Disabled cyclist; with one bad choice behind her, needs help with a new bike

[Katymac]

I know what I don't want (I already have that)

I need a low step through, with shedloads of power to take me not very fast, everywhere, even up hills

I needs to be light, with big wheels, suspension, very sit up and beg

In fact a complete cross between the 2 bikes I have

The crusa is too heavy and all the weight is at the back so it's unstable when I walk with it or load it on the train

The fazua is too big for me I can't get my leg over the bar and my legs aren't strong enough to register on the torque/motor

 

[AntonyC]

I use these on a 20" wheel bike and they're comfortable. Small wheels are lighter, the bike's upright and fits nicely on the train.

Schwalbe Big Apple HS430 Tyre 55-406 20 Inch

Schwalbe Big Apple HS430 Tyre 55-406 20 Inch

The pioneer of comfort. In its third generation, Big Apple combines the highest levels of comfort with modern design and safe performance. Its wide sizes are the ideal companion for bicycles and E-bikes. - Size: ETRTO 55-406 (20 x 2.15 Inch) - Type: Wired - Compound: Endurance - Execution...

www.sjscycles.co.uk

SR Suntour SP12 NCX Suspension Seat Post

SR Suntour SP12 NCX Suspension Seat Post

Alloy arms. 50mm travel. Brass bushing parallelogram system. Diameters: 27.2mm Length: 350mm. Minimum insertion depth: 65mm Rider weight: 60-100Kg. Colour: Black. Weight: 792g / 27.2mm.

www.sjscycles.co.uk

 

[lenny]

Maybe you would consider a moped?

Dahon Hit D6 with Directrunner DR1L Motorized Bike Kit 8430495409446 | eBay

Entdecken Sie Dahon Hit D6 with Directrunner DR1L Motorized Bike Kit in der großen Auswahl bei eBay. Kostenlose Lieferung für viele Artikel!

www.ebay.de

 

[saneagle]

For people who can't pedal very hard and smaller riders, bikes with small wheels are generally more suitable because they're easier to handle and give more torque.

My sister got a Woosh Rambletta last year. She's 74 years old, hasn't done an iota of exercise in more than 20 years and a bit over-weight. She finds the Rambletta perfect for shopping trips and other local journeys when she doesn't want to use the car. As long as you can rotate the pedals, you can use the throttle, or just set in on level 5 to ride it like a moped while you pedal air. When in moped mode, I estimate that the range would be about 15 to 20 miles with me (100kg) riding it with a few steep hills.

I need a low step through. Tick.
with shedloads of power . Tick
to take me not very fast Tick
everywhere, even up hills. Tick
I needs to be light. Half tick. Lighter than many, but still awkward to fold and carry.
with big wheels. No tick. That shouldn't be an issue. It rides very stabley.
suspension. No tick, but its big tyres absorb the bumps quite well.
very sit up and beg. tick.

In fact a complete cross between the 2 bikes I have . Hmmm!

Some of your requirements work against each other. For light weight, you need a small battery, thin wheels and tyres and no suspension. If you want comfort, it's not going to be light. High power and small (light) batteries don't go together

 

[Az.]

suspension. No tick,

Suspension seatpost and/or stem might help.

 

[Woosh]

Suspension seatpost and/or stem might help.

All Rambletta have suspension seat post.

 

[saneagle]

Suspension seatpost and/or stem might help.

The problem is it adds weight. I don't think it's necessary anyway. when I rode the Rambletta it absorbed all the bumps OK, and I'm used to full suspension on my own bike. If anything, it felt a bit squidgy.

 

[Woosh]

The monoshock fork adds about half a kg of weight. I agree that it doesn't add much as you sit up, there is little weight placed on the front tyre.

 

[Katymac]

I am slowly writing why I think each part of the bike I think I want:

Do you want the part of my disability that prevents/affects something or the fact that it does?

Prefer upright position as I have scar tissue around my lower 5 vertebrae as a result of bilateral hip displasia

or prefer upright position as it puts less strain on my lower back

I am drawn to the idea of using the crusa and upcycling/using a new frame/changing the battery housing - I'm an Eco-Designer after all and buying new hurt!

I am working my way through everyone's comments but it's been a busy day at work today, first event of the year on Sunday

 

[Katymac]

These are my hills home from just about anywhere

They don't look steep but they are

 

[Az.]

Fazua looks pretty new. Can't you return it? It is super expensive.

 

[Katymac]

My brother built it for me and shipped it here from sweden

We may have had a miscommunication about how capable I am, or he might not have listened- not sure which

So I'll be getting a list of its components and then trying to sell the thing (which is in fairness a very pretty thing and if we could scrunch the 2 bikes into one would be perfect)7

 

[Az.]

What is wrong with Woosh? Is it only battery at the back and weight?

 

[Katymac]

Yes, it was heavy for me 7 years ago when I got it; but 2 further surgeries and 2 new diagnoses mean it's unsustainable and I'm not likely to improve - I hope going physically downhill is a few years off yet

But I have had to make adaptations in my life & work

It needs a new battery and the pannier rack needs welding or replacing as do quite a few nuts and bolts that have rusty bits on them, but getting it up a step, parking next to a post or changing its angle in a small space requires picking up the back and hefting it & I can't. Not "I can't without pain" but quite simply there isn't enough umph in my joints, so I have to put my whole body weight behind it and my joints don't like that at all

 

[Az.]

I don't like getting my bike up steps either. Especially with full panniers. Throttle helps.

 

[Katymac]

I mean bumping up a kerb when I'm pushing it type step

 

[guerney]

I am slowly writing why I think each part of the bike I think I want:

Do you want the part of my disability that prevents/affects something or the fact that it does?

Prefer upright position as I have scar tissue around my lower 5 vertebrae as a result of bilateral hip displasia

or prefer upright position as it puts less strain on my lower back

I am drawn to the idea of using the crusa and upcycling/using a new frame/changing the battery housing - I'm an Eco-Designer after all and buying new hurt!

I am working my way through everyone's comments but it's been a busy day at work today, first event of the year on Sunday

What does the Fazuaarrgghhh! weigh, and is that weight manageable?

I am drawn to the idea of using the crusa and upcycling/using a new frame/changing the battery housing - I'm an Eco-Designer after all and buying new hurt!

Here are a couple of "New old stock" Taiwanese unbranded aluminium mini velo frames on ebay. The first one has 135mm rear dropouts, which might be the right size for the Crusa's rear hub motor - you'd have to upload a photo of the Crusa's motor, for our hub motor experts to identify it. Detailed photos are on the listing galleries. I don't know which forks would be compatible.

NOS Mini Velo Japan Bike Frame 20" Wheel Raw Unfinished Alloy VB FR-42-G11 | eBay

Bargain Price NOS Item! • Wheel Size - 20".

www.ebay.co.uk

You might be able to get a BBS01B installed on this, but BB size isn't mentioned. 130mm rear dropouts, therefore unlikely to be compatible with the Crusa's motor IMHO. Rear hub motors usually require 135mm spacing:

NOS Mini Velo Japan Road Bike Frame 20" Wheel Raw Unfinished Alloy Rim FR-143-RC | eBay

Bargain Price NOS Item! • For Rim Brake Caliper Only.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[saneagle]

What does the Fazuaarrgghhh! weigh, and is that weight manageable?




Here are a couple of "New old stock" Taiwanese unbranded aluminium mini velo frames on ebay. The first one has 135mm rear dropouts, which might be the right size for the Crusa's rear hub motor - you'd have to upload a photo of the Crusa's motor, for our hub motor experts to identify it. Detailed photos are on the listing galleries. I don't know which forks would be compatible.

NOS Mini Velo Japan Bike Frame 20" Wheel Raw Unfinished Alloy VB FR-42-G11 | eBay

Bargain Price NOS Item! • Wheel Size - 20".

www.ebay.co.uk

You might be able to get a BBS01B installed on this, but BB size isn't mentioned. 130mm rear dropouts, therefore unlikely to be compatible with the Crusa's motor IMHO. Rear hub motors usually require 135mm spacing:

NOS Mini Velo Japan Road Bike Frame 20" Wheel Raw Unfinished Alloy Rim FR-143-RC | eBay

Bargain Price NOS Item! • For Rim Brake Caliper Only.

www.ebay.co.uk

Not quite low stepthrough!

 

[Katymac]

its 17kgs and yes I can maneuver it; actually easily for the short amount of bursts I need it too (not a flight of stairs)

& there is a pretty embarrassing video of me picking up my knee to get my foot over the Fazua bar!

 

[Katymac]

I mean to get it in the car the pannier bags and motor comes off - but I'm cool with that!

 

[guerney]

Not quite low stepthrough!

Darn! Certainly a tricky set of constraints. Perhaps the OP could get a Helios converted like mine? It's a low-ish step over.

Pardon our interruption...

Shown folded correctly, with handlebar between the wheels:

its 17kgs and yes I can maneuver it; actually easily for the short amount of bursts I need it too (not a flight of stairs)

My Dahon Helips P8 BBS01B conversion is about 5kg heavier, so perhaps not suitable? It becomes 3.6kg lighter when the battery is removed. A hub conversion might be lighter?

If not too high to step over, Dahon's new Hit looks like a decent lightweight conversion candidate for mid-drive or hub. Swept back handlebars could be installed. It's converted weight would be about the same as mine. The Helios has a reinforcement bar over the hinge, which helps reduce hinge problems - CH White (well known Dahon sellers) have told me they have had very few problems with the Helios, but they have had issues with the newer Dahon frames without reinforcement, although also rare. Lots of issues with Tern hinges though. The Dahon Hit has cable reinforcement.