ospreys eating blueberries. By day’s end, the paper had to post this melancholy note: “An Op-Ed essay on Monday described bald eagles and ospreys incorrectly. They eat fish, and their poop is white; they do not eat berries and excrete purple feces.” Years later, when I told another editor about this, she breathlessly said, “That was you?!”)

Yes, that was me.

Anyway. Cycling, like everything else, has gotten harder as I’ve grown older. For much of the year, I live on a dirt road at the bottom of a mile-long hill, and some days I just don’t have the energy to make the ascent. Last summer, I was on my bike a total of five times.

Since I got the e-bike, though, I’ve been riding 15 and 20 miles a day, four or five days a week. It’s been life altering, not just making me fitter, but also raising my spirits, getting me out of the house and back into the mountains.

I felt more than a little guilty as I soared past the other riders in the Trek Across Maine. A couple of them called out to me as I passed. “What in the world is that?” asked one. “That is so awesome,” said another.

Ryan Rzepecki, the chief executive of Jump Bikes, a leading manufacturer of e-bikes, says that this is the beginning of a multiyear shift away from regular pedal to electric bikes for his company. “When people first jump on an e-bike, their face lights up,” said Mr. Rzepecki. “It’s exciting and joyful in a way that you don’t get from a regular bike.”

Nowhere was this clearer to me than when I left the Trek Across Maine peloton and paused at the top of something called Blueberry Hill. For a moment I thought I was alone. But then I saw another rider had pulled over, and he had the same kind of bike as mine, a Specialized Turbo Como. We exchanged goofy grins, and I told him that the bike had changed my life.

At that moment, from down a mountain trail, came a dozen wounded veterans also on e-bikes. Some men had prosthetic arms and legs. They were from the Travis Mills Foundation, as my companion explained, and some of them hadn’t been on a bike in years.

Now they’d ridden all the way to the top of Blueberry Hill.

“You’re not the only one whose life got changed,” the man said.

I rang the bell on my bike — ding! — and headed into the mountains, feeling hopeful, feeling as if I still have lots of adventures ahead.

I rang the bell again. Vrroom, I thought.

[grinch]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/20/o...ike-aging.html

Lets get this straight!! Im still an asshole!!!








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[SB]

Freedom is a bitch ain't it?

[Iwantmy2dollars]

That story of the mad max recumbent sux. I would have tried to take him out, or slow him down if I saw that and had time to think. These DBs will ruin it for the 99 percent.
That said, it wasnt that long ago that bikes on wooded trails got the same reception that ebikes are getting now. I mean really, if god gave you 2 legs to walk, what the hell are bikes doing on hiking trails? Like Grinch said, a smile and consideration go a long way. Unless your training for the Olympics (and even then) be respectful of other trail users. Around here I bump into people on horseback. I always climb off the bike as soon as I see them and let them pass. The reaction I get is more than worth stopping for a minute.

Grinch,
I have a couple different kinds of the ergons. But there are like a dozen different ones now
Heres the one I like best for XC Mtn biking:
https://www.amazon.com/Ergon-4241001.../dp/B00LGU7SEO

Heres one for "gravity" Never seen it. I dont think I'd want to go back to round grips now. The important thing with
the palm shaped ones are to get the angle of the grip right for your ride.
I ride XC, never been on a lift to haul my bike up hill - Dont really understand why you would want a round grip but
it looks like they make them for downhill.
https://ergonbike.com/en/product.htm...avity&a=griffe

I have the GA3's too but like the GS1 better for my riding style. Lets you put more weight on your palms and off
your knuckles.

Sizing - get the small when they come in 2 sizes and the make them for grip shit too with a short body so make sure you get the right sub model.
On Amazon it can be really confusing if your not aware of all the variations
https://ergonbike.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/how-do-i-know-which-size-to-get/

[jm2e]

@grinch: ESI Chunky. Game changing for my hands. Isopropyl Alcohol to slip on, air compressor to get off. Good grip wet or dry, with or without gloves. Only negative is that they tear easily and I crash a lot. I go through 2-3 a year, but just ordered replacements on Amazon for $12 bucks so not a big deal for me.

@ill-advised: there are always going to be assholes. Right now you’re seeing them on Ebikes. That’s evolved from rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, road bikes, fixies, drones, etc. just like with dogs, punish the owner not the dog/breed. From my vantage, other cyclists are the biggest enemy of Ebikes. Other user groups see assholes as assholes.

@Not bunion: thanks for posting the entire article. Not dicking up the thread at all. Jong!

re wheelsets: I still don’t believe in Ebike wheels. Sure, maybe you need DH rims if you beat on rims, but more spokes and steel hubs with bigger flanges goes against wheel building basics. As with all wheelsets, a hand built wheel that’s properly dished with well balanced spoke tension will always be superior in stiffness and durability. Personally I think CushCore with Enduro rims will give you a much better wheel than a heavy Ebike rim.


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[chaka]

@Grinch, apologies if someone already mentioned them, but the old skool Oury lock ons are great. I rolled Ergons for several seasons but was never really sold on them, I wanted a teeny bit more cush, I have fairly large hands, and the Ourys are great.

[meter-man]

Rode with a buddy today who has ridden a 2018 Specialized Levo, a 2019 Trek Powerfly, and a 2018 or 19 Rocky Mountain Altitude PP, and he said he liked the Rocky Mt the best. Mostly because of the motor.

[grinch]

Tried some different grips today. I can see the ergons being good for touring or distance riding . Im usually focused on the downs. Go to the xc area and link the best downhills kind of thing. I want max purchase on the bar for my usage. Bike shop had the gsi's. They just had chunky and extra chunky. I want the slims. Personal preference i guess. They do feel good though. Going to try them. One up has a softer grip that focused on softening the bar feel. Not too bad but i think the gsi makes more sense and the slims be slimmer than the one up. Ouray is a clasic yuuge hands grips, comfy but definitely not for me. Going to get rid of carbon things and big diameter bars. Shop owner had good things to say about the spank vibracore bar taking the edge off. Anyone try those? Spank seem to make nice stuff. I know their rims are some of the best

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[Shredhead]

Rode with a buddy today who has ridden a 2018 Specialized Levo, a 2019 Trek Powerfly, and a 2018 or 19 Rocky Mountain Altitude PP, and he said he liked the Rocky Mt the best. Mostly because of the motor.

My LBS raves about the Rocky Mt. I just worry about their proprietary motor.

I charged up Aspen Mountain last week with a guy on a 1st gen Brose.
3250 ft in 4 miles, it’s steep.
My Shimano Steps 8000 had a lot more torc on boost and I smoked him. But he had a lot more battery life at the top.
My Steps is a year old, 2000 miles and has probably lost 20% of its battery capacity.

[gravitylover]

That's a pretty significant capacity loss. Is there any way you could have changed the loss rate?

[Iwantmy2dollars]

That's a pretty significant capacity loss. Is there any way you could have changed the loss rate?

Li batteries are great but you need to treat them right to get the most out of them. I have a hand held marine radio that's 11 years old and still has 80pct of it's original capacity. If you leave these batteries fully charged or less than 50 pct regularly they will degrade. Same if they get too hot or too cold - especially if they are fully charged. Don't draw them down past 25pct if you can avoid it. Charge them back to 65pct as soon as possible if they get below about 50pct. At the end of the season, they should be stored at 65 pct charge in a cool dry place. I put ours in the spare fridge in the basement. NEVER charge them fully and let them stay that way. Draw at least 10pct off if they will sit for more than a day or 2

[toast2266]

Shop owner had good things to say about the spank vibracore bar taking the edge off. Anyone try those? Spank seem to make nice stuff. I know their rims are some of the best

Vibracores are maybe the stiffest, most jarring bars I've ever ridden. It was a good idea in theory, but in practice, the foam just makes the bars even stiffer.

Best bars I've ridden for vibration damping are the enves. And they're actually not any more expensive than a lot of the other carbon bars on the market.

I've also heard good things about the fast flexx bars, but haven't tried them myself. Those things are also really heavy and really expensive though.

[Iwantmy2dollars]

That's a pretty significant capacity loss. Is there any way you could have changed the loss rate?

Best way to get as many cycles on these batteries is to limit the full charge to 85 percent of capacity and don't draw them down past 30 pct. Fully charge every 5 or 6 cycles to keep cells balanced. Doing this will take a battery rated for 600 - 700 cycles to over 2000 cycles. Follow the other things I mention below and it's amazing how long these things will last.

[bagtagley]

The Chunkys are way, way too thick for me. Even the Racers Edge feel borderline for the first few rides until they compress a little. Been a while since I rode Ruffians, but the Racers Edge are maybe a bit thicker than the RaceFace lock-ons I was using (Half Nelsons I think). I put them on with a little hair spray, and they stay put. After a summer of being completely saturated, the outsides started to move a little. I would have re-sprayed them, but the ends were pretty frayed, so I just replaced them. Like jm2e said, plan on replacing them more often than other grips.

[grinch]

Damn good info in here today. Racers edge should fit the bill. Glad i didnt get the chunkys.


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[grinch]

Vibracores are maybe the stiffest, most jarring bars I've ever ridden. It was a good idea in theory, but in practice, the foam just makes the bars even stiffer.

Best bars I've ridden for vibration damping are the enves. And they're actually not any more expensive than a lot of the other carbon bars on the market.

I've also heard good things about the fast flexx bars, but haven't tried them myself. Those things are also really heavy and really expensive though.

Ok nix the foamers. I havwnt found the greatest feel with carbon. My race face sixc felt a bit harsh but maybe that was the sweep being too much for me. My renthal carbon fits well but it seems more harsh than the aluminium 31.8. Maybe thats the 35mm thing.
I would be all over those fast flex bars but ive blocked them out of my mind and forgot about them after seeing the price

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[grinch]

Li batteries are great but you need to treat them right to get the most out of them. I have a hand held marine radio that's 11 years old and still has 80pct of it's original capacity. If you leave these batteries fully charged or less than 50 pct regularly they will degrade. Same if they get too hot or too cold - especially if they are fully charged. Don't draw them down past 25pct if you can avoid it. Charge them back to 65pct as soon as possible if they get below about 50pct. At the end of the season, they should be stored at 65 pct charge in a cool dry place. I put ours in the spare fridge in the basement. NEVER charge them fully and let them stay that way. Draw at least 10pct off if they will sit for more than a day or 2

Best way to get as many cycles on these batteries is to limit the full charge to 85 percent of capacity and don't draw them down past 30 pct. Fully charge every 5 or 6 cycles to keep cells balanced. Doing this will take a battery rated for 600 - 700 cycles to over 2000 cycles. Follow the other things I mention below and it's amazing how long these things will last.

Id like to have this beta on a fridge magnet.

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[toast2266]

Ok nix the foamers. I havwnt found the greatest feel with carbon. My race face sixc felt a bit harsh but maybe that was the sweep being too much for me. My renthal carbon fits well but it seems more harsh than the aluminium 31.8. Maybe thats the 35mm thing.
I would be all over those fast flex bars but ive blocked them out of my mind and forgot about them after seeing the price

For whatever it's worth, I thought the sixc's were pretty good, at least by 35mm standards. I think the enves are a bit better, but both of those bars are more comfortable than most of the others I've tried.

31.8 carbon might be a good bet, especially if you don't need something super wide.

[SB]

Id like to have this beta on a fridge magnet.

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Oar a sticker on the battery next to the charging port.

[ACH]

Oof, this reminds me of what promoters thought would make a good idea for a mountain bike race venue, way back in the way back...

[gravitylover]

A bunch of good info today.

So other than the (inaccurate) gauge on the controller which can't be turned on when charging how would I know those percentages? I've obviously been doing it all wrong, I usually only use 25% or so of the battery capacity then plug it in when I get home. It sketches me out to start a ride not at full charge but I guess if the plan is only for a ride of maybe 10 miles as long as it says I have over 20 in trail mode I should just call it good and go ride.

I didn't need to use the walk mode last night but will take those hints next time I need it.

[grinch]

For whatever it's worth, I thought the sixc's were pretty good, at least by 35mm standards. I think the enves are a bit better, but both of those bars are more comfortable than most of the others I've tried.

31.8 carbon might be a good bet, especially if you don't need something super wide.

Wide shoulders so i cant do the 9 degree sweeps. Renthal seem to fit best. The wrists are a good barometer for that ive found. Not particilarly long arms so 780 seems ok. Maybe even 770 but i couldnt be arsed to chop a nickel off either side

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[grinch]

A bunch of good info today.

So other than the (inaccurate) gauge on the controller which can't be turned on when charging how would I know those percentages? I've obviously been doing it all wrong, I usually only use 25% or so of the battery capacity then plug it in when I get home. It sketches me out to start a ride not at full charge but I guess if the plan is only for a ride of maybe 10 miles as long as it says I have over 20 in trail mode I should just call it good and go ride.

I didn't need to use the walk mode last night but will take those hints next time I need it.

Im with ya on that. I hope the battery anxiety is just me being a newb. Hope to get a better feel for battery life. Ya just never know how much battery is needed. I could sally out on a ride or overdo it as im prone to do

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