New to the ebike scene!

[Bullzeye]

Hello guys

Just hoping someone can point me in the right direction

After being inactive for around 5 years now, (Very little exercise in this time )

im looking to getting abit of my fitness back, i used to cycle around 6 years ago on a normal pushbike , there is a route where i live that is 21 miles around the city and i did this daily for 6 months or so, and felt really fit and healthy!

so now im not fit and healthy, im overweight and looking to lose some pounds, with a little help from peddle assist.

My budget is around the £2000 mark, after looking on ebay ,im not sure whats best for me,

im 17 stone , so very heavy so im guessing ill need atleast a 1000W motor to carry me,

would i be best getting a factory built ebike with mid drive motor, or a bike conversion with rear wheel motor?

Any help will be much appreacited, as im going into this totaly blind, i have no idea what to buy and get the best for my money

Thankyou

 

[Benjahmin]

We need to know the type of riding you'll be doing. Off road, mountains, tarmac, hilly? Do you want road bike, hybrid, step through?
Main thing is, forget about motor ratings, they are misleading and meaningless. If you go down the '1000w' route, you will end up with a very disappointing, illegal, battery munching direct drive motor.
If you already have a bike that you like, you could go the conversion route. £2k would be more than enough to buy a new bike and convert it with a large battery (most expensive part).
A 250w rated, geared hub motor, i.e a BPM (front or rear) with a 17A controller will move you very well.
A mid drive, such as the BBS01, will also work well albeit giving a more technical ride (careful with the gear changes) and, form much reading here, seem to be less reliable, need more set up and can result in having to fiddle with the chain line.
Have a look at Woosh, whisper and Juicy, all respected for bikes and customer service.

 

[AndyBike]

im looking to getting abit of my fitness back

I'm on another well known bike forum and currently there's a gigantic argument raging about how ebikes do nowt for fitness levels.

Of course such nonsense is a load of tat and its about getting out, keeping the joints moving and the blood pumping. Any cardio vascular exercise is better than none.

 

[guerney]

I'm on another well known bike forum and currently there's a gigantic argument raging about how ebikes do nowt for fitness levels.

Of course such nonsense is a load of tat and its about getting out, keeping the joints moving and the blood pumping. Any cardio vascular exercise is better than none.

In my experience, it all depends on what bike you have, how it's configured and how you use it: Because of the pandemic, I got an ebike and my fitness has plummeted for a year - I was far fitter slow jogging (for a year before), which I stopped doing because I have an ebike... but it's my own fault because I'm addicted to very high levels of assistance (now 100% "Keep current" PAS) on my Bafang BBS01b. Ebiking for a year has also increased pain in my knees, but I've started slow jogging again and that makes my knees less painful. Also, increasing "Keep current" from 80% to 100%, has made ebiking easier on my knees, and even less useful for fitness. However, ebiking is exceptionally good for my mental well-being.

 

[Nealh]

If using ebike to help with fitness then one has to opt for a TS PAS system for crank drive or for a current control (torque simulation) with hub drive.
With the former one has to input more effort to get more out of the system, with both ignore high power levels except for steep hills. Minimal power level is the way to go for some exercise given a little added boost.

Using higher powers of level constantly is akin to riding a moped so no value in it for exercise.

It is worth noting that very basic cheap kits & esp DD 1kw+ hubs use speed control, one gets no valuable exercise with these at all as each speed level gives max power.

 

[guerney]

Using higher powers of level constantly is akin to riding a moped so no value in it for exercise.

That's exactly why I love my ebike! And why it's so good for my sense of positive mental well-being! Riding my ebike, feels like flying... I slow jog for actual exercise, and do sit-ups - I'm working on press-ups, because I haven't done one since 2003

 

[Nealh]

The KT systems for instance only give 13% total current available in PAS 1, the power is about 70 - 110w depending on the current spec of the controller they come in ranges of 12a - 25a for the mostly used models. 70 -110w doesn't seem much but is about same if not more then the average rider may put out who isn't cycle fit or used to exerting them selves without issues, this can be lack of strength stamina or even disabilities like asthma etc, etc. PAS 1 for all flatish terrain should be more then ample for most riders, set the speed limit to what you are comfy with and then ride above this limit using your own power for more benefits from exercise.

Even on hills don't always opt for max power levels opt for one that still makes you work a bit and not one that wizz's you up without effort.

 

[Nealh]

For knees issues and riding the worst one can do is grind away in high gears, keep the cranks spinning with a high cadence. If one can't keep a high cadence in high gears then opt to spin faster in a lower easier gear for less strain on the knees.

 

[guerney]

For knees issues and riding the worst one can do is grind away in high gears, keep the cranks spinning with a high cadence. If one can't keep a high cadence in high gears then opt to spin faster in a lower easier gear for less strain on the knees.

Yes you're absolutely right about that - I found that the sudden falloff of assistance at 15mph, gave me knee pain, so I keep to about 14mph at high cadence - but my knees still hurt more after cycling. Slow jogging fixes them - it's very low impact... I drift along silently like a ghost ninja doing Tai Chi. It took me 1 hour and 43 minutes to slow jog 3.4miles non-stop about two weeks ago, now that's what I call slow jogging! Despite the slow speed, you end up working up a sweat because you are using more muscles than you do when walking or cycling, through many more muscle activations, as you balance going along in slow jog mode. When I started, I couldn't slow jog 10 feet. So I started and stopped, walking in between. A year of twice a week later, I could slow jog 3 miles non-stop. Weirdly, it's been great for all of my joints - it's reduced arthritis in both toes and right hip. This guy is slow jogging far too fast - he's probably showing off because of the cameras:

 

[Jodel]

I'm on another well known bike forum and currently there's a gigantic argument raging about how ebikes do nowt for fitness levels.

Of course such nonsense is a load of tat and its about getting out, keeping the joints moving and the blood pumping. Any cardio vascular exercise is better than none.

If the argument is that an e-bike won't help you build huge leg muscles like a TDF rider, I'm inclined to agree. However, since I'm now in my mid '60's, I won't be building leg muscle anymore anyway.

There is no doubt in my mind that any bike, whether powered or not, will help fitness levels. I have always ridden with a heart rate monitor to keep an eye on my own 'rpm'. On my e-tandem or solo e-bike, I just adjust the bike power level / gears to sustain my heart rate at a reasonably high level. HRM's are great gadgets for not allowing you to kid yourself about how hard you are trying!

I'm quite a recent convert to e-bikes having converted my tandem in March this year. One of the biggest benefits a e-bike has given to me is the extra enthusiasm / inclination to get out and cycle when I otherwise would not have bothered. Riding more frequently, even at a slightly lower level of effort, has to be better than not getting out at all.

As I understand it, the received wisdom is that the average e-bike rider cycles more often and goes further than the average 'ordinary' cyclist. That is certainly my own experience up this point.

 

[Bullzeye]

thanks for your replys guys, i have 2 options,

a 2021 haibike hardnine 5 with bosch 500w
or a obea gain d31 250w

Which bike would you guys go for?

The obea i can get £300 cheaper than the haibike

 

[soundwave]

haibike+ dongle and you will be going 30mph and get a work out

 

[Bullzeye]

haibike+ dongle and you will be going 30mph and get a work out

HI soundwave, What do you mean by plus dongle?

 

[soundwave]

Bosch (Gen2 / Gen3) E Bike Tuning

Default Description

www.ebiketuning.com

i use the bad ass dongle but depends where the sensor is and magnet

 

[Flycaster]

You have not stated how tall you are, if you are 5' 8" or over then this would fit the bill: https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?gran-camino

I just bought one. I cannot fault it, it really is impressive with excellent customer care. Will save you a lot of dosh too.

 

[Bullzeye]

You have not stated how tall you are, if you are 5' 8" or over then this would fit the bill: https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?gran-camin

I just bought one. I cannot fault it, it really is impressive with excellent customer care. Will save you a lot of dosh too.

Hi flycaster thanks for your help,, that's a nice looking bike and from what I can see ,£1400 with the better battery?
What kind of power does the motor give though I couldn't make it out, I was looking for a bike with a bosch powerline cx with 85nm of torque, to get my fat arse up the hills, I am 5'8" too

 

[Flycaster]

The GC has a rear hub motor Shengyi DWG22C. I am 6' 2" and heavier than you, you won't have a problem with the bike. True that you have to use the pedals for the steepest of hills but no matter what ebike you get, you will have to provide some sort of input from yourself. The bike looks better in the flesh. I would go for the 17A battery, it is better than what I was expecting.

 

[Bullzeye]

The GC has a rear hub motor Shengyi DWG22C. I am 6' 2" and heavier than you, you won't have a problem with the bike. True that you have to use the pedals for the steepest of hills but no matter what ebike you get, you will have to provide some sort of input from yourself. The bike looks better in the flesh. I would go for the 17A battery, it is better than what I was expecting.

Thanks for your reply, I'm considering the bike along with 2 others, I know a chap selling a wilier e-adventure Road bike, the brand puts me slightly off as I have never heard of it, it does have 105 groupset with a steps e8000 motor, the other one is a 2020 giant explore e +1 Pro, would any of you guys be put off the wilier?

 

[Nealh]

Wilier are an old Italian manufacturer since1906, nothing wrong with the name or brand. Just one not often heard of among the main stream names we know, my brother has one with steps drive ne bought it about 4 years ago.

 

[Barnsleyrob]

I hadn‘t ridden a bike since I left school and rarely exercised other than walking to the local pub. Having hit 60 and having had an ankle replaced a couple of times, I got an ebike and haven‘t looked back. I’m not sure whether I’m fitter or not but once a week I get out in the fresh air for 2-3 hours and the power assistance compensates for the lack of downforce on my dodgy ankle. I only tend to use the higher levels on steep hills but find that I put in maximum effort to try and beat my Strava times !

So I would say just getting out and about must be better than sitting on a sofa.