So picked up my new bike on Thursday, been out 3 times already.
Quick question, my range is pretty disappointing….i know there are a lot of variables with these things so not an exact science but my question is this.
I have found that eco setting (2 out of 5) to be a fantastic do it all setting BUT my range is still quite poor….
would turning the assistance up to 150% from 100% in eco+ (Base Setting) have less effect on the battery than keeping it in eco setting @150%?
Probably a stupid question but new to this e-bike thing….
Bike is a 2020 Giant e-Reign..

would turning the assistance up to 150% from 100% in eco+ (Base Setting) have less effect on the battery than keeping it in eco setting @150%?

No, you’d just have 2 modes that are exactly the same.

What do you consider to be a disappointing range? What were you expecting?

I told you it is probably a stupid question 😂
Today on a full charge i did 11 miles with 2400ft climbing in just over an hour…mostly on eco setting (2 out of 5) and when i got back home, battery was on 29%.
Had thought i would be getting more than what i am…
Perhaps i am being over optimistic on the manufacturer’s estimates…as like i said, a lot of variables.

Its the climbing at speed that eats batteries. Do you know what size battery you have? My ebike had a 375kwhr ( I think thats the unit) battery. 15 miles and 1500 ft of climbing killed it with high gearing so climbing fast. Dropping the gearing 25% increased the range noticeably on the same route as I was climbing slower ( steep climb in lowest gear).and my record is 8 miles ( derestricted, hilly road, sitting at 30+ mph)

It’s a 500 w/hr battery. I assumed that me having a “good cadence”, so a higher gear (2nd/3rd cog down) is more efficient than stomping on the pedals and having lower rpm?
I am a heavy bugger which i know plays a part in range, but was still expecting more

high cadence is better for battery life. On the steep climb I was talking about climbing it with a 36/ 34 equivalent bottom gear used more battery that a 28/34 equivalent gearing as I was climbing slower. Both times using a similar cadence – that was what I meant. If you are heavy that will reduce range more. 150% assist is a lot is it not? My bike had 3 choices – 50%, 100% and 150%. I used 100% for climbing

That doesn’t sound bad to me, i have flattened a 400 battery in 14 miles, and I’m a spinner, although i am heavy like you.
(14 miles, about 1400ft climbing, but 90-100rpm)
That was on turbo mode though.
Ive done 31 miles on eco and only used half of the same battery. Although i did walk up a steep climb as i was worried about overheating the motor. (I needn’t have worried)

Depends how heavy you are.
Depends on battery size.
Me at 16 stone with a 500 battery, I get around 20 miles with 3500 feet.
I have 2 batteries so swap at lunchtime and do more runs.

Just had a look at some of my rides on strava.

6.5miles / 3048ft climbing
12.38miles / 1965ft climbing
6.97miles / 3015ft climbing
5.2miles / 2149ft climbing

The amount of climbing will depend on how steep that climb is, obviously the steeper the climb the more work the motor is doing so it’ll kill it quicker.

I always climb in boost and descend in trail, I rarely ride in eco and I don’t really try to save battery power.

Outside temperature massively affects the battery – cold weather means shorter battery life

That’s on Shimano steps E8000 with a 504wh battery and 85kg rider

Manufacturers range and actual range is ALWAYS different. It Depends on many factors.

On a flat canal I cold get the full range of 70miles.

Real world use is about half that. battery should last about 3 or 4 years.

I went through two unrepairable shimano motors, refused to buy another at £735 and can only recommend bosch or baofeng.

Well mine’s a Shimano and has lasted 15 months so far without problems but the range is still naff. On a flat ride I might get 30 miles, maybe 35 at an outside if it’s warm. On a hilly ride 25 is more like it and if it’s cold 20.

I am a heavy bugger which i know plays a part in range

That is the most significant factor in range (and also makes a massive difference
to speed up steep hills particularly if in boost/turbo). 30kg lighter = 20% more range (anecdotal evidence from my partner and I).

20 mile out of my old Bosch 500 battery is my usual distance and well happy if I get any further. I try to run on eco but being old and knackered it soon gets moved up to MTB mode and full whack powers me over the tecky stuff.

I’m on a 2020 Reign E+ (Orangey one). Yesterdays excise:

Time: 50 minutes.

Ascent: 1,259 ft.

Distance: 6.63 miles.

In normal (3 LEDs) all the time.

Battery full to start, lost one LED (20% used?). Short stop to check out a new line/trail.

Does that help?

@marko…kinda helps. Same bike as you. But you didn’t say how much you weigh…

I did a ride today…16.6 miles, 3,066 ft climbing, 1h 40mins…

Battery full when i started and when i got home it was on 5% battery.

I use eco+ (2 dots) for 90% of my rides with the odd steep climb in sport+ (5 dots)

Weight obviously plays a big part in the range.

Yes, on a hilly ride, double the weight and you’ll need to double the amount of energy input to climb those hills, thus halving the range from the battery.

As has been said there are tons of variables at play here. The biggest ride I’ve done on my 2017 Levo (so a 500 battery I think) was 75km with 1650m climbing and I didn’t turn off the battery at any point. However it was set to 10% assistance and I weigh ~70kg. On 50% mode I’ve drained the battery with half that distance and climb. My cadence also averages ~55 so I’m definitely not a spinning type.

Question for the ebikers : do you switch off the assist on downhills? Or do you reduce the level of assistance on downhills at all?

It depends on the situation but much of the time downhill you’re going faster than 15.5mph, and on a legal ebike there’s no assistance above this speed.

Question for the ebikers : do you switch off the assist on downhills?

I think I’m an outlier here in that downhill is one of few times I use turbo mode. Where I want power is stuff like out of corners or putting in a pedal stroke or 2 in slower bits (I don’t have much in the way of power of my own…)

Don’t switch mine off, Turbo Levo, but most of the time its in Eco mode 20%, I do go to Trail mode 50% for climbs like the Beast but think Turbo 100% limits the control I have on up hill technical’s

Don’t turn mine off but do tend to turn it down. Im talking about classic trail riding rather than pure Dh. As I don’t want it to surge forward when I want half a pedal to do something technical but still want power for when the trail goes up & your speed dips.