This is proof that it is the “Big” ride Across America….112 miles is a “big” ride!
112 miles on the range. Long rolling hills, lots of wind and very few people.
We rode out of Sheridan and into the sparsely populated state of Wyoming. This day was ideal for a long ride. The weather was completely clear blue sky, the heat was tepid in the 70’s and the land was gently rolling with lots of epic views and scenic countryside.
While riding on this century tour, I found the Pedego Interceptor e-bike to be incredibly inspiring as I did a study of bicycle dashboards (see below). I needed a fourth battery for the mileage and mountains. The 112-mile ride took about 7 hours to complete. We stopped several times, plus lunch. It was really fun to break out and let the electric bike do its thing. It was a pleasure to ride and the electric assist was incredibly fun. The electric bicycle was first in camp on this long day. The fastest bike is the Pedego Interceptor!
The cycling jerseys I have been wearing are working out incredibly well. I have been wearing only long-sleeve jerseys to protect my skin from the sun. The Aero Tech Designs Custom Jersey is amazing in that it’s very cool to wear and holds all kinds of stuff in the back pockets. I am really happy with the Elite pad in my shadow bike shorts, too. I have no need for chamois cream or other chafe protection. The shorts alone are awesome and I am very comfortable.
Cathy’s Pedego Interceptor electric bicycle
Bicycle Dashboards on The Big Ride:
Cathy's Big Ride Across America 
How did you manage to get the fourth battery?
Hello…we put a spare battery in the mechanic truck at the start of this event…it worked out great.
Cathy,
Rob’s wife, Beth here. I love the pictures of all the rider’s ‘dashboards’. That is really clever! It sounds like you are having a blast on the e-bike. I am jealous.
Well hello there. We are having fun…thanks for sharing Robb with us. He is so fun to ride with.
Could you talk a little more about the batteries? How often do you change? What assist settings do you typically use? Any thought about whether the 48V 10 AHr battery or the 36V 15 AHr packs that are available on certain other Pedego models might be better for this type of ride? Do you have enough time at night to charge everything for the next day?
Hello There…about the batteries.
The battery use is directly affected by the type of terrain, the level of assist you desire and how you use it during the ride. Here are some of the overall opinions on the battery.
1. The batteries that are used during the day are charged every night even if they are only partially discharged. Typically I have been charging two batteries at night and we are averaging about 85 miles a day. Most days, I still have plenty of power left when we reach the destination.
2. I have used both the 48V 10AHr and the 36V 15AHR. My current bike is the 48V and my other Pedego at home is a 36V. Between the two I do not see a negligible difference. I am guessing that since Pedego sent me the 48V for this trip, they recommend that one. I can check on this and follow up with the reply directly from Pedego on this one.
3. The level of assist is a huge factor in battery life. The stronger the assist the more battery drain. On this Big Ride Across America, I have been using the assist to pace my husband riding partner and for cutting through the headwinds with riders behind. The level of assist I typically ride is as follows:
A. Up mountains, I use a level 1 or 2 depending on who I am with. The first level 1 is really low and useful for really steep parts of the mountain like just as it crests or when it is past 7% grade. The number 2 assist is a little fast for most other riders that I am with when going up a mountain, so I rotate between 1 and 2 going up steep mountain passes and long hills.
B. Flats and gentle rolling hills typically see a level of assist at about 3 or 4 depending on the wind direction and how gentle the rolling hills are. The level 2 assist is good for just starting out after breaks where the legs are not quite warmed up. We quickly move to a level 3 assist which is about 14-17 mph and this is probably the most used setting for flats. We can move to a 4 where the legs are fully warmed up and we are ready for a strong push. The level 5 would be a tail wind situation where we can push speeds of 25+ mph.
C. Throttle without assist – This is the most efficient use of battery life, where the bicycle is used as intended with just an occasional boost up a hill or to catch another rider. This is my preferred setting. I like just riding at my own speed and using the boost when needed.
4. Charging the battery at night has been our priority as soon as we reach camp at the end of the ride. We have been able to find electric every night to charge the batteries. Sometimes the e-bike batteries are the only thing that gets recharged when we are in a remote campsite but it has never been a problem so far. The batteries do take a long time to charge (about 8 hours), so we make it a priority at night to get them hooked up.
5. The battery life appears to be declining over time. As we use the batteries they appear to be discharging quicker than when brand new. I don’t have a strong hold on this yet, but will keep you posted over time if this is indeed the case.