Would i also be right in thinking that some of the cheaper models are generic makes made on the same production line in the same factory and just branded differently? Like they do with many of the Chinese made motor scooters?
Opinions Please.....?
- Thread starter Alan103
- Start date
Yes. You have to think about the possibility of sending a bike back if you buy mail order though. If you buy locally that’s not an issue, but would the place really be an e bike dealer and could they fix it if it went wrong? Or are they just a LBS with a couple of e bikes.
If you buy from one of the sellers here you should be guaranteed a good service if you had problems.
Indeed, but the good brand's warranties rescue that situation.
I won't mention the brand to save red faces, but one buyer of a well known make got on his new purchase only to find the frame down tube parting company with the bottom bracket due to his added weight. It had never been welded there.
The complete e-bike was immediately replaced.
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Not just cheap makes but also premium ones. The German company Derby Cycles gmbh make the Kalkhoff brand well known here, but the same models have appeared with other brand names that they own like Raleigh gmbh and Univega etc. Derby Cycles are in turn owned.
Most of the European bike industry is owned by two very large groups, the giant is Dutch company Accell Group owning not only numerous European brands but also some in the USA. The other group is Dutch company Pon Holdings, owning Derby Cycles gmbh and some Dutch cycle brands. Pon are also the Netherlands distributor of many of the major car and commercial vehicle brands.
There's a list of the Accell Group bike brands on this link
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In that case of all bike ansmann looks to be the best considering the components & their warranty. ... Only 6 PAS , no throttle though. Is there any other company you know of similar to ansmann for budget bike?
Badge engineering is nothing new in cars either of course. But the Derby Cycles badge engineered models do tend to be the more basic ones, and even then there are small changes across the brands. A lot of their brands like their version of Raleigh are not available here either I believe.
The sportier and higher end models are more brand specific and not duplicated in that way.
There are a few on cyclezee website sub £1000. Didn't decide any particular one yet. My good guess is, any one of them would have similar features within same price range. But the one I liked is ANSMANN RS 26 ( 20kg) which is sold out now. I also spoke to ansmann directly today and idea I got from him is, its never gonna come back in stock, and ansmann stop producing bikes and they will concentrate more on motor and battery production. But they will still honour the warranty.
At this point of time 3 brands are in my list
1. Ansmann (FT 15, FC1 PLUS)
2. Fast4ward Peak (going to have a test ride soon)
3. Woosh (Sports CD, Zephyer-B)
Historically it was both levels. When first into e-bikes from the end of 2007, both their models, the Agattu and the Pro Connect, were badge engineered as Raleigh for example, and that brand name imported by Hilderthorpe Cycles. Later they introduced a small degree of variation in those Kalkhoff models to permit Spencer-Ivy to sell them under their own name.
Meanwhile a Raleigh brand name sales company was set up in the UK selling the Dutch Raleigh company's models at which German Raleigh left the UK market. Finally Wiggle sold a batch of Agattu clones under the Univega name.
These days in Germany the Univega brand is used for high-end off-road Impulse powered e-bikes and Raleigh gmbh have Kalkhoff equivalent e-bikes in many sectors.
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How easy/ complicated / whether possible at all to add a throttle feature to a bike that does not have it to begin with?
I am thinking of an Ansmann would be good value for money with good components but it comes without throttle. And I feel i need throttle in my daily commuting, at least on certain occasion when I am tired!!!
What your expertise say?
I am thinking of an Ansmann would be good value for money with good components but it comes without throttle. And I feel i need throttle in my daily commuting, at least on certain occasion when I am tired!!!
What your expertise say?
C
Cyclezee
Guest
The following link will take you to a downloadable review of the Ansmann FC1 Plus published by Electric Bike Magazine http://www.cyclezee.com/reviews.html
Regarding throttles, European manufacturers don't fit them as they as not allowed in mainland Europe.
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D
Deleted member 4366
Guest
Braking force is not the only factor for efficient braking. Control of the force is much more important and is what you get with hydraulic brakes. Secondly and also very important, is that hydraulic brakes require no adjustment, so they give consistent performance. Basically, you know that you can always rely on them to do their job in all conditions and in all circumstances.
Nearly everybody on this forum who has them says that they wouldn't go back to other types if they have the choice.
Rim brakes can be dangerous on an ebike. The higher speed and weight means that the rims wear much more quickly than on a normal bike. I've seen rims worn right through so that the tyre popped off. There's normally a wear line, but a lot of people don't know what that is. For a bike with a hub-motor, a worn rim is a real problem for most people.
Had the same idea for the Woosh Sport TS, returned email said
doesn't mean to say, in theory you couldn't add one if you could source the necessary components, but obviously that would meet with additional costs and probable headaches in the process.
Had the ANSMANN RS 26 on my shortlist at one point too, mainly for the spec, but it was the warranty that justified the extra expense for me, unfortunately again another crossed off my list for the lack of availability.
Just hoping Woosh come back to me at the end of the month with a new and improved Sport CD like they promised in their email, just have to wait and see......
Why do you prefer woosh than ansmann? Or fast4ward? Any particular reason? Please share....
Thanks for the link.
Although we know there is no throttle in eu bikes but in the review they say "A further button gives‘push assist’ – low speed power (6 km/h or 4 mph) with no need to pedal". What was that about?
I'm bound to say I agree with all of that but picking up on the final point, if there are cyclists who are unaware of the type of wear indicator present on their rims, they really ought to find out.
Wheel collapse can be catastrophic and although rare, rim wear indicators belong in the rudimenary cycling knowledge that all cyclists should possess.
Going off at a slight tangent, my main ride is equipped with the oft-discussed regenerative braking which is generally scorned by forum contributors as being next to useless for replenishing energy to the battery. That, of course, ignores the other more useful function of providing retardation without any, or very little, recourse to the normal braking system.
When I first used that bike, I was so unimpressed by the power regeneration that I switched off the system. Later, on giving it another chance, I found situations where the braking aspect came in handy and while not perfect, it does save quite a bit of pad/rim wear in certain circumstances.
Finally and seconding d8veh's point, now that I have a hydraulic system with its fine, progressive control and no real maintenance issues, I wouldn't really like to go back to a mechanical system.
Tom
I think that's the same as kudos use on their bikes it's a walking speed throttle just to give you a little help setting off or if your pushing your bike up a hill etc. well I think that's what it's for but I could be wrong
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