New to electric bikes, not new to cycling. Considering folding electric bike (Kudos Secret?)

[Deerhound]

Hello!

I'm 27 and I live in Birmingham. I used to be fit and healthy but nowadays I have a problem where I get tired very easily. I can still ride a bike (I have a lovely secondhand Kalkhoff) and I love it but the thing is I end up not using it because it takes too much out of me, particularly because I want to make journeys on it, not just go round the local blocks.

What I would like to do is keep my ordinary bike but find an electric bike to 'supplement' it for rides to work (6 miles, a few hills, one big hill) when the weather's nice or for leisure riding a bit further than the local area. The only trouble is, what with the space in my flat and my not wanting to leave the bike in a public space whilst I'm at work, I would like folding bike and I'm not sure how comfortable it would be or how good they are. I also have only about £700-£800 to spend and I know that's the low end of the market for an electric bike but I really can't spend more so it's either that or nothing (I shouldn't really even be spending that but the weather's getting nice and I'm fed up with not cycling).

I've been looking at many over the last week or so and I particularly like the Kudos Secret because of its hidden battery, higher seat (so many others look far too low), integrated lights (the bike has a battery - why do so many not run their lights off it?), and 'light' (compared with others) weight.

My main concerns are:

• I can't easily get to anywhere to try it out so I don't know whether I will like it (or indeed like a folding bike at all, particularly one with a cadence sensor, which all the cheaper bikes, especially the folding ones, seem to have).
• With the battery fitting in the frame, how easy will it be in the future to buy a replacement that will fit?

I'd love to hear from anyone who has this bike. Please give your honest reviews of what it's like to ride - comfort, quality, etc.

Thanks if you've read all that! I'm not sure how much I should have written here and whether I perhaps should have put most of my query in another section. Hopefully it's okay.

 

[JuicyBike]

Don't be put off by the term "Cadence Sensor" or "Speed Sensor" DH.
Some cheap and cheerful implementations operate like an on-off switch, with a sudden introduction of full motor power after half a turn of the pedals (and are awful).
Others work with advanced controller software and introduce motor power with a much more refined and smoother response.
Definitely try before you buy as two "cadence sensor" bikes may well ride very differently to each other.

(Seems to me you chose a perfectly fine place to post, by the way )

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi Deerhound, welcome to forum.

Birmingham is not exactly the back of beyond so there should be a dealer somewhere near you that has folders that you can try.

If you post in this section http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/forums/which-electric-bike-should-i-buy.40/ with a title something like "Best Electric Folder for under £800", I think you will get a lot of response and maybe from an owner near you

 

[Deerhound]

Thanks both for your replies.

Bob: I didn't know that. I just thought a cadence sensor was a cadence sensor. It's obvious there'd be different ones now I think of it but it didn't occur to me.

John: I know it's not the back of beyond but none of the shops around here have any of the models I was thinking of. Now I'm thinking quite seriously about the Secret, I find the nearest stockist I can find is about an hour's drive away (Leicester) so I need to find the time.

 

[trex]

DH, you are not wrong, almost all bikes fitted with cadence sensors have good controllers nowadays.

 

[anotherkiwi]

The cadence sensor is just the disk with magnets and a detector. The more magnets the better (more information sent) there is a physical limit to the number you can fit in a disk before magnetic interference stops it from working.

The controller is where the PAS information is processed and as stated above that is where lots of progress has been made over the years. In my mind not as much as could be done but modern controllers a pretty good, no longer need for brake cut out switches for example (if you don't have a throttle mounted) as the current is cut immediately (true in my case with a pretty standard controller).

 

[Jason P]

Hi DH,

I too am seriously contemplating the Secret, mainly for a London commute (typically 8-10 miles each way) which I currently do on my Ridgeback folder (a Dahon Vitesse rebadged). I test rode a Secret a couple of years ago and was impressed - the ride was better than the Vitesse in as much as it felt less skittish, especially riding one-handed (signalling for instance) - I put this down to the slight stem as opposed to the Dahon's 'bars atop the steerer' approach. I liked the power delivery - it was strong and progressive, and keeping up 15-18 mph was no problem. I quite liked the cadence sensor, it seemed more immediate that the torque-censored bikes I rode immediately after, even though power was similar. Comfortable too, for me at 6' and *ahem* fifteen stone. I should think the range will be plenty for your commute. Overall I was impressed.

As to the battery - well Kudos have been around a while and the Secret has sold a few, so I'd not worry overly - and you could always get the pack re-celled if the worst happened and support stopped.

 

[Deerhound]

That's extremely helpful, many thanks for that.