New Gtech ebike

[anotherkiwi]

Another Kiwi....I do get it,but the publicity from G-tech would suggest that you can Wizz up steep hills with minimal rider input and still maintain 30 miles range. It doesn't say you need to keep to the flat and put Wiggo to ride it,even Wiggo uses gears to get up hills on a vanilla bike.
If you search back there was a Pedelecs member who sent one back because it didn't do what it said on the tin!
KudosDave

So you are trying to baby sit the consumer.

"Put off by the thought of struggling up hills?"
"Hills will feel flatter, you’ll be able to explore further and arrive fresher with our electric bike."

Where are you reading steep?

Anyone who has done a bit of riding and who looks at that bike with its one speed set-up knows what kind of terrain it is made for and the kind of rider it is made for.

People who don't understand and who put full trust in advertising copy and are not happy will always exist. But doesn't the bike have a 14 day trial period? There is no problem here in my view. Without this trial period unhappy clients would be within their rights to ask for consumer protection for fraudulent advertising, if "steep" had been mentioned.

 

[Fingers]

It starts great on a hill, the slightest revolution of the crank kicks the motor in and you get a definite push. You obviously will not be blasting along the road, as you would on a geared bike but if you're looking for a solid 15-20mph, uphill included, then this set-up works. You still need to cycle though so without even realising it you're putting in effort. But I'd say you feel the motor the most when pulling off or when on a hill.
I'm giving only facts about owning my Gtech, I have no reason to "convince" anyone about anything. I'll tell you it exactly as I see it.
You definitely reach top speed quickly but you definitely don't need to try hard to get there and getting uphill is when I am most aware of being on an ebike.

Yeah. I should point out that I very rarely needed to stand. I've only ever stood on a hill that I chose too. Was my preference.

There is no doubt wherever you live in London you could find you way home without sweating. The range is 30 miles ffs.

 

[lukewilson78]

Your old man was right my friend. Sounds like a sensible chap.

I daresay there will be Gtech 2. I for one can't wait to see it.

From your post;

There are no bans on Ebikes in NYC. Believe me.

The chain is like nothing I've seen on a bike. I'm a big bloke. 17stone 6'4" and I've always had problems standing on my pedals. They always gave way. Of course I would learn how much power I could exert and do that. But it meant that I was never using bike correctly. So far this carbon chain is amazing. Imagine a bloke my size going up seriously steep hill on his pedals! It feels great. Hard. But it's a great feeling. Helped or not.

I think you are outdated in your thinking who wants electrical assistance nowadays. The secret needs to come out. We have always been behind the curve on bikes since the bone shaker.

Fingers

The carbon belt is genius. Similar designed belts have been turning engines over for years and are tried and tested, I can't believe it's taken this long to come to bikes.

 

[lukewilson78]

Another Kiwi....I do get it,but the publicity from G-tech would suggest that you can Wizz up steep hills with minimal rider input and still maintain 30 miles range. It doesn't say you need to keep to the flat and put Wiggo to ride it,even Wiggo uses gears to get up hills on a vanilla bike.
If you search back there was a Pedelecs member who sent one back because it didn't do what it said on the tin!
KudosDave

I can tell you that my gf is no "Wiggo", she hadn't been on a bike in at least 10 years and did 7.5 miles on her 1st outing. She is no cyclist and she managed just fine. She had to move her legs, sure, but she definitely didn't put much effort in.

 

[Fingers]

I can tell you that my gf is no "Wiggo", she hadn't been on a bike in at least 10 years and did 7.5 miles on her 1st outing. She is no cyclist and she managed just fine. She had to move her legs, sure, but she definitely didn't put much effort in.

Took my missus to the park. She loved it. But is worried about traffic. She never had her Cycling proficient test lol.

 

[Fingers]

I can tell you that my gf is no "Wiggo", she hadn't been on a bike in at least 10 years and did 7.5 miles on her 1st outing. She is no cyclist and she managed just fine. She had to move her legs, sure, but she definitely didn't put much effort in.

Took my missus to the park. She loved it. But is worried about traffic. She never had her Cycling proficient test lol.

 

[lukewilson78]

Took my missus to the park. She loved it. But is worried about traffic. She never had her Cycling proficient test lol.

Ha ha, mine neither! I thought it was part of the national curriculum. I'm sure it was in Scotland, where I'm from. I had to cycle behind her as she was scared of the traffic, so it was OK for me to get skittled by a car!

 

[trex]

The carbon belt is genius. Similar designed belts have been turning engines over for years and are tried and tested, I can't believe it's taken this long to come to bikes.

I don't want to burst your bubble but there are plenty of good bikes out there.
The carbon belt replaces a £10 chain. What's the big deal? If your chain slips on a single speed it's because of lack of maintenance.
Buying a bike is an investment, many will want to take into account resale value after the guarantee has run out. I do appreciate that bikes costing under £1,000 can easily be written off if set against the cost of transport in London for 2 years. Until there is sufficient information about availability and cost of replacement parts, many of us will reserve their opinion.

 

[lukewilson78]

I don't want to burst your bubble but there are plenty of good bikes out there.
The carbon belt replaces a £10 chain. What's the big deal? If your chain slips on a single speed it's because of lack of maintenance.
Buying a bike is an investment, many will want to take into account resale value after the guarantee has run out. I do appreciate that bikes costing under £1,000 can easily be written off if set against the cost of transport in London for 2 years. Until there is sufficient information about availability and cost of replacement parts, many of us will reserve their opinion.

No bubbles burst here. I absolutely love how thought out the bike is, the carbon belt takes zero maintenance, ZERO! If you need to ride to work in your work clothes or you need to carry the bike upstairs into your flat then you will not get oil on you. The bike totally works for me, my girlfriend and it sounds like Fingers likes his one too. I'm sure it's not for everyone, but then what is? It's absolutely brilliant at what it does, it's light, it doesn't look like an ebike at all and it rides really well.

 

[trex]

how often do you replace or even grease your chain? chains use dry lube anyway and most bikes have chain guards, making the reason of selecting the Gtech on the basis that other bikes may not do as well on cleanliness a bit weak. If you ride your bike in mud, you will have to wash out the mud in the same way. You are happy with your bike, I am happy for you. Just for other members' sake, their bikes are just as good for them too.

 

[lukewilson78]

how often do you replace or even grease your chain? chains use dry lube anyway and most bikes have chain guards, making the reason of selecting the Gtech on the basis that other bikes may not do as well on cleanliness a bit weak. If you ride your bike in mud, you will have to wash out the mud in the same way. You are happy with your bike, I am happy for you. Just for other members' sake, their bikes are just as good for them too.

Now, you're not about to try to argue that chains aren't oily, surely? If you grab any bike chain then I can guarantee that you will have oil on your hand. If you grab the carbon belt you will have nothing on your hand. Chain guards will only protect to a degree and if you have gears then they are generally exposed and so are you. There are a myriad of choices of bike out there, choose what you want. I've got 2 Gtechs, a Marin full susser, a Giant and a GT, all for different things. I can tell you that, so far, my Gtech has fitted it's purpose best out of any of them. Every bike is a compromise, unless you're custom building one. This bike happened to have the least compromises for me. Choose whichever bike has the least compromises for you.

 

[trex]

I fully agreed with what you just wrote. This is something you wrote earlier in this thread:

...
They are relatively highly priced but then they are a well thought out design. ...

That's something many members will find difficult to believe.
Under £1,000 bikes are usually the domain of cheap Chinese bikes and thus not thought of as well designed because of the compromises to keep cost down.

 

[lukewilson78]

I fully agreed with what you just wrote. This is something you wrote earlier in this thread:


That's something many members will find difficult to believe.
Under £1,000 bikes are usually the domain of cheap Chinese bikes and thus not thought of as well designed because of the compromises to keep cost down. Experience also tells us that when a bike is offered at near half price is because the manufacturers do not intend to keep producing.

I'm a motor engineer and I appreciate well thought out equipment, having used my fair share of crap over the years. It's a well thought out bike, no doubt about it.

 

[trex]

I like lightweight bikes myself. My current e-bike is a Giant D5, cost: £293, the kit's price is £500 but I did not have to pay for it. The donor bike weighs 10.2kg, with the electrics, 16kgs all in. My motor has 1:16 primary reduction, controller is 18A and the battery is 15AH. It'll climb almost any hill.

 

[Kudoscycles]

I really should resist this but life without a bit of spice!

That super duper car in the showrooms?
Salesman...yes sir,not long in,its very light
Can I sit in it,I see its got 5 gears?
Salesman...no sir,its only got one gear,5th
How do you set off on a hill?
Salesman....try to avoid hill starts,but if you must lots of clutch slip,Oh and virage across the road that reduces the angle,you see.
No really your joking,how do you get up a hill,I can hardly get out and pedal(sic)?
Salesman....we think the best technique is to get a good fast run up and try to maintain the speed as high as possible.
Sounds different can I take it for a test drive?
Salesman....sure,but the tank has only 1 gallon so dont go too far.
Whats the depreciation like?
Salesman....well last month it was £10k,now on special at £5k,not bad 50% in a month.
I'll think I'll leave it for today,hehe.

 

[gray198]

I fully agreed with what you just wrote. This is something you wrote earlier in this thread:


That's something many members will find difficult to believe.
Under £1,000 bikes are usually the domain of cheap Chinese bikes and thus not thought of as well designed because of the compromises to keep cost down.

T-Rex maybe they are selling at a loss to test the market.After all it was originally £1800 . Maybe they have realised it was a bad commercial move and have decided to cut their losses and get rid of any stock.

gray

 

[trex]

I don't think they sell it at a loss. The Gtech is cheaper to produce than the woosh Karoo and the price is similar.

 

[anotherkiwi]

I don't think they sell it at a loss. The Gtech is cheaper to produce than the woosh Karoo and the price is similar.

I bet they have a much better margin. They had a go at high price with huge margin, didn't work so they came down and it is selling better. They still have room to come down again and challenge at the same price point as the Karoo and they will still have a better margin.

Look at the brakes - about 460 grams lighter and much cheaper. No throttle, no brake cutoff and throttle cables. Etc it goes on. Because they are saving weight their Tektro brakes work just fine. Because they have a well designed modern controller they don't need brake cut off switches.

They know what they are doing and in my view they have a great product. It doesn't suit my area or needs but just down the road it would fit right in.

 

[trex]

I bet they have a much better margin. ..

totally agreed. The 5AH battery is a bit on the low side but adequate for most Londoners except cwah.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Yes but he is always moving furniture from flat to flat with his...