380: eBike Shakedown Takeaways + 2025 Adventures

380: eBike Shakedown Takeaways + 2025 Adventures

Author: Tim Mooney October 17, 2024 Duration: 37:47

So, the ebike works… and my confidence is up! What were my takeaways from the shakedown ride and what are the kinds of rides I'm considering for 2025 and beyond for my electric wonder?

 

Housekeeping 

 

Live Show! Friday December 6 at 9pm ET/6pm PT - topics TBA, and of course it'll be the pod for the following week if you can't make it live. Links and more at pedalshift.net/live.

 

We have a new adventure lined up in a totally new to me state! Preview episode next week!

 

Takeaways

 

The bike works and I might be a better mechanic than I thought

I may have underestimated the range on this battery

I may have underestimated the recharge capabilities of the "slow charger" but maybe not

I need more hand positions (Jones Bar? Something else?)

I really should finish the bike but if I'm cutting cables I want to figure out the handlebars and height first

I'm going to buy all the things to outfit this without borrowing from my other bikes

 

The Future

 

I considered bringing this bike for my annual Florida ride, then reconsidered

Positioning an ebike for a ride is complex because transportation has to be by ground or shipping

I want to do more shakedowns before going "over the wall"

C&O to Cumberland and back (or train)

Full GAP/CO

East Coast Greenway segments from DC north and south

Connect OTET to Katy (Dayton-St. Louis)

KC to Denver

Denver to the Pacific Coast

What are you interested in hearing about?

 


There’s a particular kind of freedom that comes from traveling by bicycle, where the journey itself becomes the destination. The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures, hosted by Tim Mooney, delves into that experience through a mix of personal stories, practical advice, and wide-ranging conversations. Rather than just a how-to guide, this podcast feels like sitting down with a knowledgeable friend after a long day on the road. You’ll hear firsthand accounts from fellow bike tourists, each with their own unique tales from the pavement and gravel, alongside Tim’s own reflections and experiments in bicycle touring. The discussions naturally cover the logistical tips and tricks that make trips smoother, but they also explore the cultural and educational aspects of moving through the world at a human pace. It’s about more than gear and routes; it’s about the connections made and the perspectives gained when you embrace a slower, more engaged form of travel. This audio companion to Pedalshift.net aims to demystify bicycle adventure, making it feel accessible and deeply rewarding. By sharing these stories and ideas, the hope is to inspire your own two-wheeled explorations, proving that a bicycle can indeed shrink the world in the most wonderful way. Tune in for a thoughtful, grounded take on seeing the world from the saddle.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Podcast Episodes
Spring Break: Clean-Up Tour Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:44
I'd ridden an ok amount that year, but to be honest, as the year was winding down I realized there were two spots I always hit that I haven't been to yet. So I needed to play a little clean up and get wheels down on thos…
Spring Break: Clean-Up Tour Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:27
I'd ridden an ok amount that year, but to be honest, as the year was winding down I realized there were two spots I always hit that I haven't been to yet. So I needed to play a little clean up and get wheels down on thos…
Spring Break: A Game of Chance - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:22
As I said last time… sometimes bad ideas go good, and good ideas go bad. And then there's the latest bonkers idea of a tour I had… a game of chance. In the final installment, we learn preparation can sometimes be the key…
Spring Break: A Game of Chance - Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:48
Sometimes bad ideas go good, and good ideas go bad. And then there's the bonkers idea of a tour I had… a game of chance. In the first of two parts, let's see how random selection of route, direction and more makes for a…
400: Celebrating 400 Episodes [Live] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:57
Four hundred episodes into this project, we gathered together on April 11, 2025 for a live show to celebrate the occasion. On this edition I revealed a new tour, announced a short spring break (with episodes, never fear!…
399: Cycling US National Parks in 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:56
It's planning season for spring and summer tours! But if you're in the US or planning a bike adventure here, there's some real question marks about our national park system. From budget cuts to layoffs and reinstatements…
Best of Pedalshift 287: Gifts Ideas for a Person on a Bike Tour [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:38
We're often asked what you should get someone into bike touring… but what about a gift for a friend or loved one who is literally in the middle of a bike tour? Inspired by a Reddit thread, but not one of *those* Reddit t…
398: Florida Coast Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:30
The Florida adventure is in the rear view mirror but I have so many lessons learned from this trip… and I'll share a bunch of them with you here on the takeaways edition to close out the trip. Hold the date… Pedalshift 4…
397: Florida Coast Part 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:43
The previous day's winds having ebbed, it was time to ride a full day again. And with grayer skies and the winds more at my back than my face, day 3 got things back on track. Would last year's free campsite be as welcomi…
396: Florida Coast Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:06
The previous day's winds having ebbed, it was time to ride a full day again. And with grayer skies and the winds more at my back than my face, day 3 got things back on track. Would last year's free campsite be as welcomi…