Creo SL Road E-Bike Rental - Portugal

[JonFox]

Hello, I am considering joining a group of fit riders for a 10 day tour of Portugal next year that will include long days and a couple of days of 7,000 ft/ 60 +mile rides. I am fit enough at age 67 but can't ride hills with this group. The ride is supported and I have two range extenders I could bring so could probably switch them out mid-ride, but I would want the main battery as well. I currently ride a Creo SL with a range extender and would like to rent that bike or a similarly capable bike for the ride, commencing in Lisbon next September. I know this is a longshot, but if anyone has advice regarding where to rent this actual bike, or a similarly capable bike, I would much appreciate it. I don't see shipping my bike separately from the battery as an option, but maybe it is, I just don't know. Many thanks in advance for any tips/advice!

 

[jodi2]

You have a Creo in the US and want to rent one for ten days in Portugal?
I doubt that you will find a Creo or anything similar light there for rent. Creos are not that popular in Europa in general, even less in Portugal. And there aren't many alternatives, the only one I know is with Fazua drive, which is very rare outside Gemany. Also both bike types are very expensive, so a renting agency has to rent them 100% in summer and still more expensive then the usual Bosch bikes. Not very probable as these bike/motor types ar not that popular/not very well-known.
So the chances to find a light racing ebike with middle motor for rent outside Germany is zero in my opinion (in Germany almost zero...).
There may be a few with a light hub motor in the rear wheel, but these one are bad for real mountains/for 7000ft during 60miles.

But if you accept a heavier bike with a heavier Bosch drive there my be some chances.

You're aware that any ebike (even race bikes) you rent in Europe will have motor support limited to 25km/h? But in a group this is usually not a problem as you can ride in the middle of the group in the slip stream.

And btw for 60 miles with 7000ft with fit riders you usually don't need any range extender with the Creo. I'm not very fit and 100kg (naked) and still did such distances&height meters with riders two classes more fit&light with maybe 280Wh. If you need main battery and two range extenders for such a ride, you would pass Lance Armstrong doped... If one rides alone, you often tend to use too much support and if it's uphill and still slow you don't realize if it's already getting "superhuman"...

 

[Elkman]

For my part in a situation such as this I would make sure I had two ultra low gears on the bike so I could go up any grade. I might be slower than the other riders but it is a tour and not a race and there is going to be plenty of daylight at that time of the year. If the bike that can be rented has a 12 speed rear cassette then I would bring my own 12 speed cassette for the trip and build it for the riding you will be doing.

A rider puts our 15% as much energy as when walking as their weight support is supported by the bike. It comes down to having a low enough gear that you can pedal up anything. After that it is mostly a mental effort that is needed and one gets tougher mentally and has more confidence by training in mountainous areas as much as possible.

Be careful about avoiding heat stroke on your tour as that is more of a worry and keeping hydrated is important.