June 2, 20178 yr https://www.cube.eu/uk/2017/e-bike-trekking/travel-hybrid/cube-travel-hybrid-500-havanna-brownnorange-2017-ee/ It's got a Bosch Drive Unit Active (48Nm) Cruise with a 13.4 Ah PowerPack 500 battery. Schwalbe Spicer, Active tires (3/7 puncture resistance) )out of the box, planning to change it to a more reliable one. Suspension Seatpost and Front suspension for commuting in comfort. Shimano Nexus 8-Speed hub gears to aid in traffic. Lower maintenance hydraulic brakes. Step through frame I am looking to commute 14 miles each way on and off dedicated cycle lanes but mostly sharing with motor vehicles. I have an offer for £1700 and couldn't find a better deal on it. Is this a good setup?
June 2, 20178 yr https://www.cube.eu/uk/2017/e-bike-trekking/travel-hybrid/cube-travel-hybrid-500-havanna-brownnorange-2017-ee/ It's got a Bosch Drive Unit Active (48Nm) Cruise with a 13.4 Ah PowerPack 500 battery. Schwalbe Spicer, Active tires (3/7 puncture resistance) )out of the box, planning to change it to a more reliable one. Suspension Seatpost and Front suspension for commuting in comfort. Shimano Nexus 8-Speed hub gears to aid in traffic. Lower maintenance hydraulic brakes. Step through frame I am looking to commute 14 miles each way on and off dedicated cycle lanes but mostly sharing with motor vehicles. I have an offer for £1700 and couldn't find a better deal on it. Is this a good setup? Yes. Very similar to a Raliegh Motus, may be even better with the more enclosed chain guard. Looks very good
June 2, 20178 yr I tried the touring version (disc brakes and derailleur gears) and thought it was a very nice bike. Worth having a look at as well.
June 2, 20178 yr I would chose the other frame https://www.cube.eu/uk/2017/e-bike-trekking/travel-hybrid/cube-travel-hybrid-500-havanna-brownnorange-2017-z/ it will be considerably lighter. The Magura brakes are just as good as good quality mechanical disks and weigh less. Go for it.
June 2, 20178 yr I would want hydraulic discs on a commuter. Nothing wrong with the performance of the hydraulic rim brakes on the Cube. But they will require occasional adjustment - hydraulic discs do not. They will rub if you get a slight wheel buckle - with hydraulic discs you can bash on regardless until you find time to true the wheel. Wheel rim wear on a commuter bike with rim brakes is also a consideration. Commuting means lots of stops and starts, and ebikes are heavy so the brakes have more to do. It might take a few thousand miles or more to wear the rim, and you can always get a new one. Although if it's the back there's further complication because the gear hub would have to be transferred and built into a new rim.
June 2, 20178 yr I would want hydraulic discs on a commuter. Nothing wrong with the performance of the hydraulic rim brakes on the Cube. But they will require occasional adjustment - hydraulic discs do not. They will rub if you get a slight wheel buckle - with hydraulic discs you can bash on regardless until you find time to true the wheel. Wheel rim wear on a commuter bike with rim brakes is also a consideration. Commuting means lots of stops and starts, and ebikes are heavy so the brakes have more to do. It might take a few thousand miles or more to wear the rim, and you can always get a new one. Although if it's the back there's further complication because the gear hub would have to be transferred and built into a new rim. Maintenance is less on these brakes than disc brakes. They a design for city/trekking bikes to give reliable service with minimum maintenance. With disc the hubs and spokes have carry large braking forces between rim/tyre and bike, with rim brakes the force is transferred directly to frame from rim. Buckled wheel operation is valid issue with MTB where hitting rocks unexpectedly and crashes come with sport. Not something a city bike is expected to experience on daily basis. http://bike-advisor.com/reviews/components-reviews/magura-hs-11-brakes-2012.html Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk
June 2, 20178 yr Maintenance can hardly be less given that hydraulic discs require none, apart from a pad change every few thousand miles. Potholes and the like can cause any wheel to go slightly out of true, in turn causing a rim brake to rub, when a disc brake wouldn't. Braking performance will be about equal, although a disc is a bit more reassuring in the wet because you don't get the second or so of no braking while the rim brake dries the rim.
June 2, 20178 yr Author Fascinating discussion here. Thanks everyone. . I am still finding it hard to bite it at £1700! It's RRP is at £2199 . Do these machines truly payback? I am trying to offset it with my annual commuting budget (£1000) but don't really know if it will truly work. . Quantifying getting healthier is definitely a rather difficult prospect at 29.
June 3, 20178 yr My Magura is at over 5000 km and 2 years on the original brake blocks. I have adjusted the brake lever once. I have an Avid mechanical on the back and it gives me very little trouble because I brake on the front wheel. I ride in the mountains and with a trailer and have never doubted in my rim brakes. Since I mounted the hydraulic front one. Even in the wet... Yes I look at the cheap front rim regularly for wear. It will be replaced by a DT Swiss e-bike rim when necessary.
June 3, 20178 yr Fascinating discussion here. Thanks everyone. . I am still finding it hard to bite it at £1700! It's RRP is at £2199 . Do these machines truly payback? I am trying to offset it with my annual commuting budget (£1000) but don't really know if it will truly work. . Quantifying getting healthier is definitely a rather difficult prospect at 29. ... My observation would be , and I am assuming you still have a 28 mile commute is that. 1. This distance will take more than an hour travel each way. Unless you are on dedicated cycling paths, it would be difficult to sustain any faster speed in traffic 2. It would be desirable to recharge the battery at both ends of the journey, so factoring in an additional charger would be a good idea. If not feasible then the largest possible battery the better. 3. Plenty of other contributors here will advise on ensuring you have a safe storage place. Theft of a nice shiny new bike... Tempting 4.you need to invest in a few additional items if you are seriously going to commute.. wet gear, puncture resistant tyres your tyres might need replacing after 6 months with your milage. 5. You will sleep better at night, you will not need to join keep fit classes and will retain the lean and hungry look. You will lose a bit of anxiety as you won't be at the mercy of public transport. 6. Provided the bike is not stolen or crashed, and you are using one of the premium brands you have posted about, the bike will last indefinitely, but will need replacement battery after probably 3 years max... This could be extended by the practice of recharging every commute. So as a financial investment it will pay off in the long run. 7 I would have done, albeit many years ago and when I was your age, a cross city commute of about 8 to 9 Miles each way for 7 years . So with ebike is certainly feasible.
June 3, 20178 yr Author Wow. That is some serious application into the issue. Thank you for your time.
June 3, 20178 yr Author 4.you need to invest in a few additional items if you are seriously going to commute.. wet gear, puncture resistant tyres your tyres might need replacing after 6 months with your milage. . I don't know how I missed this. . I would have been standing under a tree like a glum lemon when the sun decides to go away.
June 3, 20178 yr Fascinating discussion here. Thanks everyone. . I am still finding it hard to bite it at £1700! It's RRP is at £2199 . Do these machines truly payback? I am trying to offset it with my annual commuting budget (£1000) but don't really know if it will truly work. . Quantifying getting healthier is definitely a rather difficult prospect at 29. There's a whole series of posts somewhere on the cost issue. My view is that an electric bike is certainly cheaper than running a car, but if you already have the car then it becomes much more marginal.
June 3, 20178 yr Author There's a whole series of posts somewhere on the cost issue. My view is that an electric bike is certainly cheaper than running a car, but if you already have the car then it becomes much more marginal. Thank you. Brilliant point. I don't own a motor vehicle which indeed saves a lot. I have found few threads like the following, http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/hello-is-an-ebike-a-suitable-alternative-to-a-expensive-train-commute.27876/#post-376479 Which kind of addresses many of my questions.
June 3, 20178 yr Thank you. Brilliant point. I don't own a motor vehicle which indeed saves a lot. I have found few threads like the following, http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/hello-is-an-ebike-a-suitable-alternative-to-a-expensive-train-commute.27876/#post-376479 Which kind of addresses many of my questions. In that case you'll save loads of money! Enough to buy two bikes, because one bike is never enough .........
June 3, 20178 yr For 14miles travel time would be around 1hr maybe slightly more as you have factor in stops for lights etc. Plus side is you leave when you want and travel time is consistent regardless of weather or traffic. With full wet weather gear rain is not problem and high assist means no sweat. Hard to bet feeling of well being from cycling on nice day. Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk
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