Looking at buying a couple of folding bikes, we have tried a friends full size bike and really like it,but want to be able to take the bikes in the car, without the hassel and expense in getting a tow bar and rack. I'm 73 and my partner is 69, both reasonably fit, looking for a well built reliable bike, standard looking, not into fancy /futureistic design. Have a budget of about £1400 for each bike, local E bike shop has none in stock, and no sign of any coming back into stock. So it looks like we will have to travel futher to find bikes, any suggestions appreciated on suitable bikes and while neither of us is overweight we do need a strong bike ; )
Fold up Bikes
- Thread starter Wynne
- Start date
The Rambletta | Powerful Foldable Electric Bikes with 10.4AH semi-hidden battery from Woosh
The Woosh Rambletta is the most recent 20kg folding bike from Woosh, with a large 36V * 10.4AH semi-hidden battery, very easy to stowaway, perfect for camping / caravanning.
wooshbikes.co.uk
Only viewable in Southend, but better customer service than most local bike shops (and much better than most Halfords).
IMO, you are better off taking the balance of the advice given here than opting out and only buying what you can try out pre purchase.
Any initial "test" of an ebike will be seductive, making a buying selection based on just that unsound, if into the testing you really need to try several models; not something easy to do in these high demand low stock level times.
There is a lot of experience to be tapped here.
Any initial "test" of an ebike will be seductive, making a buying selection based on just that unsound, if into the testing you really need to try several models; not something easy to do in these high demand low stock level times.
There is a lot of experience to be tapped here.
Hi Wayne,
Where in the country are you based?
If you click onhttps://wisperbikes.com/book-an-e-bike-test-ride/ and fill in the form we will find you most local dealer with a folder in stock.
All the best, David
I understand its best to try a few out, and its not easy to find any dealers within a reasonable drive to view. Possibly may be better to wait to see if the supply chain improves, with winter approaching I'm thinking maybe not right time to buy at present. All the advice given is very much appreciated
We bought a whoosh rambletta blind for my wife, was not concerned as you can return it easily. But we were delighted with the bike and its been through hell and back with a harsh scottish winter. It’s been used in all sorts of terrain and in atrocious weather with no issues. We did have some early issues but whoosh sorted it quickly. Might buy one for myself so we can keep them in the car boot.
One of the biggest problems we have in the ebike world is the actual cost of the motor and battery seriously pushing up the overall price, so the basic minimum is the 1000/1200 mark.
But for that huge outlay what you are actually getting is what have been termed as a BSO, this stands for bicycle shaped object, to which the company have fitted a battery and a motorized rear(or sometimes front) wheel.
The rest of the bike, the important parts than give it longevity and make riding a pleasure are as basic and cheap as it is possible to get.
Components on these 'BSO' are from makes you've likely never heard of, chosen because they are extremely cheap, likely not up to the task set of them, because the company needs to make a profit, and the cheaper it costs them to make their 'Ebike', the more profit that get to keep.
Many use the name 'Shimano' to describe their gearing system(Derailleurs, gear changers) but theres a wide range of shimano gears starting at under 20 quid and going up to hundreds of pounds for each component part. Each of those is set at different levels of use, and at under 20 quid, the manufacturers Shimano arent expecting the bike to be putting in any considerable use, but more like the basic occasional usage.
The same criteria is applied to the most important part, which is the braking system. These Ebikes are heavy, and even the basic is heavier than an analogue downhill bike built for brutal descents, so to effectively stop the bike, especially in an emergency, you need the brakes to work and work consistently, with the minimum of user interaction. Like your car brakes, they need to work day in and day out and do the job they are supposed to be doing. But manufacturers just coin 'Disc brakes fitted' without expanding on what exactly those disc brakes are and there are two types, cable, which lack power, which is something not really designed for a 20kg bike or hydraulic, which are better but again there are hydraulics and there are hydraulics and the price range runs from £40 for a bikes worth to £400, and like the gearing above the cheaper usually opt for the cheapest option in that range.
This same criteria and placing the most basic of components, which in my mind is totally unfit for purpose is what is wrong with the Ebike market today.
At 73 i wouldnt expect you to be taking on any brutal downhill descents, but at the same time i would expect you to understand the need for componentry that is built to last and built to do the job it is supposed to do.
I see bikes priced at a thousand pounds, i know instinctively what level of component on a non ebike that amount of outlay would give you, but on the majority of these BSO's i see manufacturers names on components ive never heard of and usually have to google to find out what they are.
Even at £1200 as a basic minimum, the actual 'bike' you are paying that extraordinary sum for is in the realms of a £200-£250 catalog or mail order bike the type you see for sale in Argos or even Tesco.
I think you should look towards conversion kits and a better quality 2nd hand donor bike to fit it onto.
Or continue to save towards a better branded bike, at least until stocks are more available, which could be another year.
But for that huge outlay what you are actually getting is what have been termed as a BSO, this stands for bicycle shaped object, to which the company have fitted a battery and a motorized rear(or sometimes front) wheel.
The rest of the bike, the important parts than give it longevity and make riding a pleasure are as basic and cheap as it is possible to get.
Components on these 'BSO' are from makes you've likely never heard of, chosen because they are extremely cheap, likely not up to the task set of them, because the company needs to make a profit, and the cheaper it costs them to make their 'Ebike', the more profit that get to keep.
Many use the name 'Shimano' to describe their gearing system(Derailleurs, gear changers) but theres a wide range of shimano gears starting at under 20 quid and going up to hundreds of pounds for each component part. Each of those is set at different levels of use, and at under 20 quid, the manufacturers Shimano arent expecting the bike to be putting in any considerable use, but more like the basic occasional usage.
The same criteria is applied to the most important part, which is the braking system. These Ebikes are heavy, and even the basic is heavier than an analogue downhill bike built for brutal descents, so to effectively stop the bike, especially in an emergency, you need the brakes to work and work consistently, with the minimum of user interaction. Like your car brakes, they need to work day in and day out and do the job they are supposed to be doing. But manufacturers just coin 'Disc brakes fitted' without expanding on what exactly those disc brakes are and there are two types, cable, which lack power, which is something not really designed for a 20kg bike or hydraulic, which are better but again there are hydraulics and there are hydraulics and the price range runs from £40 for a bikes worth to £400, and like the gearing above the cheaper usually opt for the cheapest option in that range.
This same criteria and placing the most basic of components, which in my mind is totally unfit for purpose is what is wrong with the Ebike market today.
At 73 i wouldnt expect you to be taking on any brutal downhill descents, but at the same time i would expect you to understand the need for componentry that is built to last and built to do the job it is supposed to do.
I see bikes priced at a thousand pounds, i know instinctively what level of component on a non ebike that amount of outlay would give you, but on the majority of these BSO's i see manufacturers names on components ive never heard of and usually have to google to find out what they are.
Even at £1200 as a basic minimum, the actual 'bike' you are paying that extraordinary sum for is in the realms of a £200-£250 catalog or mail order bike the type you see for sale in Argos or even Tesco.
I think you should look towards conversion kits and a better quality 2nd hand donor bike to fit it onto.
Or continue to save towards a better branded bike, at least until stocks are more available, which could be another year.
Try Rutland Cycles, if no good drop Tim a line he will arrange for you.
All the best, David
We got our Wisper 705 from there and very good customer service.
Sorry but don't really think me converting a bike is an option, ok I could possibly do it, I did bring the subject up with my Mrs on buying a couple decent used Brompton's and buying the kits to convert them. She wont hear of it, so that's a NO. While I said we had a budget of £1400 per bike, I don't mind say going up to a max of £1600 ish.
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