[Closed] Hike a e-bike anyone?

Yeah I took an Ebike up Skiddaw from Keswick, hired from Keswick bikes it was a trek powerfly. There wasn't much need for shouldering on the made up path but there is some rocky parts. There is a walk feature where the wheels turn at a slow speed by themselves but you have to hold the button down so it's a bit annoying.

Man up. 😋

I've been known to do this over Rannoch Moor...

Have hiked a bike up coniston, sty head and other similar hills - Bike laden with bike packing equipement probably weighs the same as an e-bike.

Matt - but you are special! Taking a canoe for a walk is even more soul destroying than taking a bike for a walk

Our old freeride bikes weighed the same as ebikes and did loads of hike a bike in Canada and the alps

Just engage smug(walk) mode as you stroll past your non ebike friends heaving theirs up the hill.
A friend did this and only needed to man handle it a couple of times on the four passes loop from honister slate mine, a notorious hike a bike route.
We were convinced beforehand he'd be cursing his choice of bike that day. We were wrong 😂

matt_outandabout

I’ve been known to do this over Rannoch Moor…

Would have nailed the HT550 this year with that setup... 🙂

interested!

I did this with Mark from the mag and Nick Craig at the end of April. Four passes route. You can read about it in an upcoming issue of the mag.

I really enjoyed it. Mark - not so much. It makes some things easier and some things harder.

It is a different challenge from normal missions.

If you don't like hike a bike, there is a good chance you would hate it with an e bike.

Richard, what does your Stooge weigh full kit wet?

Sanny, I heard Mark was a broken man at Black Sails hut?!

I have a Levo. Real hike-a-bike would get very wearing very quickly. A stile over a deer-fence is a challenge. I reckon I could just about manage 3 in a row, but 5 would defeat me. The bike is heavy and awkward to lift/carry. Walk assist is OK, but on my Levo, temperamental. Catch the pedals or look at it in the wrong way and it cuts out.

Pushing is fine. Lifting over things is hard. Hike-a-bike is impossible. That’s my experience from someone who does quite a lot of hour plus hike-a-bikes with normal bikes!

And agreed on the walk mode! Works sometimes if you are in the perfect gear and you don’t breathe on it wrong!!

We did Nan beild the other week and watched as two ebikers sailed past us on the climb up to Gatesgarth. We passed them climbing up to Small Water with the bikes on their back. They only managed about 10 mins carrying and had to stop for ages to recover.

Probably down to how fit / strong you are.

Just need to think about the route a bit more, there's so many climbs in the Lakes that an ebike would get you up no probs - Skiddaw, Helvellyn, Walna, High st, Wharnscale, Yoke/ill bell, Coledale to name but a few.

Tom - I was only saying at weekend that I'd be interested in hiring one to see how many laps of Keppel Cove/Sticks pass could be done on 1 charge - got to be honest tho, you don't come across as an e-bike guy - are you really thinking about one?

I'd be surprised if you got more than 2 runs up Keppel on one charge, You'll be fresh as paint for the descent mind.

Mark was indeed in a tired state.

Black Sail was really tough for him. Nick and I ended up taking turns to carry his e bike up as well as our own.

He loved the descent down to Wasdale but Styhead was a pass too far. The gradient is pretty good for riding but the trail is so loose and rocky that getting traction was an exercise in frustration at times.

I'll be honest. I had a brilliant day out but then I am used to carrying a steel fat bike on mountain adventures so the e bike didn't feel as big a jump in terms of weight. Impossible? Nah! We proved it wasn't.

Would I do it again? Yes I would but I would make no effort to save the power. We all had loads left at the end of the ride.

It was a great adventure to explore the strengths and weaknesses of e bikes.

What I missed was not the light weight of a normal bike on the hike a bike sections but the lack of heft on technical descents. E bikes are a very different beast on the downs and I reckon I need more pilot hours to get the best out of one.

A few weeks later I was up Binnean Mor for a Canyon Bikes piece. Hike a bike with their Strive was an easy joy by comparison.

Cheers

Sanny

PS

Hi Doug! (Waves!)

Hope you and the family are well!

Cheers

Sanny

I have noticed I have to hold the ebike up in the air with both hands rather than just one when climbing over stiles or walking through narrow/kissing gates.

Hey Sanny! I didn't spot your name above. Family is good here and I hope the same for you!

For those of you that don't know Sanny... (Impossible for Sanny) > (Impossible for me) 🙂

I had to do around 15 minutes, with a fully camera bag and a couple of extra batteries last year. I'm pretty strong and used to hike-a-bike and it almost killed me. I actually bruised the tops of my shoulders! Coupled with the fact that by the time you can't ride any more on a decent e-bike its pretty damn steep! It was getting it on that was hard, an unstable lift, then on the exposed sections it felt really dangerous as I wasn't sure I could ditch the bike if I lost balance. I wouldn't do it again.

Totally agree on the technical descents stuff, it can feel like a bit of an unwieldy beast. Much better on more open and fast descents where the heft helps and the suspension works great. Having said that I've been spending some time on a prototype recently that really changes everything with lower weight and lower CoG. That worked really well.

Going up Rossett Ghyll on Saturday was tough enough with 12-14kg, let along 24kg.

I did wonder about the extra weight coming down greasy at Lakeland pitched steps and loose gravel.

Hey Doug, would that prototype be a Forestal by per-chance?

I struggle enough getting my ebike in and out of the car never mind hike a e-bike!

I know someone who is very fit and recently did the Torridon lollipop loop on a Levo. The hike a bike bits were absolutely miserable