Shortlist £900 to £1700 Explorer

[Perseus]

Please include links on shortlisted bikes. There is only one on my shortlist:

Woosh Kreiger

http://www.wooshbikes.co.uk/?krieger

The trouble is I want to buy from a local established shop for servicing etc. Also, I want to test ride one.

Current status: shed in nearly built to put it in. Not paid for though. Cash only available at the lower end of the scale right now.

Use: Explorer rather than commuter or shopping. I've got pedal bikes for those. Explorer using a pedal bike for 3000 miles a year and this bike will need to replaced for longer journeys of 20+ miles. On flat land by the coast but even then 10% hills are regular and Force 5+ will have me fighting against the breeze.

Because of joint problems, I would very much like a throttle in case I get into difficulties.

I have only test rode a Kalkhoff and I wasn't overly impressed. Passed the 10% hill test. I did not like its handling under pedal only. Too back heavy. But I have only pedal bikes to compare it with.

Not so keen on straight handlebars, ideally wanting and possibly comfort bars could be essential. Repetitive elbow/shoulder strain problems are quite serious.

 

[Perseus]

I have longlisted this one which was very much like the Kalkhoff I test rode in the local shop:

http://www.50cycles.com/electric-bikes/sports-e-bikes/pro_connect_impulse_9.html

I looks well made. Very much an explorer type bike rather than a general runabout. By definition, explorer use requires the crank drive, whereas commuter use and a hub drive would be OK?

 

[EddiePJ]

To quote something that you have just written in another thread.

Specs don't look very good e.g. mechanical disc brakes are no better than rim brakes, worse in my experience. I would veto a bike on those grounds.

You have just ruled out your own short list for the Woosh.

 

[Kudoscycles]

How about my Kudos Rapide...hydraulic brakes,battery on down tube-good balance,powerful BPM motor. There is an ex demo on special at £1033.00,up to x-mas.
Look on our web,Kudos Cycles.
Why does explorer use require crank drive,surely you need the hill climbing ability of BPM hub drive?
Full speed throttles are looking like being finished after 1 January 2016. The new rules are such a complex mess that I doubt the industry will bother.
KudosDave

 

[JuicyBike]

hub drive would be OK?

Yep. View from the Peak District is that a hub drive will do just fine and ours have throttles.

 

[EddiePJ]

By definition, explorer use requires the crank drive, whereas commuter use and a hub drive would be OK?

I'm not saying that you have, but you might perhaps have read and taken in some biased views about that one.

Hub and crank both have their merits, and despite what is so often written by crank drive owners, hub drive bikes perform perfectly well in an "explorer" environment. If you get the chance, try one, as you might well be pleasantly surprised.

I enjoy both systems, and other than maintaining a personal fitness level that a crank drive affords, I don't favour one over the other.

 

[trex]

In early January: woosh SWX02:

picture of current test bike.

 

[Lancslass]

My hub driven Juicy Classic and my husbands hub driven Vita Uno are recent acquisitions but both have already tackled steep hill without use of the full throttle that my bike has, and with consummate ease.

I started off on the same journey as you, believing that we needed crank driven bikes to get up the hills in our locality (Lancashire foot hills) but we were wrong. Our front hub driven bikes are proving more than adequate for the job. I haven't even had to use full pedal assist as yet. If you manage to test drive a hub driven bike you may be surprised and at that point the likes of Woosh, Juicy Bikes, Freegos and Kudos, to name but a few, will be available to you.

 

[Perseus]

I'm not saying that you have, but you might perhaps have read and taken in some biased views about that one.

Hub and crank both have their merits, and despite what is so often written by crank drive owners, hub drive bikes perform perfectly well in an "explorer" environment. If you get the chance, try one, as you might well be pleasantly surprised.

I enjoy both systems, and other than maintaining a personal fitness level that a crank drive affords, I don't favour one over the other.

Multiple people/dealers have said crank drive for hills. If hub drives can handle 10% with ease and I have only test rode a Kalkhoff crank drive. It passed the test with ease although I had trouble restarting when cut up by cars. Hub gears put this value for money bike: http://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/Item/Brands/Green_Edge/Greenedge_CS2_Electric_Mountain_Bike.aspx Mechanical disc brakes I've found on pedal bikes less efficient and just as liable to lose grip as rim brakes. In fact, a bit of a problem.

 

[Perseus]

Has anyone got one of these? This one is in my price range:

http://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/Item/Brands/Green_Edge/Greenedge_CS2_Electric_Mountain_Bike.aspx

 

[Kudoscycles]

Has anyone got one of these? This one is in my price range:

http://www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk/Item/Brands/Green_Edge/Greenedge_CS2_Electric_Mountain_Bike.aspx

Perseus.
That bike is about as the norm as it's possible to get,it uses all the popular parts from the Chinese parts bin. Nothing wrong with that but it seems miles away from your original ideas.
That bike is very similar to the LEBC Vita Uno or the Kudos Cobra.
I thought for your 'explorer' ideas you were aiming at KTM Bosch bikes or BPM hub motored bikes but you would be looking at a higher budget.
The selection at this spec level opens up many more alternatives.
You may wish to glance at the list of Kudos ex demo bikes on the offer area of this forum,there are many of these sold now but enough to do your job.
Do not listen to everything your told about hub v crank drive,many of these are not impartial. Your decision should be based upon what you like and what does your job within your budget.
KudosDave

 

[EddiePJ]

Two threads for you.

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/greenedge-cs2.18954/

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/greenedge-cs2-from-ebikesdirect.20813/

The thing that would put me off, is that the bike only has six gears. The Kudos Cobra, which interestingly came up along side the cs2 on a Google search, has 21 gears. The Woosh that Trex has posted a photo of, also uses a triple chain set, but I couldn't find any price info etc for the bike.

All three use the mechanical disc brake set up, that you have indicated to not liking.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Perseus,....my Kudos Arriba seems to have everything you want...there is an ex demo bike with speed sensor,good gears,hydraulic brakes and BPM motor,priced £919.00 delivered.
KudosDave

 

[trex]

...
The Woosh that Trex has posted a photo of, also uses a triple chain set, but I couldn't find any price info etc for the bike.

All three use the mechanical disc brake set up, that you have indicated to not liking.

that bike is the updated Sirocco
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?sirocco
and will be called the Sirocco SX2 The 120mm SWXH on the Sirocco has been replaced by the much more powerful 145mm SWX02. The 13AH battery has been moved to the downtube to improve on weight distribution. It'll be available next month. The price, I was told, is same or about same to the Big Bear in view of similar performance, just 2.5kg lighter.

 

[Perseus]

Well the 3 bike shed is almost built. But I'll not do any exploring by bike until the end of March next year. Mechanical disc brake is based on my current pedal bike. Not worth the extra cost as stopping power is no better and there is wear and quicker fall off in performance than with rim brakes. Preference for hub gears is based on 50 thousand miles on local roads and the wear on derailleurs and the frequent sudden stopping in the wrong gear. Not that hub gears cannot slip if adjusted wrongly.

 

[Perseus]

Perseus,....my Kudos Arriba seems to have everything you want...there is an ex demo bike with speed sensor,good gears,hydraulic brakes and BPM motor,priced £919.00 delivered.
KudosDave

Thanks. Nearly. Its a lot of money for me. Not ruled out.

 

[Perseus]

Two threads for you.

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/greenedge-cs2.18954/

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/greenedge-cs2-from-ebikesdirect.20813/

The thing that would put me off, is that the bike only has six gears. The Kudos Cobra, which interestingly came up along side the cs2 on a Google search, has 21 gears. The Woosh that Trex has posted a photo of, also uses a triple chain set, but I couldn't find any price info etc for the bike.

All three use the mechanical disc brake set up, that you have indicated to not liking.

Thanks. These are less frightening on my budget. Virtually retired, I've no way of increasing my income if I spend all my readies. What do other people think about mechanical disc brakes? I just can't see the point of them. Light weight is advantgeous when pedalling w/o assistance (if ebikers still do this?)

 

[soundwave]

you slam the front brake on my bike going 30mph u be doing a somersault

 

[Perseus]

you slam the front brake on my bike going 30mph u be doing a somersault

I suspect these ebikes tend to be back heavy. I am back brake user. I do have to reduce my speed on a pedal bike in traffic to avoid hitting cars that suddenly stop.

 

[soundwave]

I suspect these ebikes tend to be back heavy.