GlenMcD
New Member
hi all,
I'm 65yo living in Ipswich QLD Australia. I rode bikes in my teens then had a break for a few decades while busy at work. Failing health got me interested in lifestyle choices that could theoretically improve my healthspan, and thus the decision to buy an ebike in 2018. It was a 29" EasyMotion Jump'r, 200 watt assistance in rear hub, no speed limit. I sold it a week ago and bought a Cube Reaction Hybrid Race 625. Love the bike, but no assistance beyond 25KPH is a bit of a letdown. I'm aware of "solutions" to this and keen to keep abreast in this area, especially regulation changes coming to Australia that may increase this unduly low limit, if that happens. Physically I'm not your average, having ADPKD and CKD stage 5 for months but still not on dialysis. Hopefully my pathetic one remaining kidney will remain stable for a few years and I feel that every day that I DO NOT ride, it's another opportunity of losing more kidney function. I have used Garmin gear for years including Fenix 6 Sapphire watch, Edge bike computer, HRM-PRO. The statistics that Garmin gathers I use to make lifestyle choices which in my case is critical to get months to years extra of riding enjoyment. My resting heart rate has always been low, overnight was 37 and up to 45 if I'm sick or overreached in activities combined with getting HR up too high. That said, each time I do this, it seems to give positive long term results. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger eh?
I consider myself very lucky that I live only 3KM from one end (Wulkuraka) of the longest rail trail in the world! That is, the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. I'm a member of a couple of forums for that rail trail and seek others that are close to rail trail for mutual support during rides. By that I mean provide somewhere to rest up, charge batteries (ebike, phone), something to eat/drink and even a soak in the hottub or shower. Due to my medical conditions, it's probably prudent for me to have facilities available should something fail. I did suffer a bilateral pulmonary embolism in April 2020 while riding the rail trail. The cause was kidney cancer, resulting in removal later that year. Once I got past the year on blood thinners, I've been fairly stable.
I used to work as a software engineer, specialising in reverse engineering and low level/embedded programming. I wrote "ReSource", an unassembler for the Amiga computers in the 1980s and 1990s. All up my personal source code base was near 10 million lines, this high partly due to mostly assembly language use. I still code for Amiga using WinUAE.
I'm quite interested in the Bosch Smart System, and exploring not just as a rider but to find out what's under the hood and what can be tweaked. I believe that Bosch have a great system in an area that is very much go-ahead. The modularity they provide is very welcome. I look forward to attaching a PowerPack 800 as second battery when they become available.
I have a friend just a few doors away that has a lot of expertise with Lithium Ion batteries. He's helped me to appreciate how charging, discharging and storage choices can vary the lifespan of LI batteries by a factor of 10. I've used this info for devices such as fitness watch, ebike, electric mower and even electric toothbrush. That said, I will welcome newer battery chemistries that aren't so impactful if one ignores their wants. Did you know that a LI battery lasts longer if used between charges 80% and 20%, compared to 100% and 50%? That being the case, why doesn't Flow app allow charging to cease at selected percentages such as 80% or 90%? At the moment, this can only be done manually, although I am able to monitor battery level using phone as well as switch off charger using same.
Regarding the max assistance speeds, I suggest that riders that have/carry a drivers license are typically knowledgable and respectful of road rules, and restricting their assistance speed the same as teenagers is misguided. I'd like to see a max assistance speed raised to a minimum of 32KPH for all, and around 40KPH for those with drivers license. The current regulations do little more than make vehicles waiting to overtake ebikes wait longer and frustrate riders into making decisions that are not strictly legal, costing them hundreds of dollars and bringing with it many disadvantages. Another regulation change being discussed is raising max power to 500 watts. For riders with open drivers license, I say that's fine. The point isn't just that those with a license appreciate the road rules. It's also about accountability, associating your performance as an ebike rider with your entity rather than just some anonymous teenager.
I'm 65yo living in Ipswich QLD Australia. I rode bikes in my teens then had a break for a few decades while busy at work. Failing health got me interested in lifestyle choices that could theoretically improve my healthspan, and thus the decision to buy an ebike in 2018. It was a 29" EasyMotion Jump'r, 200 watt assistance in rear hub, no speed limit. I sold it a week ago and bought a Cube Reaction Hybrid Race 625. Love the bike, but no assistance beyond 25KPH is a bit of a letdown. I'm aware of "solutions" to this and keen to keep abreast in this area, especially regulation changes coming to Australia that may increase this unduly low limit, if that happens. Physically I'm not your average, having ADPKD and CKD stage 5 for months but still not on dialysis. Hopefully my pathetic one remaining kidney will remain stable for a few years and I feel that every day that I DO NOT ride, it's another opportunity of losing more kidney function. I have used Garmin gear for years including Fenix 6 Sapphire watch, Edge bike computer, HRM-PRO. The statistics that Garmin gathers I use to make lifestyle choices which in my case is critical to get months to years extra of riding enjoyment. My resting heart rate has always been low, overnight was 37 and up to 45 if I'm sick or overreached in activities combined with getting HR up too high. That said, each time I do this, it seems to give positive long term results. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger eh?
I consider myself very lucky that I live only 3KM from one end (Wulkuraka) of the longest rail trail in the world! That is, the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. I'm a member of a couple of forums for that rail trail and seek others that are close to rail trail for mutual support during rides. By that I mean provide somewhere to rest up, charge batteries (ebike, phone), something to eat/drink and even a soak in the hottub or shower. Due to my medical conditions, it's probably prudent for me to have facilities available should something fail. I did suffer a bilateral pulmonary embolism in April 2020 while riding the rail trail. The cause was kidney cancer, resulting in removal later that year. Once I got past the year on blood thinners, I've been fairly stable.
I used to work as a software engineer, specialising in reverse engineering and low level/embedded programming. I wrote "ReSource", an unassembler for the Amiga computers in the 1980s and 1990s. All up my personal source code base was near 10 million lines, this high partly due to mostly assembly language use. I still code for Amiga using WinUAE.
I'm quite interested in the Bosch Smart System, and exploring not just as a rider but to find out what's under the hood and what can be tweaked. I believe that Bosch have a great system in an area that is very much go-ahead. The modularity they provide is very welcome. I look forward to attaching a PowerPack 800 as second battery when they become available.
I have a friend just a few doors away that has a lot of expertise with Lithium Ion batteries. He's helped me to appreciate how charging, discharging and storage choices can vary the lifespan of LI batteries by a factor of 10. I've used this info for devices such as fitness watch, ebike, electric mower and even electric toothbrush. That said, I will welcome newer battery chemistries that aren't so impactful if one ignores their wants. Did you know that a LI battery lasts longer if used between charges 80% and 20%, compared to 100% and 50%? That being the case, why doesn't Flow app allow charging to cease at selected percentages such as 80% or 90%? At the moment, this can only be done manually, although I am able to monitor battery level using phone as well as switch off charger using same.
Regarding the max assistance speeds, I suggest that riders that have/carry a drivers license are typically knowledgable and respectful of road rules, and restricting their assistance speed the same as teenagers is misguided. I'd like to see a max assistance speed raised to a minimum of 32KPH for all, and around 40KPH for those with drivers license. The current regulations do little more than make vehicles waiting to overtake ebikes wait longer and frustrate riders into making decisions that are not strictly legal, costing them hundreds of dollars and bringing with it many disadvantages. Another regulation change being discussed is raising max power to 500 watts. For riders with open drivers license, I say that's fine. The point isn't just that those with a license appreciate the road rules. It's also about accountability, associating your performance as an ebike rider with your entity rather than just some anonymous teenager.
