new member needing advice (based in exeter)

[willywombat]

Hi everyone .feels strange to find myself here having been a strong independent cyclist who has been almost obsessive re spec/builds etc for almost 30 yrs . Anyhow ..as with everyone things have changed and 4 yrs ago knees started crumbling and i kind of gave up on everything .
Looking to get back on the road bike wise but live in hilly devon so need a bit of advice re bike choice .
I'm a big chap ( was strong ) around 110 kg with a very long leg
Considering either the kalkhoff pro connect 9 at £1600 or the woosh big bear at nearly half the price .
Is the WBB really 50% the bike .?
I've always liked quality/reliabilty over name .
Any advice much appreciated
thanks
Bill.

 

[Alan Quay]

Those are very different machines, but at least they force you to make the crank/hub decision early on.

What sort of riding are you planning? Leisure, utility, sport, fitness, commuting?

What sort of range do you want, and how fast do you want to go?

Where are you planning on riding? (Off/on road, track, Exe Estuary trail?)

 

[trex]

the Big Bear is a good bike for Devon.
It has 8-Fun BPM motor, that's a quite good motor for hauling weight.
It has 15AH battery, the Pro Connect Pro 9 has 11.5AH battery.
It has 7-speed basic Shimano Tourney, the Pro Connect Pro 9 has 9 and much better Deore derailleur.
The suspension fork on the Big Bear has non-adjustable 60mm travel, the Suntour NEX suspension is adjustable.
The rest (rack, mudguards, chainguard, rims, tyres, lights, bell) is pretty much Chinese versus European components. The Big Bear also has a throttle.

 

[willywombat]

where are you from from trex .?.appeciate the advice but a bit suspicious re your posts

 

[soundwave]

where are you from from trex

earth imo

 

[derf]

Hi everyone .feels strange to find myself here having been a strong independent cyclist who has been almost obsessive re spec/builds etc for almost 30 yrs . Anyhow ..as with everyone things have changed and 4 yrs ago knees started crumbling and i kind of gave up on everything .
Looking to get back on the road bike wise but live in hilly devon so need a bit of advice re bike choice .
I'm a big chap ( was strong ) around 110 kg with a very long leg
Considering either the kalkhoff pro connect 9 at £1600 or the woosh big bear at nearly half the price .
Is the WBB really 50% the bike .?
I've always liked quality/reliabilty over name .
Any advice much appreciated
thanks
Bill.

I have a woosh santa ana - quite different from either of the bikes you're considering - but the "quality/reliability over name bit may be something I can comment on. Things can get heated on the forum between owners of different brands - and it can become difficult to establish what's real (beyond brand loyalty), so i'll stick to facts. ive owned the santa ana from march last year - woosh just returned it after greasing the bearing free of charge, a few months ago they replaced the battery no questions asked after it seemed one of the cells began to leak (I blame it on extremely potholed roads and very severe vibration). from this experience and what ive read one way or another about bosch and kalkhoff on the forum I'd be inclined to go with the woosh. I originally went with the woosh because, in the long run, I think it makes more sense not tyo buy a bike on which the battery costs around £700 to 800 to replace. Others may have differnet experiences from me.

 

[JohnCade]

You really should try a couple of bikes to see how you get on and whether you prefer crank drive or hub drive, torque sensor etc.

As you are a long time and presumably keen cyclist the chances are you will want a bike that rides like the bikes you were used to, but with help for the hills. Torque sensor bikes like the Kalkhoff you mentioned do ride like that and multiply the effort you put in. Giving a bionic legs effect which is very pleasing for old farts like us as we stamp down on the pedals and go uphill like a train and pretend it’s us doing it all.

TS bikes give you more of a workout in practise too because you have to put in some effort and can’t just spin the pedals and let the bike do all the work.

I tried the Pro Connect at Bristol a few months ago and it was a pretty good bike IMO. The gear change cut out switch worked well, and it changed smoothly without having to do tricks to stop the motor; and the Impulse 2 is a fair bit more powerful than my Impulse 1 motor too.

The BB is a totally different bike and more for those who don’t want to pedal that much. The cheaper bikes don’t have the quality of bike parts which the better German ones do, and I sold on a cheaper first e bike very quickly because I wanted the better quality components I had been used to with my unpowered bikes. The Kalkhoffs do ride very nicely and can be pedalled past the 17mph cut off a lot better than some bikes.

 

[Cyclezee]

where are you from from trex .?.appeciate the advice but a bit suspicious re your posts

Hi Bill,

Welcome to the forum.

Something that you need to be aware of when it comes to recommendations from forum members is that, quite naturally, trade members like myself more often than not will be biased in favour of what we are selling.

When you have been on the forum for as long as I have you will see certain non trade members recommend any model from one particular brand over and over again with monotonous regularity, this does indeed raise suspicions about just how independent those recommendations are.

There are of course those members who have bought a particular model from a particular brand who give totally unbiased opinions or reviews of that and any other model which they also own or have tested.

 

[trex]

I know the woosh bikes very well. But there is a difference between trying to get a sale for Hatti @ Woosh and giving some basic facts or links.
woosh are very competitive in the price band between £600 and £900. They have 17 models - there is usually one that fits the OP's requirements perfectly for not much money, so it's hard not to recommend when the OP's budget is under £1,000.
This is not the case here, but often, it is for many other first time buyers.
In this particular thread, the OP wanted to know if the BB is half the Kalkhoff. Of course it is not but I personally prefer crank drives, I'd go for the Woosh Krieger instead of the BB.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

If your knees really are giving problems, avoid a torque sensor bike at all costs. Instead, get a bike with a throttle and a cadence sensor. Torque sensors are for people with good knees. The Woosh Big Bear should be perfect for what you want.

 

[John Stuart]

Hi Bill, like you I have long legs (34") and was advised by Woosh to go for the Sirocco CDL. The CDL has a 5cm larger frame and 5cm more saddle height. Being a crank drive you have the gear change 'issue' but I find this no problem. I have had no quality issues at all and I live in Exmouth so if you want to have a look or a ride let me know.

 

[Kudoscycles]

The KTM e-Panasonic bike would be good for your requirements,it is available in 56cm seat post size for tall guys.
The only problem is getting one,they are in short supply.
London Electric Bike Company of Hampton Wick had one,not sure if it was sold.
The Panasonic hub drive is the most powerful hill climber of all the KTM e-bikes.
Alternatively my Kudos 29'ers - Typhoon or Escape are big guys bikes,with the BPM motor they climb hills well. Reading your original posting with weak knees I would recommend the Typhoon with its speed sensor.
There are big differences in the way these bikes perform and what is comfortable,you really need to try some. We have a dealer in Weston super Mare who has a Tornado for testing but you will probably want a bigger bike ,it will give you an idea of the performance.
Hope that helps
KudosDave

 

[willywombat]

thanks everyone for all your advice . I really appreciate it . Seems like the e bike community has a lot of good people!

 

[LEBC Tom]

The KTM e-Panasonic bike would be good for your requirements,it is available in 56cm seat post size for tall guys.
The only problem is getting one,they are in short supply.
London Electric Bike Company of Hampton Wick had one,not sure if it was sold.
The Panasonic hub drive is the most powerful hill climber of all the KTM e-bikes.
Alternatively my Kudos 29'ers - Typhoon or Escape are big guys bikes,with the BPM motor they climb hills well. Reading your original posting with weak knees I would recommend the Typhoon with its speed sensor.
There are big differences in the way these bikes perform and what is comfortable,you really need to try some. We have a dealer in Weston super Mare who has a Tornado for testing but you will probably want a bigger bike ,it will give you an idea of the performance.
Hope that helps
KudosDave

I only have one of the Panasonic hub bikes left, the e-street P in a 60cm, they have been very popular this year.

Regards

Tom

 

[willywombat]

Sorry for the delay in replying and thanks to everyone for their kind input . I may well be in touch in the near future with some of you Bike btw is for general purpose use.
Regards
Bill

 

[Jonah]

Bill,

I'm based in North Devon so not too far from you. I sell, rent or demonstrate all the bikes mentioned in this thread (Kalkkhoff, KTM, Kudos and Woosh) but am not supposed to advertise on the forum. You should really try a few bikes out to see how you feel about the different options. You would be most welcome if you wanted to come up this way for a look, a try and a chat.

 

[Motoroaming]

Bill, I seriously recommend that you take Jonah up on his offer. Excellent service, knowledgeable and sound advice without a hard sell. If you don't do any business with him directly at least you'll be on the right path.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Jonah is a good guy,he will give you good advice and impartial.
KudosDave