Smart Control or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying (and Love My Vado)

[kahn]

The SC would only ensure returning with some battery charge left but you might be disappointed with the app performance during the ride: too little assistance when you need the motor help you and too much when you don't need it.
Let me check my stats when I'm back from my current ride. Perhaps I might give some advice (or not!)

Disappointed is what I think might be the result but I don't want to rule out trying it. I guess I could practice on some other rides. I was still feeling out the bike the last time I did the ride. Up/Down as the hills, flats and downhills presented themselves. I know as I was approaching about 40 miles and looking at the battery gauge, I was trying to use less battery and more leg but it was a push. Fortunately, the last 8-10 miles is relatively flat but I recall a headwind. That's why I think two Range Extenders might be a good idea, although that does mean more weight (I know you think it is trivial but I'm older!!!!).

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Smart Control is unaware you are riding upwind (and later you'd ride with the tailwind); it is not aggressive enough to give you a lot of juice uphill if the climb occurs at the beginning of your ride (and it does not know that you would be descending later, possibly coasting). SC assumes very low assistance at the beginning of the ride, gradually increasing it when it "thinks" you are well off with the battery. And SC is conservative in its predictions. It would be even worse if you started downwind and/or downhill!

Once, I fancied a pretty long, single battery ride in mixed terrain and tried using the SC. My first ride segment was against headwind; the proposed assistance in the beginning of the ride was so weak I had to switch the SC off and rely on my own "intelligence" for the rest of the ride (It was the "big" Vado).

A Range Extender weighs just 2.2 lbs. If you use a small, modern & lighweight backpack, you'll forget of the weight instantly, same as forgetting you are wearing the helmet. (I use a small Samsonite backpack on my rides requiring extra Range Extenders).
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My SL ride with the greatest elevation gain of 800 ft was 72.2 miles. Average assistance was 55/55%, and I used 136% of combined batteries (140% is the practical limit). I actually rode in 45/45% assistance with occasional use of 70/70 and very rarely 100/100.