big bear level 1 cut off question.

[Andy_H]

Using pedal power - not throttle, am I correct in assuming that that whilst level 1 (lowest) wouldn’t really be assisting much at 10 to 15 mph it would still be using battery power up to the cut-off limit, or would level 1 cut out sooner.


Reason for asking is a 40 mile round trip where the middle 20 mile is reasonably flat, but roughly 10 mile both start and finish is a bit up & down so I would need to ensure there is enough battery power left for the hills near home, and wondered if resetting the cut off to 8 or 10 mph for the middle 20 mile would conserve some battery power rather than just use level 1 with normal cut off level (I probably cannot maintain 16+ mph over 20 mile).

 

[trex]

there should be plenty enough in a fully charged battery to do 40 miles.
The BPM on the Big Bear has winding code 13, 230RPM maximum speed. Usually, motors run at their best efficiency around 70% - 80% of maximum RPM, about 170-200 RPM, on 26" wheels, about 13 to 15mph. That speed gives a good mix between motor power and pedalling power. Assuming assist level 1, as long as you keep pedalling at around 12mph-15mph, you can expect power consumption of around 10WH per mile. Your 20 miles flat section would use about 200WH, leaving you with 340WH, plenty for the more difficult 20 miles.

 

[Andy_H]

Many thanks trex for the detailed reply, that's good to know, I just need it to stop raining long enough now to give it a try.