Help me find my right mechanical partner please ;)

[ncpdnc]

Okay, the parameters first.

• I am looking to ride 12 miles each way. 6 days. That's easily 150 miles a week including shopping/leisure trips.
• I have decided to go with a reliable crank driven engine. (The decision could be reversed if the grandees/gurus here feel like that's the worst they can think of)
• Bosch mainly for their warranty and after sales support
• Bosch Active line to keep the costs down (compromises on power over their Performance line, its commuting I am after anyways)
• I would absolutely like to max out on the battery which happens to be 1000 W dual battery system. I could settle on their 500 W considering security and ostentatiousness of these dual setups.
• While we are on the topic, preferably a step through system please. Which looks more like a bike for commuting and rather not the aggressive riding positions on most cross bars. (Less likely to be stolen too)
• Now that we have taken the hub motor out, we can go for hub gears please! Lower maintenance too.
• < £2000 please. Spreading over at least 5 years of commuting. Lower maintenance means lower costs.
• I would probably change immediately to solid tyres. No punctures whatsoever would be wonderful.
• Presuming of course, the bike comes with suspension which would offset the hard feedback from solid tyres.

Any suggestions please?

 

[Trevormonty]

May have pay >£2000 for IGH. Shimano STEPs is also worth considering, not much in it between STEPs and Active.
I'd recommend trying both will give you more choices if you like STEPs. 400wH battery will easily do 24mile round trip, probably twice at a pince.

 

[Gaz]

400wH battery will easily do 24mile round trip, probably twice at a pince.

To validate this, I've just done 24 miles around local country lanes, with a few hills, but mostly slopes. STEPs E6010, started at 100%, ended at 52%, mix of high and normal settings. Twice at a pinch, yes, but it does tail off quicker from 30% down.

I'd still choose a geared hub over a crank drive for commuting though.

Gaz

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Okay, the parameters first.......................................................
Any suggestions please?

I suggest that you're suffering from too much internet research syndrome. the more you read, the more you think things are inadequate,

One of these would probably be more than enough:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-TDL6162-Modern-City-Dutch-Ebike-Electric-Bicycle-36V-10AH-Lithium-Battery-/361996386219?var=&hash=item5448aa7fab:m:myTilr-RH3s4fxXyG9OfpaA

There's no economic justification for buying anything more.

 

[Woosh]

Any suggestions please?

you want to do 150 miles a week, that's 7,500 miles a year and you want to amortize your bike over 5 years? that's 37,500 miles.
You need something a lot better than an e-bike.

 

[ncpdnc]

I suggest that you're suffering from too much internet research syndrome. the more you read, the more you think things are inadequate,

One of these would probably be more than enough:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-TDL6162-Modern-City-Dutch-Ebike-Electric-Bicycle-36V-10AH-Lithium-Battery-/361996386219?var=&hash=item5448aa7fab:m:myTilr-RH3s4fxXyG9OfpaA

There's no economic justification for buying anything more.

I think you have a point there.
.
I have been at it for good few weeks now.

 

[ncpdnc]

you want to do 150 miles a week, that's 7,500 miles a year and you want to amortize your bike over 5 years? that's 37,500 miles.
You need something a lot better than an e-bike.

Interesting suggestion.
.
Is that not the kind of lifespan people are usually after form ebikes?
Or is it a wishful thinking?

 

[Woosh]

you sure can maintain a good bike to last much more than 37k miles but your motor will need servicing before that. Also your battery will lose about 25% capacity after 800 charge, that's roughly 3 years. Do keep it in mind.
I also think you need to start with a bike with good mechanical components, much less maintenance required.

 

[chris_n]

I also think you need to start with a bike with good mechanical components, much less maintenance required.

This in spades, all of the talk in various threads about greasing bearings regularly etc is all symptomatic of inferior components. I have a 10 year old mountain bike with well over 50k miles on it, although it is not now on its original wheels due to "real" off road riding it has never had a wheel bearing, bottom bracket (GXP), pedal bearing etc greased.
It has of course had many drive train components, cassettes, chains, jockey wheels replaced and I have just replaced the chainrings for the first time.
On a cheaper bike I would probably have been on bike number 5 by now.

 

[Woosh]

This in spades, all of the talk in various threads about greasing bearings regularly etc is all symptomatic of inferior components.

e-bikes used for commuting are expected to be ridden at much higher speed than bikes used for camping/caravanning and to hit many potholes at high speed.

You will generally need a good suspension fork, rustproof chain, 45T front /11T rear for speed, a good motor capable of 500W-600W output to hold on to 15mph on hills, puncture proof tyres, hydraulic brakes and good lights. and stay away from taper square bottom bracket.

 

[awol]

The Woosh Santana-CD is a step through with center drive motor and puncture resistant tyres. Seems to fit your description at less than £1k too, and you'll get excellent support from Woosh on this forum too.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?santana-cd

At 150miles a week expect to need to keep ontop of maintanance especially in winter.
I've done 120 miles a week for nearly 4 years now with hub motored bikes which have proved great for me but I'v had to keep up with the maintanance which sometimes takes up my evenings I would rather be doing other things.