New Woosh Rambletta Walk Around

[Grebacwhite]

Yes I've taken to riding in a lower mode and balancing the motor assist with the variable throttle to keep speed with my partner when we both ride out electric bikes as they are slightly different in their power assist.

I did actually delete the post I wrote as I thought better to put it in my review when I write one on the Rambletta as it'll be more appropriate than posting them stats and figures on someone else's post and then double posting in my own later on.

 

[Nealh]

No need to keep deleting posts as it is relevant to the thread and the bike. When posters like me post a reply it often makes the reply senseless in comparison to the thread. It is better to leave the previous post it was in reply to to keep the thread continuity going, one can always cut and paste the same info to a new thread another time which isn't a problem.

 

[Grebacwhite]

Yep it does make sense, just didn't want to double post in different places but here's my original reply regarding the Rambletta.


I noted down some battery info on my Woosh Rambletta for anyone interested.

Assisted speed limit.
Mode 1 speed is up to 8mph
Mode 2 speed is up to 12mph
Mode 3 speed is up to 14mph
Mode 4 speed is up to 15.5mph
Mode 5 same as Mode 4.


Speed did drop by 1-2 mph as the battery gradually depletes down to 20% charge. Only noticed in Modes 2 and 3.


Mode 2 I achieved 15 miles per 20% battery use.
Mode 3 I achieved 9 miles per 20% battery use.
Mode 4 I achieved 6.5 miles per 20% battery use.


Battery took 5 hours to charge from 20% to 100%.


Real world range for me is around 28-38miles still with 20% battery left.

 

[Bonzo Banana]

Tbh I can't tell if it's doing anything at all, it's sprung so hard, has little travel, and with the upright riding position it's kinda pointless imo. Much better is the suspension seat post. In time I'll look to buying a decent one as it's proven it's a worthwhile addition to the bike.
I do love my Rambletta, even battery range is proving acceptable, I'm getting low to mid 30's before needing to charge it, with the battery indicator still showing 2 bars at this point.

Sounds like it might make hitting potholes less jarring but I just hate them as they are a strength weakness and need maintenance over the years I prefer a solid fork that is maintenance free and rely on the tyres for suspension. Also most of a riders weight is at the back it's split something like 70:30 to 60:40 towards the back so its much more sensible to have suspension at the rear like a Brompton or a suspension seatpost or spring loaded saddle. I'm not surprised Woosh have gone for it though its one of those things customers want even if they don't really need it.

It's like all those ultra cheap dual suspension mountain bikes, people buy them but they are utterly awful bikes needing constant maintenance and are extremely heavy. Simplicity goes a long way with bicycles.

 

[Woosh]

Sounds like it might make hitting potholes less jarring but I just hate them as they are a strength weakness and need maintenance over the years I prefer a solid fork that is maintenance free and rely on the tyres for suspension. Also most of a riders weight is at the back it's split something like 70:30 to 60:40 towards the back so its much more sensible to have suspension at the rear like a Brompton or a suspension seatpost or spring loaded saddle. I'm not surprised Woosh have gone for it though its one of those things customers want even if they don't really need it.

the Rambletta comes with a choice of fork.

Rambletta with rigid fork, £30 cheaper:

The suspension fork has 30mm travel.
As you said, the suspension fork makes hitting potholes less jarring.
Also, it makes riding on unmade tracks in parks and along river banks much more comfortable.
On bikes with 20" tyres, we tend to inflate the tyres about 5 PSI more than on bikes with 26" tyres. The suspension seat post is good but the suspension fork helps too.

 

[Bonzo Banana]

the Rambletta comes with a choice of fork.

Rambletta with rigid fork, £30 cheaper:

The suspension fork has 30mm travel.
As you said, the suspension fork makes hitting potholes less jarring.
Also, it makes riding on unmade tracks in parks and along river banks much more comfortable.
On bikes with 20" tyres, we tend to inflate the tyres about 5 PSI more than on bikes with 26" tyres. The suspension seat post is good but the suspension fork helps too.

As a heavy rider I know all about tyre pressures, if I ride a 700x28 road bike tyre the pressure that gives me a nice suspension effect will mean I'm down on the rims if I hit a pot hole with a puncture fairly likely. On 26" tyres like 26"x2.10" I can find a tyre pressure that not only gives a great suspension effect but still prevents the tyre going down to the rim even on pot holes because of the much greater air volume. 20" wheels still have sufficient air volume for me there are tyres like the Kenda Admiral that are something like 20"x2.4" that have loads of air volume and go up to something like 100psi. Fantastic grip too with short braking distances but then they are designed for BMX bikes so are very abuse-able tyres.

My folding bike actually came with Kenda BMX tyres. I'm not keen on the lighter lower profile tyres many folding bikes come with.

Paris Explorer

Aluminium framed folding bike. 20" tyres. 8 speed shimano gear set with shimano microshift changer. Total bike weight 12.4kg. speed shimano tourney gear set with shimano shifter. 250W motor with Lithium 36V.20" 26" steel framed folding bike with rear suspension. Electric Bike. Folding Bikes. 6...

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[Woosh]

20" wheels still have sufficient air volume for me there are tyres like the Kenda Admiral that are something like 20"x2.4" that have loads of air volume and go up to something like 100psi. Fantastic grip too with short braking distances but then they are designed for BMX bikes so are very abuse-able tyres.

The Rambletta is fitted with Kenda 20" x 2.0" tyres but can take balloon tyres if you want.

 

[Grebacwhite]

I don't think they're Kenda? My new Rambletta came with Chinese brand Chen Shin CST tyres? Same tread pattern as your photo so must be same tyre?

 

[Bonzo Banana]

I don't think they're Kenda? My new Rambletta came with Chinese brand Chen Shin CST tyres? Same tread pattern as your photo so must be same tyre?

CST are good tyres, they own Maxxis and make many brand tyres for other companies like WTB tyres. CST and Kenda are the big manufacturing companies behind many brands you see. I do prefer Kenda myself though. Schwalbe uses a Korean company for their tyres which I think are typically made in Indonesia where the main factory is. Same with inner tubes most are made by Kenda or CST even brands like Continental etc. Both are Taiwanese companies but they mainly manufacture I think in mainland China or places like Cambodia or Vietnam.

I think CST and Kenda are seen as the lowest cost good quality tyres so are often seen on budget entry level bikes.

 

[Nealh]

I like my WTB tyres on 700c rims, TL or tubed they give good grip with the softer compounds. Nice for road use esp now.

 

[Woosh]

I don't think they're Kenda? My new Rambletta came with Chinese brand Chen Shin CST tyres? Same tread pattern as your photo so must be same tyre?

you are right, my mistake.
The tyres are CST, not Kenda.

 

[PP100]

It could be the mudguards rubbing?

As I mentioned, only rubs when pedalling , not when wheels are freewheeling or coasting - which to me suggests the crank or the chain/plastic cover?
Intermittent - looks like I'm going to have to get it back on to the bike rack again to have a second go to try to diagnose exactly where the rubbing is .
In another minor irritant, the bell keeps ringing when it goes over a slight bump with the vibration. So need to see if I can adjust or will have to replace.

 

[Woosh]

As I mentioned, only rubs when pedalling , not when wheels are freewheeling or coasting - which to me suggests the crank or the chain/plastic cover?

The plastic chainguard is attached to the chainguard bracket at the front with two crosshead screws. It can happen that we may have not lined up the chainguard properly when we fitted it. If the chainguard is too close to the ring, it can make the rubbing noise you described. If that is the case, I apologise, please loosen the top and bottom screws and correct the position of the chainguard.

 

[PP100]

The plastic chainguard is attached to the chainguard bracket at the front with two crosshead screws. It can happen that we may have not lined up the chainguard properly when we fitted it. If the chainguard is too close to the ring, it can make the rubbing noise you described. If that is the case, I apologise, please loosen the top and bottom screws and correct the position of the chainguard.

Thanks for the reply. I did adjust the top screw previously but not the lower one -
so now with both adjusted and tightened . I will see if that helps.
I also loosened the bell strap on the handlebar to hopefully reduce the vibration travel. Will monitor.

 

[Chris M]

I got a new Rambletta last week. My main ebike is a Cube Acid which is great. After four years with the Cube I wanted something that would go into the boot of the car more easily and was just a bit lighter.
After a few short runs with the Rambletta this is how I feel about it compared to the Cube (which I do not intend to get rid of any time soon).
I fully understand that these bikes are different designs for different purposes and the equivalent to the Cube Acid would be around £2.5k so it is in a very different price bracket so I’m not comparing apples with apples. The biggest difference between the two is that the Cube has a torque sensor while the Rambletta has a cadence sensor. I’m still getting to grips with the cadence sensor on the Rambletta. A torque sensor is certainly much more natural and at the moment I very much prefer this to the cadence sensor controlled motor. There is an up side to the cadence sensor though - it will get you home with almost no effort. The throttle is an added bonus for this. The motor on the Rambletta is only slightly less powerful than the Cube and copes extremely well with the local hills albeit heavy on the battery if I take a break from pedalling.
What surprised me most about the Rambletta is that it is a very comfortable ride - more comfortable than the Cube. I didn’t expect that, must be down to the suspension seat post. The saddle is maybe a bit on the big side for me, but it is quite plush. I am used to the stability of the 29” wheels on the Cube and was expecting the Rambletta to feel a bit twitchy in comparison. In fact the Rambletta feels very stable and not the least bit twitchy. I think the 20 by 2 tyres help a lot with the feel of the ride. Obviously I can’t go over rough tracks with the Rambletta but most of the trails I use are quite smooth - smoother than some of the local roads. At my age I don’t do anything technically challenging. I never thought I would say this but I like the step through frame which makes getting on and off so much easier..
So first impressions of the Rambletta are that it is very good indeed, especially for the price. It was nice to find that the battery operated lights came complete with batteries. I’m glad I decided to buy a Rambletta. The Cube is the better bike but to be fair it is two and a half times the price of the Rambletta. I think they both do what they are intended to do very well.
After just a few days use I am very happy with my purchase. The Rambletta seems to be a solid, well specced bike at a good price. My only moan so far is the bell which kept dinging as I rode along. Today I invested £1.50 in a new bell which isn’t so annoying.

 

[Chris M]

I'm getting my Rambletta delivered Wednesday!!

Enjoy !

 

[Chris M]

Here’s mine this morning down by the cut.