ericmark
Senior Member
- Location
- Llanfair Caereinion, Mid Wales.
I was looking at this section and 9 out of 10 threads had Brompton in the title.
I live in the hills, so really need a little assistance, so wanted an electric motor, but wife's e-bike is over the 20 kg and bike rack able to be used same time as towing has a limit of 40 kg, plus it means only the car with bike rack can rescue me, so folding bike means any one can rescue me, and I can carry her bike and mine at the same time.
My intention was to go to a cycle shop and select an e-bike, however middle of Colvid19 I found my licence had not been renewed, and the trains first stopped running, then ran to basic no where, as Welshpool station closed, so people could ride the train for fun, but not to get a to b.
So I needed a way to get to Welshpool and back 16 miles return, without using a bus, as no social distancing seemed to be done with buses, train had screens between seats, but not buses, and I found two folding e-bikes for sale local, at half I had intended to pay, with 1 km on the clock, so bought one, I have gone to Welshpool and back once, so yes can do it, and loads of battery to spare, but as soon as I got it, found I was permitted to drive for one year while waiting for licence, so did not really need to use it that much after all.
Main problem is last 300 yards to get home, I have found torque drops off from electric motor under 8 MPH and by 3 MPH I could do just as well without the motor, the lighter non electric, non folding bike can get me up hills just as steep as the electric, but if I can maintain 8 MPH then electric wins hands down.
Still not found out how to remove rear wheel, I carry an aerosol in case of puncture in rear wheel. But can put it in back of my 4 x 4, just, at 24 kg bit on heavy side, lower car would be easy.
Speed seems a problem, I can pedal to 15 MPH easy enough, over that can't turn legs fast enough, and the A458 is a busy road, so faster one goes less likely some one will hit you, so it has a twist grip and I can let the electric do it all, so around 22 MPH which is safer, but in theory should set it so twist grip is disabled, easy enough, but then I am going too slow for safety.
Once off main A458 it is easy to disable the twist grip, but tend not to bother, I just refrain from using it.
I tried riding the Mawddach trail with my wife who has a non folding e-bike which with the non electric I could keep up with her on the flat, she left me on the hills, well went on the North Wales to Haswall with her so no real hills just short raises, but I caught her up on down hill bits, so we were around even matched, but on the Mawddach trail on level 2 could not keep up with her, on level 3 easy, so since my bike the levels 1 to 5 seems to be the speed at which assistance is removed, is seems I have less assistance than her, which may be due to being heavier or wider tires.
However I do have both front and rear suppression, she only has front. Which clearly makes the bike heavier.
Having moved from cheap to expensive non electric I know quality does matter, but on the flat I would be happy to turn off electric, in fact on the Montgomery canal it would select level 1 which means in real terms only get assistance around the locks. The wide tyres are needed as one goes towards the Cambrian Heritage railway the tow path stones get coarser and coarser and you need the wider tires although not done that centre section yet.
Arddian to Maesbury Marsh I have still to try to ride, it was closed last time I tried. And not reached Berriew as yet in other direction, want to do whole route to Newtown, but Newtown to Llanfair Caereinion is far too steep for me. So want some one to pick me up and take me home.
So ready for the Welshpool onward explore, as long as those mechanical disc brakes don't get me first, they are those silly things which can reach end of travel so will only retard one, but not stop one.
I live in the hills, so really need a little assistance, so wanted an electric motor, but wife's e-bike is over the 20 kg and bike rack able to be used same time as towing has a limit of 40 kg, plus it means only the car with bike rack can rescue me, so folding bike means any one can rescue me, and I can carry her bike and mine at the same time.
My intention was to go to a cycle shop and select an e-bike, however middle of Colvid19 I found my licence had not been renewed, and the trains first stopped running, then ran to basic no where, as Welshpool station closed, so people could ride the train for fun, but not to get a to b.
So I needed a way to get to Welshpool and back 16 miles return, without using a bus, as no social distancing seemed to be done with buses, train had screens between seats, but not buses, and I found two folding e-bikes for sale local, at half I had intended to pay, with 1 km on the clock, so bought one, I have gone to Welshpool and back once, so yes can do it, and loads of battery to spare, but as soon as I got it, found I was permitted to drive for one year while waiting for licence, so did not really need to use it that much after all.
Main problem is last 300 yards to get home, I have found torque drops off from electric motor under 8 MPH and by 3 MPH I could do just as well without the motor, the lighter non electric, non folding bike can get me up hills just as steep as the electric, but if I can maintain 8 MPH then electric wins hands down.
Still not found out how to remove rear wheel, I carry an aerosol in case of puncture in rear wheel. But can put it in back of my 4 x 4, just, at 24 kg bit on heavy side, lower car would be easy.
Speed seems a problem, I can pedal to 15 MPH easy enough, over that can't turn legs fast enough, and the A458 is a busy road, so faster one goes less likely some one will hit you, so it has a twist grip and I can let the electric do it all, so around 22 MPH which is safer, but in theory should set it so twist grip is disabled, easy enough, but then I am going too slow for safety.
Once off main A458 it is easy to disable the twist grip, but tend not to bother, I just refrain from using it.
I tried riding the Mawddach trail with my wife who has a non folding e-bike which with the non electric I could keep up with her on the flat, she left me on the hills, well went on the North Wales to Haswall with her so no real hills just short raises, but I caught her up on down hill bits, so we were around even matched, but on the Mawddach trail on level 2 could not keep up with her, on level 3 easy, so since my bike the levels 1 to 5 seems to be the speed at which assistance is removed, is seems I have less assistance than her, which may be due to being heavier or wider tires.
However I do have both front and rear suppression, she only has front. Which clearly makes the bike heavier.
Having moved from cheap to expensive non electric I know quality does matter, but on the flat I would be happy to turn off electric, in fact on the Montgomery canal it would select level 1 which means in real terms only get assistance around the locks. The wide tyres are needed as one goes towards the Cambrian Heritage railway the tow path stones get coarser and coarser and you need the wider tires although not done that centre section yet.
Arddian to Maesbury Marsh I have still to try to ride, it was closed last time I tried. And not reached Berriew as yet in other direction, want to do whole route to Newtown, but Newtown to Llanfair Caereinion is far too steep for me. So want some one to pick me up and take me home.
So ready for the Welshpool onward explore, as long as those mechanical disc brakes don't get me first, they are those silly things which can reach end of travel so will only retard one, but not stop one.
