Total justification for e bikes

[Accy cyclist]

As has been said, nothing to stop you converting a drop bar bike.

There are not many ready made drop bar ebikes, but Giant have recently entered the market.

This Bike Radar test is worth a read.

The hacks did manage to overheat some of the bikes on the Alpine-style climb, and cook the brakes on the way down.

But I wouldn't worry too much about that, I suspect they tried to climb in too high a gear, which some crank drive ebikes don't like.

These guys descend like demons as you know, so I doubt a recreational rider would either do such a long descent or attack the descent as aggressively.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/giant-road-e-review-47443/

That bike looks good Pale Rider! At least i now know you can get drop bars.

 

[swee'pea99]

I'm with what seems to be the consensus: e bikes don't need 'justification'.

 

[dodgy]

The only problem I have with e-bikes is their price! Most of the ones that road.cc's sister ebike magazine tweet about are circa £3000!

 

[welsh dragon]

The only problem I have with e-bikes is their price! Most of the ones that road.cc's sister ebike magazine tweet about are circa £3000!

You are looking in the wrong place then I'm afraid. Yes they cost more, they do have a motor and battery so obviously they cost more, but you can get a bike for around £600 £700. Whoosh ebikes are recommended and there are others in the £1000 or less price range.

 

[John the Monkey]

Satan's hairy badgers. If you like it, ride it.

So long as it harm no one, do what thou wilt (etc)

 

[numbnuts]

The one problem with the Cyclotricity kit would be the brake levers, these have cut-outs installed. The wheel will power without them (I only use one of them on the Trike as the other lever has a 'handbrake' button) but I'd want to be able to cut the power off 'just in case'

Hi fit one of these instead of the the brake levers
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-bike-HWBS-hidden-wire-brake-sensor-/141749471827

 

[keithmac]

Neither my Gtech or the TSDZ2 converted Carrera have brake cutouts, both require pedal movement to activate the motor so as soon as you stop pedalling the motor stops.

 

[raleighnut]

Neither my Gtech or the TSDZ2 converted Carrera have brake cutouts, both require pedal movement to activate the motor so as soon as you stop pedalling the motor stops.

I set mine up thumb throttle only as I wanted to be able to travel at walking speed without wasting 'assist' power and I don't need assistance going downhill (plus it saved me £100 not buying the handlebar unit and crank sensor)

 

[keithmac]

Fair do's!. I normally coast downhill on the Gtech (fixed gear so 20mph+ is to much leg work!).

 

[r04DiE]

That's exactly why I bought mine, simple but very well engineered.

The frame has been designed from the ground up to utilise the Carbon Belt system and the rear hub motor, no nasty torque arms etc.

No messy wiring everywhere, no computer, the battery doesn't really look like a battery and easy to unclip.

Some people are dissapointed because it doesn't ride itself but I wanted a proper bike with assistance when needed, this fits the bill perfectly for me!


View attachment 141484 View attachment 141485

Wow, that's really smart - I really like that. Don't quite need an electric bike yet but that's what I'd go for if I did, and that's what I'd recommend to others!

Lovely

 

[keithmac]

It really is a nice bike to ride and very low maintenance.

Technically I don't "need" an ebike but it deffinitely has made my ride to work and back far more enjoyable.

Just not having to keep up with the chain cleaning and lubing is a bonus, that may sound lazy but I repair motorcycles all day so see enough of that at work .

 

[Colin_P]

I set mine up thumb throttle only as I wanted to be able to travel at walking speed without wasting 'assist' power and I don't need assistance going downhill (plus it saved me £100 not buying the handlebar unit and crank sensor)

Interesting stuff.

I've been pondering for a while now. I've got a heart condition and am on a hefty dose of drugs which limit me somewhat. I'm ok on the flat and obviously downhill but hills are a killer.

What I'd like is a really simple setup.

Front wheel motor, I'd be happy with a 250w legal motor.
A thumb throttle
Battery, hopefully on the rear rack which I already have.

I'm not interested in pedal assist or brake cut outs or any of the fancy stuff, I just want a boost up the hills as and when. It sounds like you have got that setup.

Do you have any more details of what you are running?

 

[Pale Rider]

Interesting stuff.

I've been pondering for a while now. I've got a heart condition and am on a hefty dose of drugs which limit me somewhat. I'm ok on the flat and obviously downhill but hills are a killer.

What I'd like is a really simple setup.

Front wheel motor, I'd be happy with a 250w legal motor.
A thumb throttle
Battery, hopefully on the rear rack which I already have.

I'm not interested in pedal assist or brake cut outs or any of the fancy stuff, I just want a boost up the hills as and when. It sounds like you have got that setup.

Do you have any more details of what you are running?

A couple of points to bear in mind.

A full-speed throttle is now illegal, even it cuts out at the legal speed limit of 15.5mph.

Plenty of users don't worry about that, and it's hardly the most serious offence in the criminal calendar, so it really depends on your attitude to being a bit naughty.

There have been no prosecutions of which I'm aware, but things could get a bit unpleasant if you happen to clout a pedestrian and are found to be riding what the law would describe as an unlicensed moped.

Putting that aside, what you want is eminently doable for a few hundred quid.

Practically, riding the converted bike unpowered may not suit you.

The extra weight makes a big difference, and all motors have some resistance when unpowered.

'Like riding through treacle' is one description, at the very least it's like riding a loaded tourer.

So there's something to be said for pedal assist.

A decent controller will enable you to do not a lot more than 'unweight' the bike on the flat, then dial up some more grunt on hills.

 

[Colin_P]

Thanks for that @Pale Rider

With regard to the thumb throttle I would have thought it would have operated something like a scalextric trigger, obviously with a controller which I omitted to mention in my questions. I would intend on fitting a controller.

Interesting about the loaded tourer feeling though. That could be the make or break for me. I suppose the only way to find out is to try one.

 

[raleighnut]

Interesting stuff.

I've been pondering for a while now. I've got a heart condition and am on a hefty dose of drugs which limit me somewhat. I'm ok on the flat and obviously downhill but hills are a killer.

What I'd like is a really simple setup.

Front wheel motor, I'd be happy with a 250w legal motor.
A thumb throttle
Battery, hopefully on the rear rack which I already have.

I'm not interested in pedal assist or brake cut outs or any of the fancy stuff, I just want a boost up the hills as and when. It sounds like you have got that setup.

Do you have any more details of what you are running?

250w front drive kit with a rack-mount battery from Cyclotricity (the rack is a 'double decker' and the battery slides in below the top leaving the rack top free) the thumb throttle and brake levers come with the 'hall effect' controller and wiring loom in with the wheel kit and the battery is then one of 3 options

1. Seat post mount @9Ah
2. Bottle cage mount @12Ah
3. Rack mount (with rack) @12Ah

There are then 2 controller options, 1 a basic assist level controller (@£50) and the other an 'advanced' controller (@£100) but neither of those are needed but they may be a legal requirement now the law has been altered, although as it is a kit (and they sell up to 1000w 'off road kits too) they may not apply the regulations too 'rigidly'.

Good points of the kits

• The drive wheel 'freewheels' when the motor isn't in use so there is no drag when not using 'assist'.
• The front wheel had 'disc brake' mounts on the hub (standard 6 bolt mount) but both of our bike/trike kit equipped ones use V-brakes

Bad Points

• There is a weight penalty.
• You need to use the throttle carefully when climbing steep hills, on the trike especially I can hear the motor begin to 'labour' if too much power is applied to it. My 'solution' is to reduce the power until the noise subsides but the motor is still pulling by judicial throttle use (the motor may be safe or it could 'burn out' I just don't want to take the risk now it is over 2yrs old and out of guarantee however the trike is a 'hefty old hector' and Maz's Dawes suffers this much less)