Hello Everyone I`m new.

[Slogger]

Hi everyone,

I`m aged 66 years and 11 months, a retired diesel engineer with 3 grown up kids who have flown the nest. My wife and I are in the middle of moving house, having sold our old house, we are at the moment renting, whilst searching for something suitable to buy. Unfortunately most of my stuff is piled up in the conservatory and the garden shed is full to bursting with my mountain bike somewhere at the bottom.
Up until my midtwenties I played youth club and pub football and since then, for the next 40 years I have been a climber/hillwalker/cyclist/runner. I used to run half marathons and 10k`s until my doctor told me no more impact sports for my knees and so I have cut out the running and settled for some steady hill walking and more cycling instead. However the road outside where we are at the moment is very busy with traffic and having trams pass by every 10 minutes, it is not really suitable for riding my mountain bike, and so I am looking to purchase a folding electric bike.
My intention is to carry the bike on to the tram, change to a bus which would deliver me out in the countryside. There, I am hoping to ride the county lanes and the disused railway trails including the Monsal Trail, High Peak Trail and the Tissington Trail. Unfortunately I know very little about folding electric bikes and so I am hoping for advice from other members on this forum.

Many thanks, Pete.

 

[RobF]

A small wheeled bike - electric or not - is not much fun on cinder or gravel tracks.

My Brompton folder - 16" wheels - is a great bike, but hopeless on anything other than hard asphalt.

A lot of other folders, including electric ones, have bigger wheels so should be better off-road.

Bigger wheels means a bigger folded package, so you need to check if the tram and bus company will carry your chosen bike.

 

[Jimod]

Kudos has 3 folding ebikes, some with suspension. I've never tried a folder but they are worth having a look at.

 

[indalo]

Thus far, I have never found any need in my life for a folder but having browsed over what's available, I'm in agreement with Jimod in that Kudos seem to have all bases covered without paying megabucks for small and light.

I'm inclined to agree with RobF also with regard to wheel size. Off the beaten track, I think smaller wheeled bikes could become tedious very quickly.

Indalo

 

[gray198]

My wife has ridden all the trails mentioned on her juicybike folder which has 20in wheels without any problems. Just doesn't seem to freewheel all that well on downhill sections. Don't know how you would go about carrying it on a bus etc .

regards gray

 

[Slogger]

Thanks to all for advice so far,

My wife has ridden all the trails mentioned on her juicybike folder which has 20in wheels without any problems. Just doesn't seem to freewheel all that well on downhill sections. Don't know how you would go about carrying it on a bus etc .

regards gray

Thanks to you all so far with advice. I will keep reading the advice and taking it on board.
Please keep the advice coming.
Incidently, I was considering the 20 inch wheel bike, but I`m willing to go larger, say 24 inch providing I would still be allowed on the buses and trams.

Many thanks. Pete.

 

[timidtom]

Bromptons fold down to a very small, portable package. Covered with a bin-sack they don't even look like bikes. There are a number of ways of adding a motor. Ours ride well along canal tow-paths and bridleways but I wouldn't like to try extreme rough stuff on one (I wouldn't like to try extreme stuff on any bike!). The important thing is to spend time riding as many bikes as you can.
Anyway, welcome and keep us posted!
Tom