VirgilCaine
Active Member
Like I said earlier, if you can gradually wean yourself off the sport mode as you get in better shape, it will make a huge difference with your range...but that's a heckuva lot of climbing from Linville.
Only 20 miles max range on new E mountain bike
- Thread starter Windward
- Start date
PowerMe
Well-Known Member
If you have the $$ then it's worth getting the right ebike for your needs. Keep in mind though that you might still find you want (or need) a 2nd battery, depending. I don't have a 2nd battery but I've considered it. However, I don't do big hills and I generally only ride up to 20 to 25 miles, maximum.
VirgilCaine
Active Member
Now that i know the route, I need to back track...a full suspension is not overkill. That's miles and miles of bumpy gravel forest service roads.
John from Connecticut
Well-Known Member
Howdy,
I strongly agree with Ravi on the Trek Powerfly 5. I have a Trek Powerfly 7 ( very similar ) both bikes have the Bosch CX drive and the Shimano HG50, 11-42, 10 speed cassette, with this combo you can climb a brick wall : ) . The torque range on the motor is very wide. The Powerfly is just so much fun to ride. I love my bike bike ! and Trek service after the sale is fantastic.
Should you go with the Powerfly or whatever, if bike comes with knobbies and if you don't absolutely need that level of traction I'd swap them out for a less aggressive tire to lower rolling resistance... My fav is the Schwable Marathon Plus MTB because of it's flat protection yet good grip on fine gravel etc. I have these on my Powerfly and I'm very pleased.
https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/off-road_tires/marathon_plus_mtb
John from CT
John from Connecticut
Well-Known Member
Is a Cirrus Body Float Seat Post an option? I them on my bikes and love how they work. but I don't ride bumpy gravel forest service roads.
For what it's worth, I have a giant full e +1 ( 2018 , australian model, I think we have the 500 battery) .
My quick spin single track mountain bike loop has 500 m altitude gain ( 1500 feet) over 30 km ( 18 miles?) - so presumably similarly technical to what you are doing? It's tight mountain bike terrain - rocks / loamy trails etc.
I use about 15% battery in eco If I'm RIDING , ie using gears / actively riding the bike / using berms to keep the bike moving etc
That drops down as low as 30% if I'm dawdling along behind my kids with more power assist / less active gear changing etc
So I'm wondering why your economy is so bad ?
Have you adjusted the rear suspension - checked the sag / dialed in enough compression dampening etc?
Are you actively using the gears? I set the screen to cadence and aim at 70 , the giant can punch out huge amounts of boost at lower cadence so it's hard to recognise how much it's contributing.
It's a great bike, and worth looking into why you're getting such bad economy
My quick spin single track mountain bike loop has 500 m altitude gain ( 1500 feet) over 30 km ( 18 miles?) - so presumably similarly technical to what you are doing? It's tight mountain bike terrain - rocks / loamy trails etc.
I use about 15% battery in eco If I'm RIDING , ie using gears / actively riding the bike / using berms to keep the bike moving etc
That drops down as low as 30% if I'm dawdling along behind my kids with more power assist / less active gear changing etc
So I'm wondering why your economy is so bad ?
Have you adjusted the rear suspension - checked the sag / dialed in enough compression dampening etc?
Are you actively using the gears? I set the screen to cadence and aim at 70 , the giant can punch out huge amounts of boost at lower cadence so it's hard to recognise how much it's contributing.
It's a great bike, and worth looking into why you're getting such bad economy
Shagybrown
New Member
Hi everyone...new member here but I have been lurking for a long while...currently own the Voltbike Enduro which has been very good so far and just ordered the Giant Full E +3. Windward.... I was confused as to why Giant would put a 500 Wh battery on the Dirt E +2 which is @$1000 cheaper than the Giant Full E 3 and put a 400 Wh battery on the more expensive bike since the batteries are interchangeable. The dealer had no explanation but sold me the 500 Wh battery at his cost so that might be a way for you to go if you complain a bit.
Just out of interest, how much extra was the battery and were you tempted to put those extra $ towards the next model up in the range? I notice in the states but you get the option of the sx pro( those 160 mm yari forks would be very tempting , and I can confirm the 1x11 xt gears really work well with this motor, plus the dropper post is great) . Dammit, I was happy with my 140 mm fox 34's until I knew you guys had the option of 160 mm yaris.........( australia doesn't get the choice)....I wonder if that extra travel would stop me cracking the bashplate so often
bob armani
Well-Known Member
This is a great suggestion as an alternative. My thoughts when I first saw this bike was to put a Badass box on it to get some added speed out of the Bosch motor.
Shagybrown
New Member
LI
I paid $400 for the extra 500 wh battery. Range was more important to me than the better fork and shock. I had a new XT drive train which I bought for the Voltbike and had the dealer install on the Giant. I will put the Deore components he took off the Giant on the Voltbike to replace the Acera 8 speed which I don’t like very much.
That's cheaper than I expected, and $4-500 for a second battery sounds like a wise investment for windward compared with losing $ on a restocking fee / going backwards in bike spec!
Had the same problem in 2009 when I bought my first ebike and didn't like the range...
I bought a second battery, and when I needed the longer range took it along with me...
The great thing about two batteries is when the first one is done, you know you have 50% battery capacity remaining.
The second great thing about two batteries is that you won't need to run your battery all the way down to low voltage shutoff, which is bad for cycle life.
I bought a second battery, and when I needed the longer range took it along with me...
The great thing about two batteries is when the first one is done, you know you have 50% battery capacity remaining.
The second great thing about two batteries is that you won't need to run your battery all the way down to low voltage shutoff, which is bad for cycle life.
Adding a bit more fuel to the second battery idea - today I went out for a wander after some rain. The trails were greasy so I was a lot less agressive than usual - only averaging 1 kmh less speed, but very much relaxing and enjoying the scenery. I was surprised to find I had used TWICE the power I normally do. I had still been spinning the cranks at 70-80 , and I thought I had been mostly in the right gear, but I was well aware my riding style was less agressive. To have such a significant variability in range makes me think it'd be nice to just carry a spare battery so you presumably usually have the range to return home?
This supports my original thoughts that the giant is tuned to supply deceptively high levels of assistance - I honestly thought I would have used less power with the way I was riding today
This supports my original thoughts that the giant is tuned to supply deceptively high levels of assistance - I honestly thought I would have used less power with the way I was riding today
Shagybrown
New Member
Interesting...what mode were you riding in?
I was in economy. I have a suspicion that my normal riding style of cadence 70-80 , maintaing momentum, and shifting gears as needed to reduce resistance , leaves me just over the peak of the torque curve so any time I ,er, don't keep up, the motor kicks in a bit harder without me realising it. Today I was definitely not keeping up - still spinning the pedals at the same rate but much more lazy with gear changes and sometimes just getting up on the pegs to push up hills rather than dropping down gears. At the time I wasn't concerned with range - just out enjoying the environment - but I was shocked at how much worse the economy was , especially given I was riding very sedately. ( still getting the same workout, just not concentrating on my riding technique)
No complaints, it was a great ride, but food for thought on how much difference riding style makes to the economy of these things!
Trail Cruiser
Well-Known Member
These late generation mid drives are already optimized for efficiency, so whatever mid drive ebike you use, your range is a function of how aggressive you are in extracting juice from your battery. The more you do your own pedal effort and less from the motor, the longer range you'll get.
You may not notice it but if there is another non electric mountain biker with you, you would have left him in the dust already. If you would slow down a bit, switch to eco, use more of your legs, and enjoy the scenery, maybe you'll get 40 miles. However, once you get used to the speed, it becomes addicting.
Twenty miles is not bad for a 400 wh battery since 20 wh/mile is what most high speed hub drives consume anyway.
Even if you run out of battery, you can still pedal home.
Or you can carry a spare like I do.
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VirgilCaine
Active Member
To put it in perspective, the last eight miles on the road Windward is riding up to BR is the steepest road in North Carolina...
Windward
New Member
These late generation mid drives are already optimized for efficiency, so whatever mid drive ebike you use, your range is a function of how aggressive you are in extracting juice from your battery. The more you do your own pedal effort and less from the motor, the longer range you'll get.
You may not notice it but if there is another non electric mountain biker with you, you would have left him in the dust already. If you would slow down a bit, switch to eco, use more of your legs, and enjoy the scenery, maybe you'll get 40 miles. However, once you get used to the speed, it becomes addicting.
Twenty miles is not bad for a 400 wh battery since 20 wh/mile is what most high speed hub drives consume anyway.
Even if you run out of battery, you can still pedal home.
Or you can carry a spare like I do.
You are absolutely right I am achieving longer distances with eco and normal and use Sport when my heart is coming out in steep uphill. But yes speed is addictive and is nice to climb at 12 - 15 mph but at 6 mph with normal or eco and pedaling stronger, the gain in range is huge. I did yesterday 30 miles to Banner Elk and back home and still had 30% battery, but never abusing speed uphill.
I will also look into carrying a spare battery for longer exploring trips, great idea.
Windward
New Member
Thanks for the idea , today the dealer said the cost would be $400 for the 500w battery, I think I will go that route instead of changing the bike for the dirt e. I will stay with my full e3, and put the new battery. Not sure how you did but I was told that there are some plates that have to be changed for the larger battery to look smooth. It is only an esthetics issue as I can use both batteries but they are different wide size.
I plan to buy a rack and carry the second battery so I can go on large trips, and even if I don’t use it it gives me piece of mind and I don’t have to be calling my wife to pick me up. Where I spent the summers is 4000 feet high and I go down as much as 2500 feet to the nicer back roads, so coming back is the challenge. I have manage to go for 30 mile rides now and getting back home with enough battery. Of course pedaling more, using eco in mild uphill and normal in steeper one, and only use sport when it gets two tough up hill for the last 10 minutes.
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