London Calling.....

Heckler

Just Joined
Apr 19, 2018
2
2
London UK
Hi,

I've been an occasional lurker on this forum for about a year or so while i've been thinking about going the e-Bike route. I've been an on and off (unassisted) cycle commuter in London for the past 20 odd plus years and considering an e-Bike or more likely a kit upgrade to give me a little help now i'm getting a bit older and because i just fancy the idea.

I've had a few test rides of e-Bikes; a Bulls full suspension, a Gtech and another one that had a Bosch mid drive, the make escapes me now. And will probably try a few more but my mind is largely made up to build my own.

Hello and thanks.
 
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Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
2,601
1,755
70
West Wales
If you like the bike you've got, go for it. You end up with a bike you know well and components that can be changed/renewed by yourself. Unlike the Bosch and Yamaha systems where you are tied in to their parts and labour costs. If a Bosch motor fails (and they do) all your supplier can do is remove and send it back to Germany to await a replacement, leaving you without a bike for....... well as long as it takes really.
 
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Heckler

Just Joined
Apr 19, 2018
2
2
London UK
If you like the bike you've got, go for it. You end up with a bike you know well and components that can be changed/renewed by yourself. Unlike the Bosch and Yamaha systems where you are tied in to their parts and labour costs. If a Bosch motor fails (and they do) all your supplier can do is remove and send it back to Germany to await a replacement, leaving you without a bike for....... well as long as it takes really.

many thanks. Yes, I'm reasonably sure I'm going to use my much beloved late 90's Santa Cruz Heckler that I've owned from new as the base for my build, it's a great bike, well built, in good nick and it has a certain retro charm about it and of course I really enjoy riding it, it's gone from being the only bike i owned to now my weekend toy. I guess i could use one of my other bikes but my Fuji Sportif is my daily ride and my old Specialized Allez which was my previous daily ride is destined to be converted in to a pub bike.

I'll put a new post up in the next day or so with my thoughts on what i want to build and invite comment and advice.

thanks again, this is exactly the sort of help i think i'm going to need. :)