Cheaper Options?

[Clockwise]

I have been looking at the cheaper options for an ebike and I just want to check that I'm not missing anything.

At the moment this(v) a woosh sirocco 2 seems to be the front runner but I'm not entirely happy/sure about the cables from the handlebars going along under the frames lowest edge. it has some mudguards but stones and things flicking up and chipping them cables or a nasty scrape as I go by a speed bump or whatever could damage them and then I guess the controls will be ******ed. I have run brake cables like that in the past on a couple of bikes tho so it is a if the worst happens thing.

The Sirocco 2 | Electric Bikes from Woosh | electric bike sales & hire

The 2nd place option(v) a kudos duke I was looking at was this one which I think might be too tall for me but I can cross london to get to a shop and try it.

Kudos Duke Free Assembled Delivery - Kudos Duke Free Assembled Delivery

The last option was this one(v) a powacycle milan 2, smaller battery but much cheaper. Reading in a few places says that the deeper charge cycles my use will get nearer and nearer too by pushing the battery to flat more often. It also looks ugly as hell.

PowaCycle Milan 2 Electric Bike 36v Lithium Battery Free Assembled Delivery - P

They sort of all have downsides but I think they are small and I can live with them.

Any reason to not get any of them? The motors let out the magic smoke too soon? The battery will crap out before I get to charge it again? The frame will snap in 2?

I have figured out that if I can bike for 4-5 months a year instead of taking the train to work then I should break even paying for the bike, after that it's all going in my pocket. Next year should be great as unless something expensive goes saving on travel will pay for a cheap holiday.

 

[Clockwise]

It seems after a few days of trying to get cycle scheme info via phone calls and emails whoosh haven't bothered to email me it back so going to try get over to the other place as I noticed it isn't far at all from home.

 

[Woosh]

Hello Clockwise.

I thought I was up to date with all CTW queries - I've checked my email and can't see anything outstanding. Very sorry if I have missed you out, but basically details are below.

The admin work for Cycle to Work schemes is normally farmed out to third party companies - at least if the employer is sizeable. These companies all take a fee of between 10% and 15% of the bike's price as their payment, and this comes not from the employee or employer but from the supplier - ie us.
We cannot afford to discount our bikes by even 2%, let alone 15%, as the pricing is already very competitive. However, some companies allow us to ask the customer to pay this fee and many are happy to since they still get a saving on the bike through VAT and NI, and also get several months to pay for it.
Salaryshare and Bikes for Staff are two companies with whom we work on this basis. Cyclescheme does not allow this (strange, you'd think it was the customer's choice but there we are), so we cannot offer CTW with Cyclescheme. I hope this answers your questions but if not do please email or PM me.
With specific regard to the Sirocco 2, yes, there is a cable outside the frame although it does not seem to have been an issue for any customers to date. We do also offer this model with a 10A battery rather than a 15A cversion for £625, ie £100 saving if you are interested.
Also there is the Sirocco at £585 with 10AH battery which is good value.

Hatti

 

[flecc]

The Powacycle Milan is a very old design compared to the others you mention. Although upgraded from SLA to a lithium battery now, it's still only the same 180 watt motor so not as good a performer as the other two.

 

[Clockwise]

Hello Clockwise.

I thought I was up to date with all CTW queries - I've checked my email and can't see anything outstanding. Very sorry if I have missed you out, but basically details are below.

The admin work for Cycle to Work schemes is normally farmed out to third party companies - at least if the employer is sizeable. These companies all take a fee of between 10% and 15% of the bike's price as their payment, and this comes not from the employee or employer but from the supplier - ie us.
We cannot afford to discount our bikes by even 2%, let alone 15%, as the pricing is already very competitive. However, some companies allow us to ask the customer to pay this fee and many are happy to since they still get a saving on the bike through VAT and NI, and also get several months to pay for it.
Salaryshare and Bikes for Staff are two companies with whom we work on this basis. Cyclescheme does not allow this (strange, you'd think it was the customer's choice but there we are), so we cannot offer CTW with Cyclescheme. I hope this answers your questions but if not do please email or PM me.
With specific regard to the Sirocco 2, yes, there is a cable outside the frame although it does not seem to have been an issue for any customers to date. We do also offer this model with a 10A battery rather than a 15A cversion for £625, ie £100 saving if you are interested.
Also there is the Sirocco at £585 with 10AH battery which is good value.

Hatti

Our company is small(7 staff of which 2 are part time) and I think it is only me who wants to bike as all the head office people drive. I called twice thusday with odd questions and then friday afternoon in the hope I could get more info to send to head office before the weekend. Didn't get to call you back yesterday when it didn't come as I was at the tennis. It sounds like I might have to do the diy approach, I have found a couple of sample/template agreements online for the hire agreement and an extended use agreement so just need to work out what head office need to do about the tax forms, hopefully it just goes in like normal expenses(should do as it is just a purchase?). Make it 6 months then it all goes in this tax year for them too. I might go for the smaller battery sirocco2 if the cycle scheme/c2w/whatever isn't happening but if I'm taking the tax mans money then I'm going to spend a bit more as I doubt I will get the chance again.

Yeah, the first place I looked at a Milan I noticed a lead battery and did think the 2nd was a typo but then I found a few others with lithiums. My current bike is a decade old mountain bike that was about £300 in halfords, front derailer broke the other week so it only does gear 1-2 instead of 1-3, pedal and rear axel broke a couple of months ago when I took it to hastings, duct taped up seat for a few years now. Just about anything is going to be luxury lol

 

[Clockwise]

Well the bosses seemed happy enough with setting up things but considered woosh an unknown. Hatti didn't respond my pm so when they asked the question they always do about bacs I had to say I don't know. Might be a couple of weeks now before they bother looking at it.

 

[Woosh]

Hello Clockwise

Sorry - really busy last 2 or 3 days.
I have just PMed you with details.

Hatti

 

[Clockwise]

Hello Clockwise

Sorry - really busy last 2 or 3 days.
I have just PMed you with details.

Hatti

Is ok just I'm now not sure when I get another chance to win them over to the idea.