Please Help Me To Choose

[Joan]

Hi everyone. Been watching this site for a long time now and am trying to take in all the great advice. I'm trying to buy a decent bike from lower price bracket. The problem is, where I live there are no dealers to get test rides. I had more or less made up my mind on a powacycle windsor but went into a cycle shop last week & he said dont touch them because they are underpowered & rust easily. He tried to talk me into getting an IZIP. I then rang another dealer and he said not to touch the IZIP, get the Windsor, then tried to sell me a Urban Mover at twice the money in my budget. I also fancy the Juicy classic but dont fancy trecking to Buxton. None of these dealerships have a bike in to try,(apart from juicy) and I'm more confused than when I started! If you knowledgeable people could take in a few facts & throw me some ideas I'd be very grateful. RIGHT-HERE GOES!........ I want a sit up & beg Dutch style, I live in New Brighton & will ride along the promenade but have 4 steep hills to get home. I want at least 20 mile battery.AND---------I am 16 stone and VERY unfit. There, I've said it! And last but not least I feel I should buy from a dealer for back-up but the Windsor in shop is £799 but on e bay from reputable power seller, £635. Big difference. Thanx guy's for reading this & thanx in advance for any advice. Keep up the good work.

 

[banbury frank]

Hi sounds like you need the Alian Arora

If you look under the postings you will see people wiling to let you test ride there bike

or just post a request for somebody near you

Price £999

Electric Bicycles - Aurora £999

Frank

 

[Streethawk]

Hi sounds like you need the Alian Arora

If you look under the postings you will see people wiling to let you test ride there bike

or just post a request for somebody near you

Price £999

Electric Bicycles - Aurora £999

Frank

Yes, ticks all your boxes, but it's illegal and as you sound like you're female (being a Joan, just call me Sherlock), it may be too big for you.

 

[Alan B]

She wants a sit up and beg Dutch style

 

[flecc]

Definitely not the Powacycle Windsor, it's one of the lowest powered bikes on the market and won't do your job Joan.

The Izip Trailz or similar model is more powerful, but I doubt it will have the range you need with that hill climbing and little help from you.

Fundamentally, I doubt any legal e-bike is really suitable. They are electric assist bicycles in law and in fact, so they rely absolutely on the rider making a good contribution. When steep hills are involved, the rider contribution necessary is quite considerable.

Even an illegal bike like the Alien (which isn't step-through) can mean lots of effort of steep hills as you'll see in this video just posted by an owner. He appears to be standing on the pedals at one point where the camera shows him, putting in plenty of effort, and also appears quite fit looking.
.

 

[EdBike]

Hi Joan,

I've been working on an electric bikes buying guide. I'd love it if you could have a look - it should help you out, but please post any feedback you have on here.

Here's the bit that's important for you: Choose an Electric Bike | Electric Bike Buyers Guide: Chapter 4

Hope this helps!

Ed

 

[GORDONAL]

Hi Joan try the manufacturer BATRIBIKE a friend has the Quartz folder and is more than happy with its performance at the price of about £750 . There are lots more in the range - if you like one particular model you could order it from ON-Bike advertised on this page and you can return it for just postage costs if you find it unsuitable

Happy hunting
Alan

 

[Streethawk]

Even an illegal bike like the Alien (which isn't step-through) can mean lots of effort of steep hills as you'll see in this video just posted by an owner. He appears to be standing on the pedals at one point where the camera shows him, putting in plenty of effort, and also appears quite fit looking.
.

Thats me! I can assure you that i was not standing on the pedals, and my effort was quite light, but i am quite fit (thanks!) and i can see that my light effort could be moderate effort for someone less fit. Believe me, i am not a capably enough rider to ride up a steep rocky hill, one hand on the bars, the other hand waving a camera phone and put in any serious amount of power on the pedals! Then again not many people want to climb 1 in 5 hills off-road.

However i still think its an unsuitable bike for a woman, except perhaps an exceptionally tall woman.

 

[Joan]

Thanx for reply's Gent's! I think the Alien is out. I'm only 5'3" and it's too expensive for me. Does nobody like the Juicy?

 

[flecc]

Thats me! I can assure you that i was not standing on the pedals,

. I did wonder if that was because of your height and seat position, that's why I said "appeared" to be. There was clearly no comparison between you and Joan though, hence my using it as an example.

With the very powerful Alien out, it reintroduces what i said about e-bikes really not meeting what those like Joan require for the steepest hills, which is in truth a motor vehicle of some kind, not just a light assistance vehicle.

Unfortunately there is often a reluctance on the part of e-bike enthusiasts to accept that, making me odd one out in my advice!
.

 

[Streethawk]

Flecc, i know its out of Joan's price range, but would a Panasonic motored bike not meet her needs better anyway? I wouldnt know, because i've never ridden one, but the ability to gear down the motor must help, right?

 

[flecc]

Flecc, i know its out of Joan's price range, but would a Panasonic motored bike not meet her needs better anyway? I wouldnt know, because i've never ridden one, but the ability to gear down the motor must help, right?

It would be better certainly, and I'd thought of suggesting one.

Two problems though, they are way beyond the price range that Joan has mentioned as feasible, as you say, and they do demand certain minimums of rider effort. Even the most powerful versions on "high" setting require 40% of the effort into the torque sensor from the rider. On the steep hills that Joan mentions that can be fairly considerable for someone expressing herself as heavy and unfit.
.

 

[GORDONAL]

Hi Joan
I have just looked again at the Batribike website the Quartz model is now £899 but this year has a larger 250watt motor -up from 200. My friend is a very overweight,disabled man of 67 and only 5'5". I confirm again it looks well made, its noisier than my Panasonic BUT he is able to easily keep up with me .It uses pedal assist or throttle or a combo. of the two. If i was buying again for MY needs i would seriously consider one of these.

Alan

 

[Streethawk]

Perhaps a used Panasonic bike of some sort then? But of course, Joan would need a test ride to see if it was suitable. Thats about all i can think of.

 

[flecc]

Perhaps a used Panasonic bike of some sort then? But of course, Joan would need a test ride to see if it was suitable.

That's why I'm reluctant to recommend, Joan apparently unable to try any first. I've met this problem of a dearth of dealers in her area before, possibly because they have some very nasty hills in the towns along that stretch. Most s/h Panasonic unit bikes are Giant Lafree models which were lower powered anyway and have no high power mode, so less suitable.

She really needs to travel to try out a hub motor and a new model Panasonic type bike on hills to see if there is any chance of either type suiting.
.

 

[Joan]

I guess I'll have to compromise. I'll either fit a cycle carrier on the car (hoping I can lift the bike onto it!) or walk the bike up the hill. I was also hoping I could go on the train with it. But whatever, I'm quite happy to do that if I must. There's got to be a bike out there somewhere for me??????

 

[overthehill]

Versatile

A Brompton folding bike would be ideal for the boot of the car and could be purchased within your price band. No electrical assistance but should you wish to add there are lots of ways to do it. As Flecc and the guys say no standard assisted bike is likely to meet your requirements. I love my bromptons style and simplicity and its a doddle to fold and unfold from the boot of a small car. I also have a Smarta ebike which I rarely use. I am currently saving up for a Roholf hub and Heinzmann power assist for my Brompton.
Good luck in your quest
Alex

 

[eddieo]

The problem is the low budget.....because its a fact of life that decent e bikes are not very cheap. maybe a nearly new/used wisper 705SE might do? These come on ebay for about £700-800 now and again......

where is "new" brighton? if that is Brighton just visit london? lots of shops here

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Have a look at this one E-8F26C01W. It meets your specification. They also have a slightly more expensive one, but it only has 3 speed gears that might not be enough:
Electric Scooter, Electric Bike, Electric Cycle from Sunlova
Sunlova are in Birmingham. They're a mail order company, but are very responsible and helpful, should any problems occur. I can vouch for the quality of their bikes as I have one (E-8F26M03S) and have done about 1000 miles so far. The more I ride it, the more I like it. I am 110 kg and my bike that has the same motor etc is powerful enough for me. I was unfit when I bought mine, but after 1000 miles since Sept, my pedalling strength has improved.The battery has Panasonic cells, so should last a long time - not your usual Chinese cheapo type, and the Bafang motor has a good reputation for power and relability.

I wouldn't get a mail order bike if I were unable to fix/adjust basic things because it would be inconvenient to deal with a distant supplier no matter how helpful they were. Note also that you have to do a small amount of assembly and adjustment with a mail order bike.

 

[RoadieRoger]

Bike For Joan

As suggested the Batribike Quartz would do nicely .It is fairly light , has a low frame for a short person and can be folded . Batribike also do a larger wheeled Dutch style machine and they are beautifully finished . Seven gears are handy if you run out of power , as I have once .