# e-Bikepacking



## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

Hi,

I've started bikepacking with my e-Krampus a few weeks ago, and I would like to know if others use also their e-bike for travelling.

The idea of trying e-Bikepacking came to me after 1 year on a motorbike from Morocco to Russia, then accross Australia. Motorbike is a very nice way to travel, but, as soon as you hit trails, much too heavy (and too noisy if you want to really enjoy the nature). Sure it's fast, but do you really need to be able to travel 800 kms per day ?

On the other hand, travelling by bicycle is surely doable all around the world, but frankly after 8 days in the Alps with my mtb a few years ago, I've found it very difficult in illy areas with a loaded bike, even wiht very low gear ratio. Indeed, too exhausting to really enjoy the travel and the scenery.

--> Just add a motor with a small assistance, and it gets much easier 

The real limitation of e-Bikepacking is autonomy. I use 2 x 500 Wh batteries (home made so relatively light, around 2.3kg each), which offers me in illy area and minimal (but sufficient) assistance 120-140 kms range, and probably around 200kms on flat terrain. 
But even with 2 batteries it means that you cannot travel more than 2 days without an electric connection for recharching (camping or hotel). 
The other limitation is that you cannot travel by plane with ebike batteries.

*So I would like to have your feedback if you use (or have used) your e-bike for travelling. Gear, autonomy, recharge, etc ?
If you have tried both ways (with and without electrical assistance), what did make you stick to e-bikepacking, or go back to bikepacking ?*

Jil


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Did you modify your Krampus for a pedal assist kit or are you using a throttle to engage the motor?

Your batteries weight ~11.5lbs. What does the rest of your electric motor kit weigh?

I've got an original green machine Krampus I tour on.


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## EricTheDood (Sep 22, 2017)

How about a solar charger?

https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/8...nexity-_-Hunting+-+ATV-_-Rambo+Bikes-_-866131

Bikepacking hasn't appealed to me in the past. I try to squeeze out a century on my road bike once every other year or so, but I mostly do it "just cuz". I'm more of a sub-3-hour hammerfest type of rider.

But the thought of completely self-sustained e-bikepacking with virtually unlimited range (with a charger) is appealing.

How well do bike trailers work offroad?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

EricTheDood said:


> How well do bike trailers work offroad?


Define "offroad".


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## EricTheDood (Sep 22, 2017)

vikb said:


> Define "offroad".


EWS race course?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

EricTheDood said:


> EWS race course?


I'm sure a trailer would be fine for that.


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## honkinunit (Aug 6, 2004)

EricTheDood said:


> How about a solar charger?
> 
> https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/8...nexity-_-Hunting+-+ATV-_-Rambo+Bikes-_-866131
> 
> ...


In absolutely perfect conditions, it would take at *least* five hours to charge a 500WH battery with that solar panel. Perfect meaning perfectly clear, summertime sunshine, with someone re-aiming the panel every 15 minutes.

Even my large sized Bosch wall charger takes 4-5 hours if the battery is down to one bar.

Unless you are willing to carry 10 pounds of solar panel, and babysit the charging process while you take a day off every other day, bikepacking with a solar panel is not practical.


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

vikb said:


> Did you modify your Krampus for a pedal assist kit or are you using a throttle to engage the motor?
> 
> Your batteries weight ~11.5lbs. What does the rest of your electric motor kit weigh?
> 
> I've got an original green machine Krampus I tour on.


Hi Vik

My motor weights around 4kg (bafang BBS01).
It's only pedal assist, no throttle (even if it's possible with this motor I prefer pedal assist).


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

vikb said:


> I'm sure a trailer would be fine for that.


A solar trailer works fine... but it's heavy.
but for sure that's the best solution for travelling with an ebike in total autonomy. 
There is a race from France to China starting in June, with solar bikes, there are some impressive models ! But it will be mainly on road (even if roads in some parts of Central Asia can be more like trails  )
https://www.thesuntrip.com/sun-trip-2018/lyon-canton-en/


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## EricTheDood (Sep 22, 2017)

honkinunit said:


> In absolutely perfect conditions, it would take at *least* five hours to charge a 500WH battery with that solar panel. Perfect meaning perfectly clear, summertime sunshine, with someone re-aiming the panel every 15 minutes.
> 
> Even my large sized Bosch wall charger takes 4-5 hours if the battery is down to one bar.
> 
> Unless you are willing to carry 10 pounds of solar panel, and babysit the charging process while you take a day off every other day, bikepacking with a solar panel is not practical.


Why would you have to take a day off? You wouldn't be in the saddle 10-12 hours a day, would you? Not that a 500WH would last that long anyway, even if you wanted to, at 20% assist.

Worst time to ride is midday when the sun is shining brightest. Perfect time to charge. The weight is not a problem. A 500WH battery weighs 8lbs. It's the bulk.


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## justin70 (Sep 17, 2007)

At least it's something to consider for the apocalypse.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Jil said:


> Hi Vik
> 
> My motor weights around 4kg (bafang BBS01).
> It's only pedal assist, no throttle (even if it's possible with this motor I prefer pedal assist).


Thanks for the reply. Can you post some photos of the motor setup and where the battery is?


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

BBS02 on Niner rigid frame; Luna 52V, 6 ah battery (3.55 pounds) in a Bushwacker seat bag. Total weight with battery a little less than 35.5 pounds. Haven't bikepacked with it yet, but considering possibilities before summer.


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

vikb said:


> Thanks for the reply. Can you post some photos of the motor setup and where the battery is?


Sure : the battery is in the black frame bag (Topeak Midloader 3 liters):








Detail of the motor Bafang BBS01








Home made batteries (350 and 520 Wh) with 18650 Li-ion cells and BMS (battery management system):
Manufacturing on-going :







Completed :


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Interesting setup. Thanks for the additional photos. Have fun touring.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

How do you recharge in the middle of nowhere? Kind of defeats the idea of getting out in nature? Only a bike packer here. Don't own an e bike. Yes there are limits to bikepacking, human abilities, pushing the limits and such. I like to carry less and try for less climbing, where it's possible. Lots of areas I ride ( New England) allow bikes but not motorized vehicles. Try lighter instead of adding a motor and batteries. Too exhausting? Maybe it's not for you, imho. That's my take anyway.


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## Tori (Apr 17, 2018)

Jil said:


> Hi,
> 
> I've started bikepacking with my e-Krampus a few weeks ago, and I would like to know if others use also their e-bike for travelling.
> 
> ...


Hi Jil, I am going to be trying some bike-packing with my new E-Mountain bike. We can ride these bikes on long regular mountain bike trails here without any problem, so I will be doing some 100 mile+ tours in the near future. I'm still getting to know my bike and its capabilities and battery life, but I am also considering a 2nd battery or perhaps carrying my charger and camping at areas where I can access power, or even stay in style in little remote pubs through the Victorian High Country. Thanks for your feedback and thoughts on bike packing on an ebike. I'll continue to watch this space.


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

I can definitely see how they'd be great for credit card touring, not so much for me for bikepacking since I'd be relegated to dirt roads around here, which isn't the experience I'd be after. I'd also hate to lose the space taken up by the battery, since bikepacking space is already at a premium, but you could always work around it I guess.


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

Harryman said:


> I can definitely see how they'd be great for credit card touring, not so much for me for bikepacking


Not necessarily "credit card touring". 
If you use your batterie wisely, and have a spare one and 2 small chargers, you can camp in the middle of nowhere every second night, and the other you have to find a camp where you can recharge your 2 batteries during the night.
It's not going to be an expensive way to travel, except the spare batterie and second charger to buy.

But yes there is a real limit to e-bikepacking : you cannot stay away from civilisation more than 2 days in a row. On this particular point, "muscular bikepacking" will always be the choice... unless we find a way to downsize significantly the batteries (possible, but in the distant future).


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

leeboh said:


> Too exhausting? Maybe it's not for you, imho. That's my take anyway.


I'm sporty, but I don't consider bikepacking as a sporting challenge. 
So yes when I'm travelling I enjoy the lightweight and the silence of a my ebike, and I'm happy also to have this small motor to assist me  It's not effortless though, but it's an easier effort that allows me to enjoy the trip more.
That's my opinion, I understand that others prefers to rely only on their muscles to go on.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Jil said:


> I'm sporty, but I don't consider bikepacking as a sporting challenge.
> So yes when I'm travelling I enjoy the lightweight and the silence of a my ebike, and I'm happy also to have this small motor to assist me  It's not effortless though, but it's an easier effort that allows me to enjoy the trip more.
> That's my opinion, I understand that others prefers to rely only on their muscles to go on.


 I get the wide range of ideas for " bike" travel. Road, dirt, urban, wilderness etc. All good. Most folks think of biking in general as a sporting challenge, yes? I'm pedaling the cross New Hampshire route this summer, mostly dirt roads and bikepaths, apx 240 miles over 5 days. Cheers.


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

Jil said:


> Not necessarily "credit card touring".
> If you use your batterie wisely, and have a spare one and 2 small chargers, you can camp in the middle of nowhere every second night, and the other you have to find a camp where you can recharge your 2 batteries during the night.
> It's not going to be an expensive way to travel, except the spare batterie and second charger to buy.
> 
> But yes there is a real limit to e-bikepacking : you cannot stay away from civilisation more than 2 days in a row. On this particular point, "muscular bikepacking" will always be the choice... unless we find a way to downsize significantly the batteries (possible, but in the distant future).


Sure, and that's fine if that's what you're after, which around here, would mean dirt road touring. Nothing wrong with that, but for me, bikepacking is backpacking on a bike on sigletrack, and that's not possible on an ebike where I live. But for all sorts of touring, like you said, as long as you can get to power here and there, and deal with the space the batteries take up, it's an option to expand your range and save your knees on long grinding climbs.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

leeboh said:


> I get the wide range of ideas for " bike" travel. Road, dirt, urban, wilderness etc. All good. Most folks think of biking in general as a sporting challenge, yes? I'm pedaling the cross New Hampshire route this summer, mostly dirt roads and bikepaths, apx 240 miles over 5 days. Cheers.


Sounds tough and commendable to me; are you going with a group or solo? The most I've done (about 10 years ago so I was younger, but still old) was 35 miles, 8,000' of climbing.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Jil said:


> Sure : the battery is in the black frame bag (Topeak Midloader 3 liters):
> View attachment 1192952
> 
> 
> ...


Would you please inform as to where you procured the batteries, welder, BMS etc for your system? I've been satisfied with my Luna batteries, but am considering backward-integration.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

fos'l said:


> Sounds tough and commendable to me; are you going with a group or solo? The most I've done (about 10 years ago so I was younger, but still old) was 35 miles, 8,000' of climbing.


 I only travel with George. George Dickel TN whisky. Small nalgene flask. Also going to loop up to Kingdom Trails for a night stay, and to check out some Hill Farmstead brews at Mikes Tiki Bar. Everyone needs some goals eh? Lots of hills I'm sure. Less by the rivers and converted RR to bike paths.


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

fos'l said:


> Would you please inform as to where you procured the batteries, welder, BMS etc for your system? I've been satisfied with my Luna batteries, but am considering backward-integration.


Sure. Just a preliminary warning for any person interested, building DIY ebike batteries requests to know what you are doing, as lithium batteries can be prone to fire when manipulated the wrong way, and generate high currents.

I've followed a nice tutorial on youtube from Ebikeschool.com (5 parts) :
Episod 1 : 




Here are the main materials I've ordered (my batteries are 52V / 14S). 
*Li-ion batteries :* https://eu.nkon.nl/rechargeable/18650-size/samsung-inr18650-35e.html
*Welding and heat shrinks components :* https://eu.nkon.nl/accessories/welding-material.html (Before wrapping the batterie with heat shrink, I protect it with 5mm thick foam)
*Spot welder :* https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/LED-...18650-micro-welding-with-LED/32660924128.html
*BMS : *https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/51-8...MS-with-the-balance-function/32739816497.html
*Chargers : *https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/DC-5...ger-For-14S-48V-Lipo-Battery/32785814799.html
https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/YZPO...-Lithium-Li-ion-Lipo-Battery/32787959891.html
*Connectors : *https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/Amass-Anti-Spark-Connector-Plug-Male-Female-XT90-S-Upgrading-version-of-XT90-1-Pairs/2025980532.htmlNB : an easier way to build you own battery, without spot welder, is it to use the Vruzend kit, an invention from indian engineers which is very smart. It's just a little bit more heavier and bulkier :
https://eu.nkon.nl/accessories/welding-material/vruzend-diy-battery-kit-v2-0.html
https://vruzend.com/


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

Jil said:


> Sure. Just a preliminary warning for any person interested, building DIY ebike batteries requests to know what you are doing, as lithium batteries can be prone to fire when manipulated the wrong way, and generate high currents.
> 
> I've followed a nice tutorial on youtube from Ebikeschool.com (5 parts) :
> Episod 1 :
> ...


Thanks; that's really comprehensive.


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## Whiptastic (Mar 14, 2016)

Hi Jil - Great to see people experimenting with e-bikepacking. I’ve just started a Surly ECR BBS02B 750W/48V build and hope to start with some simple 2 day overnight trips. My battery is a 21Ah/1008Wh Sanyo-Panasonic GA (~11lbs) and gets wonderful range on flat ground, 50 miles easily with heavy use to over 100 miles if used sparingly at slower speeds. I plan to get a second smaller GA or 30Q battery pack at some point as a backup and for extended range when needed. Haven’t had a chance to test real world range in an off-road touring setting yet. Can you give me an idea of your assist settings (watts) and ranges you are able to achieve?

I realize this will vary widely between riders and setups, but curious what you have found. I’m a 58 year old 230lb Clyde. How about you?

Thanks.


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

Whiptastic said:


> Can you give me an idea of your assist settings (watts) and ranges you are able to achieve?
> 
> I realize this will vary widely between riders and setups, but curious what you have found. I'm a 58 year old 230lb Clyde. How about you?
> 
> Thanks.


Hi Whiptastic,

Another e-Surly, nice 

I'm 39, 205 lbs.

I have 5 power settings on my BBS01 : 2, 3, 4.5, 7 and 10 A.
I have a 14S battery, so at mid-charge (52V) it's about 100, 150, 230, 350 and 520 watts.
I use mainly level 1 or 2 on flat terrain, 3 in hilly terrain, 4 and 5 only for "boost effect".

I keep in mind that 200 watts is already the average power of a good cyclist on long rides. So I don't think I need more than one assistant on my bike for current use 

With level 2 I can get 50 miles on flat terrain and pavement with 1 battery (520 Wh, 42 cells), driving around 15 mph fully loaded.
I intend to make some long travels this summer, on and off road, I will update this post.

Can you share a picture of your bike when it will be completed ?


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## Whiptastic (Mar 14, 2016)

I sure will. Hope to have it rideable in a week or two, with or without power.

I’ve been riding ebikes for about three years now and have completed three builds. The Surly ECR will be my fourth. I have a programming cable, but haven’t used it yet; been running with stock settings and using the color display programmability to fine tune things only. The stock programming works well with its’ speed/cadence based levels. I run on the 1-9 setting instead of the 1-3 or 1-5.

Have you reprogrammed your system to apply a certain wattage at each level settings without regard to speed/cadence?

Also, if you go through the ECR post within the Surly bike threads you will see another Surly ECR with Rohloff hub posted by “deserthawk”.


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## Robopotomus (Oct 6, 2013)

I use my haibike sduro and homebrew Whyte 901 ebike for bushbiking, which is bike packing with a bit of bushcraft. Also have a surly pugsley which I use when the load is lite. Had 3 operations to remove bits of my lung for cancer so an ebike helps do what I love doing.









Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Whiptastic (Mar 14, 2016)

Got the Surly ECR assembled as a pedal bike without battery. Here it is:

https://i.imgur.com/ssd4vHZ.jpg










If the picture doesn't show up, just cut and paste the link. I've been having trouble posting pictures from IMGUR here lately.Don't know why.

2018 Surly ECR in XL
Bafang BBS02-B 750W/48V Mid-Drive w/Color Display
42T Lekkie Bling Ring
Fouriers Trailhead handlebars
SQlab 411 Inner Bar Ends
Two sets of ESI Extra Chunky Grips
Thudbuster S-T Seatpost
ISM Urbaine Saddle
Velocity Dually 32H Rims
DT Swiss Alpine III Spokes
Shimano Deore Front Hub
Sturmey-Archer RS-RK5 5-Speed IGH w/Custom 25T Cog
Surly Extraterrestrial 29 X 2.5 Tires
Tektro HD E350 Hydraulic Brakes w/Bafang Cutoffs


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

Robopotomus said:


> I use my haibike sduro and homebrew Whyte 901 ebike for bushbiking, which is bike packing with a bit of bushcraft. Also have a surly pugsley which I use when the load is lite. Had 3 operations to remove bits of my lung for cancer so an ebike helps do what I love doing.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


E-bike + trailer, nice setting ! And nice camp too :thumbsup:


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

Whiptastic said:


> Have you reprogrammed your system to apply a certain wattage at each level settings without regard to speed/cadence?


Yes I have reprogrammed the controller in order to choose the amps (and so the watts) for each level. I have used a nice tuto for this, but it's in french :
Reprogrammation des BBS01 et BBS02


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

Whiptastic said:


> Got the Surly ECR assembled as a pedal bike without battery. Here it is:
> 
> https://i.imgur.com/ssd4vHZ.jpg
> 
> ...


Very clean built, I like it :thumbsup:


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## matt4x4 (Dec 21, 2013)

Jil said:


> Sure. Just a preliminary warning for any person interested, building DIY ebike batteries requests to know what you are doing, as lithium batteries can be prone to fire when manipulated the wrong way, and generate high currents.
> 
> I've followed a nice tutorial on youtube from Ebikeschool.com (5 parts) :
> Episod 1 :
> ...


or solder with a big heavy iron, dont wanna heat up the can too much


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## Whiptastic (Mar 14, 2016)

Jil said:


> Very clean built, I like it :thumbsup:


Thanks Jil.

After a couple good pedal rides without issue, I wired it up and put the battery in a Topeak MTS bag on a JANDD Mountaineering rack I already had. Took her for a flawless 60 mile shakedown run. Super comfortable bike! It's so nice to be back on a bike that fits me like a glove. The SQlab 411 inner bar ends are my hand position of choice on the flats; you can also put your palms on the grips and rest your thumbs up against the inner bar end for micro support. No hand, feet or bum issues on the first ride. :thumbsup: It cruises at a nice cadence right about 20mph using 5 of 9 in 5th gear, then slowly tapers of assist for no or low wattage pedal cruising (no brick wall shutoff). 4 of 9 gives the same result for about 18mph. The gearing appears good for a trail/bikepacking rig, but real world time in the saddle will tell.

Hope to get a "bolt-on" full frame bag that uses the water bottle mounts to secure it to the seat and down tubes. What are my options in "bolt-on" frame bags?


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## Whiptastic (Mar 14, 2016)

Robopotomus said:


> I use my haibike sduro and homebrew Whyte 901 ebike for bushbiking, which is bike packing with a bit of bushcraft. Also have a surly pugsley which I use when the load is lite. Had 3 operations to remove bits of my lung for cancer so an ebike helps do what I love doing.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Very nice setup. The trailer looks like it allows you to carry lots of camp comforts.

I started with ebikes after a bilateral hernia surgery and a year+ wait on the couch for a follow up surgery to correct a problem from the initial surgery. Made a great outdoor physical therapy program and got me back into biking after a twenty year hiatus.

At some point I'd like to head up into the Eastern Sierra's for some high altitude brook trout lake fishing.


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

I have been doing some bike packing. I have a Motobecane Ti Night Train bullet. Mods include BBSHD mid drive, Liekie 42 tooth chainring, 700wh battery, carbon bars, Infinity saddle, Lev dropper, tubeless Schwallbe Jumbo Jims snakeskin 26 X 4.8. My setup is pedal assist only as I consider a throttle dangerous. The first four levels of assist are closely spaced and quite low (less than 200 watts). The next three have more boost up to 500 watts. I have one setting at 750 watts and one off road-emergency unlimited settting. I generally get 50 to 100 miles (80 to 160 Km) out of a battery charge. Total bike weight is 52 lbs (24 kg). I have about 6000 miles on the bike.
What I find is that the more miles I ride per day the more watt hours per mile I consume. Rides of less than 30 miles I use around 5 watt/hrs per mile. Rides of 50 miles I use around 7- 8 watt/hrs per mile. Rides of 80 miles I jump to 10-11 watt hrs per mile and around the century mark it can go over 15 watt/hrs per mile. The problem becomes one of how far do I want to go in a day. 
Right now I am considering making a single wheel trailer where the floor of the trailer is 4.2 kw/hrs with a 600- 800 watt charger.
I am about to do a 200 mile trip this week. I have been riding 125 to 200 miles a week lately.


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## Robopotomus (Oct 6, 2013)

Whiptastic said:


> Very nice setup. The trailer looks like it allows you to carry lots of camp comforts.
> 
> I started with ebikes after a bilateral hernia surgery and a year+ wait on the couch for a follow up surgery to correct a problem from the initial surgery. Made a great outdoor physical therapy program and got me back into biking after a twenty year hiatus.
> 
> At some point I'd like to head up into the Eastern Sierra's for some high altitude brook trout lake fishing.


I take enough kit to be comfortable, but not excessively. Fishing for brook trout in the Sierras would be a great outing. I plan on doing some wild Loch fishing this summer at some point.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## BCsaltchucker (Jan 16, 2014)

i do road touring (w bikepacking bags) but I don't need a motor for that. however I'd love to do a hut-to-hut-or-BnB trip through the Alps some time. That might work for eMTB, as the big passes could benefit from extra watts, and the inns are plentiful with charging from the mains. (or just backpack it, no bike). Woud like to do the kokpelli, but watts isn't the issue so much as carrying lots of water


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## Whiptastic (Mar 14, 2016)

B&B bikepacking sounds wonderful on an eBike, even with some overnight camping in between if needed.

Ended up with a MooseTreks medium frame bag that fits the Surly ECR XL frame perfectly. It has a Velcro separator between the two zipper sections. The lower section is just the right size for a 17.5Ah Panasonic GA triangle pack, so I ordered up one of those. That leaves the entire top section for storage.

Now I have the option to have someone join me on my Soma B-Side for a ride, as I’ve been sharing a single 21Ah battery between the two eBikes. Plus I can use both batteries on the Surly ECR and have a whooping 38.5Ah worth of mega range for eBikePacking.

Also picked up a pair of Pedaling Innovations Catalyst super large flat pedals that provide front-to-back arch support for riding in more walkable/hikeable shoes. They are the same width as my AEST Ti spindle flats I normally use, but about 2” longer, at about 6” in length.

Hope to get some pedal time on them today.


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## Whiptastic (Mar 14, 2016)

First ride impressions on the Catalyst pedals can be summed up best with “out of saddle stability.” That’s the big improvement that I noticed with these pedals. I found myself varying my foot position from front to back (changing the spindle location under my foot) with cadence. Slow cadence is doable with the pedal manufacturers stated foot position, but when I wind up the cadence, I have to move my foot back putting the spindle closer to the traditional foot position slightly behind the ball of my foot for best fast rotation. You can power across the top of rotation, down and through well with shoes that grip and slow cadence power does seem to be improved.

I rode with my Fila tennis court shoes with a fine/tight zigzag tread that holds the spikes in position. The soles gripped the pedal great with that tread and my feet were super comfortable, plus walking around in normal shoes was a pleasure. They seemed to help when powering up bike trail street underpasses as well, but the HUGE platform really shines with massive stability factor when you come out of the saddle. This is apparent when coasting down hill and stomp pedaling up hill. It feels like you can control the bike through the pedals, and seems to allow a better balance between handlebar and foot control when out of the saddle.

After just one ride I can say I do like them, but it is clear that my foot will not remain in the manufacturers stated position on the pedal at all times; the obvious being fast cadence pedaling. I would never put these on a light weight road bike for that reason. Despite claims to the contrary, IMHO clipless do allow beter power for sprints and fast cadence pedaling on the road racing (I believe that has been proven out in analytical testing). These will be great for off-road touring and will increase slow cadence power in that environment.

Tennis shoe, hiking boot and sandal riding, oh my! Life on the road just got easier.


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## Whiptastic (Mar 14, 2016)

Picked up a MooseTreks medium frame bag and applied a pair of "SURLY 4130 STEEL" patches to it with Shoe-Goo. A Luna 48V 17.5Ah Triangle Battery Pack fits into the lower compartment beautifully. Applied a couple patches of Velcro to the rear top and bottom of the frame bag and slit it for the wires to enter/exit. A simple piece of double sided Velcro covers the entry/exit points and attaches everywhere that isn't wire for a clean secure fit. Removed the SURLY ECR and XL stickers because the frame bag covers most of them anyway.

Removed the rear rack for now and picked up a pair of KEEN Newport H2 sandals for hot summer riding. They are wider than my Giro's and I'm getting even more heel this on the crank arms with these and the Catalyst with their short spacing between pedal and the crank. Ordered up a pair of Ti pedal extenders to hopefully resolve that annoying issue.

She's ready to ride.

https://i.imgur.com/G9q3BWj.jpg









https://i.imgur.com/MRT0gfV.jpg









As always, if the picture don't load try the link or copy and paste the link to your browser.


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## Jil (Jan 21, 2018)

Hi !

I've tested my set-up extensively during the last few weeks.
750km tour in south-western France, then this week 400km between Bassin d'Arcachon and Oleron Island.

My set-up works well, the only change I've made, in order to have a real 200km autonomy (on flat terrain), is to bring now my 3 batteries (1x350 + 2x500 Wh). No problem to recharge in camping.

Other change : the saddle ! I've replaced my Proust by a Brooks saddle, very happy with it, yesterday I made 200km on this saddle without problems.

e-Bikepacking is a great way to travel


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## Bigwheel (Jan 12, 2004)

Whiptastic said:


> Tennis shoe, hiking boot and sandal riding, oh my! Life on the road just got easier.


After years of clipless use when I set up my first serious eBike a few years ago I never even considered them for some reason although I had some and 3 pairs of Sidi's....I ride with whatever shoe I have on and I find that while life on the road is good life while the bike is parked is easier not having to click clack around with biking shoes on.

As it is summer now I flip flop. 42.5 miles the other day wearing my JC treads to no ill effect.









Problem I have is riding my eMTB, not in sandals, the platform pedals are much wider than the egg beaters I used for years and they catch on narrow trailside gremlins more than in the past. Primarily due to their outside leading edge being square and I would give up some width to have that portion angle somewhat.


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