eBike at a traditional bike event, Gran Fondo Goldendale, WA

[jabberwocky]

Gran Fondos generally aren't races, though occasionally they will have timed segments like a climb. I'd email the event organizers and ask them directly, but I'd guess they will be fine with an ebike.

As for riding with a group, I ride my ebike with the local gravel group fairly regularly and its generally been fine. Keep in mind that your speed profile will likely be different than normal cyclists. Much faster on climbs, probably about more average on flats and maybe slower on descents (depending on your skill level and speed tolerance, but dedicated roadies can be really fast on downhills). If you're in a pack, you'll generally get a better response if you adjust your speed to stay in that pack. Riders will get annoyed pretty fast if you motor ahead on climbs and then drop back in on every descent. Kinda depends on the event. I've done centuries that had over 10,000 riders, so you're in one group or another pretty much the entire way, and I've done ones with a few hundred that spread out really fast and its easy to be on your own after 5-10 miles.

 

[Taylor57]

This is the Pacific Northwest, if we waited for that kind of weather to ride we'd have maybe a few weeks each year (or so it seems sometimes). I think even for these events that snow was a rare occurrence. They actually don't schedule any events in July or August to avoid the heat. Looking ahead at the weather forecast for the event I'm doing, it's looking like it will be mid-40s to low-50s and partly cloudy. Ideal for an event like this.

Got 2 golf clubs strapped into the back of my Topeak and will ride to the driving range when the thermometer hits 70! Will be using my throttle and PAS 3!

 

[JethroXP]

I did email the organizer before I signed up because there was zero mention of e-bikes on any of the event info. They said “e-bikes are a touchy subject for some, but we allow them, you just won’t get a finishing time”. And you are correct, it’s just a ride, not a race, but it is timed and there are some very competitive folks out there.

From what I’ve seen it’s maybe 200-300 riders, not super huge. Unless other e-bikes show up I expect to hang by myself so as not to interfere with any groups or drafting. I am apprehensive about passing people on the climbs because of how that looks, which is why I’m thinking, since I’m not being timed, maybe I should start 15-minutes early to hit the climbs before others, and then let them pass me on the downhill. I don’t know, I very likely way overthinking this. I just want the experience, but I don’t want to be “that guy” who disrupts it for everyone else.

 

[JethroXP]

Got 2 golf clubs strapped into the back of my Topeak and will ride to the driving range when the thermometer hits 70! Will be using my throttle and PAS 3!

Livin’ the dream

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I am, though about 20% of the route is unpaved so I'll appreciate them then. This is a compilation video of the 5 events they do each year, and as you'll see, there is a lot of gravel:

Looks like you're in for a fabulous ride. Good luck!

 

[jabberwocky]

I did email the organizer before I signed up because there was zero mention of e-bikes on any of the event info. They said “e-bikes are a touchy subject for some, but we allow them, you just won’t get a finishing time”. And you are correct, it’s just a ride, not a race, but it is timed and there are some very competitive folks out there.

From what I’ve seen it’s maybe 200-300 riders, not super huge. Unless other e-bikes show up I expect to hang by myself so as not to interfere with any groups or drafting. I am apprehensive about passing people on the climbs because of how that looks, which is why I’m thinking, since I’m not being timed, maybe I should start 15-minutes early to hit the climbs before others, and then let them pass me on the downhill. I don’t know, I very likely way overthinking this. I just want the experience, but I don’t want to be “that guy” who disrupts it for everyone else.

I think you'll be fine. I'd just soft pedal it for the first few miles and let the super competitive folks take off, then do your own ride.

 

[Nvreloader]

Jet
You can also offer a "Tow Service" to those struggling on the steep uphill sections,
or have a break down, that will promote the E bike,
to show it has a place whether the others think so or not.

A small sign, "Free tows for a smile".

Like you said, it a ride, not a race, enjoy your time and to hell with the haters.
I own/ride a Wart Hog MD 750 fat tire cross country beast also.
I average between 80-120 miles per battery charge on Eco 1.
Tia,
Don

 

[JethroXP]

The thought had occurred to me to bring a tow strap The Bikonit Wart Hog is a beast, I was looking at those recently, and their mid-drive with the belt driven internally geared Rohloff hub looks really cool.

 

[Nvreloader]

From the information I have read, those IGH don't fare too well with the Wart Hog bikes, I went with the cassette gearing, as I planned on cross country riding and as a scout bike for hunting, if I ever draw a tag again, I need a bullet proof design, I don't need to be pushing a 100# beast across country.................LOL
I am not a spring chicken at 75.

 

[JethroXP]

From the information I have read, those IGH don't fare too well with the Wart Hog bikes, I went with the cassette gearing, as I planned on cross country riding and as a scout bike for hunting, if I ever draw a tag again, I need a bullet proof design, I don't need to be pushing a 100# beast across country.................LOL
I am not a spring chicken at 75.

Interesting, I wonder if that is why they have been listed as “sold out” for months, maybe they are redesigning them?

 

[m@Robertson]

maybe they are redesigning them?

If something is getting a redesign, its not the Rohloff. There is no sign its 130 Nm torque limit is going to change. Its always been known that the Rohloff 'mostly' works well with a 160 Nm motor (specifically a BBSHD) but failures have been reported. The 160 Nm Ultra on a Warthog is just as over-spec. If you want to for sure be able to survive long term with a motor like that, the only one on the market that officially is designed to survive is the Kindernay.

Not a shock that riders of those bikes have been killing them as its a known mismatch. People who buy them off the shelf typically don't know the underlying component specs well enough to realize the risk; or how to manage it.

 

[JethroXP]

Good to know. I was suggesting that the bike itself might be being redesigned, perhaps to use different components or maybe to better tune those components to work better together.

 

[Kayakguy]

You didn't say whether, you used your throttle. I'm assuming that you didn't, since your mostly PAS 1.

At one time the one-speed riders regarded the derailleur as cheating.

 

[PSm]

At one time the one-speed riders regarded the derailleur as cheating.

“One speed is all you need”

Did a gran fondo metric century on a single speed analog track bike (with freewheel and brakes) and it was both brutal and awesome

 

[Art Deco]

Just following this thread. Just like I follow @Stefan Mikes and @RabH with a mixture of awe and disbelief. Amazing.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

All that said, has anyone had any experience riding an eBike in a traditional bike event like this?

If that matters, I took part in the Mazovian Gravel 250 race (which was actually a 160 mile event). As the Race Rules prohibited use of e-bikes (or ICE motorized bikes), I was afraid my application would be rejected (it would be a race not just a long group ride). I explained my position (an ailing person who could only pedal e-bike but wanted to experience the Big Adventure together with other riders). I had no issue to get the Starter Package (including my race number) from the organizer. He asked me if I would stop overnight (as many riders do during the MG), to which I answered that of course I would stop to re-charge the batteries overnight. He was fully aware I would be riding an e-bike!

A few days before the race, there was a friendly exchange of comments between a friend (a traditional gravel cyclist), me, and the organizer on Facebook. The organizer wrote he was totally aware of the situation, and that the organizers would "closely monitor" my participation.

At the race start, the other organizer approached me and asked how I felt, would I be capable to ride, and whether I would take an overnight stay.

I rode the majority of the race on my stealthy looking Vado SL (I only switched to the "big" Vado 6.0 for some 74 km/46 miles for an easy and boring race segment). If anyone of the co-riders asked, I was answering I would not be assigned any place in the race, making the other riders satisfied with my replies. The difficulty of the race was described as "hard", as there was a lot of sand, mud, pothole gravel and similar difficult surfaces throughout the race.

The necessity of crossing the obstacles such as:

• Climbing a loose soil/tree roots/pieces of concrete mound
• Crossing a creek (or a shallow river)
• Climbing a 50 ft high steep staircase

would eliminate a heavy e-bike from the race. Crossing those obstacles by the racers was monitored electronically (avoiding the obstacle would result in a DSQ or adding a significant time penalty).

Out of 283 who completed the MG 250 race (excluding the 17 who DNF), 35 riders were behind me on the finish line. Eventually, my name has appeared on the finisher list as "finished, no place". A very fair attitude from the organizers!

Enthusiast cyclists in Poland know a lot about e-bikes nowadays. They only do not want unfair use of e-bikes in races. My participation was fair. I also have found out it is very hard to do a 160 mile race on an e-bike because of the weight of the batteries/chargers, and because of long time necessary to recharge the batteries.

I do not intend to take part in gravel ultramarathons anymore but I can see a possibility to take part in shorter events of a similar type.

@JethroXP: Have you eventually completed your Grand Fondo or it would only happen in the future? (I didn't read this thread carefully).

\
Being congratulated by the organizer for completing the ultramarathon.

Having the "Finisher Beer" post-race