Afternoon Ride - Taking it e-zee

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I just finished a 17.022km cycling that lasted about 0hh:51mm:29ss !

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First of all, this was an e-bike ride, so I will not claim any personal records. I was in the office for the first time this year and I thought I would try using this bike that belongs to my neighbour. He kindly lets me use it. I had previously done a shorter ride and was interested to see how viable it would be for commuting.

If you have not ridden a bike like this then it can be strange to start with. The power cuts in when you start pedalling, so you can accelerate quite quickly. I actually forgot to turn it on when I set off from home this morning and it felt okay as a regular bike, but then I turned it on and things got easier. You still have to put in some effort if you want to get up to the top speed of about 15mph. It is possible to go quicker if you pedal fast enough. You appreciate the power assist when it comes to hills. You can adjust how much power you get from the handlebar controls. Low power is useful when you have to do tricky manoeuvres, as I did on some of the Greenway where there are tight corners. You do not want the bike to race away then. The nettles and brambles are encroaching on some of the paths and I was in shorts.

So I did ride both ways, but only logged the return journey. I could do it almost as quick on a regular bike, but I would have been a lot sweatier after that. It was strange being in the office again and there were very few people there.

The bike performed well apart from when the chain came off the front sprocket as I left Stevenage. It took me a few minutes to get it back on and lifting the bike upside down for that was not easy. That was when it started to rain a bit, but it was not too bad. I think an e-bike could be a good alternative to a car for shorter commutes as long as you have somewhere safe to ride. My journey was mostly off the roads and those were not too busy.

I did not get my run today, but this cycling was a fairly good workout. I also swam a bit last night for general fitness.

Ride free and stay well.

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15 comments
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e-zee rider, riding free
you work hard to keep fit steev!

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(Edited)

I miss cycling too😆 It is way too dangerous to ride bicycles in Las Vegas anymore plus the air is horrid.

I saw someone on a much smaller version of a ebike yesterday funny enough and it was quite hilarious but kind of alluring as I just watched him cruise by without peddling.

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Well you do have to pedal on this one to get the boost, but you don't have to work quite so hard. I'm lucky to have a good route to work and I think the air is okay.

!BEER

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That is pretty awesome. I have been thinking about getting one of these for a while now, but they are pretty expensive. Probably more than I am willing to spend on a bike. I know that @ericvancewalton just picked one up and he did a lot of research on them before he made his purchase. He loves it from what I have seen!

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There seems to be a range of prices and some regular bikes can cost more than a good e-bike. My neighbour actually inherited this one from his grandfather a couple of years back. A friend who has one has had cyclists say she's 'cheating', but it's just transport. If you can do bike journeys instead of using the car then it's a win. If you live somewhere that is not totally flat then an e-bike can really extend your range.

I wonder if some of the electric car technology will filter down to make batteries lighter and more compact. I don't think bikes generally do regenerative braking, but that could extend the range a bit. The brakes on this one are quite powerful, but you have that extra weight to stop. I was travelling some rough trails and it coped well.

!BEER

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That is pretty cool. I think as long as you can shut it off I don't see the problem. Some people who might be new to cycling need that boost at the beginning. As they build strength, they should need it less and less. If you are just using it like a moped, that is fine too. You should check out the Copenhagen Wheel.

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I researched for about a year and narrowed the choices to the Aventon Level, Rad Power Bike, and VanMoof. I ended up getting the VanMoof S3 in January and am super happy with it so far. I just got the external battery accessory called the "powerbank". It extends the range to about 120 miles (between the main battery and the powerbank) on the lowest level of assist and has a top speed of around 20 mph. I've learned most brands have widespread quality control issues. Getting a good bike is basically the luck of the draw. My wife and I seem to have been lucky so far.

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I remember when I started learning how to ride bicycle it was so hard but now it looks so easy. Great one from you

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You brought back my love for cycling.
and you have a nice bike.
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Nice for a crosspost on Bikeworld! Keep rolling

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