4500+ Miles US Ebike Tour - August 2014

[grindz145]

So I guess I'm getting closer and closer to actually doing this.

Here is a very vague plan:


The idea
It came to my attention last year that the world record electric bike journey was at a mere 2500 miles. I knew full well that Justin had done more than that on his cross country Canada trip years prior, so it was kind of lark. Subsequently a crazy canuck rode an electric scooter across Canada, bringing the official record up to 4200 miles or so: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/7000/longest-journey-on-an-motorized-bicycle.

So for a long time I dreamed about what was possible. As it turned out, I ended up with a whole month of vacation this year... What better way to blow it than on a cross-country ebike trip?

Timing
The plan is basically to take the entire month of August and just ride. I need to basically average 200 miles a day.... for the entire month


The Bike
-2kWh pack
-OG goldenmotor hub which already has 8000 odd miles on it
-18 fet controller built by myself
-600W onboard mean well charger
-additional 900W air breathing charger
-2 monster headlights
-2 monster tailights
-GPS
-4 USB ports
-Melodica

The support truck
There aint' none...


What do you think? Am I crazy?

 

[grindz145]

RESERVED

 

[Paderolis]

I didn't see action camera on that list!!

 

[grindz145]

I didn't see action camera on that list!!

Ahh, forgot to mention that I will be video blogging the ordeal on a daily basis

Just got a new Canon S110 for this purpose. My go pro doesn't read any SD cards anymore, so it might just be the cannon

 

[Ykick]

Yes, very crazy and nucking futs, but I love it!

I've done several cross country trips on 1100cc moto's using pretty much same route(s). It's not always sunshine and Unicorns with thunderstorms, bugs, road debris, drunks, etc. Main thing is to be realistic but it's your vacation so up to you about how to spend it. Don't fool yourself, that's a long, long, way and gonna be very HOT and desolate in many places.

Have you ever heard of this crazy bicycle race?

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/nightline-fix-abc-news/extreme-ride-lifetime-taking-cross-country-bike-race-132658081.html

I've been toying with the idea of mirroring something like that using eBike and enlist my dad/brother in support RV. Maintain a steady stream of charged batteries available 24/7. Not as cool as what you're planning but the idea of a "Cannonball eBike Rally" is kinda tempting....

 

[grindz145]

I hear you.

I've been across the US on m Sport Touring bike 4 different times. Even at 70mph 7000 miles is a LONG way

The heat is what I'm more worried about. It's going to be murder on my equipment for sure.

 

[liveforphysics]

Life is about the experiences you gather.

Do it.

 

[veloman]

Go for it. What tires are you running? motor temp sensor? Bring extra controller/throttle/tire lots of tube. Chain tool, set up a good mirror. Get a high vis backpack or other color on the rear of bike. What's the longest ebike ride you've done? set up a front fairing and other easy aero mods.

 

[Eskimo]

To bring in some realism, that 200 miles per day is very much. Even 150 miles per every day is a lot. A lot.
Chargers you got all right. To ride 200 miles per day you have to keep up such a speed that your power consumption is gonna be pretty high. To nail 200 miles per day your average speed has to be around 20 mph minimum, if you are gonna eat without hurry, etc. 20 mph average speed eats electrons at high rate. Don"t get me wrong, go for it. 100 miles per day is pretty comfy day distance for me. You can do it with slower speed, lower consumption.

 

[arkmundi]

Be sure to pack a list of Amtrak stations on the route for the I just can't do this fr#%(&^ trip any more moment. And all the tools to disassemble & pack the bike back - Amtrak has boxes you can buy. The Rockies will be a bitch! But yea, go for it for sure. Where you going to vlog it?

 

[grindz145]

Go for it. What tires are you running? motor temp sensor? Bring extra controller/throttle/tire lots of tube. Chain tool, set up a good mirror. Get a high vis backpack or other color on the rear of bike. What's the longest ebike ride you've done? set up a front fairing and other easy aero mods.

-Hookworms, I go through the rear at a rate of about 1 / 2000 miles unfortunately
-No motor temp sensor, but after 8000 miles I know what I can and Cant good, and honestly, I keep it limited to 20A in the CA. Unless there is a major hill, I'm in good shape, but maybe not in the desert...
-I have motorcycle mirror
-high vis helmet
-I've done several hundred mile weekend trips, but nothing even approaching this
-I agree with extra controller for sure, planning for an extra sensorless controller, just in case
-No aero mods will be possible by next week. Frankly at 25, they have fairly limited use, still I like the concept :wink:

 

[grindz145]

Be sure to pack a list of Amtrak stations on the route for the I just can't do this fr#%(&^ trip any more moment. And all the tools to disassemble & pack the bike back - Amtrak has boxes you can buy. The Rockies will be a bitch! But yea, go for it for sure. Where you going to vlog it?

I'll post the stuff here, I'll probably upload it to my youtube channel or something.

 

[grindz145]

Life is about the experiences you gather.

Do it.

couldn't agree more

 

[dogman dan]

Awesome. If you are nuts enough to do the I 10 route in August do let me know. You got support anywhere within a 200 mile circle of El Paso.

I was seriously thinking of some long tours this summer, but then the worst happened, a job.

 

[veloman]

My HT/HS hubs get pretty hot here in TX when it's 95 outside, even at 20wh/mile and 800w peak. I don't have a temp sensor, but fairly hot to the touch.

My fairing on the ebike cuts about 20% of consumption at 25mph. That's a lot of extra miles when you are doing 200/day.

 

[dbaker]

Do it! Should be ES support available some places along your route.

 

[grindz145]

Awesome. If you are nuts enough to do the I 10 route in August do let me know. You got support anywhere within a 200 mile circle of El Paso.

I was seriously thinking of some long tours this summer, but then the worst happened, a job.

Jobs ruin everything. :-D

Thanks man! I'm still not sure about the route. I will be largely making it up as I go depending on what happens.

I've enjoyed hot summer motorbike trip in that area in the past but I worry about it on a gangster spec ebike for thermal purposes.

 

[grindz145]

My HT/HS hubs get pretty hot here in TX when it's 95 outside, even at 20wh/mile and 800w peak. I don't have a temp sensor, but fairly hot to the touch.

My fairing on the ebike cuts about 20% of consumption at 25mph. That's a lot of extra miles when you are doing 200/day.

That's really good to have data on that man thanks. 20 percent is totally worth it. Thanks for sharing your data. When I talked to Craig vetter on the nerdcast and he didn't belive that they would be very effective. Of course his experience is in gas powered motorcycles so he may just not have enough data. I'm sure mainly cyclists with velomobiles and other streamlined bikes would agree that they are well worth the trouble.

 

[grindz145]

Do it! Should be ES support available some places along your route.

This forum is nothing but support my friend, I love it.

 

[wineboyrider]

Look at the bright side if you decide to pass through the Desert southwest in summer and travail the Jornado del Muerto your ebike can handle anything! Good luck bro! If you are nearby and timing is right pm me can always offer some juice encouragement etc.

 

[grindz145]

Look at the bright side if you decide to pass through the Desert southwest in summer and travail the Jornado del Muerto your ebike can handle anything! Good luck bro! If you are nearby and timing is right pm me can always offer some juice encouragement etc.

This is true. I'm still trying to decide what the route is going to be exactly. I may only go out to denver and then wind around the east coast a little bit. I absolute love the desert in the west though. I just found it incredible surreal when I rode through it in my early 20s and It's never lose its' allure. I may not know my ultimate route even when I leave. I may just make it up as I go

 

[arkmundi]

Back in the days when I could, I'd hit the trails in the White Mountains. I bumped into folks aiming to become part of the http://www.amc4000footer.org/. There aught be an eBike 4000+ mile club honoring those intrepid travelers among us who successfully rigged their gear, mind & body to complete such journeys.

 

[grindz145]

I like the concept so far

The official record holder right now did the ride on an electric scooter. While I commend him for his style points (he did ride the bike off a pier into the Atlantic ocean at the end It is hardly an ebike at all. The bike probably qualifies as an ebike in Canada technically, but it doesn't even have pedals. The journey is just about as long as Justin's original journey too.

[youtube]solmu8cCL9U[/youtube]

The solar power thing was a nice touch though

[youtube]L0T_wCdKsu0[/youtube]

P.S. I love Canada.

 

[grindz145]

4 days until I would like to leave, and things aren't going super-great. Managed to shoot the bike across the backroom, on accident this evening. Took a nice chunk out of my shin with the pedal in the process. Very much behind on everything... we'll see how this goes...

 

[voicecoils]

Great idea!

Last year I crossed Australia by ebike ~3400 miles in about 35 days with 2 other guys on eZee bikes. I carried 2 kWh of lithium and could do 125 miles per charge. Longest days were ~155 miles made possible by charging at lunch.

I found averaging around 100 miles a day worked well, many days much longer was physically tiring with so many hours in the saddle. But, if you found a way to average 25 mph then hitting 200 miles/day would be much more doable.

Details of our trip: http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=52355