I'm onto my third e-bike in two years following the theft of my traditional bike in early 2017. The first two were a cheapie folder from Halfords and then a secondhand five year old German AVE TH9 with one of the first Bosch centre motors. The former introduced me to the benefits of e-cycling but the bike had far too many limitations. The latter seemed a good idea at the time (its original price had been £2500+) but it had become outdated with the huge advances in battery performance and Bosch e-bike engines. Them in October, after getting a bit of a windfall I went for what was in specification terms an updated version of the AVE - step through frame, Shimano hub gears but with the latest Bosch Active Line Plus motor. The model was the Cube Town Hybrid PRO 400.
A critical part is the frame design with the battery not located on the rear rack but behind the seat post. This means that the weight is much lower and the bike feels so much more stable and handles better. The big revelation is the motor which is almost totally silent and gets me up to the 15 mph legal maximum quickly and then is very easy to ride without assistance at higher speeds. The motor is much lighter than on the AVE and because it is so efficient and requires a much lighter battery. The Bosch display system is superb.
A key part of my choice was that my local bike shop in Bedford is a Cube dealer and I've long advocated supporting local bike shops. If there's an issue then it can be fixed easily and quickly. With a hub gearing system and a fully enclosed chain the bike isn't going to require much maintenance. The one thing I've found a bit of getting used to are the hydraulic brakes
I'm 72 and cycle to maintain my fitness level and have been averaging 50-60 miles a week doing trips that I wouldn't have considered on the other bikes. With my old bike I used the Sport power setting. On this one I find the Tour setting, which offers a much greater range, is sufficient.
I was fortunate to have had the windfall that allowed me to spend so much and it has been worth it. E-bikes are developing fast. Get the newest model of the range you can afford.
A critical part is the frame design with the battery not located on the rear rack but behind the seat post. This means that the weight is much lower and the bike feels so much more stable and handles better. The big revelation is the motor which is almost totally silent and gets me up to the 15 mph legal maximum quickly and then is very easy to ride without assistance at higher speeds. The motor is much lighter than on the AVE and because it is so efficient and requires a much lighter battery. The Bosch display system is superb.
A key part of my choice was that my local bike shop in Bedford is a Cube dealer and I've long advocated supporting local bike shops. If there's an issue then it can be fixed easily and quickly. With a hub gearing system and a fully enclosed chain the bike isn't going to require much maintenance. The one thing I've found a bit of getting used to are the hydraulic brakes
I'm 72 and cycle to maintain my fitness level and have been averaging 50-60 miles a week doing trips that I wouldn't have considered on the other bikes. With my old bike I used the Sport power setting. On this one I find the Tour setting, which offers a much greater range, is sufficient.
I was fortunate to have had the windfall that allowed me to spend so much and it has been worth it. E-bikes are developing fast. Get the newest model of the range you can afford.
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