How Much Faster is the Brompton Electric on Everyday Rides?
Вставка
- Опубліковано 20 лют 2021
- Hey guys, in this video we're going together on a bike ride where I share my first impressions about the Brompton Electric. Hopefully you'll be able to learn a bit more about it and have a somewhat immersive experience.
#brompton #bromptonelectric # electricfoldingbike
How Much Faster is the Brompton Electric for Everyday Rides?
Transcript:
Hey guys, welcome back to the channel. Today is a different video, we'll be doing a “Ride with Me” in the city. I’ll be riding the Brompton Electric (I almost said DRIVING the Brompton Electric, that's horrible), I’ll be riding the Brompton Electric and I wanted you to have the experience of riding the electric Brompton. Now, ideally, I wanted you guys to be able to feel the push of the bike when you're going up a hill or when you're going off on a traffic light, but unfortunately that's not possible. So the idea that I have, and hopefully this is gonna work, is to give you all the data, to give you the speed, the grade of the hill, if I’m going uphill or if I’m going downhill, also the elevation plot, and a clean sound of the motor, so you can hear when the motor is engaging, when the motor is disengaging, when it's low power, when it's high power. I came up with this contraption to record the sound of the motor. So, this is a directional microphone that's pointed towards the motor, this is a wind muff just to reduce wind noise, it's also mounted on a shock absorbing mount, and this microphone is connected to this recorder that will record the sound of the motor as we go. Now, for position, speed, and altitude I’ll be using this Garmin GPS that uses both GPS signal and GLONASS to calculate position, and it also calculates altitude based on differential of pressure. So, this is basically the most precise we can get without using some very crazy technical equipment. All right so now let's head off and I will talk to you in a minute. All right, as we are heading off on this bike ride let me explain how the structure of this video is gonna work. First, this voice you're hearing right now is being recorded after the fact and I’ll be pointing out some of the important stuff, some of the interesting parts of this bike ride that you should pay attention to if you want to learn more about the Brompton Electric, I will also give you my first impressions about this bike as we go along. Now, to make this video a bit more interesting, let's have some jazz tunes playing on the background. This song is by Brian Claxton, and it's called “Running Late”, which is a pretty good reason to use an electric bike, as that will make your commute faster. Now, let me explain a few things just so we get started. On the center panel of your screen you have the speedometer, that’s in kilometers per hour, to the left of that there's the time of day, to the right there's a total distance of this first portion of the bike ride, on the upper right corner there is an elevation plot that shows us, for example, that we're going up that first climb right now, and under the elevation block there is a guy pedaling at a very high frequency, a very high cadence, and that's the grade indicator. It's positive right now because we're going uphill and that number goes up the steeper the hill becomes. Now, I rode exactly the same route on both the Brompton Electric that you're seeing right now and on the standard Brompton. That way we can swap the video from the electric Brompton to the standard Brompton and see on the same segment how both bikes compare, and that will be mostly comparing the speed between the two bikes. So, as you can see, on the standard Brompton I usually go up this hill at about 8 or 9 kilometers an hour. I usually use the sidewalk because, as you can see, I get some pretty close passes going up this slow. And on the Brompton Electric my speed is about 18 to 19 kilometers an hour on this segment, and that makes it a little bit safer to ride this stretch of road. Notice how the assistance from the motor will cut off right now. That is because we reached 25 kilometers an hour. The motor will only help you up to that speed, and then after that you can continue to accelerate under your own power, or if you're going downhill, you can continue to accelerate, the bike will not stop you, but the motor will not be assisting you anymore. Now, this is a relatively flat portion of the road, a very slight uphill at two to three percent grade. While on the Brompton Electric we are at about 23 to 24 kilometers an hour, on the standard Brompton my speed on this segment is about 14 kilometers an hour. Now, don't get me wrong. I’m not saying that the standard Brompton doesn't go faster than that.
(Turn on Closed Captions for full transcript) - Спорт
This is definitely the thoroughest and most realistic comparison between the electric and standard version online, especially addressing to everyday commutes, thanks for the time and effort you put on your vids, great job!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for the comment!
THANKS 4 THE FYI
Superb video. This video also takes the "wind out of the sails" from talking negatively about electric bikes. In view of my advancing age, an e-Brompton is better to use than no bike. 😊
Great point!
First class presentations, as you say, as detailed as possible without using exotic measuring gear. 5 star.
Thank you!
I just got the Brompton C line electric and it is magical.
Some points I've noticed
- You could still get a workout
- the bike can be a regular bike cuz of the motor not having any drag.
Thanks for the video.
Your testing methodology and analysis of the results are fantastic. This is the best electric vs non-electric Brompton comparison I've seen. Great job!
Thank you!
I am riding a brompton electric. This video gives a very good impression on how it feels. Well Done! There is one thing I would like to add. Riding electric changes your perception of effort compared to speed. Your brain expects uphill riding to be effortless. When switching back to non electric riding these expectations are not fullfilled. This let you think you are getting weaker from riding electric when sitting next time on a non electric or switching off the motor. But it is only a change in perception.
To this point, there are at least a few studies suggesting that typical ebike riders burn at least as many or more calories from riding ebikes than typical cyclists do. Commuters and casual cyclists in particular tend to bike based on a stable effort levels and ebikes don't really change that -- they just men's you go further per effort. Granted, you'll burn less calories up a hill, but pedelec owners generally tend to ride significantly more often and further.
How are you liking the electric i am thinking of getting one.
I enjoyed watching this comparison - and you brought out key points :-)
Because it is less sweat, the Brompton electric opens up the user-convenience and handiness of the bike beyond the standard one (if accepting the extra bike weight and less load-space/capacity of it). And it probably means that a change of clothing is not necessary after a ride.
As journey times are reduced, it means the bike is more of an option more often for errands. Hop on and off you go!
As a better speed can be maintained on inclines, it is safer to ride in busy traffic, and more roads become bike-usable. This in fact was the one most appreciated aspect I found when I rode a demo bike for an hour (in UK). I liked that at traffic pinch-points I could keep up a decent speed so as to reduce frustration for motorists. At times, I felt slightly super-human even - a great feeling!
I am pleased that you mention the fitness aspects too. Someone who wants a “workout” as such might prefer a standard Brompton or a conventional road bike perhaps. But as I have seen, workout means different things to different people - electric can be an enabler for those who would otherwise not consider a bike at all (too much effort!) and does in fact enable them to have a workout at a different level - and enjoy it too.
I mostly use my pedal-power Brompton for pleasure rides/fitness, so I am not looking for assistance for these generally. But I can definitely see a place for an electric one for just getting jobs done with less effort when that is the need. The freedom an e-bike can give has benefits beyond just physical fitness.
One of the most valuable presentations I’ve ever seen! Whatever advanced degree you’re pursuing, I hope your future job prospects see this presentation! You’re going far in this world!
I totally agree.
Agree too!!
This has quickly became one of my favorite channels. So much time and effort put into giving the people accurate information. I love it man keep up the good work!
What you have done is absolutely fantastic. When I see reviews about ebikes I think that I would like to hear the sound of the engine, see the level of incline, etc., and you have done it perfectly. I hope you can continue doing this type of review with more ebikes. Thanks for sharing your excellent work. Subscribed!!!
Absolute legend, thanks so much for this video. So well thought out, data so accurately captured. You sir deserve a medal. Thanks again 🙏🏻🙂
BRILLIANT film and report!!!! Thank you!!! The speeded up section past traffic around the 4:20 mark had me wincing and leaning to the right!!!! SCARY!!!!!!!!
Just got back from my first decent ride [~22 miles / ~35 km] on my shiny-new electric Brompton. Saw the battery level drop by one bar pretty well every 7 miles. One recommendation I'd make to anybody considering a Brompton is to go for the 6-speed. On my non-electric 3-speed Brompton [with the gearing option for hills rather than speed] my comfortable cadence has me riding at around 12 mph, with the 6-speed [standard gearing option] I find I'm riding at 17-18 mph, so for a lot of the ride time, the motor isn't on...but the assistance going up hills means I reach that speed quite quickly. Love it!
Brilliant comparison. Thanks so much for all of the filming and editing effort. Really appreciated.
That was amazingly filmed and reviewed! Well done!!
Absolutely fearless riding on roads like that
definitely a place that doesn't put much emphasis on safer cycling infrastructure
Thank you for this video. I really found it super interesting and super well done. With all the technicalities and the graphs. And your explanations. And even the sound, wow amazing. Super good. Cheers from Spain (I'm a conventional Brompton owner).
Kudos for the refined and well thought editing.
Thanks! Great video, very helpful and clear! You answered to my suspicious that the dynamo actually add resistance to the ride, even when going down to an hill. That's way I opted for third market lights and a standard three gear Brompton.
And I have to say: you made me smile with the last segment on the steep road :) You have my sympathy because, on my way home from work, the road is constantly rising and the last part (about 400m) is steeper and make me sweat and breath a lot! Thanks again.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to produce this video, we found it interesting and informative. Best Wishes. Neil and Anne
So well made and informative. Thanking you!
Hello beautiful report, the comparisons are excellent, very well done, I congratulate you on your phenomenal work 😊👍👌
Was researching Bromptons to make a purchase. Was pleasantly surprised to find my Alma Mater as the testing grounds. Brings back memories. Keep the good contents coming fellow Ramblin Wreck. Go Jackets!
Nice simple, practical comparison I enjoyed that. I was surprised at the drag difference from a hub dynamo and the motor so thanks.
what a great review, no shilling, just honest high-quality well-prepared honest review. thank you for that.
Appreciate the work you put into this. Thank you.
Perfect video man. Thanks alot! 10/10 Helped a bunch!
I cannot add anything to what has already been written other than to say, I bought my Brompton last week on the back of one of your vlogs. Thank you for posting such in-depth reviews.
Brilliant video comparison. I can see this took a lot of effort to put together, so thank you for that, it's the best video comparison on UA-cam!
For the bikes, everyone has an opinion on their pros and cons and preference but if it wasn't for our electric bikes we wouldn't be able to cycle as often as we do and more importantly, cycle together as much as we do. A shared enjoyment has us both excited and looking forward to our next cycle ride. Would really like a Brompton electric but for now my current electric folding bike is putting the smile on my face.
Outstanding presentation, the best i’ve seen
Excellent presentation and I’m so glad I bought a Brompton Electric. Thanks for the comparison.
Excelente video , thank you for taking the time to show us the differences between each other
Great job with the video, very professional and objective! thanks for the effort
Excellent video with great footage, graphics and information. Very well done. I have the Brompton electric M6L and love it. I find I use it much more than I used the normal Brompton. I live in Brussels which has some elevations and I find it opens up the city in a whole different way. I don’t think twice about popping to the stores as it’s effortless and fast. And on weekends I can use it to ride in the forest (paved road) for much longer distances. It’s great.
Thank you for this great video and for using the metric system!
Nice video, many thanks for producing it!
Best comparison I have come across between those two bikes. Very informative..
I rode my Brompton electric around my local park. It was nothing short of joyous, roll on springtime so I can enjoy commuting by bike too.
Awesome review! You have convinced me to buy the BE. There is a hill on my way to work and I definitely don't want to arrive all sweaty.
This video answered so many questions. Absolutely well thought out comparison especially for the layman to easily digest and understand. Thanks, Victor! 👏😁
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Such a thorough and meticulously produced video. Thank you.
Great comparison video. Really helpful!
Informative and very interesting, thank you.
Loved your video, measures and presentation overall. I'll buy my brompton electric soon!
Great comparison. Awesome. Thanks Victor.
Thanks for the comparison nice effort in your production. Regarding the same level of exercise I suspect short term it may be the case that one would be more likely to get out and use the electric bike over no trip at all but long term I’m confident human nature would drive exclusive use of the electric bike, that sadly is a well studied and documented reality. Recently I set up a non Brompton bike up as a *gasp* single speed, I never thought I would ever ride a single speed, living in the Pacific Northwest we have some hills... The experience was not what I expected. Here are some things that happened:
1. Converting to single speed removed a dramatic amount of friction from the drivetrain, so the single gear I have feels easier than the equivalent on a geared bike. This could also be because I remove a significant amount of weight from the bike.
2. I changed my braking habits, using the momentum I generated to get over smaller hills more easily than on a geared bike where I was more likely to gear down and spin up.
3. Probably the biggest change in my mindset came with the big hills. As a mountain biker I was steadfast to stay on the bike and push harder! Turns out it’s just no big deal to hop off and walk for a bit. In fact, it turned out to be a benefit; I get to use different muscles for a few minutes and stretch out my legs.
4. My drivetrain maintenance has plummeted, there’s nothing to break a quick clean occasionally, and it’s ready, so simple.
5. Bike riding became even more Zen-like it’s remarkable to realise in not having to consider gear selection or if one is in the right gear. I can’t overstate this change enough it truly is inspiring.
6. I’m stronger and fitter.
Riding single speed was so positively transformative that it inspired me to convert my Brompton from an S6L to a two speed. Why the two speed and not single? For a Brompton two or single speed components are nearly the same, the only additional parts to operate as a two speed is the rear shifter and the tiny derailleur. From a weight perspective I lost the vast majority with the internal hub rear wheel. The two speed offers a nearly similar zen-like experience to single speeding but allows me to tackle bigger hills faster, as my commuter and grocery getter this is important to me. All the other benefits I mentioned above also apply to the now S2L Brommie and carrying the now 23.5lb package when needed is that much more pleasant.
Awesome recap of both Bromptons and your grade graphics and presentation were excellent and very informative
Excellent idea and super executed video of this comparison. I do ride Electric and normal Brompton as well and agree with you thoughts. Thx!!
Excellent video as always! Valuable info showing what a boost the pedal assist provides. My only question is how much did the battery discharge on this ride and on the big hill? That would give a good idea of what to expect on a typical ride in hilly terrain. I really enjoy your work on these videos. They are meaningful and well thought out. Kudos!👍
Brilliant! Captures all the reasons for owning a Brompton Electric. Thank you.
I'm glad you liked it!
Amazing video comparison! You certainly did put some effort on this... Well done.
Well done ! Thank you so much for putting the effort into doing this video..., :) I am a Brompton owner and now - alas - I see a newer Brompton coming into my life.., :) HA.
What a fantastic comparison, well done for producing such a detailed report if the two bikes. I'm surprised at the drag from the front dynamo hub.
I have watched so many videos trying to decide between … and this one is the one that made my decision for me. All your videos are great. Thank you!
Great to hear!
Great Video. Thanks for creating and sharing it!
Great video and most insightful for those considering an electric Brompton vs a standard one. Thank you for all your efforts.
Glad it was helpful!
Awesome video, i loved the speedometer! Really want a Brompton Electric now!!
Excellent and echoes my sentiments as a new owner of the electric Brompton - thank you!
That's the kind of content I want to see every time I open UA-cam. So useful 👍
Thank you so much for this great video:) I love all your videos! Keep up the good work!!
I'm glad you're enjoying them! Thanks!
Brilliant work ! I have the same 3 Brompton bikes . My conclusions were identical but it was interesting to see it !
My terrain is much hillier though .
I recently set off and didn’t notice for 800 yds that I had not powered on the bike ..so yes , it feels like a Brompton with no drag .
Great presentation! Thanks much!
Victor, this a most entertaining and educational video. I don't know if I'll ever get an electric Brompton as I like both my non-electrics very much but like hearing about yours. Stay safe.
The speed difference on those hills was a great demonstration. It's what puts a lot of us getting on a bike.
Hi, I am new to this channel and I think your videos are all very useful for Brompton rider!
Very informative and well done.
Great. Thank you. Keep up the good work.
What can I say: In my world, you are a genius. You show the recording setup in such a kind and nice way, you walk us through all the aspects and your findings as an expert really wanting to share. Thanks.
Thank you, Martin! I really appreciate your feedback!
OMG this video is amazing. Well done Victor!
Thank you, David!
Yup this definitely highlights the biggest wins with electric, not arriving at work/destination sweaty. over here in sydney a lot of the hills are 10% and would leave it on max power on the ay in and turn the power down on the way back or use the motor if there was a heat wave
what i really appreciated was how easy it made hauling a full shopping load with the travoy behind me
I'm from a very
hilly city in the UK, I have a Swytch Brompton Ebike, it will literally get me up any hill, no hill has defeated the kit I'm an average weight male. I have had to sacrifice top end speed for lower gears, but I've managed to get to work in half the time.
An electric basically negates hills, it pretty much like riding continually on the flat, I highly recommend if you don't won't to get to work hot and sweating, but you still get a medium work out.
Great review by the way 👌
Thank you for posting this interesting informative video on your channel
Super clear and concise thank you from B.C. Canada
I really enjoy your videos. Thank you :)
Very useful video, many thanks Victor
You are welcome! Thanks for watching
Very nice video, as always. I got to test out a Brompton electric this weekend. It was lovely. Instead of doing 50-70 km on weekends, I can easily do 100 km, which is tempting. Two issues for me personally: first, when used in the highest power, I had to be extra careful. Bike paths in The Netherlands are nice, but the front wheel assist combined with small tyres and potholes can be dangerous on a more extended trip. I wish the motor were in the frame or the back wheel instead. Second and more important was the noise, especially when riding through quieter forest paths. It was a bit annoying; I can't imagine if I had to hear this noise for 5+ hours on a bike tour in quiet places. The motor noise in the city is not at all an issue. That being said, the bike shop was kind enough to let me take the bike for the weekend, I will give it another shot!
Thank you so much for using km/h instead of mph!
I wish I could have the dashboard in both units, but I couldn't. 85% of the audience of this channel is metric, so had to go with that.
Yeah really, gee, thanks 🤮
@@helmutsecke3529 cry us a river
I feel you😂
This clip is the best so far for this topic, no matter Brompton or not.
I don’t have electric bike, only regular bike but always wonder what the feeling for bikes electric bike. Your clip is finally answering my question.
Thanks, I'm so happy to hear that!
Great video. Very helpful
Superb comparison! Loving the very descriptive dashboards ;)
Glad you like them!
Very interesting and informative video, thanks.
Victor, this is by far the best comparison video of the electric Brompton and standard Brompton on the net. I'm hoping to buy an electric Brompton in the spring and your info has been so helpful. I'm about 5 kg lighter than you so the bike should take my weight. Thank you so much!
Another great Video! I customized my brompton with a motor but I‘m still not sure if it was the right decision. So many advantages getting lost. Now it is very heavy and not so easy to carry. I just decide - I need a second brompton like you. So I‘m looking for a very light one like a Chapter3 - but it will be a much cheaper version. A steel S6E with the Kojack tires. This one is for the speed drives and for the quick trips. But I have to wait because of the long delivery time!
Hey, this is my second video from your channel. It's very informative and I really appreciate your effort to collect all the data and present it during the runs. You got me hooked on the bromptons, and the stuff you're doing with them. Thanks man, two videos, two likes and a sub. Keep up the good work =)
Thank you for your insightful video!
Glad it was helpful!
Finalmente uma comparação profunda sobre a versão elétrica da brompton! Parabéns. PS: quero ver ela subindo a Afonso Pena :) ahahahah
This is the first comment I’ve left on a UA-cam video, I just feel compelled to do so because you did such a good job with this video. I’ve been deciding between a Brompton Electric and standard and haven’t been able to find a decent comparison. The direct cutting between videos on the same route, the gradient %, speed, motor sound and ambient sound I think is as good and in some ways better than me riding the two bikes myself. Really great job, and thank you :)
Which have you decided to buy?
yes, i would be interested aswell, which one you ended up buying :-)
Very good display video about the Brompton Electric. What you have shown is that the electric assist was quite sufficient to provide assistance regardless of how hilly the terrain gets. The distance for you to travel was very typical day to day distances, under 10-20km but the electric was there to make assistance adequate for the various hilly terrain..
Great video 👍👍👍👍 Thanks
Great video. Very useful.
Great video, really well designed and presented. Brompton will (or should) be linking to this! :-) The drag issue was also interesting. Some e-bikes I have tested have a noticeable motor drag when peddled without assistance - something significant to be aware of.
The only additional thing I would like to have heard was how much of the battery range was used on the ride. A little curious as well to know what percentage of the time you now find yourself using the standard Brompton. :-)
This shows 2 things to me…how much quicker an ebike can be compared to a normal bike (depending on the route), and how much faster bikes are than cars in traffic! Thanks for the video, great & detailed comparison!
Great detailed comparison! One thing worth mentioning is that the difference would be even greater if you add load like groceries. I recollect reading about a study from Netherlands which have shown that on non-assisted bike the maximum distance people were comfortable to travel was up to 7km. On the assisted bike it was 13km so nearly twice the distance. Mind that Nederland is very flat country.
This is one professionally-made video. 👍🏼
Very good video. Thanks. I now know which one to buy.
Would be interested in seeing your Chest Go Pro setup, those shots look lovely.
Great video
Now I see thee difference between two bikes clearly. Thx.
One of the most well explained and thorough reviews with regards to the Brompton electric. Congratulations. I just wanted to ask, what is your experience in the rain/wet weather for the electric. Do you have any data with regards to the water resistance of the main electric components? Many thanks 👍🏼
This video is fantastic!! More live rides with jazz and narration please 👍
All right, will do then!
Great informative video, thank you so much for all the afford you make in your free time to create your videos. For me, after watching this, I am even more happy with my Standart 6 speed Brompton. The motor sounds to annoying for me 😂