Electric mountain bike mid life crisis

[2into1]

Thanks everyone again for your input. I was due to collect it this Thursday but it arrived in store on Monday. They'd 'built' and charged it before I arrived so just set the suspension for my weight, showed me a few basics and off I went.
It's fab! I know I'm not comparing it against the more serious bikes but with 85 nm of Bosch power and 625w of battery, full suspension (rockshok) it's got far more capability than the rider!
I've been out over Coombes Edge this morning (see photo), riding from my door.

Seems I've still some map reading skills to perfect as the (friendly) sheep farmer said it was only a footpath not a bridleway (it's marked as such on OS map according to my cub scout days).
It went fine on the bike rack. Obviously the tyres overfill the rails but still very secure (aren't bikes getting longer!). I'll see what it looks like inside with the seat moved forward.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[Jim2007]

As a Derbyshire resident, you may get considerable use out of the county council's online mapping service: maps.derbyshire.gov.uk

Use the layers menu top right, and select public rights of way. There are more rights of way than first appear. If you then select the 'adopted highways' layer you will see everything that the council maintains. I have asked them what classes of traffic can use an adopted highway that's not otherwise classified as footpath, bridle way, restrited byway or byway, and the answer is all vehicles.



As you can see from the above extract, Combs Edge isn't a right of way of any kind, so would need the land owner's permission. If you look at the way from Wythen Lache to Thorny Lee (thin pink line denoting what's adopted), that's a good example of an adopted highway open to all traffic that might at first appear to be out of bounds. There's hundreds of miles of this kind of route in the county.

I hope this is useful.

As an aside, Norfolk is the only other county I have researched that has as good an online service. I am sure there must be others. Many have online rights of way maps, but only Norfolk and Derbyshire that I have looked at, have added the adopted highway layers as well.

 

[Jim2007]

One more note, Combs Edge is open access land, so you can wander at will on foot, but not on your bike.

 

[haydnw2]

As you can see from the above extract, Combs Edge isn't a right of way of any kind

It was Coombes rather than Combs - lots of footpaths, but bridleway only on the lane at the top for a little bit...

 

[The Blue Merle]

Thanks everyone again for your input. I was due to collect it this Thursday but it arrived in store on Monday. They'd 'built' and charged it before I arrived so just set the suspension for my weight, showed me a few basics and off I went.
It's fab! I know I'm not comparing it against the more serious bikes but with 85 nm of Bosch power and 625w of battery, full suspension (rockshok) it's got far more capability than the rider!
I've been out over Coombes Edge this morning (see photo), riding from my door.

Seems I've still some map reading skills to perfect as the (friendly) sheep farmer said it was only a footpath not a bridleway (it's marked as such on OS map according to my cub scout days).
It went fine on the bike rack. Obviously the tyres overfill the rails but still very secure (aren't bikes getting longer!). I'll see what it looks like inside with the seat moved forward.
Thanks again for your help.
View attachment 92071

So where’s the pic of your new toy!?

 

[marchugo]

Just planning my next 3 years Cycling is now central to my life.

https://www.grannygoescamping3.co.uk

Jen,

Congrats with your Hymer Ayers Rock Fiat camper. Fabulous compact van. We’ve looked at it too, but just too high for our car port. As we love sleeping in a roof tent, we would have chosen the version with pop top.

Will follow your travels into the national parks. Did you sell Alfie and the Eriba?

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[GrannyJen]

Jen,

Congrats with your Hymer Ayers Rock Fiat camper. Fabulous compact van. We’ve looked at it too, but just too high for our car port. As we love sleeping in a roof tent, we would have chosen the version with pop top.

Will follow your travels into the national parks. Did you sell Alfie and the Eriba?

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

Thank you Marc

Yes, Alfie has gone, The Eriba was swapped for a Knaus sport and fun, a caravan with a big flat floor and a large rear door that allows two bicycles to be carried in it.

The sale of Alfie was a bit sudden and unplanned, I was going into a family share with him, but some of the family messed me around, the Ayers Rock had arrived and I was offered a lot more than I was expecting for him!!

The Ayers Rock has been a revelation for me. It has made me hungry to travel and explore again. I have the 178PS engine with 9 speed automatic that makes driving and towing so easy.

Anyway, first pages will be added after the 1st May, the next time that I can escape

 

[2into1]

So where’s the pic of your new toy!?

Here you go....

 

[The Blue Merle]

Here you go....

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Looks good, I bet you haven’t stopped smiling!

 

[2into1]

Looks good, I bet you haven’t stopped smiling!

They are amazing. There is some local woodland with many steep drops (short). Everyday I'm ticking another one off. It's amazing what a lanky 6'4" 58 year old can re-learn.

 

[The Tall Luthier]

They are amazing. There is some local woodland with many steep drops (short). Everyday I'm ticking another one off. It's amazing what a lanky 6'4" 58 year old can re-learn.

Whenever I go mountain biking, I see the trees whizz by, the drops ahead, and the bends in the track and I forget. I forget that I’m fifty years old and start to believe in my fifteen year old self.
Mountain Biking can feel like a Time Machine some days.
Enjoy your new toy

 

[Aubisque]

Lovely to read that. Bikes have that effect, it's life enhancing. And no child travelling on the back of a bike ever said 'are we nearly there yet' ?

 

[2into1]

Removing the front (rear) seat stop allows it to fit inside. Only contact points are the picnic table and the plastic block that holds the rear shelf, so hopefully no damage to any important bits. Just an elastic bungy to stop any movement.

 

[westfalia]

Here you go....

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That seat looks a bit high, is that normal? do they not do a bigger
frame and wheels.
Looks like you nicked it from some school gates
Anyway, enjoy.

 

[onceuponatimeinthenorth]

Removing the front (rear) seat stop allows it to fit inside. Only contact points are the picnic table and the plastic block that holds the rear shelf, so hopefully no damage to any important bits. Just an elastic bungy to stop any movement.

View attachment 92140

View attachment 92141

 

[2into1]

That seat looks a bit high, is that normal? do they not do a bigger
frame and wheels.
Looks like you nicked it from some school gates
Anyway, enjoy.

It's an xl frame and I'm in the middle of the stated size range for that frame. The wheels are 27.5". Some have been fitting 29s to them.
I've been playing around with the dropper seat post which allows me to lock it at any position. This is fully extended... with the fixed part of the post at 2/3rds of max. Great for the speedier ex railway track part of the trail.
The photo in the back of the Cali shows it lower.

 

[onceuponatimeinthenorth]

Glad you got an ebike. My wife has one and one day I’ll probably get one too. Just a small tip - it’s quite easy to forget to change gear when climbing, especially on full power bikes like yours and you can end up going through chains and cassettes pretty quickly (especially on the smaller cogs).

 

[2into1]

Glad you got an ebike. My wife has one and one day I’ll probably get one too. Just a small tip - it’s quite easy to forget to change gear when climbing, especially on full power bikes like yours and you can end up going through chains and cassettes pretty quickly (especially on the smaller cogs).

Thanks. I'm learning as I go. I went up some very steep and loose stoney tracks around Kinder Scout today, so the lower gears got a workout. I was either slipping or pulling wheelies!... So still lots of technique to develop!

 

[Ch1pbutty]

+1 for the Five Tens, really good sticky soles feel almost like you’re clipped in but easier to put a foot down as you’re not!

Work well with DMR pedals.

View attachment 91926

DMR's + Vans with a waffle sole work well.

 

[GrannyJen]

+105 for Brooks adrenaline running shoe.

Supremely comfortable for pedalling an E-Bike.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Only issue with Electric bikes is that you are likely to have a harder fall due to the increased speed. So always be a bit cautious if you are at an age where you no longer bounce!

 

[keith morris]

Hi. 58 year old living on the edge of the Peak District. I'd started looking at e bikes, soon wanted to try electric mountain bikes. Started at looking to spend £1k, but budget was rising £500 a day as I learned more. Just stopped myself at £3.5k by bagging a usually out of stock decathlon Stilus 2 which seem well reviewed and are local for repairs. https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/27-5-inch-electric-all-mountain-bike-stilus-e-am-blue/_/R-p-X8623038

Immediate thoughts....
1) Will the wide tyres fit on my vw t5 bike rack? Can I adapt the rails if not?
2) am I mad? I walk a lot, enjoy occasional flat rides on my modest hybrid decathlon bike.
3) what clothing do I need to start out?
4) who will raise my daughter if I kill myself
5) any other tips for getting started? I needed a hobby, the Peaks are on my door step and I've got a Cali!

I have two e-bikes a specialized turbo Vado and a ribble CGR ale both fit perfectly well on the VW tailgate mounted bike rack, the only challenge is getting the heavier e-bike up onto the rack. The ribble is easier as it’s lighter

 

[Peter Bucknell]

Hi. 58 year old living on the edge of the Peak District. I'd started looking at e bikes, soon wanted to try electric mountain bikes. Started at looking to spend £1k, but budget was rising £500 a day as I learned more. Just stopped myself at £3.5k by bagging a usually out of stock decathlon Stilus 2 which seem well reviewed and are local for repairs. https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/27-5-inch-electric-all-mountain-bike-stilus-e-am-blue/_/R-p-X8623038

Immediate thoughts....
1) Will the wide tyres fit on my vw t5 bike rack? Can I adapt the rails if not?
2) am I mad? I walk a lot, enjoy occasional flat rides on my modest hybrid decathlon bike.
3) what clothing do I need to start out?
4) who will raise my daughter if I kill myself
5) any other tips for getting started? I needed a hobby, the Peaks are on my door step and I've got a Cali!

First of all, you're not mad. I am 66 and bought electric mountain bikes (Trek and Cube) 2 years ago for myself and wife and we absolutely love them. It unlocks rides which we would no longer be fit enough to undertake without the assistance of Mr Bosch! No hill is too high for us now. Ebikes partner really well with a campervan and give you enormous freedom. Regarding clothing, obviously you need a decent helmet and padded gloves to protect your hands if you fall off. Beyond that it's up to you, but I wear quick dry tracksuit type trousers, a wind / rain proof jacket and trail walking shoes. The tyres should fit the bike rack OK, but a word of warning. As I get older, I am finding it progressively harder to lift my 24Kg Trek up onto the bike rack unaided and I have reasonable upper body strength. For that reason, I am going to invest in a towbar bike rack, as it will be much easier to lift the bikes on and off - more money to be spent! In terms of accessories, the following are most important:
Bottle cage
Phone mount
Small saddlebag (Toppeak or similar) to carry a multitool, tyre levers, puncture kit, spare tube and micro-pump.
It is worth spending a bit extra on some decent peddles if you can afford them (we both bought DMR V12 peddles which are pricey but fantastic - they are large flat pedals, which grip your feet really securely)
Finally, I fitted framelocks to both bikes which accept a chain, so you can secure the bikes to something unmovable.

 

[Peter Bucknell]

Horse already bolted? For what it’s worth I think they have their place. We do not have elec bikes but sometimes I can imagine they would be useful, however at least we get maximum fitness benefit from every mile we do I think if we had electric bikes we might go further (good) or probably just the same but no pedalling (not so good).

I assume your set of questions are a little bit ‘tongue-in-cheek’ in which case just do what you feel happy with and enjoy yourself

Actually, you still have to pedal and get a really good work out - you just go further, faster and can tackle hills which you might struggle to get up without assistance.

 

[Peter Bucknell]

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. Keep the suggestions coming, including if I've made a bad choice. I don't collect it 'til next weekend and can easily say 'no thanks'.

Like someone else said, Trek / Cube / Specialised tend to be better quality than Decathlon. The Stilus does look great value - massive spec for the money. The first gen model with Shimano motor had alot of negative reviews for reliability. The move to Bosch motor on the new model is encouraging - it is a very reliable power unit