Can I tour self-supported on an ebike?

QUESTION: I have long dreamed of riding self-supported by myself across America, with the freedom to ride as little or much as I want to each day. But it’s only now, at age 70, that I finally have the time to do so. But I’m wondering if I’ve waited too long. I now ride an ebike. Can I tour self-supported with an ebike? —Gary J.

RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: You can certainly tour with an ebike. In fact, some bike-travel companies now welcome ebike riders on their tours and even offer ebikes you can rent from them. But to tour self-supported across the country will require more preparations, planning and provisions for recharging your battery.

In bicycle-touring lingo, “self-supported” typically means that you carry on your bike all your gear, which, depending on whether you are camping or not, can add 50 or more pounds of equipment on your steed. And that weight will drain your ebike battery more quickly than if your gear was being transported in a motor vehicle on a supported ride. A 50-pound increase in weight, whether it’s on the body of the rider or as cargo in the panniers, can decrease battery range by 20-30%, according to the math here. An engineer I talked with, who tours on an ebike, said you should expect a 20% distance penalty on a flat ride and a 40% penalty on a hilly ride.

Battery drain between charges will also affect how flexible you can be about how far you ride each day. From your description of how you want your ride to go, it sounds like you have a footloose schedule in mind. During both of my long-distance, self-supported rides, I sometimes camped wherever I was when I was ready to stop. I set up my tent in city parks, behind churches, in fields, on private property (with permission or by invitation) and once in a storage yard for telephone poles, where the air was bathed in “essence de creosote.” Those locations did not offer electric hook ups, but I was in my 50s then and riding a regular (non-electric) bike, so battery charging was not an issue.

What’s more, on a cross-nation ride, you will not be able to avoid some steep climbs and opposing winds, both of which chop down battery charge faster than flat terrain and tailwinds. You will also have some long days. Many cross-country routes will have multiple days longer than 50 miles, some even 70 or 80 or 90. Additionally, you will likely experience some bad weather days that may affect the electric parts on your bike. 

Still, even with all of that given, I’m not prepared to say self-supported touring shouldn’t be done on an ebike. One reason for riding long-mileage tours is to have an adventure, and if you have an adventurous personality, it’s likely you can figure out how to make self-supported touring work for you. (Just remember that “adventure” is sometimes a word we use after the fact to describe a situation we originally experienced as “trouble.” But also know that many of the unexpected problems that happen while touring are, in fact, solved through the kindness of strangers.)

You will probably find it helpful to do some testing before you set out. For example, you might select a hilly route in your home area, and ride it twice, once without the gear you’ll carry on tour and once with it. Take note of the percentage of battery charge required both loaded and unloaded, so you will have some idea of what to expect.

Here are some compromises and provisions that can help you ride self-supported tours on your ebike:

• Buy your ebike from an established brand, such as Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, Canyon, etc. There are lots of relatively inexpensive ebikes these days, many from startups. But some of these have little or no after-purchase support, and should their electronics fail, it’s often impossible to find parts for them or anyone to service them.
  
• Choose a bike with a mid-drive motor rather than a hub-drive motor. The mid-drives provide better torque and efficiency for climbing and for challenging terrains — of which there are plenty on cross-country touring. Also, some of the hub-drive systems make it difficult to change a flat tire should it occur on the wheel with the hub-drive.
  
• Determine ahead of time how susceptible your bike electronics are to moisture and be prepared to protect those parts in a downpour. 
  
• Instead of camping, eat out and stay at motels and hostels. This will eliminate having to carry a tent, sleeping bag and pad, cooking equipment and other camping gear. Admittedly, this will also put some limits on the footloose schedule, as you will need to plan to reach locations that have lodging, but those places will also enable you to plug your bike battery in for overnight charging. This plan will also be more expensive than camping, but it addresses a major problem of long-distance travel on an ebike. (The engineer I mentioned who tours on an ebike does not camp; he uses established lodgings.)
  
• When feasible, use lower assist levels, as higher speeds also drain the battery faster. My ebike has three assist levels, from minimal to maximum: Eco, Sport and Turbo. Eco sips from the battery, Sport drinks from the battery and Turbo gulps from the battery.
  
• In situations where you don’t need any electric assistance, don’t use it. Ride the bike completely under your own pedaling power when practicable.
  
• Carry a second battery and swap it with the first one as needed. Yes, that too adds weight, but the trade-off is worth it if it enables you to reach your intended destination each day.
  
• Be prepared to have mini-charging sessions during the daily rides if necessary. On a multi-day ride with my son several years ago, he found he sometimes needed to charge his phone during the day, so when we stopped in a restaurant for a meal, he’d ask for permission to plug his phone in, and was never denied it. I currently have plans to take a longer than usual ride on my ebike to a distant bakery, where I’m not certain my battery charge will be sufficient for the distance. On a previous visit via a shorter route, a bakery staffer told me that I can recharge there, when I stop for a donut.
  
• If you are planning to use public transportation — bus, train or plane — at either end of the ride, check whether that service has any restrictions on transporting battery-powered bicycles.

Given how quickly tech is advancing these days and how many people are now embracing ebikes, it’s likely that the ebike industry will eventually find ways to extend battery range more. But even now, with some planning and compromise, a lot is possible.

Readers: Have you done any self-supported touring on an ebike? If so, please share your experience in the comments section below.

---

Stan Purdum has ridden several long-distance bike trips, including an across-America ride recounted in his book Roll Around Heaven All Day, and a trek on U.S. 62, from Niagara Falls, New York, to El Paso, Texas, the subject of his book Playing in Traffic. Stan, a freelance writer and editor, lives in Ohio. See more at www.StanPurdum.com.