Advice please...

[Neil]

Time is important

It you wish to go 18 miles each way time is a factor. On my Pro Connect with a 16 cog it would take just over an hour to go to work (avg speed 16-19mph). You will also need to recharge when you get to work to get home (2 year guarantee) as the range will fall to about 20 miles. It is possible but do you want to spend over two hours going to and from work?

 

[joanna]

Hmmm

Obviously still lots to think about. I do have pleanty of things such as spare lights, tools etc from my ono-electric bike, so will hopefully use that, and expect to have to buy a few things as I go.

Has anyone tried sealskin gloves etc? My husband who works outside swears by them, I (also work outside) have never felt the need, but wondered about your views.

I am not worried about the time, as my current commute is by train, which from door to door should take about an hour, but in reality it is closer to an average of 20 mins more, one of the reasons I want to get a bike, I am fed up with paying thousands for an unreliable service, that means I have to leave work when the timetable tells me, not when I am ready (bit of a bug bear with me!), to be honest cost wise, nothing I have seen comes close to the cost of trains and it is going up in january!

Joanna

 

[rooel]

And if you have two hours a day on a bike, there will be no need to join a gym, or waste any time there on pointless exercise.

 

[Mussels]

Obviously still lots to think about. I do have pleanty of things such as spare lights, tools etc from my ono-electric bike, so will hopefully use that, and expect to have to buy a few things as I go.

Has anyone tried sealskin gloves etc? My husband who works outside swears by them, I (also work outside) have never felt the need, but wondered about your views.

I am not worried about the time, as my current commute is by train, which from door to door should take about an hour, but in reality it is closer to an average of 20 mins more, one of the reasons I want to get a bike, I am fed up with paying thousands for an unreliable service, that means I have to leave work when the timetable tells me, not when I am ready (bit of a bug bear with me!), to be honest cost wise, nothing I have seen comes close to the cost of trains and it is going up in january!

Joanna

Your thinking is very much the same as mine, the 20 mile train journey takes about 1 hour 20 mins and my bike commute is down to 1 hour 10 minutes from the City of London. Running a high mileage bike is quite a bit more expensive than I thought but less than the £200+ per month of public transport, it does takes quite a bit of servicing time as well which I didn't really expect. Seeing as I was contemplating joining a gym it all made great sense.
In reality it takes longer to commute by bike as I need to get changed and get the bike ready to come home, then traffic can slow me down a little but it is nearly always under 2 hours even if I get a puncture. With your distance something with an off-road switch is probably a must.

 

[Barnowl]

That's quite a ride. I think I'll vote Wisper 905 in this case.

I really must restrict my wisper, I did derestrict it but the range has definitely dropped as it has made me lazy.

Interesting because I was thinking about getting the faster 195RPM wheel for my Cytronex. I came to the conclusion that I didn't really need it, I'd polish off the battery quicker, and I would end up getting much less exercise. I really am feeling much better for it. Mind you regular 18 mile journeys might tempt me!

 

[WALKERMAN]

Obviously still lots to think about. I do have pleanty of things such as spare lights, tools etc from my ono-electric bike, so will hopefully use that, and expect to have to buy a few things as I go.

Has anyone tried sealskin gloves etc? My husband who works outside swears by them, I (also work outside) have never felt the need, but wondered about your views.

I am not worried about the time, as my current commute is by train, which from door to door should take about an hour, but in reality it is closer to an average of 20 mins more, one of the reasons I want to get a bike, I am fed up with paying thousands for an unreliable service, that means I have to leave work when the timetable tells me, not when I am ready (bit of a bug bear with me!), to be honest cost wise, nothing I have seen comes close to the cost of trains and it is going up in january!

Joanna

I do about 13 miles return each day to my place of work, on my Pro Connect. I enjoy it very much and it takes less time than using the car as I avoid the daily traffic jams along the route.

I have a 16 cog set-up, I use full power all the time and the battery has two bars remaining after the 13 miles distance. The mileage you are contemplating sounds a bit daunting to me at my age of 61 but younger people should manage it O.K. and then do their day job as well.

I use sealskin gloves and think they are excellent, but have recently resorted to heated gloves but only on sub-zero temp. days as my finger tips got very cold.

You should use Marathon Plus tyres to avoid punctures.

 

[gwing]

Has anyone tried sealskin gloves etc? My husband who works outside swears by them, I (also work outside) have never felt the need, but wondered about your views.

Joanna

The sealskin gloves I find provide little in the way of insulation and are not effective if its really cold - good at keeping the water out though.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Which bike

Hi Joanna

Although of course I would love you to buy a Wisper, I agree with Flecc that the Kalkhoff and 905 are such different machines that you should really try them both before investing such a large amount of money.

If I can be of any assistance in arranging a test my private email is miall@aol.com.

Best regards David

 

[Tim]

I don't know where you got the information from of the Kalkhoff, but I know nothing of the motors being made obsolete, the version fitted being the latest type from Panasonic. Whether the Kalkhoff models would cover the round trip would depend in your input, but it's likely that you would need to recharge at work, this being true of most e-bikes on that round trip.

I've got to the bottom of this 'obsolete' red herring - it's the guys at Electric Transport Shop in Cambridge, they're telling everyone who asks to test ride a Panasonic-based bike that they don't sell them because they're not being made any more. The thousands upon thousands of motor and battery units to be delivered next year to manufacturer's across the globe tell a different tale.

We just had someone turn up for a demonstration who enlightened us about this and I spoke to the shop myself and was told the same thing.

Pretty desperate tactics guys...

 

[Beanie101]

Comprehensively busted!

 

[Hooligooner]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Although I have read around the subject I knew there would be nothing like asking the experts (thats you lot!), really helped, as I know I will be pushing the bike to quite a limit, though I am planning to recharge at work.

Think I will check out the Kalkahoffs, then make a final decision. It is just so far to travel to find one to test ride! If any one lives near bedfordshire and would be willing to let me try theirs... well got to try and ask!

Will also look the synergie up as well, as I have read less on that.

Thank you

As a fellow Chiltern adventurer I was going to offer you a go on my IZIP, leaving you safe in the knowledge that anything you try afterwards should be better. However, I'm down in South Bucks, so a little too far away.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Calm down Tim

I've got to the bottom of this 'obsolete' red herring - it's the guys at Electric Transport Shop in Cambridge, they're telling everyone who asks to test ride a Panasonic-based bike that they don't sell them because they're not being made any more. The thousands upon thousands of motor and battery units to be delivered next year to manufacturer's across the globe tell a different tale.

We just had someone turn up for a demonstration who enlightened us about this and I spoke to the shop myself and was told the same thing.

Pretty desperate tactics guys...

Hi Tim

I know the ETS guys well and would vouch for their honesty. Before running them down in the forum, why not call one of the directors and if there is some confusion let them know, I am sure they will filter it down to the staff.

I am also certain they are not bothered enough about the Kalkhoff bikes to deliberately tell lies about them!

I guarantee this is not malicious, give them a call.

All the best David

 

[Tim]

Hi Tim

I know the ETS guys well and would vouch for their honesty. Before running them down in the forum, why not call one of the directors and if there is some confusion let them know, I am sure they will filter it down to the staff.

I am also certain they are not bothered enough about the Kalkhoff bikes to deliberately tell lies about them!

I guarantee this is not malicious, give them a call.

All the best David

I did give them a call and was told that story, so it seems they've been happy to run down Kalkhoff and all other Panasonic pedelec variants.

I've met them a few times myself, but what I've learnt today has certainly coloured my opinion of them.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Best left off the Forum

Hi Tim

This type of thing is really best left off the Forum it's pretty boring for everyone outside the quarrel. (or is it?) If I had challenged you every time you ran us down, I would never be off the computer!!

I have spoken to one of the ETS directors, and as I said there was nothing malicious, just a misunderstanding due to an article in Wikepedia read by one of thier sales people.

If you want to continue the discussion please email me directly.

As always, all the best David

 

[Rad]

Fight Fight Fight!

 

[tillson]

This type of thing is really best left off the Forum it's pretty boring for everyone outside the quarrel. (or is it?)

Well, personally I find it quite interesting to pick through this sort of information. Please continue and don’t mind me.

 

[Tim]

Hi Tim

This type of thing is really best left off the Forum it's pretty boring for everyone outside the quarrel. (or is it?) If I had challenged you every time you ran us down, I would never be off the computer!!

I have spoken to one of the ETS directors, and as I said there was nothing malicious, just a misunderstanding due to an article in Wikepedia read by one of thier sales people.

If you want to continue the discussion please email me directly.

As always, all the best David

David, with respect, who made you arbiter of what is or isn't suitable for discussion on this board? This is very much on-topic for this thread.

If it's being put into the public domain that a major electric bicycle system supplier is no longer producing said electric bicycle system, when in fact it remains one of the best-selling and most successful around and will be powering tens of thousands of electric bikes next year, then I think it is important to counter that.

The wikipedia alibi sounds like unadulterated nonsense to me.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Just trying to help.

Tim I was making the point for your benefit just as much as ETS.

I know ETS are far too professional to get involved in petty squabbling, so stupidly I stuck my nose in! A lesson learned.

I totally agree that if there was confusion that you should clear it up in open forum, but maybe with out slagging off your competition? Just a suggestion.

All the best Matey!

 

[joanna]

just a note

Just to add (yes it was ETS Cambridge shop where I was told the panasonic system was obsolete, didn't really want to name it as felt that was unfair), they did tell me what a fantastic system it was and how well it worked as well...

On a different note I tried the kalkhoff today - they were great, but so was the wisper. Thought I would give my (slightly girly) views on them....

Kalkhoffs

More expensive to buy
Cheaper battery
2 year guarantee - will rpobably save money in the long run
Lighter (proconnect)
Has a skirt guard (agattu - do you have any idea how hard these are to get?!)
wider wheels, make it more comfortable
Has a comfortable saddle (agattu)
uncomfortable saddle (pro connect)
has step through style - much more practicle
doesn't feel like it is electric (especially the proconnect), until you turn off the power, then you suddenly realise the advantage
light charger
definatly legal, as doesn't go without pedalling
Clear gears

Wisper

cheaper to buy
more expensive battery
shorter guarantee
can be derestricted

so in short I kind of think the kalkhoffs are better bikes, but - I don't have much confidence in my ability to cycle the distance involved. So I think I will go for the wisper, as if my legs fail, I can have the back up of the non-pedal motor.

 

[joanna]

oh and

my impression - staff were more knowledgable on the kalkhoffs than the wisper, and excellent for advice (ETS were good as well, just kalkhoff were better) but have not responded to e-mails.