Mtl_Biker
Active Member
Searching for the right e-bike...
I've been bike commuting half-way to work and back quite often... I drive to the halfway point and ride from there because I'm getting older (67) and riding back at the end of a tough day is often very difficult for me... high humidity and strong headwinds. That half way commute is about 30 km round trip. Riding the whole distance from my home to work would bring the total distance up to almost 60 km round trip. So I've been looking into e-bikes. After checking reviews here and every place I could find, and checking with local dealers (I believe in finding a good local dealer and building a relationship), I've at least narrowed my search down to a dealer I'm very impressed with: Gianella Cycles in the West Island of Montreal, Quebec. They were the most helpful and friendliest on the phone of all I'd called, and when I met them they continued that, and all other things being equal, are the dealer I'd most like to buy from. Anyway, cut to the chase...
They were kind enough to arrange a full-day test ride (so I could do my commute) of a Giant Explore E3+, 2019 model. I picked it up last night and put it on my bike rack (first impression was that it's really heavy!) and took it home. This particular bike didn't have fenders or rear rack, so I would have to ride with a backpack in order to bring what I need with me. (A lot less comfortable than with panniers.)
This bike is a "medium" size bike, which from the sizing guide on the Giant site should be right for me. I'm 5' 7" but have a 30" inseam (for pants). I was disappointed to find that even though the frame might be the right size for me, there was no way to lower the seat to the proper height for me. The dealer suggested that when/if I buy one of these, the seat post would have to be shortened because it wouldn't go down far enough. Measuring from the top of the seat, in a straight line down the seat tube to the top of a fully extended pedal, the lowest it would go was 34" and ideal for me (judging from my other bikes) would be 32.5". Doable, but not ideal.
Anyway, this morning I set out to ride from home all the way to my office and got up even earlier than normal to do it. Just as I was about to go out the door it started POURING rain! Great big drops! No way was I going to ride in that, especially with an almost new and spotlessly clean loaner bike. So I waited it out and about 30 minutes after it stopped, I hoped the roads had dried enough for me to ride. So off I went.
My route took me through city streets, through part of a nature park with gravel and up some hills that always took a fair bit of energy. Unfortunately everything was still very wet and without fenders, the bike and I got pretty dirty. When I got the bike, the battery was fully charged (this model has the 400w battery instead of the 500w that I'd like) and not knowing how far I'd get I used Eco+ mode all the way to work. I did also turn off the assist for a few minutes just to see what the bike felt like and I found it really wasn't bad to pedal unassisted. But most of the ride was in ECO+ mode. (There are, OFF, ECO, ECO+, NORMAL, SPORT and SPORT+ modes, with the higher ones giving more power but reducing the possible range.) The motor did make noise which I guess I shouldn't have been surprised about. (I don't know how it compared with other bikes.) But when riding faster you don't even hear the motor. Not bothersome anyway.
The saddle wasn't comfortable, but it was too high for me and also hadn't really been adjusted right in terms of front to back and tilt. So I'm rather sore after arriving at work. My regular saddle is hard as a rock also, but with proper adjustment it's fine. I'm sure this one would be too, once adjusted.
With my other bikes, I'd comfortably pedal at a cadence of 90-95 rpm, and with this e-bike I was easily doing 90. I was still getting good exercise, but the hills were no problem at all. Wow! Even in ECO+ mode I was loving it! The bike computer said that in ECO+ mode the battery should power me through 113km. (ECO was 128km, Normal 92, Sport 77 and Sport+ 51.) I don't know how accurate that prediction is. When I arrived at work, 28km later, the battery showed 77% charge remaining and the predicted range for ECO+ was 87km (ECO 99km, Normal 71, Sport 59 and Sport+ 39). I plan to try out Normal and the Sport modes on my way home, which will be a shorter distance because I'm riding back to the dealer to return the bike instead of all the way back home.
On my regular half distance commute, on a regular bike, I seem to average 18 or 19 kph over the trip (according to my Apple Watch Workouts app). With this e-bike, on a longer distance, I averaged 24 kph! Without even working up as much of a sweat as usual. On the flat I was doing 32 kph and on hills where I usually only managed about 14, I was easily going at 20+. In ECO+ mode! And not feeling the burn in my legs that I usually would.
Today we have a high heat and humidity warning (most of the East Coast has it) with Humidex values reaching 40 to 45. Temperture forecast is for 33 degrees! Not great for cycling! And probably with my regular bike I wouldn't be riding today. But with this e-bike I'm looking forward to my ride back.
For my purchase I'm waiting to find out what the 2020 models will offer, but I'm thinking something like the Explore E1+ (or new equivalent) or maybe the ToughRoad. I'd like to have RideControl EVO or Charge, and I must have a rear luggage rack, fenders and mud guards. I also want a model with the 500w battery instead of 400w.
I'll post a follow up about the ride home after I've done it.
I've been bike commuting half-way to work and back quite often... I drive to the halfway point and ride from there because I'm getting older (67) and riding back at the end of a tough day is often very difficult for me... high humidity and strong headwinds. That half way commute is about 30 km round trip. Riding the whole distance from my home to work would bring the total distance up to almost 60 km round trip. So I've been looking into e-bikes. After checking reviews here and every place I could find, and checking with local dealers (I believe in finding a good local dealer and building a relationship), I've at least narrowed my search down to a dealer I'm very impressed with: Gianella Cycles in the West Island of Montreal, Quebec. They were the most helpful and friendliest on the phone of all I'd called, and when I met them they continued that, and all other things being equal, are the dealer I'd most like to buy from. Anyway, cut to the chase...
They were kind enough to arrange a full-day test ride (so I could do my commute) of a Giant Explore E3+, 2019 model. I picked it up last night and put it on my bike rack (first impression was that it's really heavy!) and took it home. This particular bike didn't have fenders or rear rack, so I would have to ride with a backpack in order to bring what I need with me. (A lot less comfortable than with panniers.)
This bike is a "medium" size bike, which from the sizing guide on the Giant site should be right for me. I'm 5' 7" but have a 30" inseam (for pants). I was disappointed to find that even though the frame might be the right size for me, there was no way to lower the seat to the proper height for me. The dealer suggested that when/if I buy one of these, the seat post would have to be shortened because it wouldn't go down far enough. Measuring from the top of the seat, in a straight line down the seat tube to the top of a fully extended pedal, the lowest it would go was 34" and ideal for me (judging from my other bikes) would be 32.5". Doable, but not ideal.
Anyway, this morning I set out to ride from home all the way to my office and got up even earlier than normal to do it. Just as I was about to go out the door it started POURING rain! Great big drops! No way was I going to ride in that, especially with an almost new and spotlessly clean loaner bike. So I waited it out and about 30 minutes after it stopped, I hoped the roads had dried enough for me to ride. So off I went.
My route took me through city streets, through part of a nature park with gravel and up some hills that always took a fair bit of energy. Unfortunately everything was still very wet and without fenders, the bike and I got pretty dirty. When I got the bike, the battery was fully charged (this model has the 400w battery instead of the 500w that I'd like) and not knowing how far I'd get I used Eco+ mode all the way to work. I did also turn off the assist for a few minutes just to see what the bike felt like and I found it really wasn't bad to pedal unassisted. But most of the ride was in ECO+ mode. (There are, OFF, ECO, ECO+, NORMAL, SPORT and SPORT+ modes, with the higher ones giving more power but reducing the possible range.) The motor did make noise which I guess I shouldn't have been surprised about. (I don't know how it compared with other bikes.) But when riding faster you don't even hear the motor. Not bothersome anyway.
The saddle wasn't comfortable, but it was too high for me and also hadn't really been adjusted right in terms of front to back and tilt. So I'm rather sore after arriving at work. My regular saddle is hard as a rock also, but with proper adjustment it's fine. I'm sure this one would be too, once adjusted.
With my other bikes, I'd comfortably pedal at a cadence of 90-95 rpm, and with this e-bike I was easily doing 90. I was still getting good exercise, but the hills were no problem at all. Wow! Even in ECO+ mode I was loving it! The bike computer said that in ECO+ mode the battery should power me through 113km. (ECO was 128km, Normal 92, Sport 77 and Sport+ 51.) I don't know how accurate that prediction is. When I arrived at work, 28km later, the battery showed 77% charge remaining and the predicted range for ECO+ was 87km (ECO 99km, Normal 71, Sport 59 and Sport+ 39). I plan to try out Normal and the Sport modes on my way home, which will be a shorter distance because I'm riding back to the dealer to return the bike instead of all the way back home.
On my regular half distance commute, on a regular bike, I seem to average 18 or 19 kph over the trip (according to my Apple Watch Workouts app). With this e-bike, on a longer distance, I averaged 24 kph! Without even working up as much of a sweat as usual. On the flat I was doing 32 kph and on hills where I usually only managed about 14, I was easily going at 20+. In ECO+ mode! And not feeling the burn in my legs that I usually would.
Today we have a high heat and humidity warning (most of the East Coast has it) with Humidex values reaching 40 to 45. Temperture forecast is for 33 degrees! Not great for cycling! And probably with my regular bike I wouldn't be riding today. But with this e-bike I'm looking forward to my ride back.
For my purchase I'm waiting to find out what the 2020 models will offer, but I'm thinking something like the Explore E1+ (or new equivalent) or maybe the ToughRoad. I'd like to have RideControl EVO or Charge, and I must have a rear luggage rack, fenders and mud guards. I also want a model with the 500w battery instead of 400w.
I'll post a follow up about the ride home after I've done it.
