Electric bicycles - who buys them?

[RizzoTheRat]

RowntreesCabana said:

Now I just need to convince the wife...

Mine was convinced by renting them on holiday in Jersey, hers arrives in a few weeks

[skinnyman]

RowntreesCabana said:

If your commute is 6 miles each way, then you're not going to break even for 3 years, even at £2 a litre (with a £2000 bike). If it's 3 miles total then it's 6 years. I suppose if you were to get shot of the car completely then it'll work out, but I doubt that's realistic.

Edit, missed the first part about the cycle to work scheme. I think that they normally work out at about a saving of a third of the retail price, so probably 2 or 4 years depending on distance. Not sure how durable these ebikes are, but will a battery be good after say 4 years of everyday use or will that then need replacing at a further 4 or 5 hundred?

Edited by RowntreesCabana on Friday 10th June 10:06

It's not a financial decision, as you say the maths doesn't stack up, it's also a fitness decision. Now you'd assume that 6 miles could easily be done on a standard bike, but two things put me off that. One, arriving to work a big sweaty mess, two, I have 'early onset arthritis' in my right knee (at the ripe old age of 36), so it's a delicate balance of trying to improve my fitness without damaging my knee. 15 mins on the rowing machine in the gym and my knee is knackered, so I need to try and build my thigh muscles, to better support my knee, without straining my knee in the process.

I've narrowed my choice down 6 bikes, which is still too many. Should I be aiming for hub or mid mounted motors? Hub motors all seem to be the Ebikemotion 40nm model, the mid motors are sorts. Yamaha/Bosch/Fazua/Specialized, but each one is 50/60nm.

[Ace-T]

We have just gone for this:

https://voltbikes.co.uk/e-bikes/hybrid/pulse-ls

I am sure many will have varying opinions on the choice but for us, they seemed nice to ride and suit our purpose (getting back gently into fitness that doesn't exacerbate joint issues).

[Barchettaman]

Pivo said:

In my sinister opinion, most eBikes come from a megafactory in Taiwan, where they use standardized parts (Bosch, Shimano , Öhlins, Fox, …) make them well and stick different stickers for different companies.

Serious response: loads of them are made by Derby Cycle in Cloppenburg, Germany. Focus, Decathlon, Kalthoff, Raleigh amongst others.

[nickfrog]

Pivo said:

In my sinister opinion, most eBikes come from a megafactory in Taiwan, where they use standardized parts (Bosch, Shimano , Öhlins, Fox, …) make them well and stick different stickers for different companies.

Nothing sinister and nothing specific to eBikes. This is how MTBs in particular have been made for 30 years or so, using critical mass, economies of scale and specialist labour in TW, particularly welders.

A brand will design the frame / geo and choose the spec for a third party to make.

[gangzoom]

skinnyman said:

I've narrowed my choice down 6 bikes, which is still too many. Should I be aiming for hub or mid mounted motors?

Honestly it doesn't matter, all eBikes provide massive amounts of support versus legs alone. Just get one that you like the look of the most and fits with your budget the most.

Don't forget you will need to buy, locks, jacket, lights and waterproofs if you want to commute in winter too. A pannier is a must to keep the sweat away, and Marathon tires - so leave at least £250ish free for that lot.

[funinhounslow]

A quick FYI for anyone considering an ebike - GoCycle have just knocked £500 off their base model the G4 - now £3300.

I had a brief ride when collecting my older GS yesterday. The G4 is a significant advance - the new motor is remarkable.

If you primarily do urban journeys the G4 would merit a close look. I’ve used my GS pretty much daily for the past four years and been very happy with it.

No connection with GoCycle btw, just a happy customer…

[RizzoTheRat]

skinnyman said:

I've narrowed my choice down 6 bikes, which is still too many. Should I be aiming for hub or mid mounted motors?

Try to get a test ride on both types. The difference isn't in the motor itself, it's in the control system. Hub motors mostly (all?) use rotation sensors, while mid motors use torque sensor.

With a rotation sensor, if you're turning the pedals above a certain rpm, it delivers the amount of power you've set on the controller, eg 100W or 200W

With a torque sensor it measures the force you're putting in to the pedals, and delivers an extra percentage of that power based, on the setting on the controller, eg 25% or 100% of what you're putting in, up to a maximum of 250W.

They feel quite different to ride and I personally much prefer a torque sensor which feels a lot more like riding a normal bike.

[wpa1975]

RizzoTheRat said:

Try to get a test ride on both types. The difference isn't in the motor itself, it's in the control system. Hub motors mostly (all?) use rotation sensors, while mid motors use torque sensor.

With a rotation sensor, if you're turning the pedals above a certain rpm, it delivers the amount of power you've set on the controller, eg 100W or 200W

With a torque sensor it measures the force you're putting in to the pedals, and delivers an extra percentage of that power based, on the setting on the controller, eg 25% or 100% of what you're putting in, up to a maximum of 250W.

They feel quite different to ride and I personally much prefer a torque sensor which feels a lot more like riding a normal bike.

Just for info, Brompton electric is hub motor with a torque sensor but agree with torque sensor, much prefer them to ride.

[stargazer30]

RizzoTheRat said:

skinnyman said:

I've narrowed my choice down 6 bikes, which is still too many. Should I be aiming for hub or mid mounted motors?

Try to get a test ride on both types. The difference isn't in the motor itself, it's in the control system. Hub motors mostly (all?) use rotation sensors, while mid motors use torque sensor.

With a rotation sensor, if you're turning the pedals above a certain rpm, it delivers the amount of power you've set on the controller, eg 100W or 200W

With a torque sensor it measures the force you're putting in to the pedals, and delivers an extra percentage of that power based, on the setting on the controller, eg 25% or 100% of what you're putting in, up to a maximum of 250W.

They feel quite different to ride and I personally much prefer a torque sensor which feels a lot more like riding a normal bike.

Yes very true this. I have both. The hub motor ebike is my lazy arse bike to run errands, you just ghost pedal and let the bike do the work. My mid drive bike is for long range/tours and stuff that's out of my league on my clockwork bike. For example, my mid drive boardman ADVe just did the famous coast to coast, Whitehaven to Tynemouth and got me up some stupidly steep climbs that the hub drive ebike would have struggled on due to the low speed.

Out of all 3 bikes though, as good as the Boardman ADVe is, I prefer my lightweight clockwork Boardman CXR the most.

[James_N]

I thought I would ask here rather than create my own thread but I have a scout tricycle ( I’m disabled) that I’m desperately looking into converting to electric to help me get to and from work. Scout do their own kit here: https://buytricycle.com/product/electric-tricycle-...

But it’s been out of stock for months! Does anyone know of anything comparable in terms of price and spec?

I’m a total bike novice and don’t know much about them. There is plenty of cheap kits around on Amazon and eBay but I assume these are best avoided (especially if you need reliability - which I do!)

Thanks
James

[defblade]

James_N said:

I thought I would ask here rather than create my own thread but I have a scout tricycle ( I’m disabled) that I’m desperately looking into converting to electric to help me get to and from work. Scout do their own kit here: https://buytricycle.com/product/electric-tricycle-...

But it’s been out of stock for months! Does anyone know of anything comparable in terms of price and spec?

I’m a total bike novice and don’t know much about them. There is plenty of cheap kits around on Amazon and eBay but I assume these are best avoided (especially if you need reliability - which I do!)

Thanks
James

I've been hunting around to decide on a conversion kit, and pedelecs forum pointed me towards https://wooshbikes.co.uk/ as a good place to get kits that will just work, albeit you could source all your bits independently for less, and many good comments on their customer service. They certainly got back to me quickly. As they say on their site, drop them an email, preferably with a picture or 2 of your bike, and they'll do their best to help.

[gangzoom]

stargazer30 said:

Out of all 3 bikes though, as good as the Boardman ADVe is, I prefer my lightweight clockwork Boardman CXR the most.

My analogue road bike feels nice to ride than Boardman eBike, but for commuting the Boardman is the no brainer choice every single time.

Brought some fruit on the way from work last week, fully loaded the bike weighed in at 25kg, even if you take away 4-5kg of the motor + battery, no one wants to ride an unassisted 20kg pedal bike in work cloth, 30 degree heat...



Especially with this hill to get up!



But the ride home was so enjoyable I had to take the scenic route, and stopped to have some Strawberries just chilling, getting out of work mode for the weekend. Yeaph I've turned from a KOM chasing, lycra wearing MAMIL into an eco tourist who cycles in sandals and love Panniers with no thought at all about 'aero' .

I honestly don't understand why anyone buys analogue pedal bikes any more, eBike are just so much more usable, fun. I wouldn’t be without mine.

Edited by gangzoom on Sunday 19th June 05:55

[James_N]

defblade said:

I've been hunting around to decide on a conversion kit, and pedelecs forum pointed me towards https://wooshbikes.co.uk/ as a good place to get kits that will just work, albeit you could source all your bits independently for less, and many good comments on their customer service. They certainly got back to me quickly. As they say on their site, drop them an email, preferably with a picture or 2 of your bike, and they'll do their best to help.

Thanks, I’m going to drop them an email! Worth an ask!

[Pivo]

Reverting to the OP question…

I bought eMTB to replace my BMW R9T, which I was using 3-months per year, as my knee-caps were seizing in cold weather.

I ride my eMTB 1-2x per week and my knees have miraculously recovered. Best acquisition ever!

[mike74]

I'm considering getting my current bike converted using a 1000w Bafang mid drive motor.

Does the fact that I've got hydraulic rather than cable operated brakes present a problem?

[monthou]

mike74 said:

I'm considering getting my current bike converted using a 1000w Bafang mid drive motor.

Does the fact that I've got hydraulic rather than cable operated brakes present a problem?

Hydraulic will always be better, you just need the right brake sensors.

edit:
eg https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373654242967?hash=item5...

[mike74]

monthou said:

Hydraulic will always be better, you just need the right brake sensors.

Ah right, I just vaguely recall reading a while back that conversions were not possible to do with hydraulic brakes but I'm guessing tech has moved on since then.

I won't be DIYing it anyway I'll be taking it to a suitable man

[mike74]

Having done further research I'm reading that apparently the batteries will only last 3-4 years regardless of usage levels and how well you look after them, is that really the case?

That puts a slightly different complexion on the ownership proposition.

Spending around £3k on an electric bike is a serious outlay for a skinflint like me but I was justifying it to myself on the basis that if I get 10+ years usage out of it with nothing much more than routine maintenance and servicing then the figures stack up... but if it turns out I've got to spend £500 on a new battery every 3 or 4 years it suddenly looks a considerably less attractive proposition!

Edited by mike74 on Monday 20th June 08:24

[Amateurish]

mike74 said:

Having done further research I'm reading that apparently the batteries will only last 3-4 years regardless of usage levels and how well you look after them, is that really the case?

That puts a slightly different complexion on the ownership proposition.

Spending around £3k on an electric bike is a serious outlay for a skinflint like me but I was justifying it to myself on the basis that if I get 10+ years usage out of it with nothing much more than routine maintenance and servicing then the figures stack up... but if it turns out I've got to spend £500 on a new battery every 3 or 4 years it suddenly looks a considerably less attractive proposition!

Edited by mike74 on Monday 20th June 08:24

Sounds like nonsense? Why would the batteries only last for 3 years?

I got my E-Bike in 2016 (Bosch motor and battery) and I haven't noticed any battery degradation.