daveuprite wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:30 am
So what make/model is that bike, Gary? Just interested.
And can it come with a non-suppository saddle ?
Oh, just realised it's a KTM - wicked.
yup .. KTM !!!
didnt used to be an orange fan .. but when I saw it I could not resist .. and .. it COULD be mistaken for a motorbike?
The saddle, Dave, is EXTREMELY small and narrow .. but I shall suffer a little longer .. for the sake of ART .. it looks so PERTY
OK, so what's the real-world range like? Can you leave all the work to the bike or do you HAVE to pedal a bit? What difference does that make to the range (i.e. no work vs pedalling)? How does the suspension cope compared with an enduro bike on the same terrain at the same speed?
Sorry, lots of Qs, but I can see myself on one of these one day and have never tried one yet.
talking a bit off topic---It seems that on the one hand the government wants us all to drive electric in 10 years--BUT here we are finding reasons not to use environmentally friendly e-bikes. In cars the battery life is 10 years before you need a very expensive battery pack change--the batteries are not toast but have lost their "edge". So you have a mountain of custom Lithium based battery packs to "recycle"--progress?, environmentally friendly? (I think not, having dug up half the world for the materials and spent loads of carbon based energy resources making the bloody things!). I have a solution--bring back the square 4 Stirling engines trialled in vehicles by Ford etc in the 70s (I have experience of these),. They require an external , virtually constant, high temperature heat source(even nuclear will do!) The engines do require sophisticated manufacturing techniques as they are closed cycle and run at 200 bar in a non lubed reciprocating environment (but are are used as generators in subs now). The nest of heat tubes could be fed with hydrogen burning in air and the only emission would be water (fuel cells will require stored hydrogen anyway). No suck, squeeze etc so whisper quiet--just like your gas boiler at home. No batteries to limit the number of energy cycles and so on. If you want a green solution its there already--just politics and pocket lining getting in the way!
daveuprite wrote: ↑Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:30 am
So what make/model is that bike, Gary? Just interested.
And can it come with a non-suppository saddle ?
Oh, just realised it's a KTM - wicked.
yup .. KTM !!!
didnt used to be an orange fan .. but when I saw it I could not resist .. and .. it COULD be mistaken for a motorbike?
The saddle, Dave, is EXTREMELY small and narrow .. but I shall suffer a little longer .. for the sake of ART .. it looks so PERTY
1. OK, so what's the real-world range like? `eco mode` its around 100 miles if you peddle-only a lot and switch the battery off .. I think they quote around 70 or 80 miles.
`emtb` it must be around 50 or 60 miles .. but less for full-on `boost`.
2. Can you leave all the work to the bike or do you HAVE to pedal a bit? the one wot I got is peddle-assist .. so you MUST peddle for the battery to come into operation. I am sure I saw a model that was battery-only in one mode?
my modes are `eco`, `tour`, `emtb`, `boost`.
my bike is incredibly easy to push while walking.
my bike is still very hard to ride uphill .. I had to check if the battery was still connected … but works great on the flat (where u not need it so much)
the battery cuts out at 15mph. .. but by then you are flying anyway
3. What difference does that make to the range (i.e. no work vs pedalling)? you can switch the battery off, so unlimited range .. but it is then harder to peddle than a mtb. the range will vary with the chosen mode .. less `assist` means greater range.
Boost will give a shorter range
4. How does the suspension cope compared with an enduro bike on the same terrain at the same speed? not tried it in earnest on a real trail .. but do not fancy my chances .. it is going to be hard peddling work … much more than I expected .. and I dont think it will cope with the rough anywhere near as well as a trail bike …. so I am thinking of getting a very small weak trailey .. to match me I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised though
5. Sorry, lots of Qs, but I can see myself on one of these one day and have never tried one yet. you can get a test ride with a demo oldie model at you friendly motorcycle shop .. in UK anyway
even before I got the ebike I was shocked at the discrimination and vitriol against bicycles,
my best mate hates them .. so to annoy him I called him a `cyclist` .. he was rather annoyed, but I managed to survive.
when I broke down once, a cyclist stopped and offered his rac thing .. when my mate turned up he told him to fuck off.
when I got me ebike he told me not to bring it up if I visit.
the gardener wher I live is a biker and I used to get on great with him .. swapping biker stories .. when he saw my mtb he went into frenzy mode and bragged how he had run a cyclist off the road fore he arrived that day … and was nasty towards me .. which he regretted.
when I picked up my ebike I was shocked at the level of abuse that I got .. shouted and near misses at speed, by cars … van were great!!
I had not ridden a bicycle for many years, and it was 30 miles from the pick up at shop, to home … it took me 5 hours .. it was gruelling and I thought the battery was not working. I phoned the shop the next day to let them know, but it seems to be ok now .. perhaps it was me, expecting too much??
you know the little hole thing at your back end .. well i thought that it had caught fire, and i wished that it would heal up .. not completely of course, just enough to let the little logs to descend (thought you'd like to know)
the saddle is firm but flexible .. oo,er .. but just that bit too narrow .. but will persevere as it looks so cool.
the last mile of the 30 miles as great .. just as I was about to give up it suddenly seemed to come on line.
I had ridden the 29 miles thinking that I had made a mistake and that it was just a mtb with a little bit of battery assist .. but that last mile showed its true power .. the bike or me just getting used to it .. dunno.
a week later, when I could walk again and the little wee pooper had subsided in complaining .. I tried the ebike again … after the first 30 miles it had used half the battery, in emtb mode, so still had 3 bars indicated, of six. … it got me down the taff trail in double quick time, though it has harder going UP to home, but acceptable. I put it in `boost` mode to wear the battery down, so it would be charging from low, ..not sure if needed?
I am a lot more hopeful now, but still can't see it being used for say mid-wales trails wot I dun before? .. but then again .. ..
.. but I shall suffer a little longer .. for the sake of ART .. it looks so PERTY 
