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E-bike and snow

Old 11-28-21, 11:59 AM
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Saluki1968
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E-bike and snow

11.28.2021 - Went out late this morning for a ride on my new Ariel Rideal. Rural road was snow packed, and with tire pressure reduced to 25psi, had excellent traction. Only saw 3 or 4 vehicles and as the road is a loop, speed limit is 30mph. Temperature was 12F and wind was calm, so very comfortable. Just used the pedal assist and stayed in 1st and second gear. Did a bit over 5 miles. Saranac Lake, NY
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Old 11-28-21, 02:23 PM
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Nice! Looks like optimal traction for a rear hub system.
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Old 11-29-21, 10:47 AM
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And we are having rain at 4,000 and 5,000 feet, melting all the snow up there and causing flood down lower.
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Old 11-29-21, 01:12 PM
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I haven't yet ridden my ebike in the extreme cold, but I wonder how 12F reduces the mileage range of the battery? I know the extreme cold dramatically reduces the life of my Garmin bike computer, by greater than 50%.
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Old 11-29-21, 01:16 PM
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Beautiful day for an ebike.

I highly recommend studded tires. The ebike doesn't care. I've been doing this for decades, but ice still manages to surprise me no matter how skilled and experienced I think I am. having a sprained ankle for 6 weeks takes all the fun out of it.

Stay safe out there.
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Old 12-04-21, 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Riveting
I haven't yet ridden my ebike in the extreme cold, but I wonder how 12F reduces the mileage range of the battery? I know the extreme cold dramatically reduces the life of my Garmin bike computer, by greater than 50%.
Keep the battery in a warm area until you ride. It has significant mass and probably will not cold-soak enough in the course of the ride to be a problem. Some riders add some sort of insulated wrap to retain the warmth for longer durations. Don't leave a discharged battery in the cold, and always allow it to come to room temp before charging.

Cold will seriously reduce the battery output, but unless the battery is actually frozen they will generally recharge fine after coming back up to room temp. Unlike extreme heat which will cause serious damage.
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Old 12-28-21, 01:15 PM
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Riding in Snow just means slowing down and being prepared for dicey conditions if the snow gets icy....You can have even a FAT Bike go out from under you in ICY Conditions. I ride mostly on Groomed Snowmobile trails, so ice isn't too big of a problem. Snow can be a challenge if it gets deep on the trail even with a firm base underneath. Takes so much more power to keep up your momentum. Winter snow riding I use 12 lbs. tire pressure.

I am still looking for a good Warm Wrap for my Battery. Does anyone make a good fairly universal E-Bike Battery Blanket or Wrap???

Happy Trails and All Season Riding,
Gary
Stanley, Idaho
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Old 12-31-21, 08:34 AM
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cat0020
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Some excellent ebike tips for cold winter:
https://electrek.co/2021/12/31/ridin...experts-first/

Last edited by cat0020; 12-31-21 at 04:40 PM.
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