Expensive mistake

[Artstu]

re. throttle I consider it essential, or at least highly desirable. How else do you keep the power on when taking corners as you cant pedal because you are leant over so far the pedals hit the ground if you try! Or perhaps 65 year olds don't ride e-bikes like that!

That's one place I never dreamt that someone would use a throttle. I have a friend who is 76 and he now rides a Woosh crank drive bike.

 

[RobF]

You need a throttle for taking corners opposite lock speedway style.

OK I jest, but I did have a little opposite lock/throttle fun on wet grass with the Scirocco 2 I tested.

 

[denwyn]

Denwyn,after trying to read all your postings I am not quite sure what is the current 'state of play'. We will have a stand at the NEC cycle show plus a number of bikes on the test track. I have just returned from a long and difficult journey home so am having difficulty understanding both your problem and a possible solution.
It may be possible for Kudos to come to some compromise that would be better than you trying to sell the Kudos City bike on ebay. The bikes are currently very cheap to make some room in our warehouse but will at some point revert to their normal rrp level and £400 will then look stupidly cheap.
The most important point is that ultimately you end up with a bike you are comfortable with,that may or may not be a Kudos bike but to keep making knee jerk reactions will inevitably involve another mistake.
I strongly suggest that you visit the NEC cycle show or find a dealer that has a variety of bikes for you to try,a lighter weight mountain style bike may be a better option,such as the Kudos Cobra or maybe the smaller wheel Kudos Secret may do the job-you may feel in more control.
Kudos are very approachable in these matters,your current City with 30 miles use is really at the level of a test bike and I am sure we can come to a deal but you do need to talk to us.
Ultimately there may be a better bike for you,away from the Kudos range,but give yourself a fair chance to simply sort out the solution.
KudosDave

Thanks for the offer of help, I did buy a different seat post and borrowed a thinner seat, problem is even with the post at its lowest setting I find it difficult to touch the floor when stopping, this is especially more difficult in busy stop go traffic, and with it being a really heavy bike its made more difficult. I have looked at your other bikes to see if something else may suit,but apart from the step through ladies bikes,which I defiantly don't want, I can't see anything more suitable, the mountain type bikes are lighter,but at 65 I don't think they would be suitable. I did think of trying to get up to the bike show, but don't think I can make it. I don't blame anyone but myself for buying the bike,the bike is fine,but just doesn't suit me. At present I just want to see the back of the bike,and have put it up for sale.

 

[ghouluk]

re. throttle I consider it essential, or at least highly desirable. How else do you keep the power on when taking corners as you cant pedal because you are leant over so far the pedals hit the ground if you try! Or perhaps 65 year olds don't ride e-bikes like that!

you can do this with a torque sensor too, simply rock backwards and forwards on the pedals with about 1/8 of a turn and you'll get power (at least from the bh bikes) - I used to pedal like this for downhill where you'd ground, so its second nature to me, but i was pleased you could keep the motor running in the same way

 

[Geebee]

A bike correctly adjusted for efficient pedalling will mean you cannot put your feet on the ground when stationary, you stand astride the cross bar at a stop, alot of step throughs are unisex/dutch style bikes and not ladies bikes, that is a perception that is finally fading.

 

[denwyn]

A bike correctly adjusted for efficient pedalling will mean you cannot put your feet on the ground when stationary, you stand astride the cross bar at a stop, alot of step throughs are unisex/dutch style bikes and not ladies bikes, that is a perception that is finally fading.

You may be right with it being not correctly adjusted for efficiency, i need to feel safe though and on this i don't, i'm not looking for efficient peddling, its just transport to and from work and occasional trip into town etc, mixed 60 / 40 peddle and motor use. When i have to stop quick its unnerving to struggle to put my foot down to steady the bike and again start off in any busy traffic, ok i can just get off the saddle and just put me feet on the ground, but getting back and re starting is very wobbly, on my old motor free Raleigh i can do this, but afraid the inclines are to difficult now, so that's why i wanted an e - bike. Simple to me the bike i have chosen is not suitable for me, my mistake, i really am getting a bit tired of people telling me its not set up correctly, i am not going touring, just using it to cut fuel bills, efficient cycling never enters my head for the short trips i will make, safety does though. Finally Ladies or Unisex, i'm not even going there. Bike still here i'm afraid have a offer of £400 which looks like all i am going to get, but collection for buyer is proving a problem, so at the moment its still available

 

[bazwaldo]

Hello denwyn,

I live locally to you in Street.
Your Kudos City is too much of a bargain to miss at £450.
If it will fit me I will drive down to you today - it's my day off - and handover cash to take it off your hands.
I am quite short at 5'6" with a short inside leg of about 28.5", do you think it would fit me?

Best wishes,
Barry.

 

[tillson]

A bike correctly adjusted for efficient pedalling will mean you cannot put your feet on the ground when stationary, you stand astride the cross bar at a stop, alot of step throughs are unisex/dutch style bikes and not ladies bikes, that is a perception that is finally fading.

These were my thoughts. I have always understood that on a correctly fitted bike you should be able to place the heel of the foot on the pedal, when it is at the bottom of the stroke, and the leg should be almost straight. This is how my bikes are set up and I can't touch the ground whilst sitting in the saddle on any of them. I simply slide off the saddle when I come to a stop or lean over to one side.

This is how bikes are supposed to be and I think you should persevere and adapt. The wobbling you describe when starting off should be less of a problem now that you have a motor to give you a shove.

 

[Kudoscycles]

These were my thoughts. I have always understood that on a correctly fitted bike you should be able to place the heel of the foot on the pedal, when it is at the bottom of the stroke, and the leg should be almost straight. This is how my bikes are set up and I can't touch the ground whilst sitting in the saddle on any of them. I simply slide off the saddle when I come to a stop or lean over to one side.
This is how bikes are supposed to be and I think you should persevere and adapt. The wobbling you describe when starting off should be less of a problem now that you have a motor to give you a shove.

I agree,I have customers who come to me at shows and they want to put their feet flat on the ground when coming to rest-apart from the fact that this looks a crazy seatpost height,more suitable for a child,it also puts a lot of strain on knee joints which are permanently bent when riding.
The Americans have a range of bikes wich are called 'flat foot',its such an unnatural riding position and cannot be good.
Persevere and the balance will come with confidence.
KudosDave

 

[denwyn]

Hello denwyn,

I live locally to you in Street.
Your Kudos City is too much of a bargain to miss at £450.
If it will fit me I will drive down to you today - it's my day off - and handover cash to take it off your hands.
I am quite short at 5'6" with a short inside leg of about 28.5", do you think it would fit me?

Best wishes,
Barry.[/QUOTE


Your welcome to try it anytime,my inside leg size is about one inch more,and I'm not very comfortable on it. Its your decision, the bike is perfect, as you would expect,but it may suit you I really can't say,I have just put the original sprung seat post back on ,but will include the new solid one which lowers the seat more with the bike. I'm going back into work at 3pm and won't be home till 6.30 tonight. Normally I'm home every weekday between 9am and 3pm, and then home at 6.30 pm. Weekends are free.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

If you use the throttle to start off instead of pedalling, you don't wobble.

 

[ghouluk]

or if you have a torque sensor

 

[Artstu]

If you use the throttle to start off instead of pedalling, you don't wobble.

I suggested fitting a throttle earlier in the thread, I had no idea it already had one, now why didn't anyone suggest he set off with the throttle earlier?

 

[ghouluk]

I suggested fitting a throttle earlier in the thread, I had no idea it already had one, now why didn't anyone suggest he set off with the throttle earlier?

doh! me either! its not on the specs, but you can see it on the pictures

 

[Artstu]

doh! me either! its not on the specs, but you can see it on the pictures

I couldn't see it, I can see the Nexus grip-shift though.

 

[timidtom]

A bike correctly adjusted for efficient pedalling will mean you cannot put your feet on the ground when stationary, you stand astride the cross bar at a stop, alot of step throughs are unisex/dutch style bikes and not ladies bikes, that is a perception that is finally fading.

True; I'm certainly no lady and J shudders at the description! Just back from Tatton Park and coffee and c*k*s - I'm not allowed to speak of b*sc**ts either. Exercise, that's the thing - and a throttle control (on the bike, silly) certainly helps me live a wobble-free life. (See - on-topic posting with additional cake!)
Tom

 

[103Alex1]

denwyn, have you tried the throttle start ? The throttle should take away any unsteadiness and you can at least test it using the bike you have. The operation will be similar on any bike with a throttle.

I'm still a bit unsure to be honest - is it that when you come to a stop you feel that you can't get enough of your foot down when stationary to keep the bike from toppling or destabilizing when sat on it stopped ? I appreciate that leaning a heavy bike over to one side slightly is different to leaning a lightweight one, and also that it's completely impractical to expect to be jumping on and off saddles every time you come to a stop in traffic. You hardly ever see this happening in practice. So there's bound to be a compromise somewhere. If a smooth wobble-free start could be sorted out with the throttle do you feel the bike is too heavy or is it all down to the seatpost height and wanting one foot flat on the floor (or both) when stopped ?

It just sounds rather unusual and in all honesty hard to understand - both feet flat on the floor and seated when stopped is something I only see with kids on BMXs - and they are usually stood on the pedals when riding. What is your ultimate aim to get a bike that you'd feel safe on ?

 

[Waspy]

Look at the red text:

 

[103Alex1]

... and that would be why he hasn't tried using a throttle !

 

[Artstu]

Yes, that's what I was thinking. A throttle is faster reacting than a torque control system because, you can start it before you pedal. It saves getting caught between pedal strokes when starting off or going slow.

Perhaps adding a throttle to the Kudos is the perfect solution, if one can be fitted?

back to page 4 then, I thought it didn't have a throttle