Please help me choose which bike

[tumteetum]

I am looking to buy an electric bike but getting more confused the more I look, and am not near a place that has a good selection to look at.
I am a 5foot tall female, and am wanting a bike that both myself and my 5foot6 husband can use. We would be using it for a commute that is 11miles each way and fairly hilly
Budget is around £1000.
I'm really struggling to narrow down the field and would be grateful for any advice
Thanks

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The Woosh Zephyr CD or their Santana CD. These bikes are really good for the money and climb very steep hills with minimal effort from you. If the seat doesn't go low enough on the Santana, you could change the seat pin to a plain one rather than a sprung one. Maybe Woosh would do that for you if you asked them.
The Zephyr CD | Chain Drive Electric Bikes from Woosh | electric bike sales & hire

 

[RobF]

Worth a look at Giant.

There's a couple of step-throughs available in small sizes for £999:

2013 Liv/giant Twist Lite 2 W (2013) - Bikes | Giant Bicycles | UK / Ireland

 

[tumteetum]

Thanks will look at those. Any other suggestions?
d8veh it often takes a bit more than just changing the seat pin as the reach for handlebars is often too big on bikes designed for bigger people

 

[D C]

Thanks will look at those. Any other suggestions?
d8veh it often takes a bit more than just changing the seat pin as the reach for handlebars is often too big on bikes designed for bigger people

You may be able to change the handlebar stem for one that's fairly easily adjustable (using an allen key) for reach/height, my wife has one on her bike but as she's 5'2" and I'm over Six foot there's no way we can ride each others bikes!
I can relate to your problems in not being able to find a bike to try for size, one of the reasons I ordered a kit from Cyclotricity a couple of weeks back to either fit to my own bike or buy a new one to fit it to.
Dave.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Thanks will look at those. Any other suggestions?
d8veh it often takes a bit more than just changing the seat pin as the reach for handlebars is often too big on bikes designed for bigger people

On both bikes you can turn the stem round the other way to bring the handlebars closer. Stems and quills are relatively cheap anyway, so it's nothing to change them to make your bike fit better. The Woosh bikes are so cheap that you should have loads of money left over to make any changes.

 

[Chainring]

Kit or Bike?

You may be able to change the handlebar stem for one that's fairly easily adjustable (using an allen key) for reach/height, my wife has one on her bike but as she's 5'2" and I'm over Six foot there's no way we can ride each others bikes!
I can relate to your problems in not being able to find a bike to try for size, one of the reasons I ordered a kit from Cyclotricity a couple of weeks back to either fit to my own bike or buy a new one to fit it to.
Dave.

That was my original intention, as I had a perfectly good, aluminium-framed bike only two years old. But the cost of a kit, of equivalent spec to the Woosh Santana, was about £550. I would have had trouble sorting the brake/gear levers, so £625 for a Woosh bike, purpose-built AND with front suspension, seemed a far better option. The price of a replacement motor and battery from Woosh is also about £350, so it's worth having a good search before buying. I am 5ft 7inches, and the Santana fits me okay. I have set the saddle quite high, so it should be okay for your wife at 5ft.

 

[tumteetum]

The giant looks good, will try and find one to try. I don't want a folding bike

 

[ghouluk]

my wife has just bought an oxygen diva (she's 5'2 and small framed) after testing a whole bunch of stuff, as it was the bike that fitted her best and she liked the most, however virtually everything i test rode, so did she - am i'm around the 6' mark (though i do have short legs and a long body) I also rode her bike 4 miles home with no problems today after a puncture (including those bumps in the road that us hampshire folk call hills )

she found the step through style more comfortable to ride and use, and the oxygen by far the best of these, but she also rode the cyclotricity, the fast4ward peak and a number of other crossbar style bikes without problems.

 

[billadie]

Hi

I am 5' 4" on a good day with legs that an estate agent would describe as bijou, but tailors call short - 27" inside leg measure. For my daily commute of 23 miles return I have a Smarta LX8 from Electric Transport Shop. It's a step through and I think that the saddle would accommodate 5' It has an adjustable handlebar stem.
I did a review of it here
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/14495-now-we-three.html

It's served me well so if you are anywhere near ETS Electric Bike Sales - Error worth a try.

happy hunting

Bill

 

[JuicyBike]

The giant looks good, will try and find one to try. I don't want a folding bike

You could try a Giant at Carsington Water and then try a Juicy Bike 20 mins further down the road in Buxton.

 

[D C]

You may be able to change the handlebar stem for one that's fairly easily adjustable (using an allen key) for reach/height, my wife has one on her bike but as she's 5'2" and I'm over Six foot there's no way we can ride each others bikes!
I can relate to your problems in not being able to find a bike to try for size, one of the reasons I ordered a kit from Cyclotricity a couple of weeks back to either fit to my own bike or buy a new one to fit it to.
Dave.

Just found this as I was looking for something else and looks useful as it has a quick release rather than having to use allen keys.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/satori-handle-stem-easy-up-1-1-8-inch-adjustable-stem-raiser-prod23752/


Satori Easy Up Handle Stem - Black: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Dave.