If you are going 17/18mph then the motor should not by law be providing any power regardless of what setting it is on. (as you say: which would indicate the motor isn't doing much even in ECO mode ). It sounds as if you are pretty fit despite your condition and are hardly using any motor power: but I can quite see why you want the motor for confidence.

 

I certainly can't manage 17/18 on the flat for any length of time on a regular hybrid non-e-bike.

I maintained a gentle 13/14mph.

 

If you are going 17/18mph then the motor should not by law be providing any power regardless of what setting it is on. (as you say: which would indicate the motor isn't doing much even in ECO mode ). It sounds as if you are pretty fit despite your condition and are hardly using any motor power: but I can quite see why you want the motor for confidence.

 

I certainly can't manage 17/18 on the flat for any length of time on a regular hybrid non-e-bike.

 

I'm not sure where or who is doing 17/18mph ?

Has Eddie put in all the settings to get his quoted 66 miles? There are just so many variables that nothing will be able to predict really accurately, but I still think it does a pretty good job for me.

 

After reading your reply, I went back to do the range test again, and yep by mistake I had missed out a couple of elements of it.

 

It was actually pretty much spot for my normal riding routes here in the UK, but out for my trips to the Swiss Alps, where the range can drop to just 9 miles, but that is with nearly 8,000ft of elevation gain over that distance. If Bosch incorporated elevation gain into the test, then it too would more than likely work out correctly.

 

Someone must of put quite a lot of work into piecing that together.

I weigh the best part of 20 stone. My Raleigh Motus is fitted with the 300watt base battery and it predicts 90 miles for me. The most I have done is 15 miles and the battery dropped ONE, yes one of the five bars on the indicator. Given that it has progressed into the second bar that would sort of prove the projected mileage is about right. I ride a mix of OFF (simply because you don't need the motor in ideal conditions), ECO and rarely, TOUR. I just haven't come across the need for SPORT or TURBO. However if you are going to ride with the motor assisting you at one of the higher levels (unlikely as you'll realise when you ride one) then range will obviously reduce. The point is though, you just do not need full motor assistance all the time. I'm 70 year s of age with severe spinal disabilities and suffering heart failure and even I'm happy with ECO mode or even OFF as it's rolling resistance is very low. I've only had mine about six weeks but I am amazed just how efficient this motor drive is. Far better than my expectations and, it is priced at an amazing £1650 which, for a branded bike and possibly the best drive system on the market is brilliant.

As a motus user for 2000km I fully agree with you. Lazy sod that I am, I often use the touring position.. and I don't have the health condition you have, but my area always has a lot of wind..

I'm not sure where or who is doing 17/18mph ?

[mention=21177]SteveB1262[/mention] commented As I stated above, 13/14 mph motor OFF and on ECO mode perhaps 17/18mph

 

Either of those should mean no power from the motor.

 

It looks that most of us, with our very different terrains and riding styles, are getting surprisingly good results from the predictor when used carefully enough. It could probably be even better incorporating some suggestions above and a little more clarity. For example, I am never sure whether Winchester counts as 'some inclines' or 'hilly'.

 

It should be particularly easy to consider extreme height gains; most factors such as speed, cycle type and even distance almost disappear leaving total weight, assist level and battery size. I must do some quick calculations on that.

The motor most definitely does assist at 17/18 mph in ECO mode as I can tell when I turn to OFF. I'm in the fortunate position, as I posted earlier, of having a seemingly 'faulty' machine that assists to 22+ mph. I'm certainly not complaining at all and I shall 'forget' to mention it on its first free service. I usually get the 'dud' when I buy anything but in this case 'dud' is very welcome.

Interesting. I remember now you had said that in an earlier post; I had forgotten. I must have a test on ours to see if we are getting any similar assist (if I can get up to 17/18 mph in the first place?)

On my ‘quaint’ Quartz I have no means of distance measurement so these arguments kind of go over my head, its just nice to be ‘assisted’ as one comes to a hill or even a slight gradient as my walking endurance is about 100yds before I feel about to collapse and have to sit a while.

 

Jim

On my ‘quaint’ Quartz I have no means of distance measurement so these arguments kind of go over my head, its just nice to be ‘assisted’ as one comes to a hill or even a slight gradient as my walking endurance is about 100yds before I feel about to collapse and have to sit a while.

 

Jim

 

You can download a free app from Google Play or the I-store to give you distance and speed measured by GPS on a smart phone or tablet. You just have to persevere as the GPS signal takes a little longer to respond so there is a slight delay. If you can get it to read a constant speed of say 18 or 19mph and then switch off it should tell you. Cycle computers are cheap these days to. Anything from £5 direct from China or £12 or do in the UK.

 

As for your physical endurance I have the same problem but my doctor told me to use my inhaler for my lungs and nitro spray for heart EVERY time before exercise and it really does help...a LOT. The inhaler opens up the alviolae in the lungs and the nitro the arteries and vessels around the heart. If physical problems aren't your problem but lack of general fitness then stick at it mate. You'll get there. I'm feeling so much better since I got the ebike whereas my mountain bike was on the point of killing me! It may be interesting to give the MTB another try in a few more weeks just to make the comparison but I am absolutely convinced the ebike was an inspired move.

Edited December 17, 20187 yr by SteveB1262

Still on the subject of cycle ‘puters I've not yet found one that can fit my BB Quartz which has an extremely long steering head (28” h/bar to fork leg) - wireless is no good because of excessive distance between signal head and h/bar, max 24”, not sure about wired type - I’ve bought so much junk that is no use

I have to stop somewhere although I’d still like one that really works.

 

Jim

I went out today as the weather is fine with a very light breeze and selected TOUR mode from the off. It gave me an estimated range of 24 miles. I did 12 miles and used TURBO mode twice uphill on the nature reserve otherwise it was TOUR all the way. On getting home the battery indicator dropped one bar, literally at my front gate with an estimated range left of 27 miles!!!!! Work that one out as it beats me. 12 mile journey and my range has increased by 3 miles. As a rough guestimate I reckon that actually equates to about 55+ miles (I just do not give that estimated range any credence at all)) evenTOUR mode. It may just be my style of riding as I ride at a fairly leisurely pace making liberal use of the gears. I always coast downhill and keep a light touch on the pedals on the flat. I may ride differently if I were going anywhere such as commuting but I ride for pleasure. Maybe that's why, I just don't know, but I'm not complaining that's for sure. Maybe in the summer I'll just ride it till the battery gives no more help and see what happens. Of course the battery is still brand new and most certainly will fade with use, same as the bike will age and maybe lose some of its efficiency too. Time will tell.

Unfortunately the range left prediction relies much too heavily on only very recent history (somebody suggested the last mile). Your experience is a little extreme. It could be that the end of the previous ride had quite a lot of up hill, which significantly lowered the prediction end the end of it, and therefore the prediction at the start of the new ride.

Yes, ageing with use - that’s me!

 

Jim

On the Cube Touring One 500 Iridium with Activeline Plus my real world riding from last week suggests a winter-time mixed surface flat range of 220km and a 'some elevation'/'slightly hilly' range (540m of elevation on a 46km ride) of about 130km.

Total weight of rider, bike and gear 125kg; estimated human assist average about 150 watts.

Those are within the ranges suggested by the calculator especially as I don't use assist on flat tarmac sections in the first hour or so of a ride.

 

Incidentally the 500 is cheaper than the Motus at about £1600 and you can get the 400 Iridium version (which will have 80% of the above ranges) for £1430 currently.

Edited January 1, 20197 yr by Andy McNish

On the Cube Touring One 500 Iridium with Activeline Plus my real world riding from last week suggests a winter-time mixed surface flat range of 220km and a 'some elevation'/'slightly hilly' range (540m of elevation on a 46km ride) of about 130km.

Total weight of rider, bike and gear 125kg; estimated human assist average about 150 watts.

 

Those are seriously impressive range figures Andy, I really need to try a newer bike, my bike will be 6 years old soon, and I'm guessing my batteries aren't as good as they used to be.

 

If you're up for a hard test of you and your bike it'd be really really interesting to see how your 500 w/h copes on this route below, I used 700 w/h when I did it. Stu

 

https://www.strava.com/segments/11318325

Range/mileage figures can give someone a false idea of which bike to buy as too many variables are involved. Not using assisted powered for an our of a ride will vastly affect range calcs ( most buy a bike for the assistance not the non assistance), speed, weather, conditions, rider health/fitness etc ,etc all play a part and could be disappointing to another user.

 

To be fairer Andy should also compare the same route with assistance throughout (start to finish) for prediction comparison.

Edited January 2, 20197 yr by Nealh

Range/mileage figures can give someone a false idea of which bike to buy as too many variables are involved. Not using assisted powered for an our of a ride will vastly affect range calcs ( most buy a bike for the assistance no the non assistance), speed, weather, conditions, rider health/fitness etc ,etc all play a part and could be disappointing to another user.

 

To be fairer Andy should also compare the same route with assistance throughout (start to finish) for prediction comparison.

 

Indeed indeed, hence my challenge route which would give a really good comparison to my bike, although there is of course the rider variable.

Those are seriously impressive range figures Andy, I really need to try a newer bike, my bike will be 6 years old soon, and I'm guessing my batteries aren't as good as they used to be.

 

If you're up for a hard test of you and your bike it'd be really really interesting to see how your 500 w/h copes on this route below, I used 700 w/h when I did it. Stu

 

https://www.strava.com/segments/11318325

 

Looks very hilly! What is the total elevation on that one Artsu?

 

Here is my 'some elevation' ride that used about one third of the 500 battery.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2038050197

 

As for not using the battery on flat tarmac in first hour, the difference is likely to be very marginal on this particular ride as there is very little flat tarmac in it after the first mile or so. That was more relevant for the Mersey and Bridgewater Canal 'flat' ride but as my speed on flat tarmac is going to be around 25kph anyway, apart from in congested areas, the assist even if on may not actually amount to much. Assuming that my power input whist dawdling under 25kph on flat tarmac is around 100W then Eco assist for a full hour would only be 40W (or about 8% of the battery).

 

You also have to remember that the 3rd gen Activeline Plus motor is 1:1 ratio and zero resist (so much easier to pedal when off or over 25kph) and that it's c. 30% more efficient than the CX to start off with - so ranges (especially with a new battery) will be pretty impressive compared to older motors.

Edited January 2, 20197 yr by Andy McNish

Looks very hilly! What is the total elevation on that one Artsu?

 

Here is my 'some elevation' ride that used about one third of the 500 battery.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2038050197

 

As for not using the battery on flat tarmac in first hour, the difference is likely to be very marginal on this particular ride as there is very little flat tarmac in it after the first mile or so. That was more relevant for the Mersey and Bridgewater Canal 'flat' ride but as my speed on flat tarmac is going to be around 25kph anyway, apart from in congested areas, the assist may actually be fairly marginal.

 

You also have to remember that the 3rd gen Activeline Plus motor is zero resist (so much easier to pedal when off or over 25kph) and that it's c. 30% more efficient than the CX to start off with - so ranges will be pretty impressive compared to older motors.

 

My Garmin clocked 4734 feet, but it always underestimates so nearer 6,000 feet going off other riders stats on the day. https://www.strava.com/activities/485023813#11640864343

 

That's interesting about the zero resistance above the motor speed. mines a first gen Bosch classic and I've never thought those 2.5 ratio motors were a good idea, so the new ones like yours appeal to me.

 

I grew up not far from you and went to Alexandra Park junior school, that'd be 71 to 77.

Edited January 2, 20197 yr by Artstu

My Garmin clocked 4734 feet, but it always underestimates so nearer 6,000 feet going off other riders stats on the day. https://www.strava.com/activities/485023813#11640864343

 

That's interesting about the zero resistance above the motor speed. mines a first gen Bosch classic and I've never thought those 2.5 ratio motors were a good idea, so the new ones like yours appeal to me.

 

I grew up not far from you and went to Alexandra Park junior school, that'd be 70 to 77.

 

I've just finished my term as a school governor there (both my kids went to it)!

I'm from properly up North (Sunderland) originally.

 

1800 metres is a lot of climbing! Just over 3x what I did on that ride. I think it would be very close to using up all the 500 battery - the range calculator set on 'uplands' (one above hilly) is giving me 68km on Tour and 45km on Turbo. I think you'd probably manage to limp home, but not without some range anxiety. You couldn't just blast it on Turbo any time you saw an incline..

 

So far the only issue with my bike is entirely my own fault. I was cleaning it up after the quite muddy outing up into the High Peak and used Muc-Off protection spray (I assume it's basically WD40) on my brake discs. Now I have very squeaky disc brakes (I will have contaminated the brake pads with it and will need to fit new ones - only a few pounds each but a right faff). Otherwise the bike is amazing.

Edited January 2, 20197 yr by Andy McNish