I finally took my ebike for a test ride.

[PCeBiker]

Yes, it says "Shimano" yet that shite is garbage. The sifters and cables and housings and derailleurs too, trash.

Yeah, that's what I got goin on,..

It has worked well so far, but it's only had the chain rolled through it a few dozen times.

I went to change gears during my first test ride, and was pushing the wrong button on the shifter.



I figure that if I shift carefully and work my left brake lever (now the rear brake) like a clutch to disengage the motor (once I connect the brake switches) then I can start to pedal to shift gears, under hopefully no load from the motor?
(There is enough play in the left brake lever to activate the brake switch before the brake activates)

And with a waxed chain, the derailleur stays clean and doesn't clog up with crud.

Then I can carry on never cleaning it, or any other part of my ebike.

 

[PCeBiker]

As long as your mind can keep track of what's going on, you should be alright

Speaking of that,..
Along with learning how to operate my gear shifter,.. I got on my ebike before my first test ride, and forgot what brake lever was connected to what wheel?
(I actually had to try each lever to find out )

So, in an effort to train my muscle memory, I kept thinking about it, and practicing grabbing the rear brake.

It's going to double as a clutch and my main "Holy s*it" handle to deactivate my motors and get started locking up the rear wheel.

I locked up the rear tire in the gravel a couple times to help "seat" the memory somewhere for the adrenaline rush to find it.


That leaves the right hand with the most important job of operating the front brake, which I will hopefully be modulating and not locking.

 

[stompandgo]

That's called a wheelie bike.

 

[PCeBiker]

That's called a wheelie bike.

I've never been able to do wheelies.
It is set up perfectly for doing wheelies though.

I did actually get my wheel off the ground a couple of inches a few times, but I wasn't about to try and learn that new trick.

Partly cuz I don't wanna crash my ebike, and partly cuz I don't wanna crash on my old bones.

(It's not about hurting my pride in any way.
I know that I'd crash at least a few times while learning that trick.)

 

[Marcela]

Speaking of that,..
Along with learning how to operate my gear shifter,.. I got on my ebike before my first test ride, and forgot what brake lever was connected to what wheel?
(I actually had to try each lever to find out )

So, in an effort to train my muscle memory, I kept thinking about it, and practicing grabbing the rear brake.

It's going to double as a clutch and my main "Holy s*it" handle to deactivate my motors and get started locking up the rear wheel.

I locked up the rear tire in the gravel a couple times to help "seat" the memory somewhere for the adrenaline rush to find it.


That leaves the right hand with the most important job of operating the front brake, which I will hopefully be modulating and not locking.

That’s what I am talking about

 

[PCeBiker]

That’s what I am talking about

I actually managed to slide my front wheel out sideways (unintentionally) about an inch or two yesterday going around a corner.

I ride 95% gravel, so I'm not going to go over the handlebars, I'm going to slide out my front wheel from under me, and end up on my ass.

If I happen to be in a corner, I could slide off the road.


Another time last year I was turning from pavement onto gravel, and there was sand and gravel on top of the asphalt.
I slid out a couple inches that time too, but managed to have enough "wobble room" to regain control without wiping out.

Sand and gravel on top of asphalt is even more slippery than just a gravel surface.

I have actually locked up the front wheel in gravel a few times,.. on purpose.
If I'm going in a straight line on level gravel (middle of the road), I can do a quick lockup without falling over.