I finally managed to get the e-bike out again after "hibernating" during the TT , then not really having the enthusiasm (and using the pedalling machine as a substitute). Then I saw a young kid riding a small bike, and remembered that shoving yourself off and pedalling like mad to keep going was the "old way". I thus reckoned the best way of approaching the beast was to switch off the "aids" and ride it normally - with the provisio that I first had to understand how the gearing worked, as it is almost padel-controlled, rather than something you can watch going up and down.
First bit worked ok and I was was soon trundling along in a lowish manual gear. The knees were barking a bit, but that´s the reason for the effort I guess. The problem came when I hit the slope and need to change down - but was unsuccessful. I soon discovered that the gear shit was almost manual and required a heft push - so an even-lower gear helped, then, after a couple of hundred yards, I experimented with the lowest level of "e" assistance. Again success as the pedalling required remained the same, but the "e" took care of the slope. Now I am almost whizzing, and leave G walking the back roads as I speed off like a 5-year old on his first trike.
A bigger slope brought me back down to earth, but a loop-back and repeat attack with marginally more "e" worked a treat. I think I might have got the measure of the technology at last.
It was still fairly early in the morning and there was limited traffic (despite it being a bank-holiday weekend here in the IoM), but I was still being caught out and pulling over to allow by any traffic coming up from behind (roads not very wide and traffic seems very fast), so took onboard requirent for a "wing mirror" of some description, so that is now on order.
I don´t think I will be riding in traffic, but just being able to check on "incoming" without the instability caused by turning to look back will be a help.
Now to see if the knees recover by tomorrow!
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