Hello from a Hampshire Classic Car Enthusiast

[Singerman]

Hi I am Paul and as the title suggests I am a confirmed car user and ex-AA Engineer based in Hampshire, In fact right next to the Test Way...

Because of this I started thinking about pushbikes for the first time in about forty years as I can get about on public cycleways well away from roads full of cars. I was severely asthmatic when younger and missed out on riding bikes like most kids. I came across E-bikes on the internet and began researching.

The E-life explorer and voyagers look like good value starter packages with most of the bits a cyclist is likely to need.

My main concern about them was the smaller wheels as the test way is partly an old rail bed, but having walked sections of it potholes and uneven ground is not unusual.

At the moment I am gravitating toward the Woosh Zephyr B which also seems to come with a reasonable level of equipment and fits the budget, the only bike I have ridden had a 3 speed hub (and dynamo) so I have never ridden anything with a Derailleur type gear.

As I have had precisely two punctures in about thirty years of car driving and being ex-AA practiced what I preached and called them out. I have no interest in dealing with bike punctures either so am interested in any methods of preventing these being a nuisance as well.

These days I have (fortunately mild) type 2 diabetes, weigh about 14 stone and have no obvious muscular or skeletal problems but thanks to my earlier history prefer the safety net of a battery if I start riding again. Any help is appreciated

 

[LeighPing]

Hi and welcome. Good choice, ebikes will get your sugar levels down without too much breathing effort. You can do as little, or as much exercise, as you want.

I use good anti-puncture tyres and slime inner tubes to prevent punctures. Have you actually tried any ebikes yet?

 

[Singerman]

Hi thanks for the prompt reply. I normally content myself with walking round Houghton & Stockbridge, Had a brief visit to a bike shop in Southampton but no time toi test anything. One of my concerns is that I would like to do some test rides. Last time I was on a bike was as a relief postman back in 2010...

 

[LeighPing]

Last time I was on a bike was as a relief postman back in 2010...

Having a test ride is always nice. But, if that's the sum total of your cycling experience, no ebike will disappoint.

 

[Gaz]

Hello SM

Gravitating is fine, but the only sure way is to try a good few e-bikes out. It's the only way to know for sure. Try a few that you don't think are for you too, as there will be some surprises in amongst them. I had my heart set on a particular model and when I had my first go on one realised it wasn't for me, at all, couldn't wait to get off it in fact. I wish I'd spent a bit more time trying other bikes out. Woosh have a good reputation on here, so I'm sure you'll be well looked after if you do go for the Zephyr B.

The surprise for me was was the Wisper 905 Torque. The e-bike shop wheeled it out, I said 'errr, no', they encouraged me to have a go and it went straight in to my no.1 slot. I ride mostly on tarmac, with the occasional compacted/ cellular confinement forest trail. The Coniston came along at the right/wrong moment, and suited me nicely, but had it not I'd undoubtedly have had a 905. I keep thinking of changing, but that's just my wandering eye for pretty, shiny new toys

Happy e-bike hunting.

Gaz

 

[Deleted member 4366]

To prevent punctures, all you need is Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres. No need for slime. Here's how effective they are. No puncture:

 

[Singerman]

Having a test ride is always nice. But, if that's the sum total of your cycling experience, no ebike will disappoint.

Hi, I agree about test rides, one of the things that held me back from doing anything is the need to get on and test ride these bikes. The Southampton shop does get eLifes in, probably as trade-ins but the only places to see a Woosh Zephyr seem to be Southend or possibly Cambridge and that’s a long trip to make at the moment. Does anyone know if they have any representatives in the south area?


The last time I used the M3 there were so many cameras and gadgets focused on you it was like doing the regularity stage of a Rally. I am convinced these high tech motorways will generate accidents because people are concentrating too much on their speed & the cameras and not on actually driving.

 

[Singerman]

To prevent punctures, all you need is Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres. No need for slime. Here's how effective they are. No puncture:

View attachment 23625

View attachment 23626

Thanks d8veh for the information about these tyres, when I get around to taking the plunge these will be my first purchase.


Putting goo in the tyre is all very well but its not the great idea its been made out as for motor vehicles, dealing with it when tyre changing can be messy and time-consuming for the tyre factors. It will be no more pleasant with bike tyres as the likelihood is the tube will have been damaged as well in any incident that merits taking the tyre off with this stuff inside.

 

[Singerman]

Having a test ride is always nice. But, if that's the sum total of your cycling experience, no ebike will disappoint.

Thanks but when I did test ride one it did disappoint. This was largely because I seem to have lost all ability to balance on one. I have returned to the safety of cars for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Fat Rat]

Hi
Belated welcome

 

[LeighPing]

Thanks but when I did test ride one it did disappoint. This was largely because I seem to have lost all ability to balance on one. I have returned to the safety of cars for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for the help.

You're welcome.

Did the bike itself disappoint you?

 

[Singerman]

A lot of it was down to the people. One bike shop in Salisbury tried to put me on a Cube in a narrow road. When I looked round a 1970's Cadillac wide enough to overhang the kerb both sides was coming with the driver conversing with his passenger and not looking at the road (in central Salisbury!). I got out of there fast and gave them the bike straight back then walked away.. If they can't listen and understand that a newbie means exactly that they can't have my business. One thing I did notice as a car driver though was the lack of mirrors I only saw the Caddy when I noticed the lack of mirros and looked around. It certainly explains a lot of the apparent lack of consideration seen in some motorists. They don't have an awareness of their surroundings like a motorist and quiet modern cars may not be heard.

 

[Singerman]

The other place did put me in a yard round the back, but the bike was some sort of conversion that I could barely adjust to fit me. I am average size, 5 fott ten inch high with a 31 inch inside leg. It seemed to have two speeds fast & too b***y fast and was heavy enough to preclude riding without the power to get used to it. So that went back as well. It seems to me shops assume all customers will be enthuisiasts who already know all about bikes when people getting back into riding, new riders and those with limited lung capacity etc. are more likely to be interested. As a ecologically sound electric future transport they make a lot more sense than a Tesla. I used to be the AA's Evaluating enginer for alternative propulsion vehicles by the way.

 

[Laser Man]

Try the Hub Cycleworks in Shirley Road, Southampton. They don't have a big range of ebikes, but the ones that they do can be tried out on Southampton Common away from the traffic.

From a fellow Test Way-er. Make sure that whatever you buy can get you up Cow Drove hill!