How to ride a crank bike?

[crE]

Hi all

Due to be getting a Sirocco CDL in a week..

Does anyone have any advice on how best to ride these in terms of gear changes. What is gear is more efficient for hill climbing, battery efficiency etc... I've heard there's a certain way to change gear also..

Or point me in the direction of an article or post?

 

[D8ve]

Ride like a normal bike.
Keep your cadence(legs turning the crank) speed up.
If you pedal slowly(cadence)that is in efficient and could overheat the motor,if it is near stall.
Change gear before steep hills if required. Reduce your pedal pressure ,blip the breaks. That should allow an easier change.
Enjoy miles of easy riding

 

[crE]

Will these cruise on the flat and perhaps up a hill with no effort on my part? That's the impression I get when reading up. It has a throttle

 

[Deleted member 4366]

It's nothing to worry about. You'll soon figure out what to do.

 

[John F]

All your answers are on this thread. I could not understand why the gear changing seemed to be so crude when I got my Santana. I would only add to make sure you are in the lowest gear at the bottom of the hill. Not always possible if it's a bendy unknown hill.

Stick it on max power and appreciate that this is really where ebikes do the business!

 

[crE]

Cheers guys I guess I'm just excited. I tend to go bezerk on research and questions whilst waiting for any new toy to arrive. I did the same with home brew.

I'm purchasing this for my commuting. 20 mile round trip. 10 miles there 10 miles back. Avoiding costly petrol and regaining some fitness without being a sweaty mess upon arriving to work. I plan to reduce or turn off assistance on the journey home or at least part of it

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You'll love it. Stop worrying.

 

[crE]

You'll love it. Stop worrying.

I'm sure you're right. What is the average age of a rider these days?

I'm 27 and I reckon I'll be getting some flack from my friends. Not that I care much!

 

[flecc]

This forum has always been consistently 20% under 40 years, 80% over. We've always had a few members in their twenties though, so you are not alone, and there are signs that the age profile of e-biking is shifting down. That is certainly true already in much of mainland Europe where there are plenty of e-bikers in their twenties and early thirties.
.

 

[crE]

I am suprised. I thought there'd be a big younger following. I literally cannot wait for it to arrive (and master the gear changes)

 

[flecc]

I am suprised. I thought there'd be a big younger following. I literally cannot wait for it to arrive (and master the gear changes)

I doubt most in their twenties even appreciate what they might be missing. I have got a number of younger teens interested by letting them try my bikes and they do like them, but when they reach 16 or so they buy mopeds and no longer interested. It doesn't help that e-bikes are as dear as mopeds, sometimes even dearer. And of course once they are used to a fully powered vehicle they almost inevitably move onto cars later.

In my Greater London area another thing that keeps youngsters from even using bikes, and later e-bikes, is that they have free public transport up to 16, or 18 if in full time education. They don't need any personal transport so a very high proportion have never learnt how to ride a bike and aren't likely to try learning in later years.
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