[Closed] E bike commute = no shower required?

Yes. This is one of the (many) reasons I have an ebike commuter. Plus the ability to do at least 15mph regardless of topography, thus reducing commuting time. And the ability to commute in my work clothes without having to change. I could go on....!

Depends how much you sweat, it's still going to be an hour of pedalling.

I have a little Orbea town ebike (Katu 50) - small wheels and front hub motor by Bafang. It doesn't deliver power like an eMTB where more pedal-push = more e-push. On this you can just sit back and slowly turn the pedals with next to no force and it zips along.
Effortless. Was only about £1000 new.

I used to use my ebike for this exactly .

Getting to work when I knew I had client meetings on. Could cruise past all the traffic to where I was going without being all sweaty when I got to the other end.

Another plus for a non torque sensing motor.

Mines a mid mounted bafang. Soft pedal and it goes full assistance.

“I guess it depends on how much effort you put in/how much assist you use”

This. I’ve only ridden my Levo but on Turbo mode it goes fairly fast with not much effort on the flat - I usually pedal it to beyond the limiter because my commute is short and I’m impatient and don’t care about getting hot and want to maintain my fitness but it doesn’t go all that much slower if I chill out.

Absolutely it would. If you have the Bosch one for example with several assist modes and you use "Turbo" mode you get full assistance regardless of the amount of pedal effort you apply. You still have to turn the pedals obviously so there is some effort but its no more than back pedalling would be, ie zero resistance. On a Bosch Gen4 motor you basically get 340% additional power in Turbo mode - capped at 15.5 mph. TBH you would most likely get away with riding it in "Tour" or "eMTB", the latter will give you a gradual increase in the amount of assistance up to the full 340% depending how hard you pedal. If it really is completely flat then I suspect even "Eco" might be an option (I can do 100 miles flat riding in Eco mode on mine). If you rode it there and back in Turbo mode my guess is you'd need to charge every day or get an additional battery pack. Bosch do one that attaches to the bike to increase range - prob need to check which bikes support this though. I could definitely do 14 miles of gentle pedalling without needing a shower in Eco mode on mine. If I had my work gear on though I might get hot just because of that in Eco so Tour might be best.

Yep!

I’ve a Ribble CGR e and commuting on it is brill. It’s about 20km in each direction. It’s not necessarily any quicker compared to going unassisted but you can simply cruise along with less effort.

I’ll still have a “festival shower” though, a quick wipe down with some baby wipes.

Sounds like it is doable then and it wasn’t a daft topic after all!
something for me to give some thought to.
I’m not that clued up on bikes. Best Motors etc ... I’d need to research.
I seen that Ribble Hybrid and thought it looked ideal.
Out of interest - Any bikes you’d recommend ? I’d want a flat barred commuter with a rear rack. Preferably <£2000 !

I have given up showering after my normal 8 mile commute. It takes me about 30mins, so would be right on the threshold for ebike assistance. I sometimes burn up on entering the warm (hot) building, but let my temperature stabilise, then change into my work clothes. I have towel in case I need a quick wash, but I never do. (Do it that is, not need it).

No way.
We’re constantly told you work just as hard on an eBike as a normal bike and you’d definitely be sweaty from 16 miles on normal bike...

No way.
We’re constantly told you work just as hard on an eBike as a normal bike and you’d definitely be sweaty from 16 miles on normal bike…

You have much greater choice around how hard you work on an ebike. That’s the beauty of them. You can turn the motor off altogether if you want. Absolute game changer for me. I’ve lost 2 stone and reversed my diabetes thanks to an ebike. 🙂

Entirely possible, on an ebike same as a clockwork bike you can put in 10% effort or 100% effort, its just you get that effort amplified by the motor.

Yep. no shower required. I used to have a shimano powered tourer but it had many failures and support was poor with 6 month waits for parts. when the motor failed for the third time I bought a basic orbea Katu town bike and fitted a Bafang kit. Its pedal sensor broke recently but was replaced for free within 4 days. I recommend Bafang or Bosch which has service kits for a reliable commuter. For 16 miles I'd want a big wheel tho!

100%
I use my Vitus Mach-E to ride the very hilly 11 miles to work. Same effort as a brisk walk. I arrive at work fresh and ready to go 🙂

Tend to use it as a workout on the way home. Win / win.

I found I still did. But then I found it difficult not to pedal hard uphills even with the electric motor flat out

You'll need a shower unless you can make the bike go without pedalling...

We’re constantly told you work just as hard on an eBike as a normal bike and you’d definitely be sweaty from 16 miles on normal bike…

In terms of effort you are usually in control of how much work you put in (except on techy steep climbs where max effort is generally required). I find it like a spin bike - where you control the effective resistance- there are people in my spin class who don't get a sweat on at all (as they are literally just 'spinning' whereas others put max effort in and are a sweaty mess with a small puddle on the floor at the end!

“ We’re constantly told you work just as hard on an eBike as a normal bike and you’d definitely be sweaty from 16 miles on normal bike…”

As the post above mine says, riding an ebike the effort you put in is like going to the gym. It’s completely down to the rider. I used to pedal softer on my ebike commute (and wear another layer) because I was going to the gym most days and on a proper MTB ride once a week, and my legs needed an easier time. At the moment the gym is shut and I’m not getting to MTB much due to other life pressures, so I’m pedalling hard whenever I commute. Same bike, also on max assistance.

Yeah. Knee-jerk "we're not just lazy" defensive response from ebikers.

Maybe you're all the 1 in 10,000 people who choose to work your nuts off on a ebike. The rest of the planet uses them in the manner they are designed - speed-restricted electric motorbikes.

Yesterday's ride with my e-'assisted' friend, who hasn't ridden in two years due to gout, his epic fatness, heart disease and other disabilities confirmed that (once again). I was shagged, he said he could have held his breath of all of the hills...

Still, better than cars...

E-bike conversion kits make sense for commuting. You can convert your bike to a rear hub motor for less than £500. No need to go for anything illegal. However I would remove the speed restrictions so you get assistance up to 20 (at your own risk!).

Hub drives are more reliable than mid drive, and of course add no extra wear to the drive train.

Maybe you’re all the 1 in 10,000 people who choose to work your nuts off on a ebike. The rest of the planet uses them in the manner they are designed – speed-restricted electric motorbikes.

or the less attention grabbing version of that tripe is that by using my ebike to commute (when that was possible) guaranteed I didn't go to client meetings sweaty but also allowed me to have a z2 recovery ride on the way to work and graft my set on the way home.

Its not binary.

 

Maybe you’re all the 1 in 10,000 people who choose to work your nuts off on a ebike. The rest of the planet uses them in the manner they are designed – speed-restricted electric motorbikes.

eh?

Would the pedal assist speed restriction not just be annoying on a purely flat commute?

Thought it was pretty clear @oceanskipper - they're absolutely fantastic alternative communters to cars and trad. motorbikes because they get people to work without the unavoidable physical exertion of a bicycle.

They're literally designed so you can avoid some physical exertion. That's the only reason for their existence. That is what the motor is for.

Which makes them fantastic commuter bikes for people who don't want to exert themselves 🙂

You can go faster if you like you just get no assistance. Tbh I sometimes don’t even notice when the assistance stops. Once you’ve got momentum etc...

It often wasn't the stench that made me get changed after my 10 mile commute on a normal bike, it was the filthy/wet clothes.

@aidy that's a fair point - the restriction will be annoying for anyone who wishes to avoid physical exertion.

Singles speed and hub motor might be good combo, stops you trying to go to fast and getting sweaty but motor to help on hills.

@chevychase you were A LOT funnier in national lampoon's

Keep mulling this myself as have a hilly 15 mile commute and some days I just can't be arsed, would so it a lot more on an ebike I reckon. Quite fancied to look of the orbea assisted road bikes as a compromise as they had a bit less grunt, butayybe enough to stop me being put off by the big climb at the end of my run, not so good for turning up completely unflustered though

@chevychase you were A LOT funnier in national lampoon’s

😂

As long as you don't have a backpack on, as your back will sweat, remember it's over 12 months so easy in winter to do a no shower run, but in 25 degree summer days it'll be harder, it'll also be pretty hard to switch between doing your commute and doing normal stuff at weekends, such a gap in riding will have an effect i'd guess, plus a shower at work is a good way just to refresh and wake up, an hour on the bike will give you some aches at least!

“ You’ll need a shower unless you can make the bike go without pedalling…”

This is complete bollocks. I’ve cycled to work on most of my commuting days since 2001. I’ve never had a shower at work. And my wife has a very sensitive nose and is only too keen to tell me if there are odour issues (a lot of white vinegar gets used on my MTB/sports wear!)

I guess it depends on speed and distance. Mine’s 18 miles and 1500ft of climbing each way. That’s about 50mins, but a shower is required.

I don’t see a shower as a problem, you’d need one at home anyway, so there’s no time lost to it.

“I don’t see a shower as a problem, you’d need one at home anyway, so there’s no time lost to it.”

It is if there isn’t a shower at work!

I’m pretty certain it doesn’t just depend on speed and distance but also physiology, weather and clothing.