12.11.2023 Justification for the e-bike.

 ~o~

 Sunday 12th 42F/6C. Heavy overcast with light winds. Showers possible but seem to be outside my area of interest again. Woke once at 4am then slept until 7am. 64F/18C in the room after reaching 71F/22C at 10pm last night. I was comfortable under my lightest duvet. 

 No ill effects from yesterday's ride. I noticed no discomfort while pedalling. I often seem to get pains in my quadriceps. The muscles at the front of my thighs. Not yesterday. No saddle discomfort either. Which was unusual. I wore padded shorts over tights [winter long-johns] with flat seams. 57km/35miles is not a long ride but far enough to expose any weaknesses in my fitness. The single battery ended up on 28%  charge from the usual 100% start. It was a rather cool day. So battery capacity was reduced.

 Riding my e-bike requires constant pedalling. The more effort I apply the faster I go. I normally use Sport mode. Which provides 240% assistance to my own input to the pedals. I find Sport mode provides a speed well above my personal ability at 76. Particularly on climbs. The trade off of with Sport mode is reduced range at higher average speeds. 70km/44miles range per battery in summer is typical. With initial average speeds in the high 20s kph. Two batteries were good for 138km/86miles. My longest ride so far. With plenty of reserve in the second battery to use Turbo to get me safely home as I tired.

 The higher speed reduces elapsed time for any ride. Which reduces the strain on my muscles and [hopefully] reduces saddle discomfort. My ageing collection of padded shorts and bibs is probably ten years old. I keep looking at modern shorts and wondering if it is really worth updating them.

 I only occasionally use Turbo mode to maintain my higher speeds on a steep climb. It was the stress and burning pain of climbing which had me seeking assistance. In the form of an electric bike. It is not cheating to have battery/motor assistance. Not if I would have otherwise have meant I stopped cycling altogether. 

 I was getting far too breathless on longer climbs. [On the trike] Which caused muscular chest pains from panting so deeply. I no longer get breathless [at all] even at 30kph on long climbs. My area of Denmark is mostly small hills. Often quite steep climbs on the rural lanes I choose to avoid traffic. Finding myself even mildly breathless on a ride is very unusual now. Yet I can only assume that I am maintaining a decent level of fitness for my age. 

 It takes a keen young rider down on the drops of his racing bike. To maintain my average speed. I can drop training groups and solo riders at will. Though I try not to make a habit of it. Given my age I consider all of this a decent return on the considerable investment. One can pay well over my total expense for a single racing or mountain bike. One with a relatively short life and probably constant replacement parts. Provided I replace the chain and cassette at suitable intervals I should be able to keep going. My Ortlieb panniers provide plenty of room for shopping. Racing and MTBs have no carrying capacity at all. 

 One problem I face and I am not alone. Is the Bosch Nyon not connecting to my Android phone. Via the Bosch Connect app via Bluetooth. 

 9.00. Time for a walk. I walked to the village in the Puma trainers/boots. To check on the outflow from the beck. It makes some sharp turns once it reaches the surface. After travelling in underground pipes for some distance. Not easy to photograph but the 40cm pipe was probably 1/3 full.

 11.00 A ride to a flea market I haven't found open so far. I'll dress properly today! Shop while I am out.

13.10 46F/8C. Overcast with rare veiled, sunny periods. Back from a 34km ride. With shopping on the way back.  I wore long thermal underwear. Then padded shorts and a racing jersey. A thin cycling cardigan under the Endura rain jacket. With thin, flexible trousers over the tights. I didn't feel cold once. Nor suffer from prickly overheating. Lots of long climbs and descents. The gloves were fine too today.

 I was feeling slightly tired towards the end of the ride. So engaged Turbo mode for the last 5-6km. Then I could ride at 30+kph uphill. The almost smooth soles of Puma boots proved to be rather slippery on the flat pedals at first. Causing my feet to slip off every time I got much above 80rpm. Luckily the pedal studs bedded in and my footing became reliable by the time I was well into the ride. Perhaps the soles became drier? The cast studs on the flat, alloy pedals are already worn and rounded. I wonder if should be looking at MTB pedals?

 I managed to get the room up to 73F for a while. Then let the stove die down until it was 68F/20C at bedtime. Sunday Dinner was sausage, mushrooms, peas, carrots, boiled potatoes and gravy. I made too many potatoes, intending to mash them, but didn't. The baby "snack" carrots cooked nicely and were much easier to eat than rings or slices. I added the frozen peas to the same pan.

~o~