No idea which bike to buy or where to go for best advice!

[Lynne]

This is making me smile! As for my capabilities, I have just come back, half an hour ago, from my DAILY bike ride....2.5 miles in 15 minutes. It is enough but I would like to go further and independently. I have fallen off so many times that I am always accompanied either by my daughter,or John , my partner. Sometimes the bikes are put onto a tow bar bike rack and we go to the Trans Pennine Trail and I can do 6.5 miles in 40 mins, with a stop included, and when I get back to the car I need assistance to get off the bike because my right leg becomes a lead weight and I can't lift it over the cross bar.

I am used to 24 gears, shimano, thumb operated levers. I used to be able to ride for 10 miles at a time and get up reasonable hills, and this is what I would like to be able to do again. People have questioned whether it is time for me to stop...I'm not ready to yet! I am 52 and would just like a few more years bike riding because it is so joyful.

I now just need to decide what are the most important requirements...step through frame is obviously top, I just need to try as many bikes as I can and realise range is less important. Throttle would be good but I am used to getting off and resting!

And once I get my bike...I will have to keep you all up to date with how I am getting on!

Thanks again....

 

[flecc]

You're the ideal e-bike customer Lynne, one is obviously what's needed. Step-through yes, and I'd suggest also light to avoid stability problems at a standstill. Just try as many as you can get to, since the one that suits you most will be the right one, just so long as you are satisfied the dealer or distributor support will be adequate.

 

[funkylyn]

The mistake you seem to be making Lynda is seeing anything other than praise for the Tonaro as criticism. I'm not criticising it, just rating it's power against the current opposition, and in that field it lower powered than the rest, a simple statement of fact.

The reason it's not a criticism is that lower power suits and is preferred by the many who want to retain as much as possible of the cycling element and avoid any hint of moped character. I can equally remark the Cytronex models and Nano-Brompton are low powered compared to the opposition, but again I'm not criticising those very fine e-bikes, just stating the facts of suitability for those who want that, while warning those who it won't suit.

For Lynne's circumstances the Tonaro is underpowered and heavy.

No, you misunderstand me Flecc, I am certainly not seeing adverse comments as criticism...I am perfectly happy to accept that there are many bikes with more power and perfectly happy to accept other peoples opinions as you will see if you re read my post.

I am quite happy to accept facts as facts and happy to tolerate the shortcomings of the Tonaro, one of the reasons being that I am not in a position, or indeed even inclined, to spend mega bucks on a bike when I am quite happy doing the recreational cycling that the Tonaro easily tackles ....for ME

And then you will also see that I certainly didnt recommend the Tonaro for Lynne........I recommended a totally different make and type......

Again, the point I am making is that the majority of people involved in recreational cycling do not NEED to buy a higher powered, higher priced bike.........unless they wish to.... and that is their prerogative as always.....to each their own

Lynda

 

[Kudoscycles]

Lynda....I thought of suggesting the Tonaro but I think it is a heavy bike and Lynne obviously has to move the bike around occassionally....I apologise for recommending my own product but I cannot think of a more suitable bike than my Kudos Secret,it is light(only 18kg),has a throttle,easily does the range,flies up hills.....if I could think of a more suitable bike from any location I would genuinely recommend it,Eddies AVE MR7 is a lovely bike but it has a very high step over...I think we should think in terms of these lightweight small wheeled bikes because they are so easy to get on/off.
Dave
Kudoscycles

 

[Lynne]

What about this?

http://www.bh-emotion.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CityWave-E4102-1024x642.jpg

Perhaps it isn't so good on hills? I do like the look of it though! And wish I could put a picture on here...need to learn about that too!

Lynne

 

[flecc]

...
Again, the point I am making is that the majority of people involved in recreational cycling do not NEED to buy a higher powered, higher priced bike.........unless they wish to.... and that is their prerogative as always.....to each their own

Lynda

Absolutely agreed Lynda, and it's all I ever say. That's why my first reply to Lynne was this:

"As a start point Lynne, the bike you like most is the right one when it comes to choice. What suits anyone else won't necessarily be right for you. The Kalkhoff (if a crank drive one which it probably was) and the Wisper are very different drive systems. If you can tell us if you had any preference between those two, it will help us to point you in the right directions."

 

[flecc]

What about this?

http://www.bh-emotion.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CityWave-E4102-1024x642.jpg

Perhaps it isn't so good on hills? I do like the look of it though! And wish I could put a picture on here...need to learn about that too!

Lynne

Being a crank drive type it will be excellent on hills Lynne, since it drives through the gears enabling full power at any speed. As an e-bike, it will feel very much like the Kalkhoff you tried. You can select three assistance levels just the same, the highest level adding twice what you put in. The Kalkhoff you tried may have had either the Panasonic unit like this BH emotion, or Kalkhoff's own Impulse unit which is a bit more powerful.

BH are an old established Spanish bike company. Some have remarked that they use slightly lower grade components that the Kalkhoffs, but all the parts are completely satisfactory and the Panasonic unit is very reliable.

 

[funkylyn]

Lynda....I thought of suggesting the Tonaro but I think it is a heavy bike and Lynne obviously has to move the bike around occassionally....
Dave
Kudoscycles

Well, you are one up on me Dave because I NEVER thought of suggesting the Tonaro for Lynne.........

I am beginning to feel like Im in an alternative universe on this thread.......I think you will find that I suggested looking at Ezee and HOPPY suggested the Tonaro and I said I disagreed , in this case, with Lynne in mind.....

Poor Lynne........ I bet she is starting to think we are all bonkers or partake in dubious substances on sundays

BTW Lynne.....I tried the BH Emotion in Spain and liked it

Lynda

 

[flecc]

Well, you are one up on me Dave because I NEVER thought of suggesting the Tonaro for Lynne.........

Nobody has said you did as far as I can see. Because it had been mentioned and two posts implied crank drive wasn't suitable, I merely pointed out it's lower power level while pointing out the more suitably powered ones, showing that not all crank drives are the same.

 

[Kudoscycles]

What about this?

http://www.bh-emotion.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CityWave-E4102-1024x642.jpg

Perhaps it isn't so good on hills? I do like the look of it though! And wish I could put a picture on here...need to learn about that too!

Lynne

Suggest you make contact with Rob at BH Emotion UK,he may be able to recommend someone who has that bike or alternatively ship one down to us for you to test. I agree its a nice looking bike. Others may advise how much effort is involved in hill climbing.
I am off to Eurobike show this week,in Friedrichshaven,I will look out for a similar bike whilst visiting stands.
Dave
Kudos Cycles

 

[banbury frank]

Hi Lynne

I have had a similar request before i the end we recommended the specialized as it was the only ladies bike with Hydraulic disk brakes in black or white with our kit on it Just under £2000 with all the Extras

2012 Specialized Ariel Sport Disc -



will pull up very steep hills no pedalling range 20 miles + no pedalling

with our new 48 volt 20 AH battery

you need to come to Banbury for a test ride

Frank

 

[Cyclezee]

I am beginning to feel like Im in an alternative universe on this thread.......I think you will find that I suggested looking at Ezee and HOPPY suggested the Tonaro and I said I disagreed , in this case, with Lynne in mind.....

Poor Lynne........ I bet she is starting to think we are all bonkers or partake in dubious substances on sundays

Lynda

Lynda,

Why don't you just buy the eZee Sprint with Anne Rosat artwork and get it over with, you know how much you want it

Then you would be able to rave about how good eZee bikes are....................Hmm, on second thoughts, I'm not sure if that would be a good thing

 

[funkylyn]

Lynda,

Why don't you just buy the eZee Sprint with Anne Rosat artwork and get it over with, you know how much you want it

Then you would be able to rave about how good eZee bikes are....................Hmm, on second thoughts, I'm not sure if that would be a good thing

LOL.....John.....can you just imagine the stick I would have to put up with on here if I did that.........

mind you.....its a lovely looking bike, and you know I like it......but is it powerful enough ?

and if it is.....could I handle it ?

(and if it isnt...can you make it more powerful ? ROFLOL......purely for private land of course )

Lynda

 

[flecc]

.
I had to look up Anne Rosat to find out who she was! Now I know she's the second famous Belgian.

 

[Cyclezee]

LOL.....John.....can you just imagine the stick I would have to put up with on here if I did that.........

mind you.....its a lovely looking bike, and you know I like it......but is it powerful enough ?

and if it is.....could I handle it ?

(and if it isnt...can you make it more powerful ? ROFLOL......purely for private land of course )

Lynda

Lynda it is quite powerful enough in standard form compared to what you have been used to, and more importantly, the range is greater.

I will leave the comparisons at that.

 

[Cyclezee]

.
I had to look up Anne Rosat to find out who she was! Now I know she's the second famous Belgian.

You are ahead of me there Tony, I thought she was Swiss just like..............ah yes, now I remember William Tell

 

[muckymits]

Lynda will never be happy with a bike until it has this badge on

 

[flecc]

You are ahead of me there Tony, I thought she was Swiss just like..............ah yes, now I remember William Tell

I wouldn't have known without Wikipedia John, though I knew the other famous Belgian is reputed to be Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Actually the William Tell of the Swiss legend probably arose from a Danish original from three centuries earlier who in legend shot an apple from his son's head. That was Palnatoki.

 

[Cyclezee]

Well Tony,

Learning something new everyday used to be enough for me, but 2 things is approaching overload

Actually, it is 3 things, helping my son replace his leaky shed roof today was a horrible job

 

[funkylyn]

Lynda it is quite powerful enough in standard form compared to what you have been used to, and more importantly, the range is greater.

I will leave the comparisons at that.

Yes John, no doubt the range would be greater seeing as it has a bigger battery.
But this power thing has me confused......how fast/powerful do people want their bikes to be ?

My Tonaro enables me to sail up any hill I have encountered so far and cycle along quite happily at 20+ miles an hour without much effort at all.......

or maybe I am just fitter than you and indeed anyone else who thinks Tonaros are underpowered

Lynda