Let's see, what can I say about this:
(a) I did get it right once in 5 tries, not too bad?
(b) Maybe my QWERTY keyboard does not like ell's?
(c) I will trade you Blaye for "La clef"
(d) I'm glad someone is still reading this blog!
(e) Languishing now in Cobble Hill, it was great to have a reason to revisit the Bordeaux area!
(f) OK, I fixed it (them)

Hi Steve,

Umm, I think the town is called Blaye not Braye. Unless you've developed a strange accent......

Cheers,
Keith

Steve

A great dissertation that even Gunton could understand!
Suzanne's comment about the weight of the beasts is the one disadvantage that I can see.

Mike

And one more comment - as to the disadvantages: I don't find that charging the battery at night is a particular disadvantage. What you didn't mention is the weight. If taking trains or are in any situation where steps are involved, those are very heavy bicycles to lift.

I see no way to edit comments - so anyway just wanted to correct my spelling :) deteriorate

Hi Steve,
I like the way you summed it up. I am all too familiar with the comment "Oh, but you ride an e-bike," meaning we are sitting there doing nothing, or at least that there is no effort involved, so no big deal if we are still touring. Or they think our health will detiorate since we aren't getting a real workout. Actually, I think low level exercise (at my age anyway) builds up more strength than when I work out hard. Same goes for my husband (who will turn 80 in a few days).
So thanks for your contribution to the enlightenment of the general public on e-bikes!
Suzanne

Ardell, you are one of our heroes. As is well known, you are Queen of the Road Angels. It is fun to re-read the day you earned your title, February 16, 2014!:

https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/grampiesouth/day-43-eunice-to-oberlin-ardell-queen-of-the-road-angels/

Hello from Texas...Thank you once again for writing such an educational and entertaining blog. I always enjoy the Grampies!! Sending sympathy for Dodie and the knee situation. Headed out myself in a couple of days with my ebike for two weeks of trail riding in Iowa and Wisconsin with a group I have traveled with before. You guys are inspiring and my heroes😊

Any bears would be behind the house, because there is too much VW traffic in front. The likelihood of bears is reduced because as you can see in the photo, the trees are mostly gone from behind. A Dutch farmer bought the land, cleared the forest, and filled the area with cows or hay. There is only a limited wild area here any more, along a creek that runs from our farm to the beach at Cherry Point. But that creek is just a narrow corridor though more farmland. You can see the corridor if you look at our place on Google Maps with satellite view.

Stay tuned for more on e-bikes in this blog, coming today or tomorrow.



Dodie's knee is a tiny bit better this morning, with the ibuprofen. The drug has a hard time working because, strangely for a nurse, she does not believe in it.

No bear ?

Best wishes for Dodie left and right knees.

Very interesting articles on e-bikes. I understood from Franz H that he is writing technical articles for a northern e-bike manufacturer on a yearly basis. Franz is also stuck home by now ...

Welcome home! We will have to come down (with a donation from the Old Time Bakery) for a visit! Hope that Dodie has a good rest and that her surgery gets scheduled soon! We enjoyed reading all about your trip and look forward to again getting some good travel advice from you both!

Sue and Jim

Hi Mike, our bikes are using mid drive torque sensing motors. In the case of Dodie's, it the Bosch Active Plus while mine is the Bosch Active. Dodie's battery is 500 wH while mine is 400 wH. Both bikes have Nexus 7 speed internal gearing. Those are the basics in terms of the equipment, with the mid drive and torque sensing being the key features (as opposed to hub drive cadence sensing.. Mid drive torque sensing also gives a totally natural feel to the bike, while cadence sensing can seem more like a motor bike. And any use of a "throttle" is not on, and illegal in Europe anyway).

The other main thing about range is that we always use the absolute minimum assist level possible. That helps us to end days exhausted, because on minimum assist the heavy/loaded touring bike turns into the equivalent of a heavy unloaded regular bike. But even pedaling an unloaded regular bike all day can be tiring.

On the flat, without headwind, the bikes could deliver at least 120 km. What they did not like was lots of significant hills - the type we would have been pushing the bikes up in other years. Then the range could be just 60 -70 km.

You can see something like Dodie's bike at the first link below. Her model has the battery on the front of the seat tube, which was good, keeping the centre of gravity low. The second link has lots more on range - there are so many factors - like rider's weight, type of gearing, etc.

https://www.victoria-fahrrad.de/modell/victoria-e-trekking-7-5/

https://www.bosch-ebike.com/ca/service/range-assistant/

Stay tuned for a page I will add to this blog with more on what we found out about e-assist on this trip!

Sorry to hear that Dodie's knee(s) have blown up but at least you managed to complete your ride.
Steve, could you please post a link to the spec sheets of your bikes.
I was impressed by some of the daily distances that you achieved without stopping to recharge!

Mike

Hah! I have been plotting to build this style of bed into each of the kids new bedrooms (uh, eventually).

I like the rogue blue ones invading the field of pink. Fight the power little larkspurs!