carrera spark

[chess]

does anyone know anythink about the electric bike Halfords are selling? its called the Carrera spark, it seems fair and a brief ride, unpowered, today indicates it wil ride quite well. I have seen one review on this site but the owner had only had the bike a short time. I am looking for an electric bike sub £1000 to ride 14 miles to work on. the ride has gradients rather than hills-but they are long ones!
chess

 

[flecc]

We have members with them who are pleased with their buy, and also one member with the Sparc unit in a Dahon folder who highly rates it.

The Sparc is made by SRAM, the gears people, and the rear hub drum includes an SRAM P5 five speed gear hub and twin motors driving though primary belt drives and then gears, all good quality stuff. The motors don't drive though the gears, only the rider does that.

It's not a high powered or very fast system but climbs well, is legal and has a reasonable range. The standard battery is NiMh, but it's possible to have a lithium one instead which raises the performance a little.

This Carrera is very good value since the motor kit alone costs the same as the whole bike, but I believe it's only a limited offer.

I think you'd need to charge at work as well though, to cover that 28 mile return journey.
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[chess]

flecc
Thanks for the comments re the carrera spark. it seems then to be good value although the charging may be a problem as it seems that it can only be charged with the battery in place on the bike-is this correct do you know?
chess

 

[flecc]

I believe that's true, I seem to remember someone remarking that.

Our member Rooel is a very happy Sparc owner with knowledge of both battery types and is always happy to answer questions on the system. You can send him a PM from this page:

Contact Rooel
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[chess]

thanks flecc, I have contacted Rooel. Another member contacted me about the cytronex (sounds like an air freshener, which as I would use it instead of a car I suppose it would be!). This sounds a good bike and I liked the look of it. the posts indicate it rides well and the small battery would indicate it would be best used only for help on hills. I will also try to find out more about it.
chess

 

[oldosc]

could be a problem buying a bike from a company that one member here reported could not fit a tyre on a leccy bike

 

[chess]

halfords tyred

oldosc
True but Rooel indicates that Halfords can be ignored (YES!) re spares and repairs and I am capable of any of the normal repairs required, used to build bikes when younger as in the 'old days' no-one could afford new ones.