Eco sucks!

[Bear-uk]

I use eco mode at the start of a big ride when I'm not sure of what it entails and I possibly need to conserve battery. But after about 5 miles my legs tell my brain not to be so bloody stupid and get that juice button pressed and suffer any power loss consiquenses when it happens
Only I seem to run out of battery quite frequently these days

 

[steve_sordy]

My standard drive mode is Trail (I have Eco, Trail, Boost). I also use the other two; Boost when necessary, Eco when I can.

If I wasn't in Trail most of the time, then I wouldn't be riding. (Effin' arthritis!)

 

[InRustWeTrust]

Only using Eco mode downhill

 

[pagheca]

Well I rode for 6 hours on Wednesday. 11 runs in total, 5 shuttle uplifts, 6 e-pedal ups. about 3300m vert total 1800m of E-up
I spent most the time in blue auto mode and E-mtb mode, I did one single track up in turbo which was brain melting fun, and did 2 hills in eco and off because we met up with some mtb mates.

The eco and no assist sucked balls by comparison and was super slow. But we rode with our mtb mates so in that respect it was cool.

I am definitely in the more FPH (fun per hour) camp of riding in high assist modes. Ironically the most effort I expend is in the highest assist modes. When i am sending it in those modes I'm putting max assist and max pedal effort in for brain melting speeds. When i'm in eco mode its a slow dawdle to economize energy of myself and the battery.

To the dudes that do a lot of eco and only have an e-mtb. I say go ride an mtb as comparison. For me if its going to be an all eco ride, ill ride my mtb instead. Then I can have a playfull bike thats so much fun to ride. I'm going similar speeds and im using similar energy. So why subject myself to a heavy slab of a bike when i have a light playful machine to use?

I will in the future consider a medium power e bike like a relay or kenevo sl. That would bridge the gap between mtb and full fat in terms of weight and sluggishness.

PS, I'm enjoying the discussion and different opinions. Keep it coming.

Can you please tell me your ebike model or/and the battery total energy? With my 625 Wh I wonder if 1800m up would be possible in E-mtb or even tour.

My ebike is a Trek Powerfly 7, and allows eco, tour, emtb and turbo modes.

 

[Plummet]

Can you please tell me your ebike model or/and the battery total energy? With my 625 Wh I wonder if 1800m up would be possible in E-mtb or even tour.

My ebike is a Trek Powerfly 7, and allows eco, tour, emtb and turbo modes.

Voima, 750wh bosch cx performance line. I'm 80kg suited up the bike is 25kg dry and 26kg with a water bottle full.

I would 35% was in Auto (similar to your tour), 35 e-mtb, 10% turbo and 15% Eco 5% off.

Also note when I climb its not just letting the motor do the I also send it hard as well. I'm breathing hard on every climb.

 

[rzr]

Can you please tell me your ebike model or/and the battery total energy? With my 625 Wh I wonder if 1800m up would be possible in E-mtb or even tour.

My ebike is a Trek Powerfly 7, and allows eco, tour, emtb and turbo modes.

that's the problem with Bosch, tour and emtb will give you (almost?) full power when you put at least 250W from yourself (which I consider normal for trained amateur weighting >75kg), and then I doubt you can do 1800 (closer to 1500m)

 

[Plummet]

that's the problem with Bosch, tour and emtb will give you (almost?) full power when you put at least 250W from yourself (which I consider normal for trained amateur weighting >75kg), and then I doubt you can do 1800 (closer to 1500m)

I've wound my auto down. With that said I regularly do 950m vert for 50% battery which in emtb and turbo mode.

 

[rzr]

most of Bosch systems cannot be adjusted ...

also you have much bigger batt.
On Strive:ON for example, it's easy to do ~2000m - bigger batt and you can adjust some settings a bit.

 

[lovespicyfood]

most of Bosch systems cannot be adjusted ...

also you have much bigger batt.
On Strive:ON for example, it's easy to do ~2000m - bigger batt and you can adjust some settings a bit.

First time e-mtb and gotta say I am glad I got the 900 watt battery in the Spectral ON. Haven’t yet messed with the EP801 settings yet but stay in Trail mode most of the time.

 

[rzr]

Shimano allows you adjust everything I think. the same Specialized (that's why I have it).
with 700Wh (I wouldn't get bigger - too heavy weight at the front of the bike) I can do up to 3000m (If i try very hard)

 

[High Rock Ruti]

I've decided eco sucks. It basically offsets the weight of ebike and that's it. You end up going pretty much at mtb speeds.

If I want to ride at mtb speeds going up I'll ride my mountain bike instead. Thar is 11 kg lighter, more playful and a blast to ride.

So.... the only time I'll use eco is if the battery is running flat or I happen to be riding with mountain bikers and I have My ebike. Typically I ride my mtb with other mtbers and e with e.

With that said I'm all over smashing e Laps at faster speeds. That's mucho fun.

High Rock Ruti

Eco, what's that?

Warm Regards Ruti

 

[Litespeed]

I prefer not to call it “Eco Mode”. I call it “little bit of peddle assist on flat terrain mode”. But I don’t use it much.

I don't either. Except towards the end of a ride when I'm tired and they're all hammering ahead of me. Then I'll use it. I keep it off on the flat. Climbing and flow trails, that's another story. Eco will save my battery life over a LOONG ride.

 

[713Fmhs]

On my Specialized bikes, (Tero X4 and Levo Comp Alloy), you can adjust the level of pedal assist you get in any of the three modes. Eco defaults at 35%, Trail at 75% and Turbo at 100%.
I found myself riding in Trail all the time as Eco just didn't have the power I wanted but Trail had more than I needed in order to get a decent workout. I adjusted the Eco up to 45% and that's about perfect.
I now use Eco about 80% of the time and use Trail if I have to climb a big hill I didn't have time to downshift for, (riding single track). I almost never use Turbo. Having this tuning ability is very nice.

 

[bdoviack]

I ride 5% assistance with a heart rate monitor and Smart Control on my Levo. Why? High Intensity Interval Training. 13 months of this and I'm down 160 lbs. I can ride for 3-4 hours at a time like this and have a ridiculous amount of fun without blowing out my heart and muscles. Plus, trail and turbo don't provide the finesse required for some technical, sketchy terrain where your life is in danger if you make a mistake. Not everyone is into full send full time. When I switch over from my Levo to my Ripmo, I can toss it around like a rag doll because I've got the core and leg strength built up from riding the "tank" at 57lbs. The Ripmo at 37 lbs feels like a feather and hops down the trail like a cocaine fueled jack rabbit. View attachment 131289

Damin, amazing transformation. Know we're getting off topic, but did you change anything else besides biking to make such improvements? Assume diet perhaps? You're a great inspiration for the health benefits biking can provide.

 

[Binhill1]

Surprised at you old guys at this comment we should all know better.

 

[Housenotes]

Depends on your bike / motor I guess.
I ride my Levo SL in Eco 95% of the time. In fact, it’s a dialled down version of Eco I use.
My Levo SL weighs 17kg, and the motor has pretty much no resistance when off… so running it on my custom Eco setting is giving me about 15-20% of a boost on top of my own legs.
That’s all I want most of the time.

On a day where I’m knackered and want to do the same run over and over, I can whack it up to 100% and climb faster… then back to Eco for the descents. Get a few laps in without wearing myself out.

Not everyone wants an eMTB to fly uphill. I appreciate a LOT do… but there’s also a lot that don’t… which is why lighter lower powered ‘SL’ bikes are becoming more popular.

I agree totally! Love the light weight of my SL. The power it has is plenty for me to enjoy longer rides and with using no power or ECO or Trail, I can get close to 30 miles-basically the same as my Full Fat buddies. With the lighter weigh and no resistance when off it feels very similar to my previous “acoustic” bike. P.S. I’m 73 and been riding for 40+ years and still do mostly blue & black trails with my friends.

 

[JayGoodrich]

I've decided eco sucks. It basically offsets the weight of ebike and that's it. You end up going pretty much at mtb speeds.

If I want to ride at mtb speeds going up I'll ride my mountain bike instead. Thar is 11 kg lighter, more playful and a blast to ride.

So.... the only time I'll use eco is if the battery is running flat or I happen to be riding with mountain bikers and I have My ebike. Typically I ride my mtb with other mtbers and e with e.

With that said I'm all over smashing e Laps at faster speeds. That's mucho fun.

Eco mode is just there for manufacturers to market their bikes, “as the longest range in its class or most vertical conquered”. It’s like weighing a small or a medium frame and saying it’s the lightest when they have XL and XXL frame sizes as well. And since the bike industry is run by skids, there is no way their lazy asses are going to weigh the final bike in each size.

They think they are using the Jedi mind trick on the consumers.

So in Star Wars fashion, I say… “We're going in full throttle. That ought to keep those fighters off our back.” There’s just no other way.

 

[Dave G]

I use eco most of the time (Brose) because through the app you can adjust the percentage assist. I can get up the majority of hills. Useful at my age 69yrs young

 

[Stihldog]

…like a cocaine fueled jack rabbit. View attachment 131289

Well that’s friggen awesome !

This year I pledge to not fill up my water bottle in any high altitude creeks or alpine ponds. Therefore …a bit more turbo.

But, In another 99years I might be dead and I’ll probably be in eMTB mode when that happens. I hope my stem cap is mixed in with my ashes.

 

[Plummet]

I use eco most of the time (Brose) because through the app you can adjust the percentage assist. I can get up the majority of hills. Useful at my age 69yrs young

Can i suggest if you increase eco up well beyond standard eco settings you no longer have an eco setting on your bike.....

 

[irie]

Can i suggest if you increase eco up well beyond standard eco settings you no longer have an eco setting on your bike.....

May I suggest that a definition of "Eco" is required? Thanks.

 

[Mikerb]

May I suggest that a definition of "Eco" is required? Thanks.

"Masochist setting"?

 

[Binhill1]

Wish I had the brain to work out some of the concoctions I read on here , but then again I'm doing fine

 

[Zimmerframe]

Wish I had the brain to work out some of the concoctions I read on here , but then again I'm doing fine

For you, just replace Eco with Beer and Turbo with Whisky and you'll be on the right track.

 

[Binhill1]

For you, just replace Eco with Beer and Turbo with Whisky and you'll be on the right track.

Saturday night pal what do you expect .

 

[Dave G]

Can i suggest if you increase eco up well beyond standard eco settings you no longer have an eco setting on your bike.....

I still get plenty of battery left with loads of mileage

 

[irie]

"Masochist setting"?

Boutique Eco perhaps?

 

[CascadianAaron]

Eco has its place and is still better than the analog bike. I use Eco a lot on false flats and undulating but not steep terrain. I like to save battery for the steeper stuff

 

[SGS]

Eco - what's that, my bike only lives in EMTB mode

 

[jackamo]

I've decided eco sucks. It basically offsets the weight of ebike and that's it. You end up going pretty much at mtb speeds.

If I want to ride at mtb speeds going up I'll ride my mountain bike instead. Thar is 11 kg lighter, more playful and a blast to ride.

So.... the only time I'll use eco is if the battery is running flat or I happen to be riding with mountain bikers and I have My ebike. Typically I ride my mtb with other mtbers and e with e.

With that said I'm all over smashing e Laps at faster speeds. That's mucho fun.

what's eco ?