fooferdoggie 

Hard to believe I have ridden that much. Bought my first bike on the 23rd of November last year. I started out just commuting 20 miles a day then some longer rides on the weekends. But when the pandemic hit and there was nothing else to do I Started riding longer on the weekends. But then the wife and I got our e tandem and once she got sured to it we started riding everyday once I got home from work. So I went from 20 miles day to 30 to at my peak 35 to 40 a day. I peaked out at 252 miles in a week. I really rode too much and wore myself out. Now with it getting dark earlier and lots of rain we down ride very night. This week it was a paltry 198 (G) I did not sure strava till later in January so its does not have all my riding.

twowheeldesign

Congrats, that is a killer first year of riding! Enjoy year 2!

fooferdoggie 

the pandemic helped there was nothing else to do. 5 days a week I would ride to work run some errands ride home eat ride the tandem then go to bed and repeat. I was pushing out on my commute to see how mocha power I could sustain. my best was 189 watt average for 9.5 miles. but I was just riding too much and working 6 days week and it wore me out. Now its better.

Pop N Wood

Man I love it. I'm about to get a hip replacement. I would be ecstatic, and more than a little sore, if I hit 250 miles in a month.

Next spring I should be healed up and ready to roll again.

fooferdoggie 

ya that could slow you down. I cant believe I was riding that much. there was nothing else to do really.

cat0020

Do you keep track of maintenance and wear & tear cost?

How many tires, inner tubes, chain, brake pads, etc.. have you had to replace?

How much maintenance, chain lube, tire inflation, etc, have you had to do?

fooferdoggie 

Was a bit off it was 9000 miles. I used my odometer to keep track fo chain wear. first chain only lasted 1200 miles second 2500 and 3rd 3000. so far the front tire is original. I screwed up the back tire When I had a strap get wedge between the fender and the tire and locked the back wheel up at 30mph. on the second set of brake pads so far. but I bled the brakes a month ago they were getting a little mushy. I lube the chain once week in summer if I ride around 100 miles twice if I go more I use a dry lube so it stays pretty clean but it does not last long. in winter the same ore after a rain ride or two. my headset bearings were rising around April all those rain rides so I had them replaced with better bearings. got the bike tuned up a few months ago by a Mobile service. the tandem has only needed a chain replacement and pad replacement. but only has about 2600 miles on it. the tandem had some cheap below deore brakes that needed bleeding at 2000 miles we replaced them with 4 piston deore with 1 finger levers so much nicer and more powerful.

cat0020

Seems like the chain does take a beating.
Do you think it's from the extra torque of the electric motor?
Are different chains used after replacements? better chains?
Any significant wear & tear on the chain since 3000 miles?

fooferdoggie 

there are a lot of factors. when I first started riding I was pretty sick and my energy was low s oI rode in turbo mode thats 300% assist. plus it rained a lot and I used a wet lube so lots of gunk only 1200 miles on the kmc chain second chain a lot drier and a Shimano e chain and drier lube and I was using less assist. so I got 2500 miles last chain I was using even less assist and I got 3000 miles. I am trying a KMC chain again to see what happens. yes chains are abused on mid drives for sure. but the feel of the bike is so much better.

cat0020

Can you elaborate a little more on "the feel of the bike is so much better"; as in feel of new chain once replaced?
or
feel of mid-drive motor between Shimano chain vs KMC chain?

chas58

I'm guessing he likes mid drive more than hub.

chas58

That is hard to believe. but if you've already done almost 1,000 rides this year...

I did something like that on year- commuting 20miles every day, then another 100 miles doing "training" then on Sunday, I would ride another hundred miles with friends. Kinda added up!

you are an example of why they say that people with ebikes often get more exercise. It makes it fun and easy to get out.

fooferdoggie 

the mid drive feels like a normal bike making you feel stronger. no difference the chains. but it seems I use a bit less battery when I go over to a new chain. the first chain was a .75 wear in the 1200 miles and when I changed I got better battery milage it was noticeable.

fooferdoggie 

when I got the bike I was really sick. I have this weird problem with my boy I can only eat protein. I was tried all the time because I would slip and eat other things. but I was at a level of energy that was fairly low. higher then it had been but low. when I started riding I could only spin with full assist. but I could do the 20 miles a day. if I pushed at all I would be wobbly the nI was dine. took about 3 months of riding before I could start putting effort into it. it got better over the months and I could put more effort in and turn down the assist. the best ride I had was where I averaged 190 watts with my heart rate average of 140 over the 9.5 mile ride. but it was getting to be too much 240 miles a week and pushing my commute rides. I had to turn up the assist for a couple months. its coming back now but I am more careful. I want to workout the e bike lets me do it and go fast. sop I can keep up my average speed no matter how I feel. so it makes biking fun again.. I had to sell my recumbent about 3 or 4 years ago because I just did not have the energy to ride the 9.5 miles each way. Now my wife and I have out e tandem and she is riding a lot too. not every night now that it gets dark early and rains a lot but still several times week. I have it geared so we can climb 16% grades and steeper for a block or so.

cat0020

I'm pretty sure your physical condition has a lot to do with how well you feel on any given bike, regardless of what type of bike you ride.
Good to hear that you are riding so well and enjoying your different rides.

fooferdoggie 

yes. about 18 years ago I started riding I had these food problems then the symptoms were far worse. of course it was a standard road bike and I was lucky if I could do 10 mph. my lungs would be is tight and it was a battle to ride. but I kept it up and it took many months and it got better and I felt better. got to were I averaged at most 14mph on this same commute. got hit by a car 9not really injured) but I made the worst choice I thought could eat carbs again. took months to get sick again and I could not ride. I didn't to want to go through that again. so I gave up. finally sold my bent. then got a e scooter but doing a 9.5 mile commute on it sucked and in winter it was way too cold. last year I found out what e bikes really wore took a test ride and was hooked. Now I can ride 250 miles in a week. my energy levels are better then it has been in years. still not what a normal person has I don't think but great for me.

The e bike made it possible to ride without stressing my body I could go fast enough to make it fun and worth while. I can travel at 20 to 22mph at any level of effort I can sustain. Now between my commute and the tandem we never walk anywhere or ride public transportation now. (well my wife does some as she is blind and has to get to work) if I strictly control my food I do pretty well. its a daily struggle to eat like I have to but I don't have a choice about it. no doc or al the tests have helped at all. I cant do 50 miles on a ride hope to do much more when weather and such permit. but my e bike has been a life saver. I would never have the energy I have now if I did not ride. plus it keeps me off public transportation right now and thats a really good thing. its actually faster then riding the bus and about as fast as my friends can make the drive. I ride more then they drive.

Matthew913

Congrats on your first year success! Were you biking at all before this? Is the data you showed from an app? Thank you!

fooferdoggie 

not for maybe 5 years. I was too sick to do it. the e bike let me start with little effort. I don't know if I will ever be really healthy but riding as made me far more then I was. things have slowed down because its dark when I get home and rides at night are not really fun but for errands. but we ride longer on weekends. rain or shine.

Matthew913

It's definitely one of the benefits of an ebike. A lot of people are riding when they otherwise wound't be - but your story is inspiring and thanks for sharing. I hope that your health gets better.

fooferdoggie 

its a lot better overall. but my problems with food I think are lifetime. but its a lot of riding on protein only. I was pushing my effort too much at my peak when I was riding 30+ miles a day. it wore me out. so I had to use a lot more assist but I am coming back again. I am not going to try to see how hard I can ride on my commutes. my wife health has improved with the tandem rides. one of the things I really like is when I carry stuff it does not slow me down. I used to hate hauling groceries on my bent but on my e bike no big deal. with the pandemic having the bike has been great no riding the bus and since my wife is blind now she can get around too. I never walk anywhere now.

tallbikeman

Fooferdoggie have you ever been checked for celiac disease. My son suffers from this disease. In his case it appears to be genetic from his grandfather on his mother's side. Generally celiac disease means you cannot eat any form of gluten. Gluten is found in wheat and some wheat relatives. Besides the usual wheat products such as bread wheat gluten ends up in everything because wheat is used as a filler in processed food. This disease needs some doctor time to test you but if you have it the "cure" is relatively simple. No gluten at all. I am no doctor but your descriptions of your health issues mirrored my sons so just a suggestion.

fooferdoggie 

yes but you have to have eaten wheat for he test to work and its been a long time since I have eaten it. but carbs are my enemy they really tear me up. more then maybe 15 to 20 grams a day will cause me issues.