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Electric Tandem

Michael Gibson2024-08-21 10:50:36

Hello Anyone That Can Help,

As everyone is now slowly transferring to electric assisted tandeming I thought I'd better start looking into it. Reluctant to pay for the cost of a full electric tandem I thought I'd try a solo electric bike first. I bought a Specialised Vado 4.0 SL,bike has a crank drive motor (Make - Brose) and Shimano derailleur. On steep hills the electric power just dies a death and so do I.

Has anyone experienced this effect on electric tandems or solos for that matter and if you have have you found a solution.

Regards, Michael

 

Edmund Dunstan2024-08-21 12:40:12

I have a bit of e-bike experience, not on a tandem. Sounds to me as if the bike's faulty: a central-drive bike motor should be working near its sweet spot, at optimum revs, all the time as it's working through the gears, so long as you drop into low gears on hills. I have had this problem on a hub-motor bike when my speed has fallen on a long steep hill, but this shouldn't happen with yours.

Take it back to the vendor, I suggest.

John Filer2024-08-21 12:54:34

I agree with Edmund. I have a Bosch crank motor and I've never noticed a loss of power, even on long steep hills.

My wife has a 'in wheel' motor on her e-bike which does reduce power due to the higher current needed on hills.

John Brace2024-08-21 13:05:57
We have an orbit electric assist from JD tanems with a shimano steps electric motor. Absolutely no problem with power or range. Love our tandem. Cruised up a 1 in 5 with contemptuous ease. Speak to Jamie at JD tandem  and the loan you on before you buy. The hill round Gargrave prove what a tandem the orbit is.
Tim Limberger2024-08-21 13:41:27

My wife has a Specialized Vado 2 and it goes up hills with no problem. I agree with Edmund - yours sounds faulty.

Also, I've fitted a Tongsheng mid-drive motor to my recumbent tandem and that works great.

Tim Limberger2024-08-21 13:41:27

My wife has a Specialized Vado 2 and it goes up hills with no problem. I agree with Edmund - yours sounds faulty.

Also, I've fitted a Tongsheng mid-drive motor to my recumbent tandem and that works great.

Tim Limberger2024-08-21 13:41:27

My wife has a Specialized Vado 2 and it goes up hills with no problem. I agree with Edmund - yours sounds faulty.

Also, I've fitted a Tongsheng mid-drive motor to my recumbent tandem and that works great.

Stephen Todd2024-08-21 13:42:22

I agree with the above. A mid-drive should take advantage of the gears and always be running near optimum speed.  As Edmund and John say, a hub motor can have problems when it is going too slowly; not only does it need more current but efficiency drops off hugely. We have an XF07 front hub on a basic Viking tandem and the effect is very noticeable; about 35% efficiency at 6mph. It's very good for our needs, but certainly not perfect.

https://ebikes.ca/tools/simulator.html?motor=MXUS_XF07&batt=B3617_35E&cont=cust_17_70_0.03_V&wheel=700c&mass=160&axis=mph&grade=10&hp=200

John Watts2024-08-21 15:16:41

I know they aren't cheap but you won't go far wrong with an orbit from JD Tandems at gargrave and look at it this way you are just spending the kids inheritance 

john 

Kay Parkyn2024-08-21 17:42:06

I have to agree with both John Brace & John Watts above!!

Massive fans of JD Tandems, lived the fact we could take one out on trial first, for as far as we wanted to go so that we could get a proper feel for the bike.

Laughed at spending the kids inheritance!!! They earn more than we ever did so they were quite happy for us 😂

2024-08-21 18:34:21

I think my electric is also faulty. I was told to download the app and update the settings. Has anybody else experienced this? Surely a battery is a battery and a plug is a plug. They either work or not and has nothing to do with any app.

I say its faulty

Does anybody rely on an app to keep their electric bike working???

Giles Orton2024-08-22 10:14:48
I have the Pendix system retro-fitted to a Circe Helios. It does have an App - but this simply enables better monitoring of the level of charge. Insofar as I have been able to work it out, the actual control of the drive still has to come from the physical switches on the battery which are a bit of a pain to get at while cycling along. Control from the app on my phone mounted on the handlebars would be nice to have.