Giant Full-E+ 2

[Graeme]

This is only a little review... I was getting my tourer serviced at Vive le Velo in North Ferriby and enjoying cycling related chat with them over a coffee when the conversation moved to electric assist and why a top of the rnage full suspension mountian bike would need to be spoilt with an engine. They didn't really answer me, they just let me take it for a test ride... the bike answered the questions for them. It was stunning. Unlike a motorbike it was more like having really strong legs. The suspension made descending fear-free, and the hydraulic disc brakes were supremely effective. No fuss. It all worked beautifully without me ever feeling out-of-control. I've written a short review on my journal with some photographs. This was not a full off-road test, just a first impression. Jaw = dropped.

[Kim]

There's a world of difference between low-end systems which simply detect that you're pedalling and switch on at some set power level, and high-end systems which sense the amount of torque you're producing and add assistance proportionally.  Understandably there's a fair bit of difference between the various manufacturers' implementations, too, which can result in very different feel.

It's cheating, but sometimes cheating is beautiful or even appropriate.  I must admit I'm curious as to what one of these mountain bikes is like to ride off-road...

[Cudzoziemiec]

Once I was toddling along the Bristol-Bath Railway Path when a bloke drew up alongside me and engaged me in cycle nerdery. After a while he said "I'm going to cheat now!" I looked at him quizzically whereupon he pressed a button somewhere and whizzed off electrically. Cheating? Hardly, just going faster. It's only really cheating if you pretend it isn't there, whether that's in competition (obviously; though I'm sure e-bike racing is already here and will develop different classes for different amounts of assistance and so on) or just pretending to yourself.

[Ashaman42]

That's half the thing stopping me going electric. How do I record my mileage if it's not all me?

I know that hills and tailwinds mean that it's not always me anyway but at least they're balanced out usually.

[Kim]

That's half the thing stopping me going electric. How do I record my mileage if it's not all me?

Count the Watt-hours.

[Graeme]

I don't think it is cheating really, it is simply riding a bike: and that is a wonderful thing. Even with assist I had to make an effort. Cheating would be pretending you didn't have electric assist and competing. If there's no competition... just fun, then who've you cheated? No one.

+1 to Kim's idea for logging your effort, if that's important. But logging miles travelled isn't about comparisons with others is it? Sometimes it is about reminiscing. 'Wot I did on my bike'.

I hope that electric assist helps more people to ride - and I'm not too bothered if someone overtakes me on a climb using EA, so long as they are enjoying themselves.