Turbo talk, and not the bike.....

[JRA]

Ok, who uses their highest level of assist besides me with out any shame? I have my local routes that are all about 2hrs. worth of varied terrain, mostly off road, down after being in a new spot for a year. I poked around in sport while learning my way around and now for all the road segments I just bump it up all the way and pedal away getting my need endorphins. When I get to a trail part I tone it down a click or two because I find turbo to be a bit too aggressive for tight maneuvering but there are a few single track scenarios like sand trails and certain uphills that are just plain more fun with the power maxed.

My 576wh battery will net me two rides at those levels but mostly I recharge to 100% the next morning as it doesn't take long to top off and saves it sitting full for long if I miss a day or two.. So for at least my mtb useage requirements I don't think I need a bigger battery and probably could get away with a 400wh battery for daily use. I do have other batteries of the same style with larger wh's but mostly use those for mileage on the road.

 

[Dallant]

I Turbo without guilt when I need to. Mostly up steep hills!

 

[TOOSLOW]

I use turbo assist always, dual battery setup, mostly black and blue single track.
Wish there was an additional assist level. Probably looking for a 125nm bike next.
And frankly, I don't give a sh-- what anybody thinks.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

It really depends on the situation.

• During the warm season, I tend to ride with less assistance to give me a feeling of better recreation, and to maximise the range. Negotiating an overpass in Turbo goes without saying. On my rare mountain road rides, I use Turbo only when the inclination is so steep I couldn't climb without maximum assistance.
• Since I often ride out with two 604 Wh batteries, I happen to use Turbo mode on my Vado on last kilometres to go back home faster when I'm very tired.
• In the cold & windy season, I definitely use more assistance but I use Turbo only for precisely defined utility rides up to forty kilometres (and typically upwind).
• I haven't ridden during real frost yet. I expect such type of rides would require reduced assistance to decrease the wind chill effect by riding slower.

All the remarks above are only pertaining to my 45 km/h Vado (which is named Turbo not without a reason). That e-bike is a road animal that feels the best when ridden in Turbo mode: It is exceptional pleasure to ride that e-bike with 100% assistance whenever the battery and road conditions allow that. Dual battery setup helps.

However, the situation is completely different with my Trance E+. The latter (as an e-MTB) has never been designed for speed but for its climbing capability. Climbing steep trails with the maximum assistance can result in a wheelie. For that reason, I have used the Giant POWER mode only a couple of times for dramatic climbs (and I had to lean over the bars heavily to prevent the wheelie).

The 250 W hub-drive motor in my third e-bike is simply too weak to give any gain when used with maximum assistance, so I never use more than the third (of five) assistance level.

 

[pmcdonald]

I Turbo without guilt when I need to. Mostly up steep hills!

Me too! Zero guilt.. Arriving to work (relatively) fresh and dry is why I got the Ebike in the first place!

 

[WattsUpDude]

I use the highest level 90% of the time when I’m commuting. My weekend rides are much slower and leisurely, though.

 

[indianajo]

I have a throttle instead of PAS. I use full throttle anytime I'm crossing 6 lane 10th st on a 6 second green light. I also use full throttle up some hills. Doesn't hurt anything. Full throttle is 500 w or ~10 A. The old 1300 W ebikeling motor, wasn't much difference in torque between full throttle & half throttle. So I didn't use more than half throttle much. The ebikeling motor could run the battery into cutting off 40 v in 27 miles. The new Mac12 uses only 53 to 46 volts in 30 miles.

 

[JRA]

I use turbo assist always, dual battery setup, mostly black and blue single track.
Wish there was an additional assist level. Probably looking for a 125nm bike next.
And frankly, I don't give a sh-- what anybody thinks.

The trails I ride aren't color coded but I have gotten black and blue a few times while riding them

 

[J.R.]

🖐 that's me raising my hand. I rode the same commuting route before owning an ebike, I knew every twist, pothole and bump. I knew where to slow down, I knew where I could go fast unimpeded. 75% of the route (17 miles one way) was off road on a rural rail trail with few other riders during 'rush hour' and they were going as fast as they could as well. When I did get an ebike I went as fast as the situation allowed. For touring and exploration I slow down to smell the roses and see the sights.

I no longer make that commute and the rail trail authority says use during the covid year was up nearly 300%. Previously I might see literally a handful of other people, so traveling faster than average wasn't a safety issue. Might not be the same these days.

 

[6zfshdb]

I use max assist on the rare occasion where I'm riding on-road to keep up with traffic. The only other time I use it is at the end of a long 4 - 5 hour, 50 - 60 mile ride and I'm beat.

 

[fooferdoggie]

sometimes and if I am feeling sick but it is too much most of the time and I want some exercise. now going up hills yep. we need it on our tandem when climbing more.

 

[ChezCheese:)]

I use assist levels like I would use the front gears on a ten-speed. I maintain my pedaling cadence with the rear gears, and I rarely use the highest and lowest gears. I save the lowest gear for the steepest part of a hill, so I can feel the difference. I only use turbo when I hit a big hill. Mostly I bounce between medium assist and medium high assist. It's all about pedaling cadence for me.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I use assist levels like I would use the front gears on a ten-speed. I maintain my pedaling cadence with the rear gears, and I rarely use the highest and lowest gears. I save the lowest gear for the steepest part of a hill, so I can feel the difference. I only use turbo when I hit a big hill. Mostly I bounce between medium assist and medium high assist. It's all about pedaling cadence for me.

most of the e bikers dont know about cadence. but I learned it long ago riding recumbents as you have to be able to spin.

 

[Cowlitz]

I try to avoid using it as it is a battery sucker assist level. I use the assists like gears and have to use turbo with bike in first or second gear to get up some hills around here. Right now, I seem to favor Tour.

 

[WattsUpDude]

A little off-topic but I think it's silly that marketers still use the misnomer "turbo" when they are describing something as quick or fast. I understand it's a carryover from previous decades when turbo-equipped cars are considered fast.

 

[Sierratim]

My 600Wh battery can get me ~36 miles around our hilly town, unless I ride grades like this too many times;

Max power on any steepish hill is my policy.

 

[J.R.]

My 600Wh battery can get me ~36 miles around our hilly town, unless I ride grades like this too many times;
View attachment 76547


Max power on any steepish hill is my policy.

That sign shows you're about to go down.... in max power

 

[Sierratim]

That sign shows you're about to go down.... in max power

Yep, lots of brake on the downhill, lots of watts on the uphill!

 

[ChezCheese:)]

That sign can't be real. No way!

 

[J.R.]

That sign can't be real. No way!

Here's Canton Ave in Pittsburgh, 37% grade. I've been there, never ridden it on a bike. It part of a yearly bike race called the Dirty Dozen, where they do 12 hills like it. Actually now the do 13, a bakers dozen. Steepest street in the US.