A fault: me or the Wisper?
- Thread starter allen-uk
- Start date
Sounds like the freewheel locks up when pressure is put on it in low. In otherwords, when you apply pressure the motor freewheel doesn't release when you exceed the motor speed. Don't confuse it with the gear cassette freewheel. The motor freewheel should release when you exceed the motor speed, if it doesn't then you will be trying to pedal the motor.
Starting very much to sound like a hub problem.
Hope that made sense.
Vikki.
Starting very much to sound like a hub problem.
Hope that made sense.
Vikki.
Your bated breath will have to remain so, David, as after a couple more tests on that bit of road I am inclining towards Vikki's notion of a mechanical illusion.
Reasoning is, that pushing the pedals round at all without power is indeed hard compared to my old non-electric bike, so until I can devise a way of testing it properly, let's leave it in the pending pile.
Talking of which, any recommendations for a useful and EASY TO FIT bike computer? Nothing over-flash, just showing the obvious (speed, distance, etc). Someone gave me one from Halfords about ten years back, and although I'm reasonably competent the instructions were so complicated that I gave it away!
Allen.
Reasoning is, that pushing the pedals round at all without power is indeed hard compared to my old non-electric bike, so until I can devise a way of testing it properly, let's leave it in the pending pile.
Talking of which, any recommendations for a useful and EASY TO FIT bike computer? Nothing over-flash, just showing the obvious (speed, distance, etc). Someone gave me one from Halfords about ten years back, and although I'm reasonably competent the instructions were so complicated that I gave it away!
Allen.
ASDA do a simple Bell computer at about £7. Easy to set up, but everytime I try to rest the trip mileage I end up wiping all the settings.
I had trouble with several bike computers in the cold, both expensive and cheap as the batteries would die in the cold and wipe the settings. I think Flecc recommends the Cateye ones and has said they don't suffer this, do a search to check though.
Thanks for the computer tip, Mussels.
David: still getting used to the bike. It's 12 days old (bought it from Powerbikes at Woking!)
Not sure if it's always been like this.
Today, couple more experiments - going along a flattish bit of road, turned the power off, and tried pedalling. VERY hard, in whatever gear I was in.
I KNOW it's a far heavier bike than my old non-electric - probably twice the weight - but I would have imagined that once it was ROLLING it shouldn't feel quite so difficult to move along, starting from scratch being a different ball-game.
Not quite sure of a method of testing it which takes account of Vikki's all-too-plausible notion of rider's illusion. If it carries on and I don't 'get over it', I might have to take a trip to Woking (bike in the back of the car) to get it assessed by an expert.
But thanks for your continuing interest.
Allen.
David: still getting used to the bike. It's 12 days old (bought it from Powerbikes at Woking!)
Not sure if it's always been like this.
Today, couple more experiments - going along a flattish bit of road, turned the power off, and tried pedalling. VERY hard, in whatever gear I was in.
I KNOW it's a far heavier bike than my old non-electric - probably twice the weight - but I would have imagined that once it was ROLLING it shouldn't feel quite so difficult to move along, starting from scratch being a different ball-game.
Not quite sure of a method of testing it which takes account of Vikki's all-too-plausible notion of rider's illusion. If it carries on and I don't 'get over it', I might have to take a trip to Woking (bike in the back of the car) to get it assessed by an expert.
But thanks for your continuing interest.
Allen.
Hi Allen
It does sound a but strange, however it may as you say simply mean a bit more getting used to an electric bike, I am with Steve tomorrow and will have a chat with him.
In the mean time if I can be of any assistance please let me know.
All the best
David
It does sound a but strange, however it may as you say simply mean a bit more getting used to an electric bike, I am with Steve tomorrow and will have a chat with him.
In the mean time if I can be of any assistance please let me know.
All the best
David
Tried riding mine without power this morning. It was liking trying to drag a lame donkey that had been dead two days behind me.
I've always put it down to the fact that your legs put so little effort in when the motor is running that when the motor is turned off your legs are stunned by the fact that they now have to actually work for a living. I was actually dropping down and down through the gears until I got to 3rd before it became comfortable
I'll try again on the way home tonight. But as I recall, it's always been a bugger to pedal without power. My trike is easier but even on that I only manage 11mph. I can go higher but not for long. Legs just aren't up to it yet. over 4 years of e-biking has lead my legs to believe that cycling is an absolute doddle Even my brain believes it.
I also have my saddle too low to actually put real effort in. I like the saddle low on an electric but it means I'm not even remotely close to full leg extension. Ah, and I've just done three days on the trot on my trike and my thighs today feel like lumps of lead
I'll try rolling down a hill on the way home without power and see what that feels like (no pedal either).
Best regards.
Vikki.
I've always put it down to the fact that your legs put so little effort in when the motor is running that when the motor is turned off your legs are stunned by the fact that they now have to actually work for a living. I was actually dropping down and down through the gears until I got to 3rd before it became comfortable
I'll try again on the way home tonight. But as I recall, it's always been a bugger to pedal without power. My trike is easier but even on that I only manage 11mph. I can go higher but not for long. Legs just aren't up to it yet. over 4 years of e-biking has lead my legs to believe that cycling is an absolute doddle
Even my brain believes it.I also have my saddle too low to actually put real effort in. I like the saddle low on an electric but it means I'm not even remotely close to full leg extension. Ah, and I've just done three days on the trot on my trike and my thighs today feel like lumps of lead
I'll try rolling down a hill on the way home without power and see what that feels like (no pedal either).
Best regards.
Vikki.
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Two things, Vikki.
1) Have to take your word about the dead and lame donkey (although I would have thought if it was one, then it was probably the other as well).
2) I have to have my saddle low to start off (plastic leg = can't reach the ground unless the saddle is low), but I use a device called a Gravitydropper (see link below). With this, you can start off low, and then once you're moving you raise your bum a little, pull a lever, and the saddle shoots up 2, 3 or 4 inches, bringing it up to a height more suitable for extended leg pedalling. There are other similar devices on the market.
GravityDropper Adjustable Height Seatpost
Transformed my cycling - not designed for amputees, but rather for MTB loonies who apparently like going UP hill high in the saddle, but like to be low coming down. But it works for other purposes, too.
Allen.
1) Have to take your word about the dead and lame donkey (although I would have thought if it was one, then it was probably the other as well).
2) I have to have my saddle low to start off (plastic leg = can't reach the ground unless the saddle is low), but I use a device called a Gravitydropper (see link below). With this, you can start off low, and then once you're moving you raise your bum a little, pull a lever, and the saddle shoots up 2, 3 or 4 inches, bringing it up to a height more suitable for extended leg pedalling. There are other similar devices on the market.
GravityDropper Adjustable Height Seatpost
Transformed my cycling - not designed for amputees, but rather for MTB loonies who apparently like going UP hill high in the saddle, but like to be low coming down. But it works for other purposes, too.
Allen.
I like being a bit lower all the time. I actually feel uncomfortable if my head is too far from the ground. Sounds weird, I know, but on a bike I don't like to feel too high up (I have longish legs). If the saddle is high enough for me to get good leg extension then I sort of feel, well, wobbly and top heavy hard to explain. I like lower
Vikki.
and top heavy hard to explain. I like lower Vikki.
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Left work today and left the power off. Managed 10mph in 3rd gear. Felt ok. Shifted up to 4th and got 12.5mph. Could hold that but my legs started to tire after a couple of minutes so dropped back to 3rd. Spinning a bit I maintained 11mph. About what I cruise at on my trike at the end of the working day.
Went back to electric and SB was off like a whippet and my legs were happier.
Got to the decline on to the A27 cycle way. Power off and let SB coast. 15mph achieved and that with a head wind. The trike manages 17mph at the bottom. The trike has Big Apple tyres that are designed for low rolling resistance (the trike will move on the smallest of declines without help).
If I pedal the trike I can (by doing my best gerbil in a wheel impression) achieve 22mph at the bottom of the decline.
If I open the throttle on SB he'll achieve 20mph Obviously SB gets to terminal assist quickly then gravity does the rest. If I pedal with throttle I get 22mph, again gravity assisting those last few mph.
So far about even Stevens. This with a head wind. The trike is less affected by head wind than me and SB.
SB is slow to build speed but so is the trike. It's not that steep.
Down a steep hill (Old Mill lane) SB achieved 33mph (no pedal, no throttle) before I bottled it and dragged the rear brake. Trikey did 31mph before I bottled it and dragged the rear brake.
SB is hard to pedal but I put that down to a combination of weight and my legs not being up to spec. I do struggle on the trike at times but I am getting better. Even SB's average is up since I've been riding the trike.
I'd say SB is behaving exactly as I would expect a heavy bike with a heavy rider to behave.
Pushing SB feels like pushing a heavy-ish bike but no resistance to being pushed that you wouldn't expect. At least I don't have to lift the back wheel and wheelbarrow it to push it along.
Mind you, I got an electric so I didn't have to pedal like an Olympic champion. I'm not surprised the effort required to pedal them at speed exceeds my ability to provide the power
Slow for me then
Hope that helps.
Vikki.
Went back to electric and SB was off like a whippet and my legs were happier.
Got to the decline on to the A27 cycle way. Power off and let SB coast. 15mph achieved and that with a head wind. The trike manages 17mph at the bottom. The trike has Big Apple tyres that are designed for low rolling resistance (the trike will move on the smallest of declines without help).
If I pedal the trike I can (by doing my best gerbil in a wheel impression) achieve 22mph at the bottom of the decline.
If I open the throttle on SB he'll achieve 20mph Obviously SB gets to terminal assist quickly then gravity does the rest. If I pedal with throttle I get 22mph, again gravity assisting those last few mph.
So far about even Stevens. This with a head wind. The trike is less affected by head wind than me and SB.
SB is slow to build speed but so is the trike. It's not that steep.
Down a steep hill (Old Mill lane) SB achieved 33mph (no pedal, no throttle) before I bottled it and dragged the rear brake. Trikey did 31mph before I bottled it and dragged the rear brake.
SB is hard to pedal but I put that down to a combination of weight and my legs not being up to spec. I do struggle on the trike at times but I am getting better. Even SB's average is up since I've been riding the trike.
I'd say SB is behaving exactly as I would expect a heavy bike with a heavy rider to behave.
Pushing SB feels like pushing a heavy-ish bike but no resistance to being pushed that you wouldn't expect. At least I don't have to lift the back wheel and wheelbarrow it to push it along.
Mind you, I got an electric so I didn't have to pedal like an Olympic champion. I'm not surprised the effort required to pedal them at speed exceeds my ability to provide the power
Slow for me then
Hope that helps.
Vikki.
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By the way, I should point out that when I got a fully suspended MTB I rode it to work to see what it was like before I swapped over the PowaByke electrics. I found it heavy and hard to push along as well. So, more me as an engine at fault I suspect. I do not a good engine make, not for speed anyway
Vikki.
Vikki.
I saw a young woman ahead of me yesterday and me 'n' SB were cruising along nicely at about 16mph and she was keeping her lead. I was on the point of spitting some feathers when I thought, hell, she's 30 years younger than me. But it does make me wonder how people push along on a non-eleccy at 14+ mph and make it look as effortless as me riding my electric.
Makes me want to wimper But then I think to myself, 11.5 mph on my trike or non-eleccy bike is quite good enough.
I do think that our electrics spoil us
Best regards.
Vikki.
Makes me want to wimper
But then I think to myself, 11.5 mph on my trike or non-eleccy bike is quite good enough.I do think that our electrics spoil us
Best regards.
Vikki.
I'm not very fit but can easily manage more than 15mph on a normal bike for a fair distance, if I lived less than 10 miles from work I'd probably not have a pedelec.I saw a young woman ahead of me yesterday and me 'n' SB were cruising along nicely at about 16mph and she was keeping her lead. I was on the point of spitting some feathers when I thought, hell, she's 30 years younger than me. But it does make me wonder how people push along on a non-eleccy at 14+ mph and make it look as effortless as me riding my electric.
Makes me want to wimper
I do think that our electrics spoil us
Best regards.
Vikki.
Talking of mechanical illusions, which we were earlier...
I've just weighed my old bike, with the intention of sending it to my Irish brother-in-law, and I was expecting about 10kg. In fact it is over 15kg! It still FEELS very light to pick up, but that is after lugging Mr Wisper into the hallway of my flat for the past fortnight, I suppose.
A.
I've just weighed my old bike, with the intention of sending it to my Irish brother-in-law, and I was expecting about 10kg. In fact it is over 15kg! It still FEELS very light to pick up, but that is after lugging Mr Wisper into the hallway of my flat for the past fortnight, I suppose.
A.
It is a Question of Balance (I must remember that, it would be a great idea for an album title
). The weight on the Wisper is mainly at the back, which makes it more difficult to lift than an evenly weighted standard bike. I think that if your old bike was a bit heavier than your Wisper it would still feel lighter to lift.Colin
I would be *cough* grossly unfit *cough*
Getting better though. So that's a good thing.
I was stuck behind a girl on the way home tonight as we went over a bridge (not enough room to overtake) and she was barely making 8 mile an hour. Made me feel better
Vikki.
Getting better though. So that's a good thing.
I was stuck behind a girl on the way home tonight as we went over a bridge (not enough room to overtake) and she was barely making 8 mile an hour. Made me feel better
Vikki.
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