Is there any good reason not to buy a Greenway E16M106?

[Damian.Doherty]

Hi All,

I keep changing my mind about which electric bike to get....the latest one which has caught my eye is this Greenway bike:

http://greenwaycycles.co.uk/electric/76-electric-mountain-bike-7426818350473.html

I have been considering a Pedelease Fat Bike cause I just like the look of them but having read a few posts on here I think I should be a little more sensible and buy an actual mountain bike.

I should explain, this bike will be bought mainly for my daily commute, 2 miles downhill in the morning and 2 miles uphill in the evening.

So the Greenway (in my humble opinion) is the best looking mountain bike I've seen for the money.

Before I hit the button.......is there any reason you fine folk can give me not to buy that bike or is there something even cooler for similar money?

Thanks!

 

[redcup1999]

In my opinon that is a very nice looking sensibly priced bike. Delivery is £20 IIRC from Greenway. Greenway customer service is very good to sort problems, but when I ordered mine, the website / ordering process wasn't up to much.

An extra £130 (including delivery) gets you the Woosh Rio FB:
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?rio-fb

This gives you hydraulic brakes (front and rear), higher capacity battery and rack and guards already fitted for commuting. Also the Fat Boy look that you may like.

Both bikes will easily do the job you need

 

[Damian.Doherty]

Someone here at work reminded me that we are on the Cycle to Work Scheme.....I contacted Greenway and they said they can also accept a bike purchase through this scheme.

However....this has now made me seriously consider the Oxygen S-Cross from Halfords....its twice the price but there is a Halfords 5 minutes from my house.

But I think the Greenway looks better (not by much)....and has a slightly bigger battery...

They both have the same 8fun 250W geared hub motor...

The screen on the Oxygen is way better

I'm assuming they can both be unlocked to do around 20mph? I know the Greenway can...

Decisions, decisions!

 

[RobF]

For two miles - unless you work on top of a mountain - a push bike would be a lot simpler.

You wouldn't be messing around charging and being at the mercy of dodgy Chinese electrics and batteries.

A push bike would be almost as quick in one direction, albeit you would have to plod home.

Your budget would get you a very decent, low maintenance push bike with a much better spec than any ebike for the same money.

 

[Damian.Doherty]

Rob, you're not wrong, I do have Carrera Zelos and I do cycle in as often as I can. Going to work is great fun.....coming home not so much!

This is as much a treat as it is another commuter bike.

I fancy a new gadget!

As for dodgy Chinese electrics, they both have Bafang motor which I believe to be quite reputable, and the Greenway uses a Panasonic battery.

I'm so close to hitting the buton on the Greenway....but cant seem to find a throttle.

Does anyone know if it also has a throttle?

 

[Croxden]

Now if you just fancy a new gadget then ignore the common sense, otherwise you'll just feel guilty.

You are going to get one, you are week like me and most of the others on here.

 

[Damian.Doherty]

See.......Croxden understands me!

 

[Nealh]

There is no throttle fitted. The controller is integrated at the base of the battery by the looks of things and is probably a nano state controller, all wiring will be direct to the pcb and will have no spare wire connectors as with a lot of stand alone controllers.
Colour scheme not unlike a Haibike.

 

[philliptjohnson]

My understanding of cycle2work scheme used by Halfords is that you can only go up to 1000 pounds and you cannot add to this (the bike doesn't belong to you until you make a final payment at the end of the scheme. Adding to the thousand you 'borrow' for a more expensive bike would imply part ownership by you and part ownership by the company you work for which complicates things too much so it's not allowed. The letter of collection you get states this). Possibly not of interest to you but Halfords do the Carrera crossfire e for 999 if bought on the cycle2work scheme (normally 1200)

 

[Volusia25]

I second the normal pushbike idea. Seems like a hell of a lot of money to spend for such a short commute

 

[anotherkiwi]

Long story...

I used to walk 3.6 km to my boat, sometimes twice a day, with all my gear on my back. A friend felt sorry for me and gave me a bike he had in his attic. So off I went on the bike. But there is a hill! And one day I got fed up of pushing the bike up the hill so I joined this site. The rest, as they say, is history...

It isn't the length of the commute it is the difficulty. I think a pedelec has its place in every home. You may not think you need one really but the day you really do boy does it come in handy. And all you folk with cars and pedelecs, what do you still have a car for?

 

[Woosh]

And all you folk with cars and pedelecs, what do you still have a car for?

I use the car once a week, I use my pedelec every day.
(I ride every day to the post office only 300 yards from our shop because the bike has a front basket).

 

[Damian.Doherty]

There is no throttle fitted. The controller is integrated at the base of the battery by the looks of things and is probably a nano state controller, all wiring will be direct to the pcb and will have no spare wire connectors as with a lot of stand alone controllers.
Colour scheme not unlike a Haibike.

On further inspection I also noted the absence of a throttle....I emailed Greenway last night to confirm and ask if there is the option to add one...

I really like the look of the Oxygen S-Cross MTB, currently a web exclusive on the Halfords site for £1499...I will have to see if the £1000 limit is correct.

Maybe the limit depends on the store because I'm fairly sure I remember a girl in my work getting a bike for around £3000 and getting quite a bit of it.

That was at least 2 years ago though!

I also agree that a push bike would suffice, I rode to work today as a matter of fact. But the unrelenting two mile up hill home is already on my mind.....and its still 8 hours away!

I used to ride a lot when I was a teenager, the hill I'm complaining about now I barely would have noticed when in my younger days.

An electric bike could make the difference of cycling once or twice a week as I'm doing now (sometimes once a month) and cycling everyday.

And yes......I also just like the idea of having a gadget! Maybe I'll go for an electric skateboard instead!

 

[redcup1999]

On further inspection I also noted the absence of a throttle....I emailed Greenway last night to confirm and ask if there is the option to add one...

I suggest calling them instead - they didn't used to be too good at responding to emails sent via the contact form on the website.

 

[basicasic]

I use the car once a week, I use my pedelec every day.
(I ride every day to the post office only 300 yards from our shop because the bike has a front basket).

Same for me. I use my car once a week to do a big shop and use my ebike every day for anything else; and I could probably do the shopping on the bike too truth be known.

As another poster has stated even for short journeys (where an ordinary bike might do) they are well worth it especially if there is a hill involved.

 

[Damian.Doherty]

I agree Redcup, I emailed yesterday at about 11am, I got a reply at 5.45pm

However I did get an email straight back at 10.30am this morning.

They say that the bike does not have a throttle as they are no longer legal and this is the 2017 model. However you can de-restrict the bike allowing pedal assist up to 40 kph (25 mph) approximately.

I have emailed back asking if the controller has an extra port or connection to allowed me to add a throttle after I buy the bike......I'm guessing not.

Do you guys use the throttle much? I expect I will be pedaling most of the time anyway so maybe not having a throttle isn't such a bad thing.

It would also help not having a throttle if the cops decide to take an interest....

 

[Rupert1]

I agree Redcup, I emailed yesterday at about 11am, I got a reply at 5.45pm

However I did get an email straight back at 10.30am this morning.

They say that the bike does not have a throttle as they are no longer legal and this is the 2017 model. However you can de-restrict the bike allowing pedal assist up to 40 kph (25 mph) approximately.

I have emailed back asking if the controller has an extra port or connection to allowed me to add a throttle after I buy the bike......I'm guessing not.

Do you guys use the throttle much? I expect I will be pedaling most of the time anyway so maybe not having a throttle isn't such a bad thing.

It would also help not having a throttle if the cops decide to take an interest....

I am an ebike novice but like a throttle, I find it usefull when making hill starts. As for the cops stopping you it will not happen. Ignore the cheap Chinese electrics jibe, some people just like living in the past.

 

[Damian.Doherty]

Philip you are absolutely correct, there is a £1000 limit for the Cycle to Work Scheme

However, there are two schemes:

http://www.bike2workscheme.co.uk/

and

https://www.cycle2work.info/

The Cycle to Work does have a limit of £1000, but the Bike 2 Work doesn't have a limit that I've found just yet....

I'm still investigating!

 

[Damian.Doherty]

This is from Bike 2 Work FAQs

Is there a maximum spending?

Employees can spend between £1 - £1,000. If Employees wish to purchase items over the £1,000 limit they can add their own money to the order, however, this will not form part of their salary sacrifice and therefore they would only make savings on the £1,000. All equipment will remain the property of the Employer during the hire agreement, regardless if an Employee has added their own money. If a company wishes to allow Employees to purchase equipment over the £1,000 limit and make savings on the whole amount, they will need limited permission from the Financial Conduct Authority.

I had an email back from Dom at Cycle to Work who said that you cannot add your own money if you wished to buy a bike that was above £1000

 

[Tabs]

I use the throttle constantly, it's very handy when your in traffic.