Does anyone else ride in "off" mode?

Shaun

Member
May 12, 2018
108
53
Saint Mary Bourne
Yes when cycling with my buddies on their analogue mountain bikes. Makes a great training tool and you then really appreciate how amazing power assistance is on the trails when solo.
 

softtailcruiser

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Nov 23, 2018
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Went out with the kids today. Used gravel bike as the eBike would have crushed them..... (Incidentally, eldest, 7, did his first jump on his bike, and both terrified himself and smacked his knackers with the saddle, bless him). Anyway, the point of this post is that the gravel bike felt very heavy initially. Soon got used to it, but it just goes to show!
 
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PeteIOM

Member
Founding Member
Mar 11, 2018
135
98
Isle of Man
I try to ride in Eco or Tour most the time.

For me personally I bought an eBike to allow me to cycle MORE but still reap some benefits of a cardio workout.
I don't want the ride to be too easy, but riding with assist means I'll leave the car at home more often.
My commute is 32 miles a day.
There are a good few stretches that it gets switched off, pointless having it on whilst above the assist speed :)
 

softtailcruiser

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Nov 23, 2018
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I try to ride in Eco or Tour most the time.

There are a good few stretches that it gets switched off, pointless having it on whilst above the assist speed :)

Agree, and I only wish I was that quick! 107kg / 16st 11lbs plus bike and gear combined with a woeful lack of fitness mean otherwise, sadly.

Did my 2nd commute in today, and lovely it was, too. I had a heavy rucksack, as I had laptop, cables, plus clothes, tools, etc. in it. I must be approaching, if not exceeding, the maximum all-up weight for a Levo.

Got here with just over 50% battery left, using mostly trail and about 25% turbo to keep sweatiness at bay. 11.6 miles and started with 95% charge due to a cheeky wee 15 minutes yesterday to "test the gears", i.e. get away from the noise in the house, but don't tell anyone, OK?

Going to take a longer route home of 15.6 miles, but with a lighter rucksack. I plan to only use Eco as it will be pretty much all flat or slight downhill, on good paths / canalside towpaths and is my fat-burning session. It should also make sure I have enough juice! Hopefully (and relevant at last to this thread) I won't be using "Off" mode at all. Cardio is not on the agenda today!

Finally, over the next few months I hope to shed some kilos and build my fitness back to a level close to where it was in my early-thirties. I was about 14st 0lbs / 88 kg then, and regularly climbing mountains and mountain biking in Scotland. It will be interesting to see how much effect this will have on my range.

Interesting stuff, and adds a whole new level of engagement to cycling.
 
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bikerider007

Active member
Nov 7, 2018
147
119
Norfolk
Agree, and I only wish I was that quick! 107kg / 16st 11lbs plus bike and gear combined with a woeful lack of fitness mean otherwise, sadly.

Did my 2nd commute in today, and lovely it was, too. I had a heavy rucksack, as I had laptop, cables, plus clothes, tools, etc. in it. I must be approaching, if not exceeding, the maximum all-up weight for a Levo.

Got here with just over 50% battery left, using mostly trail and about 25% turbo to keep sweatiness at bay. 11.6 miles and started with 95% charge due to a cheeky wee 15 minutes yesterday to "test the gears", i.e. get away from the noise in the house, but don't tell anyone, OK?

Going to take a longer route home of 15.6 miles, but with a lighter rucksack. I plan to only use Eco as it will be pretty much all flat or slight downhill, on good paths / canalside towpaths and is my fat-burning session. It should also make sure I have enough juice! Hopefully (and relevant at last to this thread) I won't be using "Off" mode at all. Cardio is not on the agenda today!

Finally, over the next few months I hope to shed some kilos and build my fitness back to a level close to where it was in my early-thirties. I was about 14st 0lbs / 88 kg then, and regularly climbing mountains and mountain biking in Scotland. It will be interesting to see how much effect this will have on my range.

Interesting stuff, and adds a whole new level of engagement to cycling.

I too would love to lose some pounds... i know i did when i brought the bike...

I recently went out with some analogue bikes on a ride not a huge ride but 10-15 miles of trail center so nothing taxing i maybe did 3 miles with the bike on but only in eco otherwise it was off.. it was a good ride..
 

Marcus 8

New Member
Jan 7, 2019
6
12
Versailles
Only when I am above 25/27 Km / h on long straight and flat courses ... finally just when the engine stops.
At that moment it is a weight training exercise to keep the rhythm.:giggle:
 

softtailcruiser

New Member
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Nov 23, 2018
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Tamworth
Going to take a longer route home of 15.6 miles, but with a lighter rucksack. I plan to only use Eco as it will be pretty much all flat or slight downhill, on good paths / canalside towpaths and is my fat-burning session. It should also make sure I have enough juice! Hopefully (and relevant at last to this thread) I won't be using "Off" mode at all. Cardio is not on the agenda today.

So what I ACTUALLY did was try to ride through the parks and on the asphalt with it switched off, despite my earlier post above to the contrary. Then mostly eco along the muddy singletrack of the towpath. Got home with over 20% left!

Bodes well for the longer summer evenings when I have a few bridleway XC routes in mind, including some short but sweet downhills in some local woods.

Bring on the spring!
 

PeteIOM

Member
Founding Member
Mar 11, 2018
135
98
Isle of Man
I did this mornings commute of 16miles half chips half rice.

The main climb was in tour mode and then around 8 miles in I switch it off and rode the rest without.

My main point of interest was how it felt around the assist limit and not being engaged. I know its probably in my head but it feels like there is drag when pedalling above the assist with the motor on.
I've also noticed that the speedo isn't that snappy so if you are riding around 16mph it won't register you dropping in and out of the assist zone making the ride a little more chopping and accentuating the drop out more I guess.

With it switched off it does feel a lot smoother above the assist and less drag, but that could all just be in my head.

But yeah, 7 miles with around 350ft climbing didn't feel too bad switched off at all.

Switch on
https://www.strava.com/activities/2082026481
Switched off
https://www.strava.com/activities/2082067026
 

ggx

Well-known member
Dec 10, 2018
692
446
Sintra
I´t as to be dragg there, isn´t it?... we have to push the bike wheight , big tyres, etc.
I realy can´t feel significant diference abouve asistance limit if I switch to off mode.
 

Mr CRUD

Active member
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Dec 18, 2018
26
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Robin Hoods Bay
Honestly, I only ride in Boost, and even then I pedal as hard as I can. For me, e-bikes are all about speed. But if I'm at Dalby etc, I'll take my MTB. For me, e-bikes and MTB's just don't mix.

I ran out of battery once... that was a hard 5 miles uphill offload!

I did take it to Danny Hart's D-H Hamsterly. I did 13 downhill runs in 3 hours. If you get uplifts with an MTB, you will only get 5 max in the same time. That day was a blast.
 

PeteIOM

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Mar 11, 2018
135
98
Isle of Man
I´t as to be dragg there, isn´t it?... we have to push the bike wheight , big tyres, etc.
I realy can´t feel significant diference abouve asistance limit if I switch to off mode.
Didn't catch the first bit you posted..

What I mean is, the bike to me feels different accelerating above and beyond the assist limit when it's switched off.
Could just be placebo or the affect of suddenly not being assisted.

For me at the weight the bike is I would be happier if I could tune the assist down as I'm comfortable pedalling at 16mph to 18mph but slight dips cause the assist to kick in which kinda throws me a little.
 

PeteIOM

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Mar 11, 2018
135
98
Isle of Man
Abouve assist limit, I´m glad if I can keep the momentum :sick:
Well, there is my thing really... I find it harder to keep the momentum with it switched on lol.

I love having the assist for climbs, which is the part of the ride that kills me and deters me from riding loads of miles in a week hah.
 

PeteIOM

Member
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Mar 11, 2018
135
98
Isle of Man
Honestly, I only ride in Boost, and even then I pedal as hard as I can. For me, e-bikes are all about speed. But if I'm at Dalby etc, I'll take my MTB. For me, e-bikes and MTB's just don't mix.

I ran out of battery once... that was a hard 5 miles uphill offload!

I did take it to Danny Hart's D-H Hamsterly. I did 13 downhill runs in 3 hours. If you get uplifts with an MTB, you will only get 5 max in the same time. That day was a blast.

Exactly, different strokes for different folks.
I have an E-MTB to commute 32miles a day.. sometimes its more road that trail other times it's all trail.. the "E" part allows me to do way more miles in a week than I would without.
I got sick and tired after 20 years commuting in a car of the cost, traffic and feeling the road rage creep into my morning routine everyday.
Cycling to work relieves all that... massively. I could buy a commuter E-Bike but I do love Mtbing.. so it ticks all the boxes and I can decided with each ride how much of a work out I want.
 

softtailcruiser

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Nov 23, 2018
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I’ve only done 2.5 commutes so far, with the other 0.5 to be done this afternoon, but am already feeling the benefits.

These are not only physical, which to be fair are still marginal, but more significantly the psychological boost is distinct, and noticeable.

I’m more chilled at work and at home. I’m really, really enjoying the time on the bike, and am feeling more connected with nature. I focus on the smells, the sounds and the things I see and feel. I’m much more in the moment. On the way in today I laughed just at the sheer joy of it! I’ve also found that after about 250 miles on the new eMTB, I am carrying myself better and oddly feeling more confident in myself.

Like many people, life has its challenges, and I’ve suffered from anxiety and mild depression over the years and from time to time. Being able to escape from all of the pressures of life, work and what the media is chucking at us all the time, whilst at the same time doing something I HAVE to do - i.e. make a journey - is helping a lot.

I am also more motivated to leave the house to go to work, which is great as I work flexibly and can pretty much do my job from home if I choose to. I choose not to though as that way distractions lie.....

I know that none of this is directly relevant to the OP in this thread, however it is indirectly. Having the choice to ride in whatever mode I like, whether to just make things easy, to cruise and to simply enjoy being out there, or alternatively to get some more exercise by dialling the support down a bit, or even turning it off entirely, is proving to be massively beneficial to me, personally.

Si.
 

PeteIOM

Member
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Mar 11, 2018
135
98
Isle of Man
One thing I had to do was force myself to ride in crap weather and soon realise that with the right gear on it was just another experience, not worse than good weather etc.

This morning was wet, chilly and bit of a breeze and I wasn't overly looking forward to it when I rolled out of bed at 6am... but 20 mins in and I was pleased I had decided to crack on and ride. :)
 

matt_thebeard

Member
Dec 4, 2020
198
169
south wales
wouldn't it be awesome if they can apply something like the F1 KURS SYSTEM For when the motor is off to re charge the battery during use, i'tll happen one day im sure
 

Monkey Dog

Active member
Jun 4, 2020
250
166
Derbyshire
Whilst on my commute to work, I only ever use eco. Around 75% of the ride the assist is off.
The rest of my rides out all depend on what mood I'm in.
I like to have a work out ??
 

Zimmerframe

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Jun 12, 2019
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wouldn't it be awesome if they can apply something like the F1 KURS SYSTEM For when the motor is off to re charge the battery during use, i'tll happen one day im sure
It's from a long long time ago .. and obviously wasn't serious ...

 

Zimmerframe

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Jun 12, 2019
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Brittany, France
And it did come up again a couple of times in another thread .. (beware, this thread also doesn't take itself very seriously).

 

matt_thebeard

Member
Dec 4, 2020
198
169
south wales
And it did come up again a couple of times in another thread .. (beware, this thread also doesn't take itself very seriously).

ah thank you , i does seem as though it was well explored haha
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
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Mar 29, 2018
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the internet
Nevermind re-gen technology. It'd be nice if someone would finally design a mid drive motor that actually lasts long enough to still be working properly after just a few months actual mtb riding. ;)
 

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