Help choosing an e-bike please

[slow_k]

Hi all,

I temporarily cant drive while awaiting medical treatment and looking into getting an e-bike to get between home and the train station (c. 2-3 miles) twice a week as our local bus service is unreliable

Unfortunately my body does not seem to get on with even the slightest incline, and the route home mentioned above has a c.30% gradient for about 1/3 of the distance!

I've been browsing on this forum for a few days now but thought it best to post and ask for advice so I dont make a misinformed decision

Few bits of information below, appreciate any recommendations for which bike to go for:

• Budget up to £1200 (which I gather is on the low side but this is already pushing it for me)
• I am very unfit, and cannot cope with hills, so maximum assistance is appreciated - ideally with a throttle option if possible
• Aside from above commute, only other use will be taking the kids out on a gravel path in a bike trailer very occasionally
• Low maintenance preferred as there is already a laundry list of jobs to do around the house with 2 young kids
• Dont fancy DIY kits for above mentioned reason, I probably wont ever get it built being honest with myself
• Happy to consider either folding or non-folding. If folding I will probably take it part way onto the train with me
• Happy to consider used from either forum members or trades

If I've missed anything please do shout! Appreciate your help

 

[Peter.Bridge]

Unfortunately my body does not seem to get on with even the slightest incline, and the route home mentioned above has a c.30% gradient for about 1/3 of the distance!

Please could you let us know where this incline is ? (just wanted to double check the gradient profile !) Or enter it in here and let us know https://wooshbikes.co.uk/clearway.php?cw=1181 How heavy are you - if you don't mind us asking ? It would take twice the power to get someone 20st up a hill compared with someone 10st

 

[slow_k]

I knew I had forgotten something! I weigh 95kg, and below is the route on mapometer. I did this yesterday and it said 30% gradient along the (1), but today the gradient map only shows 6% which I definitely dont think is right!

 

[slow_k]

Sorry I now used the Whoosh link you posted - max gradient of 21% ish. Same route so not sure why I'm getting such wildly different results!

Can assure you the hill feels massive

 

[Peter.Bridge]

I knew I had forgotten something! I weigh 95kg, and below is the route on mapometer. I did this yesterday and it said 30% gradient along the (1), but today the gradient map only shows 6% which I definitely dont think is right!

View attachment 54642

just checked that route - think it maxes out at 10% - should be ok if 95kg with not too much pedal power - maybe Woosh Rambletta or Wisper 706 ?

 

[saneagle]

just checked that route - think it maxes out at 10% - should be ok if 95kg with not too much pedal power - maybe Woosh Rambletta or Wisper 706 ?

30% would be an exceptionally steep hill. I doubt that it's anywhere near that. The average over 2 miles is less than 2% and it climbs all the way, so I'd be surprised if it goes over 10%.

When you use an ebike to go to the station, there are two important things to consider - weather resistance and theft resistance. First check the security at the station and ask how many bikes get stolen from there. Make sure that you have budgeted for decent locks. You can improve weather resistance with a few freezer bags and rubber bands to cover vital parts, like LCD and throttle.

A bike with small wheels will get you up that hill better than say an MTB type. The Woosh Rambletta got me up Bread and Cheese Hill recently with hardly any pedal effort and I'm 100kg. It's reportedly 10.3% at it's steepest and 5% average. If you hill is indeed 20%, I think it might struggle. You'd need a bike with small wheels and 48v battery for that.

 

[Saracen]

"

• Aside from above commute, only other use will be taking the kids out on a gravel path in a bike trailer very occasionally

£1,200 is a very small sum personally AVOID Halfords
"

Well that cancels any HUB drives especially front

 

[Saracen]

30% would be an exceptionally steep hill. I doubt that it's anywhere near that. The average over 2 miles is less than 2% and it climbs all the way, so I'd be surprised if it goes over 10%.

When you use an ebike to go to the station, there are two important things to consider - weather resistance and theft resistance. First check the security at the station and ask how many bikes get stolen from there. Make sure that you have budgeted for decent locks. You can improve weather resistance with a few freezer bags and rubber bands to cover vital parts, like LCD and throttle.

A bike with small wheels will get you up that hill better than say an MTB type. The Woosh Rambletta got me up Bread and Cheese Hill recently with hardly any pedal effort and I'm 100kg. It's reportedly 10.3% at it's steepest and 5% average. If you hill is indeed 20%, I think it might struggle. You'd need a bike with small wheels and 48v battery for that.

I would not use any HUB drives to TOW a trailer on gravel with children in it !!!!

 

[saneagle]

I would not use any HUB drives to TOW a trailer on gravel with children in it !!!!

This bike with 125w hub motors can tow 500kg up a 15.8% hill. I'd love to watch you try that with your bike. The expression on your face would be priceless as you try to steer while going backwards at 30 mph and getting faster and faster. We could put you and your bike in the back, and it would still beat your bike up Bread and Cheese Hill.

 

[Peter.Bridge]

Sorry I now used the Whoosh link you posted - max gradient of 21% ish. Same route so not sure why I'm getting such wildly different results!

Can assure you the hill feels massive

View attachment 54643

Yes - just had a look at the Woosh link - I think the Woosh algorithm has a finer resolution, so just a few very steep metres shows as the max gradient whereas the mapometer one measures the max gradient over a longer distance (I've had that before) - that elevation rise looks fine for an e-bike to me, you will carry some speed into the steeper sections.

I'm 59 , 105kg and got up this hill on my Claud Butler step through with Woosh 36v XF08C conversion kit - did have to add some pedalling effort though !

 

[Nealh]

I'm afraid saracen is very blinkered and has a total dislike of hub bikes, unless he has tried to use one for many years then his views as most will have sussed out are very lacking in any real world knowledge of them.

 

[Nealh]

For any wanting a hub bike they will do anything that a bike is required or asked of that a normal pdeal bike can do, but with more ease.

I have hauled a trailer with my Cotic Road rat with a tiny front Bafang G370 hub and it copes with ease, the trailer with a 90kg paylaod is noticeable but it takes it in it's stride . The + 125kg payload I once tried was over the 90kg trailer max weight payoad but still was achievable , the Cotic had no issue with the weight just the trailer being strained.

 

[Nealh]

I would not use any HUB drives to TOW a trailer on gravel with children in it !!!!

Have you tried one then , if not your views are very much invalid and not helpful to posters who know little.

You will find that most on here with the knowledge will not put folks off with blinkered views , most will have experienced the various merits of drives including towing heavier loads .

 

[saneagle]

Have you tried one then , if not your views are very much invalid and not helpful to posters who know little.

He tried some crappy Chinese bike with a 12A controller and then blamed the lack of power on the motor.

 

[Cadence]

Have you tried one then , if not your views are very much invalid and not helpful to posters who know little.

You will find that most on here with the knowledge will not put folks off with blinkered views , most will have experienced the various merits of drives including towing heavier loads .

Agreed - A classic case of confirmation bias.
I'm very happy with the Yosepower conversion kits that I have fitted, but I'm aware of a few things that could be better (the ridiculously long cables being one). As such, I'm happy to recommend them to anyone with basic DIY skills who will put them to the same use as me (leisure cycling on tarmac and easier gravel tracks/canal towpaths). I bow to those with more experience who say that there are better motors, controllers, displays and batteries to be had, and I'm sure they are right. As they are, I think the Yosepower kits represent good value for money.
I have no experience of front hub motors or crank drive, so I wouldn't dream of coming on here rubbishing other peoples choices. Owning two bikes that have been converted with crank drives by a third party hardly qualifies anybody to discount everything else. The point is that all of them work, but which is better depends on the use that the bike is put to.

 

[Nealh]

With the cotic even towing a heavy laden trailer on an ex rail line offroad route , with the KT I rarely use even PAS level 2 (4.5a) . PAS 1 gives me barely 3a but enough power for towing on a mixed firm made and part gravally surface, with the alfine 8 I have a 2 x chain wheel set up and use the low gears for the torque . As we know there are differing hubs and control systems , match the right pair up and hubs will give Mid drive a ride for their extra money and be more reliable over a longer time span and cheaper to maintain the running gear.

If I used PAS 4 or 5 , I think it will thrash my tsdz2 mid drive set up on the ute.

 

[StuartsProjects]

looking into getting an e-bike to get between home and the train station (c. 2-3 miles) twice a week as our local bus service is unreliable

Why do you goto the railway station and what would you do with e-bike when you get there ?

 

[guerney]

I would not use any HUB drives to TOW a trailer on gravel with children in it !!!!

My rear wheel QR skewer was pulled out by a combined weight of over 115kg of trailer and cargo - that's worth bearing in mind. There were warnings in both Homcom and Carry Freedon mauals about QRs, which I ignored of course: 50kg cargo limit for QRs. On flat ground, about 90kg cargo (105kg with trailer) is just about ok for the QRs (the BBS01B motor is capable of towing much higher weights, but my QR isn't) as a max in my experience for the Homcom, but I stick to about 76kg (a smidge over 90kg total weight including trailer) usually, when dragging it uphill. Best pay attention to limits quoted in kid's trailer literature, and raise thin kids.

 

[Saracen]

This bike with 125w hub motors can tow 500kg up a 15.8% hill. I'd love to watch you try that with your bike. The expression on your face would be priceless as you try to steer while going backwards at 30 mph and getting faster and faster. We could put you and your bike in the back, and it would still beat your bike up Bread and Cheese Hill.

View attachment 54645

TWO MOTORS NOT ONE so NOT what I said

 

[saneagle]

TWO MOTORS NOT ONE so NOT what I said

The single 125w motor can pull 250kg up a 15.8% hill, so that trike would still carry you and your bike plus the rider and the trike up a 15.8% hill. If you tried to tow 250kg up a 15.8% hill on your bike, you'd still be fast learning how to steer while your bike does 30mph backwaards.

 

[Nealh]

With the Ute I got over the 50kg skewer max loading by attaching the tow hitch to the rear bike pannier extension frame (which is part of the main welded bike frame) , I attched by various means a stout solid aluminium bar to which to attach the tow hitch.
The Cotic isn't an issue as the rear is an alfine 8 so has a solid 10mm axle.