eMTB owners photo and ride thread.

Nev

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 1, 2018
1,507
2,520
North Wales
I took these from the top of the Great Orme in Llandudno North Wales on Thursday morning. In the first one in the distance you can just make out Puffin Island and the Isle of Anglesey in the distance. In the second there are a couple of ships on the horizon which I think are either coming from or going to Liverpool docks.Orme Thursday 004.jpg Orme Thursday 004.jpg Orme Thursday 005.jpg
 

georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,426
1,251
Surrey
I went for another convalescence ride today which went OK but could have gone better. I was going to go out on my non electric mountain bike but then decided to go on the Haibike sDuro with the consequence that the battery was only 95% charged, I set off a bit late while waiting for the battery to charge and I decided to find a route connection that I had only ridden once some years ago. It showed that if you predominantly plough along to work and back using a variety of the same routes you start to lose your knowledge of all the many other routes available.
Convlecence Ride 17 11 18 001.JPG
It all started well enough riding down a great single track (picture above) past "Baretts Rough" into the outskirts of the Catteshall area of Godalming to pick up a farm track that can connect you to the River Wey.
Convlecence Ride 17 11 18 004.JPG
However that was not what I wanted to do today as there is a junction of tracks and I wanted to try a new route over to Bramley but ended up on a wrong path that took me without realizing through a private estate (picture above) but the track did not feel so wrong while I rode it. I arrived at a locked gate with a narrow pedestrian access to the side that I just about managed to get me and the bike through and when I looked back at the gate from the other side saw the private property do not enter signs for the track I had just used (oops).

Now I had to descend a steep and quite technical track to get back to the track I wanted. Where I joined the track I wanted was a sharp narrow right turn into a very steeply rising narrow gully with roots rocks rock steps and leaf mold and I did not get far up it before I stopped and had to ignominiously push my way to the top of it.

The friend who had recommended this route comes the other way down it and that would have been difficult too but with a bit of nerve (and the dropper post I do not have) fun as the section though steep turned out to be quite short, one of those sections of tracks that you don't want to bottle out on as it would not be a place to try and stop until you have got to the end of it.
Convlecence Ride 17 11 18 005.JPG
Well after all that it was relatively plain sailing (see picture above) to Bramley where I took a picture on the disused Bramley and Wonersh Station that is on the Downs Link route. (Picture below)
Convlecence Ride 17 11 18 006.JPG
You might have to wait a long time for a train!

Well all this getting lost had used up a lot of time and I then needed to curtail the ride I had planned up to St Martha's Church and skedaddle back home all be it by connecting over to the very pretty River Wey navigation to ride on the tow path. Both the old Railway line to connect to the River Wey and the tow path being level were with the motor off and once up to speed the bike cruised along very well.
Convlecence Ride 17 11 18 008.JPG
Bridge of sighs, the out of breath sort rather than the name of the bridge, good name though, perhaps it has been used before, Oxford rings a bell.

I returned past where I had taken the wrong turning and rode the bottom part of the track I had meant to ride before getting lost and found that it did connect to the difficult gully and was very nice. Finding new routes can always be a bit fraught. After all that it was only 12 miles in total. Started with 95% battery and ended with 65%.
 

Dom T

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 17, 2017
433
377
Shropshire
Still seems like a lovely day had.
Hopton Woods for me tomorrow
 

georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,426
1,251
Surrey
Yes Dom T it was all good, and that gully looks more possible to climb in the summer but I am still not sure if I would get up it, but fun to try. I have also up geared my bike to be quick on the road when coming home from work but still have a low enough bottom gear (just) to climb the steepest hills on my off road route to work but for more extreme hills like the gully I found I definitely needed lower gearing and also better more off road orientated tyres.

I just should have got my act together a bit quicker in the morning and made my mind up which bike I was going to ride.

I think it is going to be nice tomorrow as well for your ride.
 

EddiePJ

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 7, 2013
4,632
4,011
Crowborough, East Sussex
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Over the last few weeks, my knee has once again been giving me severe grief again, and I haven't really been up to riding, but last night with no pain I got out and did 20 miles trying out a new playground.

I can't believe that I can still find new places on my doorstep to ride, but on a recent walk I found some utterly amazing woodland to play in, and figured that if looked this good in daylight hours, then it had to done.

r1a.jpg

r2a.jpg

It didn't disappoint, and there is seemingly an endless amount of superb technical single track fun to had. It still requires an off road ride of about 7 miles to get to it, but that is part of the fun, although I might well have to end up taking a second battery next time. I don't get battery depletion fear very often, but I did last night.

Same location as in the first photo.

1a.jpg

2a.jpg

3a.jpg
 

Dom T

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 17, 2017
433
377
Shropshire
Hopton Woods is fun , but short so 2 goes were needed.
Eddie, that also looks like a nice time out.
Taken to riding to work on the Haibike, very nice to get out all the frustrations of a night shift on a short staffed respiratory ward.
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,973
6,292
you should see what they have done to the canal last 3 miles are now black tarmac and done to the edge of the grass and no edging stones.

and it cost 700k like wtf:rolleyes:
 

Dom T

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 17, 2017
433
377
Shropshire
Eddie,
The nurse to patient ratio is diabolical and dangerous for your friend, however and acute medical respiratory ward should have a 1:4 ratio, especially as we provide a NIV service (Non-invasive ventilation) I'm currently working at a 1:14 ratio and it's f***ing dangerous. I can't tell you who I've written to and how far I've taken it. Our trust if finally in special measures so we are all hoping this will help us out in the long term. The other night it was me and agency staff nurse and a healthcare assistant to 28 patients. I'm not one for keeping quiet and have whistle blowed, just waiting to see if I get sacked for doing so.
 
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georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,426
1,251
Surrey
I did a circuit yesterday on my non electric KTM hardtail aiming to include the gully that I found on my previous ride and failed to climb on my Haibike sDuro Yamaha and then pushed up with some difficulty, only this time to come down it on the KTM.

I think that my difficulty getting up that gully had made me think it was worse than it actually proved to be coming down. I was a little apprehensive but with a slow and cautious entry and weight well back and low it was fine, and although steep is only around 50 yards long before you meet a junction of tracks and it is behind you. Oh no it isn't.

It felt good to have conquered it without mishap. Maybe in the summer when it is dry I might see if I can get up it though the loose sandstone rubble and small steps will be hard to overcome. The curved entry also precludes taking a run at it.
 
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georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,426
1,251
Surrey
I so enjoyed being out on my non assisted KTM 1964 yesterday that I decided to give myself more of a hill climbing challenge today with one really difficult and technical climb to the top of St Marthas Hill
on the Pilgrims Way. I started by climbing from Wonersh common via Rosemary hill up onto Blackheath to pause at the War Memorial.
KTM 1964 St Marthas 003.JPG
Blackheath.
KTM 1964 St Marthas 002.JPG
Blackheath War Memorial with view through the trees to St Marthas Church.
KTM 1964 St Marthas 004.JPG
KTM 1964 hard tail with view over a field towards Colyers Hanger on the main climb up to St Marthas from Lockner farm at Chilworth.
KTM 1964 St Marthas 006.JPG
View from the top of St Marthas Hill towards Albury.
KTM 1964 St Marthas 010.JPG
St Marthas Church. Spot the bike?
KTM 1964 St Marthas 013.JPG
View from the top of the North Downs towards Shalford and Guildford on the loop back to my start point.All down hill from here.

As I predominantly ride to work and back on my Haibike Yamaha sDuro and also ride a rear hub motor Oxygen for trips to the shops and many other tasks both of which I love the KTM rarely gets a look in and when I rode it yesterday and today I was reminded what a fantastic bit of kit it is.

I did buy it originally to electrify with a bottom bracket kit for my off road ride to work but ended up getting the Haibike sDuro Yamaha instead for that and I kind of like the KTM to way it is.
 
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EddiePJ

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jul 7, 2013
4,632
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Crowborough, East Sussex
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I really miss my KTM 1964. It was an utterly superb and fun bike to ride, but sadly just a tad too small for me. I certainly put some good miles in on it though.

I changed it for a Giant XCT Advance Plus 1 almost a year ago, and whilst I really love the bike, it is enough to persuade me that I will never buy/own a carbon fibre framed eMTB. Carbon fibre just doesn't float my boat so to speak, but I'm definitely a fan of plus size bikes.


Sorry for the non eMTB talk but here is the Giant. The only mods that I made is the fitting an XT shifter in place of the original equipment SLX shifter, and changing the KMC chain to a Shimano Ultegra one, as I couldn't get the original equipment KMC chain to run smoothly and quietly with the narrow wide chain wheel.

zz7.jpg
 
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georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,426
1,251
Surrey
Hi Eddie, my KTM was bought on a ride to work scheme remotely from a shop in Wales and I did not get a chance to try it for size.

I ordered a 19" frame and have found it very slightly smaller than I was expecting but have got used to, and like the agility that a less stretched out riding position can provide.

It was head and shoulders the best hard tail I could find at the time and I did not have long to make my mind up before the "ride to work" scheme closed.

With the tax benefits of the ride to work scheme the KTM was amazing value and I love it, and riding it and have no regrets. It is a superb bike.
 
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