Short distance folding ebike to put in the boot of my EV

[Jon Matthews]

Hi everyone,

I am doing a lot of mileage in my Hyundai Kona Electric for work. I work in the EV charging industry as a Senior Project Manager so have lots of clients to see all over the country. I have an Orbea Wild FS as my main ebike but would like to take one travelling with me in the car. The Kona Electric has a small boot like the Golf or A3. I want a cheap folding ebike that I can fit in the boot and park and ride to the customers I visit. Any suggestions would be gratefully received, thank you.

 

[Jon Matthews]

Hi Andy,

I don't know as I never got it to run for more than 9 miles. It came up with a Hall Sensor error in the motor which it wouldn't let me reset. I sent it back to Vive and got my money back.

 

[AndyB78]

Ah that’s a pain!! As you well know. The kona boot is t huge so hoping something fits!!

 

[guerney]

Are you still looking for your folding bike solution? The suggested weight limit for my Dahon folding bike pre-conversion was 105kg, but has carried more than that.

Rider height up to 6' 4"

World Wheels - The No 1 internet source for Dahon Folding Bikes in UK and EU

World Wheels: Online Retailer of Dahon folding bicycles. We carry Dahon's complete line of portable folding bicycles and folding bike accessories.

www.cyclemotion.co.uk

Other old Dahons will also cope with heavy tall riders.

 

[Jon Matthews]

I'm put off the Dahon because of the rim brakes I'm also struggling to find a decent conversion kit. I don't really want to be at the mercy of Ali Express or eBay. I have found a bike that I think is suitable and offers excellent value for money. https://www.halfords.com/bikes/folding-bikes/carrera-intercity-disc-9-speed-folding-bike-536878.html?_gl=1*14u221s*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTYwNTE4MjQ3Mi4xNjYxNzAxNDQy*_ga_VK44BRER97*MTY2MTcwMTQ0My4xLjEuMTY2MTcwMTQ1OS4wLjAuMA..

 

[guerney]

I'm put off the Dahon because of the rim brakes I'm also struggling to find a decent conversion kit. I don't really want to be at the mercy of Ali Express or eBay. I have found a bike that I think is suitable and offers excellent value for money. https://www.halfords.com/bikes/folding-bikes/carrera-intercity-disc-9-speed-folding-bike-536878.html?_gl=1*14u221s*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTYwNTE4MjQ3Mi4xNjYxNzAxNDQy*_ga_VK44BRER97*MTY2MTcwMTQ0My4xLjEuMTY2MTcwMTQ1OS4wLjAuMA..

I don't see it's rider weight limit.

 

[Jon Matthews]

Ah that’s a pain!! As you well know. The kona boot is t huge so hoping something fits!!

I was going to ditch the parcel shelf, stand it vertically, strap it up and throw an old bath towel on it for a bit of extra security. All the rear windows are heavily blacked out on mine as well.

 

[Jon Matthews]

I didn't see a weight limit either and I'm a bit of a rebel, so wasn't too concerned. As long as it felt safe and didn't flex.

 

[StuartsProjects]

I'm put off the Dahon because of the rim brakes

At the speeds an eBike can go, 15.5mph, the rim brakes on my eBike Brompton are OK, even downhill, and I am not light. They only need the ocaisional adjustment. I have had the Brompton for 20 years.

So whilst good disk brakes are better, and my other eBike has Hope twin cylinder hydraulics, if I was looking for a folder I would not dismiss rim braked ones, they can be OK.

 

[guerney]

At the speeds an eBike can go, 15.5mph, the rim brakes on my eBike Brompton are OK, even downhill, and I am not light. They only need the ocaisional adjustment. I have had the Brompton for 20 years.

So whilst good disk brakes are better, and my other eBike has Hope twin cylinder hydraulics, if I was looking for a folder I would not dismiss rim braked ones, they can be OK.

Until I started towing just under 90kg of trailer and cargo downhill, I was quite happy with my V-brakes brakes... now they ned adjustment after every couple of hauls. Stopping 174kg in total down steep gravelly hill paths, does seem to asking rather a lot of them.

 

[guerney]

I'm also struggling to find a decent conversion kit.

@Woosh mentioned he may in future offer 20" hub conversion kits - it's a common wheel size for folders, and a product I expect will sell well.

 

[Jon Matthews]

Thanks Stuart, I was hoping someone would respond. My last experience of rim brakes was in 1976 and maybe things are better now. I seem to remember centre pull were the best, but most these days are side pull. My first bike had rod operated brakes, front wheel only but that would have been made in the 1950's.

 

[Jon Matthews]

@Woosh mentioned he may in future offer 20" hub conversion kits - it's a common wheel size for folders, and a product I expect will sell well.

Yes, I wrote to Whoosh and Andy told me they hadn't any stock of 20's. He did say they might restock them in the future, so fingers crossed.

 

[StuartsProjects]

Until I started towing just under 90kg of trailer and cargo downhill, I was quite happy with my V-brakes brakes... now they ned adjustment after every couple of hauls. Stopping 174kg in total down steep gravelly hill paths, does seem to asking rather a lot of them.

Well 174kg is a lot of weight, not sure the OP said they were that heavy.

Besides, in my limited experience when going "down steep gravelly hill paths" its not the brakes that are the problem, but the grip of the tyres.

 

[Jon Matthews]

Well 174kg is a lot of weight, not sure the OP said they were that heavy.

Besides, in my limited experience when going "down steep gravelly hill paths" its not the brakes that are the problem, but the grip of the tyres.

The OP is 98KG . I was 117KG before I started e-biking. I think I originally said I was 103 but forgot to calibrate my scales.

 

[Woosh]

@Woosh mentioned he may in future offer 20" hub conversion kits - it's a common wheel size for folders, and a product I expect will sell well.

the main issue with other folding bikes than the Brompton is how and where to attach the battery.
I am making 3 bag batteries for them, one to go into a saddle bag, the two others are in tube bags and can be attached to either the top tube or the downtube.
They weigh between 1.3kgs-2kgs, so it's possible to have a 3kg conversion kit for 20" folding bikes and still have a range between 30 miles to 50 miles.

 

[guerney]

Besides, in my limited experience when going "down steep gravelly hill paths" its not the brakes that are the problem, but the grip of the tyres.

Ah yes... but to get to the point where grip fails (trying to skid straight, while hoping not to jacknife the trailer), I've got to apply rather a lot of force on the brake pads, which misaligns them rather quickly.

 

[guerney]

the main issue with other folding bikes than the Brompton is how and where to attach the battery.

I've secured my battery to the rear rack, which is only a balance problem when ascending very steep hills. And my bike still folds, handy for cars/buses/trains/planes(?) There do seem to be a lot of rear rack battery combos on ebay, AliExpress etc. Why not offer rear racks with batteries?

 

[Jon Matthews]

A rear rack battery pack would be my ideal solution also.

 

[guerney]

A rear rack battery pack would be my ideal solution also.

I simply drilled and bolted a plank of wood to the rear rack, and secured the battery mount through that. Covered it with waterproof rucksack covers - two in fact - because they're not terribly waterproof when exposed to hours of heavy rain.

 

[Woosh]

I've secured my battery to the rear rack, which is only a balance problem when ascending very steep hills. And my bike still folds, handy for cars/buses/trains/planes(?) There do seem to be a lot of rear rack battery combos on ebay, AliExpress etc. Why not offer rear racks with batteries?

You can install or strap a bag battery to the rack but you can't strap a rack battery to the seat post. This is a 48V 10AH bag battery (2kgs) for my TSDZ2 and BBS01ET, the connectors are normally inside the bag: