I had a funny thing happen the other day, when I experienced unexpected behavior from my ebike. I remembered it just now, while watching some Cromotor YouTube videos where they zip around playing with all that torque. :thumb:
Anyway, there was sort of a bikepath rage element in this case, too. The bikepath was pretty active, joggers, skateboards, e-skateboards, e-scooters, bikes, ebikes, hoverboards, etc. I use my coasting button a lot in these situations, so I can ride slow and navigate around traffic. I'm in no hurry, since it's just nice to be outside. So I'm behind a family of 5. It was amusing to watch these three little kids, maybe even triplets, obviously on one of their first rides with training wheels. Mom and Dad flanking them on either side, giving verbal instructions and corralling them like cattle to keep them going in the right direction. Could have been me and my wife 20-odd years ago :lol:.
Anyway, we get to the crosswalk (streets intersect the path every few blocks), and the light is about the change. My plan was to go way around the right once the family cleared the curb by a safe distance. Imagine how painfully slow starting those little bikes, with little training wheels, with those tiny little legs. HA, the light is long, so no problem. Well just as the kids get their front wheels past the curb, these two teenagers, on mountain bikes, fly up on the dirt off to the right side of the path, jump off the curb, right in front of the kids in the crosswalk, and zoom off down the path. The kids froze as their parents tried to coax them to start pedaling again. The light changed, but the cars all waited, witness to the event.
Well as they clear the curb, I followed Plan A, and maneuvered around without incident. But here's where the bikepath rage kicks in
. I speed down the path; well not really speeding, I'm in low on the 3 position switch. At the next intersection, well you can guess. They looked like brothers; messing around off the side of the path and sidewalk while the light was red. I pull up to the crosswalk. When the light changed, the older brother darts around my left and down the path. I'm just riding normal, but happen to be in a position where the little brother has to slow down and navigate around. I'm just riding normal, He mumbles something inaudible when passing, trying to catch up with his brother. So I tailgate him. His legs are spinning the cranks like a hamster as he shifts through the gears. I never shift. He happens to glance back and sees me, then pedals even faster (I could hear him huffing), and keeps looking back. 
I'm close enough for drafting, saving watts 
. Don't worry, we were still socially distanced by a couple wheel lengths and I had my gaiter. 
So he's just about to catch his brother, and it's going to be 2 wide as he catches him, but now I'm also passing on the left (path is 3 lanes in some parts, with a 3rd slow/passing lane). We're 3 wide, like NASCAR, as I ghost pedal by, but then, foolishly, I move my 3 position switch from 1 to 2, while my throttle is pegged. All I can tell you is I just about crapped my pants when my bike lunged forward, front wheel off the ground. I literally advanced 20 extra feet forward in a microsecond.
I hear the little brother say "whaaAAAAAaaaat???" as I flew by, doppler effect and all. It was like using the nitrous button on a hotrod. The nearest I can tell, switching from one position to the next puts a LOT more watts instantaneously into the motor than you could ever do by rolling on the throttle, especially through the cycle analyst; even with my little motor.
I may have to build a big hub bike someday.
The Cromotor videos look pretty entertaining, power wheelies at speed just by rolling on the throttle. 
Of course, today I guess it would be QS. :wink:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lb1P3CKC_w
Anyway, there was sort of a bikepath rage element in this case, too. The bikepath was pretty active, joggers, skateboards, e-skateboards, e-scooters, bikes, ebikes, hoverboards, etc. I use my coasting button a lot in these situations, so I can ride slow and navigate around traffic. I'm in no hurry, since it's just nice to be outside. So I'm behind a family of 5. It was amusing to watch these three little kids, maybe even triplets, obviously on one of their first rides with training wheels. Mom and Dad flanking them on either side, giving verbal instructions and corralling them like cattle to keep them going in the right direction. Could have been me and my wife 20-odd years ago :lol:.
Anyway, we get to the crosswalk (streets intersect the path every few blocks), and the light is about the change. My plan was to go way around the right once the family cleared the curb by a safe distance. Imagine how painfully slow starting those little bikes, with little training wheels, with those tiny little legs. HA, the light is long, so no problem. Well just as the kids get their front wheels past the curb, these two teenagers, on mountain bikes, fly up on the dirt off to the right side of the path, jump off the curb, right in front of the kids in the crosswalk, and zoom off down the path. The kids froze as their parents tried to coax them to start pedaling again. The light changed, but the cars all waited, witness to the event.
Well as they clear the curb, I followed Plan A, and maneuvered around without incident. But here's where the bikepath rage kicks in
. I speed down the path; well not really speeding, I'm in low on the 3 position switch. At the next intersection, well you can guess. They looked like brothers; messing around off the side of the path and sidewalk while the light was red. I pull up to the crosswalk. When the light changed, the older brother darts around my left and down the path. I'm just riding normal, but happen to be in a position where the little brother has to slow down and navigate around. I'm just riding normal, He mumbles something inaudible when passing, trying to catch up with his brother. So I tailgate him. His legs are spinning the cranks like a hamster as he shifts through the gears. I never shift. He happens to glance back and sees me, then pedals even faster (I could hear him huffing), and keeps looking back. I'm close enough for drafting, saving watts . Don't worry, we were still socially distanced by a couple wheel lengths and I had my gaiter. So he's just about to catch his brother, and it's going to be 2 wide as he catches him, but now I'm also passing on the left (path is 3 lanes in some parts, with a 3rd slow/passing lane). We're 3 wide, like NASCAR, as I ghost pedal by, but then, foolishly, I move my 3 position switch from 1 to 2, while my throttle is pegged. All I can tell you is I just about crapped my pants when my bike lunged forward, front wheel off the ground. I literally advanced 20 extra feet forward in a microsecond.
I hear the little brother say "whaaAAAAAaaaat???" as I flew by, doppler effect and all. It was like using the nitrous button on a hotrod. The nearest I can tell, switching from one position to the next puts a LOT more watts instantaneously into the motor than you could ever do by rolling on the throttle, especially through the cycle analyst; even with my little motor.I may have to build a big hub bike someday.
The Cromotor videos look pretty entertaining, power wheelies at speed just by rolling on the throttle. Of course, today I guess it would be QS. :wink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lb1P3CKC_w
