27.02.2024 An e-bike is no free lunch.

 ~o~

  Tuesday 27th 34F/1C. Cloudy and cold but dry. Forecast to peak at 4.6C/40F. Mostly cloudy but the risk of some sunshine later. Light winds all day. I was considering a ride but the low temperatures need respect. Mitts for the hands. Layers to avoid cold bridging through the jacket. 

 At the risk of repeating myself, yet again: E-bikes do not provide the same body warmth from cycling hard up hills. The higher speeds involved dramatically increase wind chill. The combination is not a happy one without careful preparation. 

 A purely manual cycle often overheats the rider on climbs. Only to chill them to the bone on the next descent. Ironically a cooling draught is not available at lower climbing speeds. This requires completely different clothing to an e-bike. The jacket should be opened to cool the hard working rider as they ascend. Closed when speeds increase downhill. When the sweaty rider often feels as if they have been plunged onto an ice bath! 

 Conversely, the e-bike frees the rider from the pain, breathlessness and sweat on the climbs. But, subjects the rider to a continuously cold headwind for most of the entire ride time. So e-biking requires much more thorough wind-proofing. Simply to avoid serious discomfort. 

 The eye watering headwind was a complete shock when I first rode my e-bike! Even at the very modest speeds practising in the drive. This, after 70 years of cycling, was totally unexpected. It really put me off. Because my recycled cycling wardrobe was found to be seriously wanting.

 The e-bike is not remotely a motorcycle or even a 1960s style scooter. Where the rider must protect themselves from wind chill at all times and at all costs. Without having to give too much thought to flexibility. They have no need to pedal except to change gear. 

 With the e-bike there is still some warmth to be had from the effort required. Depending on the rider and the motor assistance mode selected. Sport or Turbo mode will usually lift them above 20mph/32kph. Where wind chill or wind induced cooling becomes serious. Most climbs can be taken almost effortlessly if Turbo mode is selected. The motor provides 3x the effort the rider puts into the pedals in Turbo mode. The septuagenarian cyclist [moi] is lifted into a youthful, race trained, club rider!  

 Logic suggests that a cold rider should force themselves to work harder. By selecting a lower assistance mode on climbs. The increased physical effort required should help to warm their chilled bod. Though in practise it rarely seems to work like that. I find that being cold does not make me want to work harder but rather less.

 Higher assistance modes also eat up battery charge. Which limits range quite drastically. There are indicators of range on the Nyon computer display. Going from well over 120km in Tour mode. To perhaps only 40km in Turbo mode. 40km is only 25 miles! That's not much of a ride at all!

 Running out of battery charge on ride is a very bad thing. My 45kph/28mph Speed class e-bike is far heavier than almost any other manual cycle. Well over 30kg/60lbs with panniers and a couple of choccy bars. 

 The fat tyres may provide comfort and safe grip at speed but will cause serious drag. Even riding down a steep hill. Which explains why it is so hard to get above 30mph. Where a lightweight racer would go much faster. Usually with the rider pressing his dripping nose onto the stem. 

 While the e-bike rider is often close to sitting vertical. I certainly am when I check my reflection in the empty shop windows I pass in the village. Wind resistance, or drag, is what seriously limits cycle speeds. Just in case you haven't heard already. Higher gears on a bike or trike only work if you have the strength to turn them. Most human beings can't. Except for that very small elite. Who make the news in major race tours. Or track events.   

 A dead battery, as the rider tires at the end of a longer ride, is arguably, potentially life threatening. Particularly in bad or winter weather. When hypothermia is a very real risk. Crawling along at 5kph or 3mph on such a heavy machine, without motor assistance, is absolute torture! Even the lowest assistance modes, like Eco, feel as if the brakes are dragging. I don't ever use Tour mode. Not unless I am desperate for range. The freedom of the open road is only found in Sport and Turbo modes. Tour mode literally feels slower than my lightweight trike. When it is only being pushed along by my 76 year old legs!  

 7.30 64F/18C in the room. Up at 6.30 after a quiet night.

 8.30 It is brightening up. I can't sit here waffling all day! Move! 

 15.00 38F/3C. Overcast. Returned from a 61km/40 mile ride. Spending 81% in Sport mode. 23% was my effort. 77% was motor assistance. Average speed 23kph. Maximum speed 44kph. 

 It included a visit to my British friend. I had dressed warmly and it was fine. Except for my face feeling cold. There was a light headwind coming home. I cannot confirm whether the B67 saddle caused the discomfort. Or that it was friction from wearing too many layers. Padded shorts, thermal long-johns and thin, stretchy trousers. I had to stop when I was almost home. Because the battery was flat. There was lots of flooding on the fields. With a few huge puddles overlapping the road.

 15.45 Late lunch over. 60F/16C in the room. Stove now lit.

 Dinner was chicken, brown mushrooms, baked beans and boiled potatoes.

  ~o~