Re: 1100 Ride Report

[Nimbuzz]

Here ya go--hang on to yer britches!
Earlier this summer when Craig told me the new bike would be 48 V and
1100 watts I started hootin & hollerin on the phone--I'm hootin &
hollerin again!

Between rain and needing to set up the forks it took me a while to get
over the mountain. Simply put--the 1100 rocks! Please understand--I
think the 850 is a good bike in either a 9 spd or R. However I must
climb over a mountain on a 1 hour commute. I needed to speed that up
and reduce my effort a bit. The 1100 did exactly that--my recent time
was 48 minutes--down from 60.

The 1100 is a different animal--it has enough power to be tricky. I've
had a motorcycle since I was 13 and have had a hopped Ducati for the
past 10 yrs--so I'm used to the twist throttle and the roads. One must
be careful as the 1100 can Zoom!

The Rohloff Is a solid piece. I was concerned about not being able to
shift under power as I shift the 850 a lot on my constantly varying
inclines. The 1100s power reduces my need to shift by about half so I
don't mind needing to throttle off for an instant during shifts.

The solid axle plants the front end nicely which is important for the
speeds attained. I hadn't installed the included speedo so I can't
give any specific speeds--next time. But I'll tell you one thing--
other than climbing I didn't want to go any faster most of the time =
I was smokin! As for climbing--rather than feeling like I was grinding
up the 4 mile climb I was riding up.

At the end of 15 miles and 50 minutes the 1100 battery had recently
entered blinking yellow. The 850 (20 ah) at the end of the same 15
miles at 60 minutes would be well into blinking yellow--I probably
near red. But after three years the 850 pack is still about the same
as when new in this regard. I think it has held up well for several
reasons 1) I don't take it beyond blinking yellow as deep discharge is
hard on all types of cells 2) after riding I have a timer turn on the
charger several hours later as charging a warm pack is not good 3) I
have a regular short run to the store that brings the 850 home with a
blinking green which results in a balance charge.

I'm mostly a fair weather rider but when I return from work it can be
dark, foggy, windy and wet sometimes. During this demanding commute I
want every Opti high end component working for me. I need my $60 ea
Schwables, Fox suspension, Avid hydros and the Opti balance from the
centered, low motor & battery. I ain't no Arnie but I can pick up the
Opti & put it in the back of the car or carry it up a flight of stairs
to the dentist.

Even though I'm not rich I've found it cost effective to buy the top
of the line -- the way it lasts more than makes up for the extra cost.
I could tell lots of stories about making the stretch then having the
equipment working well 20 years later. On my Tidalforce I replaced the
bottom bracket, brakes (completely) multiple batteries and etc where
the 850 Opti gets a check up each year and only needs a bit of fine
tuning--other than brake pads & chain. I believe I'll keep the 1100
for years and drop a new pack in every 4 or 5.

Again, for most purposes the 850 is a fine bike. For my special
circumstances the 1100 is just right but can be tricky with its power
and light weight.

Bottom line -- I love the 1100 and it is worth every penny. Thanks to
Jim, Craig & Co for producing the best, funnest human transporting
device on the planet!

[lowco2]

Great report, Al. Very much my experience with the bike, I wish you
many fun, fast miles!
John

[Elect Bike]

great ! what how many feet of elevation change is your climb ?
thanks for taking the time to inform all of us and write this up.

On Nov 6, 6:32 am, Nimbuzz <mary...@aol.com> wrote:

[Nimbuzz]

elevation change 1600' to the top of the pass and then another 400'
later = 2000' total rise with 15 miles total one way trip.

[Elect Bike]

that's a good climb. roughly what percent of the battery is left when
it enters yellow blinking mode ?

[remf]

Very nice report Al. Tricky = Easy to flip, I presume? Will be interesting to see how far you can go on a full charge, do you only charge overnight at home or do you also top up at work?

[Elect Bike]

Yes, can't wait for those range comparisons between the 22ah 850r and
the 1100 that Craig promised they would do ; )

[Nimbuzz]

I'd say about 20% is left after the 15 miles to work. It's NOT topping
off--it's a full 3-4 hour charge at work.

--Going out for a ride on me 850 with me gal on the 1100 = I'll
discuss "tricky" later.

On Nov 6, 12:25 pm, remf <optibi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Very nice report Al. Tricky = Easy to flip, I presume? Will be interesting to see how far you can go on a full charge, do you only charge overnight at home or do you also top up at work?
>

[Elect Bike]

Do you have that flipping issue on the stealth fighter Remf? I've seen
YouTube footage of John doing a wheelie on the bomber .

On Nov 6, 12:25 pm, remf <optibi...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Very nice report Al. Tricky = Easy to flip, I presume? Will be interesting to see how far you can go on a full charge, do you only charge overnight at home or do you also top up at work?
>

[CA Pederson MD]

Great report Al ...

I concur that the 1100R is a bit "tricky" related to the power/weight ratio
as I done accidental low, inadvertent wheelies several times in my 1st week
riding this e-bike marvel. I also agree that the 850 is a fine machine that
is enough e-bike power for most (plus street legal). Personally, I just
like the newest, best, etc. and as one of the very first OB-1 purchasers
Craig was magnanimous enough to offer me the "2011 Assault on the Peak"
winning machine (thanks also in part to John's sweat, stamina, endurance too
;-) Al, did you get the red 1100? If not, what color did you go with? The
pearl white on mine is super cool here in the desert ... and was definitely
my preference since I had the OB-1 gunslingered out in white/silver combo
which I really appreciated.

Well, IMHO the 1100R does ROCK for sure ... any faster and it would be just
fear-provoking! I have found that I need to be more careful in the turns as
you tend not to realize the speed you pick-up in the straights. The Avid
Code brakes have been solid so far (esp. when applied/feathered in a timely
manner) in taking on the higher forces the 1100R puts out.

As I mentioned previously, even in eco mode this bike is still fast ...
faster than the 850 in eco for sure. When I want more of a work out I just
leave it in eco, but still get plenty of wind in my face. My current 12mile
commute into work is mostly a slight downhill, so eco is fine unless I'm
running late. No recharge/top-off has been necessary so far, but once I
receive my 2nd 1100 charger I probably will do a top-off after letting her
cool for 60min or so. After riding home in perf mode (uphill & slightly
longer in terms of distance) the 1100 had just converted to a blinking
yellow (I do miss my OB1 HP Optilink Bluetooth connection for more specific
data). Total ride distance is right at 25 miles in just over one hour total
ride time which is a ~10min time savings compared to my 850.

Overall the Opti ride itself is superlative, as it always has been. To
digress briefly, in early 2011 I was commuting to work through downtown
Vegas with sun in my face through an area where some construction had been
done so all the road lane lines and what not weren't redone yet. I was
clipped in & accelerating through the gears @ ~15mph but didn't realize that
I was headed squarely into 6" sharp curb ... partially blinded by the sun,
it was too late to apply avoidance maneuvers once I realized what was
happening. To my amazement, the 850 fox shock system just soaked that baby
up like a speed bump! Well, that's a longer way of saying the 1100 is just
as solid as previous models, perhaps even better. More on that in later
reports ...

Craig's statement that the new battery does not heat up seems to be true for
sure. Even though the temps are dropping a bit here in Southern Nevada now,
my 1100 has not shown any signs of getting the least bit warm and I have
pressed her pretty hard on many of my runs where the verticals vary by over
1000 ft. This was an issue with my OB1 as I had several bouts w/ thermal
shutdown and actually had to adjust my riding style as I watching the temps
climb on Optilink. Good bye to those days ...

No buyer's remorse here ... the 1100R is a wonderful machine! Thanks to all
involved in it's development, production, and delivery!!

Godspeed,
Chris

[Elect Bike]

So you have a 25 mile ride, and you make it with just the internal
battery, right ? How much of an elevation change is that 25 mi? And
how much battery do you have left at the end?
I'm hoping I don't have to get that $2500 aux battery.

[CA Pederson MD]

I would estimate a net of 600 ft vertical down on way into the office (eco
mode only), and obviously ~600 ft net vertical uphill on way back home
(performance mode only). Yes, internal battery only ... Result: just barely
into flashing yellow.

Regarding the external aux battery, I am considering purchasing one also ...
but am not crazy about the aesthetics of it. To me the aux battery gives
the bike a bit of a moped look. That being said, I have inquired to Opti
about matching the aux battery case to my paint ... we'll see. I don't know
what the projected range of the 48v internal is using eco mode only yet ...
Craig?

[Elect Bike]

That's pretty good, 25 mile ride with 600 ft elev climb, and guessing
from what Nimbuz said, yellow starting to flash means 1/4 battery
charge is remaining

[remf]

Nice !!! If you still have your OB1, presumably you can transplant the Bluetooth module to the 1100 and Optilink should work. I want a Pearl White one for Christmas, not likely given the $17K price tag.

[cakey]

Sounds the ticket. how loud is the new motor ?

On Nov 7, 7:57 am, remf <optibi...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Nice !!! If you still have your OB1, presumably you can transplant the Bluetooth module to the 1100 and Optilink should work. I want a Pearl White one for Christmas, not likely given the $17K price tag.
>

[Nimbuzz]

I think the new motor is noticeably a bit quieter.

[Paul_G]

On Sunday, November 6, 2011 5:05:43 PM UTC-5, Elect Bike wrote:

Do you have that flipping issue on the stealth fighter Remf? I've seen
YouTube footage of John doing a wheelie on the bomber .

flipping issue?...any bike that can lift its front wheel has a major advantage of avoiding a crash or damming a wheel. Its a must for off-roading as well as city riding with curbs to hop and pot holes that sneak up unseen. My Bomber will lift its wheel as needed but no way can I flip it.

Paul G

[Bike_On]

Gents,

Does it have the high/low boost option by toggling the ECO/FAST
switch?

D

> > > >>> transporting device on the planet!- Hide quoted text -
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[Nimbuzz]

When me gal first rode the 800Li she did a perfect big (14") wheelie--
she had perfect form and you would have thought she did it on purpose
but for the little startled squeek she let out. After seeing that we
both adopted postures to prevent a recurrance--though now and then the
front wheel might come up a bit. It's not been a problem for the
following several years.

I see the usefulness of this ability from what Paul says and it's not
a problem to me. However two peeps that rode the 800 wiped out at low
speed. They were both bicycle riders--one did 100 miles a week! In
both cases they were going slow or starting up on a hill and were
surprised when giving it throttle. With a twist throttle if you goose
it the bar spurts forward and can cause more throttle to the
unaccustomed bicyclist. They didn't flip but fell over. Now I'm
careful to put the bike in eco for newbies and give them practice on
the flats.

As for the "trickyness" of the 1100 it's not endemic to the 1100 but
is the commonsense elements of going fast on any bicycle. As CA P says
above "I have found that I need to be more careful in the turns as you
tend not to realize the speed you pick-up in the straights." And the
issue discussed just above of a light front end can be more pronounced
with the greater power of the 1100. A straight low wheelie on pavement
is not a problem as the bike is very well balanced with the motor and
pack low in front of the rear wheel. However when maneuvering on hills
and/or low traction areas one must pay attention. This is not at all
detracting from the Opti design but bringing up the learning curve
required for any specialized piece of equipment = bikes, ebikes,
motorcycles, sailing, skiing & etc. I made the comment as a precaution
to peeps just jumping on and taking off--it could be likened to skiing
down and advanced slope where some skill, practice and awareness is
useful. One caveat is that the throttle can come on a bit suddenly--
after practicing for an hour or two I'm on top of it. Once one spends
some time getting used to the throttle, power and characteristics it
is a very well designed machine. Any high performance machine takes
practice to develop skill. High performance skis are stiffer and
require technique to turn them. The 1100 is not everybody's go out on
the bike path--or send a friend out for a spin type machine--or if you
do put it on eco and in safe terrain/traffic for when he cannot resist
the temptation to flip the switch when out of sight!

Again, common sense for high performance machinery, Opti, Stealth or
etc--the Opti can appear so civilized but the 1100 flys!

[Bike_On]

Al-

Great Stuff. Keep the reports going.

What kind of cycle computer do you have? If it is a GArmin, you can
post data on-line, including all the spikes in your HR when you say,
OH-SHEESH, because of the excitement. :)

D

> > Paul G- Hide quoted text -

[Nimbuzz]

I have the one came with the 1100--new brand--don't remember. Spent
all me buck$ on der bike = no Garmins now. The cheap one has no
altimiter. I have two CAs but don't need tech data anymore--it's more
of a zen thing = ride, relax and feel good...

[Bike_On]

Chris, Al,

comments?

> > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[Elect Bike]

Also, what speed can you maintain in eco mode on flats ?

[CA Pederson MD]

Hey guys,

In 1100R eco mode I can fairly easily maintain 25-27mph in flat terrain,
14th gear, cadence 90 ... Note that I am long in the leg @ 5'11", 160 lbs,
11% body fat /// fairly well conditioned, unlike John who is an athlete of
master Olympic proportions B-))

Yes, the 1100 does have the high/low boost option by toggling the eco/perf
switch ...

Personally, I cannot tell a difference b/w the motor noise in the 1100 vs.
the 850 ... but it could be related to too many Van Halen, Zepplin, Who,
Grand Funk concerts I attended when I was a much younger man! Given the
choice I would definitely opt for a completely silent motor, but I have come
to appreciate the Opti tunes ;-)

I traded my orig OB1 back in June for an 850R and then traded the 850R for
the infamous 1100R ... so no Bluetooth transfer option. Craig told me that
my white/silver OB1 was purchased by someone from Tennessee who mounted in a
window of a bike shop? Who knows ...

Happy trails!

[Elect Bike]

That's very good to know Chris, thank you. 25-27 mph in Eco , now
we're talking. This could be a game changer. Now if Craig could get us
an estimated range in Eco mode, this info could make all the
difference. This could mean the 1100 has more range ( in eco) than the
Stealth fighter at comprable speeds.

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[Paul_G]

maybe the speed test should be unassisted? You seem to be stronger than the next guy.

How about with your light 160 lbs run a speed test unassisted  in Eco and on high on a flat with no wind. At 160 lbs you should be faster as many of us are way past that mark :) But we would be able to take away a few MPH to find the speed it may do with our weight. Then we can add speed to our number depending on body strength and our weight. 

Thanks in advance

Paul G

[Jim_Kirk]

Chris,
     I'm trying to get a handle on the performance as I prefer to ride at a lower cadence [70] and let the motor do more work yet I still want the speed to get to 30-35 mph in G14.  I don't know if this is possible with the Opti 1100R?
     What is the tooth count in your Chainring and Rohloff sprocket?  As you say, with this combination it takes 90 cadence in G14 for 25-27 mph.

-Jim

[Tikit]

On the newer comparison page, in Eco mode the 1100 is capable of 85
miles. My current Optibike 850 in fast mode is capable of at least 35
miles, and Opti appears to have gone conservative and listed 20.

[Elect Bike]

Thanks for pointing that out Tikit but that seems unlikely, 25-27mph
for 85 miles doesn't seem correct. The energy to produce the higher
speeds has to come from somewhere and if Eco is much faster than the
previous models (which I'm glad it is) it's drawing more energey from
the battery which will affect range. But I can't wait to find out what
the range is in Eco mode.

[Bike_On]

The 27mph in 14th at 90rpm means you have a fairly small ring in
front. My 9 speed is a 50/11 and I get 32-33mph at 90rpm. Not good
or bad, just a choice in range.

One can crunch numbes using the online power calcs, but power on flats
at 27mph, no wind, moderate 1.75-2" slicks, moderate clothing,
170-200lb with effort will
demand about 500W as a WAG. It really doesn't matter much if it's a
850Lxi, R in Fast mode, 1100R in eco, it's the power.

So the 850R in ECO, gets us 22-23mph at 300 w typ ( have measured
that and it is published as 8 amps in eco mode, 8x37V=296W). Looks
like the 27mph for the 1100R is pushing 500W or so.

My guess: 875whr/500W * 27mph = 47 miles in ECO

> > miles, and Opti appears to have gone conservative and listed 20.- Hide quoted text -

[deerfencer]

47 mile range sounds reasonable--85? No friggin' way.

LH

[Elect Bike]

Even 47mi sounds high, but if so, I'm impressed. My guess is its the
same range as the 850 is in fast mode, since fast mode on the 850
yields about that speed ~ 27mph. Now, I don't know what that range
happens to be, but that's my guess ; )

[Nimbuzz]

Me thinks that of all the conditions being put forward in these
comparisons one of the most important = Tire Pressure is being left
out--type of tires too.

My 1100 computer does not seem to have cadence so I can't comment.
But this weekend I will try to check top speed with no wind or
pedaling on flat in eco and fast modes. Schwable Supremes @ 50 lbs

[Paul_G]

Any speed tests should be unassisted so we can see what the bike can do....NOT the rider. Both low and hi please.....all it takes is a mile run both ways. Please post your weight.

Thanks

Paul G 

[remf]

In the interest of full disclosure, full pelt cranking speeds would be most useful, after all, that's how you ride these bikes :) Of course, unassisted speeds would be very interesting too.

[Craig]

Gents- Please note that the "compare" chart on the Optibike website:
http://optibike.com/r-series-optibike lists the range (85 miles in
eco mode) for the 1100w bike with the additional Touring Battery.

We configured the 3 bikes that are compared for that chart according
to the most popular configuration of bikes we sell so customers can
see a real world comparison.

Paul- I would like to follow up on your suggestion about pedaling with
a reminder that the Optibike is designed to be pedaled, its not a
motorcycle or a scooter- the integrated MBB was designed to combine
rider input and motor input for a BIKING experience. Testing a bike
without pedaling is just silly, as it misses the point of the whole
thing :)

Craig Taber
Optibike

[Elect Bike]

I agree with Craig, test results without peddling mean nothing to me.
Craig , was that 85 miles a real world test ( or just theory)? if
real world, at what speed?

[Paul_G]

I disagree as age and strength come into play. I'm 64 and have had muscle damage in the past from taking statin drugs.  So I know how many MPH I can add to the bike at diff speeds. What good does it do me to know what Lance Armstrong can do on the bike?

The bikes may be the same but no two people are the same.

Got the answer I was looking for...your web page lists it at 32 MPH so at 32 MPH I may be able to add 2 MPH with my ability as wind resistance over 30 is like a wall.

Thanks

Paul G

[Bike_On]

Craig-

I was going to suggest that 85miles was with the aux pack, and just
overlooked that. Geesh, with close to 40ahr of Li in ECO mode, 85
miles is a winner.

I agree that pedalling is where it is with the Opti. Like Jim K., I
will at times want a slow cadence, in the 70's, and the Opti
accomadates pretty well.

Dan

[Elect Bike]

Hey Dan

How do you interpret that chart? Do you think it means 85 miles at WOT
of 27mph max eco speed, or do you think its 85 miles at some lower
speed? Becuase obviously, the lower the speed the more range one gets.

> > Optibike- Hide quoted text -

[Nimbuzz]

To me there is a remarkable difference in the solid feel of the 1100
when cornering--it feels like a different machine. My Schwable tires
are good on my 800li but perhaps the brand new Supremes have been
improved? Me thinks the solid axle is the big one here and perhaps
several extra pounds also get credit for the strong, smooth feel
around high speed corners.

The Rolhoff also has my admiration. These two things make this the
Nimbus 2000 --> Firebolt
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Nimbus_2000
http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Firebolt

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