E bike Battery charging on the Plata

[dangif123]

Hi all. Looking for some advice. A friend and I are cycling the Plata in September from Seville to SDC. We are renting e bikes to help as one of us has health restrictions.

The batteries are supposed to last for the day but we will likely need to recharge en route on some days. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with charging up at local cafes / restaurants etc. The battery itself detaches from the bike and gets to 80% in a couple of hours.

I’ve been to Spain a lot myself over the years and the locals are generally very friendly and easy going, also the Plata is not a well worn path so they won’t have been inundated with pilgrims. My belief is that an offering of a few euros and a purchase of lunch etc will be a welcome exchange for an hour or 2 of power…

Taking an extra battery is not an option from the hire company and to be honest the extra weight makes it seem unappealing anyway.

Any suggestions or recommendations?

Tia. X

 

[malingerer]

Hi all. Looking for some advice. A friend and I are cycling the Plata in September from Seville to SDC. We are renting e bikes to help as one of us has health restrictions.

The batteries are supposed to last for the day but we will likely need to recharge en route on some days. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with charging up at local cafes / restaurants etc. The battery itself detaches from the bike and gets to 80% in a couple of hours.

I’ve been to Spain a lot myself over the years and the locals are generally very friendly and easy going, also the Plata is not a well worn path so they won’t have been inundated with pilgrims. My belief is that an offering of a few euros and a purchase of lunch etc will be a welcome exchange for an hour or 2 of power…

Taking an extra battery is not an option from the hire company and to be honest the extra weight makes it seem unappealing anyway.

Any suggestions or recommendations?

Tia. X

Sorry I cant help but very interested in your problem! My health and physical problems have combined to negate any attempt of mine to return to the Plata. Age (85) is also a factor My love dove is hell bent on acquiring an E BIKE but its the very problems you have outlined which makes me post or in other words I shall be very interested in the solutions! Please keep posting ! In the meantime, good luck and God speed. Buen Camino

Samarkand.

 

[dangif123]

Sorry I cant help but very interested in your problem! My health and physical problems have combined to negate any attempt of mine to return to the Plata. Age (85) is also a factor My love dove is hell bent on acquiring an E BIKE but its the very problems you have outlined which makes me post or in other words I shall be very interested in the solutions! Please keep posting ! In the meantime, good luck and God speed. Buen Camino

Samarkand.

Absolutely. I’ll keep you informed as to how it goes. I’m new here but assuming I can message you directly?

Many folk do e-bike the various Caminos and I’m sure there are solutions

 

[Corned Beef]

Is the purpose of charging mid-way to extend your daily mileage or is this just worry about getting to your destination?

A 500W e-bike should do 50-70km on 1 charge. Once you are out of juice, you can still ride them albeit at a slow pace.

 

[dangif123]

Is the purpose of charging mid-way to extend your daily mileage or is this just worry about getting to your destination?

A 500W e-bike should do 50-70km on 1 charge. Once you are out of juice, you can still ride them albeit at a slow pace.

Thanks for your reply and for the advice. I just wondered if anyone had any experience of charging batteries en route.

 

[wisepilgrim]

My biggest recommendation would be to get a confirmation from the rental company that the chargers they are going to supply you with are capable of performing as you expect. Not all chargers have the same capability, and for your plan to work you will need one that is capable.

As for charging, it should not be a big problem. Offering to pay is a good start, insisting on paying is even better (many shop owners may not realise how much power you need) and will help the other riders who come behind you.

Consider carefully your itinerary, if you are making one. There is a tendency on e-bikes to overestimate your ability and you don't want to end up exhausted and arriving late every day.

And lastly, please remember that ebikes and other motorised methods are, to some degree, considered invasive on the trail. In some places, like park trails in and out of bigger cities they may even be prohibited and signed as such. Pass foot traffic slowly even if it means slowing down and speeding up again, over and over again.

 

[dick bird]

Thanks for your reply and for the advice. I just wondered if anyone had any experience of charging batteries en route.

I´ve walked the VdlP and I don´t remember a stage longer than 30km, well within the range of an e-bike. I suspect bar and café owners en route will be happy to oblige, especially if you offer to pay/or patronise the establishment.

 

[dangif123]

Thank you for your reply. Yes the hire company have given us a full run down on the manufacturer’s vs the actual battery useage - hence why I’m doing some forward planning.

Invasive? Hmm ok. I have walked 5 Caminos and I have been passed by numerous e bikes but never felt that way myself. If they were motorbikes it would have been different but e-bikes are silent and pedal assist so often not really distinguishable from a regular mtb.

Perhaps on the last 100k it will feel that way but it all gets a bit messy on that stretch anyway lol.

 

[dangif123]

I´ve walked the VdlP and I don´t remember a stage longer than 30km, well within the range of an e-bike. I suspect bar and café owners en route will be happy to oblige, especially if you offer to pay/or patronise the establishment.

Thanks for the reply. Part of the reason we are cycling is that we can complete the vdlp in a couple of weeks which is the maximum I can be away from work. To complete in this time the average day is 75km and yes the e-bike should handle this but some days are 90 or 100k. I certainly don’t expect to be needing to recharge en route every day but I’m sure it will be necessary a few times.

 

[dick bird]

Thanks for the reply. Part of the reason we are cycling is that we can complete the vdlp in a couple of weeks which is the maximum I can be away from work. To complete in this time the average day is 75km and yes the e-bike should handle this but some days are 90 or 100k. I certainly don’t expect to be needing to recharge en route every day but I’m sure it will be necessary a few times.

When I said 30 kms, that was the maximum distance between towns, so even when you are cycling 50plus km, you will always be passing through a town or village. So you should always be able to recharge en route.

 

[dangif123]

When I said 30 kms, that was the maximum distance between towns, so even when you are cycling 50plus km, you will always be passing through a town or village. So you should always be able to recharge en route.

Ah ok. Yes plenty of towns I’ve been looking at the guidebook. Just wanted to know if anyone had experience charging batteries in said towns. The willingness of the locals to oblige in this matter

 

[Lindsay53]

I can't give you specifics but I recently saw quite a few E bikes on the VDLP, so the infrastructure must be there.

 

[Corned Beef]

Unless you are a hardened MTB'er or have padded shorts, I would guess you'll be on the N630 in no time.

Pics from Jan 2022 out of Seville.

PS It's not the walkers you have to avoid, it's the local MTB crew coming the other way.

 

[dangif123]

Unless you are a hardened MTB'er or have padded shorts, I would guess you'll be on the N630 in no time.

Pics from Jan 2022 out of Seville.

PS It's not the walkers you have to avoid, it's the local MTB crew coming the other way.

Cool pics. Looks like fun but as you say off road definitely interspersed work on road

 

[Xali1970]

I cycled the VdlP with an ebike last year. To be honest I never needed to charge en route, and had no real issues charging overnight. I did however carry 2 batteries per bike.

You can find the threads I started about them:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/cycling-for-pieta.76636/

And

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/e-bike-charging-on-the-camino-contributing-to-cost.73593/#post-1007096

 

[Gerard Griffin]

I did the Camino Frances on an ebike earlier this year, and had occasion to recharge the battery several times in cafes en route. I simply bought a coffee and plugged it into the wall, and the owners seemed perfectly fine with that. It only costs 25 cent to charge a 500kw battery to full, but I can't imagine the kindly folk who run cafes in Spain objecting.
It's a great way to travel, especially on hills, but don't run out of juice or you'll be sorry, and on the hills you can see the level meter dropping fast!

 

[dangif123]

I did the Camino Frances on an ebike earlier this year, and had occasion to recharge the battery several times in cafes en route. I simply bought a coffee and plugged it into the wall, and the owners seemed perfectly fine with that. It only costs 25 cent to charge a 500kw battery to full, but I can't imagine the kindly folk who run cafes in Spain objecting.
It's a great way to travel, especially on hills, but don't run out of juice or you'll be sorry, and on the hills you can see the level meter dropping fast!

Great information thank you for taking the time

 

[geraldkelly]

I walked the Via earlier this year and saw some people on ebikes. So you won't be the first to do this. I would imagine getting a quick topup in cafés along the way shouldn't be a problem, just ask first, politely, and offer to pay. Electricity in Spain has gone up a lot recently, I would imagine a couple of euros would be enough.

When planning stages remember that cafés are often closed one day a week (usually Monday).

Gerald

 

[Steffan]

E-biking the Via de la Plata sounds divine!
Since I found this thread earlier today, I am totally infatuated with the idea, and I am ready to change my August travel plans.
It's amazing how this forum manages to do that sometimes.
Crossing Spain from south to north in two weeks, and seeing some of the most fabulous places Spain has to offer, that's just ... 'wow'!

I shared your concerns about running out of battery juice especially climbing mountains, but finding so many bike companies offering e-bikes on the Via made me reconsider.
Surely, they must be confident the suggested stages are doable, with one battery charge, either in total or partially with a quick recharge option at a bar or restaurant stop.
Surely they wouldn't want to risk extremely unhappy customers on their unwieldy juiceless e-bikes being stranded on a climb between stops and at risk of heat strokes or overexertion.

 

[Gerard Griffin]

I did the VDP on a pushbike and it was great, but tough at times. Having done the CF on an ebike since, I've no doubt that an ebike on the VDP would be camino perfection.

No problem with the battery as long as you watch the level meter. Charging won't be an issue, you can charge to full in the albergue and there are villages and towns enough to top up. One tip if you do run out ... put the battery in a backpack and cycle on without it. You'll appreciate it all the more when you get it charged once again.

 

[Skinnybiker]

After buying an eMTB a few months ago - mainly trail & dirt riding - I soon discovered that being economical with the power would extend its range somewhat. That is, use eco most of the time, trail if absolutely necessary and never use boost. Also switch off if going downhill, with the wind or on smooth road.

 

[bks]

Unless you are a hardened MTB'er or have padded shorts, I would guess you'll be on the N630 in no time.

Pics from Jan 2022 out of Seville.

PS It's not the walkers you have to avoid, it's the local MTB crew coming the other way.

Won't bikes erode and damage the trails, you show pics of, especially when they are wet?

 

[dangif123]

Won't bikes erode and damage the trails, you show pics of, especially when they are wet?

Bikes don’t erode trails, at least not in the number that pass through the Camino. I’ve been biking and hiking on local trails near where I live, year round, for over 30 years (and so have many other people) Naturally the landscape has changed a bit, but the trails are still there and standing strong

 

[Xali1970]

Won't bikes erode and damage the trails, you show pics of, especially when they are wet?

Not as such. What is pictured by many as a hiking trail are mostly bridle ways with mixed use.

 

[dick bird]

Won't bikes erode and damage the trails, you show pics of, especially when they are wet?

This actually a different topic to the one mentioned in the title. Forum members are able to start new threads on issues they wish to discuss. Have you considered this?