Turn off assistance?

[Suissepaddy]

Hi all, new here and to eMTB in general, so please be nice . My Moustache Samedi is equipped with a Bosch Performance Line Smart system and a 500 Wh battery. Does turning off assistance on flats and downhills increase range significantly? I've done a couple of hilly-ish 45 - 50 km rides, (450 - 550 m climbing) switching between off, eco, and tour and finish up with > 35% battery remaining. I reckon with prudent use of assistance, I could get up to 60 - 70 km on a full charge. But if it doesn't really make much difference, I might not bother. I've also noticed that when I switch back to eco mode, the estimated range readout gradually creeps up. Is that because it is recalculating and is by design?

 

[MOTO13]

Downhills...no, because normally you aren't pedaling or using any assistance. Unless you turn off the assistance while pedaling, it makes no difference in range.

 

[Rod B.]

Hi all, new here and to eMTB in general, so please be nice . My Moustache Samedi is equipped with a Bosch Performance Line Smart system and a 500 Wh battery. Does turning off assistance on flats and downhills increase range significantly? I've done a couple of hilly-ish 45 - 50 km rides, (450 - 550 m climbing) switching between off, eco, and tour and finish up with > 35% battery remaining. I reckon with prudent use of assistance, I could get up to 60 - 70 km on a full charge. But if it doesn't really make much difference, I might not bother. I've also noticed that when I switch back to eco mode, the estimated range readout gradually creeps up. Is that because it is recalculating and is by design?

There are three things that will greatly impact range on an eBike. They are rider weight, elevation gain of the ride, and distance. There are also lesser things which can also have an impact on range. This includes things such as rider fitness, turning you bike off on the flats, how fast the pace is when riding with a partner, the rolling efficiency of your tires, and how much you are willing to suffer, i.e. using Eco mode on a really steep climb as opposed to using full Boost.

All eBikes will have a maximum combination of both distance and elevation gain with the above discussed things impacting this maximum. It's a Yin & Yang thing.....more elevation gain requires more power and therefore less distance, more distance requires less elevation gain or less use of power. The heavier your body weight, the harder your bike has to work. Turning a bike off when riding the flats will definitely increase range. If you have a "Dad" body, then loose about five Kilograms/10 pounds of bodyweight and really increase your bike's efficency.

One of things that I love the most about getting a new eBike is figuring out what the bike's maximum combination of distance and elevation gain is. I love those rides where you pull up to your car post ride and see the bike's "Red light of doom" letting you know you have 10% battery left, you had a good ride, and you got your money's worth from the bike's drive system.

My current eBike (Pivot AM) has a Bosch 4 drive system with 625Wh battery. I run Maxxis Assegai 2.5 front and rear. I weigh 88 Kilograms (195 Lbs.). I can cover a 48 Km (30 Mile ride) with 1,676 meters/5,500 feet of climbing before my bike's battery hits red. To cover this range, I sometimes turn the bike off on flats, I will grind it out in Eco mode on some climbs, and I'll use the terrain, i.e. line choice, to my advantage so that the bike doesn't have to work as hard.

So, the buring question is....How far can you take your bike and how much can you climb while doing so? Have fun figuring out what you and your bike can do.

You have a beautiful country. One of my hopes is to someday ride the Alps.

Be safe,
Rod

 

[Plummet]

Just do some tests to find out.

Personally, when i'm riding an e-bike, i ride it like i stole it for a good time not a long time.
I see little point dribbling along on low or no power settings. If i want to go that close to mtb speeds i'll ride my mtb and enjoy the lighter more playful bike.

 

[steve_sordy]

@Suissepaddy Turning off the assistance will make no difference.

What does make a difference is:

Being super-fit. (At least 3 hours in the gym, daily)​

Being lightweight. (Crisp bread, vitamin tablets and water only, daily enemas).​

Leave your back-pack behind (and your tools, your water, your snacks, your spare tubes and pump).​

Wear Lycra and other minimal gear. (Who cares what you look like or how cold you are?)​

No pedalling.​

Only descending (and not pedalling).​

No climbing. (Definitely no pedalling; push up instead!)​

Narrow, high-pressure tyres. (Who needs a comfy ride?)​

Hard compound tyres. (Who needs grip?)​

If you must use the motor, then lowest power mode only. (But who wants to do that?)​

Stay out of Boost, except for rare occasions when there is absolutely no alternative. (Wild dogs chasing you, for ex.)​

Apart from the last one, you are probably better off not even switching on the motor. In fact, leave the battery behind - simultaneously reducing bike weight and the temptation to use the motor at all! The best idea yet!​

Remember to enjoy yourself!

​

​

​

 

[Rod B.]

@Suissepaddy Turning off the assistance will make no difference.

What does make a difference is:

Being super-fit. (At least 3 hours in the gym, daily)​

Being lightweight. (Crisp bread, vitamin tablets and water only, daily enemas).​

Leave your back-pack behind (and your tools, your water, your snacks, your spare tubes and pump).​

Wear Lycra and other minimal gear. (Who cares what you look like or how cold you are?)​

No pedalling.​

Only descending (and not pedalling).​

No climbing. (Definitely no pedalling; push up instead!)​

Narrow, high-pressure tyres. (Who needs a comfy ride?)​

Hard compound tyres. (Who needs grip?)​

If you must use the motor, then lowest power mode only. (But who wants to do that?)​

Stay out of Boost, except for rare occasions when there is absolutely no alternative. (Wild dogs chasing you, for ex.)​

Apart from the last one, you are probably better off not even switching on the motor. In fact, leave the battery behind - simultaneously reducing bike weight and the temptation to use the motor at all! The best idea yet!​

Remember to enjoy yourself!

​

​

​

Steve, do I detect a sly sense of humor in your post? I can verify that everything Steve mention's is 100% true, except for the Lycra part, bad bad stuff. People will mistake you for a roadie, nobody wants that. Friends don't let friends wear Spanx...

And...Plummet is 100% correct, ride your bike like your hair is on fire.

 

[steve_sordy]

Steve, do I detect a sly sense of humor in your post? I can verify that everything Steve mention's is 100% true, except for the Lycra part, bad bad stuff. People will mistake you for a roadie, nobody wants that. Friends don't let friends wear Spanx...

And...Plummet is 100% correct, ride your bike like your hair is on fire.

Nothing wrong with your humour detection Rod!

 

[Suissepaddy]

There are three things that will greatly impact range on an eBike. They are rider weight, elevation gain of the ride, and distance. There are also lesser things which can also have an impact on range. This includes things such as rider fitness, turning you bike off on the flats, how fast the pace is when riding with a partner, the rolling efficiency of your tires, and how much you are willing to suffer, i.e. using Eco mode on a really steep climb as opposed to using full Boost.

All eBikes will have a maximum combination of both distance and elevation gain with the above discussed things impacting this maximum. It's a Yin & Yang thing.....more elevation gain requires more power and therefore less distance, more distance requires less elevation gain or less use of power. The heavier your body weight, the harder your bike has to work. Turning a bike off when riding the flats will definitely increase range. If you have a "Dad" body, then loose about five Kilograms/10 pounds of bodyweight and really increase your bike's efficency.

One of things that I love the most about getting a new eBike is figuring out what the bike's maximum combination of distance and elevation gain is. I love those rides where you pull up to your car post ride and see the bike's "Red light of doom" letting you know you have 10% battery left, you had a good ride, and you got your money's worth from the bike's drive system.

My current eBike (Pivot AM) has a Bosch 4 drive system with 525Wh battery. I run Maxxis Assegai 2.5 front and rear. I weigh 88 Kilograms (195 Lbs.). I can cover a 48 Km (30 Mile ride) with 1,676 meters/5,500 feet of climbing before my bike's battery hits red. To cover this range, I sometimes turn the bike off on flats, I will grind it out in Eco mode on some climbs, and I'll use the terrain, i.e. line choice, to my advantage so that the bike doesn't have to work as hard.

So, the buring question is....How far can you take your bike and how much can you climb while doing so? Have fun figuring out what you and your bike can do.

You have a beautiful country. One of my hopes is to someday ride the Alps.

Be safe,
Rod

Thanks, that's some really good info. After I posted this, I went on a 72 km ride with around 550 m climbing and still had 20% battery left at the end. I'm 120 kg+ so thought this wasn't bad at all. I really need to test the limits as we plan some of the Swiss multi-stage MTB routes which are usually around 50 km each, can include up to 1800 m climbing, and I don't to be left on empty with a final alpine (or Jurassic for that matter) climb to our accommodation.
Just a side note, I went "electric" to keep up with the wife's eMTB, who was fed up waiting for me at the tops of hills . The idea is to do some longer mixed paved/trail tours together and not kill myself in doing so. Hence I went hardtail in order to mount some paniers if needs be. In the Summer I will also commute a couple of days a week, which is an 80km round trip, and will need the paniers for my laptop, change of clothes, battery charger etc. I might at some stage also pick up a fully for the local forest trails and possibly wave farewell to my Scott Genius .

 

[Suissepaddy]

@Suissepaddy Turning off the assistance will make no difference.

What does make a difference is:

Being super-fit. (At least 3 hours in the gym, daily)​

Being lightweight. (Crisp bread, vitamin tablets and water only, daily enemas).​

Leave your back-pack behind (and your tools, your water, your snacks, your spare tubes and pump).​

Wear Lycra and other minimal gear. (Who cares what you look like or how cold you are?)​

No pedalling.​

Only descending (and not pedalling).​

No climbing. (Definitely no pedalling; push up instead!)​

Narrow, high-pressure tyres. (Who needs a comfy ride?)​

Hard compound tyres. (Who needs grip?)​

If you must use the motor, then lowest power mode only. (But who wants to do that?)​

Stay out of Boost, except for rare occasions when there is absolutely no alternative. (Wild dogs chasing you, for ex.)​

Apart from the last one, you are probably better off not even switching on the motor. In fact, leave the battery behind - simultaneously reducing bike weight and the temptation to use the motor at all! The best idea yet!​

Remember to enjoy yourself!

​

​

​

Funny f*cker

 

[Old Codger]

Thanks, that's some really good info. After I posted this, I went on a 72 km ride with around 550 m climbing and still had 20% battery left at the end. I'm 120 kg+ so thought this wasn't bad at all. I really need to test the limits as we plan some of the Swiss multi-stage MTB routes which are usually around 50 km each, can include up to 1800 m climbing, and I don't to be left on empty with a final alpine (or Jurassic for that matter) climb to our accommodation.
Just a side note, I went "electric" to keep up with the wife's eMTB, who was fed up waiting for me at the tops of hills . The idea is to do some longer mixed paved/trail tours together and not kill myself in doing so. Hence I went hardtail in order to mount some paniers if needs be. In the Summer I will also commute a couple of days a week, which is an 80km round trip, and will need the paniers for my laptop, change of clothes, battery charger etc. I might at some stage also pick up a fully for the local forest trails and possibly wave farewell to my Scott Genius .

Topeak do a rack for a full sus.