Best ladies bike ?

[joanieb]

Hi I am hoping for some advice on which electric bike would be best for me.

I hired a yamaha bike xpc26 to see if I would be able to get into work and back on it, its 4 miles each way and pretty hilly. The bike is fine and I like it even down to the sad old basket on the front ( my non electric is an ex rental Raleigh) but the battery is shot and the key to the battery box is gone so I would need to get that replaced for around # 90 and buy new batteries at around #200 . The guy has offered to sell it to me for #250 but I'd have to pay for the extra stuff myself.

So I reckon I should be able to get something better for less than #500 that is new.I looked at the powacycle site and fancy either the oxford or Salisbury but I don't know how suitable theyd be for a lady ( cue Little Britain voice)

Anyway I'm hoping someone could give me advice on what would be the best for a 5 ft 6, reasonably built female, looking to spend less than #500 and hoping to do around 8 miles on each charge.

Thanks

 

[nigel]

nigel

Hi joanieb
could you wait untill march when the new ezee Liv comes out at a good price £545 delivered to your door all as you say the powacycle would also be a good choice they are also not to heavy but slightly underpowered also they get a good review from A&B magazine. PS wait for our pedelec guru flecc i am sure he will give you the best advice.nigel.southampton.

 

[flecc]

Hello Joanieb

The Yamaha has long been discontinued and wouldn't be too wise a buy now as spares will inevitably dry up, so a new bike is a good idea.

Powacycle seem to have discontinued the Oxford now, but their current models include that Salisbury and the Windsor. Basically they are the same bike except that the Salisbury you mention is the "gents" frame with crossbar, the Windsor is the step-through "ladies" frame version. Obviously you could use the one you prefer. The Windsor was tested by A to B magazine in the October 2006 edition.

The bike is light at 21 kilos, it has a long range of almost 25 miles on their test. It's not very powerful but is whisper quiet and smooth running. They report it quite good at climbing moderate hills. Progress is described as "stately" rather than exciting. It all sounds very civilised and ok if your area isn't full of very steep hills. The only criticism was slack in the suspension front forks, but that's very common in low cost bikes.

A newly introduced model in this price range is the eZee Liv at £545. This has a low crossbar, and although it's a new model, it's motor is a well established one previously used on other models. Unlike the 24 volt Windsor, the Liv uses a 36 volt battery and it's a much more powerful bike. Despite that, it will also greatly exceed your required range, probably similar to the Windsor's. Here's the link to look closer at it.

Incidentally, Powacycle add £25 for delivery to the £499, so the total for the Windsor at £524 is very close to the £545 eZeebike which has free delivery.
.

 

[MazB]

Hi Everyone,

Whilst where on the subject of ladies bikes I thought I would try and get a bit more advice.

I am the short one 24" inside leg so my range of bikes is limited, it does go up if I look at kids powered bikes LOL.
As I mentioned on previous posts I've got the Currie Motor Kit on my bike, but after getting a new set of batteries (begining of Jan) it still doesn't run as it should, and it ran out of juice on Wed after a total of under 10 miles.

I'm gonna make do with this for a bit, whilst I look for a complete leccy bike.
I was looking at the Windsor as well, but the Ezee Sprint looks a better bike. I would love to get the Torq but would doubt my feet would reach the peddles never mind the blinking floor.
The Quando is another option, agian though not sure of the size and I do prefer 26" wheels.

I do need to be able to reach the floor even if its tip toed otherwise I feel totally unsafe...so any suggestions please throw them my way.

Maybe I should patent a minature Torq, that would be fun

Maz

 

[nigel]

Nigel

Hi maz
i think the quando 2 would be perfect for you reading other reviews from forum owners it gets high praise yes it has 20in wheels with chunky tires but boy does it move and it eats up those hills nigel.southampton.

 

[joanieb]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Its confirmed to me that I am much better getting a new one so I will have a look through the recommendations when I get some time.

 

[flecc]

Hi Maz

Definitely the Chopper if you want a fully specified bike with all the features you expect and you enjoy the cycling (pedalling) aspect. Be aware that it's not as fast as your Currie though, not through lack of power, it's got loads of that, but due to lower motor gearing giving a top speed around 13 mph on the motor alone. Of course you can pedal it as much faster as you want, and it's about the best hill climber on the market even on motor alone.

The Quando II is a full speed (15/16 mph) alternative which is also a good hill climber but lacks any gears, so much of the time it outruns the pedalling that's possible.. Not the Quando I which is too high for you.

I wouldn't worry about the 20" wheels, I don't even notice them on the Quando, and they don't make much material difference on a wide tyred electric bike.

Otherwise the only alternative is a step-through (ladies) frame bike where you can move forward off the saddle when you stop to ensure you can reach the ground.

 

[Nick]

Joanieb, chipping in, another option might be the Curry Izip - sold by 50Cycles along with the Ezee Liv, both of which my wife is interested in. Seeing as 50Cycles sell both, they should be able to give an informed and unbiased opinion.

I would be very interested in what you end up with so, hoping that you find what you want, please be sure to post a review.

Good luck and thanks,
Nick

 

[joanieb]

Oh yes that looks good too and a bit cheaper.

Does anyone have any experience of the Curry IZIP ?

 

[flecc]

Currie are a very well established USA manufacturer and the motor has had years of development and is powerful and reliable.

You do get what you pay for though, and in this case it means you get a steel frame instead of alloy, and it uses 24 volt lead-acid batteries. In this case they're known as SLA (sealed lead acid). These batteries have much in common with the ones used in cars. They are cheap but heavy. There's no carrier, and the motor sticks out slightly at the side, so not so suitable for panniers without spending more money on bits.

The alloy frame and NiMh battery on the Liv make the whole bike lighter, and as mentioned before, it has the benefit of the 36 volt system. It's also a bit more compact as the motor is in the wheel.

The price difference isn't all that great. The Currie price delivered and fully assembled is £455, the Liv price including those is £545. For the difference of £90 you get Alloy construction, Modern battery technology, 36 volt system, Carrier, Lighter weight. Yuk, I sound like a salesman.

I know the Currie motor and would be very happy to buy the Currie personally if I could only afford the lower price, it's a good bike and good value. But if I could afford the extra £90, it would definitely be the Liv for me.
.

 

[nigel]

nigel

Well said flecc for the extra few pounds i would go for the easy liv its a better all round investment and better quality with the EZEE brand nigel

 

[Nick]

Thanks for your comments Flecc, very interesting.

 

[flecc]

Thanks Nick.

Certain others might have said "Someone please shut him up!"
.

 

[Baboonking]

with 2 lead acid bricks the currie will be heavy. If you have to carry the bike anywhere, especially up stairs or outside steps I'd definatley recommend a bike with nimh batteries. Better value for money aswell as lead batteries will die more quickly

 

[joanieb]

Thanks guys I spoke to the sellers and they said the same thing about the Ezee Liv compared to the Currie, so I guess thats me sold then.

One thing does concern me, we live in Scotland so it would be a right pain if anything went wrong with it for getting it back. Does anyone have any experience of the Ezee and how likely it is to break down ? Also it is rumoured but cannot be found on the web anywhere that there is an electric bike factory in Newbridge,Rosyth which isn't that far for me. Does anyone know anything about that and what type of bikes they stock ?

Sorry for all the questions, but this is such a great source of info.

 

[flecc]

Since the Liv uses the motor system that was in the previous Rider model and well proven in that, it should be the most reliable of all the eZee bikes. Apparently one Rider model in use in Switzerland has done 30,000 km (18750 miles), so unless you're out to break records, you should be ok. Also, the Liv uses the eZee NiMh battery which never cuts out in my experience.

Other than that, the rest of the bike is just that, a bicycle, so easy to get repaired when older.

The only British electric bike is the TGA Electrobike (don't ask!) and they are in Suffolk, so the rumours of an electric bike factory in Newbridge, Rosyth seem odd. The far eastern manufacturers wouldn't manufacture here, and that's where virtually all bikes are made these days. The only possibility I can think of is a USA make being part assembled here.

Having played "In Cahouts" in Scotland, it may not be all it seems!
.

 

[MazB]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I will save a bit more and maybe go for the Chopper and maybe have a demo, and of the Quando.

I was gonna just get the IZIP, but I think you are right in saying that SLA batteries are a bit dated and heavy, with much better ones are now out there. Even though its only £400+ if I just save a bit longer then I think I will have a better choice to choose from.

The height problem - maybe I should just wear some Buffalo's (shoes for you men LOL) that would add another 3 to 4 inches, god knows how I'd cycle though

Maz

 

[flecc]

The height problem - maybe I should just wear some Buffalo's (shoes for you men LOL) that would add another 3 to 4 inches, god knows how I'd cycle though

Maz

Many years ago Maz, we were all much poorer and things were handed down through the generations. It was a common practice then to hand down an adult bike time after time, adding thick wooden blocks either side of the pedals with long screws or bolts through so that short legs could reach. It was a proud day for a kid when they'd grown enough to lose the blocks!

You could always go retro and visit the woodyard!
.

 

[nigel]

Nigel

All you
could dig out a pair of those 1970s 3inch platforms i mean anything goes now a days? NIGEL.

 

[Nick]

You can buy anything these days!
Highpath Engineering : Cycle products : Pedals