tiswas-steve
Über Member
- Location
- Forest Hill S.E. london
Is it me or is this like luke skywalker going over to the dark side ?
Electric bike after a couple of months
- Thread starter Old timer
- Start date
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trickletreat
Guru
- Location
- solihull
Mycroft said:great thread!
I'd love an electric bike. My knees have been playing up since last year and i REALLY want to go touring, but I'm starting to worry that big miles won't be possible (health is not the best) so electric would be great.
the only thing holding me back would be the touring angle, I have no idea if the electric outlet on caravan sites would charge an e bike, would anyone have any idea?
I'm off to read some of those links, and start plotting about the spare MTB out in the shed!!
Yes you can recharge on a caravan hook up, also if you already have a bike, but don't want it to shout ELECTRIC BIKE, then look at Steve's latest conversion using a Gruber assist, concealed in the seat tube, with compact battery.http://www.electricgoatbikes.com/
What is really important in all this, is firstly , consider if the electric assist will start/keep you cycling, how much you can afford...you really must try a few rather than deciding what you think you want, from what you read.
Nigel
OP
OP
Old timer
Über Member
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
buggi said:a battery???? is that errm... cheating???
Well for some people on our E bike forum it`s an E bike or sit indoors looking out of the window. Still I suppose they said that when the horse was pushed aside by the car
Old timer said:Still I suppose they said that when the horse was pushed aside by the car
My grandfather was an early cyclist (1880s/90s), and in his diary he proudly writes that his bike had neither brakes nor mudguards.
He would have thought gears were a right cop-out, and the notion of electrically assisted machines would probably have done for him. (As it was, India done for him in 1915, so I never had a chance to find out).
Allen.
trickletreat said:
WOW!!
I was all ready to reply to you "I don't care what the bike looks like.. blah blah"
but first clicked on the link!! thats a pretty neat feat of engineering cos it just looks like a "normal" bike. I'm kinda lost for words
{just seen the price!! thats ruled that one out then}
I've been thinking about this (e bikes) for a while now, but the distance limit versus weight seems to be the problem, and solving those adds cost.
the old - light weight, distance (quality) or cheap - ratios pick any two.
I'm capable of 30/40 miles loaded and really want to move up to being capable of 50/60 miles without feeling like death the next day. I'd like to go bicycle touring for the adventure/scenery not the physical "challenge"
so it comes down to a motor/battery capable of 60/70 miles on one charge on a fully loaded/self supporting tour. and somehow I've always felt thats just not a possibility .. YET.
I've had a run of bad health this year as well, and just haven't been able to get the miles in, and find now that when i do, my knees are a problem, even just pootleing along - where they weren't last summer - (same bike)
It gets me down sometimes TBH and the thought of some electric assist puts a grin back on
potsy
Rambler
- Location
- My Armchair
This is the one I'd get if I was in the market for one,just over 13kg and looks great-
http://road.cc/content/news/6449-worlds-lightest-electric-bike
View attachment 6269
http://road.cc/content/news/6449-worlds-lightest-electric-bike
View attachment 6269
There's always a danger in discussions like these of getting into an expensive vs. cheap debate – Dave alluded to the ever-present elitism in his first post.
It usually resolves itself into a fashion-conscious vs. couldn't-give-a-toss-what-it-looks-like (or what it costs, for that matter) argument, which doesn't actually get anybody anywhere.
My bike (once memorably described in these columns as a pile of shoot) does me okay. It gets me around. My 'disabled' accessories cost several times the price of the bike! Most fashionistas in the cycling world wouldn't be seen dead on it, or even near it.
And I think a sensible (i.e. my) attitude to electric bikes follows the same philosophy, that is, horses for courses. If you want an average bike with a top speed below 20 mph and a range of 20-ish miles, then it would be silly to spend £1.5K and more on a wizzy-wizzy top-of-the-range model. Spend half that amount and buy a spare battery!
Life really does get easier when you get older and less bothered...
Allen.
It usually resolves itself into a fashion-conscious vs. couldn't-give-a-toss-what-it-looks-like (or what it costs, for that matter) argument, which doesn't actually get anybody anywhere.
My bike (once memorably described in these columns as a pile of shoot) does me okay. It gets me around. My 'disabled' accessories cost several times the price of the bike! Most fashionistas in the cycling world wouldn't be seen dead on it, or even near it.
And I think a sensible (i.e. my) attitude to electric bikes follows the same philosophy, that is, horses for courses. If you want an average bike with a top speed below 20 mph and a range of 20-ish miles, then it would be silly to spend £1.5K and more on a wizzy-wizzy top-of-the-range model. Spend half that amount and buy a spare battery!
Life really does get easier when you get older and less bothered...
Allen.
trickletreat
Guru
- Location
- solihull
Here is a youtube link to show the gruber assist in a bike...
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQi5XHi5NXs
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQi5XHi5NXs
trickletreat
Guru
- Location
- solihull
allen-uk said:
You are welcome Allen. The main reason for posting it was so that you could see what Steve is like. I have dealt with him for almost two years now, and he is a one man band. Great advice, very helpful, even when Royal Mail broke my bike, he managed to get his suppliers to send him duplicate parts and then delivered the bike personally...North Yorks to Solihull.{ He was passing, but did not have to bother}
If you phone him he will take the time to work out the best priced option available, and is great for advice gained from hands on experience.
Nigel
trickletreat
Guru
- Location
- solihull
raindog said:
Here is a link re fitting; other links are then available for all the other info.
http://www.gruberassist.com/english/product/technology/
Rode one at the Tour de Presteigne, and was impressed, as was my wife.
Hi, new here.
Thank you for all info. Same here with bad luck with a couple of E.Bike forums.
As in the last 4-5yrs I find difficulty in mounting & dismounting my bike (old age), after searching, a short test ride on one & deliberating, 3 weeks ago I bought this "Pro Rider - E-Wayfarer Electric Folding Bike 2013 model".
It had to be this perhaps ridiculous size/shape for ease of getting on & off, my wife can use it & ease of manhandling in confind spaces.
The almost straight handlebars are painfull on arthritic hands but el.wiring prohibits changing to the inverted raicing one I used on the old bike.
It has limited suspensionon front forks & is hard or the backside riding our bumpy roads despide the the three layers of cilicon seat covers I added.
What is this "rear servo assisted drum brakes" & how it works?, the Northumpton seller could not enlighten me. I wonder if I can change a worn out shoe?.
I can not compare with other e.bikes, but this one with the slightest of pedaling the rear hub motor drives me along according to the el.batton speed selected..
I have not yet found the relationship between the el.button speed & its Shimano 7speed gear selections.
Riding on the flat is disconcerning that the pedalling has "no bide" & my feet are free wheeling on air aimelesly. Perhaps when I find a hill will have more use pedalling.
I also found forgetting the electrics ON when pushing it through gates or restricted space & the slightest touch on the throttle it shoots forward scrabing knucles & fingers. There is no way to separate throttle from pedalling power, so I devised a small simple bracket on swivel to restrick the throttle turning or free it if neeed to use it, which I have no need to do so far.
Is there a way of attaching fotos here?.
On the whole it made me cycle again & now slight headwind or slight uphill is no problem.
I would like to see a sectional cutaway picture of a hub motor, anyone seen one? ....nick
Thank you for all info. Same here with bad luck with a couple of E.Bike forums.
As in the last 4-5yrs I find difficulty in mounting & dismounting my bike (old age), after searching, a short test ride on one & deliberating, 3 weeks ago I bought this "Pro Rider - E-Wayfarer Electric Folding Bike 2013 model".
It had to be this perhaps ridiculous size/shape for ease of getting on & off, my wife can use it & ease of manhandling in confind spaces.
The almost straight handlebars are painfull on arthritic hands but el.wiring prohibits changing to the inverted raicing one I used on the old bike.
It has limited suspensionon front forks & is hard or the backside riding our bumpy roads despide the the three layers of cilicon seat covers I added.
What is this "rear servo assisted drum brakes" & how it works?, the Northumpton seller could not enlighten me. I wonder if I can change a worn out shoe?.
I can not compare with other e.bikes, but this one with the slightest of pedaling the rear hub motor drives me along according to the el.batton speed selected..
I have not yet found the relationship between the el.button speed & its Shimano 7speed gear selections.
Riding on the flat is disconcerning that the pedalling has "no bide" & my feet are free wheeling on air aimelesly. Perhaps when I find a hill will have more use pedalling.
I also found forgetting the electrics ON when pushing it through gates or restricted space & the slightest touch on the throttle it shoots forward scrabing knucles & fingers. There is no way to separate throttle from pedalling power, so I devised a small simple bracket on swivel to restrick the throttle turning or free it if neeed to use it, which I have no need to do so far.
Is there a way of attaching fotos here?.
On the whole it made me cycle again & now slight headwind or slight uphill is no problem.
I would like to see a sectional cutaway picture of a hub motor, anyone seen one? ....nick
