my first electric bike????

[billbobadger]

After a lot of thought i think that i have decided on what bike to buy as my first electric bike its the 'Kalkhoff Pro Connect Impulse 10' i would really welcome views on this bike.

Thanks

 

[Osho]

I am finding it a tad frustrating living so far from a Kalkoff dealer. At the moment I am suffering from a saddle with too much horizontal slack in spite of having tightened all the visible bolts. There is probably a simple remedy that a Kalkoff dealer could fix. So my advice is to make sure you are not too far from the seller. (someone did advise this and I rather stupidly chose to ignore them)

 

[flapajack]

I have a Kalkhoff Endeavour hybrid with the Bosch motor. it is a great bike. I used it for commuting a 38 miles round trip 2/3 times a weeks during the nicer months. mine is a 10 speed dereiullers and it rides just like a normal bike without power if you use the gears well. have had it for 9 months now and cannot fault it. I have a 11Ah battery (400wh) and use the assist on mainly Tour or Eco, with some Sport on the bigger hills. for my commute I used upabout 60-80% of the battery so plenty of range for my needs - especiallyif you also want to put in some effort.

 

[JohnCade]

I am finding it a tad frustrating living so far from a Kalkoff dealer. At the moment I am suffering from a saddle with too much horizontal slack in spite of having tightened all the visible bolts. There is probably a simple remedy that a Kalkoff dealer could fix. So my advice is to make sure you are not too far from the seller. (someone did advise this and I rather stupidly chose to ignore them)

Try your local bicycle shop. I'm sure they'll help and will probably not even want payment. Particularly of you buy some small item from them. You may want a relationship with one to sort out general bike maintenance if you don't do your own.

 

[RobF]

Try your local bicycle shop. I'm sure they'll help and will probably not even want payment. Particularly of you buy some small item from them. You may want a relationship with one to sort out general bike maintenance if you don't do your own.

Sound advice, which is also why I suggested you ask a bike shop to have a look at your forks.

I know you didn't buy the bike from them, but you have a Kalkhoff which on any view is a quality bicycle.

A bike mechanic will know that and be happy enough to work on the bits he understands, which is pretty much everything except the motor.

 

[SteveRuss]

Hi

I have the Pro Connect (Impulse 2.0) 8G which I struggle to see any real life changing differences between it and the 10 that you're looking at. I know that the 10 has two more gears (and a traditional derailleur), but the Alfine 8G gearing seems absolutely fantastic to me, other than I may change the cog at some point to kind of give me a kind of ninth gear instead of the first gear that i've never had reason to use. The gear changes are smooth and I can change gear before I pull away with virtually no sign of the kind of clunking and chain movement i'd usually associate with a derailleur. Then, there is the disc brakes which I love in my Boardman Hybrid Pro pedal bike that the Alfine 8G doesn't have however as soon as i'd tried the hydraulic rim brakes, I thought they were more than sufficient, even in the pouring rain.

The long and short of it is, my bike is amazing. I did consider the extra money for the 10 but the figures just didn't add up for me. I now prefer the Alfine 8 gear system over my expensive derailleur set up on the Boardman. It's solid sit up and beg looks didn't do it for me at first but they were quickly forgotten when I started riding the thing around. My first journey was from Bristol to Bath on the cycle path here which is around 17 miles each way. I did very much feel like I got a good days worth of exercise (I think it took me around 2 1/2hrs overall).

Other than the obvious delights of being able to ride around hilly Bristol without having to do a hell of a lot of panting, I actually have two rear panniers and the rack which means I can legitimately go and do a moderate food shop with it and not kill myself getting back up the steep hill to my house. I have full confidence in the build quality of Kalkhoff's Pedelecs now and love every time I jump on it to go on a tour. In fact, just talking about it makes me want to don the helmet and go on a random ride around Bristol (it's raining hard but i'm still tempted )

Where do you live? I highly recommend going and trying the bikes out to see which one you prefer. If the prices of these two bikes were the same, I would kind of lean towards the 8G because of the gears that I know love. The disc brakes are nice, sure.. But £300 more? I just don't know about that.

Regards. Steve

p.s. The battery life from the 36v 17Ah is fantastic and the power from the motor on a steep hill (providing you choose a decent gear) is eye opening..!

 

[SteveRuss]

Isn't it a shame when people give their time to help people out and the original poster doesn't come back to respond to the answers? I feel a little cheated..

 

[JohnCade]

Isn't it a shame when people give their time to help people out and the original poster doesn't come back to respond to the answers? I feel a little cheated..

Well, what do you expect of a shouter?

 

[kinega]

Isn't it a shame when people give their time to help people out and the original poster doesn't come back to respond to the answers? I feel a little cheated..

Yes, strange that Bilbobadger has vanished.
Found your report interesting & useful.
cheers!

 

[SteveRuss]

Yes, strange that Bilbobadger has vanished.
Found your report interesting & useful.
cheers!

Thanks. I actually thought about my post earlier and remembered what brought me to this, and probably most of the other forums i've joined over the years, and that's through search engines.

Anything we say on here will end up drawing people from search engines so although the OP didn't come back for the answers he asked for, there are other people that benefit (as I have very much have) from whatever is posted on here..

 

[Deleted member 4366]

We have had posts before like OP's, but they weren't as they appeared on the surface. I think they tended to come late at night after a bit of imbibement. Some members will know what I'm talking about.

 

[SteveRuss]

We have had posts before like OP's, but they weren't as they appeared on the surface. I think they tended to come late at night after a bit of imbibement. Some members will know what I'm talking about.

I know what you mean there

 

[RobF]

We have had posts before like OP's, but they weren't as they appeared on the surface. I think they tended to come late at night after a bit of imbibement. Some members will know what I'm talking about.

What was the name of the poster who made no secret of posting after having a few?

His contributions were amusing, which was the only reason he made them.

 

[Croxden]

What was the name of the poster who made no secret of posting after having a few?

His contributions were amusing, which was the only reason he made them.

Not that long ago, a women posted on here late at night well tanked and answered her own posts, getting quite upset over the remarks she had made, it was getting embarrassing.

 

[RobF]

I've heard of regular posters on a forum who will create a couple of aliases so they can have an argument and make their regular identity win.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

What was the name of the poster who made no secret of posting after having a few?

His contributions were amusing, which was the only reason he made them.

I think that was Hech. His posts always really cheered me up. Where are you Hech? Please come back and post some more.

 

[4bound]

Steve, I have been looking at these bikes to as a possible purchase for my wife. A couple of points about what you say. Firstly the Pro Connect Impulse 10 has a Trapezoid frame option which the Alfine 8G doesn't. Secondly The 50 cycles price for the 8G is £2095 and the 10 is £2195, so only £100 difference at present.

 

[JohnCade]

Not that long ago, a women posted on here late at night well tanked and answered her own posts, getting quite upset over the remarks she had made, it was getting embarrassing.

That’s practically the definition of someone who could have an argument alone in a locked room.

Or even padded room maybe.

 

[RobF]

I think that was Hech. His posts always really cheered me up. Where are you Hech? Please come back and post some more.

Aye, that was him (presumably).

I always had his name down in my mind as hic.

 

[SteveRuss]

Steve, I have been looking at these bikes to as a possible purchase for my wife. A couple of points about what you say. Firstly the Pro Connect Impulse 10 has a Trapezoid frame option which the Alfine 8G doesn't. Secondly The 50 cycles price for the 8G is £2095 and the 10 is £2195, so only £100 difference at present.

Yep. I spotted the price drop but I think it's temporary. Worth it for an extra £100 I agree. Not so £300 though..

Cheers. Steve