Electric bicycles - who buys them?

Electric bicycles - who buys them?

Author
Discussion

Barchettaman

6,283 posts

131 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
Hoofy said:
Oh. That's disappointing.
Plenty of places sell a module to plug into a standard restricted pedelec motor to disable the assist cut-out.

The motor will then continue to provide assistance above 15.5mph.

Possibly a bit naughty/illegal.

stuckmojo

2,955 posts

187 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
LeadFarmer said:
This is mine that I use to commute every day, and I love it...

Cube Reaction Race






Ive added a rack, bag, mudguards & bar ends..




I have some very steep hills on my way home, and I just wouldn't be interested in even trying to ride up them on a normal bike after a long hard day at work. But the ebike makes the hills enjoyable. Oh, and I haven't de-restrictd it because that would be wrong wink


Edited by LeadFarmer on Tuesday 27th March 00:15
Aaargh, now I want that. I started looking at MTBs last week wanting a cheap, few quid banger to do cardio on the hills around here. Of course I spent 5X what I originally intended and now I want this.

LeadFarmer

7,411 posts

130 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
stuckmojo said:
Aaargh, now I want that. I started looking at MTBs last week wanting a cheap, few quid banger to do cardio on the hills around here. Of course I spent 5X what I originally intended and now I want this.
Ha ha, Ive even bought a colour matching Giant Rail MTB helmet.


ClassicMercs

1,703 posts

180 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
Currently ending a 2 week holiday in southern Germany. Bikes - Cars - even Motorbikes !! (Yes - saw a pair of Johammer J1s charging one day in a town). They have embraced electric much more - as I note somebody has already mentioned about Holland. At least 10% of bikes are electric and when you see the hills some are going up you can understand. Equally a number of more affluent older people. People don't just hop in the car here to nip to the shop - bikes !
When I get back I really must have a look -been trying to compare German prices to UK - I think the thing here is that there are a lot of small independents keeping prices higher.
Self Admin Cycle To Work - Here we go again ??

Dog Star

16,079 posts

167 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
The Cubes are top of my list so far - this years Cycle2Work scheme at work is in August and a Cube e-MTB is top of the list.

skinnyman

1,632 posts

92 months

Saturday 28th April 2018
quotequote all
Well this thread has certainly changed my mind!

I used to ride to work as it was all of 2 miles away, but now we live 5 miles away, ok it doesn't sound like much, but it has some gnarly hills, combined with the inclement weather it became too much of a ballache to ride to work. I'd start the journey freezing cold and finish a big sweaty mess, when you start adding in showers at work it just became so much easier to jump in the car. But these e-bikes might change that.

Only downside is, I've only recently bought a brand new Golf GTI, and driving to work is 80% of its job, it'll just end up left on the driveway now.

BishBosh

435 posts

223 months

Saturday 28th April 2018
quotequote all
I got a BMW cruise e-bike when they were selling them off cheap about 2 years ago. It’s a great bit of kit after I changed the seat for a bigger padded one from Aldi of all places...
I have also put a black ped de restrictor on it and really enjoy nipping out to shops or a bit of fun.

Things I looked out for was a centre crank drive and a Bosch motor. This kept coming up and I paid at the time around £1600 from a BMW dealer. Goes nice with my i3 too.


https://youtu.be/__32Mjdj1q0

The Mad Monk

10,474 posts

116 months

Saturday 28th April 2018
quotequote all
Bafang brought a new motor out in 2017. Anybody know which bikes use this motor?

http://www.bafang-e.com/en/drive-systems/drive-sys...

Sa Calobra

37,011 posts

210 months

Saturday 28th April 2018
quotequote all
They are great if you are old, just want to get about or have an injury.

The price some of them are I'd rather get a second hand Vespa. One day the tech will be good enough that they'll be light enough to enjoy off road PROPERLY.

At the moment a 45lb mountain bike can't do the same things off road. It's just as heavy as old school DH bikes. No fun on techy roots, jumps, drops.

Cupramax

10,469 posts

251 months

Saturday 28th April 2018
quotequote all
BishBosh said:
I got a BMW cruise e-bike when they were selling them off cheap about 2 years ago. It’s a great bit of kit after I changed the seat for a bigger padded one from Aldi of all places...
I have also put a black ped de restrictor on it and really enjoy nipping out to shops or a bit of fun.

Things I looked out for was a centre crank drive and a Bosch motor. This kept coming up and I paid at the time around £1600 from a BMW dealer. Goes nice with my i3 too.


https://youtu.be/__32Mjdj1q0
Never seen one of those before, looks a good bike for what you paid, plus being Bosch if you need parts or want to upgrade your battery to a 500wh you’ll be OK.

funinhounslow

1,600 posts

141 months

Saturday 28th April 2018
quotequote all
Barchettaman said:
Hoofy said:
Oh. That's disappointing.
Plenty of places sell a module to plug into a standard restricted pedelec motor to disable the assist cut-out.

The motor will then continue to provide assistance above 15.5mph.

Possibly a bit naughty/illegal.
In the wake of the Charlie Alliston trial, I think anyone involved in an incident with a "derestricted" ebike is asking to have the book thrown at them. And we can all sit back and enjoy the inevitable backlash...

In any case, for me, the thrill of an ebike is the ability to effortlessly get up to speed after stopping/slowing for some hazard or other. Once I'm up to speed, maintaining it is easy, with the motor only kicking in for gradients or a headwind.

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 29th April 2018
quotequote all
LeadFarmer said:
stuckmojo said:
Aaargh, now I want that. I started looking at MTBs last week wanting a cheap, few quid banger to do cardio on the hills around here. Of course I spent 5X what I originally intended and now I want this.
Ha ha, Ive even bought a colour matching Giant Rail MTB helmet.

Now that looks like a bicycle for fun and adventure.

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Sunday 29th April 2018
quotequote all
funinhounslow said:
Barchettaman said:
Hoofy said:
Oh. That's disappointing.
Plenty of places sell a module to plug into a standard restricted pedelec motor to disable the assist cut-out.

The motor will then continue to provide assistance above 15.5mph.

Possibly a bit naughty/illegal.
In the wake of the Charlie Alliston trial, I think anyone involved in an incident with a "derestricted" ebike is asking to have the book thrown at them. And we can all sit back and enjoy the inevitable backlash...

In any case, for me, the thrill of an ebike is the ability to effortlessly get up to speed after stopping/slowing for some hazard or other. Once I'm up to speed, maintaining it is easy, with the motor only kicking in for gradients or a headwind.
Good point!

smifffymoto

4,527 posts

204 months

Sunday 29th April 2018
quotequote all
Just bought Mrs S the girls version of the Cube above.We were in the UK last week,Evans didn’t have a 14 inch in stock so when we got home(France) ordered it from bike discount in Germany and saved about £300 and delivery is free.

EazyDuz

2,013 posts

107 months

Sunday 29th April 2018
quotequote all
Selling mine. Woosh Rio. Hydraulic brakes front and rear, 250w, 36v 13AH, mudguards, rack and bag, lights, LCD display and non restricted (easy to change on the LCD computer) [url]

funinhounslow

1,600 posts

141 months

Monday 30th April 2018
quotequote all
skinnyman said:
Only downside is, I've only recently bought a brand new Golf GTI, and driving to work is 80% of its job, it'll just end up left on the driveway now.
Yes this has been my experience, my mileage has dropped significantly since buying an ebike. Not just commuting, but many trips especially those up to 10 miles are far more suited to the ebike.

On the plus side when I do drive I enjoy it more...

oddman

2,277 posts

251 months

Monday 30th April 2018
quotequote all
I was out yesterday with the dog and a couple of old guys were riding this path from Lumbutts up to Stoodley Pike



It's properly steep and cobbled. I thought 'wow they're going up really smoothly' then noticed they were on very fancy e bikes. Santa Cruz I think

WolfieBot

2,111 posts

186 months

Monday 30th April 2018
quotequote all
My partner has a retro bike that she never uses as it's too 'old, heavy and clunky'. This seems ideal for an electric upgrade with a cheap eBay kit.

What sort of spec is ideal? They seem to range from 250w to 1500w!

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Monday 30th April 2018
quotequote all
WolfieBot said:
My partner has a retro bike that she never uses as it's too 'old, heavy and clunky'. This seems ideal for an electric upgrade with a cheap eBay kit.

What sort of spec is ideal? They seem to range from 250w to 1500w!
This is PH. 1500W is the answer.

Trophy Husband

3,924 posts

106 months

Tuesday 1st May 2018
quotequote all
Sa Calobra said:
They are great if you are old, just want to get about or have an injury.

The price some of them are I'd rather get a second hand Vespa. One day the tech will be good enough that they'll be light enough to enjoy off road PROPERLY.

At the moment a 45lb mountain bike can't do the same things off road. It's just as heavy as old school DH bikes. No fun on techy roots, jumps, drops.
Not strictly true in my experience. Mine weighs in at 21.5kgs which is about 6kgs heavier than a very good/pricey pedaller. The motor and the battery do a great deal for CoG in bringing it lower down and I can have some great fun on the trails around Trefriw where I live. At 50 this has got me back out there to places my body would not get me to unless I was seriously, seriously fit. The thrill is the same and with fully adjustable suspension front and back you can tune the bike to where you plan to go.

You can 'tune' the drive in various ways with the easiest being moving the rotation widget on the spokes further towards the rim and adjusting the sensor on the bottom arm to suit thus kidding the bike that you are going slower than the 15.5mph max.

Best money I have spent in years and some great 0% deals out there.

Bergamont Trailster C7.0





Edited by Trophy Husband on Tuesday 1st May 08:18