I usually pedal most of the time, but I use the throttle to start off at intersections and hills. Thanks for talking about the gears and pas.

I need all my gears and sometimes I feel like I need even more.

Funny, you mention all this today. I just yesterday talked on a video about new technology. One of the things that I believe is coming is internal gearing, even with automatic ability. Go from a straight drive to an automatic. So it may not be too long we do not have to worry about shifting, but we get the advantages that it has. Get feeling better while you still have a few rides left before the bad weather.

@Joerides7

8 ай бұрын

I talked to an E-bike shop owner who owns a Bakfiets-style cargo e-bike with the automatic Enviolo hub and she loves it. Very high-priced e-bike, but I wouldn't be surprised if that technology starts showing up in lower-cost e-bikes someday. The other advantage to internal hubs like the Enviolo, Rohloff, or Shimano versions is having an option for a belt drive. No chain to clean or lube. I want to try a belt drive/internal geared e-bike someday.

@josephorr5175

8 ай бұрын

Interesting. I would hope for a CVT like automatic if that is possible. The bikes are already heavy so a bulky transmission might not matter much. I say this because gear maintenance on my e-bikes is more involved and more frequent than a standard road bike.

@Joerides7

8 ай бұрын

@@josephorr5175Check out some videos on the automatic Enviolo hub. Very interesting. I myself would be more interested in a Rohloff because I'm planning on some rides out west when I retire and it has a wider gear range. no automatic option for the Rohloff.

@southernebiking

8 ай бұрын

@@Joerides7 that is one of the transmissions that I was talking about.

@southernebiking

8 ай бұрын

@@josephorr5175 what I am talking about would not be adding a tremendous amount of weight. There are already some internally geared motors that are actually quite light and being used on true mountain ebikes. To actually turn this into an automatic would not be a big stretch at all.

I have an older Super 73 with 9 speed Shifter. i have a stock controller with 9 PAS levels and keep the PAS set at 9 at all times. i only use the thumb throttle on really steep grades coming out of tunnels on bike paths. The PAS is a torque sensor type. I always pedal and use the bike's gears as though there was no pedal assist. On most flat stretches I am in 7th to 9th gear, and I use 5th gear on long uphill grades, relying on 3rd gear for the real steep stuff. My average cruising speed is between 15 and 22 MPH. The 36 volt 14.5 AH batlery will take my 190 pounds about 38 miles on a full charge. My rides average 2 will 0 - 35 miles and I have only had to pedal home once in the last 1,000 miles. And that was because I was hot-dogging for several miles. I am rapidly approaching 76 years of age and I probably would have quit biking five years ago if it were not for my faithful ebike. The point is that if you ride consistently you will find what works for you. More power to those 50 somethings who blast past me on full throttle if that's their style. Riding daily keeps the body fit. Ebikes make the ride possible.

I pedal all of the time with the use of 3rd gear and assist #1. I only use the throttle a couple of places for about twenty feet up a hill. My average speed is about 10-12 mph which makes for a nice comfortable ride. My bike is the Juiced Rip Current S with the 1000 watt motor. I am 75 years old,

Selecting and using e-bike gears: a great topic, Russ. I wound up buying two KBO Breeze models that you reviewed some time ago. I generally use pas 1 as I get rolling and climb aboard the seat. On level terrain in my neighborhood, I tend to start out with my derailleur in 3rd or 4th and throttle occasionally in pas 1 or 2. When beginning a steep incline, I'll shift down with the derailleur first, then follow up with enough power assist to get the job done comfortably. When on continuous pathways as you do, I move the derailleur gears up to 5-7 and use higher pas levels for a comfortable 12-16 mph with low effort. In Washington State, we are limited to 15 mph in public parks. For me, the primary focus is on preserving the bike's 16Ah battery capability. I'm 75 years old, so maybe I'm a bit old fashioned. In my view, the Breeze is a beautifully designed commuter e-bike by the way. I love the way it shifts so smoothly like a big Buick.

My e-bike (Fifield Bonfire 500) is a hub motor, 500W (peak watts in the mid 800s)...cadence sensor... bike style is touring. It has 27 speeds (9 in the back and three on the chainring in the front). I live in a particularly hilly part of Boston, and the Boston area has some steep hills. When climbing a particularly steep hill, I tend to use a lot more of the gears to get up the hill (I'm 6'1 and about 250 lbs). However for most of my riding on level ground with slight hills, I ride with the rear sprocket in 7th or 8th and the front on high (largest gear) or middle gear for climbs and for start-up (if I have the time to downshift when I come to a stop). I use the throttle mainly for three purposes: 1) starting up (especially if I didn't downshift to the middle chainring gear before stopping) 2) navigating complex territory... like when there is a truck parked in the bike lane and lots of pedestrians about and I have to thread the needle to get through the obstacle course 3) I just need a quick boost above the pedal assist level. I tend not to use the throttle for anything else other than these three short burst uses so as to save battery. I have 5 pedal assist levels. levels 2-5 actually have a label on my monitor: Eco, STD, Power, Speed. I usually do most of my riding in PAS 3, bumping it to 4 when I need a boost. I rarely use 5, or 1 or 2 (though sometimes I ride along side my wife when she's out running at night to provide a "bodyguard" presence, in which case I use PAS 1 for that. I have a PAS 0, but the bike is fairly heavy (though not excessively so for an e-bike... I can't remember, but I think it's in the 40 lbs range), so riding it on PAS 0 is tough.

Mid drive allows me to ride paved trails and go off road and do some single track with a well balanced bike. My other bike with geared hub and mid drive the geared hub has a bit of torque off the line but the mid drive has torque throughout all the gears. Mid drive all day for me.

I use the throttle when I am first getting on the bike, when I am crossing a busy intersection, or just after a sudden stop. Otherwise, I am always peddling.

If you ride for distance in the lowest power level, you need the gears.

I still love to pedal and ride the bike, and also peddling helps to save some of the battery power. So yes I need the gears, and even more so for going up and down hills. My next e-bike will be the Biktrix Juggernaut Ultra FS Pro 3 Fat Tire bike. The best thing about that e-bike is it has a Sram GX 12 speed drivetrain with a 10-52T cassette. Most ebikes use a cheep Shimano drivetrain with a 7 or 8 speed freewheel that's 12-30T, not good at all for climbing hills. You get what you pay for, and I can't justify anymore the $2,000 e-bikes. They are just cheaply made with very low end components that don't last and is hard to operate.

I always thumb pedal asst to 0 when I'm coming home to driveway..thanks for mentioning that.. important safety tip when getting off..prevents accidents.

@johnblair7611

8 ай бұрын

And let me add.i like the rear hub motor and my bikes are 5 levels of ped asst but no power 0 and full throttle on 1.

Good info! I have 7 gears and 9 PAS levels. I typically ride in 7th gear at PAS level 3 or4 (mostly 4). I find I am not ghost pedaling much at these settings. If concerned about battery range, I'll use PAS level 3, but it's slower and takes more effort. From a stop, I usually use the throttle to get me up to speed, but mostly pedal the bike. On a long ride, I'll usually throttle home the last 1- 2 miles. A long ride for me is 25-30 miles. Gears help with the hills. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Throttle off lights then pedal. Obviously this is a matter of personal preference. I'm constantly changing gears, very rarely above PAS1, very often with zero PAS. I'm happy cruising along at 10-13mph.

Have mid drive BBS02 cadence. 5 speed IGH Sturmey Archer. Pedal assist usually level 1, but never use throttle. Might use higher level to go up hills. This EBike is a BikTrix with the motor installed. Also have a BBS02 with 8 speed derailleur that I installed on a Trek, my wife rides and loves it.

I love their bikes. My Magicycle Ocelot is the bomb..... 💜

I pedal most of the time, with PAS 2 and the gear on 6. We have some steep hills where I need to go to gear one or two and PAS 5. I start off from a dead stop with a bit of throttle.

I probably have too many grass on my hub drive, but that's the way it came. I generally begin by pedaling in PAS 1 or 2, then throttle a while, especially up inclines. Once I'm back to level ground, I do a mix of pedaling and throttle. I am also a big guy with wonky knees, so this is my way to get out a get a little exercise on land. In the warmer months, I like to kayak, another knee-friendly method to get out in nature.

@bigguy1403

2 ай бұрын

How many miles do you get on a full charge? I'm a big guy too 6'4 280lbs my battery is a 48 volt 17.5 AH and I use PA 1 and 2 on some hills bottom line I get about 18 miles on a full charge on big fat tire bike...

Good video. I use gear 7 and PAS level 3 on my Magicycle Cruiser Pro. I will blip the throttle to get started but other than that and in an emergency situation, I don’t throttle. Want to do the 52 tooth chainring upgrade.

I have a Ride1Up LMT'D with 8 speeds, I only use 6/8 with PAS 2/3 and I was still ghosting above 20mpr, so I changed the chain ring from 46T to48T. Gears 4/5 are used if you run out of battery and have to pedal home the hard way.

I do utilize the gears, but all 7. I’m the majority of the time on the hardest gear, but utilize the next 2 gears when going up slight hills, and the biggest cog when I’m going up the steepest hill. I do like to peddle in general, and it provides more range than a throttling around constantly. I mean throttling is fun unquestionably, but if you want to throttle alone than a bike without gears is not necessary as what you really want is a moped which there are some very nice ones coming out all the time. I just seen probably the best in just yesterday online. I would definitely consider purchasing it when I decide to throttle everywhere.

@buffalomind6838

8 ай бұрын

But Not all 7 lol I feel the amount is not necessary for me. 4 max would be fine. and if I were to go for more they would be harder gears to provide better assistance at higher speeds. I’d cancel out the ones right before the easiest one.

Great video and information. I have a Fabulous Ebike Road Warrior AWD...60 volt 24ah battery. I bought it becuase i live in MD where i have a mixture of hills and flat and i weigh 250 lbs. I 95% pedal...using mostly gears 6-8. I throttle when starting from stop signs, stop lights and incline hills and i have pedals in standard regular bike position so i use throttle and pedal fron start. On flat ground i use a lot of 1 motor only becuase my goal is to travel distance. I have gone 50+ miles before on mostly 1 motor; pas 1; level ground; 99% pedal; and, had about 5 volts left on battery. I love that bike. I have gone 41mph pedaling on flat and 39 mph throttle only on flat and 43+mph on small downhills. Great tip on changing to pedal assist "0" when stopping...if i stop.to talk to people i turn the bike off so i dont lurch....great job...thank you!

Get well soon

Thank you, I have a better understanding now 👍🚴 I hope you and Mrs Right have a wonderful Thanksgiving ❤ 🦃

I have a 250 wat hub, street legal pas and throttle on a mountain bike with 3 by 7 gears I discovered that if I just use throttle it drastically eats the battery, basically to less than half its range not good when I was heading home and the last couple of miles was up hill the battery went flat and shut down so I had to put the gears into the easiest one, even then I had to get of the bike and walk up the last bit. Found out later the cable from the PAS had come loose so I was throttling the total trip 30 miles the battery had a range of 60 miles when using PAS when everything's working I can reach 25 mph without using the motor on flat ground when going up hill though I definitely need the 3 by 7 gears I am 64 years old and getting fit and getting outdoors and loving it cheers 🚲

I have several e-bikes and several conventional bikes. I pedal the e-bikes 98% of the time. PAS 1 is used a lot to counteract the weight of the e-bike (3-4 times that of a normal bike) but I will use 2 when I feel like I want to go farther that day (>30 miles). I rarely touch the throttle or engage S or Race modes. Race mode actually is a bit dangerous IMHO. I use about every gear because I ride on non-level terrain, but also because my speed is almost always proportional to how fast I am pedaling. I think my least used gears are at the low end, but I do occasionally use them, so I want them. But I use the top end gears all the time. I dislike ghost pedaling, so I am continuously switching based on speed. I honestly think I do it more than my road bikes where I'm out of the saddle when it gets gritty and I can just power through the non-even terrain. As a result, I find I am maintaining my gears MORE on the e-bikes than on my road bikes.

I have 2 bikes. One is a 7 speed 500 watt. The thumb throttle worn out after 7500 miles. I haven’t bothered to replace it. I wanted to test to see if I could still ride it without the throttle. We have steep river valley hills up here. I get the majority of my work out going up those hills. The quick answer … no throttle, no problem. My second bike is single speed and 750 watt. To climb hills with it I give it just enough throttle so I can still feel my legs working. I don’t rely on throttle only for hill climbing. I’m thinking of putting a 2 gear front crankset on the single speed. Something like a 54/38 front combo. I think that would be all the gearing I need for that bike. Starting off with the single speed you almost need the throttle. With the 7 speed I usually start off with pedal assist off. I like going for long ride of 40-50 miles and using throttle only would not make that possible I believe. I’m not judging anyone and it’s my way of riding but if I wanted to rely on throttle only I would have bought a motorbike.

Thank Russ. Happy Thanksgiving

I don't mind shifting, it's pretty much automatic for me. I shift without even thinking. It's easier on an e-bike because if you get it wrong you have the power of the motor to get you through until you can shift again. Torque sensor, mid-drive, and no throttle on all of my e-bikes so far. I do want to get a cadence sensor bike someday that I can use for short errands, store runs, etc. My e-bikes are for riding only. No cargo capacity.

Great detailed video again, thanks again…

I live in the u.k in middle england where there's a few hills so gearing is very important. I have an engwe engine x 250w and most of the time I'm in pas3 and even at that level of assist I feel 7th isn't tall enough. I have a 11/34 freewheel and a bigger chainring which I'm going to fit shortly. it's a great ebike and I've already spent loads to make it truly mine. one of the first things I've changed is swapping the squishy saddle for a bikeroo one as I haven't ridden in years so my sit bones were killing me😂 I love the torque from that rear hub motor and that 48v 13ah battery got me 37km with 2 bars remaining and that was after its first full charge. might change the handlebars though for some bmx ones to make it a bit more stable.

Happy Thanksgiving Russ, to you and your family!

on a more powerful 750w ebikes, I don't need as many gears as a normal bicycle. I could get by with 3 gears - low / mid / high. Especially on a hub motor. But if the bike is meant to be pedaled - a mid drive, or a lightweight commuter bike etc. then more gears make sense. For less powerful ebikes, more gears come in handy too. It helps to pedal from a stop, thats the hardest part for the motor.

I have a mid drive with advanced torque sensor as well speed and peddle sensors. This bike has 140 nm of torque as well as a throttle and cruise control with a 9 speed cassette there is no hill that this bike cannot climb. With the advanced sensor setup this can also be ridden like a cadence sensor. Changing gears is must, and if you start off in a lower gear and a mid or higher pas the bike will rear up on you.. on my old Rad Canadian spec where I would barely get up a hill I now ghost peddle up the same hill….. but no doubt it’s an acquired taste and a learning curve but after 6000km I. Not looking back

For me, it’s all about battery level. If I have enough battery to finish my trip, I’m in 7th gear and PAS 3 the whole time, even on steep hills. If I’m running low on battery and I want to make sure I can make it home, I’m in PAS 2 and 5th gear. If, Heaven forbid, my battery empties out, I need all seven gears as my ride is 70 pounds with the gear I carry on it.

I ride a xpremium mid drive. I start with my throttle to 10-11 mph. I then peddle pos 3 gear 2. From there I shift and change gears depending on conditions. To go above 20 mph have have to be in gear 6. I use mostly gears 2-6 and pos 1-5. After 2800 mi chain original but time to replace rears gears. Gear 3 worn out. It was damaged when I first rode the bike. Gears out of adjustment. After bike shop adjustment,shifting has been smooth.

Good Video Russ! I do like to pedal my bikes. I haven't gotten one with a torque sensor yet so I really don't know how much I would like it. I only use the gears on lower powered bikes that need more help to climb hills. On both my Goat Power Bikes I typically just leave them in 7th gear.

İ now live in Turkey so my new (first) ebike is European spec. Motor 250W but maximum draw 630W and no throttle. My controller has option to set number of power levels, either 3, 5 or 9 and this provides continuous power not limited to speed. İf İ am in a hilly area then set number of PAS levels to 3 to reduce the amount of adjustments required and if going to be in heavily pedestrianised area might set to 9 as lower settings then less power so easier to ride slower. For normal use on roads will use setting 3 (out of 5) with gear setting 5. I am 71, so not into high speed, more into convenience.

I start off in PAS 4 from PAS 1-7, throttle to get going then peddle the rest. On a cadance sensor, I gradually increase the PAS levels to 5, 6, and 7 (up to 28 mph) and stay mostly in PAS 5-6 at 20-25 mph. I never shift and stay in Gear 7. I ride mostly neighborhood streets on paved level ground, some bike trails and a 2 mile country road on cruise control. I prefer the hub motor instead of mid drive too lazy to shift and the cadance over the torque sensor. Wishing yoiu the best of health and have a Happy Thanksgiving Russ!🦃

I use all 21 of my gears. Some days i have hills and some days i don't.

How about an ebike with BOTH hub drive and mid drive capabilities? Then you could switch back and forth as you'd like, the best of both worlds. I recently saw an influencer modify and make this type of bike, so it can be done. Probably too much to ask for a manufacturer to do and maybe too complicated for the average consumer.

So, the possibility of ghost pedaling is there even with a RAD. (Some people call it "Clown Pedaling"). My terrain alternates between flat and hilly. So much is available to me once I get ups geologic "bench" but it's a steep incline. Off topic Russ but I'm also a retired photographer (fashion), a musician, and I have a home MIDI studio I work in every day. I used to work with some guys from Chicago who were laid off in the recession of 1973 and came to our studio for jobs.

@RussIsRight

8 ай бұрын

Did you check out my music covers on my channel? Check out the playlists.

We have hills, so start in 2 and once going up to 6, then when in longer hills drop 4. Only have couple rides in. Could see only having 4 speeds, or maybe even 3 speeds. Had to add, deer 20 has more power than I expected, it pulls me up hill pretty well even without pedaling, pleasant surprise. The way is takes off, have to admit caught me off-guard (but I like it) and the way it assists (I'm widow maker and open heart survivor) is perfect -- for first time in years I'm able to ride a bike again.

@RussIsRight

4 ай бұрын

👍

Got a Soltera one speed. I ride a lot - have 6,500 miles on it already. Can get along fine with the one speed. Add a little pedaling up a hill but mostly throttle. Think a good number of speeds is 3. With the electric assist no need for more. Keep it simple. Was a time when most bikes did have 3 speeds.

I rarely use the throttle, only when I have to avoid getting splattered by a ginormous SUV or macho man pickup, then I give it a burst of speed to get out of the situation.

I use pas 5and gear 7 peddling all the time

C lass 1, mid drive, no throttle, 12 speed. I get 60 miles on 600 wh battery.

@mickeyscott635

8 ай бұрын

Orbea Rise

How I start depends on whether I need to conserve battery or not.

I ride most of the time in 3 rd and petal all the time. when I ride up and down hills the gears get a work out. I petal when I get started and only used the throttled a few times. I only use p1 and p2 whan battery is charged. I starter using p3 when hills starter hurting when battery is low.

Yep, I use gears! I'm a former marathoner so I'm just used to it, and I pick my gear depending on my speed and cadence. For street cruising I'm usually in 5 or 6, then move to 7 for high speed. I don't use the lower gears much, but I will use gears 3 or 4 on mountain bike trails. It's rare, but I have used 1 or 2 for climbing extreme hills or berms. The cadence sensing design you're talking about? It's garbage and I'll never buy a bike that runs like that. The proper way (IMHO) to do cadence PAS is by current, and you just "pick your tailwind" and go whatever speed you like. I have 10 PAS levels going up in 75 watt steps, and I'll do 75 or 150 watts for good workout, 225 for average use with a nice level of assist, and 300 watts if I want it easy. It works so well that, although I've ridden torque sensor bikes, I like dynamic pedal assist better in most cases. The throttle is not tied to PAS level in any way, and even if the PAS level is zero, the throttle still can deliver full power. I mostly pedal and use the throttle for slight boosts, but if I'm jumping into traffic and competing with cars, it's all throttle baby! Mid drives have more torque? Yeah, that's what they tell people. In the real world riding with hundreds of mid drives, my experience is a little different 😉

I like to pedal so if the bike has a good torque sensor like Aventon has, then I find I only use like 6, 7 ,8 gear. I move around through them. I never use 1 to 5.

My lectric lite doesn't have gears I just ride on p.a.s 2 or 3. And if need more I will just move it up. No need for gears for me.

Hi Russ. I'm upgraded from Bafang controller to KT. Do you ever ride or have bike with KT controller (or bike with adjustable PAS)? They have adjustable 3 levels of PAS power (low/mid/high). Each level of PAS you can ride in 3 ways. If yes,which power you using(low/mid/high)? I know that you love using PAS Level 3 (but it seems standard power).

@RussIsRight

6 ай бұрын

Sorry, no.

I don’t think I can pedal anymore because both of my knees are bad. But I want a folding bike. I live in Florida so the only up hills will be a bridge going over the water. What do you think would be the best bike?

@RussIsRight

Ай бұрын

Well, my wife and I use the Magicycle Jaguarundi folding bikes when we ride together and travel away from our general area. If you want the best hill climbing bike I've tried, it would be the Magicycle Deer 20" bike. Their Ocelot Pro would also be a good choice. But both of these models are not folding bikes whereas the Jaguarundi is a folding bike. Visiting the Magicycle website using this link helps my channel if you plan to purchase an ebike. Please click on this link if you plan to order from Magicycle: bit.ly/Magicycle-RussIsRight Thanks

Hi Russ, I pedal all the time and I have the Jaguarundi 52v and I’ve noticed pedal slack meaning when I’m pedaling there is a slight bit of slack in the pedals and is that normal?

@RussIsRight

8 ай бұрын

Are you referring to ghost pedaling where you can’t feel resistance? Yeah that happens on a lot of e-bikes. They need to have better gear ratios to eliminate that when at higher speeds. Many riders complain about that regardless of brand.

@bluesuit3

8 ай бұрын

@@RussIsRight no not ghost pedaling more like a bit of slack in the pedal while pedaling. If you can imagine having slack in your car’s steering wheel it would be similar to that

@RussIsRight

8 ай бұрын

@bluesuit3 I have not experienced that.

@bluesuit3

8 ай бұрын

@@RussIsRight ok I was just wondering if the gears inside the pedal need to be tightened up

I was just wondering how hard could it be to wire a toggle switch to the front motor? "ON" when you need it, "OFF" when you don't. Save some battery. Anyway RIDE ON!

@RussIsRight

8 ай бұрын

Some bikes have that feature.

If you break a chain you can alwYs get home with the front motor

@RussIsRight

4 ай бұрын

I think you might mean by using the throttle.

I don't want a throttle at all. I'm already a couch potato. I don't need any more help.