Leo: I did a tour in 2019 using e-assist on my long wheel base recumbent. See:
https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/crosswinds/comments-on-e-assist/
I also posted some information in the comments section in which I discuss a bit more about my experience and reaction to e-assist.
Best Regards,
Paul
Thanks, Paul. It'll be a pleasure to read your journal and observations.
happy days
léo
Hi Leo,
It is really great to see your writing again, but I am sorry to hear about your health problem.
My wife’s first electric bike was a conversion like you are considering. While she really appreciated being able to continue using a bike she loved, she did have a couple of problems.
1. External wiring has already been mentioned. When I failed to notice that her rear rack had loosened, some mounting bolts let go completely as she rode, leaving her battery hanging on only by its power cable. Ultimately I was able to simply find the fallen bolts and reinstall the rack, but it was really scary to think of how we could have been stranded with a damaged power cable.
2. Because of the small frame on my wife’s bike, she had to choose a conversion kit with the battery on the rear rack, rather than use a water bottle mount. The heavy battery, mounted above her rear wheel, really compromised the balance of the bike. She wound up falling over at least 3 times, and I really believe the battery position contributed to her spills.
We wound up replacing her bike with a commercial e-bike, and she loves the comfort of riding a bike designed with the weight of the battery in mind.
Hi Bob
Thanks for your kind words. Quite cheering on a cold morning with the sun yet to rise.
We have been riding about but I've been absent from the journals because there's been nothing worthy of taking people's time. I shall return, though, especially now I think I have found a German motor, expensive but unobtrusive, that will fit the eccentric bottom bracket I have because of my Rohloff.
The Germans say I could fit it easily myself but, frankly, I'd rather get a specialist to do it. And driving to the place concerned gives us a couple of days away.
Thanks again? Here's to meeting on the road one day.
happy days
léo
Hi Leo
I had forgotten that you had a Rohloff with EBB.
Did you get a Pendix?
Mike
Hi Mike
The Pendix is in hand. The shop was closed yesterday, as is the habit here on Mondays, but I left a message and I hope to get a call today.
Thanks for your interest.happy days
léo
I know absolutely nothing about e-bikes. I just wanted to say that I’m looking forward to Léo’s next journal.
Thanks again, Steve. I'll settle on something in the end. I thought I'd found the perfect bike in a copy of my own and offered by the same dealer at not a lot more than the price of the motor. It was the bike they built to see what attraction there was for them in the motor. That they didn't go ahead and offer to fit it to all their bikes raised my doubts, added to which the new design of frame slopes far more and I'd have even more seat pin - 9cm more - sticking out above the frame. Since there's already a generous length of seat pin, the thing would look ridiculous. Aesthetics aren't everything but I don't want to be embarrassed every time I look at the thing!
2 years ago