My eBike by Tom Evans

New eBike owners exhume hyperbole with their recent investment. These battery-assisted two-wheelers aren’t cheap. I could have purchased two quality road bikes for what I paid for my new Specialized VADO 5.0 SL. Nevertheless, I opened my wallet with great expectations.

Fifteen years ago, as a serious 62-yo bicyclist, I routinely racked up 5000 miles annually. That’s when I had the legs and the heart to average 16-17 mph on Tennessee hills. But time took its toll. I became the anchor on most group rides. I accepted my diminished place in the turtle “bale, nest, turn, or dole.”  I was the turtle amongst the turtles. I was lucky to average 12 mph for an annual 1000 miles. I decided to accept the obvious. No, not quit riding – to get an eBike.

The options were numerous: from something not much different than a moped to disguised road bike. I settled on the latter to maintain some kind of respectability with the real bicyclists. I hoped to restore my biking capability to those good old days.

When selecting an eBike, it was important to remember basic physics. The size of the motor in watts determines how much assistance I was going to get. Typically, eBike motors start at 250 watts and go up to 750 watts (which is the largest legal bike motor in the US.) Also, watts equal weight. Big motors weigh more and require bigger batteries, which also weigh more.  I would have to carry that added weight even when I am not using the motor.

I compromised on the Specialized VADO SL (SL = super light). It came with a 250 watt motor and 320 watt-hour battery and bragged about weighing a mere 33 pounds. That weight, of course was for the small frame. Change that to the extra-large version, add the rack and kick stand with the EQ version, and expect more weight. I was told my extra-large VADO 5.0 SLEQ weighed in around 37 pounds. That was lighter than most eBikes.

For me, the Specialized VADO 5.0 SL EQ was the perfect choice. Although it was a hybrid, it vaguely resembled a “real” bike and didn’t have a big bulky battery strapped to the down tube, It wasn’t too heavy, under 40 pounds, and was setup as a tour bike with fenders, a kick stand, and a rack.  I modified my bike for some serious bike touring with my SpiderFlex seat and panniers.

The Spccialized VADO also came equipped with hydraulic disk brakes and twelve-speed gearing. The large 44t chain-ring to 46t cassette was a real plus on the hills but the 44t to 10t at the other end topped out around 24 mph, unless I was pedaling like hell. My VADO was a Class 3 bike which could do 28 mph before the “assist” turned off. Unless I am in a downhill glide, my bike was not going to get to 28 mph.

To make full use of the eBike’s capability, I had to learn how to take advantage of the motor. I was looking for both assist on the climbs and distance for rides. The first important factor that I had to learn was -- a 250 watt motor was only going to give me so much help. Typically that was 2x, no matter what my setting: ECO, SPORT, or TURBO.

The VADO paired to my cellphone via its MISSION CONTROL app. With this program I “tuned” the motor. I set each of the modes as follows: ECO at 37% to 60% assist. The SPORT at 60% to 90%, and the TURBO at 100% assist.

Again, it was a matter of physics. A 250 watt motor was not going to power a 280 pound load (biker, bike, and pannier load) up a hill. It provided noticeable help, but I still had to help, a lot.

I have taken the VADO on several group rides, some with other VADO riders and some with non-ebike riders. My range with my 320 watt-hour battery varied from 45 miles to over 60 miles. I never got the advertised 80 mile range, which was probably the bike-alone range. Physics was physics. I was not magically going to get 80 miles. I needed a riding strategy.

I had to learn “when” to make use of the motor assist. When riding with other VADO bikers, we created this game of seeing who can get the most range from their bike. That required turning the motor on only when needed, When riding on a flat route, the added weight of the bike did not make a lot of difference. Rarely, did I turn on the motor. As I approached an incline, I first made use of the gearing and then, when that topped out, as noted by the lactic acid burn in my legs, I added in the motor. On the downside, it was -- all coasting, no motor and minimal pedaling.  With that plan, I could expect to get 60-plus mile range and I could expect to challenge the better non-motorized cyclists. I had to time it right. Flick off the motor too soon and I felt like I suddenly had flat tires and was pulling a sled.

The other big plus was personal psychology. Before the ebike, I was lucky to ride 25 miles every other day. And, that was with pain. With the ebike I now rode almost every day more than 25 miles with little pain. I had absolutely confirmed the claim that “with an ebike one gets MORE exercise and not less.” With the ebike I was not stressing/tearing up leg muscle that an 78 year- old was unable to rebuild without a lot of rest. I knew I could now ride without pain, so I did it far more often. 

The ebike also provided me with the opportunity to take pleasurable 30-mile long “strolls.”  Knowing I had the range, I left the motor in ECO mode for the entire distance. That felt like riding with a 25-mph wind always at my back. I didn’t notice slight fluctuations in elevation. With my very large pannier attached to the rear rack, I began to use the bike for short errands around town. It was five miles from my house to the nearest store. With my 30-mile, leave-the-motor-on range, I even managed that with my pannier piled full of groceries.

For me, the bottom-line for buying an ebike was simple. In 2020, I got maybe 1000 miles for the entire year. I could no longer do group rides or tours. I seriously planned to quit riding, except on rare occasions. I was retired and didn’t have a lot of engagements on my calendar. I could take many hours for those errands. Plus at my age, regular exercise was critical. Becoming sedentary was much too easy and a physical disaster. If my health holds out, the ebike has extended my time on a bike for who knows how long.