Extending Your Range Revisited
We have discussed the fact that anything which makes your traditional bike more or less efficient does the same to your e-bike. Never choose an e-bike that is significantly different than the traditional bike you would choose for the same ride. It will not be efficient!
You can do little to make the components on the bike you have more efficient. Replacing them is seldom cost effective. There is a noticeable difference in a quality crank, low drag hubs, swiftly engaging freehubs and of course, quality frame tubing and geometry. Still, there are things you can do to make your bike the best it can be.
Whether you ride a traditional or e-bike, nothing will make the bike you have more efficient than maintaining proper tire pressure. Modern bikes need air at least every week! Max aire pressure is based on a person weighing 285#’s! Over inflated tires tend to chatter or stutter bounce, reducing e-bike range and comfort for any type bike. Too little and your tires pick up all the junk in the road. They’ll pinch flat and imcrease rolling resistance.The 1950’s technique of squeezing the tire just won’t work now that tires have Kevlar belts. Almost a third of my flat repairs are pinch flats from riding with too.low air pressure. I am considering adding the Bluetooth air pressure monitoring system, pictured above, to my custom builds and possibly factory bikes. What do you think?
Proper tires for the terrain you ride can add 2-3mph for the same effort. It can increase range dramatically on any bike. Swappimg knobbies for smooth will increase e-bike range by at least 15%.. The Quad Cities and surrounding areas don’t even have trails with consistently changing surfaces requiring large knobbies. Most will do fine, even off road, with a smooth center tread. Add off road edges for grip in anything soft (on road, the smoother the better… even illegal e-bikes aren’t fast enough to hydroplane).
I know you read it a lot, but it is worth mentioning again, ALL bikes are most efficient when ridden at a cadence of 60-90rpm. Some feeakishly skilled cyclists are efficient for many miles at 110+rpm. You need not press any harder than as if you were walking on the same surface. You can go faster standing on the pedals or even just pressing harder, but your return on energy expended is greatly reduced. A lot is absorbed by flexing your frame and components. In fact, any movement above your waist is wasted energy. Ride still. This is why it is a good idea to build up your core for cycling. This applies to an e-bike as well. You will be surprised how much a few sets of ten sit-ups and crunches daily will improve your cycling (there’s more, but you get the idea).
At 15mph, 85% of your power is used up defeating the wind. Anything you can do to reduce that drag, at any speed, can make a big difference. Anyone can duck down out of the wind. Laying out on your bars, resting on your forearms is near as efficient as the aero bar triathletes and time trial riders use.
Don’t like spinning? Coast more. Coasting is almost as important as tire pressure at extending your range. Why are you pedalimg down a hill you know will require braking at some point? Is a stop sign coming up? Coast! There is no reward for being first at the stop light. I have even known riders who will pedal a few quick turns to hit their max speed, then coast down as low as 6mph. Drives me nuts, but their range is astounding (this is an important technique to keep in mind if you find yourself nearly out of battery and far from home).
The way you carry your load can make a big difference too. Randonuering cyclists use handlebar bags. They don’t pick up any drag that isn’t hitting.your body anyway. Same with top bags on your rear rack or something called a frame bag (popular with bikepackers). If you need nothing in your panniers (saddle bags), get rid of them.
Speaking of bags, make the bike carry any weight, not your body. Not only do backpacks pick up more wind, when you lean in to it, but the weight on your body drains your strength, even riding an e-bike. Just look how sweaty a person’s back gets when wearing a Camel or back pack. Make the bike do the work.
Of course, any extra weight you carry reduces range as well. This isn’t just your body (says the old fat guy). It includes all the little extras we tend to carry, but almost never use. Are you going to swap a punctured tube on your daily commute? Why carry extra tubes, tools or a pump? I find I have to clean out my panniers every three months. I find all kinds of things like extra tools, glasses, back-up everything and even Winter or rain gear through the warmest days of Summer! Wow, even on the e-bike, getting rid of all that extra weight makes a huge difference in range (which reminds me that I have two chains, a chain tool and a couple wrenches I need to drop off at the shop).
Do you have any range extending tips I haven’t covered? Please share.