Looking for a Road/Gravel eBike with/without Throttle

[Sanditude]

Hi Guys,

Please could someone recommend a good eBike each with and without Throttle in UK? I am not looking for full-blown eMTBs, just Road/Gravel bikes that can also climb some minimal hill terrain.

Budget can be upto circa GBP 1500 for a decent-built bike.

Also hope its Motor capacity shouldn't exceed 250W to make it road legal as a Pedelec in UK? or has the 2016 rules changed since..

Thanks in advance,
Sandy.

 

[Nealh]

2016 rules haven't changed much, there is now a legal route for twist and go throttle on a pedelec but the bike needs type approval testing to make it legal. No helmets /plates etc,etc.

 

[Nealh]

E-road or e-gravel for sub £1500 isn't going to happen tbh, you will almost certainly be looking for a hub hybrid bike for that money.

 

[Sanditude]

Thanks for the replies, Nealh. Clears a lot of air for me; appreciate it!

 

[Nealh]

That said I bought a Pinnacle arkose 2 from evans for £800 and added the Revos friction drive kit to the bike with 208wh battery for a 25 miles range a 2nd one gives me a nice 50 mile outing.

 

[Sanditude]

Ah nice. So basically converted a normal bike to ebike (kinda). Looks a good idea to me.

Thanks for the tip about that drive kit too.

 

[cyclebuddy]

There's the Carrera Crossroad, available in Large frame for £1000. You'll likely get better if you spend your full budget, but the reviews suggest it's fair value.

Carrera Crossroad Electric Bike - L | Halfords UK

Plenty of reasonable reviews on it such as these:

Carrera Crossroad e-road bike review | Cyclist
Carrera Crossroad Electric first ride review - BikeRadar
Carrera Crossroad E | electric bike reviews, buying advice and news - ebiketips

 

[Nealh]

My Gravel bike Arkose 2 set up for day touring with Revos drive.

Vachery / Chelwood Gate
dscf0980-jpg.32068 (640×480) (pedelecs.co.uk)

Ardingly Reservoir.
dscf0976-jpg.32067 (640×480) (pedelecs.co.uk)

 

[vfr400]

You have to weigh up a few factors with those Halfords ebikes, which have the Suntour electrics, like that Carrera Crossroads. The price is good and they're lovely bikes when they're going, but sadyly, that's often not too long, depending on how and where you ride them. The torque sensor arrangement is just not up to the job. It'll give problems sooner or later. Riding in winter or wet conditions will most likely shorten its life substantially. If you only ride on sunny days, it'll probably last much longer. The whole unit costs about £250 to replace, or if the seal is still in good condition, the torque sensor on its own is about £35, and it's fairly easy to fit if you're used to weilding spanners.

I don't know if that bike uses the same motor connector as the Crossfire, though I'd guess it does. That connector is also very problematic.

Finally, the anti-rotation device for the motor also seems to break a lot and they're difficult to find.

Any of the above problems will mean that your bike will be off the road for weeks at a time, as it seems from forum posts that Halfords haven't a clue how to fix them or where to get the parts. If the warranty has finished, they don't help at all.

None of these problems are deal-breakers if you're good at fixing things and know where to get the parts. At £1000 plus £250 every 2 years for a new crank-set, that Crossroad bike is still good value as long as you don't have to rely on somebody else to fix it.

 

[sjpt]

At £1000 plus £250 every 2 years for a new crank-set, that Crossroad bike is still good value as long as you don't have to rely on somebody else to fix it.

and if spare crank-sets are still available after a few years.

 

[cyclebuddy]

Parts availability will be a problem for many as the tech improves at ever increasing speeds...

As for Halfords; this morning in The Guardian:

"Most bicycle retailers have had to cope with long waiting lists for some machines. Halfords, which imports its bikes from Europe and Asia, has had trouble keeping up with soaring demand during the pandemic...

It faces mounting online competition for sales from the likes of Amazon, fitness equipment retailer Wiggle and online spares distributor Euro Car Parts, and has decided to shift its focus to services in the long run...

The company sees a lucrative opportunity in servicing electric cars, bikes and scooters, and has embarked on a major training programme for its mechanics."

Halfords on a roll as Britons ride out the pandemic on bikes and in cars (msn.com)