Impact of rider weight on range

[Danidl]

The site seems to suggest a 10 per cent reduction in weight equals a 10 per cent reduction in power consumption.

Is it that simple - and linear?

Perhaps it is.

And does 10 per cent less power to push you along equal 10 per cent more range from the battery?

... From my reading on the subject , yes it is that linear... Except the pesky wind resistance is independent of weight. The attached is a diagram i picked up from an American site for Schwalbe. The calculation is based on an 85kg load , but the rolling resistance , this is the bit which is weight dependent is directly proportional to weight and things like tyre pressures and tyre materials and tyre cross section all play a part.

 

[Cliff-C]

It's not a bit of extra range, though. When I'm below 90kg, I can ride my road bike, which means no more battery anxiety. I've another two weeks to go since my weight ballooned to 105kg at Xmas. Presently 91.6kg. Boy, can I tell the difference.

Last Monday, I was really lucky. We took my mum out for a cream tea at a posh hotel. They gave us deluxe sandwiches and loads of nice cakes, so I pigged out. The luck was in getting food poisoning from it, so I puked the whole lot up the next day and lost 2kg in a single day.

Good point D8veh [emoji1] [emoji23]

Thanks to the great advice on this forum I have built a bike which meets my needs and I have yet to come close to running out of range. However, if I find my battery power is getting low some enforced vomiting might get me home.

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[Deleted member 4366]

However, if I find my battery power is getting low some enforced vomiting might get me home.

Yes, that should work quite well. I reckon you could get up to 5% further. If that's not enough, don't forget to do the easy things first. A quick dump behind a tree could shed up to 1 kg, but if that's still not enough, try a bit of blood letting.

 

[Danidl]

Yes, that should work quite well. I reckon you could get up to 5% further. If that's not enough, don't forget to do the easy things first. A quick dump behind a tree could shed up to 1 kg, but if that's still not enough, try a bit of blood letting.

.. I see I am only in the halfpenny place, amputations, syrup of figs, if these are the price of success, i am willing to cheat. I think I'll just attach the bike to the car, drive it 50 miles and claim a 50 mile range.

 

[Woosh]

.

If you want to extend your range, just take a bit more time, go more slowly.
Danidl's chart shows total load of 400W at 25kph and 300W at 20kph, (they are a 50W higher than my own estimate), 25% reduction in speed for 33% extra range.

 

[Gubbins]

Tbh i think it's sll a load of bull. Sometimes when I go out I feel fit and strong and can push the bike past the cutoff with ease but other times I feel tired and just can't do it and tend to ride under the cutoff , so at both extremes the difference in battery usage is massive.

 

[Danidl]

If you want to extend your range, just take a bit more time, go more slowly.
Danidl's chart shows total load of 400W at 25kph and 300W at 20kph, (they are a 50W higher than my own estimate), 25% reduction in speed for 33% extra range.

.. in your estimates if I follow your post you assume a 2% gradient , to allow for stops starts, this graph assumes a 5%, .. so honour served.

The other alternative at least on an unmodified Bosch is to go punishing faster at 27km and the battery range will be infinite... This might be a win, win win situation, the extra work will cause the pounds to drop off in sweat, the digestive system will be in overdrive with consequent weight reduction and one will be sweating blood.