I like to video many of my eMTB and motorcycle rides to share with others. This way people can see what the trails are really like before they ride them. I organize playlists around both rides and by locations/trails on my YouTube channel @jimroal (https://youtube.com/@JimRoal ).
I bought a Garmin Virb Ultra 30 back in 2017 and I use that for recording in-car videos. It is great and has GPS and accelerometers in it so I can get lap times, speed, acceleration, etc. I still use that today for in car video. I tried using it for bicycling and it worked OK but had it's limitations. The smoothing has limits due to the lens size, sensor, etc. Also, this camera is obsolete and no longer supported.
I researched the latest action cameras that were available at the time (May 2023), watching many videos comparing them specially for bicycling and motorcycling type recording. I settled on the Insta360 X3 which was new at the time I bought mine (May 2023). I was a bit disappointed that the GPS was not built in at first but bought their GPS remote which solved that problem. I used it on both the bicycle and the motorcycle and found the smoothing to be excellent, magical in fact. Some of my first videos were on my bicycle helmet which is of course the smoothest since we stabilize our head taking much of the roughness out already.
I also like the 360 pictures and videos as you can pan around while watching, or use in a VR headset. However, 360 video is very bitrate intensive so you need a very high-speed connection to watch it with decent resolution.
I found that for most videos I use the single lens mode which captures 4k video with smoothing very well. Here is an example using single lens mode mounted on a chest mount (using internal mic and no wind protection).
This remote captures the GPS data and the camera records it with the video similar to what my Garmin Virb did. Having the remote is also very handy. Note that the GPS and accelerometer data can only be overlayed on traditional flat video but that can be used when the video was shot in 360 but reframed to flat too.
Here is a 360 video mounted on the motorcycle where you can pan around while watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-u0QMIwtO8 (note: the sound is just via the camera mics with no wind protection). I recommend opening these in YouTube versus viewing in that tiny window.
360 video where you can pan around while watching
Here is a video with the data in it and the latest mic setup.
The photo below shows the whole system on the motorcycle. The remote is strapped to the left mirror mount where I can easily reach it to start/stop recording while riding. I have a USB port on the bike so I can power the camera so I don't have to be limited by camera battery power. You can see the mic, covered by fuzzy wind muffs on the back of the bag.
I use a RAM Mount to mount the camera to my windshield bracket. I lower the windshield way down when riding off-road so the camera is taller and is not obstructed by the windshield.
One rather significant issue I still struggle with is in single lens mode the camera has automatic orientation. Motion side to side of the motorcycle really messes with this when you start the video recording. It sometimes will record the video sideways or even upside down. There is no way to force orientation in the camera. The video editing software does not let you correct the orientation either. I have requested both if these changes from Insta360 so maybe at least one of these features will be added at some point. My fix for now is to always start the video when still and the camera vertical. Sometimes this is not idea though.
This camera is one of the few that can create Google Street View as well, which shows up on Google Maps. I have used this feature, but it is glitchy. Many of the videos will get rejected by Street View due to various GPS data errors. Here are some of my Street View contributions that are active.
I did report these issues to Insta360 and they have been working to correct them.
The Insta360 X3 also shoots great spherical photos at 72MP. You have to use a compatible viewer, which more are finally supporting. Here is an example: https://photos.app.goo.gl/riUtLR61SLxNrojL9
The above view is likely still just a flattened image which just looks weird. Facebook supports them well now. If you open the Google Photos like above it should also view correctly where you can pan around. In Google Photos it initially shows the flattened image but if you click on it you can then view it properly.
The Insta360 X3 has many other great features. Now Insta360 has released their X4 camera which is the next generation after the X3, bringing higher bitrate support, which enables 8k spherical recording. It also has a larger battery and better lens guards, as well as a few other upgrades.
La Madre Foothills is an area in the Northwest of the Las Vegas valley. This area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and is part of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The BLM recently completed a study and plan for this area that is documented here: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2031812/510 . While the plan closes many current trails, it also leaves several open, including some trails for motorized use. I have ridden my bicycles in this area for years.
Here is a link to the map above in the Wilderness Connect mapping system. Part of this area is designated wilderness which means it is closed to all forms of "mechanized travel". However, many areas are not wilderness and are covered in the BLM Alternative B plan described above.
Numerous existing 2-track trails have been designated for closure (shown in grey). The 2-track knows
as "Burro Road" in TrailFolks actually passes though both BLM land, and between a narrow corridor in the
From the Kyle Canyon side, heading East there is a wash that leads to the top of the West pass.
Below is a shot from the West pass looking East towards Las Vegas (although you can't see Las Vegas since the mountains block it). The picture does not do a good job of showing how steep and high this hill is.
Here is a picture of the same hill from the bottom (looking West).
Below is a picture looking down the East pass towards Little Red Rock. This is the challenging hill which is steep and rocky.
The picture below is the same hill looking Northwest from below this same section.
I have now ridden over 1,000 miles on this bike, the vast majority off-road. Since my last update, I replaced the chain at about 900 miles. It was worn out already. Not surprising given the forces it has to take on this bike. I am not easy on it. The places I ride have large elevation changes, steep rocky hills, and loamy sand and gravel. I often gain 2,000ft or more in elevation. Long uphill climbs and then basically coasting back powered by gravity. The fat tires and full suspension are both hard requirements. I use the full suspension travel very often.
I often go multiple rides between battery charges. I keep both batteries on the bike and both used at all times to help extend the battery life. This way the discharge rates are easier on both batteries. I never worry about range at all. My longest hardest ride uses less than 50% of my total battery capacity. The range extender battery weights about 10lbs but on a bike this heavy I don't really notice it. With the motor power the weight is not a big deal. I get about 70 hard off-road miles at about 50% battery consumption. A typical 20 mile off-road ride takes about 2 hours. The batteries will last much longer than I will.
Here is a video of some of the terrain I ride in.
It shows crossing several loamy washes and some of the rocky segments and ends with a fun downhill segment. I have many more videos on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JimRoal
I am becoming a better rider. Some of that is actually due to me getting back into motorcycles. I bought a Husqvarna 701 Enduro last fall. This is the first motorcycle I have owned in over 25 years, and it is the heaviest and most powerful too. Riding this in loamy areas and other off-road challenges has made me a much better and more confident rider on the mountain bike. The ways you control the heavy motorcycle also work on the much lighter mountain bike. My mountain bike weighs 90lbs which is very heavy by mountain bike standards, but a feather compared to the motorcycle which weighs over 350lbs.
I enjoy mountain biking off-road and often in areas with no cellular. Sometimes I ride in areas with many established trails that cross each other and navigation would help. I looked into bike navigation but they have small screens, are costly, and many of the features are redundant with my Garmin fenix 6x Pro Solar watch. I also never trade in my old smartphones so I have several fairly recent ones laying around. I decided to use my old Motorola Z4 smartphone as a biking navigation using. First I needed a real robust mount. I started on Amazon and found this one.
It grabs all 4 corners and locks in place.
I cleared and reset the phone, removing all unnecessary apps to minimize battery consumption. I also put it in airplane mode, and keep WiFi and Bluetooth off to save power. The Moto Z4 I am using also supports MotoMod batteries, of which I have a few. I am using the 2200mAh unit primarily and I can hot swap in others if it gets low on the trail (which is unlikely). I could also connect the phone to the USB port in the bike display to keep it charged if I wanted. I removed the SIM card as well so it would not search for cellular even out of airplane mode. Then I installed Google Maps, Trailforks, Garmin Explore, and GAIA maps. All of these offer offline maps of bike trails. There are many others too. So far I found GAIA to be the best for bike navigation as it can ever store satellite maps offline.
Here is how I organized the home screen.
Here is what GAIA maps looks like.
Here is a video showing the use of this riding some trails.
This first ride was on a pretty easy trail. I have yet to test it on harsher rides but so far it seems solid. I am of course by no means the first person to do this. I wanted to use an old phone, and not my current phone, just in case that mount breaks or I crash the bike. Also, I didn't want to drain the battery on the phone I use normally since I want to be able to make calls, or message through my Garmin satellite messenger in case of trouble.
I now have over 350 miles on this bike, most of that off-road. This bike has been great for my riding style. I have the optional range extender battery which allows me to ride about 75 miles off-road on a charge. My riding includes many long hills and loamy conditions that burn through power too.
I have had some creaking noises which sound like they are coming from the handlebar area and possible the motor area. I checked and rechecked everything and all is tight.
When I bought this bike they offered several upgrades. One of which was a $300 Wren hub upgrade. I passed on it thinking why would I need that? Well, I found out why. I was up at Little Red Rock on a loamy hill. I hit the throttle and heard a snap and then the cassette just spun, no longer driving the wheel.
Luckily I was up hill so I was able to coast down to a main road and get picked up. I got home and took the hub apart and sure enough the ratchet teeth had sheared the ends off.
Now I decided to get the upgraded hub.
If you have an electric mountain bike with a high torque motor like this Bafang Ultra M620, best to also get a hub that can support it.
This bike is heavy but I used to ride dirt bikes back in the day so I don't mind the weight. The bike alone (no batteries) is 72lbs according to Biktrix. The main battery weighs 10.3lbs and the range extender weighs 7.6lbs. Total weight is about 90lbs.
Here is a video that shows the use of the throttle for some steeper or loamier bits in the beginning of the video. Watch for my left thumb applying motor power (throttle). Starting around the 5 minute mark, I begin the downhill portion that shows the suspension soaking up the terrain at around 20mph.
This next video shows a steep but short hill when I use the throttle to climb at about 25s in.
I like to ride my mountain bike up in the mountains. Sometimes I am in canyons between mountains where there is no cellular reception. I decided I needed a satellite messenger so I could always communicate, and for safety. I already have a Garmin fenix 6X Pro Solar watch, and a Virb Ultra 30 camera so I decided to stick with Garmin for this as well. As I was looking, they just introduced this InReach Messenger device so I bought one.
This device integrates with the Garmin ecosystem so the watch can trigger tracking and well as SOS and other features. This device also pairs with my smartphone so I can use the smartphone UI to create, send, read messages and other functions. Using the smartphone is very handy as it has a nice big screen and I am very used to interacting with it versus learning a new UI that is far smaller. The device uses a Messenger app to connect and interact with the device. The device can be used stand-alone though which is great. If for some reason I did not have my phone I could still communicate.
I had read some reviews about this device as it was just coming out. One of the pro's was great battery life. I have found the battery life to be stellar actually. I am writing this article in April and I have not charged it since last year. It is still over 70%. I use the device about 3 hours a weekend most weekends, year round.
Messaging is pretty simple and it can automatically switch between WiFi, Cellular, and Satellite as needed to minimize satellite charges. I have never used all my messages in a month. It also sends my location every 10 minutes so my family can see where I am regardless of cellular connection. This is great for safety.
Overall I would highly recommend this device for people who like to go places where there is no cellular.
I enjoy real off-road mountain bike riding in places where full suspension is a must and fat tires are needed to get through the soft loam. Much of my riding includes long steep hills, some in loamy terrain. I often ride Jeep trails as well as dedicated bike trails.
I started with a very inexpensive mountain bike with full suspension and 2-1/4" wire tires. The narrow tires would sink in to the gravel and sand I often encounter. Even on hard pack trails, the long steep climbs were exhausting. I realized I needed a fat tire bike with full suspension. Once you get that, you have a heavy bike so I decided to go electric as well (which of course add even more weight).
I have been riding my Rurui XT10 rear hub drive electric mountain bike over a year and over 1,100 miles. In that time I failed 2 controllers due to overloading them on long steep hills. Since the motor must handle the wide speed range with no transmission, it is very poorly suited to low speed riding. On PAS 1 it would go about 12mph where assist would then taper off. Below about 10mph the motor was just turning too slow and was very inefficient. Electric motors may produce high torque at low speeds but they cannot sustain that very long. The long steep hills were too much for the hub drive system. The hub drive I have in this bike is geared which helps but it was not enough of a gear ratio for the riding I was doing. Freewheeling the bike would reach 39mph top motor speed. I never needed to motor to 39mph. 25mph would have been much more applicable to my riding. A hub drive with much high gear ratio could really help.
However, the other issue is how and when power is applied. The Rurui had what is called a "cadence" sensor which measures the crank speed. In reality it seemed to only measure if there was crank speed or not. If you were pedaling, it applied power assist based on your PAS level selected. It makes for a strange riding experience since the motor power applied is independent of your pedaling force. There is also a delay in reading pedaling speed (cadence) and applying power. If you wanted to ride slow through some technical bits, you really had to cut the motor power. I would often do this by just pulling a brake lever far enough to cut the motor. There are now hub-drive bikes that use torque sensors.
I think hub drives are a decent approach for road bikes or at least when riding on well developed hard trails with gentle slopes.
I analyzed many approaches to augmenting the Rurui to better suit my riding. I could add a front hub drive and I have seen some bike like that on the market. However many of the downsides would still exist, now with the added weight of another motor and a whole bunch of added complexity.
I could add a mid-drive. This would give the benefit of mid-drive but also keep the hub drive. It could more than double my power. I could switch between as needed or use both. Again, weight and complexity were concerns. Another big concern was how low the add-on mid drive systems hang. I already had problems smashing my pedals on rocks I did not want to smash a motor.
It was time to just upgrade the bike. I needed a powerful mid-drive bike with more speeds to handle tougher off-road situations. I needed to be able to crawl along at lower speeds through the technical stuff. I needed to be able to climb much steeper and longer off-road hills. I needed better suspension to keep the pedals out of the rocks. I needed a drive system that would work better at low speeds and higher loads for long periods. I wanted less un-spring mass on the bike for improved suspension performance. After many months of research, I decided on the Biktrix Juggernaut Ultra FS Pro 3.
The differenced was stark and immediate. The very first thing I noticed was the power delivery. It is pretty much immediate assist when you start pedaling. I can start off up a fairly steep hill with no problem. It is like having bionic legs. Since it is sensing the pedaling force to apply power, the response of very controlled and natural. Here are some video clips from my first off-road ride on the bike.
I have ridden this route before on the Rurui several times. I normally have to get off and push the bike up the steep parts. Not on the Biktrix. I did push through a few very steep technical bits but that was not because the bike could not climb it. This ride was a breeze on the Biktrix.
The mid-drive system takes advantage of the narrower pedal cadence speeds versus wheel speeds. The motor is geared to apply much more torque since it does not have to deal with very high pedal speeds. It takes advantage of the bike gears to support a wide range of bike speeds.
As with everything, there are of course some trade-offs. When shifting gears motor power is interrupted to protect the gears from damage. As with a non-electric bike, when shifting you should reduce pedal force until the sift is complete. This of course does interrupt power delivery for a second. Another trade-off is that this total power from pedaling plus the motor power now goes through your chain and gears. This will be very hard on them. Even if I have to change the chain, chainring, and cassette every year it will be totally worth it.
If you enjoy real off-road riding, the mid drive with many speeds (11 in my case) and wide speed changes (42t-11t) is the way to go. Hub drive could be fine in flatter and hard-packed terrain where you plan to be at speeds greater than 10mph at all times.
I bought this bake based on my experiences with prior bikes given where I like to ride. I go off-road much more than on pavement. I put 1,200 miles on my Rurui XT10 and learned many things about the pros and cons of hub drive electric mountain bikes. I realized that for my riding I needed a powerful mid-drive bike so after shopping around, I bough this.
The power delivery from this bike is much better suited to my riding. It uses both crank torque and cadence sensors to determine how much motor power to add. This is a much more controlled and natural way to add assist power. It also takes advantage of all the gears, 11 on this bike, to provide high torque and a wide speed range. The mid-drive is also all suspended weight which gives better suspension dynamics in rough terrain.
It arrived in a box very similar to my Rurui bike did.
Like the Rurui, I had it assembled in about 30 minutes. Pretty easy.
I took a couple short rides around the neighborhood and adjusted it to get everything working well and the best ergonomic feel.
My first off-road ride was out to a trail I had been building, less than 8 mile round trip. Later that same day, I took it for a 23 mile loop which included paved bike path, long steep hills, loamy washes, rocky hard-pack, and everything else the desert has. I had ridden most of this route before on the Rurui so this was a great ride to contrast them. This bike is so much better suited to off-road riding. With 11 speeds and the mid-drive, it can climb any hill with ease. I shot a YouTube video with some clips from that ride.
I don't even have the range extended battery installed yet but so far the battery life is fantastic. Surely this is at least partly due to the mid-drive motor being in a much more efficient operating range, especially in the off-road situations that require high power such as steep hills and loamy terrain. The hub drive was just turning too slow and to close to stall where it become very inefficient and is hard on the controller too. The mid-drive has a much narrower operating speed since it is based on crank speed and takes advantage of the gears to handle a wide wheel speed range.
The Biktrix has a better suspension too. It has air suspension front and rear. The front rake has more angle which makes the wheelbase a bit longer, making the bike more stable at higher speeds. This also angles the wheel more when turning.
I have now put over 1,100 miles on my Rurui XT10 and I have learned much about what I needed for where I ride. I chose the Biktrix bike because:
Bafang M620 ultra mid-drive is the best motor for serious off-road with steep hills and loamy terrain that I ride in.
52V batteries are more efficient and powerful with the M620 motor than the typical 48V.
11 speed cassette with 11-42 gears supports a wide range of riding conditions, including steep hills and loamy terrain. The bigger rear gears will work much better in the technical or real steep riding. It is a proper cassette too, instead of the screw-on freewheel than has limits.
Fat-tire and full suspension for serious off-road riding.
It has an optional add-on battery for extra capacity when needed but easily removed to reduce weight when not needed. Main battery alone is 126% capacity of the Rurui. With the additional battery I will have 220% capacity of the Rurui. I have only run the Rurui out of power one time so while this will be nice it is likely more than I will generally need. This will give the option of longer, steeper rides at higher speeds.
Air shock and forks.
Inverted fork has less un-sprung mass and is more rigid.
The next best option I found in this price range was the Eunorau Specter S. It was less expensive than the Biktrix. It has the same motor and 11-speed cassette. It used 48V instead of 52V and lacked the air suspension. Besides, it is hard to pronounce the name.
The Rurui was great for street riding and off-road in less steep areas. The rear hub drive did not provide enough low speed power for climbing for where I like to ride. It did great at speeds from 11mph and up but for lower speed technical stuff, or long steep hills it did not work well.
I also looked into more aggressive off-road bikes that were closer to electric dirt bikes. Here are some examples.
CAB Motorworks. They make bikes from 750W all the way to over 20kW. These are based on motocross bikes more than bicycles. They had some very appealing features such as proper motocross suspension, wheels, and tires and regenerative braking. I also like the moto seat option. However, these would not be welcome anywhere but off-road. They would not pass as a bicycle to most people. They are also much heavier that most ebikes and are single speed (pedal). The one I was most interested in was the Falcon.
UltraTRX. They make a range of off-road ebikes that include bike that are based on the higher end of ebikes all the way to motocross bikes. The Cheetah looked the most interesting to me.
I ordered the Biktrix but it has not shipped yet. Once I get it and take it for a few rides, I will post about it here on this blog.
My Rurui XT10 Electric Mountain Bike hit 1,000 miles today. That took just over a year. My first ride was December 11th, 2021 and today is December 30th, 2022. I have had some great rides on this thing. I made several upgrades along the way to make it better suited for heavy duty off-road riding. I still get tons of exercise since it is a very heavy bike with fat tires and full suspension and I ride up long steep loamy hills mostly. I pedal the whole time. A typical 2.5 hour 20 mile off-road ride burns around 1,300 calories and I can really feel it. The big difference with the electric assist is the speed, especially up the hills and in soft terrain. I mostly use power assist level (PAS) 1. I would guess it is in PAS 1 about 70% of the time I am riding with assist. PAS 2 probably accounts for another 20%. I don't use assist going downhill of course, which can be almost half of a typical ride.
After my upgrades, this bike works well for my riding. I am on my 3rd controller now. They can't handle the power and fail. Both were replaced by Rurui though and the latest one claims to be rated for 18A instead of 17A. So far, so good. If it fails again, I will be getting a higher power rated controller. Other than that, it has been a good bike overall. I also had to replace the rear tire and rear brake pads because I wore them out. I bought this bike for $1,599 and I would say I got good value for the money. That is quite inexpensive for a full-suspension 750W fat-tire electric mountain bike. I have been looking casually at other bike like it since I bought this but have not really found a more compelling one in this price range, or even for more than tipple this price. I have also considered building my own but decided I would be far better off just upgrading components on this one.
I have had bicycle freewheels come loose while riding, many times and on multiple bikes. Here is a video showing it.
You start to hear and feel a knock, worse in some gears that others. As it progresses, it may struggle when changing gears. If you let is continue, it will come apart and leave your stranded.
Maybe I am the only one that seems to have this problem but I doubt it. The first time this happened I was out in the desert up a long hill. I felt it happening but did not stop to check into it. It finally got so bad the freewheel came apart and locked so there was no ratchet action anymore and the pedals just followed the wheel. It made for a long trip home. My bike was under warranty so I got a whole new rear wheel assembly. The new one did the same thing. This time I caught it early. Normally you need to take the wheel off and use a special spanner for this. I only had some basic tools I carry on the bike. I finally used a Philips screwdriver and some ingenuity to tighten it back up without taking anything apart.
Here is a photo showing the freewheel off the bike so you can see how to place the screwdriver.
There are small holes for the spanner. Push the Philips screwdriver into that hole at a bit of an angle. Since the bike will be assembled on the trail, there are only a few areas where you can even see this part of the freewheel. Generally in the slot where the axle bolts to the frame. While pushing in hard on the screwdriver, rotate the wheel in the forward travel direction. This will cause the whole freewheel to move with the wheel but since you are holding the freewheel nut with the screwdriver it will stop against the frame and tighten the nut. Since you have the leverage of the whole wheel diameter, the weak point of this is keeping that screwdriver held tight into the nut hole. You can help this by holding the screwdriver at a bit of angle. Hard to explain in words but it works well.
The freewheel bearing preload is set with shims, not a specific torque, so you really can't overtighten it, especially since the screwdriver approach does not give enough grip to overtighten it.
