New convert

[manalog]

Hi,

Been lurking on this site for a while on and off. I am a daily commuter and ride a Road Bike (Focus Cayo) approx 13 miles but I find that I have to 'race' 3 times a week to get to work on time because I have to take my 6year old to school, this takes me under 1 hour and the rest of the week I can take it easy. However I am finding this too tiring nowadays getting oldish at 48yo. I am wondering what type of Ebike can I buy to reduce journey time. I will only be using the e bike 3 times a week, I weigh 65kgs and I am looking for a discreet ebike. I have couple of hills on the way home Crooms Hill in Greenwich and Eltham Hill. I am considering the following:

Kudos Cobra
Cyclotricity Stealth/ Revolver
Woosh Scirocco Sport/CD
My question is, can these be used on a 12mile each way commute? Which one will reduce journey time? Should I go for a 700c bike?

Although I own a mountain bike (Halford Carrerra I think) I have never used it to commute Im not sure how comfortable MTBs are on longish commute.

Thanks in advance,
Gerry

 

[Steve Hall]

Hi,

Been lurking on this site for a while on and off. I am a daily commuter and ride a Road Bike (Focus Cayo) approx 13 miles but I find that I have to 'race' 3 times a week to get to work on time because I have to take my 6year old to school, this takes me under 1 hour and the rest of the week I can take it easy. However I am finding this too tiring nowadays getting oldish at 48yo. I am wondering what type of Ebike can I buy to reduce journey time. I will only be using the e bike 3 times a week, I weigh 65kgs and I am looking for a discreet ebike. I have couple of hills on the way home Crooms Hill in Greenwich and Eltham Hill. I am considering the following:

Kudos Cobra
Cyclotricity Stealth/ Revolver
Woosh Scirocco Sport/CD
My question is, can these be used on a 12mile each way commute? Which one will reduce journey time? Should I go for a 700c bike?

Although I own a mountain bike (Halford Carrerra I think) I have never used it to commute Im not sure how comfortable MTBs are on longish commute.

Thanks in advance,
Gerry

I am new to this site, I purchased the Cyclotricity Stealth, mainly because its not overly expensive at £800although they do supply a cheaper model called the Revolver without disc brakes. It will get you to work and if you place it on charge at work it will get you back home with charge left in the battery. This bike is not heavy, so you can ride it like any normal mountain bike, so if you ever forget to charge, you can still ride home.

If you are looking for any other type of bike apparently these are the rules to comply with UK EAP regs. The motor must not exceed 250 watt and must cut out at 15.5 mph. The size of the battery is important to you and if you think of it like the size of a fuel tank you will not go far wrong. A 10ah battery will get you about 20 miles with pedal asssist adjustment on route, (it’s just a push button that changes the assistance level between 1 and 5) for example, on level 1, I read somewhere on here that by using a combination of level 1 and 2 someone rode a 64 mile cycle run around London on a Cyclotricity and still had charge) On level 5 this will provide about 20 miles depending on the steepness and length of the hills. If you increase the 'ah' size on the battery, that’s just like having a bigger fuel tank. It won’t increase your power, just gives you extra miles.

Be careful on here because there’s a great deal of brand name snobbery. The pro users of ebikes use more expensive bikes. I have ridden one and you should try do the same. Yes they are excellent but they are up there in the £2500 bracket and in my opinion they are not 3 and a quarter times better bikes than Cyclotricity. For example, you could buy extra batteries and extra parts for the next 5 years and I doubt you would reach the £2500 bracket.

The final answer to your question is this…. you really can bomb along on these bikes. You are a regular cyclist so on the flatish sections once the power cuts at 15.5 you will be able to keep the pedal momentum going and bomb along way beyond this point. Will it cut your journey time…hard to say, if you are already a fit cyclist and are used to rushing about on your bike, you will already be bombing along whenever you can. What the electric bike will do is make this a lot easier and you will not arrive at work tired or sweaty.

Sorry, I should add my age. I am 47 and fatish at 15 stone

Hope this helps.

 

[trex]

Hi,

Been lurking on this site for a while on and off. I am a daily commuter and ride a Road Bike (Focus Cayo) approx 13 miles but I find that I have to 'race' 3 times a week to get to work on time because I have to take my 6year old to school, this takes me under 1 hour and the rest of the week I can take it easy. However I am finding this too tiring nowadays getting oldish at 48yo. I am wondering what type of Ebike can I buy to reduce journey time. I will only be using the e bike 3 times a week, I weigh 65kgs and I am looking for a discreet ebike. I have couple of hills on the way home Crooms Hill in Greenwich and Eltham Hill. I am considering the following:

Kudos Cobra
Cyclotricity Stealth/ Revolver
Woosh Scirocco Sport/CD
My question is, can these be used on a 12mile each way commute? Which one will reduce journey time? Should I go for a 700c bike?

Although I own a mountain bike (Halford Carrerra I think) I have never used it to commute Im not sure how comfortable MTBs are on longish commute.

Thanks in advance,
Gerry

You're already used to quality bikes, go for a Bosch crank drive. Any of them can do 24 mile trips with ease.
If you want a Chinese bike, The Kudos Ibex seems to have the best bike components.

 

[manalog]

Thanks for the reply, Stealth is actually on top of my list but the Kudos Cobra is rear wheel drive and wondering what the differences are like handling. I'm actually off to Redbridge this afternoon, I have never rode an E Bike so I don't really know what they are like.

 

[RobF]

Gerry,

Your Focus Cayo is a quality, sharp handling lightweight road bike.

Any ebike - even a £2K one - is going to be something of a pudding in comparison.

Best you try one or two to see if that's acceptable.

At the risk of being labelled a snob, I'm afraid all the ebikes on your shortlist will be a big disappointment to you in terms of the quality of bicycling components.

All legal ebikes offer roughly the same performance, so should chalk off your commute in about the same time.

You will be able to maintain speed up hill, which could improve the time taken to get home.

Rolling resistance of the tyres has an impact.

The bikes on your shortlist have wide, mountain bike tyres which do not roll well and wear quickly when used exclusively on asphalt.

Nothing to stop you changing them to something slicker such as one of the Schwalbe Marathon Supremes.

Supremes also wear well and have excellent puncture resistance.

If the budget will stretch, a Bosch crank drive bike would be a good bet.

The Bosch system delivers an experience most like ordinary cycling, which you would like, and it will almost inevitably come fitted to a better quality bicycle, which you are used to.

If you go Bosch, you will need the bigger 11ah battery, the 8ah one could be a bit tight for a 26-mile round trip.

 

[manalog]

You're already used to quality bikes, go for a Bosch crank drive. Any of them can do 24 mile trips with ease.
If you want a Chinese bike, The Kudos Ibex seems to have the best bike components.

Hi Trex,

The Bosch crank drive is out of the equation for me, too expensive for part time use, I think. I have considered the Ibex too but perhaps I will get a more expensive e bike in the future. I think I will going for an entry level bike, I will be going to Redbridge later and have a good look around.

Thanks,
Gerry

 

[Steve Hall]

Hi Trex,

The Bosch crank drive is out of the equation for me, too expensive for part time use, I think. I have considered the Ibex too but perhaps I will get a more expensive e bike in the future. I think I will going for an entry level bike, I will be going to Redbridge later and have a good look around.

Thanks,
Gerry

You have the option of buying a kit from Cyclotricty and fitting it to your existing bike. It doesn't look that difficult a task to me. That would save you a good few pounds and it would be on a bike you are used to riding.

 

[manalog]

You have the option of buying a kit from Cyclotricty and fitting it to your existing bike. It doesn't look that difficult a task to me. That would save you a good few pounds and it would be on a bike you are used to riding.

Hi John,

I don't think it's a good idea to retrofit a full carbon bike I have considered converting one of my mountain bikes but I haven,t got time anymore. I am very good with anything mechanical in fact I built a Lancia stratos replica in my garage

I'm off to red ridge now

 

[103Alex1]

Hi Gerry

Be interested to hear what you think after Redbridge.

What sort of speeds do you usually ride your road bike at ? Because if you've only a couple of steep hills I'd hazard that the additional weight of a conventional eBike (rather than a very light weight conversion of a fast road bike as with something like Cytronex) could well slow you down overall rather than speed you up over that distance. You could always get a 2nd hand 105/Ultegra ally / titanium road bike and convert that rather than mess about with your carbon one.

Most eBikes come into their own for coping with pedalling heavy loads at lower speeds and to make going up hills less effort. You could likely fit a hub drive kit supplied with a built wheel to a MTB in about a day, but unless it's a higher powered one with all the issues that come with that, the bike may well feel hard work on a 'sprint to work'.

 

[Steve Hall]

Hi Gerry

Be interested to hear what you think after Redbridge.

What sort of speeds do you usually ride your road bike at ? Because if you've only a couple of steep hills I'd hazard that the additional weight of a conventional eBike (rather than a very light weight conversion of a fast road bike as with something like Cytronex) could well slow you down overall rather than speed you up over that distance. You could always get a 2nd hand 105/Ultegra ally / titanium road bike and convert that rather than mess about with your carbon one.

Most eBikes come into their own for coping with pedalling heavy loads at lower speeds and to make going up hills less effort. You could likely fit a hub drive kit supplied with a built wheel to a MTB in about a day, but unless it's a higher powered one with all the issues that come with that, the bike may well feel hard work on a 'sprint to work'.

Must say, I see this persons point. I am new to cycling and cannot even with my electric assist keep up with Lycra racers that have raced about for years. If you are that type of person. I doubt the bike will do for you.

 

[manalog]

Hi,
h
Redbridge is a bit of a revelation, there is one steep hill similiar to Crooms Hill. I have tried the cheapest to the most expensive. The cheapest ones are a bil clunky and of course silky smooth on the expensive ones. The one I really like is the Kudos Cobra, it is responsive and smooth and the bike looks good quality. The question is will this bike reduce my commuting time?

Someone mentioned about using an e bike for at least a week to find out if it is suitable but where can I hire n ebike for a week?

I am actually having second thoughts about MTB based e bike as I found out it is hard work without assists and hard work at more than 18mph. I am now thinking of getting a lightweight bike for conversion using the Tongxin, can't remember the name but its the new one 1.3kgs and smaller motor.

Hi Gerry

Be interested to hear what you think after Redbridge.

What sort of speeds do you usually ride your road bike at ? Because if you've only a couple of steep hills I'd hazard that the additional weight of a conventional eBike (rather than a very light weight conversion of a fast road bike as with something like Cytronex) could well slow you down overall rather than speed you up over that distance. You could always get a 2nd hand 105/Ultegra ally / titanium road bike and convert that rather than mess about with your carbon one.

Most eBikes come into their own for coping with pedalling heavy loads at lower speeds and to make going up hills less effort. You could likely fit a hub drive kit supplied with a built wheel to a MTB in about a day, but unless it's a higher powered one with all the issues that come with that, the bike may well feel hard work on a 'sprint to work'.

 

[103Alex1]

You can rent Kalkhoff Sahel bikes in Devon coupled with a wee holiday. However I'm not sure where else will rent to you for a week.

Personally, think your plan is along the right lines. You need a fast wind powerful motor to get higher speeds on a converted MTB - and this will come at the expense of effective hill assist (all things equal needing lower RPM), which is basically where you're looking for help to win some time.

The price of that help is a great deal of additional weight in motor and battery that's sufficient to run motor at enough amps to perform at good speeds on the hills. On the stretches you're not needing assist (most of the rest), you've got all that extra to 'bike' to deal with slowing you down - as you'll likely be wanting to go >15mph and will have lost your skinny road tyres.

I like riding my converted MTB on trails / off-road with the assist off. Since speed is not the key consideration I actually don't need the power except maybe on a tough bit of climb if I'm lazy. The power is simply there to get me up the ridiculously steep slopes leading to riding areas or (hopefully) back up the 'Cols' after a spell by the sea without winding up drenched, exhausted and late for dinner. Else for effortless riding when bike's loaded up with a bunch of stuff and I just want to hit a throttle rather than slog home with it. It's definitely not for racing and was never intended to be used as a fast bike - even though it flies if I really give it some on full throttle.

A bit of power boost on a road bike from a lightweight setup is much more likely to win you the few extra minutes from additional speed on hills that you're after overall - without winding up burdened with a beast of a bike to handle for the rest of your sprint to work. I'm sure people with experience of those systems can help you find one to suit.

 

[trex]

...

I am actually having second thoughts about MTB based e bike as I found out it is hard work without assists and hard work at more than 18mph.

Ditto. But..
Conversion offers fewer choices than ready made bikes, you have practically to start with a hub motors. All of them tend to overheat and lose their torque after a few minutes on hills unless you fit a big and heavy unit.

 

[manalog]

Must say, I see this persons point. I am new to cycling and cannot even with my electric assist keep up with Lycra racers that have raced about for years. If you are that type of person. I doubt the bike will do for you.

Hi,

No, Im not particularly quick I get overtaken by others and the occasional MTBs but I have slowed down over the years and I don't think Im going to get any fitter. My PB door to door over 12 miles from Sidcup to Moorgate was just over 42mins but that was years ago with low traffic Now its just under an hour.

 

[manalog]

Hi Alex,

I normally ride at approx 18mph on the flat. and I think I drop to around 6mh to 8mph on Crooms Hill, but this of course is tiring me out as I commute 5 days and with Headwind in the last couple of weeks that was the last straw and decided to go for a e bike. I think my best bet is to buy a lightweight Hybrid and convert using a Tongxin motor, the question is is this good enough for my intended purpose?

You can rent Kalkhoff Sahel bikes in Devon coupled with a wee holiday. However I'm not sure where else will rent to you for a week.

Personally, think your plan is along the right lines. You need a fast wind powerful motor to get higher speeds on a converted MTB - and this will come at the expense of effective hill assist (all things equal needing lower RPM), which is basically where you're looking for help to win some time.

The price of that help is a great deal of additional weight in motor and battery that's sufficient to run motor at enough amps to perform at good speeds on the hills. On the stretches you're not needing assist (most of the rest), you've got all that extra to 'bike' to deal with slowing you down - as you'll likely be wanting to go >15mph and will have lost your skinny road tyres.

I like riding my converted MTB on trails / off-road with the assist off. Since speed is not the key consideration I actually don't need the power except maybe on a tough bit of climb if I'm lazy. The power is simply there to get me up the ridiculously steep slopes leading to riding areas or (hopefully) back up the 'Cols' after a spell by the sea without winding up drenched, exhausted and late for dinner. Else for effortless riding when bike's loaded up with a bunch of stuff and I just want to hit a throttle rather than slog home with it. It's definitely not for racing and was never intended to be used as a fast bike - even though it flies if I really give it some on full throttle.

A bit of power boost on a road bike from a lightweight setup is much more likely to win you the few extra minutes from additional speed on hills that you're after overall - without winding up burdened with a beast of a bike to handle for the rest of your sprint to work. I'm sure people with experience of those systems can help you find one to suit.

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

We also hire electric bikes

 

[103Alex1]

Hi Alex,

I normally ride at approx 18mph on the flat. and I think I drop to around 6mh to 8mph on Crooms Hill, but this of course is tiring me out as I commute 5 days and with Headwind in the last couple of weeks that was the last straw and decided to go for a e bike. I think my best bet is to buy a lightweight Hybrid and convert using a Tongxin motor, the question is is this good enough for my intended purpose?

Possibly. I haven't tried the Tongxin motor so can't comment on it. Dealing with headwinds and not being so tired out are different considerations to saving time and as far as those are concerned, I'd say yes - but only to a limited extent because if you keep up >15.5mph you won't be getting much if anything really significant from your motor in terms of assistance in many cases.

Sure some keep giving you a bit of help but by 18mph you're as good as on your own with legal kits and will then be riding a heavier bike. If it's a hybrid then probably on balance without skinny slicks too ! So ... it's very marginal for someone like you imho.

If you drop the notion of saving much time as your goal (you might reach 10-11mph on a steep hill rather than 6 - 8mph but only if you work just as hard), drop your speed into the assist zone and keep it there over the course of the ride then you'll definitely be much less tired. You may, however, on balance get there later than you were managing before - albeit perhaps with the energy remaining to achieve a bit more on arrival .

 

[manalog]

Hi Alex,

I am beginning to think that a e bike might not reduce my commuting time but will make my journey a bit more relaxing instead of sprinting to work. I'll probably buy the Kudos Cobra and change the tyres to city jets and see. I'll get my Cyclscheme voucher in a few days.

 

[Artstu]

You're the same as me I believe, what I need is a bike that provides some assistance at whatever speed I'm riding, I don't want or need much help, but I'd like it at any speed.

 

[GaRRy]

You're the same as me I believe, what I need is a bike that provides some assistance at whatever speed I'm riding, I don't want or need much help, but I'd like it at any speed.

Probably your best bet would be this.

ElectricMountainBikes.com: Gruber Assist

But it aint cheap

bit more info and a picture of a lovely conversion on this thread

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/introduce-yourself/13772-hello-pedelecs-forum-members.html