Non-legal mountain e-bike with good torque and top speed that is under 1500 quid?

[Deleted member 4366]

Also, I don't know how to assess the quality of the components used in a product. There is some correlation between brand reputation and component quality but the price difference is unjustified in my opinion.

Quality of components is a difficult one. The only components that I've found on an electric bike that gives problems are brakes and bottom bracket bearings. Most bikes now have cartridge bottom brackets that don't give problems, but I think that some of the cheapest ones still use loose balls, which don't last long. The brakes are a bit easier to understand. Cable brakes wear quickly and need frequent adjustment to keep working properly. Hydraulic ones work consistently and reliably.

For other components, higher spec and more expensive usually means lighter, except suspension, where higher quality and more expensive mean that it works better - less choppy and smoother action. The cheap components generally are perfectly adequate to give thousands of trouble-free miles. In fact they may be more robust than some of the expensive ones.

Quality simply means that you'll be happy with it. It has nothing to do with cost, design or specification. If it works how you want it to, you have quality.

This was a really good quality bike as far as I was concerned. I rescued it from a skip and gave the guy £5 for it, then spent £40 on hydraulic brakes and £10 on a new BB, fitted a kit and did 1000 miles on winter roads with snow, ice, salt and everything without even oiling the chain. After that I sold it to a forum member via Ebay. I'd love to know what happened after that::

 

[Woosh]

This was a really good quality bike as far as I was concerned.

If I fitted the same shocks on my bikes, Wisper's David and RobF will be on my case permanently.

 

[minime]

For the pedalease 1500w bike, the battery is 48v, 17ah. I don't know the controller current limit.

Similarly, the the Cyclamatic, the batter is 36v, 10ah and a 250w motor. Don't the controller current limit for this one either.

Also, I've looked at plenty of specs at e-bikes websites and they never mention controller current limit.

 

[danielrlee]

To be completely honest, off-the-shelf bikes don't interest me in the slightest, so I do not have the missing information. Someone else will likely know the controller current of these bikes, but failing that, you could just ask the retailer. If they didn't know, it'd tell me everything I need to know about the retailer.

 

[Trevormonty]

I intent to ride the e-bike on public roads. I only mentioned the "off-road" usage so that I am not asked to justify my decision to ride an illegal bike on public roads.

My current e-bike, the Cyclamatic CX1, is ok but I'd like something with better acceleration and higher top speed. Pedalease sells an 1500w e-bike with a 48v, 17ah battery for 825 pounds. Why shouldn't I get that one over the Oxygen bike which is twice as expensive if both of them have similar performance?

It's called a motorbike, anything from 250cc up should do the job.

 

[minime]

It's called a motorbike, anything from 250cc up should do the job.

I am not interested in a motorcycle. Why would I post in a bicycle forum if I was?

 

[EddiePJ]

I am not interested in a motorcycle. Why would I post in a bicycle forum if I was?

The reason couldn't be more obvious, as that is what you are after. http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/electric-bike-guides/uk-electric-bike-law/


"All electric bikes with motors more powerful than 250W are required to display a tax disc, with insurance mandatory and with the vehicle registered. It needs to display a number plate and carry an MOT certificate. Any rider of such a vehicle must hold a current driving licence and keep to the laws appertaining to mopeds. Anyone found riding an electric bike with a motor more powerful than 250W rated power without the correct documentation is liable to be prosecuted by the police. The rider will be open for prosecution for driving without a licence, driving without insurance, driving an unlicensed vehicle etc. If the person riding such a vehicle has a current driving licence and is prosecuted, they will receive penalty points and may even be banned from driving any motor vehicle."




.

 

[danielrlee]

Really??? The guy is under no illusion as to the illegality, so why bother?

 

[D8ve]

Dear mr Plod ,
If you keep your eye open in hull you will spot an uninsured electric motorcycle doing naughty things.
It should be obvious as he hasn't even tried getting a legal bike and tweeking it.
Please cop his licence and give him a large fine.
Yours ...
Your statements are very clear, I want to break the law and I don't care.
So I don't won't have any sadness if you get nicked

 

[danielrlee]

I really dislike this forum at times...

OP, do yourself a favour and try https://endless-sphere.com/forums instead. Although less UK centric, folks there tend to be much more open-minded and much less likely to s**t all over your thread.

 

[Fordulike]

OP, do yourself a favour and try https://endless-sphere.com/forums instead. Although less UK centric, folks there tend to be much more open-minded and much less likely to s**t all over your thread.

Or, if you stick to posting your questions in this section, you should get fewer negative responses:

http://pedelecs.co.uk/forum/forums/speed-pedelecs-s-pedelecs-non-eapcs-overseas.43/

 

[EddiePJ]

I really dislike this forum at times...

OP, do yourself a favour and try https://endless-sphere.com/forums instead. Although less UK centric, folks there tend to be much more open-minded and much less likely to s**t all over your thread.

Close the door on the way out as well.

edit.... Please!

.

 

[minime]

Close the door on the way out as well.

.

What is your problem exactly? Does it bother you so much that I want a faster e-bike? Perhaps you incorrectly assume I am a road hooligan or some kind.

I just want the option of being able to ride faster; I fail to see the reason why that irritates you.

 

[minime]

Or, if you stick to posting your questions in this section, you should get fewer negative responses:

http://pedelecs.co.uk/forum/forums/speed-pedelecs-s-pedelecs-non-eapcs-overseas.43/

I'll do that. Thanks.

 

[soundwave]

I just want the option of being able to ride faster; I fail to see the reason why that irritates you.

its because it is in the wrong section of the forum

 

[minime]

I really dislike this forum at times...

OP, do yourself a favour and try https://endless-sphere.com/forums instead. Although less UK centric, folks there tend to be much more open-minded and much less likely to s**t all over your thread.

Thanks for the info but I'll stay here as well. Most people on these forums have been civil; no need to leave on account of a few idiots.

 

[minime]

I just want the option of being able to ride faster; I fail to see the reason why that irritates you.

its because it is in the wrong section of the forum

I am asking for which electric bike should I buy in the forum titled "Which electric bike should I buy".

 

[soundwave]

yes but you want no speed limit thus a sclass bike or above

 

[Wicky]

Okay you want cheap & fast - do you want to go up hills as well? Ride on cycle-ways / shared cycle-paths?

 

[Recycler]

minime -

1. I found Fast Electric Bike's '32 mph How to Build, Where to Buy Complete Guide' youtube video very informative. As did 168,274 others apparently. He's in London.

He covers buying the needed parts and assembly.
a) 1000 W direct drive motor already mounted in a rim, with a controller and display, for around £200, from ebay UK and
b) a 48V 20Ahr Li battery from Aliexpress China also around £200. Don't necessarily agree that Aliexpress is the way to go on the battery. Em3ev - an Englishman in Hong Kong (with production in Shenzen?) is also recommended as standing over his products. But the UK would be nice for warranty work on a battery...

He also has videos on the recent availability of 1500W and 2000W kit versions for 40 mph and 50 mph ultimate speeds. Way too fast for my blood (near geriatric and hoping to stay that way for a _long_ time). Presume you can work out for yourself that if you get it wrong - assembly, riding, or collision with a 'cager' - at 40 mph, or 50 mph, on a bicycle it's Game Over. As in Brown Bread. Dead.

Fast Electric Bike '32 mph How to Build, Where to Buy Complete Guide' - youtube -

-

2. It was d8veh who among many other useful things pointed out that the high cost of retail ebikes is due to a) hand-holding of the customer b) warranty work and c) marketing, all of which are costly and that you may be able to reduce the cost by doing it yourself, relying on inexpensive components sourced from China, to do your own maintenance and warranty. Plus you'll better understand the ebike you've assembled. In many cases it's quite simple to add a well designed ebike kit to an existing bike, as Fast Electric Bike, d8veh and many others have shown.

All d8veh's builds -

- http://tinyurl.com/gortc92

OR see his sig, via search.

3. Then there's the redoubtable cwah who also travels round London fairly swiftly, apparently on a Dahon Jetstream but presently, who knows - he's not taking any credit. ; ) -

-

'This Morning's Sunday Times' -

- http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/this-mornings-sunday-times.25377/

4. I appreciate d8veh's decision that 20 mph is an adequate average speed for an ebike. On grounds of health and safety, age, caution, or whatever. A lighter motor needs a lighter battery for a more bicycle-like experience.

Justin Lemire-Elmore - of ebikes.ca and Endless Sphere - worked out that at 25 mph an ebike could handily revolutionise urban travel, by comprehensively outpacing cars for urban journeys. And in London probably by several times!

5. In answering your question I presumed that you and others on this forum are adults, make your own decisions and that it is certainly not my place to tediously correct you on matters irrelevant to your question. But not every poster shares that opinion apparently. No change there, then!

Happily not something I have to worry about as I live in another jurisdiction. Or none, this being the aether. Good luck. And mind how you go! ; )

6. NB. I note that '1500W' at point 2 above has acquired a hot-link to 'pedelecs.co.uk/electric-bike-guides/uk-electric-bike-law/'.

I was not aware that my posts could be edited by others at will, without the courtesy of discussion, notification, or any indication whatsoever.

I certainly will not be continuing to post on a site where I have to continuously monitor my every historical post to see if / how my words have been altered, deleted, 'improved' or otherwise changed by some unaccountable 'other'. For any reason whatsoever.