Windy, Wet and Wonderful

georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,425
1,251
Surrey
Today will be the last of three late shift cross country rides to work on my 2015 Haibike Yamaha. Almost because rather than despite of the weather they have been fantastic. Some spitting rain and blustery wind in beautiful countryside, what more could you ask for.

Ride to Work Windy Wet & Wonderful 22 05 21 001.JPG

My job involves different start and finish times. so for the first ride on Thursday I set off around 15:30 using a 14 mile route to work and then a 10 mile road ride home at around 01:30. The wind was strongest that night and although hitting me occasionally from all directions it was mostly behind me and on one level to slightly up gradient enabled me to hold just over 27 mph. When I got home I had use 40% of my original 2015 400Wh battery.

Ride to Work Windy Wet & Wonderful 22 05 21 002.JPG

Yesterday was a later start time so I set off at about 17:15 and had a similarly fantastic ride and as I did a shorter job at work I was riding home at a similar time to the previous day at 01:40. Another 24 mile round trip and this time 41% of my battery used on the faster road ride home.

After playing around with it when I got the bike the gearing is now perfect for this dual role of low enough gearing for climbing my most difficult off road tracks on the way to work and being able to average 20 mph on my 10 mile road ride home.

Ride to Work Windy Wet & Wonderful 22 05 21 003.JPG

As I do a lot of miles (13,466 so far) I am pleased the bike came with a cheaper 9 speed drive train to which I have added a 12/36 cassette and 42 tooth chain ring. If you travel at higher speeds using the smaller cogs with less teeth the power of a crank drive ebike can wear them out much quicker than the rest of the cassette. On this cassette I changed the chain on its wear limit and added a new individual 12 tooth top gear cog to my part worn cassette and that has worked brilliantly to extend the life of my rear cassette after adding a further 308 trouble free miles.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303407767912

As the chain ring is now getting worn I wont change the chain again when it goes over the wear limit but just carry on until the whole lot is worn out and then change the whole drive train.

I am Looking forward to my ride today but I am doing a longer harder job when I get there. I should end up riding 72 miles in three days.

Anybody else doing crazy commutes?

Riders On The Storm

 
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georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,425
1,251
Surrey
I forgot my charger today, and not knowing I had did a longer 16 mile off road route into work, using 32% of my 400Wh original battery. As I suspected the battery level drops faster in the second half of the batteries capacity and I arrived home with just 10% left, which in real terms is the end of higher levels of support as the power from the motor drops off at this point. However I didn't nurse it but rode as fast as normal using my higher power middle assist to climb hills faster and maintain speeds above 20mph elsewhere when I began to flag in low assist. So not bad for a battery in it seventh year.