I rode my Priority Current e-bike from Seattle to Portland - 215 miles

Can a commuter e-bike handle a 200+ mile ride from Seattle to Portland? That was the question that started this experiment. Every July for the past 44 years, Cascade has hosted their annual Seattle to Portland (STP) ride. Over the course of two days, thousands of people ride their bikes along the 206 mile route.
I was excited to join in on this Northwest tradition and tackle the 44th edition of STP on my brand new Priority Current e-bike, little did I know that not everything would go to plan.
Read my post about the experience: ebikecommuting.com/i-rode-my-...
Read my review of the Priority Current e-bike: ebikecommuting.com/priority-c...
Music by Alex-Productions | Music promoted by onsound.eu
Thanks for watching!
00:00 - Intro
02:00 - Day 1
08:07 - Day 2
11:35 - Final thoughts

[@waltersmithat70]

I have over 5,000 miles on my e-bike in less than two years on all kinds of terrain from Summer hot temperatures to Winter rain it is never let me down. It's also loaded down with panniers on the front and the back to frame packs and two 48 volt batteries. Yes it's heavy but it definitely gets the job done not too fast but it's dependable and strong. Keep in mind that you just don't need to go to a motel to charge at night most state parks now have electricity available in their hike-and-bike or tent site spaces. Also lot of city parks that have a gazebo for parties in that have electricity not to say stopping at coffee shops fast food restaurants Etc

[@EBikeCommuting]

Sounds like you’ve got a great set up. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@GrayWithMe]

Hey thanks for this comment I wasn’t aware about the electrical on some camp sites

[@dennisyoung4631]

They can need some serious looking in some areas. I carry a Klein socket tester to see if they’re live or not, an extension cord, and a Grim Satiator charger if I plan a 50+ mile ride - like on the third of this month, paying bills. I found a socket at my last stop. Only got a bit more than 1 amp-hour there…

[@cherylnewell9912]

Great job, proud of you.

[@koreanmtnbiker2931]

Its not the ebike, it's the rider. Can a rider handle 215 miles? Like the saying. "In the MTB world, it is not the bike but a rider!" Great job. I will try next year.

[@banyanstudio]

Great video - thank you for sharing!

[@EBikeCommuting]

Thanks for watching

[@lkj974]

At least it was the front tire that went flat. A huge piece of glass was really bad luck. Not only need a new tube but also a boot for the tire.

[@billcompton6050]

Tyler I liked your video. I just bought a specialized turbo vado 5.0 IGH with auto shifting enviolo. It has a 74- wh battery in the frame. I mostly use it in sport mode. That thing fly's, and I really don't care what other people think about e-bikes. Too each his own and it makes me want to get out and ride. I did 8 days on the erie canal ride last year and saw a lot of e-bikes out there and rode with two of my friends that have them. What a difference this makes. I am respectful on the bike trails and don't ride too fast. My friends also draft me on the road as well. I found that very amusing. Thank you Bill Compton

[@EBikeCommuting]

Glad you enjoyed my video and helpful to hear about your experience on the Vado. I've heard good things and it's on my list to test out!

[@billcompton6050]

Tyler Glad to hear your going to check out the vado. My suggestion is to test ride it for a while. The shifting takes a little getting used to, but once you figure it out it helps and makes the riding much easier. Looking forward to your review. Bill C@@EBikeCommuting

[@jarretbyrd1]

Nice video, and thanks for the tips & insight.. I think I'll do the STP this year on my Specialized Turbo Creo. Shout out to my Vancouver Bicycle Club, and cheers from Ridgefield!

[@EBikeCommuting]

Glad to hear you found it helpful. Good luck with your ride! It will be a blast on an e-bike

[@TG-ss4he]

Good job bro ! 🚴

[@CascadeBicycleClub]

Thanks for riding with us Tyler! What a great recap of your experience. Appreciate your transparency about the whole experience and glad to see the ride went well for you. We hope to see you again next year!

[@james-p]

Hey, an e-bike is only cheating if it's a race! Otherwise, it's just more fun :-)

[@dennisyoung4631]

Or, if you’re getting on in years, have serious health problems, and have had surgery on both knees - it can mean being able to go real distances, e.g. nearly sixty miles on a charge, 95% to 30% or so.

[@bobavontanelorn5713]

Great video, thanks! To avoid a flat tire on the next tour, I have a recommendation: Schwalbe Marathon plus - an unbreakable tire. I've been riding it on three wheels since 2005. I commute 20 miles a day for work plus the miles I cover in my free time or for shopping. The coat isn't cheap, but a shard of glass or similar won't interrupt a bike ride. Kind regards from Germany

[@EBikeCommuting]

Thanks for the advice!!

[@TrentSiggard]

Great video~! I would have loved to know what the battery % was at various points throughout the day. Anyway, great video! Love seeing eBikes used in new ways.

[@777noirkat]

Dream trip-multiple batteries staged for pickup at post offices across the route- ride stopping to swap the battery and mail the used one for recharge

[@TrentSiggard]

These are all things I’m trying to figure out- eBikePacking is going to be a thing! Your video was awesome.

[@thejourneywebsite]

Thanks for putting together this long-distance cycling video. What kind of pump will you bring with you next time? I have an e-bike, but I may need to get a different pump to fix flats. Thanks for your input!

[@EBikeCommuting]

I like this pump from Topeak. It works on Schrader and Presta valves, not just one (the issue I ran into on my STP ride). It has a PSI gauge so you don't over pressurize your tire. bit.ly/45mAEl3

[@nelsoncaraballo9446]

I really like wearing my clipless peddles but my friends are scared of using them. My Level 2 weighs in at 62 lbs. Priority list yours at 53 lbs. Wish I had your weight catagory.Thank you for sharing. Ride On!

[@localparfait]

130 the first day for me. Loved the free fries in Centralia. Do it without electricity next year!!!!

[@billhemingway5558]

i'm surprised no other riders stopped to assist ?

[@EBikeCommuting]

a few did, but they were riding road bikes with presta tubes and their pumps didn't have a shrader adapter 😢

[@Adlemtbadv]

Nice ride dude. A beautiful part of the US. I hope to get there one day. Is that Mount Rainer peak with snow on top in the distance? And yeah. Ban the glass bottle! You won't get a beer can in your tyre! 😉👌

[@Adlemtbadv]

And I've got 8000km on my eMTB to date. Running the Bosch CX performance line and 625Wh battery. Still charges to 100% 👍 😊

[@EBikeCommuting]

Yes it was! and agree that beer can is the way to go

[@BryceLovesTech]

Can you please please answer the question how do you feel about not having a suspension fork? Would you add one? I’m looking at this bike and I’m thinking of either adding a fork later or just getting larger tires. Did you ever feel like it was too Chattery over rougher roads?

[@EBikeCommuting]

I think I prefer a suspension fork on a commuter ebike mainly because it makes it feel a bit more relaxed and cushy to ride. The Current is a great bike but it does feel stiff. I like your idea of adding a fork

[@James-MV]

It's funny. I was just playing with Komoot to see what a round-the-Olympic-Penninsula (starting on Bainbridge) ride would look like on my new Current when I stumbled on your vid. That looks like a great ride. Is the route available somewhere?

[@EBikeCommuting]

That sounds like it will be a beautiful ride! I really like RidewGPS’s route planner since they have a heat map of the common cycling routes. Here are my two ride files: Day 1 ridewithgps.com/trips/128147494 Day 2 ridewithgps.com/trips/128280417

[@James-MV]

Hey, thanks! Those look great. I was wondering where all the bike trail sections were.

[@dennisyoung4631]

How did you *stand* that Scary St. John’s bridge in Portland? Every time I’ve crossed it, I’ve had to use the sidewalks and going really slow. Only way I could cross it in the roadway would be in the wee hours of the morning!

[@EBikeCommuting]

There were a fair number of cars, but they had a ton of signage warning motorists of the events and pretty much the entire right hand lane had cyclists in it and the cars stuck to the left lane. Always safer when more people are on bikes!

[@greenwaybikexploring]

Totally excited to see this up. I am on a different brand, but enthusiastic to try longer distances. Last year, my longest e-bike ride was a 70-mile day. I had to plan for at least 30 miles unassisted to ensure I had juice for the sections with uphills. It was a very challenging ride, and I did use PAS 1 to conserve battery. That effort to conserve battery slowed me down considerably and intensified the fatigue. It was a fun ride, but I will not likely try such a long distance again this year. However, I have a new battery with higher amp hours that might help a long-distance attempt with a higher PAS or maintain a longer period of electric assistance. I found you on Insta; would love to connect more and talk about commuting near Raleigh, NC.

[@EBikeCommuting]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Yes, riding at PAS 1 can take it out of you, I definitely appreciated being able to ride on 2 or 3 most of the time. Send us a DM on Insta, always nice to hear from other e-bike commuters

[@SolarizeYourLife]

How many batteries did you have and needed charged???

[@EBikeCommuting]

I had a spare frame battery and spare range extender. Charged all four at night, but I think I could have gotten away without the extra two if I had ridden on PAS lever 1 or 2, rather than the 2 or 3 I spent most of the ride on

[@darinsmith2458]

Without the pedal assist, would you say it is similar to other bikes?

[@EBikeCommuting]

Yes, when you have the motor off it’s pretty similar to a regular bike, except that it’s a lot heavier and only has 5 gears. I took it on a 10 mile ride without pedal assist and it wasn’t terrible, but it is a lot more enjoyable to ride when you have the motor on.

[@darinsmith2458]

@@EBikeCommuting good to know that i can make it home if the battery runs out..

[@adrianyueng3489]

Hi, Your bike has 2 batteries? What's the battery at the back for?

[@EBikeCommuting]

The battery on the back is the Range Extender. Once the frame battery is depleted, the e-bike switches over to the rear battery. More about it on Priority's website: www.prioritybicycles.com/products/current-battery-extender

[@adrianyueng3489]

@@EBikeCommutingI didn't know that there is a battery extender option in Ebike. I thought you have to buy an extra and exact battery as the main one and swap over. Thank you.

[@rienabelazotes7558]

E bike 😊

[@BIKENESS]

I have an e bike its very helpful but i can't imagine if the electric went haywire for some reason and trying to pedal manually..thing is little but heavy and no gears Lol

[@EBikeCommuting]

Totally! I’ve had to manually pedal my cargo e-bike which weighs 100+ pounds and it’s close to impossible to pedal it up a hill. Ha

[@anthonykoleszar1779]

STP isn’t hard even with “ pedal -alone” regular bikes. Mostly flat, lots of support and drafting is an option more than not.

[@EBikeCommuting]

And the e-bike made it even easier! A fun ride to do

[@dennisyoung4631]

Finding places to charge??? Electrical outlets?

[@leomccarthy2999]

Nice guy, quality video. I put 10,000 miles on my first human powered only Priority Bike without any issues including many century rides. The Current looks like a great e-bike. It better be at $3,299.00! So, you ride 215 miles in two days. Each extra battery costs $599.00, plus you have to carry the charging unit. E-bikes are here to stay but if you really want a feeling of accomplishment without the extra expense and weight just ride a regular human powered only bike.

[@EBikeCommuting]

Thanks for sharing

[@GrayWithMe]

But not everyone can do that. Since I had Covid I have had a lot of health related problems and I’ve never healed right from it. The e bike does allow me to commute to work and still feel a since of accomplishment. Your remarks are a little rude- it’s like bicycle gatekeeping

[@waltersmithat70]

Try that opinion at 70+ yrs old....with a total knee replacement . I still get exercise on my upgraded 21 speed electric. Groceries, commuting to a pt job , etc. Some people are to quick to pass judgment.......

[@ericbergman2320]

I’m curious. Why didn’t you just ask another cyclist to borrow their pump?

[@EBikeCommuting]

I did, but unfortunately everyone that passed me that I talked to had the wrong type of pump since they were all riding traditional road bikes

[@JohnRadford-iy7db]

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