£2,000 toy fund - but what to spend it on ?

[RobF]

Quick update :

Still havent had time to nip to shields to see the oxygens

thanks for everyone's feedback and help

Strange to relate, I was there to look at one this very day.

It was the only 2013 they had, was already sold, and the customer arrived to pick it up while I was there.

Decent bike for £1,500, but we are talking fairly basic components so I don't think it will suit MS666.

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

Might be worth trying a Panasonic rear drive bike if you are not keen on crank drives. Should be arriving in the UK in March

 

[dmcgoldrick]

Hi from Storcker:
Re: the Big Apple tyres. I've been surprised by how well they roll considering the width and am quite happy with them.
On another thread I posted that they give poor grip, none really, on wet mud due to their shallow tread
and width allowing them to float on mud. Last Saturday I went out for a ten mile ride and on one single track road pulled over to allow a car past. After the car has passed I pulled away and managed to fall off in the mud at the edge of the road. They say nothing good ever comes from doing a good deed.
Still no harm done to anything other than my dignity though I'm sure the pigs in the field were laughing at me.
Enjoy your riding whatever you ride.

storck runs well on schwalbe marathon plus tyres....28" x 1.5" (50-85 psi....i run them at about 70 psi)...plenty of grip, good roll on road and reliable.
regards

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

storck runs well on schwalbe marathon plus tyres....28" x 1.5" (50-85 psi....i run them at about 70 psi)...plenty of grip, good roll on road and reliable.
regards

While not selling Storck bikes I have tested them and was impressed with the ride. Although did not get the chance to test them on any hills.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I found that most electric bikes give a nice ride until you get to the hills!

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

I found that most electric bikes give a nice ride until you get to the hills!

True but felt smoother than any hub powered bike I have ridden so far. Looking forward to getting our panasonic hub drive and seeing how it compares other than being around £2k so fair bit cheaper

 

[dmcgoldrick]

storck multitask raddar.....raised stem and 28 x 1.5 marathon plus tyres are mods to original spec.
fabulous ride.......silent smooth assist......

regards

 

[dmcgoldrick]

I found that most electric bikes give a nice ride until you get to the hills!

i have tried many ebikes and find a huge difference in the ride and 'fit' of the bikes (its just the same with normal bikes)......getting a bike that is a suitable fit for your own size/weight etc is very important and should not be underestimated if you want to avoid injury and discomfort on longer journeys........
a good bike shop is usually the best place to get a fitting .......
regards

 

[MS666]

Update time!

So I didn’t have much luck in finding a bike shop in the lakes that was open on a Sunday, although I didn’t really do a lot of planning, I just popped my head into one or two hoping they had some in stock.

I ended up taking the family to Grizedale forest for a bit of fresh air (plenty of that in the lakes!) because I remembered seeing a bike shop on the Storck site as a stockist. When I got there they didn’t have the storck in, it was out on demo, but they did have a scott with the bosch system (Bingo!).

I took the scott out for a short spin, my first impressions were good, the design was quite nice and they had some decent kit on it. The one I tried was a little small for me, so felt cramped, but it was good enough to tell me what I wanted to know.

Although the bosch had a digital display (useful) the levels of assistance was baffling eco to speed with 1-3 levels in each. I couldn’t work out if Eco level 3 was the same (or better) than tour level 1. I just didn’t find it easy to adjust quickly. I imagine if you want to stick the bike in 1 mode and just let it do the same amount of work (or making minor adjustments of 1-3) throughout your ride then it would be fine, but for quick adjustment it felt fiddly. At one point I was in Tour 1 (I think) and wanted less assistance, but the mode button only lets you go up in assistance till you get back round to eco. Am I the only one that finds that silly? It’s like having a gear box in a car that makes you accelerate up through the gears before it lets you slow down.

I did like the power it had, not sure which battery was on the scott as I think the bosch has different batteries, but it did have a kick in high power. I did find the pedalling action a bit more mechanical, I can only assume that’s because the bosch has a number of cogs in the box on the crank to provide the assistance. It wasn’t unpleasant, just different. It was good on the hills as well.

To be honest, I’d already written off the bosch before id tried it because I like the idea of removing the electric part of the bike and being able to ride it as a “normal” bike in the future. I don’t think that’s possible with a bosch bike, Is it?

So in summary – Bosch isn’t for me but would love to know what you think of them.

Next up – Still looking to try a wisper and might go back to Storck for a longer hill test as everyone seems to be pointing me back to the Storck.

Thanks

 

[Kudoscycles]

MS666....if the Bosch system isn't for you...you have pretty much eliminated 50% of the hill climbing bikes,ignoring our own bikes I know of no other legal (250 watt) system that has the hill climbing power of the Bosch motor,Storck now do a Bosch powered bike principally,I assume,to offer the hill climbing power of their competitors. The Tonaros have gutsy hill climbing abilities.
KudosDave

 

[GORDONAL]

I can only really compare 4-5 differing systems ,the older Panasonic centre drive ,Kalkhoff impulse centre drive, 2 front hub drives THEN the Bosch centre drive
For my cycling needs the Bosch is excellent giving a good dollop of smooth quiet power at just the right moment .
I believe the latest HMI. controllers are a lot less fiddly to use , but even with my 12 possible power configurations with a little forethought and experience you very quickly adapt .

Alan

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

MS666 The Bosch system you are referring to is the 2012 model. We have just got a KTM in with 2013 system. The key difference is less levels of assistance, improved display and thumb controls to change assistance level which makes it easier. It also has an easy start function up to 6km, ideal for getting away at traffic lights. For £2149 you get the larger battery as well. Not possible to remove electric system but you could take the battery off which would make the bike lighter. Good luck with the search!

 

[Kudoscycles]

Imagine if Eddie were here now,he would have gone into verbal overdrive! MS666....unfortunately you live in a part of the world not served by good dealers. I must say that I rode at least 6 Bosch powered bikes at Eurobike last year and I thought the drive system was very good especially up the hill. The KTM Macina Bold and the AVE-XH3 were lovely bikes and priced at about £1700,were good value.
I do sympathise with you that it is not possible to visit one dealer to see a good range of bikes,is OnBike at Kidderminster out of your range,they I think hold a good spread of bikes.
KudosDave

 

[MS666]

MS666 The Bosch system you are referring to is the 2012 model. We have just got a KTM in with 2013 system. The key difference is less levels of assistance, improved display and thumb controls to change assistance level which makes it easier. It also has an easy start function up to 6km, ideal for getting away at traffic lights. For £2149 you get the larger battery as well. Not possible to remove electric system but you could take the battery off which would make the bike lighter. Good luck with the search!

thanks - glad theyve changed it, it sounds better if they've put less options in it

 

[MS666]

Imagine if Eddie were here now,he would have gone into verbal overdrive! MS666....unfortunately you live in a part of the world not served by good dealers. I must say that I rode at least 6 Bosch powered bikes at Eurobike last year and I thought the drive system was very good especially up the hill. The KTM Macina Bold and the AVE-XH3 were lovely bikes and priced at about £1700,were good value.
I do sympathise with you that it is not possible to visit one dealer to see a good range of bikes,is OnBike at Kidderminster out of your range,they I think hold a good spread of bikes.
KudosDave

Just had a look at onbike on line, they look good but its a 4 hour drive each way ... bit too far for me. thanks for the idea

 

[MS666]

Another quick update this evening (2 in one day!)

Ian from Storck dropped me an email tonight with this link ... Storck Raddar - Storck Raddar Electric Bikes - News - EX DEMO EBIKE SALE - Prices from £1,899

Given what's been said by everyone, and from what i've tried already i think i've almost made my decision ... But just to be sure i'm going down to storck for a longer test ride at the weekend.

I'm excited to soon be a fully fledged member of the Pedelec community!

 

[funkylyn]

Another quick update this evening (2 in one day!)

Ian from Storck dropped me an email tonight with this link ... Storck Raddar - Storck Raddar Electric Bikes - News - EX DEMO EBIKE SALE - Prices from £1,899

Given what's been said by everyone, and from what i've tried already i think i've almost made my decision ... But just to be sure i'm going down to storck for a longer test ride at the weekend.

I'm excited to soon be a fully fledged member of the Pedelec community!

And ready to do the C2C with us all in April.......

Lynda

 

[dmcgoldrick]

And ready to do the C2C with us all in April.......

Lynda

???????? organised event ????????? do tell more.......thats about the time i was thinking of doing that ride......well late april early may actually ........
regards

 

[RobF]

???????? organised event ????????? do tell more.......thats about the time i was thinking of doing that ride......well late april early may actually ........
regards

dm,

Not the full ride, but a few of us are aiming to do a stretch of the route near Consett in County Durham in April.

I can't recall the thread, but funkylyn has been appointed chief whipper in and ride leader.

No doubt more details will follow.

 

[103Alex1]

ignoring our own bikes I know of no other legal (250 watt) system that has the hill climbing power of the Bosch motor

Find it hard to believe that all Bosch bikes are better hill climbers than Impulse bikes ... Impulse is one of the best climbers out there in the 250W category !