Dawes or EBCO

[CameraDealer]

Ebco have a new bike with same size battery as UCL30 but £200 less and still with a 2 year guarantee http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/bikes/ucl-10/

Good luck with the new bike whichever one you choose.

Thanks but that model is no longer listed on EBCO's website. It looks as though it might have been replaced by the UCL20 at £899.

http://www.ebco-ebikes.co.uk/products-page/ebco/

It only has a 10AH battery compared to the Woosh's 15AH - is that important? I'm no expert but I would think that the bigger the better?

I have to say though that I'm not impressed with EBCO's service. I contacted them on Sunday evening using their website's contact form and haven't heard a word from them.

I was interested in the D-Cycle Discover at £999 which has hub gears, which in an ideal world I'd prefer.

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

Size of battery does make a difference you would get more range from the bigger battery however Ebco do give you a two year guarantee on both battery and electrics which is a good deal at that price.. The UCL10 is a new model it only came in about a week ago which is why it has not yet been added to their website.

Please note the D Cycle has a torque sensor (it is also made in Germany) which means the more torque you put through the pedals the greater the assistance from the motor. Whereas the UCL10 just has a rotational sensor which means you get the same amount of assistance regardless of how hard you pedal. Bikes with a torque sensor will give you a bit more range for the same size battery.

To be fair to EBC (their official name) they are normally pretty good at contacting people but I do know they have been very busy (not an excuse) but I am sure you will hear from them soon.

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi CameraDealer,

We have couple of bikes that may be of interest to you.

The Ansmann Lightride and the eZee Sprint Primo

 

[trex]

Forget the UCL-10.
snap up the £999 ansmann light ride. It is superbly built with Nexus-8.
better warranty, better components, nearly zero maintenance.
Check the little details and you'll see even more of the difference in build quality: stem, grips, seat post, propstand, mudguards, lights.

EBC UCL-10:

EBC UCL-30

 

[CameraDealer]

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. I made the decision yesterday morning and ordered the Woosh Santana CD at £799. It seems incredible value for a chain drive bike with a 15AH battery. I was also impressed by the way they answered emails promptly.Later I phoned them and found them to be very pleasant and efficient.

We're having the larger wheel version. My wife is tall and she's always wanted a Dutch-style bike with big wheels.

I still haven't had a reply from EBC to an email I sent on Sunday evening, which isn't encouraging.

Sorry about the delay in posting but I'm still in France and I've been travelling and wi-fi wasn't available. I'm now in the Dordogne!

 

[oldtom]

We're having the larger wheel version. My wife is tall and she's always wanted a Dutch-style bike with big wheels.

Your wife's got style then! In the UK, Dutch-style bikes are as rare as hens' teeth outside of Oxbridge, compared to other bicycle frame forms. The Dutch though, know a thing or two about building practical bikes with high levels of comfort, ease of use and maintenance.

We still have Pashley of course and I'm seeing more of those around now than I did a few years ago which is nice. Unfortunately, leisure cycling and bicycle touring are no longer anywhere near as popular in this country as when I was young. Smaller wheeled MTB and hybrid bikes became de rigueur here many years ago, probably due to the power of advertising more than any other reason.

For many people fed a diet of nothing but straight-barred Halford's-all-look-the-same bikes, actually sitting on and steering a traditional Dutch bike probably seems alien but, after a bit of familiarisation, one begins to appreciate the thought that has gone into the geometry and the abundant adjustability of all the important parts.

If you want to ride at high speed and be as aerodynamic as possible or you are a club cyclist, you'd obviously prefer something entirely different but for perhaps 5 or 10 mile commutes, a bit of shopping, a leisurely country ride, the trip to the doctor's or the Post Office, those Dutch bikes are sheer bliss.

Now, I don't know if any of these copies of the Dutch model from the likes of Whoosh are any good but I have ridden quite a few Batavus, Gazelle, Sparta and Koga models and they all exude a classy, comfortable feeling as they should given the prices! If the Santana is anywhere near as nice as the genuine article, I'm sure your wife will love it.

I appreciate Dutch bicycles similarly to the way I appreciate Harley Davidson motorcycles or Bristol cars. Yes, you can go a lot faster and you can buy a lot cheaper but.... perhaps it's just that je ne sais quoi?

I do think more people should try them; after a bit of acclimatisation, a nice Dutch bike becomes a bit like your favourite armchair.

Tom

 

[EBCO]

Thanks but that model is no longer listed on EBCO's website. It looks as though it might have been replaced by the UCL20 at £899.

http://www.ebco-ebikes.co.uk/products-page/ebco/

It only has a 10AH battery compared to the Woosh's 15AH - is that important? I'm no expert but I would think that the bigger the better?

I have to say though that I'm not impressed with EBCO's service. I contacted them on Sunday evening using their website's contact form and haven't heard a word from them.

I was interested in the D-Cycle Discover at £999 which has hub gears, which in an ideal world I'd prefer.

Good Morning Camera Dealer
Firstly apologies for the non contact, it would appear that we have a problem with the contact form on our web site (which is in the process of being updated) as we did not receive your communication. We pride ourselves on our service to our dealer network and both existing and potential consumers and are therefore disappointed that we did not respond to you, please feel free to contact us directly by phone 01926 437700 if we can be if any assistance.
The UCL/R-10 that has been mentioned is a brand new model retailing at £799 that is now in stock, replacing the UCL/R-20
It is from the same stable and has the same motor and 36v battery as our most popular model the UCL/R-30 (winner of The Sunday Times best buy award and featured recently on the BBC`s THE ONE SHOW)
Also The D-Cycle Discovery 7 is supplied by us and is a very high spec e-bike normally retailing at £1499 on Special Offer at £999