Looking for a folding bike good for hills.

[Nivag]

Hi all. Ive been riding an ebike (conversion on a MTB) for 12 years till it got trashed when someone tried to take the battery.
However, my needs have changed and I'm lookng for a folding ebike.
When i got my last bike there was not so much choice, however now i'm a bit overwhelmed by all the options.

I'm in south london, I'd like a bike from a shop i think so there is some support as I'm concerned about something going wrong with the electrics, or just damage from wear/and use.
However are there any online stores with reliable service - do people send the whold bike back by post for maintainance?

I was thinking of a less expensive bike to make losing it to vandalism / theft or accident less of a hit. and maybe less appealing to thievs too. is there any folding bike for a 6ft guy, good on hills, would also like a bike rack if poss.

I am also wary of the batteries bikes use, and a brand not making the bike or battery when it comes time to replace it. are there any standard batteries/designs used between brands and manufactures etc?

Thanks for any advice

 

[lenny]

so what is the new legislation?

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/battery-fires.46896/page-7#post-720723

 

[saneagle]

so what is the new legislation?

Safety rules for e-bikes to stop them from catching fire. We can guess what sort of things will be in them. Some or all of these:
1. Voltage specific connectors to stop people plugging a 48v charger into a 36v battery.
2. Charger tied to specific battery or battery type by comms, so that the charger only works for that type of battery.
3. EC testing and marking of all batteries.
4. Wires from the batteries have to be fixed and guarded (trunking).
5. System has to be tamper-proof. No possibility to swap controllers or batteries. Possibly to be locked by comms.
6. Only certified cells to be used.
7. Temperature control by BMS mandatory with at least two sensors.
etc.

 

[Nealh]

Might just mean no diy tampering of UK only OEM bikes but doesn't stop one from swapping out complete systems for a KT one . KT for instance aren't going to panda/adopt UK big brother do as I say reg's.

 

[Ghost1951]

And to think of it - In 1967, I was allowed to go to the garage with a pop bottle and a few pennies, fill it with volatile petrol, bring it back home and put it in my moped with an egg cup or two of oil and drive around on a noisy, smoking contraption to my heart's content. Vastly more fire prone, and nobody cared. More to the point - nobody was harmed.

Considering the very large number of battery powered devices in use, very little harm is happening now.

The so called Precautionary Principle which excites legislators so much these days is an absolute curse. No body must take any risk - even the police and rescue services. It is completely un-manly. I remember the case of a couple of kids that drowned while pcsos untrained in 'water' were said to have stood by unable to enter. The version of te story I heard is that a couple of pensioners chanced upon teh scene and got the kids out, but rather too late.

No doubt Peter will be along shortly to tell me that all I think I know is in fact a mistake.


EDIT:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/sep/21/1#:~:text=John%20Collinson%2C%2063%2C%20and%20Bert,who%20%22just%20stood%20there%22

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