Ebike commute from Reston to DC

[hozn]

@Steve O 147988 wrote:

Please take very clear notes on the author of this comment.
The clearest, uninterrupted stretch–from Hunter Mill to Vienna segment–shows fewer than 8% of all PRs are at 20 mph or higher (the other direction is easier, but that’s on your way home). Those are people’s PRs!–drafting, on their speedy crabon tri-bikes, tailwinds, etc. No doubt Sir Hozn does this all the time, but regular mortals do not. Throw in that you will be carrying at least some clothes or lunch or something and claiming it’s “not a big effort” is a lie, lie, lie.

Ha, I might be misrepresenting this too. Maybe I should have said 18+mph. Many days I ride it much slower for sure. Anyway, the larger point was that when riding is not interrupted (like that stretch), riding at legal e-bike speeds seems less of a push.

[DismalScientist]

Be sure to get your e-bike by January 1st. That way you can really kick ass in Freezing Saddles.:rolleyes:

[AFHokie]

@Steve O 147988 wrote:

Please take very clear notes on the author of this comment.
The clearest, uninterrupted stretch–from Hunter Mill to Vienna segment–shows fewer than 8% of all PRs are at 20 mph or higher (the other direction is easier, but that’s on your way home). Those are people’s PRs!–drafting, on their speedy crabon tri-bikes, tailwinds, etc. No doubt Sir Hozn does this all the time, but regular mortals do not. Throw in that you will be carrying at least some clothes or lunch or something and claiming it’s “not a big effort” is a lie, lie, lie.

You need to look at average speeds, not PR’s. Additionally, you need to look at averages of people who ride it daily. I’m not on a carbon bike and would classify myself squarely in the middle of the mere mortal category. However, my average through that segment is over 18mph, but I’m typically more rested/energetic as those aren’t daily commute rides.

For context, on my hybrid with a pannier filled with work clothes, lunch, etc, over the past four weeks I averaged a little over 13mph on my 10 mile commute route (which does not include that segment) according to Strava.

I think an e-bike is reasonable on a commute that length. The big time saver is normalizing your overall average speed. I don’t think having the ability to climb a hill at 15+mph is outrageous when people often descend the same hill at 20+ on the power of their legs alone.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930AZ using Tapatalk

[americancyclo]

I’m concerned that you might not be able to beat your walk plus metro time which you state is 22 miles in 65 minutes. That’s an average of 20.3 mph over the whole ride. I only ride 13 miles from VA in to DC and I know that when I cross the key bridge my average speed drops 3-4 mph just due to traffic and stop lights.

[bentbike33]

@americancyclo 148007 wrote:

I’m concerned that you might not be able to beat your walk plus metro time which you state is 22 miles in 65 minutes. That’s an average of 20.3 mph over the whole ride.

Personally, the much lower variance of my bike commute times compared to metro is what caused me to give up on metro almost entirely, even though the theoretical mean time for the metro commute is less, especially going home.

[hozn]

@AFHokie 148003 wrote:

You need to look at average speeds, not PR’s. Additionally, you need to look at averages of people who ride it daily. I’m not on a carbon bike and would classify myself squarely in the middle of the mere mortal category. However, my average through that segment is over 18mph, but I’m typically more rested/energetic as those aren’t daily commute rides.

Yeah, my average also looks to be around 18.6-18.7mph on that segment (does Strava have an easy way to actually tell you an average I’m just finding the place that seems to be in the middle of the scatter plot?); and my PR for the stretch is 23.9mph (w/ tailwind). So I recant my assertion that riding it above 20mph is not a big effort; I think every time I’ve ridden it above 20mph has been a pretty deliberate effort — or maybe a helpful tailwind. (It’s one of those segments where you look down at your speedo it seems to always be above 20mph, but when you actually factor in starting from the stop at Hunter Mill and then the slight increases in grade or onset of fatigue that do slow one down later, it’s obviously more likely to be less than 20mph.)

Obviously this is increasingly less relevant for the OP, other than you can probably shave off a couple minutes there if you can hold a 20mph average every time.

[vvill]

Assuming you want to bike every day (I imagine e-bikes don’t make bad weather all that much easier), I’d say it’s a sound decision. Having to bike 44mi every single work day is a lot, but an e-bike will make it less taxing. It’ll still take quite some time to commute with the lights/crossings/etc. but you’ll stay fresher and it’s still better than Metro or driving.

My concerns with an e-bike would be the initial outlay, and of course storage/locking-up if you don’t have a good spot at work/home since they’re heavy. (And I assume battery life may be somewhat affected by temperature too.) That said, if I had an e-bike I think I’d be more tempted to use a bike for getting groceries, etc. so you may find more usage beyond just commuting.

[KLizotte]

I’m not so sure we should be encouraging commuters to ride 20+ mph on a MUP for extended distances. Just sayin’

And don’t forget my folding bike idea! Most flexible option of all!

[Steve O]

@KLizotte 148027 wrote:

I’m not so sure we should be encouraging commuters to ride 20+ mph on a MUP for extended distances. Just sayin’

Hey, hozn said it could be done without much effort. :p

[Anonymous]

I thought a lot about the comments here. When I had posted this thread I had already requested a local shop pull a specific ebike and have it shipped over, but wasn’t yet obligated to purchase. They had a decent return policy and wanted to see like what a commute would be like on an ebike from the DC line to Reston (I’ve done the commute on my normal roadbike, just too taxing for me to do regularly). I started off at the bottom of the Rosslyn hill near the bike counter at 11:30 PM so there wouldn’t be any trail traffic. I arrived home at around 12:35, and it was a lot of fun. I think I should expect an extra 15 minutes under normal conditions, and some additional time riding through the Mall, but overall I’d gladly take a little more time to avoid the metro. Outside of the big downhill and open road sections, I felt my average speed was relatively safe 15-16 mph on the trails.

Regarding the weather aspect – I probably won’t be biking on rainy winter days, no. On the test run I still had 50% battery left, so I’m not too worried about cold affecting its performance at this point.

I am really concerned about the security aspect in DC. Unfortunately I switch buildings a lot in DC, with some having their own parking garages and some not. Some with well armed guards, or others not so much. I’m thinking about Bikestation at Union Station, but that’d add more time to my commute. I may just utilize some parking garages that I’ve grown comfortable with and pay for bike insurance that covers theft. I’m pretty certain this bike will be stolen at some point.

[huskerdont]

@MikeS 148041 wrote:

I’m pretty certain this bike will be stolen at some point.

Seems you’ve thought this out pretty well and know what you want. Only thing I’d say is to double lock the bike, both wheels and frame, every. single. time. Parking garage or not. (My GF’s bike was stolen from a parking garage, so they’re really just an illusion of security.) If it’s really inconvenient for it to be stolen, perhaps they’ll steal something else, although it will likely be an attractive bike for thieves so I don’t blame you for being prepared for the worst.

[Emm]

@MikeS 148041 wrote:

I am really concerned about the security aspect in DC. Unfortunately I switch buildings a lot in DC, with some having their own parking garages and some not. Some with well armed guards, or others not so much. I’m thinking about Bikestation at Union Station, but that’d add more time to my commute. I may just utilize some parking garages that I’ve grown comfortable with and pay for bike insurance that covers theft. I’m pretty certain this bike will be stolen at some point.

Not sure your living situation, but if you rent, most renters insurance covers bike theft as long as you file a police report. Some companies want you to have pictures of your bike, know the exact make/model, and know the serial number, so keep those handy too. Home insurance can be a little more hit or miss, so check on that with your provider. You might just need a rider, you might not.

And yea, double lock like huskerdont says. Better safe than sorry!!!

[vvill]

Your test run sounded good and reasonable. I remember from bottom of Rosslyn hill to home I’d be working to average 15-16mph on my road bike. Anything more than that would be a serious effort.

Double locking isn’t a bad idea since you have an e-assist for the extra lock weight. You could maybe CaBi between buildings in DC and just lock your e-bike at one place that’s more secure?

[Steve O]

@Emm 148048 wrote:

And yea, double lock like huskerdont says. Better safe than sorry!!!

If you always lock at the same place, you can leave one (or both) of the locks there rather than carry back and forth.

[dasgeh]

@vvill 148018 wrote:

(I imagine e-bikes don’t make bad weather all that much easier)

Au contrar! I find ebikes make cold and wet weather biking a lot easier, because you don’t have to worry about generating much heat. So you can bundle up with reckless abandon, and you can know when you walk out of your house whether you’ve found the balance between comfortably toasty and too hot. And it’s one less excuse in bad weather.

@Emm 148048 wrote:

Not sure your living situation, but if you rent, most renters insurance covers bike theft as long as you file a police report. Some companies want you to have pictures of your bike, know the exact make/model, and know the serial number, so keep those handy too. Home insurance can be a little more hit or miss, so check on that with your provider. You might just need a rider, you might not.

You have to be extra careful with ebikes. My understanding is that most insurance companies consider them different from “bikes”. Call, be clear on what you need. If they don’t cover it, there are bike-specific insurance options that are well reviewed.

As far as locking, I find that thieves don’t seem to understand ebikes, so seem to leave them alone more. (Though I have weird looking bikes, so maybe that’s why). Still, multiple locks can’t hurt. You may look into a frame lock as well as a U and and a chain. I’ve always heard that thieves can defeat any lock, so your best defense is to make them move on from your bike to the next, easier target. You don’t have to outrun the bear, just your hiking companion. Oh, and always take your faceplate and lock your battery (though I’m surprised you can go so far on one charge).

[Author]

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