Defending the Salisbury

It is often quoted on numerous threads that the Powacycle Salisbury is low powered and more often than not dismissed as a selection in favour of the the much more expensive, supposedly high power bikes like the Wisper, Kalkhoff and Ezee.

My argument is, why pay more than double the cost for a bike that only gives you 1 or 2 mph more?

IOM

Hi Harry,

There are some pretty big hills and long inclines here on the Isle of Man and I have no trouble getting up them on the Salisbury.

IOM

Hi Harry,

There are some pretty big hills and long inclines here on the Isle of Man and I have no trouble getting up them on the Salisbury.

 

IOM

There are so many variable here. For example you may be a powerful rider which has nothing to do with the power of the motor. When you say "big hills" can you quantify what you mean?

Before I got my Salisbury, late December last year, I had not done any road cycling, in fact my only cycling consisted of rides round local forests with my children some 15 years ago.

The Salisbury from my experience to date is a very good bike and I regularly cycle between 10 and 20 miles of mixed terrain with average speeds of just over 15mph.

The first 6 weeks of this year I spent in China. For the last 3 weeks, I borrowed a normal bike to do a 1.5 mile commute to my place of work. Relatively flat with a couple of inclines, nothing like I face here on the Island.

I could not believe the difference, my legs were burning and lungs bursting. It certainly made me realise how much help the Salisbury offers.

I always inform on the low power of the Salisbury and Windsor IOM, but also remark at the same time that they are moderate good hill climbers, the power deficit being in speed. I think they are fine bikes at the price, even today's £699, and I've often recommended them.

However, for the steepest hills they are totally outclassed by the drive through gear system on the Panasonic motored bikes like the Kalkhoff, and also at a considerable disadvantage against the eZee Forza and some other powerful hub motor bikes, and it would be wrong to withhold that information.

Ultimately it's for the market to decide, and if users show a preference for the more powerful models, that is not wrong. Powacycle have made their marketing choice and they must live or die by it.

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I suppose it comes down to try before you buy, rather than be unintentionally coaxed to purchasing something you don't need.

I am sure many will be more than happy with the power of the Salisbury as opposed to spending a further £800.

I suppose it comes down to try before you buy, rather than be unintentionally coaxed to purchasing something you don't need.

 

I am sure many will be more than happy with the power of the Salisbury as opposed to spending a further £800.

Fully agree IOM, there are many in areas I know to be fairly flat or with just moderate hills who spend far more than necessary to get bikes with far more power than they need. However, even when the lower powered bikes are found to do the job I've noticed owners getting the upgrade bug after a while, and one Salisbury owning member is showing noticeable signs of that currently.

Many of us advise people that trying for oneself is the only real test, but the snag with e-bikes is the severe limitation of opportunities to do that, and on the Isle of Man you will particularly appreciate that.

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Hi Flecc,

From your experience of motorcycling on the Isle of Man, I am sure you will agree it does not fall into the category of "fairly flat with moderate hills" however I think we are on the same wavelength.

I also feel that the decision to purchase, certainly in my case, should recognise the persons physical needs.

I purchased an EBike because I wanted an interest and a means of improving my overall fitness. The Salisbury for me fits the bill perfectly.

In contrast, I recently purchased my second EBike in China. There my needs are completely different. I wanted a bike as a means of transport to give me greater freedom. Pedalling in China is no fun with temperatures topping 40c and humidity in the high 90's.

So I got myself for the princely sum of £180 a brand new 48v 12ah 250w bike very similar to the old powabykes. No need to pedal this one, quite fast and capable of climbing all the inclines I have come across in my location without pedalling, even carrying an adult on the rear rack.

IOM

Edited March 6, 200917 yr by IOM

I suppose it comes down to try before you buy, rather than be unintentionally coaxed to purchasing something you don't need.

 

I am sure many will be more than happy with the power of the Salisbury as opposed to spending a further £800.

I have a Casio watch that cost £35. I know someone with a Brietling that cost over £2K. They both tell the time. Actually mine does it better. Cost isn't everything.

Yes, the IoM is most definitely not "flat with moderate hills".

Some of the gradients though are of the Alpine type, not too steep but very long. The problem for most hub motor bikes and especially the lower powered ones are the sudden escarpments that occur in many parts of Britain, sharp rises of over 1 in 7 with 1 in 5 or worse frequently, even the Powabykes challenged by those and needing a strong rider's help.

I think the biggest difficulty on making e-bike recommendations online is the lack of knowledge of the rider's ability, anything between being almost absent and very strong.

The second biggest difficulty is the lack of knowledge most have of their hills, the word "steep" often being used to describe anything from 1 in 20 (yes really!) and 1 in 4.

These really make recommendation incredibly difficult, so there's bound to be a tendency to err on the safe side with more power.

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I've found the Salisbury handles the gradients of Mid Suffolk admirably. Although I am actually a fairly fit cyclist (70 miles a week commuting + weekend travel on my normal bike) It certainly makes hills I would find a bit more tiring much easier to deal with.

There are some significant rises past Stowmarket and from there on to my friends house (at the county border with Norfolk) it is uphill all the way.

To be honest, I don't really like Salisbury. Impressive cathederal, but full of squaddies.

well Powacycle could have named it the Colchester (being even nearer to their HQ) but it would have cost more as it would have to be done in burberry style check or gold "bling" and have a inbuilt sound system so you could rinse out your hardstyle or drum and bass ( would have reduced the battery range though )

 

There are some significant rises past Stowmarket and from there on to my friends house (at the county border with Norfolk) it is uphill all the way.

This is the difficulty Alex, I wouldn't think of those as significant where steepness is concerned, and in Google Earth even with a 3 times exaggeration factor applied they scarcely show up.

All e-bikes cope with up to 10% hills without much bother and only moderate rider help, and for the most part that's about as steep as they get in that area, with most of Suffolk and Norfolk fairly flat.

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This is the difficulty Alex, I wouldn't think of those as significant where steepness is concerned, and in Google Earth even with a 3 times exaggeration factor applied they scarcely show up.

 

All e-bikes cope with up to 10% hills without much bother and only moderate rider help, and for the most part that's about as steep as they get in that area, with most of Suffolk and Norfolk fairly flat.

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Yep mid suffolk is the most hilly bit.

That said, I found my memory map software actually reached all the way back to my old house on the outskirts of Reading, so put in a few routes I used to cycle there such as Reading > Maidenhead > Slough/West London just out of curiosity. I always thought it was more hilly in SE England, but there wasn't all that difference in gradients TBH!

 

That said, I found my memory map software actually reached all the way back to my old house on the outskirts of Reading, so put in a few routes I used to cycle there such as Reading > Maidenhead > Slough/West London just out of curiosity. I always thought it was more hilly in SE England, but there wasn't all that difference in gradients TBH!

You're certainly good at picking the easy patches, that's another quite flat area Alex, much of it very flat, where the Salisbury would be at home, and only partly SE England. Try routes in the North Downs or South Downs and you'll see what I mean about steep hills.

I mentioned those hills barely showing any rise at all in Google Earth, so here's local hills with the same factor. White Lane beyond the smooth green field is steeper than Titsey Hill, rising steeper at the top which you can just see:

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Edited March 6, 200917 yr by flecc

well Powacycle could have named it the Colchester (being even nearer to their HQ) but it would have cost more as it would have to be done in burberry style check or gold "bling" and have a inbuilt sound system so you could rinse out your hardstyle or drum and bass ( would have reduced the battery range though )

...ha..ha.. thanks for those few kind words Alex. Colchester doesn't have a cathedral ( yet ) but we do have a few squaddies... you failed to mention where one might hang ones' fluffy dice,( yeah... i can guess) or that there's nowhere for Tacey to sit, never mind the mandatory fake 'phat' exhaust or the tinted windshield....

...ha..ha.. thanks for those few kind words Alex. Colchester doesn't have a cathedral ( yet ) but we do have a few squaddies... you failed to mention where one might hang ones' fluffy dice,( yeah... i can guess) or that there's nowhere for Tacey to sit,

the rear rack, although it would also need to be uprated from 25kg

Try routes in the North Downs or South Downs and you'll see what I mean about steep hills.

 

I mentioned those hills barely showing any rise at all in Google Earth, so here's local hills with the same factor. White Lane beyond the smooth green field is steeper than Titsey Hill, rising steeper at the top which you can just see:

 

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Titsey hill is quite gentle compared to White lane - however, just off the left hand side of that picture theres a little dirt trail up through the steep bit of the woods which is called Pitchfont Lane. It's on that little trail that you'll find me on my Nuvinci-hubbed Agattu with my panniers and 2-year-old child onboard, powering our way back home after visiting the playgound and shops in Oxted. The only trouble I have getting up there is not a lack of power, but a lack of traction - towards the top there is a tendency for the back wheel to loose it's grip when I press down on the pedals.

I agree Alex, it is a good bike, especially at only £699.

I suspect it might have been this post of mine where I ruled the Salisbury right out as an option that may have prompted IOM's thread.

However that advice was to someone with a bad back who had to face a really steep hill (1 in 7) regularly, so it was responsible advice in those circumstances.

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