Kitting up for the first time

[Chobbit]

Thanks d8veh that's useful. I'll let you know how I get on when it arrives and try the commute.

I still love my car and like driving so I will be using the car on the weekend so this bike will likely only be used for this route so if it's fine I'll keep it

 

[Chobbit]

Thanks I've just been reading resources on the pedelecs site and on here I found this:

"Never attempt to charge a battery in temperatures of less than 2 degrees Celsius, this is dangerous and could cause fire."

Is it okay to discharge (use) the battery in temps below this like during winter?

 

[awol]

Thanks I've just been reading resources on the pedelecs site and on here I found this:

"Never attempt to charge a battery in temperatures of less than 2 degrees Celsius, this is dangerous and could cause fire."

Is it okay to discharge (use) the battery in temps below this like during winter?

I use mine in temperatures down to the minus degrees and not had a problem, the battery warms itself up a bit during use.

 

[Gubbe]

Thanks I've just been reading resources on the pedelecs site and on here I found this:

"Never attempt to charge a battery in temperatures of less than 2 degrees Celsius, this is dangerous and could cause fire."

I live in Sweden. As temps can dip bellow -15C in my shed where I store and charge my bike I hope this fire risk is not a fact. Where's the evidence or stories to support the 2C claim?

The only common sense advice I have seen with respect to batteries and cold is that cold reduce effect and that they are best charged indoors during winter.

 

[Chobbit]

Can someone recommend some decent but not expensive 28" wheels? If they offer extra puncture protection then thats an added bonus.

Cheers

 

[awol]

Can someone recommend some decent but not expensive 28" wheels? If they offer extra puncture protection then thats an added bonus.

By wheels, do you mean tyres? If so then it would have to be Schwalbe Marathon plus for reliable puncture free commuting.

 

[Chobbit]

By wheels, do you mean tyres? If so then it would have to be Schwalbe Marathon plus for reliable puncture free commuting.

Sorry i didn't put that the best way, yes 28" winter tyres i meant. Thanks

 

[Tabs]

Your a wee while away from having to worry about winter tyres,it take it you mean tyres that are suitable for the snow and ice? I think there is another thread on here somewhere about winter tyres but from memory they ain't cheap,around £50 each??

 

[anotherkiwi]

Can someone recommend some decent but not expensive 28" wheels? If they offer extra puncture protection then thats an added bonus.

Cheers

I gave up on not expensive, I have three sons... You want quality tyres but where I live no ice. It did snow once or twice but the temperature stayed above freezing.

 

[Ruadh495]

I've been doing a 25mile round trip for the last 2 years. I converted an existing push bike, which was a lot cheaper than buying an e-bike.

I carry a GAADI type spare tube, which you can fit without taking the wheel out, though I try to patch the old tube first.

Get a cape. You won't regret it when it rains.

I use studded tyres (Schwalbe Snow Stud) between November and March (I'm paranoid about ice), but you may prefer to avoid the extra drag / noise. Schwalbe Marathons the rest of the year. I think the Marathon+ is overkill and have only had 4 punctures in two years, but if your routes are prone to glass (mine just have thorns and flints) they might not be.

Good lights are essential. Ideally ones which are powered from the bike battery, so its worth considering that in your choice of bike.

Charging at both ends of the commute is good if you can, but do get enough range to do both ways. There will be a day when you forget to plug the charger in... Also remember that battery range in the middle of winter, with lights, heavy clothes, maybe studded tyres, cold battery etc, will be a fair bit less than the stated range, which is for ideal conditions. Range won't be the same in two years time as it is now, either.

 

[Chobbit]

Thanks for the advice.

Well the gtech esport bike arrived last night, spent about an hour putting it together (still haven't got the mud guards on will try tonight).

I would not have been able to make the journey to work this morning without the extra boost, I'm just too unfit and my asthma already played up even with the assistance. but after about 20 mins I got my breathing into rhythm.

Hills are definitely not my friend and although I can feel the bike might be struggling with it's single gear on them, I realised it was the way I was peddling that was the issue. I was trying to maintain the same speed of downhill when I hit uphill so I was fighting a loosing battle too much. However when I realised I needed to train myself to rely on the battery more and just accepted that the battery will keep me moving with atleast some peddling and that I'm not going to be going uphill anywhere near as fast. I realised I just need to put slightly more effort than you do on flat surfaces and the extra electric power will continue carry you uphill at constant speed.

I definitely broke a sweat which is probably good for building up my strength and reducing weight. Even with my padded cycling shorts my buttocks are killing me so may need to find a better padded/softer seat and my legs are quite wobbly so I'm not looking forward to the cycle home exactly. Hopefully in a few journeys it won't be an issue.

Overall the bike is decently priced for what it is and definitely made it possible for me to make my commute on a bike so I can recommend it for people wanting to get into ebikes as long as there aren't any steep hills.

 

[topographer]

You need a suspension seat post.

 

[anotherkiwi]

You need a trike!

 

[Izzyekerslike]

So for the same price you can have a better bike which will be much better up hills, but your going to stick with the gtech ?

 

[Chobbit]

I haven't 100% decided i still have another week to decide, I know there maybe better bikes but the gtech isn't a bad bike by any means. Their customer support was great at answering all my questions before purchasing they made the buying process really easy.

The fact that they offer a 14 day trial and will collect it all for free and refund you says alot that i wasn't seeing with other companies i saw.

I like that the frame looks like a proper bike and not like a bike that looks like a koped without the cross bar, other bikes similar to this where around £400-500 more which were out of my budget.

Thanks for the advice on the suspension seat post

 

[topographer]

If it gets you to your destination reasonably and you like the non-electric aspects of the bike you should probably keep it. Providing of course, that you don't have any hillier or much longer rides in your future.

 

[GLJoe]

I'm not looking for the latest and greatest but I do want to be serious about this

I'm going to disagree with a number of posters here re the clothing. Everybody is different, and different people can get away (put up) with different levels of (dis)comfort. However I for one simply hate riding any kind of bike in normal clothes!
Bespoke cycling gear is designed that way for a purpose. Its MUCH nicer to ride when you have gear that moves with you, protects you from wind, wicks perspiration away (and anyone who claims they don't perspire when cycling any reasonable distance is either a liar or dead), and there is nothing worse than cycling 10 miles or more in sopping clothes that are either wet from the outside because they aren't properly waterproof, or wet from the inside because they don't utilise modern materials and designs to let you breathe and so you're soaking with sweat.

 

[anotherkiwi]

When I ride in street clothes I ride more slowly and sorry, my clothes stay dry. That is what I have a motor for! When going out on the town in temperatures between 28°C and + 35°C I wear a sports tee during the ride and carry my city shirt in the panier. Usually in that kind of weather I am in dress shorts and sandals. Otherwise in heat I change from walking to dress shorts in the loo of the first bar I stop at - carefully chosen from a select list of bars with very clean toilets with large enough space to change in... In November I am off work and so ride to the city in nice shirt and jeans with a merino jumper if it is chilly.

When I am going out for sport I wear shorts (ordinary walking shorts) and a sports tee shirt. For colder weather I wear stretch fabric jeans and a polar fleece jumper over a long sleeved walking tee shirt. For the rain I wear a novadry Decathlon parka which really does breath and rain pants. I wear waterproof walking shoes. I am considering my options for waterproof outers on the trike.

Bike specific stuff I have:

- gloves (with reinforcements for shifters etc)
- poncho with sleeves for the upright
- dayglo wind breaker
- trouser clips for wider jeans
- helmet which is less comfortable on the trike because the air vents in the front are in the wrong place!
- microfibre neck tube

 

[Trevormonty]

For wet weather commutes I wouldn't count on arriving totally dry, best to have change of clothes and shoes.

 

[Chobbit]

Thanks everyone. I have left a towel and products at work now and i always take a spare change of cloths for work with me.

My jacket is a thin gore tex windshell jacket so it keeps my top half dry from the outside although my base layer was quite wet from me alone when i got there. Thank god for work showers lol

The lower half i think I'm going to have to get some over trousers to go over my shorts. I'm also not keen on cycling in waterproof boots (which i do already have as i just think it will be uncomfortable) any advice here?

As for the head I just have my helmet and a buff for my mouth and neck but still get wet in this area.