Looking to buy an electric bike on a budget

[dawn]

Hello everyone,

I just found this site on google and it seems like a good place to ask what bikes you can suggest I look at around a budget of £500.

I have rheumatoid arthritis and it does flare up pretty bad in my knees from time to time hence my husband suggested getting an electric bike so I can still ride to the shops. I'm not looking for anything too fancy, but it needs to be comfortable and easy to use for a lady!

 

[flecc]

The Giant models have a reputation for reliability which I can vouch for as I've owned one for nearly four years and done no repairs other than the odd puncture. The current model is the Suede, but there's a new one due next year under another name. These won't climb very steep hills but handle moderate main road slopes with a little help from the rider. They are Step through ladies style frames, very stable and easy to ride, and around your £500 budget, and are marketed through Giant's cycle dealer agents. As befitting the name, Giant are the world's largest cycle manufacturer.

There are numerous cheap Chinese bikes around between £350 and £550 which are very poor, so don't be tempted by one of these unless you have an existing owner's proof of quality.

www.powacycle.co.uk/ are a company which seems to be making a name for itself and they have suitable models, but I know nothing of them otherwise.

I have an eZee Quando II folding electric bike which is a terrific shopping bike, low frame, small 20" wheels, and the power to climb most hills completely unaided, even when fully loaded with shopping, and it's proved to be a favourite with local ladies at the supermarket, one saying, "that's the best bicycle I've ever seen". It's major shopping advantage is that the small wheels put the two large panniers I've fitted very low down so it's stable even when loaded up with shopping. Those panniers together take four supermarket carrier bags full. It cruises at around 15 mph with a range of 15 miles. Comfort is superb with a large padded sprung saddle and fat tyres. The only problem is that you'll have to persuade your husband that it (and you) are worth £745. You can see my one in the second photo here:

http://users.tinyworld.co.uk/flecc/torq.html

or at the agents, 50 cycles, where you'll need to scroll down on the Quando page to see the II version. It's the Quando II you need, the suspended Quando I has only a small carrier and is not as suitable for heavy loads. Here's that link:

http://50cycles.com/

If having a puncture worries you, on any bike think about having a cycle dealer replace the tyres with Schwalbe Marathon Plus models which are almost completely puncture proof due to their special construction. One of mine has completed 3 years without one puncture and shows no signs of ever having one.

 

[dawn]

Hello Flecc

Thank you for your advice. We are quite keen on the PowaCycle and maybe the Curry Izip from 50 Cycles. Which of these would you say is better?

Thanks in advance

 

[flecc]

Both are good but in different ways. The slightly dearer Powacycle alloy frame bikes from Powacycle are quiet and quite refined, relatively light, moderate power which enables average hills to be handled with some pedal assistance.

The Currie Izip is a heavier steel framed bike and it's motor makes more noise, but is more powerful and will have slightly higher hill climbing ability despite it's greater weight.

Wherever possible, it's best to try out bikes that you're interested in, to see which suits you best. If you get in touch with the suppliers, they can often arrange a convenient location to try a bike out.

 

[at221]

I am planning to get a Quando II but it on the 50cycles website the price is 845 pounds. Where was it that you found it as cheap as 745 pounds?

 

[flecc]

It's the same at221.

I bought it with the NiMh battery which at that time was £150, the Li-ion battery at £250, and that's the one you're quoting, hence the extra £100.

Since then the NiMh battery has gone up to £175, so I would assume the Quando II with that would be £770 now.

50cycles are the sole source in the UK, and you could ask if they'll supply with the NiMh battery if you prefer that. The eZee bikes run with either battery.
.

 

[at221]

Thanks flecc for your reply. From your point of view which type of battery is better?

I am actually planning to get an eZee bike but am stuck at the decision between quando and liv. I will mainly use my bike daily to climb a 8-10% hill for about 2 km. I am pretty light (145 pounds).

I was just wondering if the Liv will be sufficient to climb that hill or will I have to go for the more expensive better hill climber Quando.

Cheers flecc

 

[flecc]

Either bike will do the climb ok at221, and the Quando wouldn't need you to pedal if you didn't feel like it. Unassisted the Quando would carry you up at around 7 to 9 mph, and if you decide to pedal a bit, 10 to 11 mph.

I can't be precise for the Liv since the only experience I've known of was with it's motor in a much heavier bike. It would definitely be ok with pedalling for that climb at a respectable speed.

On the battery choice, I have had trouble with lithium battery exhaustion on sustained climbs in my hilly area causing protection cut out operation with both Torq and Quando, so I always use the NiMh battery on my routes that have long hills. It's not the steepness of climbs but how long they go on that causes the problem, so with that lengthy climb of yours, NiMh is what I'd choose, since that won't cut out. The Liv comes with that anyway.

It's not that the Li-ion batteries are faulty, just their different characteristics. They start at a slightly higher voltage of nominally 37 volts, but drop that sharply under heavy load. The slightly lower voltage NiMh at 36 volts don't drop voltage so sharply under load, so don't get down to the protection cut out point of 32 volts as easily. In an area without very long hills I'd go for Li-ion, but not for where I am. The performance differences are small, and very small in hilly areas.
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[at221]

Looks like I will have to go for the MiNH battery!

Considering what you have said I am abit tempted to spend extra money on the Quando. Is this (according to 50cycles) the best hill climber available? Are there other cheaper alternatives? Even if their performance is slightless weaker than the Quando.

Thanks Lotz for your detailed replies flecc

 

[flecc]

You do need a little power for that climb at221, and it's mainly the eZee models that are powerful. There's been a trend by many manufacturers towards satisfying the large and all important Dutch market where the flat country suits low power and long range.

The powerful options left are some older designs like the Currie Electrodrive side rear wheel motor and the expensive Heinzmann, with only the eZee models and some expensive imports from the USA being up to date designs benefiting from newer technology.

The lower powered bikes will climb the 8/10% ok, but of course you will be doing more of the work to achieve that, so the performance will depend more on you.

So I still favour the Quando/Liv options. To help with that choice, the Liv has a powerful and proven but older design brush motor. It's a "proper" bike to cycle with a three speed hub.

The Quando is bang up to date with an extremely powerful Hall effect motor which does nearly all the work for you. It is a folder though, with narrow handlebars, albeit still a full bike length, and has only a single 70" gear. That means it's most comfortable to pedal at 9 to 13 mph. At slower speeds you'll be giving the pedal assist at a very slow turn rate (cadence), though it's rarely necessary to go slower than 9 mph due to the power.

At higher speeds you'll be spinning the pedals quite fast, about 15 mph being about the limit without looking like you're using an exerciser. Again, it's so capable that you will probably be happy for it to waft you along at 13/14 mph when there's a slight upslope or headwind. At other times it will be carrying you along at 15 to 17 mph. Makes you feel quite smug when other cyclists are encountered in adverse conditions. Safe too, since a cyclist who doesn't pedal seems to fascinate car drivers, little risk of them ignoring or hitting you when they are slowing down to look at the bike.
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[at221]

I actually cycled "manually" up that hill once and had to stop 3-4 times resting. Thats why im getting so excited about the Quando. I can't wait to "drive" on it up that never ending hill.

My main concern not is the durabily. Sometimes I have to drive in the rain, so will the parts of the bike wear off (especially folding) over a period of time? From previous biking I know that water does tend to kill the brakes and become unsafe.

Sorry for so many questions flecc. You just seem to know everything

 

[flecc]

No problem with questions at221, the important thing is that you get what's needed.

From what you've posted about stopping on that climb, I'm more sure than ever that it's the Quando you'll enjoy the most.

On wet problems,the only time that's cropped up for me was when I washed the Quando and laid it on it's side in the car straight afterwards, causing water to run into the controller. Drying out solved that. I've got tips for additional waterproofing on my Torq/Quando site which you can refer to when you prepare your new bike for commuting. Otherwise, there's very little to go wrong. Brakes aren't a problem in the wet with alloy rims these days, and I easily stop both Quando and large trailer with mine in the wet.

Whereabouts in the country are you by the way, it can help to have a test ride?
.

 

[at221]

Im referring to the nasty Bathwick Hill leading to the Uni of Bath.

 

[flecc]

I don't think I know Bathwick Hill personally, but I've just looked at it online in 3D and it looks even steeper than you've said. Can't see the actual road though, just the terrain. Seems you really do need a good hill climber!

 

[at221]

I just had a looked at your website. seems the lafree twist is the best one, shame its discontinued. I wonder how powerful the quando will be if its motor mechanism was the same as the twist.

 

[coops]

Im referring to the nasty Bathwick Hill leading to the Uni of Bath.

THAT hill! Yikes! If its the one I think you mean, I'm surprised you got up it at ALL, let alone stopping 3 or 4 times: the one I'm thinking of (pretty sure its the same - the name is familiar & it was en route to Bath uni) was, if I recall, relentlessly long (2km you say? I can believe it) and steep with it, though I wasn't on a bike when I went up it! phew!

Was quite a busy road too, if I remember? Hope you don't draw too many stares & cause an accident

 

[at221]

Was quite a busy road too, if I remember? Hope you don't draw too many stares & cause an accident

Now you are worrying me. Luckily there is an adjacent hill named something like North Road which goes to the Uni too and that is less steep and less busy road.

 

[nigel]

Nigel

For me
what made the the giant twist so good was it was a joy to ride even with the power off 21 kilos total weight what other electric bikes can boast that the twist is a very good allrounder and still no1 nigel

 

[flecc]

Not necessarily for your purpose at221. The Twist is the best where ultimate hill climbing ability is concerned, in other words a 20% hill is best with the twist, but for lesser hills the Quando is very much faster up them since it's motor is almost twice the power of the twist one. The twist does what it does through the motor driving through the gears, as in a car, but where the "engines" are concerned it's a VW Polo 1.2 compared to the VW Golf GT Quando.

Are you sure that hill is 8 to 10%? It looks steeper online, more like 12% or so, and what coops has said seems to bear that out.

That's still ok for the Quando though, mine climbs 12%, and will even do a restart on 12% without pedalling. With moderate pedalling it will climb 14% at 9 mph. The length of the hill won't matter to it with an NiMh battery, but don't get Li-ion.
.

 

[at221]

Yes, it would be a disaster if the Li-ion battery suddenly stops half way up the hill.