Rusty Rocket
Active Member
There are loads of brands on the internet, but I think as you can see from the responses a cheap ebike will be rubbish. If you want to buy something that you’ll never sell there are only really 2 options - GC or EBrommie.
Considering a Folding E-Bike
- Thread starter 1lor
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Cycleops
Legendary Member
- Location
- Accra, Ghana
I don't think the OP realises that a lot development goes into an ebike and that costs money. Sure you can find plenty of cheap models where they've just taken a standard folder and tacked a motor and battery on but ultimately it won't give you a rewarding reliable or quality experience.
I think we've exhausted the available options to give the best possible options but if you think you can find a cheap reliable machine to do what you want I wish you luck.
I think we've exhausted the available options to give the best possible options but if you think you can find a cheap reliable machine to do what you want I wish you luck.
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Rusty Rocket
Active Member
The only other alternative I can think of is buying a non electric folder and converting to an ebike with a conversion kit. Never tried it, or know anyone that has but there’s plenty of them to choose from.
The kits won’t be anywhere near as good as a proper ebike, but at least you’ll still have a decent bike underneath it all.
The kits won’t be anywhere near as good as a proper ebike, but at least you’ll still have a decent bike underneath it all.
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There is no need for your tone, I will be reporting your comment I've have asked for advise but you all seem to be dismissive of the other brands out there. I've seen some online in the £2-3k and beyond that are not term, Brompton, go cycle, decathlon but I don't see anyone quoting any of those brands to me it looks like you have limited experience and cannot quote pros and cons, and not willing to try others out there or at least look at it.
Once again - Who said I'm going to pay £1k I gave a figure to find out what I could get for that price, as you were all asking, try reading what I said.
There's been others on various comparison magazines, the gadget show.over thr years I've seen not one of you have quoted these brand names featured some of them had pannier racks and mud guards.
Rusty Rocket
Active Member
To be fair, your tone is aggressive and hardly conducive to a civilised conversation.
There are lots of brands out there, some featured on TV etc, but this forum is bike users who live with these, have tried others and ultimately ended up with the ones mentioned.
Being given a bike for an afternoon to write a piece for a magazine and living with one day in, day out are very different.
Suggest you take on board what you’ve been told on here and go look round some LBC and see what they have to offer.
confusedcyclist
Veteran
One of my colleagues bought one of those carbon go cycles with a battery tube and he was initially upset with the range it offered and often commented how it had let him down if he had to cycle to and from work, with meetings elsewhere through the day and had left him pedalling a heavy inefficient bike up around Bradford's many hills working up a sweat. Also, he didn't like the fold, IIRC he said something about it being faffy, and not as convenient as the Brompton. That said, I see this colleague bring the bike into his office frequently enough that this hasn't led him to sell it on. If you can can ensure the range wouldn't be a problem, and electric folder can be a great tool. Fully charged, my 625W battery (hybrid style frame) hasn't left me worrying about range on my lengthy commute. Because of the need to carry folders, you don't tend to get very large batteries, also they tend to have to compromise on total size.
I have not been aggressive at all. As I said people are too dismissive of the other brands out there.
I'm going to look into the below someone here mentioned, it doesn't look as attractive to thieves, it has mud guards, pannier racks I would have to query and is featured on a couple of best folding ebike YouTube videos in addition to what the poster here sai so it's worth a look into.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/electric-assisted-folding-bike-tilt-500/_/R-p-145622?mc=8500547&c=GREY&utm_campaign=2116208:Skimlinks.com&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_source=RakutenMarketing
I'm going to look into the below someone here mentioned, it doesn't look as attractive to thieves, it has mud guards, pannier racks I would have to query and is featured on a couple of best folding ebike YouTube videos in addition to what the poster here sai so it's worth a look into.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/electric-assisted-folding-bike-tilt-500/_/R-p-145622?mc=8500547&c=GREY&utm_campaign=2116208:Skimlinks.com&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_source=RakutenMarketing
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tribanjules
Guru
- Location
- Birmingham
Tilt 500 electric on flea bay for under 300 but needs a £120 battery. Happy with mine tho
What should I know about the battery wattage? How many miles do they last, what about in cold weather's do you get less out of them?
confusedcyclist
Veteran
Well, generally speaking, the more watts, the more miles, but not all things are equal in bikes, as the temperature, weight, aerodynamics, wind speed and rider effort all impact the range you can expect. Look at the max range quoted by the bike manufacturers, and half it. That it probably what you can expect if the conditions you are riding in are not favourable. Also rememeber as the battery ages, it's capacity deteriorates, so range will fall over time too. Will you be easily able to get hold of a new battery in 3-5 years time if it no longer meets your needs? Some brands will make parts available long term, others just want to sell you a new bike.
I appreciate you said you were not keen on the Brompton, may I ask why?
Out of most folding bikes, it has a superior fold, in terms of simplicity, ease and speed. Compare the Brompton to the Btwin you just linked to, that's a mess, but don't take our word for it, go test them both out and compare. Certainly the Brompton is more expensive to buy outright, but that you will find with the Brompton is that the design doesn't change every year meaning you will easily find parts and dealers who will repair and stock parts, and where things have changed, the new parts fit on older bikes as the frame and fold doesn't change. You can bet your last £5 note that Decathlon will not be offering spares in 3-5 years time for that model and when a part, like a basic hinge fails you might have to scrap a otherwise perfectly good bike. In the long run, owning the Brompton will likely cost you less, as you say you are not the type that swaps a bike often, it should be seen in the context as a longer term investment. The Brompton will certainly win out, and they are incredibly popular that if it didn't work out, it will not lose all it's value and you could sell it without taking a huge financial loss. The Btwin will not be worth very much a few years on for sure!
The Brompton is not a bike many people regret buying (so long as they are serious about folding bikes). Some people have managed to tour the length of the UK on a Brompton, carrying everything they need, so you will not have any issues carrying shopping in rear panniers. You can get a Brompton in 6 speed, adding the motor assist, this will be sufficient for all kinds of terrain, and mechanically speaking, it's a simple contraption, so less faff with maintenance and services. I can't see any reason to look at the competition if you are serious about buying a folder. Lack of long term support for parts from other dealers should be a huge deal breaker and not worth risk on the money saved imo.
If the range is a problem, consider owning one folder that doesn't have a motor for your train rides, and a standard hybrid ebike that will do your shopping without fuss for when you are not commuting. Remember, you can also wear a backpack with an ebike, as you are working less hard to push the bike, you won't get all sweaty (one of the main reasons people like panniers). That said, you need to check maximum weight load of rider and luggage on all your models. If you exceed that, you will have problems with parts failing, and likely void any warranty claims if the manufacturer found out.
I appreciate you said you were not keen on the Brompton, may I ask why?
Out of most folding bikes, it has a superior fold, in terms of simplicity, ease and speed. Compare the Brompton to the Btwin you just linked to, that's a mess, but don't take our word for it, go test them both out and compare. Certainly the Brompton is more expensive to buy outright, but that you will find with the Brompton is that the design doesn't change every year meaning you will easily find parts and dealers who will repair and stock parts, and where things have changed, the new parts fit on older bikes as the frame and fold doesn't change. You can bet your last £5 note that Decathlon will not be offering spares in 3-5 years time for that model and when a part, like a basic hinge fails you might have to scrap a otherwise perfectly good bike. In the long run, owning the Brompton will likely cost you less, as you say you are not the type that swaps a bike often, it should be seen in the context as a longer term investment. The Brompton will certainly win out, and they are incredibly popular that if it didn't work out, it will not lose all it's value and you could sell it without taking a huge financial loss. The Btwin will not be worth very much a few years on for sure!
The Brompton is not a bike many people regret buying (so long as they are serious about folding bikes). Some people have managed to tour the length of the UK on a Brompton, carrying everything they need, so you will not have any issues carrying shopping in rear panniers. You can get a Brompton in 6 speed, adding the motor assist, this will be sufficient for all kinds of terrain, and mechanically speaking, it's a simple contraption, so less faff with maintenance and services. I can't see any reason to look at the competition if you are serious about buying a folder. Lack of long term support for parts from other dealers should be a huge deal breaker and not worth risk on the money saved imo.
If the range is a problem, consider owning one folder that doesn't have a motor for your train rides, and a standard hybrid ebike that will do your shopping without fuss for when you are not commuting. Remember, you can also wear a backpack with an ebike, as you are working less hard to push the bike, you won't get all sweaty (one of the main reasons people like panniers). That said, you need to check maximum weight load of rider and luggage on all your models. If you exceed that, you will have problems with parts failing, and likely void any warranty claims if the manufacturer found out.
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Rusty Rocket
Active Member
I know you haven’t set a budget yet, might be worth working out how much you’d save by not getting the bus - assuming you’d replace x amount of your journeys with the bike (what about when it’s raining/snowing/cold?). A Brompton does look expensive but if you do some sums versus the bus over say 5 or 10 years it may seem like a less scary investment. Worth seeing if your company has a cycle to work scheme your could use as well.
I have a folding bike (Carrera Intercity) and I would not take it on a busy train - it folds but not as much as you’d need (assuming the train into Glasgow is busy). There really is no substitute for the fold of a Brompton.
I have a folding bike (Carrera Intercity) and I would not take it on a busy train - it folds but not as much as you’d need (assuming the train into Glasgow is busy). There really is no substitute for the fold of a Brompton.
tribanjules
Guru
- Location
- Birmingham
I always end up with a smile when I take my flea bay brommie out rather than one of my full size fleet. Likewise with decathlon version, which I think gets about 20 odd mile range ? Not a lot but good enough to get a teenage daughter asking me to go out in last lockdown. It has better brakes than my brommie so must sort brommie pads out
