Approx £2k budget for an ebike

[samsbike]

Rider is a novice and the bike is the only form of transport.

I think the key things are:

1. Crank driven motor - shimano or bosch
2. Biggest battery you can get to give it range
3. Preferably hub gears
4. Decent AD support which may limit things
5. Preferably standard dynamo lights, mudguards and pannier rack
6. Personally I think a step through for a newish rider
7. Given the guy isnt that tall - would 26in wheels be better?


Options are
1. https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?santana3 (cheapish and will be sound)
2.Whisper Wayfarer - which is the top end of the spend and can get a much bigger battery https://wisperbikes.com/shop/e-bikes/step-through-ebikes/wayfarer-mid-drive-step-through-city/ or the cheaper hub drive https://wisperbikes.com/shop/e-bikes/step-through-ebikes/wayfarer-hub-drive-step-through-city/
3.Trek City bike but low power motor and battery https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/t...-electric-hybrid-bike-917441#colcode=91744102
4.Raliegh motus https://www.raleigh.co.uk/gb/en/motus-tour-hub-gear/low-step/?attrWheelSize=26 inch

Any others or recommendations?

 

[Notafettler]

I have a Kalkoff. Happy with it. Quick look at the Raleigh very nice. Only thing I put high up is an easily removed battery to make it more difficult to steal and to store indoors. Not supposed to be good to leave it on the bike all the time. No doubt the experts will be more helpful.

 

[CXRAndy]

Short rides a city bike would be fine.

A little left field is the fully integrated lights, bell etc

VanMoof

 

[Drago]

If you're using it on tarmac then there is no advantage to mid drive over rear hub drive. Indeed, on road it gives a slight weight disadvantage for no corresponding benefit.

 

[samsbike]

In that case the whoosh appear better value with the options of bigger batteries etc

 

[samsbike]

Short rides a city bike would be fine.

A little left field is the fully integrated lights, bell etc

VanMoof

I think he wants to be able to commute 25 miles round trip every day.

 

[CXRAndy]

Is his commute hilly or flat? A bigger battery 500Wh or bigger will be better for winter usage, be able to keep the charge level in optimal range 20-90%.

If its their only transport, it really needs guards decent lights and rack mounts.

Security is another consideration being their only transport. Van Moof has integration with phone app with gps. a built in kick lock. An added D lock to something solid will dissuade most thieves

 

[samsbike]

The commute is a bit lumpy and west to east, so coming home is slightly uphill (with some short, sharp inclines and a headwind).

I am inclined to suggest a bigger battery and as much power as possible.

Definitely am advocating lights, racks and guards. Its the Whisper I am angling towards simply because of the bigger battery option and will allow longer days out in the summer.

Also I cant decide what to tell him hub v mid drive. Punctures is much simpler on the mid drive but there is a cost premium involved in that.

 

[Pale Rider]

Punctures is much simpler on the mid drive

You got that right.

The bad old days of hard wired motor wheels are now gone - most hub bikes have an inline plug to allow wheel removal.

However, quite a few have cables which are cable tied to the frame on the motor side of the plug.

Wheel removal means having a means of snipping a cable tie, and having a means of tidying the cable to the frame afterwards, to prevent the cable being caught by the spokes on restart.

None of which is a huge deal for a competent fettler, but might be a bit much for a new ebiker stranded beside the road with his first flat.

The wheel is much heavier to manhandle/refit to the bike - not a problem for most of us, but could be for some.

Nothing to do with punctures, but rear hub motor wheels still tend to snap their (non-standard length) spokes.

That can be a faff in terms of time off the road.

Overall, a crank drive bike is a better prospect for reliable and hassle free cycling.

 

[samsbike]

Cheers PR. I am going to recommend the whisper - as it has crank drive, the larger battery and all the gubbins.

However, I am not sure what the motor is and whether a Bosch or Shimano is better.

there is also the Raleigh Motus on sale at around £2.2k but only has a 500W battery, which is better than the majority of the 400W efforts. It also has the active line plus bosch motor so the 50Nm should be slightly better.

 

[Pale Rider]

Cheers PR. I am going to recommend the whisper - as it has crank drive, the larger battery and all the gubbins.

However, I am not sure what the motor is and whether a Bosch or Shimano is better.

there is also the Raleigh Motus on sale at around £2.2k but only has a 500W battery, which is better than the majority of the 400W efforts. It also has the active line plus bosch motor so the 50Nm should be slightly better.

I think the Wisper crank is a Bafang, possibly their Max Drive which is aimed at original equipment fitting.

The Bafang might be the pokiest, but my view is there isn't a great deal of difference between any of the road legal motors - crank or hub.

In any event, most riders run their motor at a lower setting to get a realistic range, so what it does fully wound up is largely irrelevant.

The power delivery of the Bosch is silky smooth and widely regarded as the best available.

In the real world that's more of a benefit than a tiny bit of outright grunt.

 

[samsbike]

I have been checking out a few more, and the Raleigh range is reduced at the moment ever so slightly

this is what I am liking at the moment

https://www.pureelectric.com/collec...crossbar-derailleur-hybrid-electric-bike-2020

 

[Deleted member 26715]

If you do lean towards the Whisper make sure he/you ride one first, I bought my wife a Freego Hawk in the same style, it felt like the handle bars weren't connected to the rest of the bike, horrible horrible ride

 

[samsbike]

I am going to let him decide but have read so much positive feedback on Ralieghs and that I have one as well, am going to suggest the bike I linked above.

However I dont understand why

https://www.pureelectric.com/collec...=Skimlinks&utm_medium=awin&utm_campaign=78888


is so much more than

https://www.cube.eu/en/2020/e-bikes...cube-acid-hybrid-one-500-29-bluenorange-2020/


The difference is enough to buy the racks, guards and lights

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I am going to let him decide but have read so much positive feedback on Ralieghs and that I have one as well, am going to suggest the bike I linked above.

However I dont understand why

https://www.pureelectric.com/collec...=Skimlinks&utm_medium=awin&utm_campaign=78888


is so much more than

https://www.cube.eu/en/2020/e-bikes...cube-acid-hybrid-one-500-29-bluenorange-2020/


The difference is enough to buy the racks, guards and lights

I bought the Cube for just over £1600 from leisure bikes