Best buy for around £500

[Gfoxsteve]

We are looking to purchase a couple of electric bikes for occasional use . We will take them to our apartment in Spain and only really use them to wobble home from the bars at night (I know the health and safety parts, I have my mum for the lectures

I do realise that this is right at the budget end of the market so really just after the best advice for a budget bike that isn't going to fall apart as I take it out of the box and I stand a chance of getting parts etc.

Any advice welcome please.

 

[selrahc1992]

We are looking to purchase a couple of electric bikes for occasional use . We will take them to our apartment in Spain and only really use them to wobble home from the bars at night (I know the health and safety parts, I have my mum for the lectures

I do realise that this is right at the budget end of the market so really just after the best advice for a budget bike that isn't going to fall apart as I take it out of the box and I stand a chance of getting parts etc.

Any advice welcome please.

at that price, INHO, the biggest problem will be the crap components and low quality untrue rims on the bicycle you get (though if absolutely pushed to do it I'd muster all my misplaced optimism and get a Tesco hopper for £350 and replace the wheels and brakes), much better I'd say to get an easy to fit kit (maybe oxygen or woosh) and put it on a quality second hand bike that already has good components

 

[trex]

for that price bracket, you'll probably be restricted to folding bikes.
For full size bikes, check out the woosh Sirocco 36V 10AH battery, range 30-35 miles on a full charge, £585. It's been in the market for 5 years.
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?sirocco

 

[Deleted member 4366]

This one looks pretty good. It has all the standard Chinese easy to service and replace stuff.When you buy these cheap bikes from Ebay, it helps if you can do basic adjustments and checks. There won't be anything seriously wrong, but you often get minor faults, like tight wheel bearings, loose spokes, badly adjusted brakes, etc, though most people would probably never notice that.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-new-City-dutch-style-Electric-Bike-Bicycle-36v-10AH-Lithium-Battery-/380681915374?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item58a2690bee

and this one should be very good since Cyclotricity are involved with it:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-Bike-Relay-Lithium-Ion-electric-motor-bicycle-e-Bike-Power-eBike-/261941657518?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item3cfcf07fae

 

[Ferdinand]

Suggest one option is to watch the chains - Halfords etc (who else?) and pounce when they have a sale which may get a £650-750 bike close to your budget.

I have a post somewhere explaining extra discounts. Membership of British Cycling (from £30) is the best as you wuold save about £100+ on 2 bikes.

I think you need a deal, a folder, or an ex-demo.

Or buy in Spain?

Ferdinand

 

[Gfoxsteve]

Thanks for all the good advice, I have to say that the tescos unit looks like a great deal given our low needs. I'm guessing any of the bikes in my budget are going to have their problems, just trying to find the best of a bad bunch...

 

[trex]

I wouldn't worry about having problems with a cheap e-bike. The most important rule is 'use it or lose it' - all the cheap bikes do not have smart batteries that can look after themselves, so you need to ride regularly to keep the battery in good conditions. There are plenty of cheap bikes that have done 5 years, 30,000+ miles. Besides that, it may be worth investing in a better saddle and a good pair of pedals because cheap bikes invariably come with cheap saddle and pedals.

 

[Gfoxsteve]

Interesting point. We will leave it at our apartment at times for months, is there anyway to care for the batteries??

 

[trex]

In that case, make sure that you ask the supplier how long you can leave your battery 'to sleep'. The latest BMS (battery management systems) have a switch that switches off the BMS, allowing up to 6 month sleep without damage.
Before leaving Spain, charge the battery to full and switch the battery off.
Alternatively, buy something like this £15 phone controlled remote switch:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cellphone-Phone-PDA-GSM-RC-Remote-Control-Socket-Power-Smart-Switch-FT-/221705835164

You can remote switch the charger on/off for about an hour every month.

 

[JohnCade]

Didn’t I read a few months ago that Spanish plod are clamping down on e bikes with throttles which are illegal there? Lot’s of Brits got cought out around the Costas.

 

[trex]

propaganda? I've seen lots of e-bikes around Benidorm, the local police are only interested in the sleek/expensive looking ones.

 

[JohnCade]

There was a link to some local English language paper with the story. Other sources had it too including stories of British tourists being fined on the spot. So I don’t think it was propaganda.

 

[trex]

there has been no link to real stories. I spent a bit of time last year searching the internet for stories linking to the use of throttle. The only source so far, also mentioned on this forum, are articles in one of the online trade magazines quoting from an unnamed UK bike dealer.
you are more likely to be fined for not wearing a helmet than having a throttle. Still, it does not hurt to err on the side of caution. Unplug your throttle when in Spain.

 

[Cyclezee]

All eZee bikes sold since 2012 can be set by the owner to EU mainland legal mode which restricts the throttle to 6 Km/h walk assist.

In any case buying locally in Spain would save the hassle of shipping from the UK.

As for the OP's requirements, a small wheeled folder is probably not the best mode of transport to ride when in a state of inebriation

£1000 (2 x £500) would pay a lot of taxi fares especially when the € is down to
£0.71

 

[trex]

You can still get pretty good bikes for this sort of price, it takes just a bit of research and reading. Look out for aluminium frame, 8-Fun motor, Samsung cell battery, Lishui controller, sealed cartridge bottom bracket, Kenda puncture resistant tyres, stainless steel spokes, Tektro brakes, Suntour / Prowheel crankset, Wellgo/VP pedals, Velo saddle. You will be surpised to see how often these components are regularly used on Chinese bikes costing more than twice your budget.

 

[anotherkiwi]

A 99.95€ Decathlon Kemel (comes in his or hers frames) with a cheap front wheel kit. Chuck the tyres, no fun fixing a flat when you are having fun... Easily under your budget with a bike frame the professional thieves know has no resale value.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You can still get pretty good bikes for this sort of price, it takes just a bit of research and reading. Look out for aluminium frame, 8-Fun motor, Samsung cell battery, Lishui controller, sealed cartridge bottom bracket, Kenda puncture resistant tyres, stainless steel spokes, Tektro brakes, Suntour / Prowheel crankset, Wellgo/VP pedals, Velo saddle. You will be surpised to see how often these components are regularly used on Chinese bikes costing more than twice your budget.

Is there a bike that has all that?

 

[trex]

yes, the woosh Gale, £579.
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?gale

woosh always fit low maintenance components.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

No?!!!!!

For £500, OP should be looking for a bike with a pvc leather saddle, a 9ah Samsung bottle battery (preferably black for extra stealth), 6 speed Shimano Tourney gears with a thumb shifter, a front 250w motor, a weight of no more than 23kg, thumb throttle, V-brakes. A black and white frame to go with the black wheels and battery would be nice too. I wonder if such a bike exists? Can anyone help?

 

[trex]

no what? which component is not low maintenance?