Mileage and Range Expectations

[synics]

What's up everyone. New to the forum, and thanks for having me! I love everything with a motor. Built myself a custom electric bike early last year and have a blast ripping around on it. Wanted something that has more power and suspension capabilities like my KTM XC-F 350. So I took the plunge and have a 2018 MXR on the way soon.

I'm about a B-class rider, only sandy trails in South Jersey, hare scrambles and such. Here is a clip of me ripping around on my current ebike build.

This bike has dual batteries totalling 60ah with with a 150amp bms. Bike weighs 190lbs. I'm 190lbs, 6' 1" Riding like I do in the video I get about 20 miles with 30% battery left.

Can I expect more out of the MXR under similar circumstances? I know I wouldn't be able to race a full hair scramble with it as that's 2 hours of absolute fast paced madness, but trying to get a realistic expectations of normal mileage. Thanks!

 

[VINSANITY]

I am about the same weight and when riding trails aggressively in sandy conditions I get around 20 miles of range with an EXR.

 

[C5tor]

Check out Jason White’s video thread. (@JW884 ). He recently ran a woods race and the bike lasted for about an hour with a little to spare.

I usually tell people that you will probably get about 20-25 miles in the woods/trails. You can do that fast, or you can do that slow. If you are ripping around the MX track at 50mph, you will get about half an hour. If you are cruising along some nice single-track averaging 10 mph, you may get 2-2.5 hours. If you are just poking around doing some jumps or trials stuff, maybe longer. Obviously, sandy stuff will suck more energy than hard pack.

 

[synics]

Check out Jason White’s video thread. (@JW884 ). He recently ran a woods race and the bike lasted for about an hour with a little to spare.

I usually tell people that you will probably get about 20-25 miles in the woods/trails. You can do that fast, or you can do that slow. If you are ripping around the MX track at 50mph, you will get about half an hour. If you are cruising along some nice single-track averaging 10 mph, you may get 2-2.5 hours. If you are just poking around doing some jumps or trials stuff, maybe longer. Obviously, sandy stuff will suck more energy than hard pack.

That's kind of discouraging...I ride tight trails and average 20mph. 10mph is like mountain bike speed.. Dang.

 

[Philip]

That's kind of discouraging...I ride tight trails and average 20mph. 10mph is like mountain bike speed.. Dang.

How do you calculate that average?

 

[C5tor]

To be fair, I and my son usually get 3-4 hours out of a charge, we might go 25-30 mph on some parts, we might go 15 on others. And some of the time we are just stopping and drinking some water or discussing the merits of Altas with total strangers that stop us on the ride. Average for the ride is probably a lot slower than we typically ride though, because we are not riding continuously at that higher speed. I’m just talking average. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Philip]

I average 14-17 mph riding on hard packed but often hilly powerline service roads in Arizona. I can ride for at least 2 hours non-stop, or about 40 miles.

 

[synics]

How do you calculate that average?

By my trail Tech computer and the apps I use

 

[synics]

To be fair, I and my son usually get 3-4 hours out of a charge, we might go 25-30 mph on some parts, we might go 15 on others. And some of the time we are just stopping and drinking some water or discussing the merits of Altas with total strangers that stop us on the ride. Average for the ride is probably a lot slower than we typically ride though, because we are not riding continuously at that higher speed. I’m just talking average. Your mileage may vary.

Thanks for the feedback

 

[synics]

I average 14-17 mph riding on hard packed but often hilly powerline service roads in Arizona. I can ride for at least 2 hours non-stop, or about 40 miles.

That's great to hear

 

[Matt]

I am 6' 160lbs, would say I am about a B level rider and get about 24 miles in map 1 at race pace here in western New York on a mix of single track, wide open fields and ATV style trails. Average speed over 20. If it is muddy and I am not using map one it can be much shorter. I used a whole charge in 16 miles at a hairscamble that had some mud here and there with a long 55mph+ wide open set of straights. I wasn't using map one for that race though. Best bet is to leave it in map one and ride it hard in that map. Any other and it will run it down quick if you are heavy on the throttle. Riding smooth helps retain charge also. If it is only single track I can get closer to 30 miles but there isn't much of that around here. If I am going slower I can get 30.

 

[synics]

I am 6' 160lbs, would say I am about a B level rider and get about 24 miles in map 1 at race pace here in western New York on a mix of single track, wide open fields and ATV style trails. Average speed over 20. If it is muddy and I am not using map one it can be much shorter. I used a whole charge in 16 miles at a hairscamble that had some mud here and there with a long 55mph+ wide open set of straights. I wasn't using map one for that race though. Best bet is to leave it in map one and ride it hard in that map. Any other and it will run it down quick if you are heavy on the throttle. Riding smooth helps retain charge also. If it is only single track I can get closer to 30 miles but there isn't much of that around here. If I am going slower I can get 30.

thanks for the input man! I'm a throttle hog, so I guess I'll have to be careful of that.

 

[F451]

Map 1 is too boring for me on tight to open single track. I'm usually in Map 3 nowadays because the snap is fun, used to run Map 2 all the time, but have since settled on 3. I usually do a half days ride, 10-15 miles, usually have at about 1/3 battery remaining. I try to keep up the pace, but I'm an old slow rider. I usually wear out before the battery is drained.

I consider my '18 Alta MXR a training bike, take it up to the club property and rip it for a good work out and some fun.

For "real" rides up in the mtns I take my Husky FE 350, but I much prefer riding the Alta, just so much more fun and gets me into a Zen mode with its quiet power.

The longest range I have gotten is about 40 miles, a couple of times. Gravel road rides, 25-45 mph, milking it in Map 2, then Map 1. Got home with no bars on the battery indicator. Weren't real fun rides during the last 10 miles with the range anxiety.

I figure I'm good for 20-25 miles single track up in the mtns, with a "maybe" 3-5 mile cushion for wrong turns, getting lost, unexpected elevation changes, etc.

 

[Oded]

I also started on map 2, but now settled on map 3 most of the time.
I ride rocky hill climbs and single tracks.
map 3 have a more punchy feel to it, that helps going over obstacles.
that said, map 2 is great as well.

I am using the SM maps, and I highly recommend them for this kind of riding. the differences between the maps (1-4) are much more notable than on the EX/MX maps.
in addition, map 4 have a very strong motor breaking, making steep descends very easy.

 

[synics]

Man, after reading some of this I don't even think I'm gonna get 20 miles. I ride fast in sand, full throttle rev limiter constantly on my KTM 350.... Tonight I did 22 miles in 45 minutes in the woods on single track.

 

[C5tor]

You’ll adapt your riding style pretty quickly. Also remember that full throttle in 3rd gear on an internal combustion bike is only like half throttle on the Alta (only one gear). Sort of. That’s not exactly analogous, but it is a different approach to the power delivery.

My advice is to not worry about it before you’ve even tried it. For the most part, range anxiety will be replaced by the huge grin from all the fun it is to ride. It will either fit your needs, or you will adapt, or it should be easy enough to sell if it doesn’t work out. But definitely give it a few rides to see how it fits without just guessing. I think you will love it.

 

[Oded]

As much as I love my Alta, I don't think it is the right bike for someone who's riding mostly sand at full throttle.
It will be a fun ride, but also short.

 

[wildman240]

Here's my last two rides and race.

One ended (ridding with 8 year old in group) with 70%. 10.08 miles

Two ended with 25% left (ridden with AA level dad at B level rider {me}). 23.25 miles

Three was race SORCS race pace stopping to to help injured riders on lap two and three with 20% left. 23.8 miles.

During the races I'll either launch in map 3 or 4 depending on grip level and then go to map 1 to gain max regen...and bump to map 4 for big uphill/slippery/logs/technical (respective) conditions.

 

[Philip]

I have added "Range" to the thread title because five other threads on the same topic already have "Range" in their titles.

Now you can use the search function to look for "range" in the thread title to find all that we know about range.

 

[C5tor]

I have added "Range" to the thread title because five other threads on the same topic already have "Range" in their titles.

Now you can use the search function to look for "range" in the thread title to find all that we know about range.

Should we just start a sub-forum specifically called “Range Anxiety”?