Need some advice about Kits

[Goryl]

Hello,

I am looking into the possibility of changing bike. I currently have a wisper 905se which I am very happy when I cycle...

My only problem is the stairs. This was not part of the equation when I originally bought the bike. I now have two floors to climb with very narrow stairs. I manage to get the bike up and down but it is a bit of a pain as it is too heavy for my shoulder. Leaving the bike outside is clearly not an option where I live.

I was looking at the possibility to sell the wisper and buy a 10kgs hybrid bike and fit a kit. i would probably go for a daahub as I really have a positive experience with Wisper (if available in the uk). This would give a bike around 17kgs and probably easier to carry as weight would be better distributed. I have looked at bikes and it seems that the total price would be around 1800.

My longest ride is to go to work which is around 18.5 miles each way with a few hills. I charge at work...
I am 31 and relatively fit so I do not mind putting a bit of extra effort if needed as long as I can still cope with work and other sports in the evening.

Do you think that the kit would cope with this type of range (on the paper it does)?
what would be the difference in term of riding between the kit and the wisper 905se?
Is it possible to try it from somewhere?

Any advice or experience would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot.

Goryl

 

[eddieo]

previously had 905 & 705 this is in a different league

DaaHub a great kit, have been running mine for nearly 12 months now and love it. I'm 18 stone and not fit and bike rides and performs very well. I went for thumb throttle (you get both in kit) as thought with smaller battery pedelec mode made more sense for range and my fitness... if throttle there your going to use it!

My specalised about 12kg so mine under 20kg which is fine, easy to handle and lift on camper bike rack. range does suffer in cold weather (Flecc says about 30%) and you do notice it.....down in Spain its like a different bike I ride it for days without requiring charging. if you charge both ends feel sure you will be fine. I run on assistance level 3 most of the time and that is fine, its a very exhilarating and light e bike

I'm sure they are to be re released very soon, talk to David of Wisper. I'm back in London mid May, if you want to try mine contact me...

CAUTION: there will now be a flurry of dealer activity after your monies listen to the forum members without an axe to grind as well......And above all else try before you buy

 

[Cyclezee]

CAUTION: there will now be a flurry of dealer activity after your monies listen to the forum members without an axe to grind as well......And above all else try before you buy

Sound advice Eddie, could I just mention that other brands are available that will do the job more than adequately

Flurry over

 

[JuicyBike]

CAUTION: there will now be a flurry of dealer activity after your monies listen to the forum members without an axe to grind as well......And above all else try before you buy

Yep, dealers are a fact of life.

You should compare watts, amp hours, voltage, reputation of components and business, and style... Not easy by any means. But searching these forums should help.

I'm sure I've forgotten something that you should compare, between the different brands and makes...

PRICE! That was it... compare prices.

 

[Goryl]

Thanks a lot for the advices.
eddieo:I usually ride with full assist when I go to work as it is faster and I do not want to sweat too much the way. Do you think the kit would cope with 18.5 miles full assist without completely draining the battery?

Greatly appreciate the help.

Goryl

 

[eddieo]

Thanks a lot for the advices.
eddieo:I usually ride with full assist when I go to work as it is faster and I do not want to sweat too much the way. Do you think the kit would cope with 18.5 miles full assist without completely draining the battery?

Greatly appreciate the help.

Goryl

The daahub flys, you don't need the throttle, it is not a moped but a proper high spec e bike.

sounds to me that you need a work horse rather then a race horse.....

Maybe you would be better of with a 905 SEL, but not going to be easy getting up them stairs

 

[Goryl]

If I swap bike, it is to get the stairs easier .
From what you say, I think it would do the job... The throttle is vey useful when starting. I guess with a lighter bike that may not be the case anymore.

Thanks!

Goryl

 

[eddieo]

If I swap bike, it is to get the stairs easier .
From what you say, I think it would do the job... The throttle is vey useful when starting. I guess with a lighter bike that may not be the case anymore.

Thanks!

Goryl

completely different

I am 59, nearly 18 stone and far from fit with serous health issues...Now if I find the bike exhilarating and fun, I am sure you will. As long as you remember to change down before stopping, take off no problem, a turn or two of crank and you are away.....remember you only have a 9Ah battery so a heavily used throttle will reduce range.

BUT it is not a moped like E bike that can be run all day on throttle, we are talking about a different style of more enjoyable cycling....

 

[Goryl]

Thanks Eddieo. I understand your point and it also highlights the big differences in riding.

Goryl

 

[eddieo]

Thanks Eddieo. I understand your point and it also highlights the big differences in riding.

Goryl

another thought..18.5 miles is a fair old journey. I would wear a proper cycling top, and carry a shirt, some freshen up wipes and deodorant in pannier

 

[Goryl]

Yep! i already do that with the 905se as I pedal quite a lot.
Thanks!

 

[Goryl]

Here I am again with more questions. I am still investigating whether this would work better for me. I have selected a few kits that I could go for. I am now looking into the bikes and I have a few questions.

Would anyone know a hybrid bike that is around 10kgs and on which a kit could be fitted? My budget for the bike would probably be around 600-1000 max?

Would fitting a kit on a single speed bike a good idea? i.e. A bit like one of the cytronex but with more power.

Thanks a lot for your help!

Goryl

 

[oigoi]

To get a bike weighing under 10kg for your budget you are better off looking at a flat bar road bike than a hybrid, for example:

2011 Scott Speedster S20 Flar Bar Road Bike - www.shop-hookedoncycling.co.uk

In my experience I would not go for a single speed bike, but it depends on the terrain you would be cycling on - if you are cycing on all level roads and not got any hills to worry about then you could get away with a single speed. Where I live it is very hilly and a single speed would not work on an electric bike for me unless it had a very powerful (and illegal) motor

 

[PJM]

Boardman Performance Hybrid Team 2011/2012 at £799 (9.79kg) and the comp Hybrid at £499 (10.79Kg)
from Halfords. Have always had great reviews.

 

[Goryl]

Thanks a lot!

Another question, I always ride on the road but it there are quite a few places along the way where it is in very poor condition. Would 700c tires be a problem? That the ones on the broadman bikes...

Thanks,

Goryl

 

[oigoi]

You can put wider tires onto those rims. The thing is when you talk about a hybrid I think you are meaning the bikes that have 700c rims but are a bit more off-roady, kind of halfway between a mountain bike and a road bike.

I'm not aware of a bike like that which can handle rougher terrain weighing 10kg for your budget

 

[indalo]

The thing is when you talk about a hybrid I think you are meaning the bikes that have 700c rims but are a bit more off-roady, kind of halfway between a mountain bike and a road bike.

The term, "Hybrid" as applied to bikes seems to mean anything the manufacturer or dealer wants it to mean. I say that because I'm sure there's some psychology involved which causes label-reading people to imagine that the word hybrid confers getting the best of two or more different types of bike.

It could probably be argued that a hybrid produces something worse than the bikes from whose parts it has been constructed. As long as I can remember, there have been bikes built in particular ways to perform particular functions and that remains the case today. Surely, however, there have been times when most of us have taken non-MTBs over ground for which the bike's parts were probably not designed? I know I have and never having suffered any spoke loosening, punctures or mechanical problems, I have no qualms about riding my bikes over rough terrain.

Whether or not there is a definitive description of the word hybrid, as applied to bikes, I don't know. I did have a look online and read Evans' definition which I attach:

hybrid bike - what is a hybrid bicycle?

For me, short of the bike requirements involved in extreme sports or in the Danny Macaskill stuff, a hybrid bike equates simply to a utility vehicle that anyone can ride most places. I wouldn't contemplate doing the TDF on a utility bike but equally, for a tour of Britain, carrying camping equipment, I wouldn't want an 8Kg road-race machine.

Indalo

 

[Goryl]

Thanks, I did not realize that the definition of hybrid bike can be a bit fuzzy . For me it is a bike that is not as good as a road bike on the road but better than a mountain bike for this and vis versa off road .

Let's try to forget about the term for the time being. I will be a bit more specific in regards to my needs:
I want a bike to commute to work. It is an 18.5 miles ride on the road. The road has quite a few potholes in places and can be quite rough.

Do you think that a bike from the Broadman hybrid bike range, fitted with a 6-7kgs kit would be good?

I am looking only at lightweight bike, because I have sharp and narrow stairs and I would like a bike+kit that is significantly lighter than a 905se (+-25kgs).

Thanks a lot for your help.

Goryl

 

[indalo]

Do you think that a bike from the Broadman hybrid bike range, fitted with a 6-7kgs kit would be good?

I am looking only at lightweight bike, because I have sharp and narrow stairs and I would like a bike+kit that is significantly lighter than a 905se (+-25kgs).

Thanks a lot for your help.

Goryl

Goryl, before creating what could be a very nice bike but one that will still cost quite a bit, I'd suggest you try one or two of the off-the-shelf Cytronex models if you haven't already done so. They all come in very light, just some lighter than others. I think they will have something that will fit the bill for you but if not, you will know how a lightweight ebike can perform so any kit fitted to a bike of your choice will need to be fairly special if it is to improve on what's available ready built with a strong guarantee and no need to import anything from abroad.

Indalo

 

[oigoi]

I agree with indalo, have a look at the cytronex range. There could lie your solution as a ready made bike.

If you have to contend with some potholes I would not use a boardman hybrid with the tyres it comes with, fit some bigger tyres e.g 700x35 for more cushioning.
If you ride a bike like the boardman hybrid plus the weight of a kit with the standard tyres on into a pothole it will likely at minimum get a pinch puncture and at worst buckle the wheel

One really good deal I found on a hybrid that is slightly heavier than 10kg (but a lot tougher and would not be bothered so much by potholes is this one:

Scott Sub 10 Solution 2011 Hybrid Bike | Evans Cycles