At 82 years old and a lifelong touring cyclist I find that an e bike takes the strain out of climbing hills. All our local rides are in the Peak District where we climb 800 to 1000 feet for every 10 miles cycled We average around 12 mph and cover up to 40 miles on a ride. My e bike ( Boardman Adv gravel bike ) Has given me a new lease of life.
Great to hear I'm 29 and I love my e bike! Never a cyclist before but got sick of driving and don't cycle for a hobby just use it to get from a to b so an e bike was my choice. Plus 100 miles costs me 20p compared to £20 in the car
Question presumes that cycling HAS to be tough or difficult?! My take is that riding just has to be fun. So if an eRide adds to the fun... well, good! ;-)
I fully agree with you. And sometimes hard is fun. Living in the mountains, I have a lot of fun riding my “analog” bike. And as my wife has an e road bike, we are having fun together and this is even better. Her e bike is giving her the amount of power she needs to be able to keep my pace or even kill me in those big mountain rides. When we are riding on flats, I might ride a bit slower but I noticed that riding at lower intensity (under 150 watts) allows me to ride longer and makes me actually fitter. I improved my Vo2Max. So big thumbs up to e road bikes.
@@JogBird It all depends on your priorities and you can find cheaper and very good e road bikes. Finally, there is a second hand market that allows better pricing.
Each year when the weather gets better I get back into cycling. Having an ebike helps me get into biking shape faster as I can take longer and more difficult rides. I warm up with electric power to get to the local bike trail, and then ride with no power for as long as I can go, and then use the electric power to make it back home. I wouldn't ride as hard or as far without the electric part. Approximately 90% of my ebike riding each year is without electric power.
I think this is exactly where the Addict eRide can help. Sometimes people are put off by thinking the first rides back are going to be no fun and just all pain.
Been cycling ( and racing ) and a club member since 1950. Now 85 and the EBike is perfect. Can still ride with mates although not so fast or long. No complaints.
On some of my rides I wish I could kick in some assistance for steep climbs. Getting dropped by an e-bike seems annoying but after you ride one... ya get it 😂
For health reasons I recently was forced to keep my max bpm in the 120 range. Consequently in the hills I’d drop off the back of my group rides. We rarely go over 18 mph on the flats so my Pinarello Dyodo, which has the same motor as the Scott e Bike in this video has been perfect for me. A couple of side benefits are the disc brakes compared to my rim brakes on my other analog road bike and the Pinarello Dyodo feels more stable on the descent giving me more confidence at higher descent speeds. I’m sold.
rollerblades. do they make running TOO easy? Personally I don't care if more people are riding ebikes around rodies. I just want to see something that can convince americans to start commuting and making cities more walkable/bikeable. I want to normalize riding a bike to work
Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think a little battery support will do that. Here in Germany it's considered fairly normal to commute by bike, still, not a lot of people do it. And honestly, I get it, even though I myself do it every day, regardless of mood or weather. But you are exposed to the weather, you need a lot more time (especially if you need to shower afterwards because of the weather) and you're limited in cargo space. People love their cars because they're so convenient. You'd need to take away the convenience to popularize biking, but that would come back to bite you when for some reason you need to use a car yourself.
I think this video is correct - the secret is finding that 'sweet spot' in the level of assist. Cycling around with 250 watts of support is excessive and empties the battery quickly. To each their own, but at 74 years I find around 60 watts of support gets me out on runs and up hills when I otherwise wouldn't bother, I get a good workout, and the battery will last for 100 Km.
Centrally mounted motors seem a better idea because the load on the motor can vary with the gearing. Sympathetic use of the gears can extend range. I like the idea of an ebike: i think it would less restricting on where I go. Far too many times I go the long way to avoid a steep hill. It would also be nice to help me home when I'm knackered.
commuting to work gets hard on your 5th day if your like me and work 6 then it you arnt even fully recoverd im thinking of getting a e bike but i dont know if a proper road bike would be better
Look at 6:46, 8:13, and especially 8:32 and 8:38. He is climbing cross-shifted (largest cog but largest chain ring). Oops - obviously our of practice. I imagine that would influence the results, unless he did it the same on all three rides. BTW, I just got a Scott eRide 3 weeks ago - love it!
Emphatically No! Esp. with restricted systems, as they don't help you above 15.5mph. But they do make hills much easier. "Too easy" would be a phrase used by people who have not tried one yet.
Why put range a extender onto the bike adding needless weight on a short test loop ? That makes no sense whatsoever and defeats the whole purpose of a short test comparison. You also imply the weight at 10.5 kg but with the extender hooked up it’s probably near 12 kg Sorry , poor video chaps .
Hallo got multiple sclerosis, and bought a mountain e bike. Must say, it helped me a lot! can ride with my son again!. the biggest downside for me is on the flats. You really have to work harder because after the cutout of power, you are on your own, inthis case a giant ebike of 21kg. so my max speed avg on flats is about 25km per/h. but considering my limits. it is still fantastic! the main thing to understand is that MS limit your energy levels. so to ride 90min, is the same workout of a normal person on a normal bike.thank you for this video
Surely there has to come a time when the silly max 15.5mph motor assistance limit is removed. To give a rider the option of being able to ride at say 20mph on the flat utilising 100 watts of assisted in addition to pedal power and still have the option of using motor assistance on the toughest climbs will open up a whole new world for the ebike rider, particular the older road rider who wants to prolong their ability to ride with a group
SO get an e-bike while I'm unfit and check my heart beats in a set loop. Keep training while removing assistance till I can have an ok heartrate with no assistance?
Nice Vid. It won't be easier if you ride at the same watts it should be slightly harder as the bike is heavier and the battery cuts out once the restricted speed it met. It will be faster and faster = more fun!
I’m 55 with a dodgy ticker if I didn’t use an e-bike I wouldn’t be able to ride….it’s all about being able to ride, enjoy & keep fit…you asked the wrong question in my mind🤔
Did he do the climbs one after another? If yes: how can you deduct that an untrained cyclist "recovers slower" on the e-bike after he pushed himself to his limit once and close to it the second time?
I cycle about 60km a week. Like anything if your disciplined you can do it and get the benefits. However if you have health issues or your a bit more mature there's nothing wrong with e bikes. Enjoyment and regularity are key elements.
I love my orbea gain. I sort of wish I had a method of tuning the motor to give me the feel of a lighter normal road bike. But, it’s still fun riding it with no help.
E-bikes makes my rides more fun and doable as I'm recovering from leg and arm fractures. I used to be against e-bikes in group rides until I got injured myself...now I believe they are a good tool to use when you want to ride and have fun but your health isn't what it used to be. Short story is: e-bikes make it possible to ride with friend's who are faster and makes it very possible so I am for them in that respect.
Perfect video, thank you. Finally someone tests e road bikes. There are many interesting bikes on the market right now like, BMC, TREK, ORBEA, Wilier, Pinarello, Canyon etc but no one is reviewing them. Everybody is reviewing just eMTB bikes. It would be nice to see reviews of road and fitness ebikes. There is a huge market out there and we don't know anything about those bikes. Thank you
Maybe I missed it because I was too impatiently skipping ahead, but I did not hear power ever being noted despite installing powermeter pedals. All I heard was heartrate. It would have been good to show a table of laps with rider power, assistance power, grade, and speed up those grades. I'd like to know if a rider is doing 6 mph up a 6% grade at 160W, if he chooses level 1 assistance while maintaining constant rider power, how much power and speed does the motor provide? Level 2 and 3 as well. And then we'd like to hear a report on range for a specific long ride repeated for each assistance level with the rider holding his own power the same for each test.
I have an e bike motion bike an orbea gain. The best way to use the ebike is to ride it on lowest power setting. Then when you come to steep hills up the power to level 3. Saves the battery for long rides
How easy is it to switch between settings with only one button on the top tube on these Mahle emotion systems? Other systems have controls on the bar to raise or lower the assistance with dedicated up and down buttons.
@@justinseau very easy. Just double tap the power button and it goes up a power level. Its colour coded so you know what power setting you are on. Green level 1, orange level 2 and red is level 3 on my orbea. You can't go down from 3 to 2. So if you are in power setting 3 you double tap the button and it outs you into level 1 assist.
I am a bike messenger and normally ride a fixed gear cinelli. I just use the ebike when its windy and usually end up cycling above the power cut off at 15.5 mph. But the city I live in is very hilly and it can totally save my legs from being burnt out after 8 hours riding.
Was it ever mentioned the speed at which the ebike pedal assist cuts out? A class 1 ebike cuts out at 20 mph, so if Leon was riding faster than on the ebike that the comparison and "experiment" is rather invalid as it compares an analog bike to a heavier ebike that is not using the pedal assist. Which is to say that an analog bike weighing 18 pounds is more responsive than an ebike without pedal assist that weighs 30 pounds. No great revelation here.
This test says more about the outdated British laws surrounding ebike limits. If I was commuting 20miles everyday - one way - I might consider an ebike. However on a normal bike I can maintain a speed over 20mph. So I would want an ebike that can provide assistance above 20mph to get me to work quicker. With the current restrictions, will this really encourage more people to cycle to work long distances and replace the car for these journeys?
As standard e-bikes cut out at 25 KPH (not 20 MPH) by law, be them mountain bikes, gravel or road bikes.. most people giving it there all (on the road) for the sake a time trial (scientifically documented or not) will ride above that (25KPH or 16 MPH) so I guess that's part of the test which in this video, ultimately boils down to: how does an e-bike feel to a rider who hasn't tried out the highest end e-bike compared to a high-end analog bike which he also hasn't tried yet, having not ridden for ages.. and what we hear are his thoughts on both. It doesn't need to be a 'revelation', just simply a road test of high-end bikes by someone who is ultimately impartial and objective
@@edwardwestrop4064 I'm not familiar with your reference to refute your claim of 25 kph by law - presumably in Europe or elsewhere in the world - but in the USA Class 1 ebikes operate in pedal assist mode until 20 mph. You are welcome to check it out. No apology necessary.
E bikes are great. You can use it for fitness and transport. Go longer go easier. You don’t have to turn the motor on They need to up the limit in ebikes.20mph is more acceptable
I would not say it makes cycling too easy because each person has to know what they want to achieve. My days of trying to smash times are gone and I’ve achieved my personal goals including LE 2 JOG four times. But now I look forward to doing that challenge again but on my eBike
As I get older and my riding has changed from competitive to more relaxed, I contemplated getting an e-bike but I just wasn't sure if the benefits would cater to me. I have yet to try one to see but I am really curious. My hesitation in getting one is that I can still pedal my bike well and I'm not concerned with speed or distance anymore. So, if the assistance will only really help me on the hills or maybe a headwind, I'm not sure I need it. I was going to get one for commuting and having that assistance at the end of the day when I'm tired and just want to get home might be nice. I'm sure if I try one I'd be sold and perhaps that's why I haven't just yet. Otherwise, I'll have to get rid of another bike to make room. I still enjoy riding bikes and challenging my body to work so as of now I stay "analog".
The great thing about MAHLE is the assistance can be dialed-in to only what you desire via the input of a heart rate monitor. Doc says keep your BPM to under X? No problem, just set up the assist to kick-in when you approach that level, otherwise the ride's just like a bike that's around 3 kg heavier..not much more than the weight of the bike BigMig used to win LeTour 1994.
i use an Ebike for my Daily 30 mile commute and i 100% agree that i really feel its resistance when i go past the pedal assist and all the other non Ebike road bikes leave me behind and on the steeper hills i pass them with relatively eased effort , so i want to get a lighter road bike to try my journey on because my Ebike is 19.5 kg heavy
Some interesting observations requires answers: the ebike had an extender battery which added unnecessary weight that would add time and effort on the hill climb and the route was a relatively short one, only the internal battery was needed. The videos showed that the bike chain only in the top chain ring, would the heart rate change with a lower gear. How often did the Ebikemotion/Mahle max out the the EU speed of 15.5 kph?
You need to chip the e bike as well to take the assistance speed up over 30mph…otherwise the electric drops off at 16mph so you can’t cruise unless it’s chipped ‘allegedly’ 😈
Would have been good to see the average speed difference for the ride as well as HR Data. I can imagine he was slower on the flats due to the extra weight and resistance from the motor etc… I really notice the limit on my EMTB and find it difficult to cycle much faster than that limit on the flat (obviously it will be easier on a much lighter road EBIKE to cycle faster than the limit but I’d imagine slower than an analogue road bike…)
@@larryt.atcycleitalia5786 good to hear! I was basing my comment on my experience with an EMTB which is obviously considerable different and does get impacted by the extra weight etc. on the flat it’s difficult to cycle faster than the motors limit of 15mph
I’m 73 and decided to get an Ebike when I turned 70 , they definitely help on hills though make little or no difference on the flat or descending and the assistance cuts out at 15.5 mph
I live in a very hilly area and at 64 years old my ebike has transformed my cycling, I'm not afraid of tackling any hill, no matter how steep. Once on the flat I can still get a decent workout by simply riding faster so the assistance cuts out and I have to do all the work myself. Although my bike (Cube Kathmandu) is a lot heavier than this type of e-roadbike, it does have the advantage of being able to carry a lot of weight, so it's great for popping to the shops on as well.
I can see the appeal of an EMTB. Slogging up tough trails/fire roads to enjoy the DH. Plus MTB suspension tends to work better with the added weight and it reduces the need for shuttling. On a road bike though, just get a smaller chainring and larger cassette, and then you can modulate your effort based on your gears rather than power levels. Sometimes less is more.
Ebikes don't make anything easier. I ride much longer and I still push 150 to 750 watts depending on what I am doing. I generally only use eco and tour modes on my Domane + hp. For me, it is nice to know I can bail out of a ride with assistance to finish a ride if I am tired or sore rather than not attempt a ride to begin with if I am tired or sore.
Limiting an e-road bike to 25kph makes, in my opinion, e-road bikes near useless. It makes more sense where I live (Canada) where the limit is 32kph and even more sense in parts of the US, where the limit is somewhere around 45kph. My e-gravel bike has a 32kph limit and I find it frustrating when I'm travelling in the 30-33kph range and the motor keeps on turning off at it reaches its 32kph limit.
So who's the overlord that's qualified to tell anybody that what they're doing is too easy? The fact that the question is even asked implies that some people, in some way, think they own the sport/pastime of cycling and have the right to dictate how it's done.
I am doing 176 km in July which is the ring of Kerry in Ireland I have electric bikeand a road bike I am 70 years old I did it last year would I be better off useing the ebike or the road bike because the ebike is slightly heavier and there's about 4 hills in all.this is not a race. It is a charity cycle ride
Feeling the extra mass on a flat to me says they are still not where they need to be. It clearly needed to be harder on the hill and easier on the flat.
In my limited experience, after a few test rides, I think that the only downside to the electric road bike is when riding above the assist speed limit. On flat ground this isn't felt so much but even on a slight incline the bike feels heavier. I think this is partly down to the weight but partly down to gear selection. The assist effectively allows you to ride a higher gear than you would on a normal bike, so when the speed limit is exceeded you're suddenly in too high a gear. I can think of two solutions - 1. always ride below the assist limit 2. change down to a lower gear when passing the assist limit. Both of these will probably result in you going slower than on a normal bike on flat or slightly inclined roads. Obviously, on any significant hills ebikes are amazing and can be used to great effect to manage your heart rate within limits. Friends who normally struggle on climbs had their riding transformed by riding ebikes but definitely find it harder to to stay with a group of normal bikes when they ride over the assist speed limit, and this is worst on slight gradients. This tends to agree with what was said in the video. Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution!
I ride SO MUCH MORE on my 750w Ebike because a lot of distances are much more doable and I get there without being a mop of sweat. I don't really ever need a car except for when I need to take my family around. I even use a bike trailer more when it's just me and the kids.
Electric bikes for pure exercise make no sense to me, better to ride a shorter ride on none electric for that. However electric bikes make group riding of different abilities a lot better, and being able to ride further and explore more areas so you font get bored riding same routes is great. For me my electric ebike conversion full suspension is a great thing, I ride out far and wide without concern for hills etc and my wife joins me occasionally and I just adjust my power usage so we happily ride together getting just the right amount of exercise we want. The 15mph limit is annoying on bought bikes considering the normal bike then becomes easier to ride above that, it could be changed to limit the power to just enough to overcome the weight of the bike maybe.
@@jjayguy23 I've changed my mind after riding my ebikes some more, they keep me very fit and make it much more interesting because longer rides are possible in same time and effort as with no electric. It depends how you use them I guess.
@@FlyingFun. True! I love not getting all sweaty. I feel refreshed, and I don't have to change my clothes. I love my Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 2022, class 3 eBike. It's lots of fun.
Thank for the review , I bought the Orbea Gain steel frame bit on the heavy side but a lovely bike to ride , it’s got the tiara groupset compact chain rings and 8 speed cassette I mainly used it for work and generally going on short rides the only thing I don’t like about it is that it’s getting the tyres off the rim but apart from that I’m happy 👍
Replacement arrived!By the way, I did forget to mention that the original lure did have a decent strike however as most anglers will attest you can get a hit ruclips.net/user/postUgkxCbNOWAGmn6nfbCbJDmasvBq7J38KZNw2 and fish will hang on and release lure. I used the replacement lure yesterday and ran thru a Shimano Waxwing, Kastmaster, Bobber (set to sink). I found the does run deep (I casting on the flats 3.5'). Make sure you adjust your rate of retrieve and rod tip angle (up) to prevent getting snagged on bottom. Used it a couple of times and action was very lifelike (looked like local bait fish for trevally), craftsmanship very good....however eyeball fell out. I asked for replacement and it is on it's way! It was very easy to change out treble to single inline hook.
I'm sure the 2 people that flew by me on the bike path today had a motor because I was pedaling the max speed on my ebike and I couldn't catch up to them I almost dropped dead . They probably had a 6 or 10 k ebike . I was going 32 kmh they were doing atleast 40 kmh
You put the wrong type of person on to test the ebike. You should have put someone less fit or someone with copd like myself on it. We’re not all pretend tdf types! I ride to keep fit and help my breathing but steep hills are a real challenge and limit where I can ride. I may get an ebike when my copd gets worse. I’m 64 but I still enjoy being out and about on the bike 🚴.
A friend wants to buy this bike. He's too dumb to understand that once you get above 20 mph you're on your own. He wants it mostly because it's uber light. My e-converted bicycle with mid drive, 1500 watt motor, and a 52 volt, 21 amp hour battery will run circles around it at a fraction of the price. Even though it weighs 65 pounds, it has a superior power to weight ratio. I'll say the quiet part out loud, he doesn't want to look like he's riding an electric bike. I can tell an electric bike from mile away. The pedaling cadence is out of whack with the speed. And, frequently the rider is wearing a yellow jacket, a helmet mirror, and has really obnoxious blinkie lights front and rear, in broad daylight. Kinda' reminds of a guys with bad toupees.
I think it comes down to personal preference . I’ve started riding a Vado sl of my friend . Likes . Great in hills I like trying to get up in eco then when I feel like I’m Gona stall I can hit that assistance and get to the top and think I will get it next time Dislikes . So slow out of assistance . I I would prefer a higher limit 18-20 just so I can explore further a field with out putting it in my van . I think fitter riders that get annoyed by them should be pay more attention to climb there own ladder. I had a guy do me on a steep clim on a straight road bike and shout out go on buddy your flying whilst I was on the vado in eco till I ran out of steam before I got to the top I had to hit the trail mode to make it . More ebikes less cars as to be a good thing for everyone.
What's the point of a 25kph restricted e-road bike? A mtb makes a lot of sense but a super expensive e-road bike with that cuts out at 25kph....who buys these in the UK?
I did. I live on the coast, where there is a lot of short steep climbs(20%+), and I have no choice but to ride them to get inland and towards bigger routes. It is also normal for me to hit 1500m of climbing in about 50km if I stay close to the coast. The ebike makes these hills way more fun, and longer rides much more enjoyable because I am not in the red leaving(and returning) from home.
10.1kg for an ebike, hahaha my alloy road bike weighs 9.5kg :-D But it was only $1500, and I'm scared to even look up the price of the carbon Scott ebike.... But ebikes are brilliant. More people on bikes and less kms in cars is good stuff.
I’m not gonna lie I’m fit and healthy I haven’t got a disability and I’m not touching 90yrs old, I’m just a bit lazy when it comes to riding a bike 😂 why does it have to be hard work so got this e-bike and I’ve done 1500 in the last 7-8 months on journeys I’d normally take the car as well as the odd bike ride for the sake of it and absolutely love riding bikes again so all you e-bike haters you crack on with your sweaty painful hill climbs I’ll play football or jog to keep fit the bike is for fun and while I’m at it I’ll plug my bike cube Kathmandu hybrid one touring bike and very comfortable it is too for us lazy bastards 😁
Carbon frame makes a costly difference. Accept some 1.5-2 kg extra and you'll find several fine E-racing bikes 1200-1500€ cheaper. LaPierre, Orbea, Merida, Fuji..
@@lisette2060 just to show what a rip-off the industry is. An orbea gain m30 in the US is $4300 converted to Australian dollars is around $5800 aud. But they are trying to rip you for $7500. They wonder why people aren't buying them here.
as long as it pushes for more bike friendly infrastructure and reduces car driving at scale...who cares. if you don't want to ride an ebike than ride a regular bike.
So on the flats the problem is the restriction law? Derestrict and it becomes faster all around than a road bike. But I'm still struggling to see the point of them. Surely road cycling is a test of fitness. Using an e-bike to get 20% improvement...why, since it can only truly be compared to other users of ebikes.
All I’d say in relation to that is , and this is my personal experience- on the flats and rolling I’m riding 25- 35 kph so above the assist limit - my Bianchi is 12kg with the same motor so I’m working pretty hard keeping 12kgs moving as opposed to an 8kg bike. I’ll use assist above 6% gradient if I want , so I’m out for longer , covering more miles and getting the best out of both worlds. I guess if your pootling around at 15 to 20k with higher assist modes your not getting the same workout or levels of exercise- but they are a game changer for sure
What gets me is the mix opinions and not a lot of facts, truth is yes electric cycles are easier to ride and probably half the daily exercise if you rode a normal cycle. But do they make it to easy? That depends I am 58 year old, got Angina, haven't rode a cycle regul;ar for 22 years and weigh over 20 stone and could never see me riding a cycle again. I did try 3 years ago and it was very hard but since electric cycles have become lighter and more affordable I thought I would give one ago, so what does it mean to me? A very lot because from 12 year old to 35 year old that was all I had was a cycle, now thanks to the electric cycle I can have the feel again and go cycling each day so rather a electric cycle makes it easier is not the question for me as it makes it possible for me to cycle again, so yes well woirth it. I have had peoples say to me it is cheating it is not like riding a normal cycle, the fact is it is a normal cycle and only need to use the motor when one needs it can cycle without the motor and its only cheating if your in a race or competing against someone with a normal cycle, I don't kid myself without the electrics I wouldn't be able to cycle so to me it is like being young again. Mike
This isn’t hard enough said no one ever when they get on a bike. A century of innovations and billions of dollars weren’t employed to make cycling more challenging. With than in mind I find some people resistance to ebikes idiotic.
Totally bs test to use the Motor at 20 %. If you use it at 20 % you wont feel any help bc your bike is more heavy and the help of the hub drive just compensates the more weight you have. Just use a analog bike then. Makes more sense. Who is the genius having this idea?
@Wooly Chewbakker 20 % of 40nm is 8nm. Thats nothing. Probably even not enough to compensate the weight of the battery and hub drive. Why do you buy a ebike if you just use 20 %? Thats utterly bs.
Do it- if you haven't already. I bought an Orbea Vibe (for myself) and now let my 14-year-old cycle it with me on 30k+ loops while I ride my road bike. He loves it. Gets a great kick out of chatting away beside me going up climbs while I'm dying. On the plus side, I draft off him in headwinds.
At 82 years old and a lifelong touring cyclist I find that an e bike takes the strain out of climbing hills.
All our local rides are in the Peak District where we climb 800 to 1000 feet for every 10 miles cycled
We average around 12 mph and cover up to 40 miles on a ride. My e bike ( Boardman Adv gravel bike )
Has given me a new lease of life.
Great to hear I'm 29 and I love my e bike! Never a cyclist before but got sick of driving and don't cycle for a hobby just use it to get from a to b so an e bike was my choice. Plus 100 miles costs me 20p compared to £20 in the car
you're badass
Question presumes that cycling HAS to be tough or difficult?! My take is that riding just has to be fun. So if an eRide adds to the fun... well, good! ;-)
💯
My thought exactly.
but how will they sell $16k ebikes?
I fully agree with you. And sometimes hard is fun. Living in the mountains, I have a lot of fun riding my “analog” bike. And as my wife has an e road bike, we are having fun together and this is even better. Her e bike is giving her the amount of power she needs to be able to keep my pace or even kill me in those big mountain rides. When we are riding on flats, I might ride a bit slower but I noticed that riding at lower intensity (under 150 watts) allows me to ride longer and makes me actually fitter. I improved my Vo2Max. So big thumbs up to e road bikes.
@@JogBird It all depends on your priorities and you can find cheaper and very good e road bikes. Finally, there is a second hand market that allows better pricing.
Each year when the weather gets better I get back into cycling. Having an ebike helps me get into biking shape faster as I can take longer and more difficult rides. I warm up with electric power to get to the local bike trail, and then ride with no power for as long as I can go, and then use the electric power to make it back home. I wouldn't ride as hard or as far without the electric part. Approximately 90% of my ebike riding each year is without electric power.
I think this is exactly where the Addict eRide can help. Sometimes people are put off by thinking the first rides back are going to be no fun and just all pain.
soft as butter
Been cycling ( and racing ) and a club member since 1950. Now 85 and the EBike is perfect. Can still ride with mates although not so fast or long. No complaints.
On some of my rides I wish I could kick in some assistance for steep climbs. Getting dropped by an e-bike seems annoying but after you ride one... ya get it 😂
For health reasons I recently was forced to keep my max bpm in the 120 range. Consequently in the hills I’d drop off the back of my group rides. We rarely go over 18 mph on the flats so my Pinarello Dyodo, which has the same motor as the Scott e Bike in this video has been perfect for me. A couple of side benefits are the disc brakes compared to my rim brakes on my other analog road bike and the Pinarello Dyodo feels more stable on the descent giving me more confidence at higher descent speeds. I’m sold.
rollerblades. do they make running TOO easy?
Personally I don't care if more people are riding ebikes around rodies. I just want to see something that can convince americans to start commuting and making cities more walkable/bikeable. I want to normalize riding a bike to work
Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think a little battery support will do that. Here in Germany it's considered fairly normal to commute by bike, still, not a lot of people do it. And honestly, I get it, even though I myself do it every day, regardless of mood or weather. But you are exposed to the weather, you need a lot more time (especially if you need to shower afterwards because of the weather) and you're limited in cargo space. People love their cars because they're so convenient. You'd need to take away the convenience to popularize biking, but that would come back to bite you when for some reason you need to use a car yourself.
Why only Americans? Places like France & Spain,1/3 of the land is Vacant & the majority of the population only live in the big cities
rolling isn't running. silly comparison.
I think this video is correct - the secret is finding that 'sweet spot' in the level of assist. Cycling around with 250 watts of support is excessive and empties the battery quickly. To each their own, but at 74 years I find around 60 watts of support gets me out on runs and up hills when I otherwise wouldn't bother, I get a good workout, and the battery will last for 100 Km.
Centrally mounted motors seem a better idea because the load on the motor can vary with the gearing. Sympathetic use of the gears can extend range. I like the idea of an ebike: i think it would less restricting on where I go. Far too many times I go the long way to avoid a steep hill. It would also be nice to help me home when I'm knackered.
commuting to work gets hard on your 5th day if your like me and work 6 then it you arnt even fully recoverd im thinking of getting a e bike but i dont know if a proper road bike would be better
Look at 6:46, 8:13, and especially 8:32 and 8:38. He is climbing cross-shifted (largest cog but largest chain ring). Oops - obviously our of practice. I imagine that would influence the results, unless he did it the same on all three rides. BTW, I just got a Scott eRide 3 weeks ago - love it!
Yeah he's doing that at 3:20 on the non ebike too.
Emphatically No! Esp. with restricted systems, as they don't help you above 15.5mph. But they do make hills much easier. "Too easy" would be a phrase used by people who have not tried one yet.
Why put range a extender onto the bike adding needless weight on a short test loop ? That makes no sense whatsoever and defeats the whole purpose of a short test comparison. You also imply the weight at 10.5 kg but with the extender hooked up it’s probably near 12 kg
Sorry , poor video chaps .
Hallo got multiple sclerosis, and bought a mountain e bike. Must say, it helped me a lot! can ride with my son again!. the biggest downside for me is on the flats. You really have to work harder because after the cutout of power, you are on your own, inthis case a giant ebike of 21kg. so my max speed avg on flats is about 25km per/h. but considering my limits. it is still fantastic! the main thing to understand is that MS limit your energy levels. so to ride 90min, is the same workout of a normal person on a normal bike.thank you for this video
If the ebike gets him on the bike more then it's a win! Some bikes allow you to map assistance to heart rate, specialized and trek for example!
Surely there has to come a time when the silly max 15.5mph motor assistance limit is removed. To give a rider the option of being able to ride at say 20mph on the flat utilising 100 watts of assisted in addition to pedal power and still have the option of using motor assistance on the toughest climbs will open up a whole new world for the ebike rider, particular the older road rider who wants to prolong their ability to ride with a group
SO get an e-bike while I'm unfit and check my heart beats in a set loop. Keep training while removing assistance till I can have an ok heartrate with no assistance?
Nice Vid. It won't be easier if you ride at the same watts it should be slightly harder as the bike is heavier and the battery cuts out once the restricted speed it met. It will be faster and faster = more fun!
I’m 55 with a dodgy ticker if I didn’t use an e-bike I wouldn’t be able to ride….it’s all about being able to ride, enjoy & keep fit…you asked the wrong question in my mind🤔
Did he do the climbs one after another? If yes: how can you deduct that an untrained cyclist "recovers slower" on the e-bike after he pushed himself to his limit once and close to it the second time?
He mentioned it in the video, he said something to the effect of, "When I rode it the other day".
I’ve never even owned an analog road bike as light as 10 kg. Times have changed.
I cycle about 60km a week. Like anything if your disciplined you can do it and get the benefits. However if you have health issues or your a bit more mature there's nothing wrong with e bikes. Enjoyment and regularity are key elements.
I love my orbea gain. I sort of wish I had a method of tuning the motor to give me the feel of a lighter normal road bike. But, it’s still fun riding it with no help.
The enviolo automatiqs have blu tooth so you can adjust the cadence via an app.
E-bikes makes my rides more fun and doable as I'm recovering from leg and arm fractures. I used to be against e-bikes in group rides until I got injured myself...now I believe they are a good tool to use when you want to ride and have fun but your health isn't what it used to be. Short story is: e-bikes make it possible to ride with friend's who are faster and makes it very possible so I am for them in that respect.
Perfect video, thank you. Finally someone tests e road bikes. There are many interesting bikes on the market right now like, BMC, TREK, ORBEA, Wilier, Pinarello, Canyon etc but no one is reviewing them. Everybody is reviewing just eMTB bikes. It would be nice to see reviews of road and fitness ebikes. There is a huge market out there and we don't know anything about those bikes.
Thank you
Could you tell us the times recorded in each bike for the same lap?
Maybe I missed it because I was too impatiently skipping ahead, but I did not hear power ever being noted despite installing powermeter pedals. All I heard was heartrate. It would have been good to show a table of laps with rider power, assistance power, grade, and speed up those grades. I'd like to know if a rider is doing 6 mph up a 6% grade at 160W, if he chooses level 1 assistance while maintaining constant rider power, how much power and speed does the motor provide? Level 2 and 3 as well. And then we'd like to hear a report on range for a specific long ride repeated for each assistance level with the rider holding his own power the same for each test.
I have an e bike motion bike an orbea gain. The best way to use the ebike is to ride it on lowest power setting. Then when you come to steep hills up the power to level 3. Saves the battery for long rides
How easy is it to switch between settings with only one button on the top tube on these Mahle emotion systems? Other systems have controls on the bar to raise or lower the assistance with dedicated up and down buttons.
@@justinseau very easy. Just double tap the power button and it goes up a power level. Its colour coded so you know what power setting you are on. Green level 1, orange level 2 and red is level 3 on my orbea. You can't go down from 3 to 2. So if you are in power setting 3 you double tap the button and it outs you into level 1 assist.
I am a bike messenger and normally ride a fixed gear cinelli. I just use the ebike when its windy and usually end up cycling above the power cut off at 15.5 mph. But the city I live in is very hilly and it can totally save my legs from being burnt out after 8 hours riding.
Was it ever mentioned the speed at which the ebike pedal assist cuts out? A class 1 ebike cuts out at 20 mph, so if Leon was riding faster than on the ebike that the comparison and "experiment" is rather invalid as it compares an analog bike to a heavier ebike that is not using the pedal assist. Which is to say that an analog bike weighing 18 pounds is more responsive than an ebike without pedal assist that weighs 30 pounds. No great revelation here.
This test says more about the outdated British laws surrounding ebike limits.
If I was commuting 20miles everyday - one way - I might consider an ebike. However on a normal bike I can maintain a speed over 20mph. So I would want an ebike that can provide assistance above 20mph to get me to work quicker.
With the current restrictions, will this really encourage more people to cycle to work long distances and replace the car for these journeys?
As standard e-bikes cut out at 25 KPH (not 20 MPH) by law, be them mountain bikes, gravel or road bikes.. most people giving it there all (on the road) for the sake a time trial (scientifically documented or not) will ride above that (25KPH or 16 MPH) so I guess that's part of the test which in this video, ultimately boils down to: how does an e-bike feel to a rider who hasn't tried out the highest end e-bike compared to a high-end analog bike which he also hasn't tried yet, having not ridden for ages.. and what we hear are his thoughts on both. It doesn't need to be a 'revelation', just simply a road test of high-end bikes by someone who is ultimately impartial and objective
@@edwardwestrop4064 I'm not familiar with your reference to refute your claim of 25 kph by law - presumably in Europe or elsewhere in the world - but in the USA Class 1 ebikes operate in pedal assist mode until 20 mph. You are welcome to check it out. No apology necessary.
Is the only way to adjust the power by using the phone or can you adjust the power while riding?
Would the weight difference have been less of a factor without the extended range battery on board?
E bikes are great. You can use it for fitness and transport. Go longer go easier.
You don’t have to turn the motor on
They need to up the limit in ebikes.20mph is more acceptable
I would not say it makes cycling too easy because each person has to know what they want to achieve. My days of trying to smash times are gone and I’ve achieved my personal goals including LE 2 JOG four times. But now I look forward to doing that challenge again but on my eBike
Is that a MAHLE ebike system ?
On almost all e bikes I have found a bit of drag from the rear motor
Also, why is he riding with the weight of the extra battery extender? That doesn't make sense.
Very good informativ video about E-bike! Cykling Weekly do it great as always!
As I get older and my riding has changed from competitive to more relaxed, I contemplated getting an e-bike but I just wasn't sure if the benefits would cater to me. I have yet to try one to see but I am really curious. My hesitation in getting one is that I can still pedal my bike well and I'm not concerned with speed or distance anymore. So, if the assistance will only really help me on the hills or maybe a headwind, I'm not sure I need it. I was going to get one for commuting and having that assistance at the end of the day when I'm tired and just want to get home might be nice. I'm sure if I try one I'd be sold and perhaps that's why I haven't just yet. Otherwise, I'll have to get rid of another bike to make room. I still enjoy riding bikes and challenging my body to work so as of now I stay "analog".
The great thing about MAHLE is the assistance can be dialed-in to only what you desire via the input of a heart rate monitor. Doc says keep your BPM to under X? No problem, just set up the assist to kick-in when you approach that level, otherwise the ride's just like a bike that's around 3 kg heavier..not much more than the weight of the bike BigMig used to win LeTour 1994.
i use an Ebike for my Daily 30 mile commute and i 100% agree that i really feel its resistance when i go past the pedal assist and all the other non Ebike road bikes leave me behind and on the steeper hills i pass them with relatively eased effort , so i want to get a lighter road bike to try my journey on because my Ebike is 19.5 kg heavy
Some interesting observations requires answers: the ebike had an extender battery which added unnecessary weight that would add time and effort on the hill climb and the route was a relatively short one, only the internal battery was needed. The videos showed that the bike chain only in the top chain ring, would the heart rate change with a lower gear. How often did the Ebikemotion/Mahle max out the the EU speed of 15.5 kph?
You need to chip the e bike as well to take the assistance speed up over 30mph…otherwise the electric drops off at 16mph so you can’t cruise unless it’s chipped ‘allegedly’ 😈
Would have been good to see the average speed difference for the ride as well as HR Data. I can imagine he was slower on the flats due to the extra weight and resistance from the motor etc… I really notice the limit on my EMTB and find it difficult to cycle much faster than that limit on the flat (obviously it will be easier on a much lighter road EBIKE to cycle faster than the limit but I’d imagine slower than an analogue road bike…)
On the flats extra weight doesn't mean much and the motor offers almost no resistance, so?
@@larryt.atcycleitalia5786 good to hear! I was basing my comment on my experience with an EMTB which is obviously considerable different and does get impacted by the extra weight etc. on the flat it’s difficult to cycle faster than the motors limit of 15mph
Should off asked the guy which one he'd of had! But besides that thanks for such a great video:) Love down to earth consumer based videos.
I’m 73 and decided to get an Ebike when I turned 70 , they definitely help on hills though make little or no difference on the flat or descending and the assistance cuts out at 15.5 mph
I live in a very hilly area and at 64 years old my ebike has transformed my cycling, I'm not afraid of tackling any hill, no matter how steep. Once on the flat I can still get a decent workout by simply riding faster so the assistance cuts out and I have to do all the work myself. Although my bike (Cube Kathmandu) is a lot heavier than this type of e-roadbike, it does have the advantage of being able to carry a lot of weight, so it's great for popping to the shops on as well.
I can see the appeal of an EMTB. Slogging up tough trails/fire roads to enjoy the DH. Plus MTB suspension tends to work better with the added weight and it reduces the need for shuttling. On a road bike though, just get a smaller chainring and larger cassette, and then you can modulate your effort based on your gears rather than power levels. Sometimes less is more.
Great Video!
Curious if there was any top speed performance difference between the two?
Why add the extra weight of 1.6kg with the range extender, for just over a 5 mile ride?
Analogue bike 😂 interestimg description.
I wonder if in 20 years ebikes will be as light as modern non ebikes? The way tech is wouldn't be surprised
It's not necessarily about being easy but more about making cycling possible.
Ebikes don't make anything easier. I ride much longer and I still push 150 to 750 watts depending on what I am doing. I generally only use eco and tour modes on my Domane + hp. For me, it is nice to know I can bail out of a ride with assistance to finish a ride if I am tired or sore rather than not attempt a ride to begin with if I am tired or sore.
It makes it a lot easier if you use the same effort as with a non-elektric bike.
What pant/trousers is the host wearing?
Limiting an e-road bike to 25kph makes, in my opinion, e-road bikes near useless. It makes more sense where I live (Canada) where the limit is 32kph and even more sense in parts of the US, where the limit is somewhere around 45kph.
My e-gravel bike has a 32kph limit and I find it frustrating when I'm travelling in the 30-33kph range and the motor keeps on turning off at it reaches its 32kph limit.
Agree with you - but that’s the law in Europe:
For everything >25kmh you need a registration of the bike and a valid driving license
Useless until the bikes weigh less than 10 kg. Then you can easily reach high speeds when the motor turns off.
So who's the overlord that's qualified to tell anybody that what they're doing is too easy? The fact that the question is even asked implies that some people, in some way, think they own the sport/pastime of cycling and have the right to dictate how it's done.
I am doing 176 km in July which is the ring of Kerry in Ireland I have electric bikeand a road bike I am 70 years old I did it last year would I be better off useing the ebike or the road bike because the ebike is slightly heavier and there's about 4 hills in all.this is not a race. It is a charity cycle ride
My aluminium Scott Speedster disc 10 is 10kg, but it is also 1400 euros, 7 times cheaper
Feeling the extra mass on a flat to me says they are still not where they need to be. It clearly needed to be harder on the hill and easier on the flat.
In my limited experience, after a few test rides, I think that the only downside to the electric road bike is when riding above the assist speed limit. On flat ground this isn't felt so much but even on a slight incline the bike feels heavier. I think this is partly down to the weight but partly down to gear selection. The assist effectively allows you to ride a higher gear than you would on a normal bike, so when the speed limit is exceeded you're suddenly in too high a gear. I can think of two solutions - 1. always ride below the assist limit 2. change down to a lower gear when passing the assist limit. Both of these will probably result in you going slower than on a normal bike on flat or slightly inclined roads. Obviously, on any significant hills ebikes are amazing and can be used to great effect to manage your heart rate within limits. Friends who normally struggle on climbs had their riding transformed by riding ebikes but definitely find it harder to to stay with a group of normal bikes when they ride over the assist speed limit, and this is worst on slight gradients. This tends to agree with what was said in the video. Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution!
@Wooly Chewbakker Yes - a regular pedal bike without a motor.
I wonder if it was more difficult on the flat or undulations from 2kg or partly just your brain was calibrated for the boost so it felt more effort?
Rear tyre of the ebike was soft, done my head in every time I seen it
Probably made worse with weight of motor
Next episode, addict motorbike test... with 150cc engine 😁😜🛵🏍️
Max heart rate would be 80bpm
I would like to know if the fazua drive is easier on the flats when u r over speed limit
I own a Canyon equipped with Fazua and I confirm that it's easy to reach and maintain the 30 kph after the assistance finish at 25 kph.
why the battery extender for the test?
I ride SO MUCH MORE on my 750w Ebike because a lot of distances are much more doable and I get there without being a mop of sweat. I don't really ever need a car except for when I need to take my family around.
I even use a bike trailer more when it's just me and the kids.
Electric bikes for pure exercise make no sense to me, better to ride a shorter ride on none electric for that.
However electric bikes make group riding of different abilities a lot better, and being able to ride further and explore more areas so you font get bored riding same routes is great.
For me my electric ebike conversion full suspension is a great thing, I ride out far and wide without concern for hills etc and my wife joins me occasionally and I just adjust my power usage so we happily ride together getting just the right amount of exercise we want.
The 15mph limit is annoying on bought bikes considering the normal bike then becomes easier to ride above that, it could be changed to limit the power to just enough to overcome the weight of the bike maybe.
I burned about 1300 calories on a 90 minute eBike ride yesterday. I’m very happy with eBike fitness.
@@jjayguy23 I've changed my mind after riding my ebikes some more, they keep me very fit and make it much more interesting because longer rides are possible in same time and effort as with no electric.
It depends how you use them I guess.
@@FlyingFun. True! I love not getting all sweaty. I feel refreshed, and I don't have to change my clothes. I love my Specialized Turbo Vado 4.0 2022, class 3 eBike. It's lots of fun.
The climb could'nt have been that steep as the rider was in the big ring! Good footage though.. thanks
Thank for the review , I bought the Orbea Gain steel frame bit on the heavy side but a lovely bike to ride , it’s got the tiara groupset compact chain rings and 8 speed cassette I mainly used it for work and generally going on short rides the only thing I don’t like about it is that it’s getting the tyres off the rim but apart from that I’m happy 👍
Here in Pittsburgh we have serious hills, I wouldn’t be able to ride if I didn’t splurge on the ebike.
Replacement arrived!By the way, I did forget to mention that the original lure did have a decent strike however as most anglers will attest you can get a hit ruclips.net/user/postUgkxCbNOWAGmn6nfbCbJDmasvBq7J38KZNw2 and fish will hang on and release lure. I used the replacement lure yesterday and ran thru a Shimano Waxwing, Kastmaster, Bobber (set to sink). I found the does run deep (I casting on the flats 3.5'). Make sure you adjust your rate of retrieve and rod tip angle (up) to prevent getting snagged on bottom. Used it a couple of times and action was very lifelike (looked like local bait fish for trevally), craftsmanship very good....however eyeball fell out. I asked for replacement and it is on it's way! It was very easy to change out treble to single inline hook.
Fair play to you, as your 100% right 😊thanks
Dura Ace on an E-bike? Crazy.
I'm sure the 2 people that flew by me on the bike path today had a motor because I was pedaling the max speed on my ebike and I couldn't catch up to them I almost dropped dead . They probably had a 6 or 10 k ebike . I was going 32 kmh they were doing atleast 40 kmh
He's full on cross-chaining at 8:53
My Ebike has made riding so much more enjoyable. I can go 10mph or 30 for longer distances.
You put the wrong type of person on to test the ebike. You should have put someone less fit or someone with copd like myself on it. We’re not all pretend tdf types! I ride to keep fit and help my breathing but steep hills are a real challenge and limit where I can ride. I may get an ebike when my copd gets worse. I’m 64 but I still enjoy being out and about on the bike 🚴.
That’s exactly what I did, Steve. I now ride far more often and far longer distances. I drive less now, too. Better for me; better for everyone else.
What ebike did you get and is it any good? Thanks.
@@stevetee4145 a Trek DS+. I had a Trek DS before, so it’s close to the unassisted bike I was used to, but the hills are all gone.
Scott eRide so cool!!! Want try!
you forgot to tell us the elapsed time for each ride, just asking a guy how he felt tells us nothing, DATA please
thanks
I have the Canyon Grail AL if I could afford the ON I think I’d get rid of my car as it would do almost everything I need
Some just don’t get it. As Greg LeMond once said, “It never gets easier, you just go faster.”
Why do cycling mags keep pushing these expensive and high profit margin products that assist people to ride in circles to get fit ???!
A friend wants to buy this bike. He's too dumb to understand that once you get above 20 mph you're on your own. He wants it mostly because it's uber light. My e-converted bicycle with mid drive, 1500 watt motor, and a 52 volt, 21 amp hour battery will run circles around it at a fraction of the price. Even though it weighs 65 pounds, it has a superior power to weight ratio. I'll say the quiet part out loud, he doesn't want to look like he's riding an electric bike. I can tell an electric bike from mile away. The pedaling cadence is out of whack with the speed. And, frequently the rider is wearing a yellow jacket, a helmet mirror, and has really obnoxious blinkie lights front and rear, in broad daylight. Kinda' reminds of a guys with bad toupees.
I think it comes down to personal preference . I’ve started riding a Vado sl of my friend . Likes . Great in hills I like trying to get up in eco then when I feel like I’m Gona stall I can hit that assistance and get to the top and think I will get it next time
Dislikes . So slow out of assistance . I I would prefer a higher limit 18-20 just so I can explore further a field with out putting it in my van . I think fitter riders that get annoyed by them should be pay more attention to climb there own ladder. I had a guy do me on a steep clim on a straight road bike and shout out go on buddy your flying whilst I was on the vado in eco till I ran out of steam before I got to the top I had to hit the trail mode to make it . More ebikes less cars as to be a good thing for everyone.
What's the point of a 25kph restricted e-road bike? A mtb makes a lot of sense but a super expensive e-road bike with that cuts out at 25kph....who buys these in the UK?
I did. I live on the coast, where there is a lot of short steep climbs(20%+), and I have no choice but to ride them to get inland and towards bigger routes. It is also normal for me to hit 1500m of climbing in about 50km if I stay close to the coast. The ebike makes these hills way more fun, and longer rides much more enjoyable because I am not in the red leaving(and returning) from home.
Fair play, certainly great for climbing. Still...a bit of a shame we don't get the 40kph limit here
Me. It turns the UK into the Netherlands in terms of terrain. Next we need their biking infrastructure.
Why can’t they change the top speed to 30mph?
10.1kg for an ebike, hahaha my alloy road bike weighs 9.5kg :-D But it was only $1500, and I'm scared to even look up the price of the carbon Scott ebike....
But ebikes are brilliant. More people on bikes and less kms in cars is good stuff.
I have never heard of an e-bike coming in at 22 pounds
I have a bianchi aria e bike and its one of the lightest at 27 pounds
If the battery is in the downtube (stated in video), what is that huge bottle type thing on the seat tube?
Its a 2nd battery to extend the range
I’m not gonna lie I’m fit and healthy I haven’t got a disability and I’m not touching 90yrs old, I’m just a bit lazy when it comes to riding a bike 😂 why does it have to be hard work so got this e-bike and I’ve done 1500 in the last 7-8 months on journeys I’d normally take the car as well as the odd bike ride for the sake of it and absolutely love riding bikes again so all you e-bike haters you crack on with your sweaty painful hill climbs I’ll play football or jog to keep fit the bike is for fun and while I’m at it I’ll plug my bike cube Kathmandu hybrid one touring bike and very comfortable it is too for us lazy bastards 😁
Still far far too expensive atm. Us mere mortals don't have 5/7 grand to spend on a bike like this
Ribble have a great E Bike that is a fraction of those prices
Yep. That bike here in Australia is 12k AUD.
Carbon frame makes a costly difference. Accept some 1.5-2 kg extra and you'll find several fine E-racing bikes 1200-1500€ cheaper.
LaPierre, Orbea, Merida, Fuji..
@@lisette2060 just to show what a rip-off the industry is. An orbea gain m30 in the US is $4300 converted to Australian dollars is around $5800 aud.
But they are trying to rip you for $7500. They wonder why people aren't buying them here.
as long as it pushes for more bike friendly infrastructure and reduces car driving at scale...who cares. if you don't want to ride an ebike than ride a regular bike.
Do they (ebikes) make cycling too easy?
NO...they make it possible.
I would say easy. You barely have to so anything. It will do the work for you.
Isn't E biking And non E biking just two different activities, at least they should be considered so.
So on the flats the problem is the restriction law? Derestrict and it becomes faster all around than a road bike. But I'm still struggling to see the point of them. Surely road cycling is a test of fitness. Using an e-bike to get 20% improvement...why, since it can only truly be compared to other users of ebikes.
All I’d say in relation to that is , and this is my personal experience- on the flats and rolling I’m riding 25- 35 kph so above the assist limit - my Bianchi is 12kg with the same motor so I’m working pretty hard keeping 12kgs moving as opposed to an 8kg bike. I’ll use assist above 6% gradient if I want , so I’m out for longer , covering more miles and getting the best out of both worlds. I guess if your pootling around at 15 to 20k with higher assist modes your not getting the same workout or levels of exercise- but they are a game changer for sure
What gets me is the mix opinions and not a lot of facts, truth is yes electric cycles are easier to ride and probably half the daily exercise if you rode a normal cycle. But do they make it to easy? That depends I am 58 year old, got Angina, haven't rode a cycle regul;ar for 22 years and weigh over 20 stone and could never see me riding a cycle again. I did try 3 years ago and it was very hard but since electric cycles have become lighter and more affordable I thought I would give one ago, so what does it mean to me? A very lot because from 12 year old to 35 year old that was all I had was a cycle, now thanks to the electric cycle I can have the feel again and go cycling each day so rather a electric cycle makes it easier is not the question for me as it makes it possible for me to cycle again, so yes well woirth it. I have had peoples say to me it is cheating it is not like riding a normal cycle, the fact is it is a normal cycle and only need to use the motor when one needs it can cycle without the motor and its only cheating if your in a race or competing against someone with a normal cycle, I don't kid myself without the electrics I wouldn't be able to cycle so to me it is like being young again. Mike
For me personally I can say "yes" e-bikes are too easy. But that's just me.
Unless your in the United States and the limit is higher:)
Great story plot.
This isn’t hard enough said no one ever when they get on a bike. A century of innovations and billions of dollars weren’t employed to make cycling more challenging. With than in mind I find some people resistance to ebikes idiotic.
Exactly.
Who cares!? Ride whatever you want to. Enjoy!
Totally bs test to use the Motor at 20 %. If you use it at 20 % you wont feel any help bc your bike is more heavy and the help of the hub drive just compensates the more weight you have. Just use a analog bike then. Makes more sense. Who is the genius having this idea?
@Wooly Chewbakker 20 % of 40nm is 8nm. Thats nothing. Probably even not enough to compensate the weight of the battery and hub drive. Why do you buy a ebike if you just use 20 %? Thats utterly bs.
Thinking of getting my wife an e bike so she can ride with me on my road bike. She has knee and hip replacement and can’t ride a regular bike.
Do it- if you haven't already. I bought an Orbea Vibe (for myself) and now let my 14-year-old cycle it with me on 30k+ loops while I ride my road bike. He loves it. Gets a great kick out of chatting away beside me going up climbs while I'm dying. On the plus side, I draft off him in headwinds.