Long Commute - 70 miles round trip for eNoob

[john peck]

[QUOTE="Briansc7, post: 167059, member: 21352" But how would you handle warranty claims or service? DIY? I'm a pretty capable bike mechanic and general handyman and with youtube, the sky's the limit, so not to worried about DIY. Its just great to hear about the high mileage you've logged with great reliability etc. I'm def going to check this one out!! I'll look over your posts as well, thanks![/QUOTE]

Brian, I have 2600 mi. on my 1st edition CCS. I´ve changed a few spokes, but the I´m heavy & tend to treat this commuter like a mtn bike at times.
I have had no warranty issues & have read only a few complaints about the bike which Juiced was quick to resolve. I´m very pleased with my CCS
in terms of performance & reliability. The CCX is basically a more refined version of the CCS. I´d venture it´s as good a commuter as you´ll find at
any price.
.

 

[NotTheBus]

Looks like a good usage case for something like a Stromer ST1 (maybe not enough battery?), or a dual battery Xtracycle Edgerunner Speed model. Check on the edgerunner what 28mph cadence would be, might be too high. Maybe some others. Based on my numbers, you would need atleast 800wh battery capacity, one way, at 28mph without dropbars. Direct drive gearless hub motor would give best reliability and efficiency, but the Bosch bikes have good shop support. Middrive would be easiest for flats, but need more drivetrain maintenance. Rear hub gears may complicate tire changes in the same way a hub motor would.

Take a look at Riese Mueller offerings, but I think they are out of price range. Here is a good list, but I have not done business with the shop. https://propelbikes.com/product-category/fast-fun/fast-electric-bikes/

That juiced CCX does look sweet for your use.

 

[Bruce Arnold]

Bruce, Your 2,000 miles in 9 months can't be compared to someone doing the same distance in 6 weeks.

The bike doesn't know whether the miles have been put on in a month or a decade. My experience is what it is. You have a different set of standards but that's your choice of maintenance. I haven't found it necessary and have my data to back it up.

As to the sad story you relate, as much as I sympathize with the loss: I wouldn't tell anyone "don't move to eastern North Carolina because I just suffered catastrophic flooding." I'm truly sorry, but you seem to be saying "don't commute because someone I know died on a bike" and that is a disservice to us all.

 

[Johnny]

I hate to be the negative guy but honestly 70 mile a day commute is too much. If I were you I would try to live closer to work or get an electric/hybrid car.

 

[NotTheBus]

agreed that 35 mile each way is a lot for a commute. I experimented with class III / 28 mph limit in urban use, some hills. Average speed came to only about 18mph. Many times you are power limited, 750 watts plus human is not enough on an upright bike with really much grade at all to hit 28mph. Maybe if you had very few lights / crossings, and it was very flat. Still, in the LA area a class III may still be as fast a commute as a car or motorcycle, once traffic is considered.

 

[Trail Cruiser]

agreed that 35 mile each way is a lot for a commute. I experimented with class III / 28 mph limit in urban use, some hills. Average speed came to only about 18mph. Many times you are power limited, 750 watts plus human is not enough on an upright bike with really much grade at all to hit 28mph. Maybe if you had very few lights / crossings, and it was very flat. Still, in the LA area a class III may still be as fast a commute as a car or motorcycle, once traffic is considered.

You'll need a hyperfat HF1100 to achieve that. Not necessarily going at 40 mph top speed but just to quickly accelerate to 28 mph or higher, and get an average speed of 25-28 mph.

youtube.com/watch?v=AqJ8UOuK7aI

 

[rich c]

The Hyperfat can average 25-28 over 35 miles? I guess I'd have to see the video of that ride to believe it. Must be quite a battery!

 

[Trail Cruiser]

The Hyperfat can average 25-28 over 35 miles? I guess I'd have to see the video of that ride to believe it. Must be quite a battery!

It has a 1 KWh battery which would be more than enough for the 35 mile ride and then charge it at the work place before going back home.

There's a video of the older version (less powerful hyperfat) which could easily attain more than 25 mph average speed.

youtube.com/watch?v=BxZLw9OjB98

 

[JRA]

It is my experience on a drop bar 1000w DD road oriented bike with 40c tires, that will average 30mph on level ground with no headwind, that it takes 30wh/mile to do that. In fact I find that at average speeds above 15mph you can pretty much correlate the wh/mi to the average speed on variable terrain and conditions.

I certainly wouldn’t choose a fat bike for your needs no matter how fast it goes as the rolling resistance is much higher as well as the overall weight of the wheels. Not saying some don't choose the fat bike option but I prefer a skinnier tire for primarily road use.

 

[Gator]

R & M Supercharger and put skinny tires on it. This bike has 1000 wh of storage. If this one won't do it you may want to consider a custom job: maybe full carbon and a faring of some sort. Weight and wind resistance will be the primary concern IMHO. There is a formula to get you there and back it will just take some experimentation.

 

[Trail Cruiser]

I certainly wouldn’t choose a fat bike for your needs no matter how fast it goes as the rolling res

If you don't want the fat tire, there is another capable ebike (the CCX) that competes with the Stromer market in terms of performance and application and also has the 1 Kwh battery and a horn option.
youtube.com/watch?v=S2Cl2A0GCjA

 

[Chris Hammond]

It is my experience on a drop bar 1000w DD road oriented bike with 40c tires, that will average 30mph on level ground with no headwind, that it takes 30wh/mile to do that. In fact I find that at average speeds above 15mph you can pretty much correlate the wh/mi to the average speed on variable terrain and conditions.

I certainly wouldn’t choose a fat bike for your needs no matter how fast it goes as the rolling resistance is much higher as well as the overall weight of the wheels. Not saying some don't choose the fat bike option but I prefer a skinnier tire for primarily road use.

I'm trying to clarify something. Are you saying 30 mph average speed for the length of the commute; or are you saying cruising speed average of 30???
I ask this because I commute long distance on my CCS and my cruising speed is ~30 mph, but my average speed for the commute is generally ~23-24 mph. This is due to traffic lights, traffic, and inner city riding where 30 mph is neither safe nor generally achievable.
If you are averaging 30 for your ride, cruising speed would need to be at least 35+. This would also explain the higher power usage, as I generally average ~20wh/mile for my commute.

 

[elect]

Also, https://delfastbikes.com, up to 236 miles / 380 km range

You won't need to charge at work, just one charger at home will be more than enough