Planet X "Rock Machine" ebikes

[Pale Rider]

Lots of trekking ebikes, including mine, come with ludicrously wide MTB handlebars.

If you - or anyone else - want to chop them, I can recommend this pipe cutter from Screwfix.

Only £2.99, it did a neat job on mine.

Works in situ, so there's no need to remove the bars.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/3-28mm-m...V2uR3Ch2skQXGEAQYASABEgI3hvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[slowridr]

So... a few rides done, a little acclimatisation... and I absolutely love this thing.

Some little niggles: a rattle was traced to the pre-fitted bolts and washers for the front mudguard, solved by removing them; the saddle isn’t quite the right shape for me, but the wife likes it so it’ll stay; and on a big ride last week (Bristol-Devizes-Bristol, 125km) I managed to get two punctures on the same ride for the first time in my cycling career. Inner tubes have been upgraded, better tyres might follow. Disconnecting the power cable to remove the rear wheel was easy enough although I was surprised to find I’d need a couple of new cable ties each time.

Incidentally that long ride used only 28% of the battery (down to 72%) on the first half using the power carefully, and leaving it on all the way home (but still only eco mode) used only 40%. So on a pretty flat ride, especially on the road, its range would be nearly 200km... crazy.

Last note: the ‘bare’ model - no rack, guards, lights or lock but with a cheap suspension fork and still the 500Wh battery - is now just £829 which feels like such ridiculous value I’m tempted to buy another one.

 

[ianrauk]

Please keep us updated about this bike. Have my eye on one as a daily commuter for my partner.

 

[ColinJ]

Disconnecting the power cable to remove the rear wheel was easy enough although I was surprised to find I’d need a couple of new cable ties each time.

Buy the reusable type!

 

[slowridr]

Buy the reusable type!

I'm not planning on getting that many punctures.

 

[Gwylan]

In case anyone looks.

Got one of these - a gift, not solicited, for Christmas.
Not my first choice, but my wife was sure I would like it.

Anyway, had the noisy front issue - indifferent fixing of the mudguard. Resolved with some closed cell foam and lock washers. The mudguards are heavy and if I had to pedal that much weight around on my own then it would be gone.

The tyres were total rubbish. Endless punctures, had a big fight with GoOutdoors and they offered to replace them at cost! Walked away and got a set of Schwalbe - have not looked back. Or stopped for a puncture either.

It's very heavy and the weight of the motor in the rear wheel makes the centre of gravity a bit weird. Still miss my Peugeot tourer - until I come to a hill.

After the brush with GO over the tyres I kept a log of km & battery charging. After 18 months and 2500km the battery is good for 70+ km - can be dragged out to 90 if I work a bit harder. But the electronics struggle during the last 25% of capacity.

 

[slowridr]

Two years in and mine has done around 2000km, now mostly being treated as my 'gravel bike' in the New Forest for on/off road exploring. Still on the original tyres - they're pretty terrible (low grip) but do the job - and easily getting up to 100km range.

Would like to upgrade to a drop bar e-gravel bike but while everything is so expensive I'll keep on whizzing around on this!

 

[Gwylan]

Follow up.

Some scroat in Oxford is using mine to deliver take away or similar.
Got nicked, from under my nose almost.

Now realise that except for the tyres is was a better bike than I realised