Gave the Woosh Bikes a Test Yesterday

[stever1957]

So, we decided to get Woosh bikes: As I'm over twenty stones, it was the Big Bear for me. My wife, being just eight stones and only a little over five feet tall, went for the Petite (with the 15AH battery option).

Yesterday, we did a thirty-two mile round-trip over some of the hilliest parts of the Isle of Wight. After five years of struggling on some of these hills on ordinary bikes, it was a delight to be coping with them almost effortlessly.

At the end of the ride, I had used about three quarters of my battery's charge, whilst my wife had used rather less than half.

We both had the motors switched on throughout, and I never went below assistance level two.

 

[Nealh]

Going back to one of your initial Q's in another thread, range!!!
As you can see rider weight has a lot to do with battery capacity usage, same route same hills and conditions. On longer rides swapping batteries is an option if they are the same fitting otherwise for your self a second one may be needed. Try riding in assist 1 & 2 only saving higher assist for the hills only, I find the range difference between assist 2 & 3 to be in the region of 60 - 75% extra.
Down hill switch off or use assist 0, on the flat ride without power or try only assist 1.
Try using the gears more (if not doing so already) lower gearing will aid the hub and prevent bogging down and amp draw from the battery.

 

[Woosh]

On longer rides swapping batteries is an option

that's an interesting point as both bikes use the same battery.

 

[stever1957]

Thanks for the replies.

It was a particularly hilly route, so assist 3 did get used. Generally though, I stuck to 2.

The batteries being the same might well be very handy, at some point.

 

[Paultr]

.....
Try riding in assist 1 & 2 only saving higher assist for the hills only, I find the range difference between assist 2 & 3 to be in the region of 60 - 75% extra.
.....

Wow, that is a massive difference - thanks for the tip

 

[Nealh]

The reasoning is quite simple really though you need to put it to the test to try.
If your controller uses speed control you won't notice it much but if you use torque simulation controller or it is set to current control, then the higher the assist the more amps you will draw. More amps drawn form the battery reduces range during a ride, keep high assist just for hills to make them easier and rely on very low assist for flat terrain. Even going down hill you will draw amps until you are past the cut off a waste of battery better setting to assist 0 or 1.

 

[stever1957]

We did a twenty-three mile round trip today. Taking Neal's advice, we stayed on assist level one throughout a fairly flat (Isle of Wight cycleway) six miles, then went to level two for the rest of the trip, which is a bit 'up hill and down dale'. On a couple of hills, I went, briefly, to level three assist.

It was all rather easy.

I used just one bar, out of five, of the battery indicator.

Considering I'm over twenty stones (ex shot-putter) and carry a good many tools, I'd say that is a pretty impressive job done by the bike.

 

[Nealh]

We did a twenty-three mile round trip today. Taking Neal's advice, we stayed on assist level one throughout a fairly flat (Isle of Wight cycleway) six miles, then went to level two for the rest of the trip, which is a bit 'up hill and down dale'. On a couple of hills, I went, briefly, to level three assist.

It was all rather easy.

I used just one bar, out of five, of the battery indicator.

Considering I'm over twenty stones (ex shot-putter) and carry a good many tools, I'd say that is a pretty impressive job done by the bike.

For a direct comparison ride the exact same route in assist 3 only, to compare battery usage.
Previously I over exaggerated the extra range % quoted between pas 2 & 3, 60 - 65% is closer to the mark rather then the upper of 75%.