Getting around

While replacing the car I have a new kind of dilemma. How to get to the places? The optimum routes that I use by car are not optimum routes by bike. I mean I could pretty much use the same routes, as there are dedicated bike routes next to roads but why bother. Riding a bike next to busy road is not the most fun you can have, especially when the alternative routes are shorter and off from main traffic routes. We have many good bike routes that are completely separated from motor traffic.

Helsinki metropolitan bike map. It is free.

I have explored some tools to aid my navigation. In the process I even found couple of new routes to work. Roads change and there can be better routes than you were aware of. Over here the paper version of the local outdoor map is free. Electronic version can be found from  http://ulkoilukartta.fi. You could check if this kind of service is available at your local area.

Google Maps and phone mount. Phone can be charged from Intuvia computer.

Google Maps are great on this field as well. Beauty of Google is that you can navigate with a smart phone. https://maps.google.fi/. Over here Google is offering also bicycle and walking navigation. Bicycle navigation is in beta and often using the walk option gives better routes also for cycling. I checked out Bing Maps (Microsoft) and Here.com (Nokia), but for cycling use both of them loose to Google. Currently there is no comparison. However, development is fast on this area.

Garmin makes GPS almost for any use. But apparently not for a commuter cyclist.

I took a look at the dedicated GPS devices. Garmin seems to be offering the cycling model Edge 810 or 800 with a map and routing function, yet they don't include free map updates to that line. They have been pushed forward as training aids, heart rate, cadence, power etc meters. Garmin Finland recommended Montana line with European maps (sold separately) that would be around 700 euros with lifetime map updates. Montana line is big and heavy. Are those maps for car use? I got the impression that Garmin does not use bike routes. It really looks to me that Garmin does not appreciate the potential of commuting needs that e-bikes will create. I talked to Garmin rep at a fair today and he said that you would have to make waypoints to your route using a PC and then upload that to the GPS device.

That latest Mio cycling GPS the 500 series has just come out. I have not seen that device. Oh well, at this time I will see how far an Android phone (I suppose any smart phone would work the same) will take me. If I would want to follow my heart rate and cadence, I could do that with a smart phone as well, using solutions like Sports Tracker or Endomondo. Currently I'm happily using my phone as a map and navigator as well. I got the bike mount from Teknik Magasinet for 15 euros. Mount is cool. I tested it also with Sony Xperia Z and mount held that big phone with ease. Drawback with my current setup is rain. I need either weather sealed box for my current phone, or I just need to remove the phone if it starts raining or get a weather proof phone like that Sony (it is cheaper than the latest generation of Garmin GPS devices).

This mount can be installed to almost any orientation.

Week One

One week - 200 km. My pedelec'ing has started well. I've ridden to work and used bike for all the other errands as well. Average speed has been around 23 km/h. That coupled with the fact that you often get shorter routes with bike compared to the car. So far I have been lucky and enjoyed good weather. Then again rain would not be that bad. You just need to have right gear with you.

Intuvia e-bike computer

My commute to work is 12.5 to 13 km one way and  it has taken 30 to 35 minutes. By car it takes about 20 minutes. When I ride the bike, I am outside moving in fresh air. I don't get the "morning rush" frustration that one can sometimes experience in rush hour traffic by car. I've not done the commute the easiest possible way so far. Little sweating, but nothing heavy like "all out" cycling would be. Granted I'm not in the best possible shape. I really haven't done regular physical exercises for months. So far I have not monitored my heart rate. I have not gone to anaerobic zone at anyone time, yet I have managed to maintain nice and constant pace.

Bike with the panniers

It feels safer to commute now with pedelec than my earlier commuting with bike. Or maybe it is me getting older and less pedals-to-the-wall attitude. When I used to ride the Trek Fuel major frustration was loosing the speed and then regaining it. E.g. you have to give way to a car yet I had right of way. I've also noticed that now I have no problem of slowing down to safer situational speed. This week I passed a mother with 2 small kids who were just learning to ride a bike. I slowed down, passed them by very slowly and safely and I was back at the 25 km/h with ease. In the old days of my commuting I would have just looked if there would have been room to pass them from the grass and passed them at some 30 km/h.  I did that a few times - well that is something you can do with full suspension XC bike, but it does not mean it is smart thing to do! I feel that one of the biggest advantages pedelec has in commute is the ability gain back the lost speed without too much effort coupled with the assist on uphill and headwind.

Front brake

Cannondale has 9 speeds, but with the assist on I have used maybe 3-4. So far I have not really gone down from Turbo assist mode. I suppose once I will start experimenting with the lesser assist modes I will be using more gears. Brakes of my bike are just awesome  Once you have experienced hydraulic brakes on a bike it is hard to go back. Rear brake is little squeeky. That is something I will be taking up when I will take the bike to the 1st maintenance after 300 km

Drive and Pedal

One thing is wrong with the bike: Pedals! I miss the sound click-click at the start of the ride. Clipless pedals are just right for any bike. And I can sense how much more effective the boost would be if I could spin properly. There has to be a way to use this kind of bike without being forced to wear special shoes with cleats.

Unboxing

Tuesday the 30th April the bike was supposed to be ready around the noon. I packed a small backpack with some rain gear, couple of different riding gloves (weather really was not that warm around 6 deg C), a scarf and helmet. After that I bummed a ride from my brother and off to the Bike store...

I just left my backpack to car and in we went. There it was standing. Battery charged and ready to roll. Time to take a close look of the bike and get it ready to be ridden out.

Alfine hub dynamo with Trelock LS 865 light. This model has been meant for German markets. 

Intuvia control unit and Magura brakes. Headshock locking lever.

Drive unit is visible under the bottom bracket Battery pack can be seen in the rack. Same lock works for battery pack and to bike lock. That is major convenience factor. Rack mounted battery will also leave the frame free for bottles. Tail light takes its energy from the dynamo not from the battery pack.

Pretty heavy to be scaled with a tool that is meant to be attached to carbon fibre frame - not to an unbalanced piece of aluminum like this. The battery and electric drive unit make the bike tail heavy.

After that couple of bottle holders were attached to the bike. Some tools and spare tires packed as well. I also got ready and picked spiked winter tires. Unfortunately I could not find panniers that I liked. Time to settle the bill and head out. Correct tire pressure was set.  Helmet to the head, final adjustments to the seat. I wanted to make some changes to settings of  intuvia as well. Cannondale had not send the Intuvia manual with the bike, but the older manual. Fortunately I had downloaded right manual from Cannondale web site and checked it before. So it was not too hard to change the language and do other set ups to the computer.

Next stop was in Olari to North-West imports to check out the panniers. I had never ridden there by bike.  Fired up Google maps and checked where I should ride. One must just like applications like that in modern phones. It was nice to do a first ride with some purpose. Great way of getting used the the bike.
The weight of the bike can be felt. Especially when you are riding without assistance. Once you get the motor assist climbing in head wind goes with ease.

Anyhow I got to the pannier store. Talked about my needs with the staff. I had thought of getting Ortlieb Bike-Tourers, but after chatting in the store I ended up getting Ortlieb Bike-Packer Plus in black of course. Main argument being the soft pannier can be tightened so the contents do not shake during the ride. That makes a lot of sense. I also got a saddle bag. Panniers were installed to my bike at the store and it was time to head home.

I ended up riding close to 38 km in one hour and 40 minutes during the 1st day. First impression about Cannondale E-series. It is not "fun ride" like my Trek Fuel.

Trek Fuel 90: My other bike

Then again it should not be anything like Fuel. After all other is full suspension mountain bike and Cannondale is trekking pedelec. Climbing uphill in headwind  at good speed makes you smile. With the Fuel that kind of climb would have send my heart bumping really hard, filled the legs with lactic acid and I could not have done it as fast.

Also worth noting: I had no aches or pains after the  first ride. Riding was comfortable, even after only quick adjustments were made to the bike at the start. As I started to compare apples and oranges it is certain that with Fuel I would not have done that distance in hour and 40 minutes. Yet I felt I had enjoyed healthy exercise in fresh air. I like this Bike!