Hello from Frinton-On Sea

[stevec59]

Hi Guys,
I've been cycling for many years, started off cycling to school, then paper rounds then a friend got me interested in Cycling for pleasure, I had a light weight hand built racer, we covered quite a few miles together, then cycling 20 to work and then back again most days.
Now I'm 58, I have a Gary Fisher bike, I still enjoy cycling but only in good weather and no where near as far, I think 10 miles max, so I'm thinking about buying a electric bike, I just think I can go further, thing is they are quite expensive, I've been looking at the second hand ones and I'll keep my eye out for something local. I've looked at some new bikes, they look great, but a spare battery is @ £250, that seems crazy to me!
What do people think about cheap batteries on places like ebay?

 

[Gaz]

Hello Steve

If you're buying new, I wouldn't worry too much about a spare battery. Unless of course you need it for long distance. I get about 40 miles between charges, and I could get more if I tried harder.

Second hand and it's probably pragmatic to expect battery replacement to be looming. You can mitigate the cost, and often improve a battery by having it re-celled instead. Caveat emptor on the cheap ones - if it looks to good to be true.....

Happy bike hunting.

Gaz

 

[Nealh]

£250 for a new battery is quite reasonable.
Wen you factor in that cells generally cost between £2 - £6
each and batteries will have 40 or 50 individual cells inside, then add in the other incidentals that are in there and the case and often a new docking /receiver unit as well.

 

[Benjahmin]

Hi Steve,
Prices can seem shocking when you first start looking. Have a good firkle about and get used to the market, start to zone in on what type of bike you'll want.
I spent about £800 converting my bike, best 5000 miles I've ever spent ! If it sits in the shed all but 3 or 4 weekends a year - it's really not worth it. If you're going to get a lot of use out of it Certainly cheaper than a gym membership!

 

[stevec59]

Thanks Guys,
I didn't know that you could get battery packs re-celled.
It might be worth getting new, I've seen one a little below £700, it's on offer at the moment but I hope that it might drop in January sales.
Thing is if I get second hand, something decent will probably be @ £400 if I then need to replace or re-cell the battery that brigs it close to a new bike.
How long should a battery last before it needs replacing? I guess that will depend a lot on how often it's re-charged etc?
Are all the batteries the same or are there different technologies?

Thanks Again,
Steve

 

[Benjahmin]

My guess is that a re-cell of your existing battery case will cost you way less than £400. Contact these guys:
https://www.bga-reworking.co.uk/
You need to speak to Jimmy. My understanding is that they will arrange pick up of your battery then deliver when complete, saving you the pia of finding a courier that will carry batteries.
Battery life is moot. Use and charge seems to be the best. If storing unused for an extended period, charge it then put 5-10 miles on it to, 'knock the edge off'. Store at between 50 and80% full charge. Number of charge cycles quoted is normally full charging cycles - so from empty to full. In practice, I find, that it's rare to run the battery flat. On a 14Ah battery I charge on anything over 10 miles used.
Cheaper cells a likely to have a lower max current delivery capability, so using at high powers will shorten life. Buy the best cells maling up the biggest battery you can afford/justify. If a 12Ah battery will do your regular run, try to get a 14 or 17Ah so that, as battery range diminishes with age, it will still serve you.
Good cells regularly used should last a minimum of 4 years.

 

[stevec59]

Thanks Benjahmin, I actually meant a decent second hand e-bike would be at least £400, if you then need to replace the battery that takes it well over the £600 mark and I'm keeping an eye a a new bike just under £700.
If a battery costs a fair amount of money I'd want more than 4 years, last time I got a battery for the car that was £70 and has so far lasted 4 years, I know car batteries are different but I don't quite see why bike batteries are so expansive

 

[Wicky]

If you live within the gates costs shouldn't be a problem ;-)

If you go Chinese then generic battery costs should be minimal - My KTM battery which is three years old is still going strong but wiill cost £600 to replace in the future. Plus you've been pointed towards the option for bespoke battery rebuilding which should reduce your worries..

Not too many sapping mega hills around Frinton

Have you looked at Oxygen pedelecs? as they have bikes at a sweet spot in regards to cost / performance.

http://www.oxygenbicycles.com/e-bikes/s-cross-cb

 

[Nealh]

Lithium cells are technologically far more advanced then the old SLA car battery, lighter and a high power density power for their size. Price wise cells are not cheap as I stated in #3.
Buy cheap you often buy twice.
Generally cheap batteries will have poorer cells they will be ok for about 18 mths then loose a lot of capacity from there on in. A good battery of £250 or more will generally give 3-5 years good of life if used often and looked after and should still give reasonable amount of life for a year or two after as well. Mostly it is down to the quality and make of the cell inside and how well the cells are tab welded together.

Post a link of any batteries you see and we can give you an idea of what my be contained inside.
A battery may have Samsung, LG, Panasonic or other good makers named cells inside but they also produce poorer run of the mill cells as well which cheaper batteries will use.

 

[stevec59]

If you live within the gates costs shouldn't be a problem ;-)

If you go Chinese then generic battery costs should be minimal - My KTM battery which is three years old is still going strong but wiill cost £600 to replace in the future. Plus you've been pointed towards the option for bespoke battery rebuilding which should reduce your worries..

Not too many sapping mega hills around Frinton

Have you looked at Oxygen pedelecs? as they have bikes at a sweet spot in regards to cost / performance.

http://www.oxygenbicycles.com/e-bikes/s-cross-cb

I cycled upto Walton on the naze (The actual Naze not the town) in the summer, there was a bit of a hill there, I was on my normal bike and found it a bit of a struggle, but managed it without stopping!


Thanks but I won't pay over £1,000, due to illness I can't work a lot, so money is limited, but thanks for the reply

 

[stevec59]

Thanks Neath, I had an old Ni-Cad Electric drill ended up buying a new Li-lon instead

 

[stevec59]

I've just seen

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075CJFXMQ/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2OSQ06MYIYP4P&colid=MLRTT3P3KHTR&psc=0

£380 seems a bargain.
Is this a ladies bike or are they Unisex these days?

 

[Nealh]

Dutch style step thru otherwise unisex.
£380 is a bargain but it will most likely have a bargain weedy hub drive and battery. Longevity wise how long the battery will last ???

 

[Wicky]

Have you popped into the cycle shop in Frinton to see if they have any pedelecs to test ride? Last time I was in Frinton on mine it seemed every other bike pootling about was also leccy assisted.

 

[stevec59]

Dutch style step thru otherwise unisex.
£380 is a bargain but it will most likely have a bargain weedy hub drive and battery. Longevity wise how long the battery will last ???

Yeah the battery seems a little low '24v 6.6AH',

• Range per charge:About 20Km
• Speed gears:Single gears
• Motor:250W Brushless hub motor

 

[stevec59]

Have you popped into the cycle shop in Frinton to see if they have any pedelecs to test ride? Last time I was in Frinton on mine it seemed every other bike pootling about was also leccy assisted.

Good Idea Wicky, In the past I've found the shop to be expensive, but that's probably because it's inside the gates, but well worth a look.

Thanks