64 year old male with decades of road bike experience.
6 ft tall / 230 lbs.
Over the years I’ve completed 3 double centuries, and numerous regular century rides, along with thousands of miles of regular old street or bike path riding.
All my riding has been recreational though, never racing within a cycling agency.
I’m now 2 months into my first EBike ownership.
2019 Raleigh Kodak IE Pro EMTB / Pedal Assist (Bosch Performance CX Motor)
I will probably spend 90% of my riding time on bike paths and gravel roads, with very few miles actually spent on mountain trails.
400 miles on the odometer and still going strong.
I also have a 2014 Specialized Roubaix SL4 Road Bike which until I bought the EBike, I considered the best / fastest bike I had ever ridden.
As I got older, heavier, and slower, I started looking towards the riding comfort of a wider, softer, lower pressure MTB versus the high pressure skinny ass street bike tire.
In 2014 I spent $3400 on the Roubaix, and I cringed at the cost.
In 2020 I spent $3000 on a new (last years model) Raleigh IE Pro EMTB, and again it was a lot of money to spend on something I may or may not enjoy.
After my first 40 mile EMTB ride, I knew I was hooked.
Now 2 months later, and 400 miles further, I still look forward to at least (3) spirited rides between 20 & 40 miles each week.
My biggest complaints to date have been rapid battery charge depletion and top speed envy (20 mph pedal assist limit)...lol
The Raleigh is real heavy (50+ lbs.), a spare 500 watt battery is about $900 dollars, It doesn’t handle or brake like the Roubaix, but DAMN I enjoy riding that bike.
The bike has no throttle. It is pedal assist only. If I don’t pedal, I stop moving...lol
There are 4 pedal assist modes (eco, tour, EMTB, turbo) to assist with the ride, and I typically spend most of my time in either EMTB, or Turbo.
The bike has a lot better range in eco & tour settings, but I like to cruise at the 20 mph mark as much as possible.
I made a decision after the first month of 20 mph riding to go ahead and give up my Bosch motor warranty by installing a Speedbox 3.0 tuner to remove the top speed limiter.
My bike, my money, my choice.
The bike now offers pedal assist well beyond the 40 mph mark and I am now limited by gearing instead of by a speed limiter.
I am also a licensed motorcycle rider and I’m sure I will get plenty of people telling me about the legalities of riding so fast on the street.
I look forward to many many hours of forum reading.
Regards,
Ray
SoCal
6 ft tall / 230 lbs.
Over the years I’ve completed 3 double centuries, and numerous regular century rides, along with thousands of miles of regular old street or bike path riding.
All my riding has been recreational though, never racing within a cycling agency.
I’m now 2 months into my first EBike ownership.
2019 Raleigh Kodak IE Pro EMTB / Pedal Assist (Bosch Performance CX Motor)
I will probably spend 90% of my riding time on bike paths and gravel roads, with very few miles actually spent on mountain trails.
400 miles on the odometer and still going strong.
I also have a 2014 Specialized Roubaix SL4 Road Bike which until I bought the EBike, I considered the best / fastest bike I had ever ridden.
As I got older, heavier, and slower, I started looking towards the riding comfort of a wider, softer, lower pressure MTB versus the high pressure skinny ass street bike tire.
In 2014 I spent $3400 on the Roubaix, and I cringed at the cost.
In 2020 I spent $3000 on a new (last years model) Raleigh IE Pro EMTB, and again it was a lot of money to spend on something I may or may not enjoy.
After my first 40 mile EMTB ride, I knew I was hooked.
Now 2 months later, and 400 miles further, I still look forward to at least (3) spirited rides between 20 & 40 miles each week.
My biggest complaints to date have been rapid battery charge depletion and top speed envy (20 mph pedal assist limit)...lol
The Raleigh is real heavy (50+ lbs.), a spare 500 watt battery is about $900 dollars, It doesn’t handle or brake like the Roubaix, but DAMN I enjoy riding that bike.
The bike has no throttle. It is pedal assist only. If I don’t pedal, I stop moving...lol
There are 4 pedal assist modes (eco, tour, EMTB, turbo) to assist with the ride, and I typically spend most of my time in either EMTB, or Turbo.
The bike has a lot better range in eco & tour settings, but I like to cruise at the 20 mph mark as much as possible.
I made a decision after the first month of 20 mph riding to go ahead and give up my Bosch motor warranty by installing a Speedbox 3.0 tuner to remove the top speed limiter.
My bike, my money, my choice.
The bike now offers pedal assist well beyond the 40 mph mark and I am now limited by gearing instead of by a speed limiter.
I am also a licensed motorcycle rider and I’m sure I will get plenty of people telling me about the legalities of riding so fast on the street.
I look forward to many many hours of forum reading.
Regards,
Ray
SoCal
