ebike for commuting & pre-school runs & bike shed size problem

[chr4]

Hi

A few weeks ago I started a thread asking for some advice but having done some research I decided to start a new one as my requirements changed a bit. Sorry!

Basically I am looking for a bike with a crossbar & throttle which I could use to take kids to pre-school, cycle to work in a hilly area and what complicates things a little I need to squeeze it into Asgard Twin Bike Locker which is only 180cm long (whereas most bikes I looked at are 190cm long). I have a tiny L-shaped garden and this locker seems to be the only one that would fit without ruining this space but is a bit too short for the bikes I liked (I suppose I could squeeze one diagonally maybe turning the front wheel a little but this would mean I could only use it for storing one 190cm long one in what is shed for 2 bikes).

Transporting kids - problems again as many bikes are not capable to carry large loads on the rear rack or due to batteries below the saddle, cables, or the shape of the rear rack can't have cantilevered seats either . I am not keen on front mounted seats.

Bikes I liked (in the order of preference):

Volt Pulse - good rear rack 25kg load but it is 190 cm long

Ecobike City Ride - load 25kg, not sure what the length is at the moment

Wisper 905Torque - not available until May 25 kg luggage load, don't know the length yet


Other bikes:

Roo Dog Tourer - 172 cm long, luggage load - good, not sure about the parts, are they good bikes? motor is made by Shengyi, battery - chinese brand,

Batribke Granite Pro - 25kg load, 174 cm long but have seen some mixed reviews?

Oxygen E-mate City - max luggage load only 15kg, 193 cm long - probably not suitable


Whoosh Big Bear which is recommended on this forum is over 190 cm long and has low luggage load, shape of the rack probably makes it a bit tricky to install a cantilevered child bike seat

Would you recommend the bikes above? Are there any other bikes I missed that meet my criteria?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Kudos Tornado has a high torque motor and is short.

 

[trex]

woosh Zephyr-B
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?zephyr-b
it's compact and folds, has the same BPM motor with 20A controller like the Big Bear.

Just attach a trailer, job done.

 

[RobF]

What about the Oxygen MTB?

It has a throttle, and the bottle battery means it shouldn't be a long bike.

The rear end is like a standard bike, so should take a canti child seat or whatever type of carrier you need.

http://www.oxygenbicycles.com/e-bikes/e-mate-mtb-13ah

 

[chr4]

Thanks for the replies.

Tornado - no rear rack and could not attach cantilevered seat either.

Trailer is not for me or should I say not for the area where I live and another storage problem - so whoosh not suitable.

Oxygen MTB - maybe - would need to find suitable mud guards and lights - would prefer lights connected to the battery though. I have a feeling it is not much shorter than E-Mate city but will check.

 

[RobF]

Thanks for the replies.

Tornado - no rear rack and could not attach cantilevered seat either.

Trailer is not for me or should I say not for the area where I live and another storage problem - so whoosh not suitable.

Oxygen MTB - maybe - would need to find suitable mud guards and lights - would prefer lights connected to the battery though. I have a feeling it is not much shorter than E-Mate city but will check.

The MTB should be shorter because the EMate City has a long chain stay to accommodate the seat post battery.

Clip on LED rechargeable lights are that good these days you really don't need lights connected to the main battery.

 

[LEBC Tom]

chr4, where abouts in the world are you?

 

[chr4]

I live in Redhill (Surrey) ... as the name of the town suggests there is no shortage of hills here

 

[chr4]

The MTB should be shorter because the EMate City has a long chain stay to accommodate the seat post battery.

Clip on LED rechargeable lights are that good these days you really don't need lights connected to the main battery.

OK. Thanks for the info - will try to see one.

 

[chr4]

OK. Thanks for the info - will try to see one.

I had a closer look at a photo of the Oxygen MTB and there is quite a few cables running below the saddle so I think having a cantilevered seat would be a bit tricky.

 

[2Lazy]

How about one of the Ezee bikes. I couldn't see dimensions listed on the website but easy enough to find out.
http://www.cyclezee.com/ezee-e-bikes--pedelecs.html

Or perhaps the F4W Ride / Peak
http://www.f4wbikes.com/#!f4w-home/cjg9

 

[RobF]

I had a closer look at a photo of the Oxygen MTB and there is quite a few cables running below the saddle so I think having a cantilevered seat would be a bit tricky.

The only cable on the seat post is the one for the front mech.

This seat has a metal plate designed to mount and still allow the cable to work - see page 44 of the instructions.

I imagine other seats have similar fixings, there are lots of front mech bikes around.

http://www.hamax.com/downloads/user-manuals/summer/caress-user-manual-2014

 

[LEBC Tom]

I live in Redhill (Surrey) ... as the name of the town suggests there is no shortage of hills here

I know it well, I come from Croydon and used to play for Monotype FC (Salfords) some years ago.

I'm not a million miles away from you here in Hampton Wick, I have a wide range of e-bikes, youre more then welcome to bring in the bike seat and offer it up to any we have.

 

[Cyclezee]

Thinking inside the box, the eZee Street, it's compact, gutsy motor, choice of battery capacities you can fit a child seat and it has climbed Baldwin Street.
Remember with a child seat fitted it's not easy to get on and off when have a crossbar.

http://www.cyclezee.com/ezee-street-mk2.html​

Baldwin Street, the steepest Street in the world​

 

[chr4]

The only cable on the seat post is the one for the front mech.

This seat has a metal plate designed to mount and still allow the cable to work - see page 44 of the instructions.

I imagine other seats have similar fixings, there are lots of front mech bikes around.

http://www.hamax.com/downloads/user-manuals/summer/caress-user-manual-2014

Wow. Thanks for checking this is thoroughly Rob. I think you might be right. Oxygen is on my radar.

 

[chr4]

Yesterdarday I went to a local ebike shop in Coulsdon and tried to get on a bike 'pretending' I had a kid seating behind. As expected it proved to be a big challenge with a crossbar. I, sort of knew it, but just could not face the fact that I would spend so much money on a bike which would not be exactly what I want. I guess I will need to buy some sort of unisex bike whether I like it or not. Maybe I will find something that does not look too 'lady like' i.e. something visually similiar to Raleigh Coptus Low Step or Scott E-Sub Tour Unisex or Kalkhoff Tasman but hub drive and much cheaper. Sigh...

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi chr4,

The Ansmann FT-11 is not so lady like and would do what you want for £995 from Cyclezee.
http://www.cyclezee.com/ansmann-ft-11.html

 

[chr4]

Could you please tell me a bit more?
Lenght and height of the bike
Rack - can I carry a child? is there enough room for fixings for a child seat between the rack and battery?
battery - what make is it
motor - what make is it?

 

[Cyclezee]

Could you please tell me a bit more?
Lenght and height of the bike
Rack - can I carry a child? is there enough room for fixings for a child seat between the rack and battery?
battery - what make is it
motor - what make is it?

Hi chr4,
I'm in London today so not in a position to give you specific measurements.
There are two frame sizes 46 and 50cm.
Regarding the rack, it is made by Hebie, here is a link http://www.hebie.de/en/transport/luggage-carriers/quicksnap/e-bike/ (you need to click on the image top right to show the specific Ansmann version)

Image Ansmann rack showing optional bag holders​

The battery is Ansmann with Panasonic cells and has a 3 years warranty.
The motor is Ansmann and has a 4 year warranty.

 

[trex]

If your main criterion is pulling power then forget the Ansmanns.
The Ezee Street has better motor with greater pulling power.