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
Best of Pedalshift 290: Beginner Mistakes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:28
I used to do a beginners series on the show (and hope to do another again) but never did a whole show on "don't make the same mistake I did." So, on this episode… mistakes to avoid as a beginner! Originally podcast July…
395: Florida Coast Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:11
There are few rules in bicycle adventures, but I am a firm believer in the one that says you do not taunt the bike touring gods. Day 1 was a breeze, I said! The bike gods respond with a breeze of their own. Would their w…
394: Florida Coast Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:44
The first day of the Florida Coast adventure starts from the cooler air of Jacksonville, carrying me south through a series of beach towns on the way to a state park outside of St. Augustine with two entrances… the short…
393: Florida Coast Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:28
My annual tradition of a winter ride in the sunshine state continues! Unlike past years, I'm shaking things up with the start and focusing on a coastal ride along the East Coast Greenway before turning inland. But the Fl…
Best of Pedalshift 292: Touring Bike Essentials [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:10
I ride three different bikes for touring, and each one has plusses and minuses depending on what kind of ride I'm looking for. But if you're new to bike touring or looking for another bike, what should you be thinking ab…
392: eBike Range Test Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:46
So I successfully rode 75 miles on a single charge of my eBike battery (with a little bit of a top off!). What did I learn from the adventure and what does it mean for future trips with my ebike? eBike Range Test Takeawa…
391: eBike Range Test Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:52
On this episode we ride from my cabin to Cumberland, MD on the C&O towpath to see if we can squeeze 75 miles out of my eBike battery! With only one real opportunity to top off, this is a real test with fairly unfun conse…
390: eBike Range Test Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:26
On this episode we turn the page back to last fall when I did a secret mini tour with a big purpose… to test the range of my eBike battery on the C&O trail! Can I stretch one full charge enough to get a full day's ride i…
389: 2025 Bicycling Goals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:37
On this edition of the pod, we kick off 2025 with the intent to make it a year of celebration in a time of loss for me. But celebration is more fun, so let's do that. 2014's trip was a shout out to my grandmother and 202…
Best of Pedalshift 270: Winter Fitness and Bike Maintenance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:34
With a bunch of snow and ice on the ground where I'm at, it's a good time to focus on things that will help bike tours coming after the thaw. On this episode, an update on my winter fitness goals, what I'm doing to keep…