Lifespan of ownership

[Bobajob]

These questions are addressed not to us new owners who are behind the game, but to those who have seen the light many years ago.

I usually keep stuff for longer than I should especially cars where I end up refurbishing most of the car in the end.

Questions
How long do you keep your ebike?
(This can include)
wrong choice,
Worn out,
Fancy a change,
New modern technological advances
Change of type
Etc., etc.

 

[Benjahmin]

My first conversion was a silver fox hybrid, which was origionally my wifes bike. I rode it for about a year but found the steel blade forks too harsh on our wonderful rural roads. So bought the Carrera in my avatar and put the kit on that, had it about 4 years now and the kit around 5. I've had the battery re-celled once and done few minor wiring repairs. Added a hyraulic front brake, lights etc.
I do sometimes 'fancy a change' but know that, in the end, it will do the same job so why spend?
I do tend to repair if possible. I come from that generation that finds throwing things away distressing.
Recently changed my car, bought second hand, after 10 years and 179,000 miles, when the repairs were getting a bit too frequent.
Not woo'd by new technologies. My experience is that the more 'convenient' some thing claims to be, the higher the fault liability and, with modern stuff, the less repairable.
Guess I'm just an old git!

 

[Jimo]

I am the same with m/c’s, cars, caravan and boat, the latter I had for 38 years before medical problems made it impossible to keep, one of my motorcycles I’ve had for 50+ years, others for just a few years at the moment but like Benjamin I just can’t part with stuff - prob a ‘collector maniac’ ? But old stuff was better made in those days - bit like me having reached 82 and not out !
My health is improving glad to say after 2 h/a’s + 10 stents, will soon be riding my re-celled Quartz e- bike with any luck.

Jim

 

[trevor brooker]

These questions are addressed not to us new owners who are behind the game, but to those who have seen the light many years ago.

I usually keep stuff for longer than I should especially cars where I end up refurbishing most of the car in the end.

Questions
How long do you keep your ebike?
(This can include)
wrong choice,
Worn out,
Fancy a change,
New modern technological advances
Change of type
Etc., etc.

I had my first ebike for 5 years.

I thought that was long enough for me to decide what I needed in an ebike & prove to myself that life without a car as your primary method of transport is possible.

I am now more adventurous with my replacement ebike, having the confidence to adapt & improve, such as add lights from the main battery.

I anticipate that I will just keep updating this bike from now on.

 

[Nealh]

My current regular use /daily bike is 7 years old and a kit bike converted 5 and a bit years ago it has seen 3 or 4 different motors on it and other bits and bobs, the two batteries are now into their sixth year and expect they may see me another 2 - 3 years of use. Once they have expired I may decide to treat my self to my first OEM e-bike.
I'm on the side of if it isn't broken don't fix it, the same with my car I hold on to them for about 15 years and buying new doesn't do anything for me. End of the day they are just a tool/machine to do a job.

 

[vfr400]

Good question. I went through about 20 bikes in my first few years, while I tried out every type of bike, motor and concept until I found my ebiking nirvana, which I've now kept for six and a half years. I still keep trying a few new concepts and technologies, but I've found nothing that can cause me to give up my favourite, even though I have no financial constraints. I have reliability, comfort, low running cost, range, convenience, speed when I want it, more than enough power, all in a relatively light-weight easy to manage package. Other bikes can score higher in some of those characteristics, but none can score highly in all of them.

 

[cyclebuddy]

If I make the right choice in the first place, I'll usually keep anything going so long as it A) still does what I want/need it to do and B) is economically viable to repair. I've owned both bikes and cars for as long as 20+ years, and wrong choices (both bikes and cars) that were sold on in as little as a couple of weeks. Stuff I'm really happy with I've tended to look after which may help explain why it lasts as long as it does.

 

[RichB]

Good question. I went through about 20 bikes in my first few years, while I tried out every type of bike, motor and concept until I found my ebiking nirvana, which I've now kept for six and a half years. I still keep trying a few new concepts and technologies, but I've found nothing that can cause me to give up my favourite, even though I have no financial constraints. I have reliability, comfort, low running cost, range, convenience, speed when I want it, more than enough power, all in a relatively light-weight easy to manage package. Other bikes can score higher in some of those characteristics, but none can score highly in all of them.

Vfr,
What is your set up/bike, is it homemade?
Just being nosey really but you give out some great advice on here so was interested in what you ride?
Thanks,

 

[Woosh]

I have reliability, comfort, low running cost, range, convenience, speed when I want it, more than enough power, all in a relatively light-weight easy to manage package. Other bikes can score higher in some of those characteristics, but none can score highly in all of them.

None?
Are you sure about that?

 

[vfr400]

Vfr,
What is your set up/bike, is it homemade?
Just being nosey really but you give out some great advice on here so was interested in what you ride?
Thanks,

Here's the bike after I first built it. The motor was soon after changed to a 36v 201 rpm Q128C (actually 260rpm, which goes to 338 rpm at 48v). Controller is a 48v 14A KT. Battery is 48v 11.6Ah. Everything came from Ebay, except the electrical stuff starting with the bare frame. Total cost at time of building was around £1100. Total cost since then is about £30 if you don't include the White lightning chain lube that was a complete waste of time. Around 5,500 miles so far, which works out at about 2p per mile if I scrapped it tomorrow, or less than 1p per mile if I sold the bike tomorrow.


Here's what I started with.

None?
Are you sure about that?

None that I've found.

 

[RichB]

Cheers Vfr, looks good.
I like that frame, great shape for building a full sus e bike with plenty of room for the battery still. I've often thought of building a full sus'er (for the comfort, not for going off road) and struggle to find a frame that accommodates rear suspension and a decent size battery.

 

[KirstinS]

Here's the bike after I first built it. The motor was soon after changed to a 36v 201 rpm Q128C (actually 260rpm, which goes to 338 rpm at 48v). Controller is a 48v 14A KT. Battery is 48v 11.6Ah. Everything came from Ebay, except the electrical stuff starting with the bare frame. Total cost at time of building was around £1100. Total cost since then is about £30 if you don't include the White lightning chain lube that was a complete waste of time. Around 5,500 miles so far, which works out at about 2p per mile if I scrapped it tomorrow, or less than 1p per mile if I sold the bike tomorrow.
View attachment 33393

Here's what I started with.
View attachment 33394

None that I've found.

Without wishing to be needlessly difficult, this sort of supposition is a lawyers playground.

By which I mean only that everything depends on the definition one uses for "convenience" or "range" or *comfort" etc

So I'm quite sure VFR is right... Under his own definitions just a Woosh is under theirs

Cheers
Kirstin "United Nations" S

 

[Woosh]

Here's the bike after I first built it. The motor was soon after changed to a 36v 201 rpm Q128C (actually 260rpm, which goes to 338 rpm at 48v). Controller is a 48v 14A KT. Battery is 48v 11.6Ah. Everything came from Ebay, except the electrical stuff starting with the bare frame. Total cost at time of building was around £1100. Total cost since then is about £30 if you don't include the White lightning chain lube that was a complete waste of time. Around 5,500 miles so far, which works out at about 2p per mile if I scrapped it tomorrow, or less than 1p per mile if I sold the bike tomorrow.
View attachment 33393

Here's what I started with.
View attachment 33394

None that I've found.

what year was it when you built it?
Compared to ready built, the Q128C can be replaced now with lighter motor, battery is now integrated into the downtube, hidden or semi hidden but smooth profile like the new Wispers. All the wires are internally routed.

 

[D C]

Here's the bike after I first built it. The motor was soon after changed to a 36v 201 rpm Q128C (actually 260rpm, which goes to 338 rpm at 48v). Controller is a 48v 14A KT. Battery is 48v 11.6Ah. Everything came from Ebay, except the electrical stuff starting with the bare frame. Total cost at time of building was around £1100. Total cost since then is about £30 if you don't include the White lightning chain lube that was a complete waste of time. Around 5,500 miles so far, which works out at about 2p per mile if I scrapped it tomorrow, or less than 1p per mile if I sold the bike tomorrow.
View attachment 33393

Here's what I started with.
View attachment 33394

None that I've found.

I've never seen rear suspension topped of with a B67 before, absolute luxury!
Dave.

 

[vfr400]

Cheers Vfr, looks good.
I like that frame, great shape for building a full sus e bike with plenty of room for the battery still. I've often thought of building a full sus'er (for the comfort, not for going off road) and struggle to find a frame that accommodates rear suspension and a decent size battery.

These older Rocky mountains occasionally crop up on Ebay in various specs. I got a really good one once with everything Shimano XT for about £450. I've also seen some very over-priced. I think that they're always worth snapping up for conversion projects if you can get one for under£500. My frame was £175 IIRC.

 

[Woosh]

My frame was £175 IIRC.

that's a good find.