Ariel Rider Kepler 1000 Mile Review

[@RonNehrig]

There are a few extra notes in the description, there's always something I could have said and didn't.

[@rickvangunten4800]

I just purchased a Kepler, my first E-Bike. Really appreciate the practical tips.......>

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks for the comment, i hope they’re useful! 🙂

[@ginginthing]

This is undoubtedly one of the best ebike reviews I've seen and probably the best review on anything on YT. I feel that I've owned this ebike for at least a year now. For the money, this ebike obviously has a lot of positive things. One thing I'm leaning towards is a full suspension bike because I'm 76 and have a bad lower back. I never road an ebike so maybe that's not really an issue since the ebikes have front shocks. But the much more expensive, slower and heavier MagiCycle Deer is the other bike I'm considering because of the rear suspension. To my knowledge, no one has done an in depth review on the MagiCycle speed controls to the extent u have on this bike, so I'm not aware of any low speed PAS issues like this Keplar has.

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks very much for the comment. Suspension would be great, but there never seems to be enough, even in long travel suspension motorcycles, where they also stand up to absorb the bumps with their legs. I figure a very short travel ebike suspension would absorb some bumps, but then it will bottom out and slam us, just like the much better suspension on motorcycles. I got a cushy bike seat with springs that helps a lot, and then I partly stand up when I'm approaching a bumpy area, and lean back against the seat which seems more stable, and that really helps. There are also suspension seat posts. Both are more limited than rear suspension, I suppose, but would help a bit. Front suspension is much easier on wrists and hands, and surely helps the seat as well, but standing now and then seems to be the real back and butt saver. I think the Magicycle has adjustable PAS settings, but the throttle only works to 20 mph (on this and many bikes) which is a limitation that would bother me, as I use the throttle while pedaling when I need a short boost of extra power, like climbing hills. The "Wired" Freedom is another possibility, used to be called Wicked. I couldn't find if they're PAS settings are adjustable, and I read the only manual I could find, which was actually on the display, not the bike. wickedebikes.com/products/wired-freedom-blue You might also be interested in my video on ebike gears, which is an aid in evaluating bikes. For me, having gears that allow me to pedal at higher speeds is an important consideration. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZaYY5yBr9KSbrc

[@stereode1uxe]

I don’t even have this bike but enjoyed your methodical breakdown of the bikes quality. Wondering what your career is/was? Engineer?

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks very much for the comment, I appreciate it! Details are everything on these bikes, and they are hard to come by, so I got drawn into it. Only a tinkering engineer in my head. I have built houses, boats, small solar panel systems, spent many years building custom furniture, writing computer software, and being an IT manager. You might say I appreciate detail.... and I still left out a few things that I put in the description. 🙂

[@stereode1uxe]

@@RonNehrig ha! I can see all of those old careers/skills coming thru in your video. 😀 On another note, I’m actually torn between this bike and the Aventon Aventure. That’s how I got here.

[@RonNehrig]

@@stereode1uxe i like their step through, and now they have the Aventure.2 to make the choice more difficult, though i would still choose the Kepler, but it would be great to do long test rides on a bunch of them. The Wicked Cruiser is another to consider.

[@LCDynamicCo]

Great review! Thanks! I thought these scenes looked an awful lot like home. From Columbus, I’ve spent a lot of time in Brown, Morgan, and Monroe counties, and recognized the terrain... then noticed titles of your other videos. A year later, is this bike still holding up?

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks for the comment! Yes, the bike is doing okay, though the display failed for some reason and I had to replace it (in another video). I'm currently boating instead of riding, but will probably get back to riding before too long.

[@frankpaglianite4158]

Thanks Ron for that useful information I just got my Kepler and I’m really liking it and I’m really using your charts for power adjustment which is very useful to see how you can modulate the power and speed. I have a X class 48 V which is very nice and power settings are, very smooth and reliable. This Kepler is a whole Other beast but I like it most of all makes you paddle the bike which you can’t do on the X class very well thanks again.

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks for the comment Frank! Glad you found it useful; it took me a while to figure this bike out, but i've grown accustomed to it. Have fun, and be careful getting on and off, that’s what gives me problems.

[@kheaney4241]

Helpful video, thanks! To verify, If you are using only the throttle in a “cruise” mode, are you still shifting gears as you would if you were pedaling?

[@RonNehrig]

I don't use "only" the throttle, I just use it as pedal assist when I'm trying to go slow, or going up hills. I am always pedaling at a moderate level, both for the exercise, and to extend my range, since my rides are usually long (30-50 miles).

[@kevinnashskitchen3517]

I have managed to use the Kepler throttle successfully from about 2mph to full. So off road I set the limit to 20 mph and use the PAS often and then on road set the limit back to 36 mph or so. Yes I tried all the things you mention. Very good job sir! You know the Kepler well. 👍 would love to see a nice programmable power settings in that display for sure. And a button for cruise on or off would be very useful .

[@RonNehrig]

Since you're more used to a motorcycle throttle that was probably easier for you, it took me a while; learning that the PAS had to be 0 to not interfere was a big help. Yes, a cruise control would be very nice. There is a competitor that has that, but I don't remember which one. I did the last two rides, "Oak Ridge" and Reynolds Ridge" with just the throttle and bike set to 58 kph. Thanks for the comment! :-)

[@rickmarcera9337]

Great video! Just got mine two weeks ago and I'm having a blast!! BTW, what 30 kph? Thank you!

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks for the comment! Glad you're having fun; I still am. Don't know what “what 30 kph?” means.

[@jwagner217837]

Good video. Lots of good information and I learned a lot! Thanks. Luv my Kepler!

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks very much, and thanks for the comment; I appreciate it!

[@garysanchezphotography]

I like the concept of using PAS 0 and the throttle in changing terrain.

[@RonNehrig]

I'm getting much better at it. Both the Oak Ridge and Reynold Ridge videos were in PAS 0, Speed Limiter 58, and just the throttle as pedal assist. I do usually pedal, adding just enough throttle to help out. I've been trying to figure out how to make the throttle two levels, but my ideas haven’t worked so far. Thanks for the comment! :-)

[@garysanchezphotography]

@@RonNehrig The reviews I have seen with torque sensor control vs cadence sensor seem to indicate that a torque sensor is much better for mixed terrain.

[@RonNehrig]

@Gary Sanchez Interesting that I just watched this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2OWXpyNgNare5Y There are pros and cons to both; I've seen reviews on bikes with both, and those reviewers preferred the cadence. I'm sure how it is implemented would affect how I would react to it, as with Cadence, and I would want to ride the bike before deciding. I don't mind the cadence if the PAS levels are adjusted to match the terrain, or if I'm using the throttle as variable assist. Of course, there aren't many torque sensors around on bikes that I want (more on pricey mid-drive mountain bikes). The new Juiced Ripcurrent S has both and has been upgraded to be as strong as the Kepler, and it has some great features, but also some limitations that I don't want, like a thumb throttle that only goes to 20, a cruise control (very nice) but it's limited to 9-20 mph (boo), a lower top speed, didn't see adjustable PAS levels and I don't know much about their PAS. It might be nice to try one.

[@goose2die4]

Where did you get that skid plate ?

[@RonNehrig]

I made it, there were none available. I just put up a short video on making one. 🙂 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZ7Zd3Wqf6apn9U

[@goose2die4]

Thanks I have one that i have from my RR that I bought on E-bay and hope it will fit my K2 !

[@RonNehrig]

@@goose2die4 the one i saw looked similar, leave a note on how it fits. )

[@garyderoy]

Ron, I've found that a steady, slow speed of 3 mph or so can be maintained on some terrain by using the walk assist function. It's too fast for actually walking beside the bike on level ground, but I've used it walking up steep, rocky trails and even riding on level woods paths. I enjoy your videos.

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks Gary! I use the walk assist for walking it over logs and around obstacles, but i would find it too slow for riding. For long slow trails i usually turn the bike down to 15-25 kph so i get a pas 1 of 5 or 6 mph, that also slows walk assist down i think. For short slow sections i use pas 0 and the throttle as pedal assist; i’ve also done that for long sections, like the Oak Ridge, and Reynolds Ridge videos, but i guess i prefer turning the bike down. Thanks for the comment!

[@Fubar684]

Excellent review. I am only now starting to look at ebikes and researching for what's on the market. I'm noticing the features you mention never come up on the product description on some of the bikes I'm looking at.

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks for the comment! Yeah, there isn't much easy to find detail.on ebikes to really figure out what they actually do and how they do it; my exchanges with AR tech support give me the impression that they don’t know either, which is probably not just an AR issue. I was tempted to do more comparisons to other bikes, but i would have to test them to learn enough to make that meaningful, so i fell back on some general comments about the issues to look for. I certainly struggled with the decision, but, being my second ebike, i had a place to start. I still look at new bikes to figure out if there is a better one, but haven’t found one yet. I'm still hoping to find some way to improve the PAS settings. I am getting better at the throttle though. i spent a little time trying to adjust the throttle sensitivity, like with a rheostat or resistors on a switch, but didn’t want to damage the thing so set that idea aside for now.

[@butchie2752]

Very informative. Thanks

[@RonNehrig]

You're welcome! Thanks for the comment. 🙂

[@njrivetelite]

I really want to know about your 2nd battery set up.

[@RonNehrig]

Did you see my video on that? kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYe5gZV7qJtqeZo

[@kevinnashskitchen3517]

Any thoughts on an upgrade for brake pads when the time comes? Be sure to mention if you try a new brand or type of material.

[@RonNehrig]

I went safe with the Tektro Disc Brake Pad, close as I could find to original. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005OME320/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@kevinnashskitchen3517]

@@RonNehrig very good. I hadn't remembered you mentioning. Nice.

[@RonNehrig]

I didn't think to mention pads. My pads still looked good, so I haven't changed them yet, but I do have replacements for when I do.

[@andrewkemp2899]

Great video, Ron! Very thorough and informative. Finally got my bike rack so I will be venturing out of Bargersville and into other areas of the great Hoosier state!

[@RonNehrig]

@@andrewkemp2899 Thanks Andrew! Have fun in all of these great places to ride!

[@rufusirvin5279]

Best to solve these pas settings is to install a phase runner controller from Grin Tech

[@RonNehrig]

Have you done this on a Kepler, or know anyone who has? If so, please give us whatever details you can. I talked to them in September and they didn't have any suggestions. Their version 4 was having Mosfat failures on higher voltage batteries; that might have been fixed in version 5. Aside from the $315 price is the issue of wiring, at least some of which isn't compatible with Kepler wiring such as the throttle and no speedometer connection, and I'm not sure what else; it would be good to know more about that. Their controller software requires a lot of details about the motor to work properly that I haven't seen anywhere, and though they have a Bafang motor profile, I don't know if they have the AR version. So if I am the first I will be experimenting with a lot of variables, which they have described as a "pain in the *ss". Maybe a more complete solution will pop up, or more complete information on this one. Thanks very much for the comment!

[@butchie2752]

Great vid. I was thinking hard about this bike but that pas issue is troubling. I don’t have as many weird road issues as you do so maybe I could ignore it. My current bike is 500 watt and has the same weak hill response your old bike did. Anyway this was informative.

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks for the comment! Yes the PAS issue was troubling to me before I got it, and no one had explained it hardly at all, so I just got a hint of it. The problem is, it's the fastest, strongest bike I could find, and each of the others has one or more issue, so I still went with this one.

[@butchie2752]

@@RonNehrighey- Ron I watched this vid again after putting a couple of hundred miles on my Kepler. I liked your charts and smelled some engineering in the background. I have been using the throttle as low speed assist, like you said, but have not used pa 0 which I will start doing. I had already adjusted the max speed to less than the max. I mostly rude in a hilly urban area. I have it set where the peak wattage is around 1200. I don’t want to go over 25mph anyway. Anyway, all your comments were appreciated and I understood it better this time around.

[@RonNehrig]

@@butchie2752 Oh good. For road work I leave the speed limiter at around 60kph, which provides the maximum power for going up hills especially, but if you don't need that it doesn't matter.

[@jasonkrantz8946]

Low end is not this bike hi points for sure

[@RonNehrig]

I did get better at holding the throttle at a low speed, using it for pedal assist, so that helped a lot. For long slow stretches I still would turn down the max speed limit to make it more manageable at low speeds.Too bad, this is a simple design fix.

[@southernebiking]

Really great Review. Keep the videos coming, looks like very interesting areas to be riding. I’m looking forward to going back and catching up on the different places you’ve been at. Have subscribed to keep following. Stop by my channel to check places we have been.

[@RonNehrig]

Thanks very much for your comment! :-)