Hi From Netherton

[Boss]

Good Afternoon and Happy New Year to you all.

Found this very informative forum after several Google searches for ebike reviews, and now look forward to receiving your wisdom, information, advice, and guidance on the purchase of a suitable pedelec.

For several years have cycled the local canal towpaths most Sunday mornings on a Giant Mountain Bike - anywhere between 12 and 20 miles per ride depending upon the weather and family commitments.

The Giant has also seen the occasional blue trail action on several Mountain Bike centres - have the scars and a capped tooth to prove it LOL

Was originally considering the purchase of a Dahon or Tern folding road bike for commuting. However, after stumbling upon an Urban Mover UM30 folding electric bike on a specialist website, the thought of an electrically assisted ebike for commuting became very attractive.

And then one of those "aaaah" moments as the penny dropped and the lightbulb came on - Would it be possible to buy a folding ebike which could be used for both the Sunday morning towpath ride-out, and the weekday commutes?

The new ebike needs to be a folder - the commutes will never exceed 15 miles but vary from day-to-day and may include any combination of the train, bus, and tube during off-peak hours.

The bike will also need to be stored in a car when not in use.

Currently considering the purchase of a Woosh Zephyr B - folded it will fit in the car, and the spec on the Woosh website suggests it will be OK with the local canal towpaths and the daily commutes. Not fussed about being able to use the bike on the blue run forestry trails - if it can then it would be the occasional bonus.

Height - 6' 2"
Weight - 95kg
Inside Leg - 34"

Would welcome your thoughts on the suitability of the Zephyr B

Many Thanks

John H

 

[Deleted member 4366]

There's other folding electric MTBs that you can find on Ebay. They're probably OK, but Woosh have been around for a while and they're active on this forum. Their support before and after sales is first class. To me, that bike seems a perfect solution for your requirements. It goes pretty well too as it has the high-torque BPM motor.

 

[Blackgold]

John,on a recent visit to the London Electric Bike Company,I tried the Kudos Secret.....the bike was very light and performed well...I am buying a Kudos Rapide but my wife tried the Sonata and the Secret.
Tom told me at 18 kg it is the lightest of the folders and many customers use it for commuting or motor home usage,the boss of Kudos is a big guy and use the Secret on a boat,Tom said that over 400 Secrets have been sold.
You should try one it is a very nimble bike and should be ideal for what you want.

 

[RobF]

The Zephyr or Secret should do what you want unfolded, but might not when folded.

All e-folders of this type are heavy and awkward to carry, so are not much use for lifting on and off public transport, certainly not regularly.

Fine for lifting in and out of the boot of a car, but that is about the extent of their portability.

 

[trex]

the Zephyr-B will cope with your weight and height with ease.

 

[Kudoscycles]

The Zephyr or Secret should do what you want unfolded, but might not when folded.

All e-folders of this type are heavy and awkward to carry, so are not much use for lifting on and off public transport, certainly not regularly.

Fine for lifting in and out of the boot of a car, but that is about the extent of their portability.

John,I agree with Rob's comments about these small wheeled folders. It depends upon your expectations of portability and fold ability,if you think you are going to fold one at a railway station or a bus stop they just don't fold small enough,they are awkward to handle and even 18 KGs is heavy in a confined environment. Hauling the bike up onto a train or bus luggage rack is very difficult.
However,I have customers who take these small bikes onto trains,they stand with them and find the small size more easy to accommodate than a bigger wheeled bike.
The fold is more about storage in the boot of a car or for long term storage.
I find that the bike is easier to handle by folding down the handlebars and the seat post at its lowest position but not folding the frame,the Secret has a carry handle at the balance point. You can reduce the weight by removing the battery.
There is a posting I made about using the Secret bikes on holiday,just search back through my postings,I was honest about the use of these bikes.
I am heavier than you but not taller,the double height seat post (a la Brompton) should still give you a comfortable ride with your long legs.
I have always been impressed by the fold of the Brompton,without electric it is certainly practical to take one on a train and put it on the luggage rack but not sure this is practical with an electric Brompton.
With average rider power input you should be able to make your 20 miles provided you don't get lazy and use the throttle too much,I ride mine on poor roads being careful to avoid potholes.
At this time I don't think the e-bike technology is advanced (read into that lightweight) and design has not evolved sufficiently to allow quick fold of an e-bike and lift it onto a busy train without some hassle. But I have often seen big wheeled bikes with rider comfortably standing on trains at non peak times,I can see no reason why any reasonable weight e-bike should not be used in this way.
I suppose it is a case of trying it.
Is that a fair answer?
KudosDave
After this posting I decided to investigate the rules about bikes on trains and buses,it's very ambiguous.......as a complete aside you may be amused by the You Tube video...'how to take your bike on a CTA bus'....Boris take note!!!!

 

[trex]

if you need a good bike in small package, the woosh Gallego is very lightweight, folds very cleverly, can be pushed about on its rack wheels, and comes with its own carrying bag, could even go into airplanes (youmay need to remove and check its small battery in as hand luggage).

semi-fold:

fully folded:

 

[Boss]

Thanks to you all for your prompt, very detailed and informative replies - all very much appreciated. Food for thought . Not sure the Woosh Gallego would cope with the canal tow paths. However, will take a look at the Kudos Secret, thanks for the suggestions Blackgold and KudosDave. A little more Internet research and consideration required before making the final decision. Once again, thanks for all your information, advice, and guidance. Best regards

John H

 

[trex]

I did not mean to suggest to you the Gallego instead of the Zephyr-B. Woosh sell 4 folders, the 10AH 20" wheel Gale that suits almost anyone, the crank driven Zephyr-CDN for taller riders and steep hills, up to 6ft, the Gallego for people who would be interested in a Gale but need a lighter, super compact e-folder, the Zephyr-B which is the most powerful, for long distance commuting. The Zephyr-B is the best bike in the woosh range. You get a lot of bike for the price. For riding along canal paths, the Zephyr-CDN power would suffice but you are 6ft2, the gear ratios on the Zephyr-CDN are a bit on the short side for a tall rider. The Zephyr-B has possibly the highest gear inches you can get on an e-bike, much more comfortable to pedal for a tall riders.

 

[Boss]

Good Morning Trex. Thank you for the update and clarification. The Zephyr B still looks like the best option to cover the main requirements - leisure / canal rides at the weekend plus the weekday commutes, and just small enough to be stored in the car when not in use.

d8veh thought the Zephyr B would be a good option, and your comment about this bike being the best in the Woosh range and suitable for the taller rider is very encouraging.

Had not considered portability or weight as an issue until reading Kudos Daves post........ Just wonder if it is possible to fold the Zephyr B and then roll the bike on its wheels while holding the saddle - this would remove the need to lift and carry the bike any great distance.

Appreciate ebikes are heavy and possibly awkward to carry when folded, but if it's possible to 'roll' the Zephyr B and just lift it onto a bus or busy train when needed, it will be OK.

Most of the commuting journeys on the train and tube are undertaken during off-peak periods, and the ebike will probably travel on the train / tube unfolded most of the time - like an ordinary 26" cycle.

It would just be useful to know if the Zephyr B could be folded, wheeled, and then lifted onto a bus, or peak-time train / tube if needed.

Will give Woosh a call tomorrow to see if they have any thoughts or suggestions on portability of the Zephyr B.

Will also talk to Woosh about the maximum height of the saddle - it's not clear on their website..... the adjustable seat height refers to "inseam" and not sure if this is measured from the ground to the top of the saddle, or if it's measured from the Middle of the crank to the top of the saddle.

It might be just a general measurement indicating the bike is suitable for riders with an inseam between the two measurements quoted - anyway Woosh should be able to clarify the situation tomorrow.

Will update you in due course on the maximum seat height and the views from Woosh on the portability of the Zephyr B

Once again, thank you so much for the information and your guidance, it really is very much appreciated. As this is the first ebike purchase, it's great to be able to seek the advice of ebike enthusiasts before taking the plunge.

Best regards

John H

 

[trex]

Andy @ woosh is your man.
The Zephyr-B is his favourite bike, he is about your height and weight, that's how I know.

 

[rippedupno1]

Hi John, welcome to the forum . As you are finding there are some very knowledgeable and helpful people on here, d8veh and trex in particular helped me with very helpful advice when i was buying the Mosso.
By the way, is that Netherton outside Dudley? If so, iam not far from you in Tipton
Cheers Gaz

 

[Boss]

Good Morning Gaz.... Thanks for the welcome - the forum is wonderful. All the friendly unbiased information, advice, and guidance received so promptly is really helpful.

"Netherton just outside Dudley" ....., absolutely spot on. If you are based in Tipton, we are almost neighbours LOL. Have recently moved into a new canal side apartment opposite Withymoor Island - hence the need to store the ebike in a car.

We ride the canal towpath most Sunday mornings down to the waterfront at Merry Hill for breakfast at Weatherspoons and then onto Kinver if the weather is good, and back again. The thought of being able to use an ebike for both the towpath and commuting is really appealing

Anyway, good to meet you on the forum.

Best regards

John H

 

[Kudoscycles]

John....in your position I would find a friendly local Batribike or Freego dealer who has a 20" wheeled folder in stock. You can then test ride the bike,try the usage that you intend,including lifting the bike into a car boot.
Batribike and Freego dealers are more numerate.
Based upon your experience you will,with more knowledge,be able to make a more informed choice or scrap the idea.
Kudos has moved away from crank drive because of the high chain loads causing difficult power on gear changes,especially downshifting on steep hills,it is cured by fitting the Nuvinci hub but that would be unnecessary weight on a small wheeled folder.
The Batribike Is typical of these folders,it weighs about 22 KGs.
We found early in the life of the Secret bike is that it needed a double height seat post and a bigger chainring (52 tooth),especially for taller riders. Many of these folders have gearing based upon a non assisted bike and the extra power of the e-bike ideally needs a bigger chainring otherwise the cadence is too high,even at 15 mph.
Batribike and Freego are very helpful people.
Good luck with your search

 

[Boss]

Hi Trex. Thanks for the best contact details at Woosh. Will try and speak with Andy on Monday and will update you in due course.

Thanks for all your comments and help

Best Regards

John H

 

[rippedupno1]

Nice one John, i will have to join you one Sunday if you fancy it.
Cheers Gaz

 

[Boss]

Good Afternoon Kudos Dave. Thanks for another detailed and informative post - will definitely take a look at the Batribike and Freego websites...... You have made me think seriously about the portability of a 26" full size 22kg folding bike.

Will speak with Andy at Woosh tomorrow to seek his thoughts on the portability of the Zephyr B

If the Zephyr B is not suitable for the weekday commutes on public transport due to weight and / or size, will need to give further consideration to the options......

Maybe two ebikes would be a better solution, for example - [1] a small and light ebike folder for the commute, and [2] a 29" or large framed mountain ebike for the canal towpaths and occasional blue run at the forestry commission mountain bike centres.

The first folding ebike to catch my eye was the Urban Mover, seem to recall it was called the UM30, and it was imported into the UK by Claud Butler Cycles - this folder was 18kg with the battery, but the battery capacity seemed very low by comparison to other folders and probably only suitable for short commutes of 10 miles or so.

Also aware, Kudos offer two top spec 29" mountain bikes which are suitable for the taller rider.

My Giant mountain bikes (a hard tail bike and a full suspension bike) are kept in my brother-in-laws garage for the Sunday morning canal towpath rides. These could easily be replaced with an electric mountain bike, and an additional small ebike folder could sit easily in the boot of our car - so the storage issue will be OK

Obviously, would still prefer just one ebike to cover all the requirements if it is possible, but understand the weight and size of the Zephyr B might be an issue when commuting.

Once again, thanks for your prompt and very informative advice.

Best regards

John H

 

[Boss]

Good Afternoon Gaz. Thanks for your message. You are very welcome to join us on our Sunday morning rides.... It's just me and my brother-in-law. Will be up in Carlisle next weekend visiting family and friends, but should be OK for the Dudley No.2 Canal towpath ride the following weekend.

Going to Google "Mosso", now to see what type of ebike you own.

Best regards

John H

 

[flecc]

After this posting I decided to investigate the rules about bikes on trains and buses,it's very ambiguous.......

This webpage on the A to B site gives all the detailed information on travelling with a bike on the various rail company routes in the UK.
.

 

[rippedupno1]

Excellent John, if you look back at my previous posts i did a review on the Mosso, with pics