Specialized Creo (all models) - Longest Rides/Biggest Climbs

[mschwett]

There are some big rides in here and I’m thinking a 118 mile ride and only using 100 wh of battery? Geez, my first thought was if you rode a regular road bike you’d probably do the ride just fine. I mean with so little battery usage is the motor helping much more than just offsetting its’ weight on a 118 mile ride? But you say you don’t think you could have done it without the Creo and I’m wondering why you say that. Seems like you would have been just fine.

it’s true that i did/do most of the work when i ride the creo. but when i’m riding an unfamiliar route, or a very hot day, a very long ride, there may be times i really “need” the assist, meaning it would be extremely unpleasant and/or unhealthy (i have an unusual heart condition) to try and tough it out. i do ride pretty hard (sustained output around 200-220w for many hours) but my limits are pretty absolute. this is especially critical on gravel where you routinely encounter sustained 15% plus grades, which would require MTB gearing for me to get up without a little boost.

i actually do have a non-electric bike now, )also an aethos!) and i ride it the vast majority of the time. but i still love the creo and use it for gravel, some commuting, and possibly some really long rides.

 

[PSm]

i’m 180-185lb, 6’2. not super aerodynamic

Ha! I've been focusing a lot on riding position and hypermiling/aerodynamics. Good podcast series I've been listening to...

Ep12: Aerodynamic Descending Positions and Cycling Shoe Selection

What is the best position for descending a long straight mountainous road? What factors go into selecting the correct position? Are there better positions for more technical descents? How do I descend quickly anyway? Todd explores a paper discussing aerody...

hammondcycling.podbean.com

Ep45: Aerodynamics

Jason and Todd discuss aerodynamics in cycling. The science behind why something is aerodynamic and the differences between different equipment are discussed. Have a suggestion, comment, or question? Email us at [email protected] Twitter:...

hammondcycling.podbean.com

 

[Dazmanturbo]

My longest is 105 miles with just main battery only. Having done the Di2 hack for the power switch on the handlebars, it is much easier to change the power level and thus save battery. That ride took 7.5 hours, but in UK so restricted to 15.5MPH with assist. Ride had 5000ft of climbing and had no battery left at end

 

[rayray]

If you need a little assist, but really want to save battery, and you have a model year 2021 or earlier, download the BLEvo app and add the O-Synce remote (purchase link is provided within the app). It will allow you to increase assistance in 5% or 10% increments, as selected in the app setup. Using this, I set Eco at 10%, Sport at a range of 10%-90%, and Turbo at 100%. I then start out with Eco, or if I need more than 10% assist I switch to Sport and use the remote to control the exact assist level. Turbo may still come into play, but only on the steepest of hills, or when I’m in a hurry to get home. It’s great for preserving battery, and provides precisely the amount of assist desired at any time!

As to my longest ride, it’s only 49.5 miles. I’m not in the greatest of shape, and am still working on bike fit. I’m finding I get sore between my shoulder blades, and I can sometimes get some tingling in my hands.

 

[jodi2]

There are some big rides in here and I’m thinking a 118 mile ride and only using 100 wh of battery? Geez, my first thought was if you rode a regular road bike you’d probably do the ride just fine. I mean with so little battery usage is the motor helping much more than just offsetting its’ weight on a 118 mile ride? But you say you don’t think you could have done it without the Creo and I’m wondering why you say that. Seems like you would have been just fine.

I think you're right that that the motor is in pure numbers not of great help here. We discussed somewhere here, how much power it needs to equal the extra weight (not talking about the bad aerodynamics of the lower tube). Of course this depends on the height meters, only uphill with 20% it's about 100W, for an average of 1,25% uphill (8000feet/118mi) it's only about 5W. So 40Wh in 8h, better lets round up to 50Wh.
So 100Wh is twice as much/clearly faster. But the "feeling" of the assistance will be quite dissappoiting. It tried one week my Creo (motor limited to 25km/h) to ride 40km quite flat one way to work. Battery lasted in "medium support" almost the whole week/200 miles. On Average it was about 30W/h, so about 12,5% of the max. SL support and it felt terrible. Speed gain was about 1km/h (not exatly meastured, just compared to my times with my "organic" gravel bike. I would never buy a Creo or SL ONLY for that usage. But sometimes it's ok and to know that you have the reserves for a detour or difficulities is great.
But mschwett also mentioned, that he usuallly uses a support setting of 20-25%. That's also my lower "limit" where I clearly notice the support in hilly areas (in the flat I'm rdiing mostly over the 25km/h limit).

 

[Ngnear]

In general, I get appromately 1.15 miles for every 1% of battery when using the factory setting for Eco (35/35). I am about 190 lbs. Most of my rides follow this rate, the latest yesterday, was 34 miles with 1700’ of gain, averaging 19 mph. My terrain is not exactly flat but we do not have super large or long mountains, just some nice hills, some 1 mile at 4%-5%. I used 30% of the main battery (no range extender attached). Of course you can stretch the battery by turning off the assist. I have yet to drain the battery far enough to experience the system-forced reduced assistance.

 

[kahn]

I'm on the aluminum Creo, carry too much weight in the rear pannier and too much personal weight. My age might also contribute to the slowdown. I seem to about average 2% per mile on our moderate terrain. (I don't do any precise calculations but eyeball the values at the end of each ride) About 700-1000 feet of climbing (crossing glacially carved ridges) over 15-17 miles or 1,200 feet over about 22+ miles.

On the longish, 30+ rides I do take the Range Extender as there are a few steeper climbs and running out would be dramatic. Oh, battery health still comes back 100% after a year and a half and about 3,500 miles.

I read about the riders using NO power for lot of their rides and I'm jealous of their strength but also wonder - is my Creo "wounded" in some fashion. It is work pedaling on even some of our gentle rises where you might not visually notice elevation gain but it is definitely uphill.

 

[PSm]

I'm on the aluminum Creo, carry too much weight in the rear pannier and too much personal weight. My age might also contribute to the slowdown. I seem to about average 2% per mile on our moderate terrain. (I don't do any precise calculations but eyeball the values at the end of each ride) About 700-1000 feet of climbing (crossing glacially carved ridges) over 15-17 miles or 1,200 feet over about 22+ miles.

On the longish, 30+ rides I do take the Range Extender as there are a few steeper climbs and running out would be dramatic. Oh, battery health still comes back 100% after a year and a half and about 3,500 miles.

I read about the riders using NO power for lot of their rides and I'm jealous of their strength but also wonder - is my Creo "wounded" in some fashion. It is work pedaling on even some of our gentle rises where you might not visually notice elevation gain but it is definitely uphill.

Yes, I'm sure personal/loaded weight, age and of course fitness level could be making a big difference. Silly question - are your tire pressures low? Higher pressures and lower rolling resistance tires (check out bicyclerollingresistance.com) can make a dramatic difference in ease of riding.

 

[Dazmanturbo]

I'm on the aluminum Creo, carry too much weight in the rear pannier and too much personal weight. My age might also contribute to the slowdown. I seem to about average 2% per mile on our moderate terrain. (I don't do any precise calculations but eyeball the values at the end of each ride) About 700-1000 feet of climbing (crossing glacially carved ridges) over 15-17 miles or 1,200 feet over about 22+ miles.

On the longish, 30+ rides I do take the Range Extender as there are a few steeper climbs and running out would be dramatic. Oh, battery health still comes back 100% after a year and a half and about 3,500 miles.

I read about the riders using NO power for lot of their rides and I'm jealous of their strength but also wonder - is my Creo "wounded" in some fashion. It is work pedaling on even some of our gentle rises where you might not visually notice elevation gain but it is definitely uphill.

I do use my Creo in power off on longer rides, but not when it comes to steeper hills. Once they go over 6-7%, my power is on. I have an awesome set on Newmen wheels on my Creo, which do roll forever and make the weight not as noticeable. I am a heavy rider, but once up to speed, rides like a normal bike. I do feel the weight when pulling off from a stop, but prefer to save the battery for when it is needed, or for the emergency please drag me home. Typically speaking, Eco mode will give 10 miles or so of range of normal riding. Please not that I am in UK with 15.5MPH restriction, so once over that speed, the battery is effectively off to.

 

[rayray]

I do use my Creo in power off on longer rides, but not when it comes to steeper hills. Once they go over 6-7%, my power is on. I have an awesome set on Newmen wheels on my Creo, which do roll forever and make the weight not as noticeable. I am a heavy rider, but once up to speed, rides like a normal bike. I do feel the weight when pulling off from a stop, but prefer to save the battery for when it is needed, or for the emergency please drag me home. Typically speaking, Eco mode will give 10 miles or so of range of normal riding. Please not that I am in UK with 15.5MPH restriction, so once over that speed, the battery is effectively off to.

I’m confused by your statement “Eco mode will give 10 miles or so of range of normal riding”. Eco provides far more range than 10 miles. Perhaps you mean that’s your personal range, based on physical ability, rather than battery range(?). That I could relate to…at least some days. Or perhaps my simple mind just isn’t following the logic.

 

[Dazmanturbo]

I’m confused by your statement “Eco mode will give 10 miles or so of range of normal riding”. Eco provides far more range than 10 miles. Perhaps you mean that’s your personal range, based on physical ability, rather than battery range(?). That I could relate to…at least some days. Or perhaps my simple mind just isn’t following the logic.

I did miss out the per bar statement......so 100 miles ish from the battery for all 10 bars

 

[kahn]

Yes, I'm sure personal/loaded weight, age and of course fitness level could be making a big difference. Silly question - are your tire pressures low? Higher pressures and lower rolling resistance tires (check out bicyclerollingresistance.com) can make a dramatic difference in ease of riding.

80+ which I think is pretty firm. I'm sure most of it is my weight and loaded bike weight.

 

[jodi2]

mschwett is a lazy old couch potatoe, using tons of motor support! ;-)
After tearing my Achilles tendon 4 months ago I started cycling again two months ago. At the beginning I needed motor support at the slightest uphill and often full SL support.
Even if I’m lazy/much more than mschwett, I need to rebuild muscles and started a few weeks ago to reduce motor support as much as possible. I usually ride with Level 1 with 25% (my settings are 25/25-50/50-100/100) and level 2 only on really steep uphills. Now 0% and level 1 just once in a while.
The last days I found a new “rule”, “motor support is only allowed in the lowest gear”. Means I newer use motor support until I reach the lowest gear and theneeded force increases too much and my injured leg starts to hurt. This is equivalent at the moment with (too) heavy breathing and heart rate starts getting insane. So my leg is a good indicator, that its healthy and allowed to get some extra help… First level 1, then again, if rpm get too low and force&pain increase too much, Level 2, etc.
If the uphill becomes flat again, the same “rule”, first reducing the motor support, level 2, level 1, zero, then I’m allowed to use a higher gear.
All motor limits have become unnecessary, all edrives should work only in the lowest gear (let’s say in the lowest 2-3 gears for a good chain line) and no one would ever pass 25km/h ;-)

But honestly, one tends (too much) to keep it’s speed on an ebike and rely on the motor instead of using all gears. My wife is a typical example. She rides her Vado SL usually with level 2 (50%). Sometimes when she is late for an appointment, she puts full support. I told her “Try to ride back with zero support, there you have time and it doesn’t matter if you sweat a little bit more…” as it’s not very hilly on her tours. She always answers “NOOOO, it’s impossible, I CAN’T ride this distance without motor!!!” but I never see her using any low gears, always only the upper half of the cassette and the distance is only ⅓ of her possible maximum…