1. I bought the ELF primarily to help me keep fit. So I pedal constantly when on the road, except when coasting downhill.
2.
Pedaling up hills, even slight inclines, is very hard work, even in
lower gears, and I welcome the boost from the 750 watt motor.
3.
I believe a comfortable speed under pedals only, on a smooth level
surface, without the electric booster, is 10-12 miles per hour. But I'm
not sure, because few roads I've encountered so far have been level, and
a very small change in incline makes a tremendous difference in
pedaling effort required.
4. On very steep hills, the
lowest gear isn't low enough for pedals alone; I add enough boost to
maintain 6-8 mph. Full boost drains the battery rapidly, so I use only
enough to keep pedaling at a reasonable speed.
5. On
downhill runs the ELF quickly builds speed. At 20 mph I can't pedal much
faster, so I start coasting. The ELF often coasts at 25-30 mph, and
occasionaly reaches 40 mph, which seems safe only on smooth straight
stretches. The rather short wheel base plus very quick steering require
careful attention. With no springs, hitting pot holes at high speeds
could break something.
6. My longest daily run so far
has been 78 miles, with a pedaling time of about 5.5 hours. We would
have stopped sooner, but our planned campground didn't officially permit
camping, so we continued on to a motel in the next town.
7.
We're not trying to set speed or endurance records. I make stops at 1-2
hour intervals, and we usually stop for several hours at mid-day, to
rest, have lunch, and enjoy whatever attractions are available, while
the ELF sits in the sun charging its battery.
8. Battery
endurance depends on several variables. Of course the more I pedal, the
longer a battery lasts. On smooth level roads a small amount of boost
will add several mph to my speed with a small amp drain. Under moderate
hilly conditions I can maintain a speed of 15-20 mph for 30 miles or
more on one 15 ah battery. But steep hills drain the battery in a hurry!
The ELF used most of a fully charged battery to climb about 2,000 ft.
to Rocky Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway from Deer Park Campground at the
bottom of the ridge, a distance of about 15 miles.
9.
Charging the ELF's 2 batteries has been a challenge. The solar panel on
the roof charges at only 1-2 amps in bright sunlight, and takes more
than a day (even with good sun) to fully charge one of the 15 ah
batteries. It certainly helps, but we rely heavily on the A/C charger,
which can fully charge a dead battery in about 4 hours. Unfortunately,
none of the campgrounds on the Blue Ridge Parkway has electrical outlets
available for campers. We found a commercial RV park with electric
hookups at Fancy Gap, only a short distance from the parkway. But for
the most part we have been charging one battery with the van's inverter
while I use the other one in the ELF, which requires extra running time
on the van's engine. That problem should disappear one we leave the
Parkway and use state park campgrounds or motels.
Conclusion:
I'm still learning how to get the most from my ELF. And I'm (mostly)
enjoying the process. And I expect to be more fit when I get home than
when I left.
Marvin
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