Hi John from Norwich

[Labrador]

Hi, I've got to an age when the time has come to go for an electric bike. I have been looking for a while now and every time I find something I like within my budget (£500) it transpires that they advise not time be used in the wet. I have now upped my budget to £600 odd.
I found a bike that looks very good, Whoosh Sant Ana. Is this bike suitable for use in the wet? I will be using it for going to work, so I cannot pick and choose when I use it.
Cheers

John

 

[trex]

the £625 Santana has the controller box below the battery, making it prone to be flooded if you ride your bike into a puddle. The water dripping from the downtube can also follow the wiring by gravity and gets inside the box.

The Santana CD does not have this problem, but is a bit more expensive. The controller is between the saddle and the battery.

Santana



Santana CD / Santana CDL



Both are good commuters, with Kevlar tyres. The CDs have 15AH batteries and crank drive, much better for hills and long commutes (40-50 mile trips).

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Most electric bikes are OK to use in a shower, but leaving them out in heavy rain is risky. In China, there's people riding electric bikes everywhere, probably as their main means of transport. It rains there just like here, and when it rains, nearly every rider puts on a cape (poncho) that covers the front and back of the bike too. It works for them, and they're the cycling nation of the world, so it should work for us. I can't understand why cyclists over here don't do the same because capes were very commonl here back in the '50s and '60s. A cape will protect your electrics when you're riding it, but if you're going to leave it out in the rain, you probably need to spend a lot more.

 

[D C]

Capes, along with umbrellas are excellent if there's no wind!
Dave.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Capes, along with umbrellas are excellent if there's no wind!
Dave.

There's wind in China too!

It rained for a few days during our last visit. I'd say that 95% of the thousands of cyclists and motorcyclists that we saw were using capes.

 

[Labrador]

There's wind in China too!

It rained for a few days during our last visit. I'd say that 95% of the thousands of cyclists and motorcyclists that we saw were using capes.

 

[Labrador]

Thanks all, gives me food for thought.

John

 

[flecc]

There's wind in China too!

It rained for a few days during our last visit. I'd say that 95% of the thousands of cyclists and motorcyclists that we saw were using capes.

And just as windy here in the UK when much of this country cycled sixty and more years ago, all using capes when it rained. A good cycling cape drapes well down in front of the handlebar stem and well below saddle level at the rear, both helping to keep it down in wind.

 

[Croxden]

If I remember right, my first cape was oil skin and generally stayed put. A later, lighter one was prone to wind disturbance but was not as heavy and easily folded or rolled up.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

While I was in China, I got a Chinese one for about a fiver to bring back. It's much heavier than the £10 Wilko and Aldi ones. Maybe there's a business opportunity for someone to import them.

 

[D C]

There's wind in China too!

It rained for a few days during our last visit. I'd say that 95% of the thousands of cyclists and motorcyclists that we saw were using capes.

Ah but there's wind and then there's Scottish Highlands wind. Sometimes it's so windy that the rain can't land, that's why most years round here we have a lower recorded rainfall than London.

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

Hi John,

You are welcome to visit us for a free test ride. We are not far away plus you can sample some excellent fish and chips.

Good luck with the search!

David

 

[Labrador]

Hi David,
Thanks for the offer, may well take you up on that.
John