From the Cape to the Berg – Andrew Goodhead goes solar on a powered e-bike
BizNews tribe member Andrew Goodhead is travelling to the upcoming BizNews Conference in the Drakensberg by riding all the way from Cape Town on his solar-powered e-bike. BizNews founder Alec Hogg caught up with Goodhead to find out more about this adventure.
Andrew Goodhead on travelling to the BizNews conference on an e-bike
I really enjoy BizNews. I have always wanted to attend the conference, and it was on a long day at work that I decided it was time to go, but I needed an exciting way of getting there. I love cycling and tour cycling is my passion. It's quite a phenomenal opportunity to go slow enough to experience the surroundings but fast enough to get there. Tour cycling is a big thing. It involves carrying all your equipment on your bike, almost like hiking, but you're on the bicycle.
En route, charging the e-bike with a solar panel
I'll be pedalling the whole way, but I'll have some assistance. I'm going to be riding an e-bike with a difference; I'll be towing a solar panel behind me, which will charge the battery as I ride, make it a bit faster and that will give the sort of off-grid e-bike experience. You do get petrol-powered assistance. They are known as the old mopeds, but this is a battery-powered electric bicycle. A standard e-bike lasts about 30–40 km until the battery drains. I'm going to be cycling 220–230 km per day. I don't have the time to wait for the batteries to charge, and there isn't a grid to plug it into in the middle of the Karoo, so I'll be carrying the charging capacity in the form of solar panels.
On speed
I can travel up to about 50 km/h. At speed, my legs start spinning but I'll try to maintain a speed of about 25–30 km. That would put me on the saddle for about eight hours a day; if I go any slower, the sun will set before I get to my bed. I haven't done that much training but I have done a lot of cycling in my life, cycling to work every day and sometimes on weekends.
On accommodation with the BizNews tribe
I will be staying with BizNews community members. The BizNews tribe has been very generous in offering accommodation. I think they will be more grateful for me having a hot shower than me.
On exploring bridges, road surfaces and SA mountain passes
I'll be sure to listen to the BizNews Power Hour as that is a routine in my life anyway and it will keep me going. Then South Africa is a beautiful place with beautiful people. I want to take in the scenery, chat with all the people I meet en route and take special note of some features along the way. I'm a civil engineer and find bridges quite fascinating, so both the bridges and the road surface will be of particular interest to me … and my bum. There is an old technique called dry packing whereby they don't use any cement, it's just the friction of the rocks. Unfortunately, it's a phenomenal art, which we've lost. There's an entire website dedicated to the mountain passes of South Africa with their historic write-up and I will be passing through a few. One of the big ones is the Ouberg Pass from the Tankwa Karoo up into Sutherland. It's a big hill, I'm excited to just slog it out.
On the usage of the solar charging capacity
I'll be towing 2.5 square metres of solar panel, which means that the collection capacity will give me about 360 watts at peak performance. To put that into context, a professional cyclist like Chris Froome can put out about 400 watts continually. It will be like Chris Froome helping me out in the middle of the day. During the morning and evening, the power is reduced to zero. My battery will be charging more during the peak hours of the day and then I will use the battery as needed – going up a hill or if there's a headwind – the rest of the time I'll be pedalling to keep it going.
On sharing the Cape's finest wine along the journey
An athlete needs sustenance and I will be wearing long sleeves and sunscreen. I've made a cool rim for my helmet; like a helmet with a hat, then just good old water and potatoes. I am leaving from the Cape, it is only fitting that I take some of the Cape's goods along and share the joy that the area produces. Hopefully, each night there will be good conversation and we'll share some rational perspective on the journey.
Follow Andrew's journey from the Cape to the Berg on sectionaa.co.za and on Instagram @solar_bicycle.
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