OK. First off, the following post must be read with a pinch of salt.
After a couple of threads on here I decided a hill climb test was in order. Invites were sent out and the crowd gathered. Unlike Bristol, Falkirk council wouldn't close the road.
The day came and only 2 manufacturers turned up, Kudos brought 2 bikes and Woosh brought 1. The crowd (my wife) was eager to get the event under way.
The Kudos rider was 6' tall, 56 years old and weighs about 82kg.
The Woosh rider was 6' tall, 56 years old and weighs about 82kg.
It would be 1 bike at a time up the hills. The course is about a mile long and reaches about 14% gradient near the top.
1st up was the Woosh Santana CD, It took off to the sounds of Vivaldi's 4 seasons, nice and steady. Using throttle alone on the flat part at the bottom the bike got up to 15mph quickly enough, the rider had to pedal up the steepest parts as the bike slowed down quite a bit on throttle alone. Remember this wasn't a closed road and 2 cars passed the bike. It made it to the top OK with some work from the rider.
2nd was the Kudos Tourer. No throttle on this so pedalling all the way. Off it went with the sounds of Elgar's pomp and circumstance playing. It went up the hill quicker but the rider was pedalling all the way.
3rd to go was the Kudos Typhoon, a different animal. It came off the bike rack with the theme from 'rocky' playing. It took off like a scalded cat and stormed up the hill. No throttle all pedalling. The rider appeared to be pedalling harder this time but the bike was going much faster, especially up the steepest part.
The bikes were checked at the end and there was no skulduggery with any of them.
So, the results: As was expected, the Typhoon was the clear winner. Second place went to the Tourer with the Santana Cd being a very close third. Strangely, the rider wasn't anymore tired or sweaty after each climb. It seemed like each bike had taken the same or similar amount of energy from the rider. Of the 3 bikes, only the Typhoon went above the cut out speed. On the flat bit at the start and on the shallower slopey bits.
Now, what does this tell us? Well, on that day with that rider the Kudos took gold & silver. Woosh took bronze. Now, on another day if my wife was the rider, the Woosh would have got up slowly but neither of the Kudos machines would have moved. So, it's horses for courses and you need to try a few bikes and buy the one which suits you. A couple of invites had been sent to Oxygen and KTM but they couldn't make it. Maybe next year....
Now let's all play nice again.
After a couple of threads on here I decided a hill climb test was in order. Invites were sent out and the crowd gathered. Unlike Bristol, Falkirk council wouldn't close the road.
The day came and only 2 manufacturers turned up, Kudos brought 2 bikes and Woosh brought 1. The crowd (my wife) was eager to get the event under way.
The Kudos rider was 6' tall, 56 years old and weighs about 82kg.
The Woosh rider was 6' tall, 56 years old and weighs about 82kg.
It would be 1 bike at a time up the hills. The course is about a mile long and reaches about 14% gradient near the top.
1st up was the Woosh Santana CD, It took off to the sounds of Vivaldi's 4 seasons, nice and steady. Using throttle alone on the flat part at the bottom the bike got up to 15mph quickly enough, the rider had to pedal up the steepest parts as the bike slowed down quite a bit on throttle alone. Remember this wasn't a closed road and 2 cars passed the bike. It made it to the top OK with some work from the rider.
2nd was the Kudos Tourer. No throttle on this so pedalling all the way. Off it went with the sounds of Elgar's pomp and circumstance playing. It went up the hill quicker but the rider was pedalling all the way.
3rd to go was the Kudos Typhoon, a different animal. It came off the bike rack with the theme from 'rocky' playing. It took off like a scalded cat and stormed up the hill. No throttle all pedalling. The rider appeared to be pedalling harder this time but the bike was going much faster, especially up the steepest part.
The bikes were checked at the end and there was no skulduggery with any of them.
So, the results: As was expected, the Typhoon was the clear winner. Second place went to the Tourer with the Santana Cd being a very close third. Strangely, the rider wasn't anymore tired or sweaty after each climb. It seemed like each bike had taken the same or similar amount of energy from the rider. Of the 3 bikes, only the Typhoon went above the cut out speed. On the flat bit at the start and on the shallower slopey bits.
Now, what does this tell us? Well, on that day with that rider the Kudos took gold & silver. Woosh took bronze. Now, on another day if my wife was the rider, the Woosh would have got up slowly but neither of the Kudos machines would have moved. So, it's horses for courses and you need to try a few bikes and buy the one which suits you. A couple of invites had been sent to Oxygen and KTM but they couldn't make it. Maybe next year....
Now let's all play nice again.
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