New Pedego Ridge Rider Coming With A 14 Instead of 11 Amp Battery . . .

[Douglas Wever]

My new Pedego Ridge Rider will come with a special run 14 amp battery instead of an 11 amp battery (the 11 amp version is what Court tested on this site (https://electricbikereview.com/pedego/ridge-rider/). And instead of the 556 Watt Hours this has 672 (eventually a 17 amp will be available not the 14's).

So the second and last test ride I took on the Ridge Rider before purchase was with the 11 amp battery, and I took a 28 mile very hilly loop with the owner of the Pedego store in Nashville. I rode 80% roughly at assist levels 4 and 5 (4 is max assist using the torque sensor 5 is max using cadence sensor) using the throttle for starts from a stop. At the end of the 28 mile ride I had 26% of the battery remaining via the display.

So now the bike I will take delivery on is identical except the battery is the 14 amp with 672 watt hours. Can someone just give me a basic idea what the difference will be in practice? It looks like the test bike would be good for about 37 miles range using a lot of assist. With the upgraded battery I'm guessing 45-47 miles under the same heavy assist? Is that a decent estimate?

Thanks!!!



p.s. some of you will remember I had a Trek XM 700+ on order for August 11ish delivery. I got out of that deal. 1. For my next ebike I really wanted the battery integrated in the down-tube. 2. I had no idea how capable an ebike mountain bike would be on the road, just astonishing really. 3. The Ridge Rider's range and eventual release of an even higher range battery. 4. The Ridge Rider is built like a tank (and doesn't weigh much less @56lbs.).

 

[Toynut]

I am curious as to where you purchased your bike and if you payed a premium for the upgrade. Their current website does not show this as an option.
Is the 17 amp battery a certainty, or is just being shipped in specific instances? Does the 14 or 17 amp battery change the profile of the frame mount by introducing a " hump" due to the extra capacity, or is simply an improvement in battery cell technology in the same size package?

 

[Douglas Wever]

I have not seen the rumored 17 amp and so I do not know for certain it exists although I was told by someone within the organization it will be released in the coming months. This makes sense as their cargo bike comes standard with a 13 amp battery and with a 17 amp optional for another $300. The City Cruiser is another Pedego with numerous power options. Multiple batteries for the same bike has been a Pedego habit.

I did see the Ridge Rider with the 14 amp. There was no appearance difference, and I was told it weighs almost the same as the 11 amp. Of course I did not verify weight. It is my understanding, but it needs to be verified, that the 14 will not be produced further in favor of the 17's production. The 14's are apparently rare, and the fact I found one is partially why I plopped my money down on the spot. The other reason was my continued astonishment that this Pedago mountain bike while capable off road, is a more pleasing experience on paved roads than my Raleigh Detor iE road bike. At 35 mph down a long steep hill the Raleigh starts to get squirrelly, the Ridge Rider at that speed is rock steady. Go figure. The wider off road tires, the suspension, the resulting ride, the 500 watt motor, the huge range, all just make this a superior all around bike. Heck, I would add a rack and tour with the thing.

 

[Toynut]

Thanks for your reply, Doug.
I wonder if the battery upgrade will be part of a 2017 model upgrade, and not made available as a 2016? That would be my guess, just to keep current 2016 owners from feeling shortchanged.

 

[Douglas Wever]

Agreed. Having said that, the range on the 11 amp is remarkable. If you Google reviews of the Ridge Rider you can find some great mileage, better than the assist heavy 28 mile loop I did that saw 26% left afterwards. That was actually closer to 30 miles as I neglected in the first post to count a round trip to Starbuck's after we returned.

 

[wren]

I have not seen the rumored 17 amp and so I do not know for certain it exists although I was told by someone within the organization it will be released in the coming months. This makes sense as their cargo bike comes standard with a 13 amp battery and with a 17 amp optional for another $300. The City Cruiser is another Pedego with numerous power options. Multiple batteries for the same bike has been a Pedego habit.

I did see the Ridge Rider with the 14 amp. There was no appearance difference, and I was told it weighs almost the same as the 11 amp. Of course I did not verify weight. It is my understanding, but it needs to be verified, that the 14 will not be produced further in favor of the 17's production. The 14's are apparently rare, and the fact I found one is partially why I plopped my money down on the spot. The other reason was my continued astonishment that this Pedago mountain bike while capable off road, is a more pleasing experience on paved roads than my Raleigh Detor iE road bike. At 35 mph down a long steep hill the Raleigh starts to get squirrelly, the Ridge Rider at that speed is rock steady. Go figure. The wider off road tires, the suspension, the resulting ride, the 500 watt motor, the huge range, all just make this a superior all around bike. Heck, I would add a rack and tour with the thing.

Nicer on road, not so good off. But we mostly all ride paved anyway!

 

[Douglas Wever]

Nicer on road, not so good off. But we mostly all ride paved anyway!

I'm hoping with the 14 amp battery I can actually bike to some of the trail heads instead of hauling it with my car, or just get dropped off.

Blue Monkey Electric Bicycles took the Ridge Rider up Scott's Pass (aka "Puke Hill" Utah) to see how it'd fare. Their verdict? "The Ridge Rider climbed Puke Hill in Level 2 up until the final stretch where we switched into Level 3 for the rest of it. Didn’t even touch Level 4 and we weren’t in the lowest mechanical gear yet either. And the motor was not even warm when we arrived at the top! It was a joy to climb with. If theRidge Rider can climb Puke Hill, it can climb your hill!"

From utahoutside.com : '. . . Soon after, riders arrive at Puke Hill, a long, steep and loose ascent that forces many riders to dismount and walk. Luckily, it is the only major climb on the ride as it brings you to the top elevation of the crest at 9,900 feet, where the real fun begins." One half mile section has 382 feet of elevation gain.

I checked with the Land Trust Board in our area to make sure the Ridge Rider was within proper use policies on their network of trails prior to purchase (Photo Blue Monkey Bikes).

 

[wren]

No doubt it has the power to go up killer hills, in fact, power to almost level those hills. But you might not like the weight of that hub motor in the rear wheel when you are in the technical stuff.