Flyer T8- finally got it!

[Hermann]

Hi,
yesterday finally I got the Flyer T8. I made a first ride, only about 5km up the hill from the shop to my house. I have to get used to it. It makes me drive faster and push harder than I would like to do, so at the end I was as tired as I usually am with my normal bike going up that hill, but I made the way in (estimated, not measured) half the time.
I have to find out the best mode to use it and how I fully use the motor power when I need it. It seemed to me that there was an optimum of gear, speed and rpm, where the motor really pushes, but when I was out of that range, the help of the motor was not very much noticeable.
I will keep you informed.
Best regards
Hermann

 

[Cyclezee]

Herzlichen gluckwunch Hermann,
I am sure we will all be interested on the forum to hear how your Flyer performs.
Had you considered buying a Kalkoff or one of it's sister bikes which use the same Panasonic motor and battery as the Flyer?

Would you like be on the pedelec map? Google Maps

Regards,

J hn

 

[Hermann]

Hi John,
yes, was considering buying a Pro Connect. I compared the two and finally decided to buy the Flyer. The Flyer has finer components in nearly each part- it costs about 400 Euro more, so it should have better details. Second, the Flyer motor electronics is different (at least, this is what Biketech says), factor 1:1,5 instead of 1:1,3 at the Kalkhoff, which attracted me, living in an area with many hills and few flats. Third, I asked the next Kalkhoff dealer and also phoned Kalkhoff directly and they told me in March that the delivery time for the Pro Connect would be arround August- which was too long for me. The same dealer sells also Flyers and he told me that it would arrive in April. Ok- we have end of May now. Fourth, the Flyers are very common as a rental bike, especially in Southern Germany, Austria and Swizerland. Many villages in the Alps offer this service for tourists. I thought this speaks for the quality of the Flyers and for their ability to climb hills. Bike rental outlets would not use bikes which give a lot of problems. Finally I thought that in the case I would not like the bike it would be easier to sell the Flyer.
For all these reasons I decided to buy the Flyer. If this was a good decision the next months will tell.
I have nothing against beeing on the map.
Best regards
Hermann

 

[jac]

hi maybe you could do a review of the flyer when you have had it a few weeks as the forum has not got much information on these bikes stuff like hill climbing and speed would be nice to know

jim

 

[flecc]

The secret to getting the best assistance is to pedal slowly Hermann.

The Panasonic unit gives maximum power up to 40 pedal rotations per minute, but then reduces it's power as the pedalling rate (cadence) decreases.

It's sometimes better to change gear upwards to get faster hill climbing, odd though that sounds, since changing up slows the pedalling rate.

We will need your location (city, town or area) to put you on our map.
.

 

[keithhazel]

The secret to getting the best assistance is to pedal slowly Hermann.

The Panasonic unit gives maximum power up to 40 pedal rotations per second,.
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dont think i rotate my pedals 4o times an hour at the moment...i know you are fit people but 40 a second.
or have i misunderstood ?

 

[flecc]

Thanks for the correction Keith, thinking ahead of my fingers when typing as usual! I've amended it now.

P.S. I did hit a 113 cadence recently though, nearly three revs per second.

Small children are the champs with this though, they can hit extraordinary rotation speeds.
.

 

[Hermann]

Hi Flecc,
thank you for the advice. I will try it tomorrow when I drive to my office.
I live in Aachen, Germany, which is located directly on the border to Netherlands and Belgium.
Best regards
Hermann

 

[Cyclezee]

Hermann,
I have added you to the map in the city centre. I can move you to a more accurate location if you wish, but I would suggest not too accurate, I wouldn't like your Flyer to be stolen.

tusch, aufwiderhoren,

J hn

 

[Hermann]

Hi,
by the way, here some comments I heard from people seeing me with this bike today:
1) From my colleagues at work (mostly young guys about 30 years old or younger):
"This is great! Let me try it!" And after trying it for 100 meters: "Wow! Can you borrow it to me for a ride?"
2) From my neighbour (about 50 years old, same age as myself), just arriving sweating and gasping on our hill with his normal bike: "Oh, an electric bike. I did not know that you are already 70 years old!"
OK- I have to get used to the bike and to this (second) type of comments.
Best regards
Hermann

 

[keithhazel]

Thanks for the correction Keith, thinking ahead of my fingers when typing as usual! I've amended it now.
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the amount of typeing you do on here alone Tony with all the technical data ect, is very high quality as it is without getting everthing spelt correct, you cant have time to proof read all you put so you are as much a guru on the keyboard as on the bike... i wasnt being pedantic...as usual .. but find some figures hard to get my head round...i wouldnt have thought you could turn the wheel once a second... bet im counting next time im out..lol....whether i want to or not.. ...

 

[Erik]

The cadence of the Flyer sports version is higher than the Agattu, because they use a bigger motor sprocket, and the motor only senses the rotation speed of the output axle, not of the crank.

I find the really slow cadence needed for full assist on my Agattu annoying, because I get acid in my legs instantly pushing hard slowly.

 

[burncycle]

Has anyone seen the video of the Flyer T9.
I would love that bike with the butterfly handlebars.

PS Dont you think the threequater cross frames work really well on bikes.
They are the good compromise for all sex'es.

example...........Cannondale Street Series

Cycle Heaven - York, England - independent bike shop for sales and repairs

 

[keithhazel]

Has anyone seen the video of the Flyer T9.
I would love that bike with the butterfly handlebars.

PS Dont you think the threequater cross frames work really well on bikes.
They are the good compromise for all sex'es.

example...........Cannondale Street Series

Cycle Heaven - York, England - independent bike shop for sales and repairs

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i know the bikes shown on this page are not what you call expensive for pedal bikes, but its looking at these that then makes me realise how cheap e-bikes really are...the top of the range e-bike ...apart from the ridiculous ones costing 5k ect.....or 9k on e-bay from hungary....say top of e-bike that we talk about is £1400.... yet £1400 is nothing exceptional for some of these bikes in bike shops, they have wheels as thick as a pizza and look like the first tumble you have will buckle the frame....or some of them other crazy bikes with no brakes, no suspension and sod all else in features yet they pay up to a grand for them.....i have just realised that e-bikes are not expensive for what they can do for you, more a case of i just cant afford one at the moment....