Woosh My First e Bike?

[Jimmy_M]

Hi Everyone,

As I fast approach my 70th birthday, I'm finding some of the hills around me getting steeper! So I'm looking at converting one of my road bikes into an eBike so that I can get some assistance to get up these hills. Having looked at some potential kits, I'm leaning towards a Woosh SX85 with their G20 7Ah battery. As I weigh 70Kg and the bike I'm looking to us is a Bianchi that comes in at 9Kg and with the above mentioned kit should end up as a 12.5Kg setup, this looks on paper what I'm looking for. Remember I'm looking only for assistance to go up steep hills as I can manage the rest fine. Bear in mind my Bianchi is 7 years old so has little financial value but is well spec'ed - Shimano Ultegra, going for a new eBike similarly equipped would be financially painful. Any thoughts?

 

[sjpt]

Sounds sensible. You may want something more powerful in a few years time; but if you start with that you'll know much better by then what is relevant.

One thing to beware of with hub kits and steep hills. As you go slower the hub is less able to assist; it isn't benefitting from the gears in the way you are. Depending obviously on kit details, by the time you are down to say 6mph the kit will be working far from its most efficient. It's most efficient may be somewhere around 10-15 mph on the flat, when you don't really need it so much. Check with Woosh on details of whether that motor is wound for good low speed torque.

 

[Jimmy_M]

Sounds sensible. You may want something more powerful in a few years time; but if you start with that you'll know much better by then what is relevant.

One thing to beware of with hub kits and steep hills. As you go slower the hub is less able to assist; it isn't benefitting from the gears in the way you are. Depending obviously on kit details, by the time you are down to say 6mph the kit will be working far from its most efficient. It's most efficient may be somewhere around 10-15 mph on the flat, when you don't really need it so much. Check with Woosh on details of whether that motor is wound for good low speed torque.

Looking at the information available from Woosh the 85SX is designed to have good output at low speed so still looks like the best bet, however time will tell.
Anyone have information about using Shimano 11 speed as the only freehubs seem to be 8/9/10 compatible?