newbie help needed

[janz70]

Hi all, looking for some advice on what bike could be suitable on a commute to work for the next year as I have got a driving ban.

Im am a unfit, 6 ' 2", 21 stone lump who needs to commute to work on a 30 mile round trip.

Getting there will be a struggle for me although mainly down hill - the return on the other hand I will need a lot of help especially on the last few miles with a climb of 400m

I have looked at the Halfords Apollo phaze https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/electric-bikes/apollo-phaze-electric-mountain-bike-17-20-frames mainly down to cost and it seems to have a good warrenty but there is a guy selling a 2nd hand giant escape hybrid 1 near me for the same money obviously no warrenty

 

[vfr400]

Can a cassette be fitted to a freewheel

Do you understand the difference between a cassette and freewheel? It's very confusing because people don't use the correct terminology. The difference is the hub. There is a free-wheel hub with the threaded boss and the free-hub, which is a spline. The gears have to match the hub.

In the old days, all rear gear clusters were called cassettes, but now those in the know call free-hub gears cassettes and free-wheel gears freewheels.

When you fit a motor or any new wheel, you have the option to switch from one gear type to the other, but there are some limitations. Generally, free-wheel gears go up to 7 speeds and cassettes go higher. Your shifting system determines how many speeds you have, but even that can be changed fairly cheaply.

 

[janz70]

nice to hear somebody speak from real life experience

 

[Pearcey]

I was 21 stone at the start of September and I’m now 18. Still have 4st to go though. I had a Scott E Sub at that weight with an Active Line Bosch motor and it was absolutely fine. I have been a regular cyclist for a long while and only use the e bike for commuting. Unfortunately my e bike and myself were smashed up by a car 9 weeks ago. I’m back on the road now with a new Bergamont e horizon 7 and it’s brilliant. Just test ride a few and you’ll know what suits. Good luck.

 

[Kwozzymodo]

I have been working on a Carrera Vengeance and a Carrera Vulcan over the past month - both are fairly solid bikes, and fitted with a rear hub motor with 36v/10ah battery should have the range you need. A quality ebike kit shouldn’t cost more than £200 and then another £200-ish for the battery. I have a Tiger Traditional and a Dawes Mojave in the shed at the moment - both step-throughs. I can fit either with a front wheel motor and rack-mounted battery (36v/12.5ah). I’ve not used this configuration yet, so I don’t know the range.

My opinion is start with a bike you would enjoy riding without the motor, and then add the motor for extra ooomph/range.

 

[nikkiss]

I will prefer to get one with warranty! everytime I bought used vehicles without warranty I got burned!