Cape Cycle Tour on an ebike

[Johan van der Walt]

Hi Guys, I would like to chat to people who have done the tour on an ebike before.

Do you take an extra battery or do you manage just one to make the distance?

[Jewbacca]

24 minutes ago, Johan van der Walt said:

Hi Guys, I would like to chat to people who have done the tour on an ebike before.

Do you take an extra battery or do you manage just one to make the distance?

Hi Johan

Check the rules. I think (I stand to be corrected) that you are not allowed to change batteries. 

The rules on e-bike participation are quite clear, so have a gander on the site before you land up getting disqualified or operating knowingly outside of the stipulated rules

[HenryS]

11 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Hi Johan

Check the rules. I think (I stand to be corrected) that you are not allowed to change batteries. 

The rules on e-bike participation are quite clear, so have a gander on the site before you land up getting disqualified or operating knowingly outside of the stipulated rules

There doesn't appear to be any rule regarding spare batteries. 
https://ctcttwebdownloads.blob.core.windows.net/singledownloads/CTCTEntryTerms.pdf

[El Duderino]

36 minutes ago, Johan van der Walt said:

Hi Guys, I would like to chat to people who have done the tour on an ebike before.

Do you take an extra battery or do you manage just one to make the distance?

Hi Johan, I think @ChrisF has done the CTCT on an E-Bike. He'd be happy to comment on your question.

[zeerpuD1]

Hi Johan, ons is ‘n hele klomp wat dit al ‘n paar jaar met e bikes gery het. Die meeste het xtra batterye saam gera sonder enige probleem. As jy relatief fiks is behoort jy dit met 1 battery te kan doen (600w+) Ek is nie bewus van enige reel wat jou verhoed om een saam te dra nie. E bike ryers se tyd word in elk geval nie  in ag geneem nie en jy mag dit ook nie onder ‘n sekere tyd klaarmaak nie want dan word jy gediskwalifiseer, wat toetaal en al belaglik is. Die meeste ander wedrenne waaraan ons deelneem mag jy xtra battery saamdra. 

[Paul Ruinaard]

My wife did it.

change of batteries is nice. You are just not allowed to go under 4 hours. My wife did a 4:02 on 2 x batteries and had a great ride - put it this way you have all the big climbs in the end so its nice to have some juice to get up them quickly if you aren't that fit. It all depends on your bike and your fitness levels. Some newer bikes will easily make 109km on a battery or a battery +extender, just depends on how much you need to turn it up.

FWIW batteries are often heavy so its nice to have it at about halfway and change it somewhere without having to lug it with you.

Also think about changing from MTB tyres to slicks which will markedly increase your top speeds and also reduce your rolling resistance and therefore your need for battery and motor assistance. Gearing of the bike is important - i put slicks, a 38 front gear and then hacked the software on the bike to get it to assist up to 38 kmh. If your bike is limited to 25 kmh it will drive you crazy on road rides.

 

 

 

[Johan van der Walt]

23 minutes ago, zeerpuD1 said:

Hi Johan, ons is ‘n hele klomp wat dit al ‘n paar jaar met e bikes gery het. Die meeste het xtra batterye saam gera sonder enige probleem. As jy relatief fiks is behoort jy dit met 1 battery te kan doen (600w+) Ek is nie bewus van enige reel wat jou verhoed om een saam te dra nie. E bike ryers se tyd word in elk geval nie  in ag geneem nie en jy mag dit ook nie onder ‘n sekere tyd klaarmaak nie want dan word jy gediskwalifiseer, wat toetaal en al belaglik is. Die meeste ander wedrenne waaraan ons deelneem mag jy xtra battery saamdra. 

Thanks,  afaik there was a rule on just one battery years ago but its not applicable anymore.

I have done the race on a road bike a few times, but that was a 7kg bike and the last one was 5 years ago. My ebike is 24kg's so its a huge difference once the battery is flat. If the battery last till after Suikerbossie its fine but I do not want to paddel a 24kg bike with no assistance up Suikerbossie. That's why I want to talk with people with experience. I recon if one does about 30kms along the way with no assistance and use Eco mode mostly with Tour mode just on the steep inclines I should be ok.

Weight including the bike is 150kg and I have a 625w battery.

The cost of a range extender at R30k is difficult to justify since I will not use it more than once a year when I do the Capetown Tour.  

[Johan van der Walt]

4 minutes ago, Paul Ruinaard said:

My wife did it.

change of batteries is nice. You are just not allowed to go under 4 hours. My wife did a 4:02 on 2 x batteries and had a great ride - put it this way you have all the big climbs in the end so its nice to have some juice to get up them quickly if you aren't that fit. It all depends on your bike and your fitness levels. Some newer bikes will easily make 109km on a battery or a battery +extender, just depends on how much you need to turn it up.

FWIW batteries are often heavy so its nice to have it at about halfway and change it somewhere without having to lug it with you.

Also think about changing from MTB tyres to slicks which will markedly increase your top speeds and also reduce your rolling resistance and therefore your need for battery and motor assistance. Gearing of the bike is important - i put slicks, a 38 front gear and then hacked the software on the bike to get it to assist up to 38 kmh. If your bike is limited to 25 kmh it will drive you crazy on road rides.

 

Thanks Paul

I have a 2022 Scot Strike e-Ride 920, without the extender I can do 120kms but that's on a mostly flat road with Eco mode 90% of the time, I recon I should be able to do around 80kms on the tour. Fortunately my bike is set at 31km/h max (if I understand correctly that is the USA standard).

I read that slicks add about 10kms to that so I plan to fit slicks and inflate them to 2 Bar.

 

 

 

[Paul Ruinaard]

Sounds like you know what you are doing and have a plan. Do some training and you can then just close the gap with that :-). The last 10 to 15 kms from over Suikerbossie can be pedalled on anything if you aren't too tired, I think its a plan to have like 10% left in the battery after Suikerbossie which would be IMO the ideal. The drag to the finish can be long especially in to a headwind so if you havent done it before an dont know how to pace yourself you may want a little more juice for a comfortable finish. If you know the route then its pretty easy. 

look at the suggested inflation on Slicks - i have seen them up to 3,5 bar.

[ChrisF]

Johan I recall something like 300 ebikes entered for 2022.  (darned if I can find the results now, that splits it between types of bikes)

 

Only rules were:

- 25km/h speed assist limit, as per the European rules that have been adopted into our SANS codes.  Fact is that many of the ebikes imported to SA are programmed to the American 20mph, or 32km/h, speed assist.  Either way, just dont rock up in an unrestricted ebike doing 45km/h up the hills .... 

 

- based on this speed assist limit they set a minimum time of 4:10.

 

- 250W motor limit, again as per the European rules adoted into the SANS codes.

 

- Ooooo ... and dont let roadies draft you ..... impacting results and all that ...  After Smitswinkel is a nice long gradual downhill.  I was spinning away at about 40km/h, way above my speed assist limit, with a roadie tucked behind me.  He noted that he lost his team fixing a puncture and asked for the tow ..... got some serious verbal abuse as we passed other riders !!!!    I started in the VERY LAST group, so not as if I was "towing" anybody to a podium ... nevermind the fact that I was doing it under my own steam on a 30kg lead-sled.

 

Nothing on number of batteries, nor the size/capcity of the batteries.

 

 

I was putting too many km on my full suspension bike, thus bought a HT for road riding.

 

I am running 700C50 gravel tires on it.  Certainly less drag.  But your top speed - on down hills - is limited by gearing, thus I am now running a 38 in the front.

 

The carrier was installed for the commute.  I then made a "bucket" that holds the spare battery.  Certainly nice to not have to carry it in a backpack.

 

 

Met this gent at the start, riding the same bike - .  He was confident of completing the 109km on a single battery ....  According to Gert some 9 Darrvin e-bikes were entered for 2022

 

 

This couple from Bloemfontein were also doing the CTCT on single batteries.  The gent has done the ride many time before on a road bike.  This was their first time doing it together.  Also on a single battery.

 

 

As you can see, the e-bikers are a relaxed crowd and greet and chat along the route.

 

 

I have heard of people arranging with friends or family to meet them halfway to swop out the battery ... I have not seen any of this, and wonder about the logistics as most of the roads are closed off ....

 

 

Those with a single battery are constantly in Eco mode, or even with the motor off to spare the battery for the climbs .... thus idling along slowly.  Those with a second battery is having a ton more fun. 

 

 

Going through Camps bay there are a few nasty little climbs ..... at the start of one of these a woman was telling her partner that her ebike battery has just died ....  sure they did get to the end, but that must have taken the fun out of it.  Also, riding a battery until it literally switches off is one sure way to shorten its life span !!

 

2022 was a wet ride, but hardly any wind.  IF 2023 sees the typical wind many ebike riders are going to have some serious range issues !!

 

 

 

This is me at the start of the Trans Augrabies .... dressed for the 4 degrees .... back-pack on with the spare battery.  Only later found out they transport the second batteries to the mid water point, and bring back your battery at the end of the day.  Vines-and-Views offer the same service.  Only the Swartberg event that does not allow a spare battery, and restricts ebikes to one of the routes only.

 

 

The world of MTB is changing, and events are embracing e-bikes and second batteries.  

 

Cost .... ouch ..... February 2020 I was quoted R12k for the second battery.  September 2020 I bought it for R18k    To add insult to injury, the 500Wh battery for the Darrvin now costs R6k.  Hulle rook ons !!!!

 

GLAD I took the plunge !!  Being able to do the longer events is so worth it 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by ChrisF

[Johan van der Walt]

Wow, thanks for this amazing reply Chris!

I'm now convinced not to do it with just one battery, the next decision is now do I go for an extra battery at R20k or the range booster at R30k a lot of extra money but the extender is mounted on the bike so no need to carry that weight in a backpack or switch batteries. With the range extender it self-balance the load and alternate between the two batteries without draining one which should increase battery life.

Having someone waiting next to the route with the second battery will be very nice but I'm concerned about the logistics with lots of closed roads, will be an issue with other events too ..... 

Edited December 30, 2022 by Johan van der Walt

[Zebra]

ChrisF has way more experience than I do, having different KIND of E-Bikes, as well as having extra battery(s)…for longer races, tours, etc.

that said, have had my converted eBike for 6+ years, and I only have the single battery, and I think You, Johann, could have a fun CHALLENGE (and save R20-R30k!) using JUST the one battery, and setting yourself THAT challenge; complete CTCT on one battery!
 

I have done 80km on one battery before, with a small reserve left over, so it may be doable, AND, you could test your one-battery strategy before the time, by cycling nearly the same route, and an identical distance, and see how you go?!
 

THAT seems like a fair challenge, since in any case, you cannot go faster than 4h10 minutes anyway, so you could practice some battery management, and see how you go; only real ‘bump’ after Suikerbossie is the very-doable Camps Bay to Clifton bump, and then flattish to finish.

I say save R20-R30k, since you only want extra battery for this ONE race, and work out your strategy! 
Chris

Edited December 30, 2022 by Zebra

[ChrisF]

32 minutes ago, Zebra said:

ChrisF has way more experience than I do, having different KIND of E-Bikes, as well as having extra battery(s)…for longer races, tours, etc.

that said, have had my converted eBike for 6+ years, and I only have the single battery, and I think You, Johann, could have a fun CHALLENGE (and save R20-R30k!) using JUST the one battery, and setting yourself THAT challenge; complete CTCT on one battery!
 

I have done 80km on one battery before, with a small reserve left over, so it may be doable, AND, you could test your one-battery strategy before the time, by cycling nearly the same route, and an identical distance, and see how you go?!
 

THAT seems like a fair challenge, since in any case, you cannot go faster than 4h10 minutes anyway, so you could practice some battery management, and see how you go; only real ‘bump’ after Suikerbossie is the very-doable Camps Bay to Clifton bump, and then flattish to finish.

I say save R20-R30k, since you only want extra battery for this ONE race, and work out your strategy! 
Chris

 

This was my "training plan".  Same distance, even got similar elevation.  You quickly find "your limits".

[GLuvsMtb]

Doing it with the missus. Both of us on E Bikes. I will use my 800w battery only, while the missus will use the 800w battery as well as the 250w range extender. 

I comfortably get over 1000m of elevation and 70kms on the 800w battery, most of it on trails. A slightly slower pace at lower setting will definitely help with having decent reserves (both battery and legs) for Suikerbossie and beyond. 

[mazambaan]

Good info here and my only 2c is watch out for water unless you know your efites is sealed. My Giant (2021 Trance) has given issues with the controller during rain. Be safe and take a "condom" if rain expected.

[Zebra]

This chap did 120km, in 4:10 minutes, and 962m elevation, on a single battery; CTCT has 1200 meters elevation, but is 11-odd km shorter, just food for thought.

what he says about not REGULARLY running an eBike battery below 10%-20% holds water, I think, unsure what ChrisF thinks about doing a deepish discharge ONCE?