Completely new to E-bikes

[Richard1972]

Hi all,

I am completely new to the world of e-bikes. Have been reading up for the past couple of hours but need a little help.

I would like to buy one but its a bit of a minefield, and prices seem to range from £500 to £7,000 !! But essentially it would be for the following use:
-Not for everyday use, just for occasional bike rides a couple of times a week, probably no longer than 20-25 miles each time.
-Primarily on road.
-Budget - probably £1,500.

Ideally I just want a mountain bike where, when I hit a hill I can just press a button and the bike will take me up it with no input from me. I hear this is throttle-assist as opposed to peddle assist ?? If this is not the case, then peddle assist should be ok.

I had toyed with a conversion kit (I have a mountain bike which I love) but I read lots of problems about these.

if anyone can point me in the right direction, would be very grateful.
Many thanks,
Richard

 

[Woosh]

I had toyed with a conversion kit (I have a mountain bike which I love) but I read lots of problems about these.

kits are made easier to install over the years. They are now largely plug and play.
If you are a competent DIYer and capable of looking after the bike yourself, then converting your bike is not only satisfying but also financially rewarding.
If you compare the electrics of a bike costing £1,200-£1,400 in the shops with the costs of the nearest kit, the kit would cost around £600.

Take a look of my kits if you are interested:
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?hubkits
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?cdkit

Ideally I just want a mountain bike where, when I hit a hill I can just press a button and the bike will take me up it with no input from me

that's not difficult for a crank drive bike with throttle like the Woosh Krieger:

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?krieger

 

[Rohloffboy]

If you can live without the throttle, have a look at the Halfords Carrera Crossfue or the Cube Acid, both use the same Bosch CD motor, both only just over your budget.

 

[Gaz]

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/oxygen-s-cross-cb-for-sale.30458/

Gaz

 

[JPGiant]

Oxygen S-Cross MTB.
Do a search and read reviews in this forum.
My requirements were similar to yours and after advice from some forum members and a trip to Oxygen Bikes, Rotherham, I bought one - brilliant piece of kit.

Fitted a throttle, from Oxygen, myself.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

If you can live without the throttle, have a look at the Halfords Carrera Crossfue or the Cube Acid, both use the same Bosch CD motor, both only just over your budget.

Not good suggestions IMHO. Both of those bikes have torque multiplier systems, where power depends on how hard you pedal. OP wants to go up hills with press-button.

 

[Ravener]

Starting to see some low mileage second hand bosch/shimano eMTB bikes for similar or less money in bike shops. Take one with a 3-month warranty, if they'll offer it.

 

[Hightechpete]

Hi Richard,
How about one of these :-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25-Wheel-MTB-Mountain-E-Bike-Cycling-Bicycle-Aluminum-Alloy-Frame-250W-Motor/232574338961?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&var=531959000311&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Probably okay for occasional use and short range, and has a throttle only mode.
Plenty of reviews on the German pedelec forum, and on YouTube, look for Ancheer.

A complete bike for the price of a kit and no (not so much) messing about .
I wanted to see how good/bad it was, so I ordered one today.
Might live to regret it, on the other hand.

 

[Trevormonty]

Hi all,

I am completely new to the world of e-bikes. Have been reading up for the past couple of hours but need a little help.

I would like to buy one but its a bit of a minefield, and prices seem to range from £500 to £7,000 !! But essentially it would be for the following use:
-Not for everyday use, just for occasional bike rides a couple of times a week, probably no longer than 20-25 miles each time.
-Primarily on road.
-Budget - probably £1,500.

Ideally I just want a mountain bike where, when I hit a hill I can just press a button and the bike will take me up it with no input from me. I hear this is throttle-assist as opposed to peddle assist ?? If this is not the case, then peddle assist should be ok.

I had toyed with a conversion kit (I have a mountain bike which I love) but I read lots of problems about these.

if anyone can point me in the right direction, would be very grateful.
Many thanks,
Richard

Start with some test rides. Unless you have some health issues I'd be surprised if you need a throttle.

 

[Woosh]

Start with some test rides. Unless you have some health issues I'd be surprised if you need a throttle.

beside obvious benefit if you have a health issue, if you live in a very hilly area, you should benefit from having a throttle which provides instantaneous control of power without having to change gear, effort and cadence. Your muscles work better that way.

 

[Barrie]

Hi all,

I am completely new to the world of e-bikes. Have been reading up for the past couple of hours but need a little help.

I would like to buy one but its a bit of a minefield, and prices seem to range from £500 to £7,000 !! But essentially it would be for the following use:
-Not for everyday use, just for occasional bike rides a couple of times a week, probably no longer than 20-25 miles each time.
-Primarily on road.
-Budget - probably £1,500.

Ideally I just want a mountain bike where, when I hit a hill I can just press a button and the bike will take me up it with no input from me. I hear this is throttle-assist as opposed to peddle assist ?? If this is not the case, then peddle assist should be ok.

I had toyed with a conversion kit (I have a mountain bike which I love) but I read lots of problems about these.

if anyone can point me in the right direction, would be very grateful.
Many thanks,
Richard

Richard,
Have you considered the zipper range of bikes. They are entry level but should suit your needs. I have seen them available at Rctoyworld

<spam link removed by admin>

 

[Wicky]

er Barrie are you doing stealth advertising here for your business.

As a Barrie Smith of RC Toy World so its not surprising you've 'seen them available'.

https://www.nominet.uk/whois/?query=rctoyworld.co.uk#whois-results

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Richard,
Have you considered the zipper range of bikes. They are entry level but should suit your needs. I have seen them available at Rctoyworld

https://www.rctoyworld.co.uk/electric-cycles-1309-c.asp

You have to be a trade member to advertise or recommend your own products. You should contact admin. That's Helen.

 

[HelenJ]

Thanks d8veh. Barrie please feel free to PM me if you'd like more info. More on forum use here:
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/pages/pedelecs-forum-rules/

Trade membership is a just a small monthly fee to appeal to trade members of all sizes. We do ask all traders to respect these rules to be fair to those that are supporting the forum please. Thanks.

 

[Nealh]

As mentioned in another thread he has recommended the same bike for reference 3 or 4 times, possibly he's not selling enough of them so easier just to spam.

 

[neopot3864]

Cytronex C1 sounds like an excellent bit of kit, it's taken a long time to develop but it's now available and looks to be well worth the wait. A to B reviewed it recently and they reckon this is by far the best power assistance kit on the market... Worth having a look I think!
(Links removed by admin. Spam)

 

[RobF]

Cytronex C1 sounds like an excellent bit of kit, it's taken a long time to develop but it's now available and looks to be well worth the wait. A to B reviewed it recently and they reckon this is by far the best power assistance kit on the market... Worth having a look I think!

Check out the A to B review - http://www.atob.org.uk/product/a-to-b-118-digital-edition/

Here's a link to their site - https://www.cytronex.com/

As with much Cytronex stuff, this kit looks dear to me.

More than £1,000 for a small battery front hub kit is a lot of money.

https://www.cytronex.com/shop/c1-kit-uk-black-disc-brake-700c-32h-wheel?___SID=U/&___SID=U

 

[Wheel-E]

neopot3864 appears to have a commercial interest in Cytronex with all posts up to now referring/linking to Cytronex.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Cytronex C1 sounds like an excellent bit of kit, it's taken a long time to develop but it's now available and looks to be well worth the wait. A to B reviewed it recently and they reckon this is by far the best power assistance kit on the market... Worth having a look I think!

Check out the A to B review - http://www.atob.org.uk/product/a-to-b-118-digital-edition/

Here's a link to their site - https://www.cytronex.com/

I wish Cytronex every success, but i tried their kit at the last NEC bike show, and it was very disappointing. AFAICS, they used a standard motor, but built their own control system. I can't remember exactly what was wrong with it, but there were pretty serious functional faults, like not giving power when you wanted it. I remember giving them the bike back shaking my head wondering why they didn't use a conventional controller.

Maybe they've sorted the problems since then. I had the feeling that the system was still very much in development and not ready for release.

Still, that leaves a problem with this sort of kit: When it goes wrong, DIY repairs are going to be difficult, spares are going to be difficult to get and you're going to have to visit a qualified practicing dealer - if you can find one.

A Lightweight kit like a Q70/85/100 and a standard KT controller is always going to be cheaper, more reliable and easier to fix. That makes it difficult to justifythe Cytronex kit - unfortunately.

Edit: I remember now, it was their fancy sensor thing not sensing that I was pedalling. Also power was very weak compared with what the motor is capable of.

 

[RobF]

That makes two 'ringers' in this thread.

Anyone care to go for the hat-trick?