Bike and recommended stores in London...

[Chris Evans]

Hi everyone.

Let me first say I have spent an hour or so looking through this site and couldn't find the information i'm looking for - sorry if it does appear somewhere.

Short story is that i'm looking for the right bike and looking for a place to buy it from.

I will use the bike mostly for commuting (21 miles round trip) but also considering some longer trips on occasion (such as NE London to Brighton).

Something priced around £2000 would be ideal.

I have been interested in (online only) Cube Hybrids and the Kalkoff BS10 XT and X27. I can't find anywhere in London I could have a go on any of these.

In order of priority, my needs are: battery life, performance on hills, & performance when motor not engaged (i.e. when just using as a road bike).

I was regularly riding to work last year, but haven't been on a bike lately. My work is moving further away and so the thought of getting back on a bike (an old brutish steel job with 3 gears) to go further now makes me sick...Looking to get my fitness back, so want an electric bike that is not awful under just pedal power too. I'm aware i'll never get the same performance as on a strict road bike, but given the old beast i'm coming from, most bikes would be an improvement.

I'm struggling to understand what would be best for me given these criteria. I'm also struggling to find more than one electric bike store near me (the electric transport shop in London N7) and that one doesn't stock the two brands i'm most interested in looking at. I don't have a car so restricted to anywhere I can reasonably get to on the weekends (i work office hours +) on public transport. Any advice on both fronts very welcome.

Thanks

Chris

 

[RobF]

For Kalkhoffs it's 50 Cycles or nothing.

So that's a trip to Hampton if you can face hacking across - or around - town on public transport.

Bonus is there's another retailer a few doors away.

Riding an ebike on no assistance to improve fitness sounds a good idea, but doesn't work out well in practice.

All motors have some resistance, and the bike is too heavy and not geared appropriately to ride unassisted.

What you can do is turn the wick down a bit so you are putting in more effort.

All of the bikes you list will do this.

I have two Bosch bikes and like system's 'real cycling' feel.

But I'm sure a modern hub motor bike would also be nice to ride.

All Bosch bikes have at most an 11ah battery - 40 miles in average conditions..

Some of the hub bikes and some other crank drive bikes have much bigger batteries.

Longer range but also, of course, more weight, making them even more unsuitable to pedal unassisted.

 

[Wander]

Raleigh Motus at £2000? uses the newer Bosch motor & has a 400W battery.

 

[Chris Evans]

Hi Rob

Thanks for your reply.

Noted about the weight. That shouldn't be such an issue as the bike i'm used to riding already is around 20kg. But I wasn't aware of the gearing issues though so i'll look into that.

Hampton...I just checked and it's 1h30 one way! Ah the joys of public transport. Do you recall the name of the other store near there?

Thanks

Chris

 

[Chris Evans]

Raleigh Motus at £2000? uses the newer Bosch motor & has a 400W battery.

Hi Wanderer

Do you have any experience with the Motus yourself? I don't know enough about bukes to understand whether the parts quality justifies that price (Raleigh reminds me of the cheap bikes I had as a kid...). I notice they are rim rather than disc brakes - does that make much of a difference?

Chris

 

[RobF]

Hi Rob

Thanks for your reply.

Noted about the weight. That shouldn't be such an issue as the bike i'm used to riding already is around 20kg. But I wasn't aware of the gearing issues though so i'll look into that.

Hampton...I just checked and it's 1h30 one way! Ah the joys of public transport. Do you recall the name of the other store near there?

Thanks

Chris

The other store is London Electric Bike Company:

http://londonelectricbike.com/

Just ebikes near Ladbroke Grove is almost on the way for you:

http://justebikes.co.uk/contact-us/

 

[Wander]

Hi Wanderer

Do you have any experience with the Motus yourself? I don't know enough about bukes to understand whether the parts quality justifies that price (Raleigh reminds me of the cheap bikes I had as a kid...). I notice they are rim rather than disc brakes - does that make much of a difference?

Chris

I've seen one but haven't ridden one. I was impressed with the quality for a bike for £2,000. The electrics are all Bosch so good quality there. They've had some good write ups as well, see Peter Eland's review here:-
http://www.electricbikemag.co.uk/showStory.php?storynum=225

Regarding the brakes these are hydraulic Magura so again good quality & Peter said:-
The brakes were superb, as expected: smooth, powerful but also very progressive, so with only moderate finger pressure you can command just the braking required.

Main reason for suggesting it was your price bracket & the fact you wanted to commute. It comes complete with 400W battery, lights, mudguards, stand & rack as standard.

Don't be put off by the Raleigh name, they've come a long way since the 70s & in the eBike world they are also the ones responsible for bringing the Haibikes properly to the UK market. They were a game changer a couple of years ago (although others are fast catching up now).

 

[Chris Evans]

The other store is London Electric Bike Company:

http://londonelectricbike.com/

Just ebikes near Ladbroke Grove is almost on the way for you:

http://justebikes.co.uk/contact-us/

Great, thanks very much Rob.

 

[Chris Evans]

I've seen one but haven't ridden one. I was impressed with the quality for a bike for £2,000. The electrics are all Bosch so good quality there. They've had some good write ups as well, see Peter Eland's review here:-
http://www.electricbikemag.co.uk/showStory.php?storynum=225

Regarding the brakes these are hydraulic Magura so again good quality & Peter said:-
The brakes were superb, as expected: smooth, powerful but also very progressive, so with only moderate finger pressure you can command just the braking required.

Main reason for suggesting it was your price bracket & the fact you wanted to commute. It comes complete with 400W battery, lights, mudguards, stand & rack as standard.

Don't be put off by the Raleigh name, they've come a long way since the 70s & in the eBike world they are also the ones responsible for bringing the Haibikes properly to the UK market. They were a game changer a couple of years ago (although others are fast catching up now).

Thanks for the further info, Wanderer. I will take a look.

 

[Kudoscycles]

London Electric Bike Company is 200 yds down the high street of Hampton Wick from 50 cycles,LEBC have very good stocks of the KTM range including the latest KTM. Lycan,check carefully open days,closed Tuesdays and some Thursdays.

 

[Chris Evans]

T

London Electric Bike Company is 200 yds down the high street of Hampton Wick from 50 cycles,LEBC have very good stocks of the KTM range including the latest KTM. Lycan,check carefully open days,closed Tuesdays and some Thursdays.

THank you Kudoscycles

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi Chris,

e-bikes direct are in Battersea and have Bosch powered bikes if that is what you are interested in. http://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/Items/Flag_Ship_London_Store/London_Store_List.aspx

Cyclezee are in Milton Keynes, 35 mins by train from Euston, we have several brands but not Bosch powered. http://cyclezee.com/