New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[patham]

I miss slap chips. Like proper slap chips with vinegar.

 

Confession time people. How many of you read this simple statement and immediately the taste buds were triggered, and you started salivating?

 

I can't be the only one surely ?

[davetapson]

We did an overnight bike trip a couple of months back, easy gravel trails, only 87km... I was shocked to see so many roadie looking guys on e-bikes all the way. We were 2 of maybe 5 or 6 people on pedal bikes. Crazy I think. I can't imagine riding one myself yet, maybe when I'm old, fat or lazy one day.

That was my point of view too. One of my buddies is a fanatic cyclist, cycles every day etc.

 

His cycling group slowly converted to ebikes but he held out for two years or so until one of his buddies eventually said to him "look, just try my ebike"

 

He's converted, and showed me his fitness profile - probably 20% up on when he was riding a normal bike.

 

Can only ascribe it to being able to exercise for longer in more useful fitness zones, while having more fun.

 

They also have more weight and big fat tyres which means you can smash your way around places like Woodhill with impunity.

 

If we weren't still trying to get into the property market I'd not think twice.

[patches]

That was my point of view too. One of my buddies is a fanatic cyclist, cycles every day etc.

 

His cycling group slowly converted to ebikes but he held out for two years or so until one of his buddies eventually said to him "look, just try my ebike"

 

He's converted, and showed me his fitness profile - probably 20% up on when he was riding a normal bike.

 

Can only ascribe it to being able to exercise for longer in more useful fitness zones, while having more fun.

 

They also have more weight and big fat tyres which means you can smash your way around places like Woodhill with impunity.

 

If we weren't still trying to get into the property market I'd not think twice.

 

I think that's the tricky part. I have seen cycling groups at Woodhill where most of the riders have eBikes and maybe 1 or 2 don't. It doesn't seem to work. The ebikes gun ahead on the climbs while the conventional crankers slog it out and the group becomes segregated pretty quickly.

 

Myself and my riding buddy have observed this on a number of occasions and came to the conclusion that if one of us got an ebike, we can't be friends anymore

 

That said, when Pivot was having a demo day, I signed up to test their Shuttle Team ebike. Not because I was in the market to guy one (good heavens no! the things is $20k), but exactly the opposite. It was the bike of theirs that I was LEAST LIKELY to buy and the most different from my current bikes, so I wanted to see what it was all about.

 

Unfortunately they sold the demo bike a few days before the event so I didn't get the chance.

 

Would still like to try one though.

[davetapson]

Would still like to try one though.

I was looking at a beautiful piece of property in Dairy Flats with an agent, and he said to me "Don't come and look at this property if you can't afford it, it will break your heart" (yeah, too late.)

 

Same with ebike - don't ride one if you want to keep riding your old bike - it will break your heart.

[patches]

I was looking at a beautiful piece of property in Dairy Flats with an agent, and he said to me "Don't come and look at this property if you can't afford it, it will break your heart" (yeah, too late.)

 

Same with ebike - don't ride one if you want to keep riding your old bike - it will break your heart.

 

haha! I have a few colleagues that live out that way. They love it. Good proximity to the Riverhead trails too!

[davetapson]

haha! I have a few colleagues that live out that way. They love it. Good proximity to the Riverhead trails too!

The strange thing was, as you are riding along (we did quite an ambitious ride), you pass folk on normal bikes (like your own bike!) and just think 'shame...' - but it's not a patronising thing, it's a realisation that normal bikes are just dead dead dead.

 

And this is me riding a borrowed, medium size, female oriented frame with flats (I've not ridden with flats for 20 yrs)...

 

You can choose the power settings the bike is using - my fanatic mate tries to leave it in 'eco' which is enough to overcome the mass of the bike plus a (fair) bit, I just used what I needed to be able to keep up - he's a machine, I'm not.  I did manage to finish the ride on one battery, he used just over half and the third guy, who'd been carrying a spare battery (in case I ran out) used a battery and a third or so.

 

So a group of unmatched riders can go out and as long as the good riders aren't hooning it on max power, the weaker riders can keep up.

[Dubber]

Yeah, so at risk of being fired from the forum - got invited by a buddy to use his wife's eBike to ride out Puhoi valley, back down the Waiwera valley via the far side of the Island.

 

EBikes are where it is at.  Normal bikes are dead.  They just don't know it yet.

 

https://www.strava.com/activities/5070686274

 

 

Agreed - and I haven't even ridden one yet !

[Dubber]

We are way off topic here talking about E-bikes, but I can't shake the feeling that they are going to be massive.

 

I remember connecting to the internet for the 1st time in around '92 - long before pretty much anybody knew what the internet was.  It was slow, clunky, expensive to get set up and had around a total of 50 websites.  But even then, I had the feeling that 'this' was going to be big.  Got the same feeling about ebikes....

 

I'll be converting a Scott Hardtail in a couple weeks for my wife so she can join me on some rides.  All in, it should be around $700...  (and that is for a slightly bigger than average battery).

Once people realize they don't have to spend thousands on a new bike and can convert their current bike, I'm pretty sure there will be an exponential increase in the number of e-bikes we see on the road.

[arabsandals]

(and that is for a slightly bigger than average battery).

12v lead acid?

[davetapson]

I'll be converting a Scott Hardtail in a couple weeks for my wife so she can join me on some rides.  All in, it should be around $700...  (and that is for a slightly bigger than average battery).

Once people realize they don't have to spend thousands on a new bike and can convert their current bike, I'm pretty sure there will be an exponential increase in the number of e-bikes we see on the road.

Got a link?

[Clippies]

I havent looked at this thread in a while but thought its maybe time we got together for another drink. Looks like there are a few of us on the shore side so can maybe stay local??

Or maybe a ride sometime ??

 

Let me know if anyone is keen for either, but I do think an intervention is necessary for Dave and all this ebike talk. (Haha, my wife has an ebike and loves it)

[Dubber]

Got a link?

Hey Dave

 

I don't have the link to actual supplier I bought mine from with me at the moment.  But a general Aliexpress link below for the search.  (I bought mine via Aliexpress with a shop that has USA distribution centers - received the items within 5 days)...

 

https://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=bafang+motor+bbs02b+bbs02+48v+750w+mid+drive+motor&viewtype=&tab=

 

I got the 750w motor with 17 Amp hour battery.    Around $770.

For comparison the 2019 Spez Levo has a 250 w motor and around a 4 amp hour battery.

 

(I'm not saying this is better than the Levo - its merely for comparison).  The Levo is obviously lighter, more refined and a whole lot prettier.  

 

If you think it worthwhile, I'll take some photos during the install and post them to TheHub...

In the meantime, YouTube Bafang mid drive ebike motor conversion.  

[davetapson]

Had some weird happening up at the top of Sunrise Rd near Rangi.  Cops all over the place, carrying pretty interesting looking tactical rifles.

All my dealings with NZ police have been with pleasant, polite, helpful and unthreatening individuals - this includes dialing 911 for a lost kid when said kid disappeared while walking home. (Got confused about the route home - took a turn that would have lead to our previous house and then none of the turns after that worked.)

So was interesting to see what the hard-core version looks like when it gets wheeled out.  Seems mostly plain-clothed, and heavily armed - and female (not mostly female, but there were some slight chicks carrying big gats. Thats 'gat' as in gun, not gat as in...)

I think there is an under-current to this society that is not that readily apparent.

Edited April 15, 2021 by davetapson

[davetapson]

And there we go...

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300276451/suspicious-item-found-during-armed-search-on-aucklands-north-shore-made-safe

 

[GrahamS2]

Hey Dave

 

I don't have the link to actual supplier I bought mine from with me at the moment.  But a general Aliexpress link below for the search.  (I bought mine via Aliexpress with a shop that has USA distribution centers - received the items within 5 days)...

 

https://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=bafang+motor+bbs02b+bbs02+48v+750w+mid+drive+motor&viewtype=&tab=

 

I got the 750w motor with 17 Amp hour battery.    Around $770.

For comparison the 2019 Spez Levo has a 250 w motor and around a 4 amp hour battery.

 

(I'm not saying this is better than the Levo - its merely for comparison).  The Levo is obviously lighter, more refined and a whole lot prettier.  

 

If you think it worthwhile, I'll take some photos during the install and post them to TheHub...

In the meantime, YouTube Bafang mid drive ebike motor conversion.  

One of my colleagues did this Bafang conversion to his old Giant to use as a commuter. I took it for a spin and it's very refined and has oodles of power. It has brake sensors and all the tech factory ebikes seem to come with and the power comes on so smoothly. Cost him around AU$1000 all done. 

[patches]

Got my first dose of the vaccine a week ago. They're rolling them out to hospital staff very methodically.

 

I was pretty impressed and can see why such a thorough process may take some time.

 

Some of my colleagues suffered from the reportedly common post vaccine "flu like" symptoms or fatigue. I didn't have any adverse reactions. My immune response must be terrible