Electric bicycles - who buys them?

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

RedWhiteMonkey said:

StressedEric said:

Converted my Trek for £535

250w motor

36v 13ah battery

MXUS XF08C rear hub motor

KING METER KM-529 LCD

Restricted to 15.5mph but you can override that in the LCD menu, it maxes out on the road at 18mph

So much fun, I haven't used the bottom four gears since I fitted it. No going back now.

Cable brakes? Brave.

Not really...

[vindaloo79]

StressedEric said:

Converted my Trek for £535

250w motor

36v 13ah battery

MXUS XF08C rear hub motor

KING METER KM-529 LCD

Restricted to 15.5mph but you can override that in the LCD menu, it maxes out on the road at 18mph

So much fun, I haven't used the bottom four gears since I fitted it. No going back now.

Where did you buy the kit ?

Would you have got a 500w (for off-road) if you did again?

[StressedEric]

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Cable brakes? Brave.

Well, it may look like an (old-school) mountain bike but it's more of a leisure/comfort bike.

I only it for use for a bit of tow-path/green lane bimbling.

[emicen]

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:

RedWhiteMonkey said:

StressedEric said:

Converted my Trek for £535

250w motor

36v 13ah battery

MXUS XF08C rear hub motor

KING METER KM-529 LCD

Restricted to 15.5mph but you can override that in the LCD menu, it maxes out on the road at 18mph

So much fun, I haven't used the bottom four gears since I fitted it. No going back now.

Cable brakes? Brave.

Not really...

Links to video to prove cable brakes are fine, video thumbnail shows rider using Magura HS22 hydraulic rim brakes…

YouTube has mugged you right off there

[StressedEric]

vindaloo79 said:

Where did you buy the kit ?

Would you have got a 500w (for off-road) if you did again?

The 250w motor works fine for me, it gets me up hills easily (I am 13.5 stone) and 18mph on a push bike is fast enough for me, I have had powerful motorbikes in the past where you crave more power/bigger bikes all the time. Those days are behind me and I'm not doing that again. I just want to bimble along green lanes etc now. I assume the 500w motor would drain the battery quicker and also attract the curiosity of plod.

Anyway, I got the kit from Woosh Bikes in Southend, very good help and advice and after-sales service.

https://wooshbikes.co.uk/

Edited by StressedEric on Monday 11th July 13:24

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

emicen said:

Links to video to prove cable brakes are fine, video thumbnail shows rider using Magura HS22 hydraulic rim brakes…

YouTube has mugged you right off there

Your lack of attention span has 'mugged you off'.

You didn't actually watch the video did you? Some of those DH bikes have canti's never mind v brakes.

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Chill people, I didn't want to open a can of worms. I only mentioned it as I have cable operated disc brakes on one of my non-ebikes and I personally have much more confidence in the hydraulic operated disc brakes on my ebike. If StressedEric is happy with the setup then all is good, its his bike.

[mike9009]

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:

emicen said:

Links to video to prove cable brakes are fine, video thumbnail shows rider using Magura HS22 hydraulic rim brakes…

YouTube has mugged you right off there

Your lack of attention span has 'mugged you off'.

You didn't actually watch the video did you? Some of those DH bikes have canti's never mind v brakes.

I was relaying to some younger work colleagues about when I first started MTBing. They couldn't believe we went off roading without any suspension, cantilever brakes, etc. (Around 1987/ 1988 ish). The Girvin flexstem was the closest thing at that time, I think....

I still don't get dropper posts and they don't get that I use SPD's. Mind you my MTBing now, is a gentle off road track not bombing down a rocky, rutted, tree root ridden single track. It hurts too much when I fall off!!

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

mike9009 said:

I was relaying to some younger work colleagues about when I first started MTBing. They couldn't believe we went off roading without any suspension, cantilever brakes, etc. (Around 1987/ 1988 ish). The Girvin flexstem was the closest thing at that time, I think....

I still don't get dropper posts and they don't get that I use SPD's. Mind you my MTBing now, is a gentle off road track not bombing down a rocky, rutted, tree root ridden single track. It hurts too much when I fall off!!

A mate had a girvin... Oh how I used to covet it. Utterly stupid idea mind and rode like st off road. Still very cool back then.

Bikes these days are just magical in comparison.

[emicen]

mike9009 said:

take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:

emicen said:

Links to video to prove cable brakes are fine, video thumbnail shows rider using Magura HS22 hydraulic rim brakes…

YouTube has mugged you right off there

Your lack of attention span has 'mugged you off'.

You didn't actually watch the video did you? Some of those DH bikes have canti's never mind v brakes.

I was relaying to some younger work colleagues about when I first started MTBing. They couldn't believe we went off roading without any suspension, cantilever brakes, etc. (Around 1987/ 1988 ish). The Girvin flexstem was the closest thing at that time, I think....

I still don't get dropper posts and they don't get that I use SPD's. Mind you my MTBing now, is a gentle off road track not bombing down a rocky, rutted, tree root ridden single track. It hurts too much when I fall off!!

Continuing off piste for a bit…

Yes, I was just being glib based on the thumbnail for the video. No, I didn’t watch it, don’t need to, been there and done that. Raced Innerleithen technical nightmare on a Rockhopper with Quadra5s and cantis. £300 dropped in Halfords now would buy what would have been the bike of dreams then.

That being said, I would sooner have some well set up Vs than mechanical disks. Had Tektro mechanical discs on my first gravel bike, not a fan.

[James_N]

Just got word today that my electric kit for my tricycle is arriving on the 25th July. Again only a 250w Road legal job but hopefully will open up many more doors to riding my bike rather than doing a few miles and being knackered! (Cerebral palsy hence the trike!)

Really looking forward to it!

[mike9009]

James_N said:

Just got word today that my electric kit for my tricycle is arriving on the 25th July. Again only a 250w Road legal job but hopefully will open up many more doors to riding my bike rather than doing a few miles and being knackered! (Cerebral palsy hence the trike!)

Really looking forward to it!

That sounds an interesting conversion. I'm sure you will love it....post some pics when done.

[benny.c]

Just picked up an Estarli E16 folding bike for my wife to commute to work a few days per week and for me to nip to shops etc. The motor has 40Nm which is plenty as it “only” weighs 14.5Kg. It’s great fun to rag around on and I don’t mind leaving it locked up outside the shops - would never do that with the Levo.

There’s a few companies using the same frame but this has a rear hub motor and is assembled in the U.K. which are both plus points for me. Price worked out pretty good on the cycle to work scheme. At 6’2” I reckon I look pretty daft on it but who cares

https://www.estarli.co.uk/products/e16-folding-ebi...

[StressedEric]

James_N said:

Just got word today that my electric kit for my tricycle is arriving on the 25th July. Again only a 250w Road legal job but hopefully will open up many more doors to riding my bike rather than doing a few miles and being knackered! (Cerebral palsy hence the trike!)

Really looking forward to it!

Good luck James,

Have you ridden a trike before?

They are a bit strange at first because unlike two-wheelers they like to follow the camber of the road.

However it's no big deal and you very soon get used to it and they are very stable of course.

Let's see some pics when the job is done please.

[StressedEric]

benny.c said:

Just picked up an Estarli E16 folding bike for my wife to commute to work a few days per week and for me to nip to shops etc. The motor has 40Nm which is plenty as it “only” weighs 14.5Kg. It’s great fun to rag around on and I don’t mind leaving it locked up outside the shops - would never do that with the Levo.

There’s a few companies using the same frame but this has a rear hub motor and is assembled in the U.K. which are both plus points for me. Price worked out pretty good on the cycle to work scheme. At 6’2” I reckon I look pretty daft on it but who cares

https://www.estarli.co.uk/products/e16-folding-ebi...

benny.c: Just nipping to Asda to get some milk love.

Mrs: Asda? That's 4.7 miles away, there's a Tesco Express at the end of our street!

benny.c; See you in a bit love,.

• runs out of door, jumps on bike and disappears over the horizon.

[benny.c]

Must admit, I have been finding excuses to use it!

[StressedEric]

The original question on this thread was: Electric bicycles - who buys them?

A lot of answers about fitness and commuting and uphill technical berm cadence or whatever, for me the simple answer is because they are FUN.

Newton's third law of e-bikes is:

You try an e-bike, you buy an e-bike.

A bit of country park action this morning:











Got a hardtail? Don't hesitate, buy one of these, turn your bike into a semi-full-sus.

[J4CKO]

I have put one together, its a 1500 Watt kit and 52 volt battery, but now I have built it am not sure what to do with it, I did the normal choice thing blokes do, look at them all and buy the biggest, I know no restraint !

Going for a ride tonight but will go on my normal bike, as its mainly about the exercise, half the point for me is I did it, not me and a bit of a motor.

It ides ok considering, was going to use a later Trek Hardtail but didnt wan to wreck it, so bought the old (1989) Raleigh "Minge" (Actually Mirgage but does look like that) for £22 off eBay, had to stretch the rear stays by 6 mm to get the wheel in. Brakes work better than expected with new cables and careful set up.

I think the legal ones make more sense as this is now really too fast for a bike, got it up to 30 plus then bottled it and no worries about legality, just a helping hand up hills. Will give it a decent run soon rather than round the block. The other problem is weight, it a right lump, not weighed it but must be 35 kilos.

Might use it locally for errands, stick some panniers on it. Might stick it in the shed and it gather dust, dont know.

Cost wise, £300 ish for the battery, £280 ish for the motor, £22 for the bike and a few bits and pieces, so prob £620.

Edited by J4CKO on Wednesday 13th July 16:07

Edited by J4CKO on Wednesday 13th July 16:07

Edited by J4CKO on Wednesday 13th July 16:08

[StressedEric]

Fixed the decal on the crossbar for you

[J4CKO]

StressedEric said:

Fixed the decal on the crossbar for you

Lol, very good, not much alteration needed, although its apparently a 1989 bike, that font and graphics is ever so 90s.