Considering an electric bike

[yoyo]

I am seriously considering buying a power assisted bike for my hilly 22mile round trip commute. Over the last few years I have cycled to work on occasions but found it tiring as my route is hilly in both directions and this, combined with long working hours (8.15 - 6.30), makes the ride home especially difficult.

To date I have road tested a Batavus (Dutch) ebike and am about to try the Giant Express Hybrid 2 which is a little easier on the pocket.

I am wondering if anyone has any advice or experience of ebikes to see if it is the answer that I am looking for.

For me this is not the lazy way out but hopefully an answer to making my commuting time more manageable and predictable. I still intend to use my existing bicycles for leisure riding, shopping etc.

 

[fossyant]

You thought about a road bike with compact or triple gears ?

What's your current bike ?

 

[col]

I would make sure you check on battery life, they never last as long as is claimed by manufacturers.

 

[yoyo]

My current bike is a Batavus Alamo which is a 24 speed hybrid with triple gears. It climbs well but slowly. There are two steep climbs on my outward route and one long climb on the return. There are also a few lumps inbetween. On a good day I complete the outward journey in 50 minutes but I seem to always take an hour to come home. Work is physically demanding and I think this is why the return journey is longer. As my working day is long, I would like to get my commuting time down to 45 minutes each way.

I realise that battery life is being proclaimed as the longest distance they can get out of minimum power but I won't have difficulty recharging at work if necessary. It is the cost of the batteries that I find difficult as one can purchase many litres of petrol for the cost of the bike and replacing the battery. I want to consider it all thoroughly before committing myself.

 

[david k]

i like the look of electric bikes but never heard from somebody who uses them regularly, thats the info i think you need

 

[col]

There was something about electric bike forums on here a while ago I think? I cant remember the name though? Might be worth typing electrick bikes forum in google and see what comes up?

 

[Alan B]

Have a look at the Kudos range http://www.kudoscycles.com/

I have the King model, reasonable purchase price, good range and performance, and replacement battery very reasonable.

Range is 43 miles, and I can usually average 15mph on most journeys, cycling faster than the 15.5mph limit on the flat and downhills, and going below the limit up the hills.

Note, I'm also a keen cyclist, currently using Rockhopper with slicks for fun riding, and aiming to get a road bike soon, but am happy to use the electric for commuting.

 

[bicyclos]

There is a website dedicated for the electric cycle anoraks which is called "pedelecs". Its not a bad site and I gained a lot of knowledge about the bikes. I was going to purchase a leccy bike about 4years ago when I was struggling with my commute until I got some sound advice from a cycling coach from another forum. I seemed to be burnt out and have no energy, I basically ended up changing my diet, route to work, rest period and sleep and built up the base miles.....

 

[palinurus]

Have you looked at A to B? http://www.atob.org.uk/electric-bike-reviews.html

 

[BlackPanther]

Just a friendly word of warning......I made a very bad decision when I bought an ebike a couple of years ago. I'd knacked my knee playing squash only a few weeks after I'd started cycling to work, and felt that I needed a bit of help as I was finding it a real struggle at times on my heavy Dawes Tanami 'town' bike.

I went for a non-road legal (20 mph top speed) 'Alien Aurora', but after the initial buzz had worn off, I was left with a heavy bike that only just managed the 11.5 mile ride to work. A recharge at work during the day got me home, but if you're ever left stranded on a flat battery/electrical breakdown, the ride home would be a major struggle. As for just riding it on pedal power alone to extend the range, no thank you. It felt like I was towing another bike behind me!

A far better solution for was to just buy a lighter road bike which made the commute soooooo much easier than the Dawes, and actually gets me home faster than the ebike could!

Although I have nothing against ebikes, imho ebikes they really only make sense if you're really struggling to pedal through illness, injury or old age. I lost quite a bit of money as I only kept mine for a month or so. A test ride really doesn't give you the full story of ownership. That said, there are many satisfied owners on the Pedlec forum. You pays your money.....

 

[BobWales]

The matching of an electric bike to the journey is the important thing to avoid wasting money or buying a bike simply not up to the job.
Have a look at Juicy Bikes. there you can configure your own bike, matching the battery size to the journey distance, adding hydraulic brakes to the standard model, even hydraulic lockout forks too using a menu system to get a tailored bike. Their tailored bikes are produced in Derbyshire.

 

[ufkacbln]

I have three, which I maintain and run for elderly relatives.

There are several basics that you need to decide on:

1. Do you want assist where the pedal input is "read" and hen subsidised or an independent throttle that you control yourself
2. Do you want performance or distance as one compromises the other
3. Do you want an easily detachable battery that you can take in and recharge

After that the choices become easier as the range of models is more limited

A to B has an honest hilly commuting route that they compare the bikes on, so their reviews are worth considering.

As for riding them, that is simple. They are as reliable as any other bike if well maintained, but as above can be a pain if they break down. However over ten years or so, all of my breakdowns that have required collection have been on non-electric bikes and trikes!

As with any commuter route, be aware of "escape routes" and places where you can leave a bike in an emergency for collection.


After that it is down to trial and finding one that suits you.

 

[yoyo]

Cunobelin,

Thank you for this.

I think I would like an independent throttle, distance and an easily detachable battery. My commute is from home to a remote prep school with homes os many acquaintances en route so there are plenty of 'escape routes'. I would be able to charge the battery at work.

I tried and was unimpressed by the Giant Escape I tried as it made a dreadful noise once I crossed 15mph and had no go at all when I switched it all off.

I am having a look at BionX also.

Yoyo

 

[BobWales]

YoYo
Choose a lithium battery and 36 volt 250 watt motor as a given.
The range of a 10AH battery, for the "average" human is 30 miles (ignore manufacturers hype).
You should expect a great life from a lithium battery if you keep it within 50 to 95% charge state.
So, for your 22 mile round trip, either charge at work during the day or look for a larger battery than 10AH to keep within the 50-95% charge state "rule for lithium battery longevity".
(100 % charge is a stress on the battery, so charge just before your journey, less than 50% risks forgetting to charge and flattening the battery completely, which is really bad news for a lithium and can destroy the battery quickly. Repeated and regular complete discharge is a big no-no, YoYo).

 

[snailracer]

Try to test ride the bike without power, as some electric bikes are very draggy when not using the battery.
This drag is characteristic of e-bikes that claim to "recharge" or "regenerate" when coasting downhill, as they do not have freewheels - rule these out immediately, if you want to pedal part of your journey.