Is OFF the new ECO?

[Akiwi]

I guess it depends on your fitness, riding locations and what you are going for.
I don't have a non-emtb any more as it was stolen, and I like to try to stay fit. So I ride as much as possible with the motor off, or only in Eco.
Also a lot of the rides I do in the Alps are quite long and with a lot of Vertical. Up to 2000 m, so unless I want to always lug a second battery around (Which I don't have unless I pinch my wifes one) I turn the motor off or use only Eco when possible. If I go above Eco I get a bad conscience, unless it is really steep, or I am on a short ride and out for a blast.

 

[EebStrider]

I regularly ride with the bike switched off. I've never used more than 40% battery on any ride, and most rides are 35-45 miles. I like the challenge of riding with the bike switched off, seeing a big hill and wondering how far up it I can get without assistance is fun!

Other than walking the dog, the ebike is my only form of exercise while the gyms are closed, so I ride for fitness. I use the calorie counter on the bike as a guide, as it works that out based on what setting the bike is in etc, but also use a Garmin watch with a HRM which is pretty close to the bike's figures. The only reason I have an eeb over a normal mountain bike is due to a knackered body. When things start to ache, being able to switch into Tour or eMTB mode is an absolute godsend.

It always makes me laugh when people call me a cheat for being on an ebike, or when friends ask how much of my rides was powered. Go and ride one switched off, and it'll burn more calories than any regular bike!

 

[Sidepod]

I regularly ride with the bike switched off. I've never used more than 40% battery on any ride, and most rides are 35-45 miles. I like the challenge of riding with the bike switched off, seeing a big hill and wondering how far up it I can get without assistance is fun!

Other than walking the dog, the ebike is my only form of exercise while the gyms are closed, so I ride for fitness. I use the calorie counter on the bike as a guide, as it works that out based on what setting the bike is in etc, but also use a Garmin watch with a HRM which is pretty close to the bike's figures. The only reason I have an eeb over a normal mountain bike is due to a knackered body. When things start to ache, being able to switch into Tour or eMTB mode is an absolute godsend.

It always makes me laugh when people call me a cheat for being on an ebike, or when friends ask how much of my rides was powered. Go and ride one switched off, and it'll burn more calories than any regular bike!

What do you ride? Next time, will you go light weight/low power?

 

[Tubby G]

I have to say I’m amazed you guys can ride with the bike motor turned off. I made out yesterday that I’m totally unfit, but I’m not that bad, or at least I thought I wasn’t !

Got my first eeb in December last year after not pedalled a push bike in over five years. Naturally I went everywhere in full turbo mode for the first couple of weeks, but as I started wanting longer rides I toned it down to EMTB, and then tour. Tour is now my main go to mode and switch it up to EMTB when facing a steep ascent

Yesterday’s ride in Eco was a killer on my legs, and it was only a fairly gentle old railway line with a 2000ft elevation gain over 40 miles, so not difficult (not my choice of ride btw but have to keep the gf happy). It’s the rough gravel, huge pot holes & thick sloppy mud surface that makes it more difficult, and I think my rear 2.8 DHR tyre adds loads of extra resistance

Occasionally I’ve jumped on the eeb and gone to pedal and realised the motor isn’t turned on. When that’s happened it literally feels like I’m trying to tow a tank and not moving, How you guys can ride like that I don’t know, especially up hills ?

I’m out of shape now, but my legs are still fairly strong after riding bikes for over 40 years, but no way could I ride comfortably with the motor turned off. Both my eebs are Bosch Gen 4 powered with 625 batteries, and both weigh in at around 25kg

 

[The Hodge]

Football , Badminton & Squash..( Squash in particular) have totally knackered my knees ..mountain biking for nearly 25 years has actually helped but two years ago I took a job as a multi drop courier driver ( approx150 drops a day) 3-4 days a week which once again fkd them up ..a couple of injections, cbd oil and another change of work (still delivering but with a much lighter workload ) has the pain manageable but I got the ebike to help maintain a certain level of fitness without putting excess strain on faulty body parts ..switching the motor off completely ..are you fkn nuts !?

 

[Marley]

This topic goes beyond opinion and one must take into account, level of fitness, age and terrain that is being ridden.

Been an avid XC rider for 30 years and been riding a 21 lb (9.5 k) Cannondale Scalpel exclusively offroad in steep mountainous terrain.

At 60 years of age, it would be impossible to turn off assistants on a Trek Rail 7 in these riding conditions......I've tried.

Surprisingly, the Ebike on eco mode slightly surpasses the climbing prowess of a bike weighing considerably less, was not expecting this.

Enjoy your bikes.

 

[Monkey Dog]

When riding on the flat mines always off & even on some short slight inclines. My every day commute is an 8 mile round trip & the motor's off for most of the ride except for the long or steep hills.

 

[JetSedgwick]

I have Eco at 10% and Turbo at 100%, I like this combo for fitness/sprint

 

[B1rdie]

Its all about selfs...
If I had a 15 kg bike and saw an old bugger with a 23 kg bike and a 4kg backpack flying past me at twice my speed I would get really pissed of.
When I take any of my bikes for a ride, I will ride at the fastest pace possible because something inside my mind demands it.

 

[Sidepod]

Its all about selfs...
If I had a 15 kg bike and saw an old bugger with a 23 kg bike and a 4kg backpack flying past me at twice my speed I would get really pissed of.
When I take any of my bikes for a ride, I will ride at the fastest pace possible because something inside my mind demands it.

We’ve all learnt the hard way on that. Never, ever take on the old boy on the butchers bike!!

 

[sunstoner]

Whenever I ride my Emtb with my kids or girlfriend I leave the motor off the entire ride.

Same here but thats poss the only time I switch it off unless im trying to stealth it past some slower movers.

 

[steve_sordy]

When riding on the flat mines always off & even on some short slight inclines. My every day commute is an 8 mile round trip & the motor's off for most of the ride except for the long or steep hills.

I have ridden more tarmac this last year than I have done for many years. As long as the tarmac is not too steep, then I'm riding above the cut off speed anyway. So I'm consuming hardly any power at all, just enough to light up the screen in fact. It would be almost a complete waste of time to turn off the power. When I first got an emtb, I used to turn off the power for brief periods thinking I was saving a load of energy, but that soon got old.

 

[Tubby G]

I have ridden more tarmac this last year than I have done for many years. As long as the tarmac is not too steep, then I'm riding above the cut off speed anyway. So I'm consuming hardly any power at all, just enough to light up the screen in fact. It would be almost a complete waste of time to turn off the power. When I first got an emtb, I used to turn off the power for brief periods thinking I was saving a load of energy, but that soon got old.

Yes that’s my theory if I’m running low on range, just cycle above 16 mph, but I use power to get there!

 

[sunstoner]

Eco doesn't even come close to levelling the playing field between an Ebike and a normal bike you'd have to be delusional to think it would.

Aye v true but the girlfriend might be a mountain bike dynamo and fit as a fiddle, so maybe eco helps him to level things.?‍

EDIT : Doh!! shouldve read on.

 

[Tubby G]

Aye v true but the girlfriend might be a mountain bike dynamo and fit as a fiddle, so maybe eco helps him to level things.?‍

EDIT : Doh!! shouldve read on.

We discussed and finalised that debate last night! I’m intrigued that you can use your bike with no power as you have the same bike as me. I’m going to have to try mine with no power now just to prove to myself it can be done. Once I’m satisfied though I’ll switch back to power and enjoy the torque!

 

[Marley]

My car came equipped with an engine but elect not to use it, saves fuel ?

 

[Gary]

We discussed and finalised that debate last night! I’m intrigued that you can use your bike with no power as you have the same bike as me. I’m going to have to try mine with no power now just to prove to myself it can be done. Once I’m satisfied though I’ll switch back to power and enjoy the torque!

Tyre choice and pressure make a massive difference to how well an Eeb will pedal with the motor off.
I run dual compound (not particularly soft and pretty fast rolling) tubeless and both in EXO casing (light) and run 40psi+ rear 32psi+ front
The front is a Minion DHF and the rear a Minion SS so not too draggy.
Shimano motor (So virtually no drag)
Acceleratioin is still shite as you're still pulling almost 50lb of bike along but once up to speed at a steady cadence or freewheeling it'll hold momentum well.

 

[The Hodge]

Are those tyre pressures only when you are riding with the motor off ..?

 

[EebStrider]

What do you ride? Next time, will you go light weight/low power?

I’ve got a Cube 140 and a Whyte e160RS. With the 29” wheels, the Cube rolls better when switched off. Here’s today’s ride, the bike was fully charged when I left home.....

 

[The Hodge]

I’ve got a Cube 140 and a Whyte e160RS. With the 29” wheels, the Cube rolls better when switched off. Here’s today’s ride, the bike was fully charged when I left home.....

View attachment 55764

Road ride ?
If not how much off-road
How much in the way of climbing ?

 

[EebStrider]

Road ride ?
If not how much off-road
How much in the way of climbing ?

I‘d say probably 60% off-road. Only climbed around 500 feet.

 

[The Hodge]

Just curious ..
Thanks for the reply ..

 

[Gary]

Are those tyre pressures only when you are riding with the motor off ..?

No. I don't ever ride low pressures.
I run the same tyres at 55psi front and rear if commuting

 

[Tubby G]

Tyre choice and pressure make a massive difference to how well an Eeb will pedal with the motor off.
I run dual compound (not particularly soft and pretty fast rolling) tubeless and both in EXO casing (light) and run 40psi+ rear 32psi+ front
The front is a Minion DHF and the rear a Minion SS so not too draggy.
Shimano motor (So virtually no drag)
Acceleratioin is still shite as you're still pulling almost 50lb of bike along but once up to speed at a steady cadence or freewheeling it'll hold momentum well.

Ive got a 29 DHF & 27.5 DHR, the rear being a 2.8, and run both at around 25 psi so reckon I’ve got quite a lot of resistance. The rear 2.8 is a bit too much, I’ll change it to a 2.6 or 2.5 when worn

 

[sunstoner]

We discussed and finalised that debate last night! I’m intrigued that you can use your bike with no power as you have the same bike as me. I’m going to have to try mine with no power now just to prove to myself it can be done. Once I’m satisfied though I’ll switch back to power and enjoy the torque!

Who me?? Lol nooo. mines always set to 'on' unless not in use. Its an ebike afterall

Is there some power usage shaming going here?! Im still getting over that time a 9yr old kid called me a cheat for whippinv past him up hill

 

[04fuxake]

Errr..No! ?
Did a 28 mile loop yesterday mainly in tour (approx 3000ft climbing) ... only switching to eco on the downs ..so unless you had a massive amount of climbing I can't see why you would want to switch off at all ..on a ride which is just over 18.6miles..

I turn the power up when I go downhill because if I have to pedal it's because I need the help i.e. didn't go into a feature with enough speed etc. The rest of the time I'm not pedaling so it's not using any more power.

 

[mak]

18 miles motor off when out with the other half a few months back, and she was out on her cheap decathlon ebike
I ride a lot in off mode, its nice to actually feel the bike, it gives a sense of satisfaction. Never understood range anxiety , the modern bikes pedal really nice under there own steam.
Eco is a weapon when used with the correct cadence and gear.
I'm probably just weird and should have gone for one of those light weight bikes that have just started hitting the market but hey ho.

 

[Gary]

Ive got a 29 DHF & 27.5 DHR, the rear being a 2.8, and run both at around 25 psi so reckon I’ve got quite a lot of resistance. The rear 2.8 is a bit too much, I’ll change it to a 2.6 or 2.5 when worn

Yeah.
Compound and casing matter massively to rolling resistance (drag).
Dual compound being Maxxis' fastest rolling compound and Exo being their lightest casing.
a rear 2.8 DHR is going to be fairly draggy no matter what compound but will still roll surprisingly faster when run at higher pressures

 

[mak]

On a fitness note I have a question. I can slog away on eco up a decent 1/4 mile climb near me and my heart rate never gets beyond 150. The same hill in tour ( bosch gen 4) 40% vs 140% assist ? Gets me up the climb quicker but I bust a lung with heart rate just over 165.
I guess there's 2 fitness sides to this going off, the long slog or the rapid climb.
Whats going off with regards to fitness and calorie burn. I guess my watch could tell me if I could be arsed to work out what the data actually meant

 

[Gary]

To simplify it
Higher HR = More cal burned
But... if you're holding a slightly lower HR for a longer time (ie. climbing the same hill slighty slower in a lower assistance mode) you may well burn similar or greater amount of calories on the same climb.

I can't get anywhere near my max HR pedalling an Ebike on/off or in any mode.