2019 : Our Rides in Words, Photos & Maps

[edwinr]

It’s 2019! The odometer has been reset to zero and it's time to open the gate to a new year of ebike adventuring.
(Link Removed - Attachment No Longer Exists)
This is where I’m headed on my first Southeast Queensland ride of 2019 and I’ll share the adventure, in photos and words, when I’m back.

I hope you’ll add your own adventures when 2019 arrives.
… David

Wow Daivd, that's fantastic! I've been wanting to ebike tour. By chance, do you have suggestion how to charge your batter while your on the road?

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Do you have suggestions on how to charge your battery while your on the road?

Edwin …
The only way I've charged my ebikes' batteries is by using mains power.

There is an interesting blog by a couple, Rachel and Gary Corbett, who travelled huge distances across Europe on their Haibikes with trailers – admittedly without dogs on board. As far as I am aware, they relied on mains power… and this before dual battery systems became readily available. The Corbetts' Ebike Cycle Tourists makes an interesting read.

I've also followed the adventures of Paul, a long-distance ebiker who rode a Riese & Müller Delite (with dual batteries). You can find his blog at ebiketraveller.site and a contribution to an R&M Delite thread on this forum where he gives details of how he towed a Topeak trailer carrying his camping equipment and a small generator. Tempting as it is to make wry comments about a 'quiet time out' to recharge one's batteries, the reality is that his ebiking adventures came without anxiety.

Solar power? There are accounts of enviro-quests to travel the length of this country or that subcontinent on a solar-powered ebike. Typically, these ebikes carry solar arrays the size of a bedroom door above the head of the rider (or his dogs). I wish I knew how to plug into the sun without making it quite so obvious. The RV crowd might be able to help.
… David

 

[Deleted member 18083]

What is the usual velocity of winds you are referring to? I live in the 'windy city' in the Midwest US.

Bob …
With just a few exceptions, our winds can be cancelled out with a touch more power assist. As can be seen in the screenshot from my iPhone's Cyclemeter app, the wind at the starting point (Everton Park at 9:42 am, green dot hidden under the red dot) was 19 km/h ESE. Later on the bridge (40 km mark on the map) it was stronger. On the rare occasions that wind gusts exceed 60 km/h, crossings can be challenging.

Comments on other info from the Cyclemeter app:

• M1 on the map: Highway One, the road with no beginning and no end – it circles the continent.
• energy burn: nonsense – I have to share the credit with the motor.
• heart rate: from Apple Watch 4.
• ascent/descent: should be the same – corrected in Ride with GPS app.
• sunset: midsummer and the sun's gone before 7.00 pm!

… David

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Old-style Queensland homes – #1 of 4 …

Photos from the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. These buildings date from about a hundred years and were positioned close to the recently completed Brisbane Valley branch line.

Trip : 64 km / 2019 : 994 km

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Mangroves at high tide …

Scarborough – 49.5 km into ride (see map).
Trip : 89 km / 2019 : 1083 km

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Mount Coot-tha, Brisbane …

Mount Coot-tha is home to Brisbane's favourite eMTB trails. I'm cautious of even the easiest trails like this wide, non-technical descent from the top – it's a scary 20–30% drop where the trail drops out of view in this photo. Fortunately, there is a paved circuit of the mountain – very popular with Sunday morning pelotons – which passes the TV towers and tourist outlook over the city.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

@Angela M.
Could we move this Riese and Muller forum. More appropriate photos for that sub forum.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

Well, if winter ever ends and a few more of us can get on the road again, that will correct itself. Right now I’m just jealous of David’s weather.

We just had eighteen inches of snow last week, looking at another eight in two days. Bikes are in the basement, very unhappily.

 

[Angela M.]

@Angela M.
Could we move this Riese and Muller forum. More appropriate photos for that sub forum.

There's also photos of Trek in here. The takeaway I get from this post is David sharing his rides with us rather than just sharing info on Riese and Muller.

 

[Alaskan]

I'm with @Angela M. This is Dave's personal ride thread that happens to be ridden on his Riese & Muller bike. It is not, however, about the bike but rather about the great rides Dave makes so frequently and the wonderful pictures he takes along the way. If Dave were to post a review of his new R&M Homage (which I would eagerly read), that should be posted in the Riese & Muller forum. With Apologies to @Ravi Kempaiah but I think these posts are right where they belong, in 2019 Ride Photos, under General Discussion.

 

[Alaskan]

Dave, how are you liking the Scwalbe Rock Razors? I am thinking I might swap to the Super Moto X on mine.

How noisy are they?

What about rolling resistance. speed, impact on range, traction, etc?

Do you think there would be any benefit to replacing the front calipers with the MT 5 (4 cylinder version) and/or upgrading to the 203mm rotor on the front or are the MT4 fully adequate to the task?

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

There's also photos of Trek in here. The takeaway I get from this post is David sharing his rides with us rather than just sharing info on Riese and Muller.

Sure. I understand.
I thought R&M forum subscribers would find it more interesting and easy to search.
There are couple of threads dedicated to sharing ride photos on the general forum. So, I thought it would serve better if we did not dilute the crowd by creating too many generic threads and he seemed to be the only one posting pics on this thread.

 

[Dionigi]

Sure. I understand.
I thought R&M forum subscribers would find it more interesting and easy to search.
There are couple of threads dedicated to sharing ride photos on the general forum. So, I thought it would serve better if we did not dilute the crowd by creating too many generic threads and he seemed to be the only one posting pics on this thread.

I’m not sure you mean by dilute? This thread is specific and different than the “show us where you ride” thread. Maybe it’s age-specific or particular to step thru bikes but it still can be classified as general discussion. DISCLAIMER: I ride a R&M bike.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

I’m not sure you mean by dilute? This thread is specific and different than the “show us where you ride” thread. Maybe it’s age-specific or particular to step thru bikes but it still can be classified as general discussion. DISCLAIMER: I ride a R&M bike.

If you look at any eBike forum, people with a certain brand of bike post in that specific thread so other riders, readers and casual lurkers can read and benefit from it.
Here is the largest R&M forum: https://www.pedelecforum.de/forum/index.php?forums/bosch.30/&prefix_id=17

They share ride photos, tips, modifications, problems, solutions etc.
if you post just pics under the general forum, within few months, it will be buried under 100's of other threads discussing various topics. If you post under R&M sub-forum, the chances of this being beneficial is much higher. It will create a frame of reference if David decides to do some modification later on. Really, I don't have any self-interest in this.

Since David was the major contributor on this thread, and it was only 1 brand of bike, it would be best suited under the brand to bring certain cohesive-ness to the information/pics that is being shared.

 

[bob armani]

Well, if winter ever ends and a few more of us can get on the road again, that will correct itself. Right now I’m just jealous of David’s weather.

We just had eighteen inches of snow last week, looking at another eight in two days. Bikes are in the basement, very unhappily.

Bikes in the basement indeed. I have been able to design a very small test track loop there, however, I have to stay on the lowest power setting. Patience is running low for many of us, I'm sure.

 

[J.R.]

You tempted me to look up Central PA weather: 'Weekend storm could bring freezing rain along with snow, sleet.' No thanks. Please add some photos when you can get out again.

David,

I'm not above playing ball on a muddy field



I got sidelined a few weeks ago with a torn tendon in my foot. All the more reason I'm enjoying your exploits. Keep 'em coming.

JR

 

[Deleted member 18083]

I got sidelined a few weeks ago with a torn tendon in my foot.

JR …
What a photo! My snowy exploits of a half-century ago were all of the downhill skiing variety – and I have the X-rays of a smashed-to-pieces leg to prove it!
… David

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Kurilpa Bridge over the Brisbane River …

Kurilpa Bridge is the world’s largest hybrid tensegrity bridge and arguably the most extraordinary cycle/pedestrian bridge anywhere.

The white horizontal spars (two in the photo) are not attached directly to any rigid structure but are 'held up' and 'held down' simultaneously by the cables attached to their end caps. The cables form a net of continuous tension inside which the isolated spars are held in compression. The cables that we see are complemented by a similar set behind me that are attached to the hidden ends of the spars – a synchronicity of tension and compression that Buckminster Fuller termed tensegrity (from 'tensional integrity').

Trip : 100 km / 2019 : 1310 km
Photo at 73.5 km.
… David

 

[Deleted member 18083]

 

[J.R.]

View attachment 29594

It's a very cool bridge! I enjoy the engineering of such things.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurilpa_Bridge