Electric bike vs. folder

[Emily Joy]

@Andy-Mat
the Rambla has already got a chainguard, it's just that it's not a full sized chainguard. Ladies who wear long dresses will need the top chain to be covered.
Something like this may work:

I am right in thinking that this is going to work only with hub gear?

 

[Nealh]

Hub gears rule out using a very high /high torque rear hub motor, so you will be looking mainly for a mid drive/center motor drive bike, though a front hub isn't totally out but they are not ideal in winter in wet/slippy conditions on inclines.

 

[Emily Joy]

Road bikes with rigid fork, wide range of gears (8+speed), narrow, smooth and well inflated tyres will always be easier to pedal compared to Dutch style bikes with front suspension and wide tyres.

Comparing the two bikes I have: Tern has 7 gears while Gazelle has got 8; Gazelle's tyres are Schwalbe Marathon 28 x 1.10, 700 x 28C , Tern has Schwalbe Big Apple, 50-406, 20x2.0; both have internal gear hubs.

 

[nigelbb]

I enjoy upright riding position that Dutch bikes offer.

I had never ridden a step through high handlebar Dutch style bike until we rented a couple of electric bikes last year. It was an absolute revelation how much more comfortable & pleasant it was riding this style of bike. It’s no wonder they are so popular in the Netherlands parked up in their thousands at every railway station. They are obviously so much better for visibility etc in an urban environment & so much more suitable for people without aspirations to be MAMILs who just want some comfortable cycling for relatively short journeys commuting, doing the shopping etc

 

[Emily Joy]

Today I decided to take my Tern for a weekly ride to a "local" farm to pick up some fresh milk and eggs, it's nearly a 30 miles loop, which I would normally do on the Gazelle. To my surprise, this time it took a little over an hour one way, while with the Gazelle it was more like an hour and half.

On a way back I even picked up an orchid hamper and managed to bring it home safely carrying in one hand, while handling the bike with another. Then I realized it wouldn't be manageable with Gazelle, it's just too heavy. Which makes me think it would be better to replace Gazelle with a ebike which I can manage one-handed, even if only for half a mile.

I definitely have no aspiration to become a MAMIL among other things, this would require a gender change