Electric Bikes - Has Anyone Stealth Camped using an E-Bike?

I stealth camp (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/stealthcamping) for fun. Stealth camping for those who haven't done it before is camping overnight on unfenced, unimproved and unmarked land not in siight of habitation using Leave No Trace (http://www.lnt.org/) principals.

I normally stealth using my touring bike (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/NorthSeaRoute). Let me know if there are too many links.

I have an old Giant ebike (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/pic/?o=QzzM&pic_id=181029&v=L&size=large) I use for commuting and I'm toying with the idea of taking the next holiday weekend and doing an overnighter. I know I can get at least 30 kms per charge without serious power loss. I have a back-up battery I can use to get home.

Does this make any sense or is ebiking and stealth camping mutually exclusive?

The touring/camping part sound really fun, but the stealth could really freak people out I suspect. Now i know where the recent Big Foot stories are coming from! I do see the survival appeal.

So where are you going on these adventures?

I'm threatening to put a bionx system on a Scott sub and the though of using the e to get up a mountain to to camp and then coasting down would be FUN.

60 people have viewed this post, but only one has replied. Hmmm.

I hate answering my own questions, but I've had a few days to think about it.

Touring differs quite a bit from commuting on an ebike. I've got to average about 30 kms/hr so my commute is less than an hour. While I'm touring there is realy no rush. I would say then that the motor assist for touring should be for hills and headwinds only. With my touring bike I average 12 kms/hr, so right now I'm trying to figure hoiw far I'll get without a huge headwind.

Oh never mind

First, let me say that I am an e-bike proponent; however, I do not think that they are well suited for touring. I would not even consider one for my 100k weekend rides. They are an excelet commuting alternative and I believe that they can be that last mile (or last 5 mile) solution that can make riding the bus and other forms of mass transit both practicable and palatable for many people.

That being said, I would like to play with the idea of putting high efficiency solar panels (which are generally hard and a bit heavy) in a position to serve as a roof on a trike and then add electrics. However, I haven't spent too much time with this idea and panel output, rider contribution and motor draw. No matter what it would be slow, but possibly not much more than a conventional bike. This is an attempt to address the basic reason that an e-bike is unsuitable for touring, range; add to this problem that prime solar hours are also prime riding hours. So, the result is that the panels must be in charging position while riding. Due to issues of balance, this is hard on a conventional bike.

I did see one story by a person that used a trailer and put the panels on the top of his trailer. That worked well for him. For a long tour, where one is taking a trailer anyway, it might be a workable solution. It just seems to me that the real issue you are trying to address should not be stealth camping (with the size of his trailer it looked like there was almost room to sleep in it); but rather, e-bike touring.

First, let me say that I am an e-bike proponent; however, I do not think that they are well suited for touring. I would not even consider one for my 100k weekend rides. They are an excelet commuting alternative and I believe that they can be that last mile (or last 5 mile) solution that can make riding the bus and other forms of mass transit both practicable and palatable for many people.

That being said, I would like to play with the idea of putting high efficiency solar panels (which are generally hard and a bit heavy) in a position to serve as a roof on a trike and then add electrics. However, I haven't spent too much time with this idea and panel output, rider contribution and motor draw. No matter what it would be slow, but possibly not much more than a conventional bike. This is an attempt to address the basic reason that an e-bike is unsuitable for touring, range; add to this problem that prime solar hours are also prime riding hours. So, the result is that the panels must be in charging position while riding. Due to issues of balance, this is hard on a conventional bike.

I did see one story by a person that used a trailer and put the panels on the top of his trailer. That worked well for him. For a long tour, where one is taking a trailer anyway, it might be a workable solution. It just seems to me that the real issue you are trying to address should not be stealth camping (with the size of his trailer it looked like there was almost room to sleep in it); but rather, e-bike touring.

A very well thought out response Robert. I agree with everything you say and love the idea of solar panela, but at some later date when the efficiencies are improved.

I too use my e-bike for commuting and speed is the primary concern. I have to go 24 kms in one hour. This is quite unsustainable without assistance.

When I tour I go a quite a different pace and probably would only require assistance on hills and into headwinds. I currently get about 30 kms per charge with heavy drain. I'm wondering how much further I could travel with light battery drain. Stealth camping would mean I couldn't recharge batteries at a campsite, so I would have to tour within my comfort range and 100kms for a weekend does not seem impossible as I have two battery packs. I would discharge the NiCads first and leave the SLA for the homebound trip so it doesn't sit empty. with a 50 km range from home I could extend that with public transport for a bit more of an adventure.

I'm thinking of giving this a try on the Canada Day weekend (July 1st). I'll let you know how it works out.

I too use my e-bike for commuting and speed is the primary concern. I have to go 24 kms in one hour. This is quite unsustainable without assistance.


I go 9.6 km in about 24 mins on my current eBike. I'm flying though. 38-40 km/h is not uncommon on the flat parts. Even the roadies following me are having trouble keeping up (they get exhausted after 2-3 kms).

I plan on trying a "stealth camping" trick in the near future. I just won't do it 100km away from home though. ;)

I think my eBike is more suited for local usage than long distance traveling. But hey... you could always recharge at your destination or bring along a spare battery if you want. ;)