ebike or not?

I’d say removable battery for deffo. Wasn’t something I was looking for when I bought my rail, however it has a removable battery and I use it all the time.

Removable battery pros;

1. Able to charge away from the bike

2. Able to store in the warm in winter

3. Able to carry a spare battery and swap as desired.

4. Bike is lighter for loading into/onto vehicles.

5. Battery is generally higher capacity.

Cons;

1. Frame will be heavier to compensate for the bloody great hole in it for the battery.

Fixed battery Pros;

1. Bikes are generally lighter, sleeker and more “normal” looking

2. Need to get the bike near the mains for charging

3. More difficult to protect the battery from temperature extremes.

The only one that really matters is the charging.

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colp
Full Member

The big issue with non-removable is Winter. You’d need to bring the bike inside to store it

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again, depends on storage. We are in a modern house with an integral garage, so power sockets and a temp that never goes below about 5 degrees.

Removable battery is nice to have but not a deal breaker for me.
Garage is warmish and has power so I only remove it if I’m giving it a really good clean and check over.
I do however have a small tube heater type thing that I plug in and put underneath the bike if its been washed.
Seems to do a good job of drying out any damp that can gather in awkward places.

Removable battery on the Turbo Levo’s, only time they have been remove on over three years, was to check the battery numbers last month. The Levo SL is integrated but can’t see me ever wanting to take it out. Sorted in a dry but unheated garage

Thanks all, ..

Yeah, I think for me it would be one of the key design features i’d look for…Bikes are stored in an external, brick and mortar garage but its colder than a witches tit and damp over winter. The flexibility a removable battery would give, what if you were away, had to leave the bike in the van and charge the battery indoors? amongst others things.

Not a fan of integrated batteries for ebikes, i prefer to be able to remove the battery and clean up and protect the terminals, no matter what, water gets in and corrosion can occur, last thing i want is any issues with thermal runaway or other issues when charging, i just do not like not knowing what condition the internals are in on the bike, but that could be the engineer in me talking!

I also don’t like having a fully functioning bike stored, if someone nicks it, then they will need to find the battery, skewers, etc, i aint making it easy for them this time!

1. Frame will be heavier to compensate for the bloody great hole in it for the battery

Tell me about these heavy holes. 🤣

Removable for sure, wouldn’t buy a bike with a fixed battery.
Could then fly with it, not that I see that happening for a good few years at present though, and rent a battery at the destination.
Plus I take 2 batteries to bpw for example and can then swap at lunchtime.
Or weekends away at a b&b I can just take the battery to my room to charge.
Also at home I keep the bike in my lounge, doesn’t everyone?

daveylad
Free Member

Plus I take 2 batteries to bpw for example and can then swap at lunchtime.

Yeah, i’ve found the cafe at BPW is pretty expensive as well ;o)

I experienced my first bit of ebike hate yesterday, I was cycling up a fire road somewhere in Grizedale forest and overtook another rider on a normal bike, he said in a fairly negative tone of voice that I should try using my legs.

I don’t get why other people care what I ride, they seem to feel threatened by the fact its a ebike.

Never mind, he’s in the minority most people are pleasant regardless.

Yeah that sort of comment is pathetic. I’ve not had anything said so directly but have had the odd comment with an undertone of sarcasm or negativity.

Watched a Ben Cathro vid on pinkbike the other day and he used the term ‘wealthy freeloaders’ to describe ebikers (context – it was in a very Ben Cathro tongue in cheek way and i know he uses his e bike quite a bit so it was definitely not sincere!!). But I did think to myself that is a very succinct and accurate description of what the haters actually do think…albeit whether they consciously admit it to themselves or dress it up as some other reason to hate is a different matter!

he said in a fairly negative tone of voice that I should try using my legs.

I would have replied he should have done better at school then he too could afford an ebike.

Never mind, he’s in the minority most people are pleasant regardless.

I think there’s always been that sub-group of riders who are overly competitive in normal trail riding situations. The sort that never liked being caught on a climb and would be rude or surly if you did.

Those people should really go racing, because then they could realise they were firmly mid-pack at best and chill out the rest of the time! But they won’t, and now they have a new thing to hate / blame.

It’s not elitism or being a purist, it’s something more Grinch-y, or someone just having their own crap day.

Don’t get much hate at cannock, well you do on Facebook groups etc…but in the trials it’s often “give us a tow” I’ve said before on the fireroad climbs I now do #ecoclimb which is great for the legs. If it’s a singletrack climb I tend to hold back, when I catch up with others I just switch the ebike off and pedal up as normal. I don’t ride at peak traffic times, I tend to go during the week early morning so can ride round without seeing anyone.

Julians.
I’d have just asked him what the **** it had to do with him what bike a was riding that day.
Only ever had one incident with someone being a bellend towards Mrs stu when we were on our eebs.
He seemed to go a bit quiet and not want to discuss it with me.
Bellends will always find something to bitch about.

If I overtake folk on non ebikes I tend to ( in a cheery tone) apologize for cheating. It amuses most folk

he said in a fairly negative tone of voice that I should try using my legs.

I’d have given him a spinning back kick

An overly cheery smile, mibbe tell them to enjoy the climb. Be nice, even if they’re bawbags.

‘you’re doing great’ for maximum continuity condenscencion. 😉

‘you’re doing great’ for maximum continuity condenscencion

I like that a lot :)

I would have replied he should have done better at school then he too could afford an ebike.

And if he’d done really well at school he’d have been able to afford a car….. isn’t that how it goes.

I experienced my first bit of ebike hate yesterday, I was cycling up a fire road somewhere in Grizedale forest and overtook another rider on a normal bike, he said in a fairly negative tone of voice that I should try using my legs.

I can concur that ebike hate is indeed a thing, even though I’ve never ridden one.

Was doing a swift lap of llandegla a few years ago when I wasn’t quite so fat and unfit. On the Z climbs near the end I got this really weird vibe from the group about 100m in front of me. They then stopped and pulled into the side. I was getting these waves of unhappiness but when I thought about it rationally I realised I was talking bollocks. How could I…

Anyway I continued on and eventually passed them. One said to the other:

“Bloody hell, he’s not even on an e-bike”

It was only about a minute later that I put 2 and 2 together and worked out what it was all about.

But yes, it must indeed be weird for Ebikers to put up with so much bad feeling.

PS, I appreciate that what I said above was a blatant attempt at a brag. Sorry for that. I’m 2 weeks into a 3 week covid isolation, completely unfit, tired and demotivated. Desperately trying to summon up some oomph and convince myself that I’m not a complete no-hoper before I drive 300 miles for a cycling assessment next weekend.

#SoFarOutOfTheZoneItsNotFunny

“ If I overtake folk on non ebikes I tend to ( in a cheery tone) apologize for cheating. It amuses most folk”

Me too: “I’m on my cheaty bike!”

Conversely, some years ago I was on a group XC ride and a guy who ran an ebike shop turned up. He kept up easily thanks to his motor and then overtook me up a climb as I was struggling with knee pain due to an old injury and shouted “come on Dad!” at me. (I was a new parent at the time and he was about 20 years older than me). It so annoying!

You’ll be fine thegeneralist, chin up mate, you’ve done all the hard work. 💪🏻🙏🏻

‘you’re doing great’ for maximum continuity condenscencion.

you are an evil man! funny tho :-)

I didn’t mind really, I just said a cheery ‘morning!’

The day before I lugged the bloody thing up Rossett Gill, down styhead pass, then up and down stakes pass just for fun!*

* note it was not fun, and I blame single-track magazine entirely because of their ‘simply the best’ article in last months mag. It was by far one of the worst rides I have ever done.

I’m actually noticing a shift of attitudes to eeb’s up here in the Tweed Valley.
On days over the Golfie we’re now getting questions like how many laps you on now?
as we pass groups of people for about the third time.
I think in locations with steep terrain and a big fireroad grind to the top folks are seeing the advantages and just how many more descents you can get in in a given time.
Maybe is just most people over there are focused on the descent aspect and don’t get all uptight about how fast anyone is climbing.

Nowhere as bad as it used to be, we tend to hang back, have a laugh and joke about it with them. Ask them have they ridden one, even offered and been taken up on would you like to try it.
Still get the odd obnoxious one, but that’s life and not alot can be done about it. Same as on here, just tend to ignore it and carry on regardless 😎