South Downs way

[Ricardo S 1974]

Hi all,
I’m about to ride the South Downs way over 2 days on a 2019 Specialized kenevo comp, the total ascent of the trip is over 12,000 feet so an average of over 6,000 feet per day, I wondered if anyone has done this trip and what the battery consumption was, I mainly ride in eco using 20% assistance but would probably need to up that as the day goes on obviously knowing that the more assistance I use the quicker the battery life will go down, we have booked a place to stay at Amberley which is approx 50 miles in, is this a possibility or would I be likely to have used the battery before the day ends ? I would be great full of anyone’s past experience about this trip re battery life etc

I look forward to anyone’s opinions

kind regards, Richard

 

[cozzy]

Doesn't the comp have a small battery? 50miles is about 30miles more than I've ever managed on my 19 expert.

 

[Ricardo S 1974]

Doesn't the comp have a small battery? 50miles is about 30miles more than I've ever managed on my 19 expert.

Hi
I did 39 miles last weekend and finished with 46% battery but the elevation was minimal, I did 20 miles this week With a total ascent of 2000ft and used 28% Of the battery o just wondered of or how far someone had got out of a battery cycle with decent climbs involved

 

[speedkills]

I haven't tried this myself, but if you have a set trip I think there is a way to upload gpx tracks and have the computer make sure you finish. Not saying you're going to get a lot of assistance from the bike that way though. I'm sure others with more experience than me trying to get every last mile out of it will pop in soon.

 

[levindown]

I ride on and around the South Downs Way all the time, although never the extremities. Different bike (Haibike, Yamaha PW-X2 and 500 Wh battery) and I am large, but 30 miles is about maximum range for ME. That is adjusting assist levels a lot and being in ECO+ (the lowest) and ECO pretty much the whole time; Standard for big climbs. (The Yamaha has five assist levels from ECO+ to Extreme, which you are only supposed to use briefly!)

I am thinking of doing the ride as well, but over four days and the other way round! Being picked up and dropped off each day, but finishing and starting from home one day. If you are at all like me, I think you would be out of battery before the end of the day. A top-up charge in the middle of the day might be enough, but that could be nearly impossible with the current restrictions. It would probably also mean you would have to drop off the route and then climb back up!

Would love to know how you get on!

 

[MrSimmo]

Hi all,
I’m about to ride the South Downs way over 2 days on a 2019 Specialized kenevo comp, the total ascent of the trip is over 12,000 feet so an average of over 6,000 feet per day, I wondered if anyone has done this trip and what the battery consumption was, I mainly ride in eco using 20% assistance but would probably need to up that as the day goes on obviously knowing that the more assistance I use the quicker the battery life will go down, we have booked a place to stay at Amberley which is approx 50 miles in, is this a possibility or would I be likely to have used the battery before the day ends ? I would be great full of anyone’s past experience about this trip re battery life etc

I look forward to anyone’s opinions

kind regards, Richard

Hi Richard,

I have ridden the SDW a lot and have a Levo with 700wh battery for comparison.

These are figures that I've seen on my bike:
Eco (10%/35% tune) - Would easily handle 50miles of SDW on one charge, a Surrey Hills ride recently of 32 miles and 3100ft climbing only used 18%!
Trail (35%/100% tune) - Would handle 35 miles of SDW on one charge
Eco (20%/40% tune) - Would handle 40-50miles of SDW on one charge
Turbo (100%/100% tune) - I've actually made about 18 miles of the SDW absolutely going for it late one evening! Not that any sane person would want to do that during the day as there are too many walkers...

The hardest section of the SDW, in my opinion, is the Brighton to Eastbourne section (Eastbound). So this is likely to use more battery.

Its hard to compare apples with apples as there are many other variables but hopefully useful.


What was suggested to me is find a couple of decent pubs for a pub lunch each day, phone ahead asking if you can use their electricity while you have lunch, and then take your charger and charge the bike while you eat. Then overnight as well.

 

[Ricardo S 1974]

Hi Richard,

I have ridden the SDW a lot and have a Levo with 700wh battery for comparison.

These are figures that I've seen on my bike:
Eco (10%/35% tune) - Would easily handle 50miles of SDW on one charge, a Surrey Hills ride recently of 32 miles and 3100ft climbing only used 18%!
Trail (35%/100% tune) - Would handle 35 miles of SDW on one charge
Eco (20%/40% tune) - Would handle 40-50miles of SDW on one charge
Turbo (100%/100% tune) - I've actually made about 18 miles of the SDW absolutely going for it late one evening! Not that any sane person would want to do that during the day as there are too many walkers...

The hardest section of the SDW, in my opinion, is the Brighton to Eastbourne section (Eastbound). So this is likely to use more battery.

Its hard to compare apples with apples as there are many other variables but hopefully useful.


What was suggested to me is find a couple of decent pubs for a pub lunch each day, phone ahead asking if you can use their electricity while you have lunch, and then take your charger and charge the bike while you eat. Then overnight as well.

 

[Ricardo S 1974]

Hi all

thanks for all the info and thoughts, I think it’s going to be a suck it and see situation although my mate has kindly offered to ship his battery down from the north as we have the exact same bikes, I didn’t want to take a spare but I’m really looking forward to the ride and don’t want to be stressed about running out of juice and my thoughts are that I can see exactly how my battery and Legs will hold up so that I know for future big rides .

 

[levindown]

Just a follow-up. Yesterday, I rode from Winchester to Charlton Forest (about 43 miles with some detours) and finished with 20–30% battery (500 Wh). I was riding with my wife on her non-ebike, but she does a lot of road biking and likes hills! The first 15 miles or so from Winchester were easy and I often had the motor off and otherwise just in the lowest assist (Eco+ on my Yamaha PW2-X). I started to need Eco and very occasionally Standard (Level 3 of 5) after that. From between 15 and 20 miles to the end was much harder than the first part and I used much more battery, although mostly in Eco. I did 10 miles before the battery indicator dropped from 100% to 90% and probably about 16 (in total) before it dropped to 80%. After that it fell more quickly.

The Winchester end is definitely easier than the section from Meon Springs on. I gather the Eastbourne end is harder still, and I hope to be trying that before too long.

Make of this as you will. I am heavy and that was probably the longest ride I have done, at least that I can remember! I won't count on more than 30 miles from one battery on the next sections and probably less for the last part.

Everybody's experience is different, but that's mine for what's its worth!

 

[levindown]

Forgot the climbing stat: 4954ft. I weigh a bit more than your mate. There wasn't a lot of charge left in the battery, since a 2-mile round trip to friends for a drink yesterday evening dropped it to the flashing, last bar.

 

[James_C]

May be comparable - just did bike park wales yesterday in Trail mode (35/100) all day yesterday. 4000 ft of climbing and had 39% left. 700wh battery and I’m around 12 stone.

My mate has a 2020 Levo too, 500wh, he is 17 stone, his battery made it about 4/5s of the way up the last climb before running out. He was flipping between Eco and Trail throughout the day.

?

How many top to bottom runs did you do please?

 

[MrSimmo]

How many top to bottom runs did you do please?

6 in total

(We did the Beast of Burden climb the first time as we didn't know we could just ride up the fire-road, and the second time we climbed the wrong fire-road (we initially rode up the one where the uplift goes and had to cut across half way up) ?‍ )