Replacement for Kalkhoff Agattu?

[danfoto]

My 2011 Agattu is now getting well past its best before, so I need to start considering its replacement. My brain won't cope with any more random online searching, so I'd appreciate suggestions please bearing in mind the following ...

I'm in my 70s, relatively fit considering, and having long ago given up the motor car, I'm used to cycling everywhere as a means of everyday transport as well as leisure. All that usually stops me is snow and ice. Height 1.8m, weight 80kg, inleg 80cm.

I hardly ever go off road, but It's really quite hilly round here and I occasionally need to tow a well-loaded (eg bale of straw) Carry Freedom trailer. I don't want to go to a bike shop for the next bike, having been very happy with both the Kalkhoff and my Thorn Sherpa being ordered online and delivered by courier.

As regards the bike itself, a realistic 20-25 mile range (without trailer) will do me. I'd rather have disc brakes or vee's rather than Magura hydraulics, simply because it's a PITA changing blocks on the the Maguras. I want an upright riding position, by which I mean bars at the very least 10cm higher than saddle nose. That's primarliy to minimise loading on my arthritic wrist, but also to avoid the repeat of an earlier back issue. Front suspension is essential to avoid shocks to my wrists but I'm happy with a sprung seatpost at the back. I need full mudguards and a strong rear carrier. Dynamo lighting would be nice, but the only other must-have is puncture-resistant tyres - either Schwalbe Marathon Plus, or equivalent.

Finally, the Kalkhoff's been totally reliable since the day I got it, and apart from brake blocks has only needed a couple of new sprockets and a chain. It's never once let me down. A similar standard of design and build would be good, but without it costing the earth.

And yes, I do know that you get what you pay for and that quality doesn't come cheap, but speed, street cred, and gimmicks are irrelevant. It doesn't matter to me what it looks like: it's comfort and above all reliablility that I need. It's all about putting off the dread day when I have to trade in my bikes for a mobility scooter ...

 

[flecc]

BTW, I was intrigued to learn that what seems to be my ideal e-bike actually turns out to be made for the Danish market!

Just shows how sensible you are. A lot more people here should choose bikes like that to suit their needs rather than suit the fashion market.
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[danfoto]

Just shows how sensible you are. A lot more people here should choose bikes like that to suit their needs rather than suit the fashion market.

Dunno about being sensible - probably more a case of not knowing any better. I'm the bloke who in 2004, as a full-time professional wedding photographer working all over the bottom half of the country, needed a new motor car. We drew up a list of requirements and a maximum price, and hit the internets to see what the choice was. It took a couple of weeks to narrow it down to a black Volkswagen Golf 1.8TDi, which ticked all the boxes and went on to do everything asked of it for 120,000 miles without once letting us down.

Not one of my professional colleagues could understand why I bought it. Without exception, the reaction was "why on earth buy such a dead boring car?" ...

 

[flecc]

Dunno about being sensible - probably more a case of not knowing any better. I'm the bloke who in 2004, as a full-time professional wedding photographer working all over the bottom half of the country, needed a new motor car. We drew up a list of requirements and a maximum price, and hit the internets to see what the choice was. It took a couple of weeks to narrow it down to a black Volkswagen Golf 1.8TDi, which ticked all the boxes and went on to do everything asked of it for 120,000 miles without once letting us down.

Not one of my professional colleagues could understand why I bought it. Without exception, the reaction was "why on earth buy such a dead boring car?" ...

Strange reaction they had, why want a car that's very "eventful".

I'd have thought boring is perfect in a working car, just doing what it should and Golfs have been pretty good at that as yours showed. VW are now trying very hard to repeat that with the fully electric replacement, not the current e-Golf but the ID3 model:


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[PennyFarthing]

Thanks folks. Keep 'em coming

At very first glance, Batavus seem to make the sort of thing I'm after, although I don't know if roller brakes are a plus or a minus for me - my only experience of them was on a Workscycles FR8 that we briefly owned a few years ago. Need to think about that.

Woosh Rambla seems to tick all the boxes, so I certainly need to look closer at that one ...

Oh I've just asked a similar kind of question to you, then read this. You might want to see the post I just made as to the bike I had and what I'm looking at now. I also live in a hilly area. The thing with Batavus is their motors were made for flat terrain. Things might have changed since I last looked though. My previous bike which like yours has fallen apart and the battery died too (aaaagh) was a Gepida Reptilla (sit up and beg bike). I'm considering getting the same bike again though they have moved the battery to the rear pannier when mine was on under the seat stem. But also i've seen a lower cost bike online but the motor is in the rear wheel and Im not sure about that especially with hills. I do not want to get off my bike. Have Kalkoff stopped making bikes then?

 

[danfoto]

I also live in a hilly area. The thing with Batavus is their motors were made for flat terrain. Things might have changed since I last looked though.

Erm ... how long is it since you looked? How does 70Nm sound? One reason for choosing the Batavus was that amount of torque coupled with 8 gears.

Ref Kalkhoff, they still make them, but not one that ticked three of the boxes on my must-have list - disc brakes, full chaincase and hub gears.