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Mrs_oab had a lovely blue Trek Powerfly in XS for the weekend from the really helpful folks at Ticket to Ride Highlands - ebike hire Highlands. This was to start trying out bikes with a view to her buying one - and no shop has one in Small or XS that she can borrow/rent for a day locally.
This was a couple of day ROAD tour plus a couple of tracks - we cycled from Beauly to Glen Affric, had a night accommodation in the welcoming and quirky Steading Country Inn (really welcoming, very odd decor and DIY, spotlessly clean, under cover storage for bikes). We then headed down to Loch Ness at Drumnadrochit, before heading back up and over to Foxhole, Kiltarlilty Cafe and Kilmoran (lovely art gallery). All in only about 65-70 miles of pedalling.
First off: was the mountainbike on slicks the wrong tool for the job? Maybe. Try finding an XS hybrid ebike though...
Second off: riding with normal bikes, including a friend who found climbs hard work, isn't easy on an eBike. It was good when she and I sped off at a me pace....
Mrs_oab and I thoughts on it:
- way, way to powerful: she only took it out of eco mode three times - and twice was for fun... On anything more than Eco she felt it was a motorbike and 'cheating' too much.
- way, way too heavy - 24kg bike, plus 1.5kg of lock, plus 1kg charger, plus maybe 2kg of rack, panniers, lights, pedals etc...with a some things in the pannier it weighed over 32-33kg. Mrs_oab only weighs 50kg's.
- the motor (Bosch something) took a moment to kick in on eco - so making hill starts really challenging. I tried - you basically had to do a 1-2second trackstand, and then off it went.
- mrs_oab found the noise bugged her compared to her (and our) near silent normal bikes.
- MASSIVE resistance when being pedalled in non eBike mode.
- it had huge battery power. Day 1 (38 miles, 500m+ generally steady climbing) only used 2 of 5 bars. Day 2 (30 miles, 650m+ including some steep climbs, only 3 of 5 bars).
- part of the weight was huge wheels and tyres - and the rolling resistance and slowness to spin up to speed was really noticeable. It was like having glue on the tyres downhill....
- £3800 bike had £120 forks on it...and they had a lot of bushing slop.
- Maybe due to having to fit battery and motor in, maybe MTB geometry, the whole bike was longer than a normal XS Superfly - and really, really felt it. It was 'ponderous' to use and steer.
We have come away with the following learning for when we buy an ebike:
- it *has* to be lighter and lower power. This one was too much of a 'MOARRR = better' bike.
- the motor needs to disconnect properly if not on e-mode.
- the ability to either have two batteries or charge quickly would be more useful that one huge battery - and removeable battery is ace.
- it needs to be a road / track focussed flat bar hybrid.
- the colour was nice - and matched half of mrs_oab bike wardrobe 👍
(So, what bike? XS, flat bar hybrid, smaller motor which disconnects and maybe a couple of removeable batteries. Unicorn time.)
'Light' Emtb's are lower powered batteries so less range. Currently thats the thing, the batteries for more range are heavier, so thats all she wrote there.
Spec is pants, you need to spend at least a grand over that to get anything decent usually.
https://singletrackmag.com/charged/2021/04/10-of-the-lightest-emtbs-on-sale-today/
Can’t help with the choice but my Bosch Gen 4 kicks in instantly the moment you start pedalling. Also the motor isn’t that draggy when disengaged IMO. Definitely a bit but not that much…
I have concluded though that it has way too much power for the way I use it and a lighter less powerful one would be much better - trouble is I’m not convinced that anything other than a Bosch system is any good so I’m waiting before changing to something else in the hope that they get a bit better/more reliable.
‘Light’ Emtb’s are lower powered batteries so less range.
And lower powered motor it seems - so extending range by not using quite as much oomph.
Also the motor isn’t that draggy when disengaged IMO. Definitely a bit but not that much…
Interesting - this one was really noticeable and motor was still making gearbox'y noises it seemed.
Spec is pants, you need to spend at least a grand over that to get anything decent usually.
Maybe, but they we are getting into really dafty money it seems - and at that amount, no-one seems to make XS...
Ribble do a few hybrid ebikes, I think they're all rear hub motor so lighter than the full fat ebikes.
Or, look for one with the fazua system - the Boardman is decent https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/products/2326-hyb-8.9e-womens.html
I know that depending on the display you have, you can readjust the power assistance levels for each setting. I use boost(called turbo on Bosch) most of the time(360%), and get about 38 miles on it in the ride setting i mostly use.
'Tour' which offers more range is 160% assistance, so when I put in the bike to have a light fitted, I'm going to ask if they can up the power assist for tour to about 220%. Should give me enough oomph to keep me happy, plus increase the range slightly.
re the motor not disconnecting when switched off , that sounds like something is wrong. I have the same motor and mine disconnects fully, there is no drag from the motor and no whirring sounds when disconnected/off either.
A lot of people mistake the extra weight of a full fat ebike with no motor assist as thinking that the motor is dragging, but in your case if the motor was still whirring when pedalling then something is wrong there.
mine kicks in instantly regardless of what mode you are in, so I reckon something wrong with the one you hired.
Sounds like one of the lightweight ebikes might be up her street, but they're only going to be a max of ~6kg lighter than the one she hired. Dont dismiss the extra power of a full fat as un necessary based on one ride, you may find that as you start to reliase what they can do, it opens up routes where you can now climb up stuff that was only a descent on a normal bike - especially one ride with people of normal bikes - full fat bikes are completely overpowered if you're just riding at normal bike pace.
Ribble
Boardman
Neither make a bike to fit 5' tall.
Neither make a bike to fit 5′ tall.
The Boardman has reccomended sizing on the S as 147-160cm. Ribble also go down to 5ft on the size charts on the ALe?
Unless she needs different sizing to standard, in which case you'll probably have to go by what's available in such a small size.
I think there might be context missing in the OP, but in the absence of say a preceding thread, it's hard not to read that and go "why the heck does that person want an ebike?". I'm not being argumentative, I'm sure there's a good reason, but it seems like there was nothing about the "assist" that was well received!
Did the Trek not allow you to adjust the power? My Fazua allows you to set many things on a laptop or app, like the watts assistance, power matching to your input % and so on. Get a small battery system and dial the assist levels right down so it isnt too powerful? Will still be heavy (relatively) though, unless the accompanying partner kindly carries your Mega Lock for you.. 😉
[url= https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/electric-bikes/electric-city-bike/commuter-on/commuter-on-7-mid-step/2926.html?dwvar_2926_pv_rahmenfarbe=Rd ]Canyon Commuter:ON 7?[/url]
Fazua system, which is not only supposed to be virtually drag-free when off or above the limit, but the whole motor and battery can be removed if need be. Available in XS as well, recommended for under 5'2" heights.
Kinesis Range is also Fazua, "from 5' for size small". But it isn't easy being at an extreme of the size range.
Maybe, but they we are getting into really dafty money it seems
We haven't reached the levels of really dafty money yet 😆 but for perspective here you go.
https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/product/19096/2022-s-works-turbo-levo/
Mine is £5k, and I reckon what I get for that is not bad all things considered. Sure spec could be better, but take the average price for a suss frame, a semi decent fork and shock and already you're talking a lot of money, and thats before you add the motor and battery which are expensive things by themselves.
They are overpriced yes, but we've been through that argument before.
My little toy 🙂
Islabikes EJimi?
Having ridden my new ebike quite a bit in the month I’ve had it, I’d concluded that after the 15.5mph assist limit it was imposing a huge amount of drag.
However, went out on my Ripmo yesterday and as soon as the road went up the slightest amount, that draggy feeling came back and I was amazed how hard it was.
Got used to it after 30 mins or so but I believe all that has happened is I have been spoilt by just how much assistance the ebike gives, even in low power settings.
From that I think the ebike isn’t in fact applying drag, it is simply a heavier weight non assisted.
Oddly enough the ride out on my normal bike was a stronger ride than I’d managed before the ebike, so I guess longer eeb rides have improved my overall fitness. Exactly why I got the ebike so I am happy.
Islabikes EJimi?
Fashion* dictates a no from mrs_oab
I was going to suggest a Spesh Vado SL but the size chart reckons a small is 5’1” upwards. Good range available from the SL motor and 320Wh battery and a 160Wh range extender is available.
The Orbea is 'on the list'. Currently with only the Canyon.
Peering at geo charts on many smalls which claim to be down to 5'/150cm, the top tube & reach is often longer by a cm or so - and when you are that short, that is too far of an extra stretch.
but you could bring the stem in a little, perhaps?