New Gtech ebike

[Crockers]

According to the Daily Express On-line today , 5,700 Customers have bought Gtech Ebikes in the year to September .

It would be interesting to break those figures down to pre and post price cut. Being a natural cynic I wouldn't be surprised if £995 was the price point they aimed at but though lets offer it at £1500 for a few months then we can run a new advertising campaign on the special offer. Advertising genius?

 

[Breezy]

I have found it fascinating reading this forum with all the advice and views on various types of E bikes .
I have noted that some of the contributors actually run bike shops and whilst I have taken on board their views I realise they had their own product to sell. I have been looking to purchase an E bike for three months now as my wife has had both knees replaced in the last 18 months and needs assistance to enjoy the pleasure of cycling again. Simplicity of operation is my main consideration for choosing the Gtech E bike. My wife has always had a problem using derailleur gears and with arthritis starting in the fingers and hands cant manage twist grip gears. We are in Worcester next Monday so are doing an arranged test ride at Gtechs main store. We live on the edge of the Somerset levels, so getting the 30 miles range in should be a doddle. As previous posters have said it's horses for courses and on paper the Gtech bike satisfies all of my wife's requirements. I noticed earlier in the forum a new poster got a mild flaming and was accused of being a marketeer for Gtech. I can assure you all that is not the case with me I have joined the forum to give you some feedback and say thank you for all the help and advice I have gleaned from all the posts. I will definitely be back and post as much information as I can on the Gtechs performance and it will be factually based as I am a retired electro mechanical engineer who worked in the motor trade for over 20 years. I definitely won't be buying one for myself, as I am still riding over 150 miles a week on my normal bikes and having great fun, but the GTech bike might mean my wife can come out with me on a ride to a local coffee shop.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I've got a feeling she won't like it, so don't put pressure on her to get one if she seems a bit negative. In case you think I'm not unbiased, I don't run any ebike shop and have no commercial connection with any brand, though I am friends (as far as I know) with many of them.

 

[Breezy]

Hi dv8b
I really don't know how you arrive at the feeling she won't like it, have you been seeing her behind my back..;-)
I've been married to her for 41 years and have never been able to get her to do something she doesn't want to!
She is Dutch, so has been on bikes since she could walk. Last month we visited some huge bike shops in Holland, I asked the manager of one if they had ebikes, he showed me To another part of the store where I guess there were over 50 different ones. What they all had in common was they were awfully heavy. Some I could only lift the front end off the ground.
So we are both looking forward to the test ride next week. I have been saving for this bike for nearly a year, so I will be spending my pennies wisely!

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Let us know after she's tried it, then we'll know if I'm right. It sounds like you've made up your mind already. Reading through all your post's, you seem to be very fond of the Gtech, yet you've never ridden one. You ask for people's opinions, and when when they give them, you argue against them. It doesn't add up!

 

[Breezy]

Thanks, pretty much so, mainly due to all the posts on this forum and as a keen cyclist I know what to look for in a bike as an engineer. I read 25 pages on this ebike forum which has helped me come to the decision. In fact I have been looking into nothing else but ebikes for the last few weeks it seems! I can only give my wife a recommendation and I can assure you the decision on the day whether to buy it will be entirely hers

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I'm also a graduate mechanical engineer (BSc) and I've been studying electric bicycles for 6 years. During that time, I've ridden just about every type and brand as well as building at least 20 bikes of my own and maybe 10 for other people. I've also dissected just about all the common motors and electrical/electronic systems. I currently own 10 electric bikes and two road bikes. Without being big-headed, I think I'm in a good position to judge electric bikes.

 

[Breezy]

I'm not sure my comments on here could be classed as arguing! Unless taking a different point of view to the long standing forum members qualifies! Whilst i am quite sure all the bikes mentioned on here are very fine machines in their own right, knowing my wife and her personal requirements in an ebike though, is something i'm the best one to finally decide which make to go for. In conclusion, I have taken on board all the advice on this Forum before I registered to say thank you. I have not specifically asked for peoples opinions as you said in your comment, merely arrived at my decision by reading the many varied and interesting posts. That's it from me till after the big test ride in Worcester.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Please let us know how you get on.

 

[Breezy]

I surely will, my test ride wont be Monday now though, it will be midday Wednesday, so more info later on that day and i'm still looking at other bikes mentioned on here, especially one i saw with a 15ah battery

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Worcester is not too far from Onbike, who have a wide range of bikes to try. It might be worth a trip there afterwards to get some comparisons.
http://www.onbike.co.uk/

 

[Breezy]

As i'm visiting what I presume is Gtechs HQ, it will be interesting to see the real estate of the ebike section as opposed to the hoover. it's sheer coincidence, albeit a fortuitous one, that i'm in Worcester! I'm not sure I would want to go to the hassle of getting it on 14 days trial then having to pack it back up and return it. If I dont purchase, I will have to plan my next long weekend near the next ebike outlet!
I will ask questions of the company based on points I have seen on here;
1. Will I get support during and after the initial warranty period, as im worried once they have sold all the reduced price bikes they might drop the product
2. Is there a version planned with a larger capacity battery in the near future, as that would affect the possible future selling value of my purchase
3. What proven data do they have to justify the claimed 30 miles from a 5.6ah battery and what type of lithium technology is the battery utilising
These are fair questions to ask before purchasing. I don't think I would purchase on the day anyway, as I would want to digest and check up on the answers.

 

[soundwave]

id not even bother going to look at it the batt is way to small and its way over priced.

you got no chance of 30 miles more like 10 if ur lucky over 10mph.

 

[Breezy]

I'm in the area, so a hassle free test ride looks fair. Do you have any data to prove the 10 miles range claim? That would help me decide, especially if you've ridden one? As a lot of ebikes are circa 24 Kilos, 50% heavier than the Gtech, what about power to weight ratio, is that not a factor? I did say earlier I live on the Somerset levels and hills are just not around, except for bridges over the M5!

 

[soundwave]

the batt is just to small for that range at any decent speed unless you want to put in a lot of effort.

then you might get 20 miles but depends how fit you are.

my bosch batt dont get no where near its stated range even if i dont use a dongle.

with it i can drain a 500w batt in 25 miles.

 

[Gubbins]

the batt is just to small for that range at any decent speed unless you want to put in a lot of effort.

then you might get 20 miles but depends how fit you are.

my bosch batt dont get no where near its stated range even if i dont use a dongle.

with it i can drain a 500w batt in 25 miles.

Yes but it's not a bosch.. I can get 70 miles plus from my yamaha with relative ease...
Me neighbor had a double knee replacement and I think a lighter bike with a low cadence design would suit him.. but for the hills around here that is.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[RobF]

I'm in the area, so a hassle free test ride looks fair. Do you have any data to prove the 10 miles range claim? That would help me decide, especially if you've ridden one? As a lot of ebikes are circa 24 Kilos, 50% heavier than the Gtech, what about power to weight ratio, is that not a factor? I did say earlier I live on the Somerset levels and hills are just not around, except for bridges over the M5!

Power consumption for all legal ebikes is roughly the same - there is no magic wand.

If I rode three or four different legal ebikes over the same course at the same speed, they would each use about the same power.

You - and the wife - would find the same, different consumption between the two of you, but the same for each of you on whatever bike.

The Gtech might be a bit easier to pedal above the 15mph assist limit - using no power - than some heavier ebikes.

But that's unlikely to make much difference over a ride, unless you can do 15mph+ for many miles in which case there's no point in having an ebike.

 

[soundwave]

there all made from 18650 cells just how far you get depends how fast you go.

going 15mph that gtec batt wont do much more than 10 miles it just dont have the capacity to do it unless you put the effort in or go slower.

you could build a bike cheaper and have a batt 4 times the size for the price of it

 

[rippedupno1]

As has been mentioned above Onbike is only 3.3 miles (according to Google maps) from gtech hq it has got to be worth popping in to compare the many different types of ebikes that Onbike stock, although I have not bought from Onbike they have serviced my bike and the guys are very helpful and none pushy and iam sure they would let you try some to compare what the gtech has to offer. At the very least you would be able to buy the gtech safe in the knowledge that you had tried others and it was the best buy for you.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

 

[D8ve]

I'm in the area, so a hassle free test ride looks fair. Do you have any data to prove the 10 miles range claim? That would help me decide, especially if you've ridden one? As a lot of ebikes are circa 24 Kilos, 50% heavier than the Gtech, what about power to weight ratio, is that not a factor? I did say earlier I live on the Somerset levels and hills are just not around, except for bridges over the M5!

SW uses a lot of power but he mountain bikes. Often over 20 mph.
Your wife we assume will be sedate at 10 mph. That means the bike will always be assisting. So steady battery drain. Not as dramatic as SW,s but range limiting.
The power to weight ratio is for the bike and rider together so if your wife weights 50kg and bike 15 or 25kg the total weight is 65 or 75 kg!
Not such a huge difference.
On the flat weight is of little concern. Battery power is important the bigger the battery the better.
Something like the carrera has a larger battery, so it can keep helping for longer.
YOU could put it into a gear and the wife would pedal it like the GTech
If she then says can't it go faster or up hills easier you could change the gear again. Or perhaps she might do it herself and discover how to go further easier in comfort.