Light e bike review

[timmy]

Hi

Light ebike advice much appreciated

New to site. I hired an ebike in france and loved it. However, it was far to heavy to lift when I had to. I am exhausted trying to find a light bike (under 23kg only)
with a removable battery
Around 500 ah or more
I live in an area that is blessed with bike trails, bit gravelly, and want to use on road too. So needs to be hybrid with puncture resistant tyres and ideally fairly wide. I am not a mountain biker, but the odd flatter woodland trails I would not wish to rule out.
Budget 1500 to 2000.

So far I have seen one bike wisper tailwind comfort (pannier rack, lights, mudguards pack), and will upgrade to suspension forks, that they have on trail version. It will come in at around 2.4 to 2.5k. I've seen it cheaper but need to use cycle scheme to purchase. 22kg with all upgrade options. I am 164 cm tall and inside leg is 78cm (long legs short body!) My only concern is it's a 19 inch frame, which is fine for legs, not so sure about reach. Cant try the low cross bar version as not in stock.

Than I saw the gin x e bike. Frame a bit smaller, battery 614ah and price 1k!. Seems to have cables on show, battery close to ground, worried about water ingress and how to protect.

Has anyone had experience of these bikes. Or can recommend another that fits my spec. Would love torque sensor, but feel that may be out of price range.

Looking for two bikes one low crossbar or step through, one normal crossbar.

All advice welcomed.

 

[Peter.Bridge]

The Faro | Very Lightweight Electric Bikes from Woosh

The Faro: very lightweight road electric bike from Woosh with hydraulic brakes and in-frame 36V 8AH battery or 20AH external battery.

wooshbikes.co.uk

 

[timmy]

The Faro | Very Lightweight Electric Bikes from Woosh

The Faro: very lightweight road electric bike from Woosh with hydraulic brakes and in-frame 36V 8AH battery or 20AH external battery.

wooshbikes.co.uk

Thanks

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Hi

Light ebike advice much appreciated

New to site. I hired an ebike in france and loved it. However, it was far to heavy to lift when I had to. I am exhausted trying to find a light bike (under 23kg only)
with a removable battery
Around 500 ah or more
I live in an area that is blessed with bike trails, bit gravelly, and want to use on road too. So needs to be hybrid with puncture resistant tyres and ideally fairly wide. I am not a mountain biker, but the odd flatter woodland trails I would not wish to rule out.
Budget 1500 to 2000.

So far I have seen one bike wisper tailwind comfort (pannier rack, lights, mudguards pack), and will upgrade to suspension forks, that they have on trail version. It will come in at around 2.4 to 2.5k. I've seen it cheaper but need to use cycle scheme to purchase. 22kg with all upgrade options. I am 164 cm tall and inside leg is 78cm (long legs short body!) My only concern is it's a 19 inch frame, which is fine for legs, not so sure about reach. Cant try the low cross bar version as not in stock.

Than I saw the gin x e bike. Frame a bit smaller, battery 614ah and price 1k!. Seems to have cables on show, battery close to ground, worried about water ingress and how to protect.

Has anyone had experience of these bikes. Or can recommend another that fits my spec. Would love torque sensor, but feel that may be out of price range.

Looking for two bikes one low crossbar or step through, one normal crossbar.

All advice welcomed.

Hi, thanks for considering Tailwind. We can free of charge change the stem to an adjustable and the bars to more swept bock reducing the reach.

All the best, David

 

[Bikes4two]

Good luck with your hunt @timmy - and you are getting your Watt-hours and Amp-hours mixed up (the figures you've given are Watt-hours not amp-hours)

Watt-hours is simply the nominal battery voltage multiplied by the Amp-hours of the battery e.g. 36v x 10Ah = 360Wh

 

[Crazylegs1892]

Hope I'm allowed to post on this thread.

I've applied for my work Cycle to work scheme and it's been approved today.

My fiancée has a Wisper Wayfarer h7 which is a brilliant bike albeit very heavy. I've narrowed my choice to a Wisper Tailwind Comfort Low Crossbar or a Ribble Urban al e Trail which is a tad lighter again than the Tailwind but doesn't have anywhere near the same battery capacity as the Wisper. I'm also thinking of getting the Throttle only option but was wondering if it's worth it or not?

I do like my fiancée's bike albeit a bike with a torque sensor rather than a cadence sensor would be preferable but I think I'd be happy with the Tailwind as it's a fair bit lighter than the Wayfarer.

Any other recommendations out there?

 

[guerney]

I'm also thinking of getting the Throttle only option but was wondering if it's worth it or not?

I'm probably not allowed on this thread, but if you can afford it, I think an unequivocally legal throttle would be nice thing to have on your pre-built bike for hill starts, fast starts etc. I've removed my throttle in case I encounter cops who don't know that the law doesn't apply to throttles on converted bikes, but I do miss it.

 

[Benjahmin]

In an electric bike, weight is not the problem it is in analogue bikes. You have electric assistance to help you overcome it. In general, the bigger the battery the more range and the less strain on the battery equating to longer life. Of course this means a heavier bike.
Throttle only on an EAPC is illegal in the UK, it must have either cadence sensing or torque sensing when the pedals are rotated. You can have your whisper type approved by the manufacturer (making it legal) to have a twist and go throttle but at extra cost.

 

[georgehenry]

https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/products/electric-bike-haibike-trekking-4-2022-mid-yamaha?variant=42482862194926

The mighty Yamaha crank drive, 500Wh battery, Hydraulic brakes, 9 speed system that is much less expensive to maitain. All for £2,000. Mudguards, rack and integral lights.

 

[sjpt]

In an electric bike, weight is not the problem it is in analogue bikes.

Almost true while riding it, but not the case if you have to lug it anywhere.

A perfectly strong friend has recently bought an ebike to permit her to do a 15 mile each way commute she couldn't do on a regular bike. While testing different bikes she came to a conclusion that goes counter to most general advice. With a battery on the down tube she had difficulty lifting the front of the bike to make room for a passer by while we were chatting on the pavement. Same walking it from road to pavement. Similar bikes with rack batteries didn't pose any problem.

She really honed down what she needed till it seemed there were no bikes to suit. In the end a Gazelle Orange C8 hit every point.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

That’s a great observation!

As you know we make rack battery bikes, in-frame hub and mid-drive bikes. For a couple of years we’ve been discussing reducing our range by putting the rack battery bikes to bed. The problem is that they are still very popular, indeed our rack battery bikes have continued to be our best sellers, and hub drives are still more popular than mid drives, mainly I think due to the much lower maintenance time and costs. That said the Tailwind hub drive range is growing rapidly and will catch the Traditional range next year in terms of % of sales, but many, many people still prefer rack batteries and sales numbers are still growing.

Counter intuitively, instead of mothballing the rack battery “traditional” range, we are in the process of upgrading these bikes In other quite basic areas-but leaving the battery where it is.

If any bike is going to be dropped in the foreseeable future it will be the mid drive. We’ve found when people try both, one after the other they nearly always go for the hub drive! Go figure!!

All the best, David

 

[Benjahmin]

If any bike is going to be dropped in the foreseeable future it will be the mid drive. We’ve found when people try both, one after the other they nearly always go for the hub drive! Go figure!!

Could it be that the torque system (whilst claimed to have a more 'Natural' feel by many), when ridden in direct comparison with a pas hub, actually doesn't give as much of the bionic legs feel?
Intuitivly rack batteries look more able to be replaced should the need arise.

 

[saneagle]

Could it be that the torque system (whilst claimed to have a more 'Natural' feel by many), when ridden in direct comparison with a pas hub, actually doesn't give as much of the bionic legs feel?
Intuitivly rack batteries look more able to be replaced should the need arise.

Crank-drive bikes are just marketing hype as far as utility bikes are concerned. What people want is some assistance when they ride their bike to the shops or work. They don't really care about how they get it.

It's a bit like the covid vaccines. "They" told everyone how great it was, so everybody went out and got it, telling everybody else how great it was. They even rushed out to get repeat jabs and boosters, and they nearly all caught covid more than once, yet they can't wait for the next dose. The same as any religion, if you give people enough hype, they'll swallow it. When you put simple logic in front of them that they got the virus three times despite being jabbed three times, they can't accept it. It's just the way people are, and why they'll tell you that their crank drive bike was the right choice for them. As long as they're happy, I'm happy.

 

[Woosh]

I got 3 jabs, 3 different makes, caught covid 3 times. All very mild, no worse than a bad cold. Guess I would never know if the vaccines are worth the hype.

 

[Peter.Bridge]

I got 3 jabs, 3 different makes, caught covid 3 times. All very mild, no worse than a bad cold. Guess I would never know if the vaccines are worth the hype.

Deaths by vaccination status, England - Office for National Statistics

Age-standardised mortality rates for deaths involving coronavirus (COVID-19), non-COVID-19 deaths and all deaths by vaccination status, broken down by age group.

www.ons.gov.uk

 

[Dadam]

Off the shelf bikes using the Mahle eBikemotion system are generally light, but the assist is also very light, so they're popular in e-road bikes like the Orbea Gain. So you will need to put in some effort to get up steep hills, even on max assist. Worth looking at the Raleigh Trace and Orbea Vibe though if you're ok with "getting a workout but not a heart attack" Looks like the Vibe is around 2-2.5k and the Trace for 1600-1800. There's also the bikes from Halfords like the Subway E at 18kg ish and £1149. I've no experience of those bikes though.

I'd also say you don't really need suspension forks for light trails. They add weight and the cheaper spring ones aren't great. You can lock out better ones for roads but then you're carrying around the weight for nothing. If the terrain isn't too rocky, better to just have reasonable rubber like 35/40mm gravel or mixed surface tyres so you can run lower pressures which will soak up the smaller bumps and potholes better than forks.

 

[Crazylegs1892]

Thanks for the information mate I appreciate it.

I've already ordered a Wisper Tailwind Comfort which should be here soon. My LBS had one in stock, I can't get over how light it is in comparison to my fiancée's Wisper Wayfarer. Really looking forward to getting the bike and getting using it!

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Thanks for the information mate I appreciate it.

I've already ordered a Wisper Tailwind Comfort which should be here soon. My LBS had one in stock, I can't get over how light it is in comparison to my fiancée's Wisper Wayfarer. Really looking forward to getting the bike and getting using it!

Thanks for the business! I do hope you enjoy. Please send pics and let me know how you get on.

All the best, David

 

[soundwave]

View attachment 53680

Deaths by vaccination status, England - Office for National Statistics

Age-standardised mortality rates for deaths involving coronavirus (COVID-19), non-COVID-19 deaths and all deaths by vaccination status, broken down by age group.

www.ons.gov.uk

dont worry more toxic crap on the way and lock downs for Christmas house prices crashing through the floor debt at record levels interest rates will remain high for years to come smart tvs ect can be remote turned off and that new fully charged electric car out side can be drained flat in a power cut.

oh and dont even think about a wood burnig stove burn more than 3g per hr and fines from £150-350 per hour

 

[Crazylegs1892]

Thanks for the business! I do hope you enjoy. Please send pics and let me know how you get on.

All the best, David

Thanks David, it was a lot lighter than I was expecting when I held it. I'm really looking forward to getting it, I imagine We Cycle will have it ready next week I'd have thought.

Do you think you'll ever make the move to 29" or 700cc wheels on your bikes? Is the Tailwind able to accommodate a larger wheel in future or is set at 27.5 only?