Timed Century Run; build and training (sort of)

[SoSauty]

Team Grocery Hauler here; a force of one. This is a fun timed century run, Low Key Enduro held in Paicines, CA just south of San Jose every Feb. Last 2012, a rain snuck into the event though the nite before there was only a 10% forcast! Lots of impressively fast bicyclists and just a few e-bikes, should be a few more e-s this year.
http://megamonster.lowkeyhillclimbs.com/2013/

[SoSauty]

Bike Intro
Really simple e-bike set up.
Target Dept Store Schwinn bike
And I threw some Scwhlabe tires on
Q100 cute motor
K63 controller
Both motor/controller can be found on this site:
http://www.bmsbattery.com/rear-drivi...-bike-kit.html
I'm running 10S/37V lipo. They allow 1.25K for the metric 100K run, but figure since it's only 63mile I'm good with 0.62 or 0.66K of lipo. More on this with decent photos later.

With 3 weeks to the Feb 9th run, I finally got in a 30mile ride before picking up some steaks and diet cheery Pepsi. Bike feels good, but I won't be in such great shape by then. That's what the motor's for.

[SoSauty]

Gearing Up
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/
Bolted longer 175mm cranks with bigger 48T vs 42T chainring.

Thinking here is to match my pedalling poweress he. .he.. to motor strength. The Q100 cute is defintely a mini. If my 190lb mass heads up a half-mile 8% slope without pedalling, it's little heart 'll work to death and puff out its' magic smoke. The motor turns 325rpm, good for 'bout 25mph if one assists a bit; has a sweet spot at 19mph that matches an 85rpm cadence in 9th gear on my 26" wheel set up (just a 10 speed these days). 19mph will serve to meet my goal of a 16-17mph average with a 10min break at the 32mile mid point. (Low-Key site posts times and average speed.)

Another advantage of the taller, 29mph+, gearing is coming down mtn. No reason to sit at 25mph when some efficiency is gained with light pedalling. Sometimes it pays to spin up to 33mph a moment, tuck in and enjoy rather than get limited down in the high 20's due to inadequate gearing.

How to have a nice afternoon: A sunny near 70 day, the fat pregnant ground squirrels darting over the bike path, having to dodge 'em as the babies will birth come early Feb. 18mile out and pause at a cement bench with a low southern sun beating in. I'll make another run out here and if it's warm again, the coyotes should be out snacking on the little fellows. Pretty laddies out on the path too, excellent barbados tacos at the Chiptole outdoor restuarant. Only used 4.6K batt (or 7.5 of the 10 amp/hrs) for the 36mile run, have to step it up to a 19mph pace!

And yes, some sort of clip in necessary. I'm using Shamaino pedals from my mtn bike days.
38/48T chainrings, 28/13T 5speed

[SoSauty]

My sweaty workout rides
Took comm college classes and rode alot last year. Patted my belly after this Christmas and thought, "Gotta get some miles in before Feb Low Key."
After a few rides to build up mileage and adjust new gearing, finally rode 38miles, the last 3 with dead batt. Enjoyed my ride in the drizzle immensely, so if it rains again this year, I'll be ready! Stopped by Eureka to guzzle tea and wolf down some fancy nachos. Outdoor heated patio and gas rocks ablaze.

About my batt pack: for now riding with just 60%/10Ahr which should be good for 40miles, but the 10S lipo isn't broken in and it swings out of balance. Actually had enough juice for 40 - 45 miles but when just 1 of the 20 cells (2 bricks) I'm carrying dips below 3volts, boom. The controller shuts 'er all down. I'll be carrying 4 bricks on the 63mile Low Key ride. Lots of charging and discharging to do on the new lipo bricks to get 'em broke in and balanced.

Had to backorder a lipo, replaced the 1 lipo brick with a smaller one that wasn't broken in either. Twas' my archilles heel. The pack shut down mile 39 with a single middle cell way down to 1.9volt. The low safe voltage is 3.0volts, I had 2 other cells down around 2.95 volts. After 10 charges or so, these cells should hold much better extending my mileage.

[paul]

that really does sound like a fun ride. will the restaurants let you plug in. i know they will here and so will kmart. actually i have never had anyone say no on island. they always find me a plug if i need one

[SoSauty]

Everywhere I ride distance, folks are good about allowing me to sip electricity. I tell 'em it's a really low amount, around 2cents an hour of charge. Between a 40mile batt pack and electrical sipping at fancy cheeseburger houses, I can go anywhere I want.

But, the Low Key Run is out in Gods' Country. Ground squirrels, and the occassional deer/bobcat. Edward Lyen was your star this year. He rode 64miles in 3hrs 48min, 5th place against pedal power. He's a great friend and has the best e-bike controllers http://www24.brinkster.com/lyen/beta/
Left helmet at home, had to drive to a Target store, got a late start, didn't have extra Advil, and generally got off scedule with disorganization. The late start threw my diabetic eating/refilling off.
Also, Hobby King was out of stock on some Lipo, I substituted a smaller lipo that wasn't broken in, which got out of balance and shut the batt pack down at the 39mile point. Laid down exhasted unbeknownst a mile short of the finish. After a 20min break laying on warm asphalt in the sun, pedalled in 5hrs 46min. Oh well, the worst day of pedalling beats a good day cleaning house.

But loved the ride. The bike clubbers are killer athletes. Team blonde gave me a few words of encouragement and pedalled ahead into the blue. If you run the full batt allowed, you can hang with 'em, always someone ahead and someone behind 'ya. If you trim the batt pack, I'm only running about half capacity allowed, it's challenging. I should get my time down under 4hrs next year, watch out Lyen and team of blondes!

A young team of 4-H girls helped out scoring at the check point and took this cell phone photo of me. They are our future. Man, there's snacks and homemade goodies galore at the 32mile checkpoint. My next ride is in Chattanooga TN on May 4th. It's 67mile with more elevation. Those folks put on a Bar-B-Que with Blue Grass band afterwards.http://megamonster.lowkeyhillclimbs....3/results.html