Ebikes versus normal bikes for commuting

[GaRRy]

What's the result?

Not had chance yet will be doing this weekend. With all the rubbish weather etc been getting home late and not been in mood to get bike out of garage and stick on stand to test.

 

[GaRRy]

Not had chance yet will be doing this weekend. With all the rubbish weather etc been getting home late and not been in mood to get bike out of garage and stick on stand to test.

Right I have tested and based on results it would appear d8veh is correct and that the NEO does not appear to have regenerative braking at least based on the test I did.

Details
Put bike on stand.
Span rear wheel up to 20 kph and then counted how long it took for wheel to come to stop.
repeated test but this time applied front brake just enough for the regeneration symbol to come on.
repeated both tests several times and there was no noticeable difference in the time it took for wheel to stop.

Does any one who sells them have anything to say ?
While Im not really bothered as brake regeneration in my opinion is next to useless on bikes anyway and certainly was not the reason I bought NEO it does appear to me that based on my test BH are being less than honest about this?
Any one know how to contact BH ?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Thanks for clearing up the confusion Garry. I find it difficult to believe that those that tested and reviewed it and those that are selling it couldn't figure that out from the same simple test.

 

[morphix]

Makes sense.

One other quick question, sorry - do hub motors make it more difficult to change rear tyres / repair punctures? Is it tricky to get the rear wheel out?

With an electric bike I think it's a prerequisite to fit puncture resistant tyres to minimise the risk of having punctures.. for the small cost it's well worth doing and it gives you great peace of mind, especially if you're riding a long way from home or in remote places where getting assistance could be a problem.

Check out Schwalbe Marathon Plus and others, that have a lining inside the tyre to protect the inner tube.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Garry,Looked up that Ducati ST4-I would love one of those bikes,such a work of engineering art. Just couldn't trust my reactions are good enough to ride one now.
Dave
Kudoscycles

 

[GaRRy]

Garry,Looked up that Ducati ST4-I would love one of those bikes,such a work of engineering art. Just couldn't trust my reactions are good enough to ride one now.
Dave
Kudoscycles

I dont even trust mine . I dont really use it to anywhere near its capacity any longer but would hate to get rid of it as even just sat on it listening to it whirring and chugging make me smile.

 

[103Alex1]

With an electric bike I think it's a prerequisite to fit puncture resistant tyres to minimise the risk of having punctures.. for the small cost it's well worth doing and it gives you great peace of mind, especially if you're riding a long way from home or in remote places where getting assistance could be a problem.

Check out Schwalbe Marathon Plus and others, that have a lining inside the tyre to protect the inner tube.

These come highly recommended too : Michelin A3 Protek Max Tube | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com


Ashamed to admit it took me 5 hours on Wednesday night to change 2 tyres and fit a pitlock. About four hours of that was trying to get the rear wheel (and that was on a crank drive) realigned ... have conceded bike upside down is the only possible way - and it's incredibly difficult even then. You can screw the hub bolts back on but it veers over to one side causing contact with the rim brake even when only just being held, even more so as you try to get the chain tight again. The gears moved totally out of alignment during the tyre change and the whole job was difficult. No chance whatsoever of my doing that at the roadside without major ordeal. Best solution definitely puncture minimization. Gradually learning what to avoid doing next time !

 

[maloflora]

Thanks Alex and Morphix - advice duly noted!

 

[mr_chompers]

Right I have tested and based on results it would appear d8veh is correct and that the NEO does not appear to have regenerative braking at least based on the test I did.

From what I understand, the regen is in the brakes. If one searches for the exact brake type (tektra agura e-comp if memory serves correctly) one can see it is indeed a brake with regen. It can supposedly be programmed to only engage when the bike is over 10mph (or any setting) in order to massage the feel of it, as engaging in low speeds apparently can feel too strong of a braking affect. I think a better test than doing it on a stand is to try on a nice hill.

 

[flecc]

From what I understand, the regen is in the brakes. If one searches for the exact brake type (tektra agura e-comp if memory serves correctly) one can see it is indeed a brake with regen. It can supposedly be programmed to only engage when the bike is over 10mph (or any setting) in order to massage the feel of it, as engaging in low speeds apparently can feel too strong of a braking affect. I think a better test than doing it on a stand is to try on a nice hill.

The brake only has a reed switch which can be used for various purposes, as a power cutout for example. The Neo's freewheeled motor cannot regenerate.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I've sent an e-mail to them to clarify the situation.

I've noticed that I get 0.05% regen on my CST motor. This comes during the time between
cutting the throttle and the motor actually stopping, which can be a couple of seconds, so it's wrong to say that the Neos don't have regen, but the amount is so low that it's insignificant. Maybe that's what they mean.

 

[mr_chompers]

Thanks for clarifying. So, now the question is, how can BH get away with claiming regen if they do not have it?

 

[Old_Dave]

how can BH get away with claiming regen if they do not have it

But they do...

Its not their fault if the bike ride route isn't down hill all the way

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Thanks for clarifying. So, now the question is, how can BH get away with claiming regen if they do not have it?

It probably has 0.05% regen like mine, so it's true!
It's easy for them to claim it because a regen sybol appears on the display when you apply the brakes.

We'll have to wait for their reply to my e-mail. I think I met the importers on the BH Emotion stand at the Bristol show. They seemed like really nice guys and I don't think that they're out to con anybody, but wer're talking about detailed technical knowledge, which I don't think that they had, and technical knowledge seems to be lacking in the Ebike trade in this country.

 

[GaRRy]

It probably has 0.05% regen like mine, so it's true!
It's easy for them to claim it because a regen sybol appears on the display when you apply the brakes.

We'll have to wait for their reply to my e-mail. I think I met the importers on the BH Emotion stand at the Bristol show. They seemed like really nice guys and I don't think that they're out to con anybody, but wer're talking about detailed technical knowledge, which I don't think that they had, and technical knowledge seems to be lacking in the Ebike trade in this country.

Yep doubt they are trying to decieve as you can find the information on BH's own site so they are just repeating what they have been told.

Maxtrack (the BH importers) import quite a range of outdoor stuff and bikes is definately a new arm to them so doubt they have any real in depth knowledge themselves (other than in distribution). You can see the range here Maxtrack - UK Based European Action Sports Distributor

 

[maloflora]

Hi all,

Bringing this thread back reminded me I should give everyone an update after all the helpful advice. I got the Neo Cross just before Christmas and it all seems to be working fine. It's pretty heavy to haul around, but once you're on it it feels really exciting to ride. Lots of oomph and I seem to settle at around 29kph on a clear road (display shows average speed overall of around 21-22km, though I'm not sure how it handles stopping at lights etc.)

A couple of questions / issues:

• Battery recharging: should I do it every day even if I haven't lost any blocks?
• Seat-post: I'm still waiting for a sprung seatpost from ebikes. Do I need a special one?
• Punctures: I'd be worried about trying to change either tube, given all the complexities and weight (particularly back wheel). Should I proactively change the tyres to something resistant, and if so what? I've put pressure up to 80 PSI.

I have no insight on the regen bit, other than the thingy on the display goes on.

Otherwise all hunky-dory!

Thanks again to all,

M

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Charge after every time you go any significant distance.
You need a seat-pin of the right diameter, so you have to measure it or askwhat it is.
It's not that difficult to fix a rear puncture. I've done it many times with a motor like yours. You need to carry a spanner for the wheel- nuts.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Most punctures can be fixed without removing the wheel. Pull the tyre side off of the non-wire side; pull the tube out; find the puncture; fix it.

If it's so bad that you need to replace the tube, undo the wheel-nuts and lift the wheel enough to hook the tube off over the end of the axle, hook the new tube on and reassemble. The nut and washer on the wire side normally need to be completely unscrewed from the axle to allow the axle to pass the derailleur fixing before you try to lift the wheel. Learn from my mistakes otherwise it might get jammed which is a bit frustrating. You'll see what I mean when you try it.

Most BPM motors have a multi-pin connector about 9" from the motor. If you have one, you can disconnect it and remove the wheel completely. Whatever you have make sure that cable ties near the motor don't prevent you from being able to lift the wheel far enough. You might need some nail-clippers/side-cutters/knife/scissors in your toolkit.

I forgot to say: Congratulations on getting your new bike. I'm sure you'll get a lot oof enjoyment from iit. Please keepp us updated on how you get on with it -successes, problems and modifications/updates.

 

[GaRRy]

shame its not in english but here is a vid of rear wheel removal on NEO.

Emotion NEO Xtrem: Cambio rueda trasera - YouTube

I have done it this way but personally find it easier to remove and put back in with the bike upside down on floor rather than on stand due to the weight of the wheel.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Just watched that. It's exactly as I described apart from there's a single screw that holds the torque arm which you have to remove because it holds the axle in.. There is a multi-pin connector. He cut a cable tie under the bottom bracket to get better access to it. Like Garry, I think it's a lot easier to do upside-down. I can't believe that he got it back in so easily. I think that they're might have been a bit of editing and help. He also pointed out the need to remove the cable side wheelnut and washer completely.