Has anyone tried out a Gepida

[Oiseaux]

I have been impressed with the comments about the Yamaha crank drive and if the Tonaro had a tourer version I would probably be out there cycling now. Phil of power pedals, very helpful, has said that he expects a tourer in September but I really would like to get out on a small tour at least of my adopted home in France.

So I am wondering about the Gepida, I could only find one review here but I wondered if anyone had tried out this bike and what their impressions were. The only issue I am a little confused by is the hill climbing ability, but I realise that it's probably all down to personal preference and getting used to the way it operates.

 

[shep]

I was interested in one of these as well but i could not find a dealer local who stocked them, i rang all the local dealers who according to Gepida stocked them but none actually did. Apparently they are very good bikes, and Yamaha always make very good stuff. So eventually i went for a Kalkhoff Aggatu with Nexus 8 and the 18ah battery very, very comfortable could not be happier, superb touring bike. Part of my reasoning was the superb residual values of the known Kalkhoff brand when it comes to sale and replacement time, also the Panasonic is a well proven and reliable unit, the Kalkhoff oozes quality, and the big 80 miles battery.

 

[Biged]

I went to try a Gepida at a local stockist, there was a brand new on sale at a bike shop, he was selling it through ebay and i want to try before bidding.
When i arrived the stockist said he had discontinued selling them (i should have phoned first!) anyway i tried a number of other bikes, both hub and crank drive, i liked the crank drive much more (it was a Raleigh Dover)
I asked why he had discontinued selling the Gepida, his reply was that it did not sell and that it was underpowered, he said if i had i had tried the Gepida after any of the others i had tried i would have know exactly what he meant.
The ebay bike went for £650, a bargain if that's what you wanted but i settled for the Agattu.

 

[flecc]

The Yamaha unit in the Gepida was a close copy of the Panasonic unit, but with less power phase down, taking it's power more closely to 15 mph with a rather abrupt cutoff, which didn't find favour. At the time of it's release Paansonic began a process of increasing the ratio of the high power mode, leaving the Yamaha unit at a disadvantage.

It can't in any way be compared with the old bevel drive unit in the Tonaro, which is a more independent source of bike power, able to operate in a moped like fashion.

 

[mike killay]

I have just bought a Tonaro Enduro. So far, it has proved excellent. It will go up small hills under throttle alone. On a neaby one in seven, I came up in second from bottom gear with light pedal assistance.
For me, living in Swansea which is very hilly, hill climbing ability, no matter how slow, is of paramount importance. Although the motor is only 200 watt, it seems to have plenty of power and on the flat under throttle alone will reach cut off at 15 mph. I am getting on a bit (68) and my joints are a bit stiff and clicky, but this bike enables me to make my favourite rides from years ago.
The main point about this system is that the drive is through the gears and full power is always available via the throttle, no matching your output nonsense.
So far, the only downside is the saddle. I wish that manufactureres would realise that
a. Taller people are also wider and their pelvis will overhand a narrow saddle putting all the pressure on the crotch.
b. Putting all your weight for prolonged perriods on your crotch is medically inadvisable. I am surprised that no Americans have sued for product liability, but it is bound to happen sooner or later.

 

[PennyFarthing]

Mike - that sounds very painful. Can you change the seat to a wider seat? Or one with hole in it? (Do they make such things?!).

 

[PennyFarthing]

Oiseaux,

I hope you find a suitable bike soon!! I presume you have googled that bike like crazy? Try putting the name of the bike with the word review in your search then also try the name of the bike with the word forum in your search - often it brings up other things. If its a foreign forum of a language you don't understand you can always try Google Translate - its not 100% but its enough to understand the gist of things.

Hope that helps....

 

[gerryscott]

I was interested in one of these as well but i could not find a dealer local who stocked them, i rang all the local dealers who according to Gepida stocked them but none actually did. Apparently they are very good bikes, and Yamaha always make very good stuff. So eventually i went for a Kalkhoff Aggatu with Nexus 8 and the 18ah battery very, very comfortable could not be happier, superb touring bike. Part of my reasoning was the superb residual values of the known Kalkhoff brand when it comes to sale and replacement time, also the Panasonic is a well proven and reliable unit, the Kalkhoff oozes quality, and the big 80 miles battery.

hi shep, have been looking off and on at kalkoff with their 18amp battery for touring.Seem to be some doubts over its distance claim on the forum, you might be able to give us a idea of what it may be capable of taking into consideration the usual constraints of weight, terrain etc. much appreciated.

 

[mike killay]

Mike - that sounds very painful. Can you change the seat to a wider seat? Or one with hole in it? (Do they make such things?!).

Yes, there are plenty of better saddles available, including some wierd things. I discovered that this is not a new problem and the Victorians had all sorts of saddles. The crucial test is to sit on your bike when stationary, hold onto something to keep your balance, then take your feet off the pedals so that all of your weight is on the saddle.Try staying like that for 15 minutes. Any numbness indicates that the blood flow is restricted. Having already had an operation for a cyst in an embarrasing place, I now take great care of that part of my anatomy.

 

[PennyFarthing]

Well that is a great top tip Mike (about the 15 minute try out). Visions of someone else having to steady the bike with one finger for 15 mins though....

After I had my children I found my pelvis wasn't comfortable on a small/standard seat anymore - it was really too uncomfortable, so now I have to have a seat built for comfort - makes all the difference. I'm always prepared to change my saddle if necessary.

 

[mike killay]

Well that is a great top tip Mike (about the 15 minute try out). Visions of someone else having to steady the bike with one finger for 15 mins though....

After I had my children I found my pelvis wasn't comfortable on a small/standard seat anymore - it was really too uncomfortable, so now I have to have a seat built for comfort - makes all the difference. I'm always prepared to change my saddle if necessary.

It depends how big you are, but another test is to sit on something hard like a wooden chair for a while, then bend over and unless you are particularly fat, you should be able to feel the ends of your pelvis (The bones that you sit on). Get a tape and measure how far apart they are (the chair sitting will make them hurt slightly so you know where they are) Mine are 20 cm apart, so a suitable saddle will have to be wide enough to accomodate this distance and then some as the main pressure point needs surrounding support.
I have just looked at a motor scooter, the saddle was nearly 30 cms wide.
Visit the RIDO site and read the medical reports. The injuries caused by bike saddles include an estimated 100,000 impotent men plus a host of other injuries including the hydrocoele that I had.

 

[Oiseaux]

Thanks folks, as usual some thoughtful and informative advice about the principal subject but a nice 'off topic' content too. Whenever I go out for a ride the saddle becomes of great interest !!

 

[Victor]

My wife and I have a Gepida if you go on utube and put in "Glen Isla Bike Ride" you will get an idea of the hilly area we live in. On that day most of the run was up some very steep hills but the bikes coped nay bather covering a round trip of 27 miles switching the power on n off as required.

Victor.

 

[indalo]

The injuries caused by bike saddles include an estimated 100,000 impotent men

That seems like a load of ******* to me! I'm sure if you ask forum members, you'll find that all ebikers are impressively endowed macho types, frequently known by the euphemism, (hitherto that well-known battery,) "Ever Ready."

"Impotent ebiker" is a classic oxymoron.........they just don't exist!

Indalo

 

[PennyFarthing]

Oiseaux,

I have now tried out a Gepida it got weighty me uphill no problem.

Hope that helps.

Penny

 

[Oiseaux]

Thanks Penny Farthing.

"The injuries caused by bike saddles include an estimated 100,000 impotent men"
"That seems like a load of ******* to me"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brilliant !!

 

[PennyFarthing]

Thanks Penny Farthing.

"The injuries caused by bike saddles include an estimated 100,000 impotent men"
"That seems like a load of ******* to me"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brilliant !!

You are welcome. Could I just point out to others that it wasn't me that is being quoted above. It read to me like I said it! Not guilty your honour. ;oP

Penny

 

[mike killay]

You are welcome. Could I just point out to others that it wasn't me that is being quoted above. It read to me like I said it! Not guilty your honour. ;oP

Penny

And I was just quoting a Doctor ho is quoted on the Rido saddles site. It may be reassuring to some that he estimated it effects only a small percentage of cyclists and he estimated about 50 million cyclists world wide! nevertheless, there are also a lot of other injuries to this area caused by saddles. Rido quote a 'Lancet' article. There is no doubt that applying a lot of pressure to the crotch can cause numbness and damage. Apparently, Hippocrates, 2000 years ago noted impotence in horse riders!
Seriously though, I have been riding bikes since 1950, and note that saddles seem to be getting narrower and harder. I have had a testicular cyst, so am not exactly disinterested in the subject.