Rd electrick

Altop1

Pedelecer
Oct 27, 2016
107
76
57
Lincolnshire
Does anybody use a race styled e road bike .Just wondering if the in the uk and the motor stops at 15 mph if there is any benefit compared to a e mtb. Along the same idea would fitting rd tyres to emtb be any good.
 
D

Deleted member 4366

Guest
A road bike or hybrid is much easier and more efficient above 15 mph, so a long commute or journey on the road would be quicker and use less battery. I think it's advantage comes from its better air resistance mainly, but also a bit from the lower rolling resistance.

Knobbly tyres on any bike will slow you down.

There's questions over whether thinner tyres are better. Research seems to be indicating that wider tyres are just as efficient apart from the increased air resistance. You have to be going above 15 mph for air resistance to make much difference.

If you want the ultimate in efficiency on a normal bike (speed and wh/mile) a converted road bike would be a good solution.
 

D8ve

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 30, 2013
2,142
1,294
Bristol
I had two BH races. They allowed me to commute sweat free. I also increased my mileage and improved my fitness with my 4 mile commute sometimes getting up to 25 miles one way.
The advantage is accelerating and hill climbing. These are much easier leaving you fresher for the flat. It upped my average speed by 2-3mph, I doesn't look much but it makes a big difference against anyone else.
The other way to get a similar effect is to go recumbent but hills are still difficult then.
The question for you is how hilly is your riding?
Oh the gearing on a MTB is rediculously low on an electric bike. You would never need the granny ring and even the middle one is barely required.
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,785
The European Union
My first "MTB" bike had slick 1.95" Michelin tyres. The advantage of the wider slick tyres is they grip in the corners like fly paper so once you are used to them you have a lot more confidence on the bike and chucking it about at speed. Braking is greatly improved too, important when your bike weighs 20+ kg.

The verdict on wide vs "normal" slick road tyres is that if you aren't racing there is no measurable difference and even the pros have started using wider tyres now! I now use 2" Big Bens with some tread and they do handle better on the sand than the slicks did.
 

Altop1

Pedelecer
Oct 27, 2016
107
76
57
Lincolnshire
I wouldn't expect to get a road ebike ,well not in the near future,but when i need to change tryes might consider the big ben idea.The thing is where do you stop what with dongles extra chain rings rd tyres.I do have sch city jets om my old cb mtb does look odd but definitely quicker.
 

Gubbins

Esteemed Pedelecer
Does anybody use a race styled e road bike .Just wondering if the in the uk and the motor stops at 15 mph if there is any benefit compared to a e mtb. Along the same idea would fitting rd tyres to emtb be any good.
I have both and the road ebike is significantly easier to ride above the cutoff off than the emtb thereby giving at least 40% extra range. One is yamaha and one is bosch but at the end of the day they both have 500w batteries and both use a 250w legal motor . The same as you would expect an unpowered road bike to be easier to ride faster than an unpowered mtb.
 

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