Sorry, another "What should I buy?" thread...

[welly]

Hey all!

I think my requirements are a little different to others but if they're not, I apologise for repeating the same question! And apologise for the long message!

A bit of background. I'm currently living in London and have been commuting to work on a Brompton which I love, it's a great bike. I live on a narrowboat and so the Brompton has been fantastic in as far as space saving goes and so I'm currently swayed towards a folding bike, which I think will limit my options. I've come into a little bit of money so have a pretty reasonable budget and so happy to spend £3k or a bit more if necessary. Certainly my Brompton has paid for itself in the year or so I've owned it - I literally use it every day and have avoided tube fares to a great extent with exceptions I'll explain below.

I'm currently moving myself (and my boat) up north to Yorkshire and while public transport is still great up there, it's more limited than London and so as part of the requirements of my boat licence, I have to at some point during the year be at least 20 miles away from where I started. So I may have as much as a 20 mile commute back into Leeds for work. In London, I'd just jump on the tube or the overground and that was fine. Not an option in Leeds! Although there is a pretty good rail network that gets back into Leeds, however I still need to consider at some point going 20 miles into town.

So! With all that in mind, I think I'd like a folding bike for space saving requirements and also to stop my bike getting nicked! It'll sit under my desk at work and basically not be out of my sight. I've never locked my Brompton up whenever I've been somewhere with it as it is always within arms reach. So ideally I'd like a folding bike but not necessarily a Brompton. I'm open to other suggestions.

I understand that e-bikes are limited to 15mph but I also understand you can de-restrict them. Ideally I'd like to be able to derestrict my bike so I can travel 20mph or a bit more because I don't want my 20 mile commute to be taking me over an hour! Not sure if I fancy doing that speed necessarily on a Brompton though! So I'm probably looking for something with at least 20" wheels.

I'm also thinking I'd like a bike that I could possibly use for a bit of cycle touring and while I cycled around Yorkshire on my Brompton for a week last summer (doing around 25-30km a day), I'd probably like to go a bit further and so again I'm probably looking for something a little larger but has the capability of carrying some, not a lot, but some luggage.

At a push I'd consider a non-folding bike and would basically have to figure out how to store it - on top of the boat is not really an option, bikes get stolen from the top of boats all the time although I could possibly build a box for it to live in but then have to consider getting a 20kg+ bike on the roof!

I think that should be it! I'm still thinking about a Brompton Electric or possibly even debating having my Brompton converted. Wondered if anyone has any thoughts on all this?

Thanks!

welly

 

[vfr400]

I think you're going to be disappointed with an electric folding bike. You'd be surprised at how awkward they are to carry and how much space they take up.

Whatever bike you get, you can make it take up a lot less space by adding quick release levers to the stem clamp and folding pedals. That makes the bike very flat when you turn the handlebars in line with the front wheel and fold up the pedals. Even if you get a folding bike, it's easier just to drop the bars and fold the pedals to store it rather than wrestle the folding mechanism.

One day, someone will come up with a design for a folding bike that works.

Have a look at the various Gocycle options. There's a fast-folding one now (GX), but even the non-folding versions go quite small when you drop the bars and fold the pedals. Gocycles are great bikes if you can afford them, specially if you can persuade the dealer to give you access to the speed and power options in the software. These bikes have the advantage that they're very clean with no bits sticking out everywhere.

 

[Wicky]

 

[Woosh]

One day, someone will come up with a design for a folding bike that works.

this one might, but I reckon Brompton's lawyers will land on me like a rash:

 

[welly]

I think you're going to be disappointed with an electric folding bike. You'd be surprised at how awkward they are to carry and how much space they take up.

Whatever bike you get, you can make it take up a lot less space by adding quick release levers to the stem clamp and folding pedals. That makes the bike very flat when you turn the handlebars in line with the front wheel and fold up the pedals. Even if you get a folding bike, it's easier just to drop the bars and fold the pedals to store it rather than wrestle the folding mechanism.

One day, someone will come up with a design for a folding bike that works.

Have a look at the various Gocycle options. There's a fast-folding one now (GX), but even the non-folding versions go quite small when you drop the bars and fold the pedals. Gocycles are great bikes if you can afford them, specially if you can persuade the dealer to give you access to the speed and power options in the software. These bikes have the advantage that they're very clean with no bits sticking out everywhere.

Cheers! Yeah, was looking at the Gocycle GX that comes out in April. It looks interesting! It's certainly within my budget so something to think about although not sure what the options for hanging panniers or small baggage are for it.

Before I had my Brompton, I had a Bickerton folding bike (the ones that are almost exactly like the Dahon/Tern bikes) which was a great bike to ride but the thing with it was that it was an absolute lump and not fun to carry around on the tube. So got rid fairly quickly and replaced it with a Brompton. My requirement for a folding bike to carry around on the tube/public transport is far less now, it's more the space it takes up on the boat is my primary consideration. Even if it's bigger than the Brompton when folded, that's still fine. I'm just a bit hesitant to get a full sized folding bike although when I keep looking at them, I'm thinking I may try and make it work! The Moustache Samedi looks brilliant.

 

[JPGiant]

Having lived in and around Leeds since the '70's, make sure you get a big battery version to accommodate the hills round here - remember Leeds city is in a river (Aire) valley so on average, it's easy going in and a workout to leave.

 

[Crossroads]

Have a look at Tern Folders - when folded they are designed to be moved on one wheel, holding the saddle. Get the biggest battery and strongest motor - Fully Charged Bikes in the City of London sell them.

 

[welly]

Yeah been looking at the Tern bikes, the Vektron S10 looks brilliant and still within my budget but the guy in the shop (Velorution in Islington) suggested the D8 saying it was much better value with a more torque-ey motor. Seemed to suggest everything else was almost identical. Any thoughts? So far that's the one I'm swaying towards but still considering a non-folder if I see the right one.

 

[soundwave]

get a bigger boat

https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts-for-sale/infinity--90053

 

[Crossroads]

Welly,

I had the same advice from three dealers - they reckoned it was by far the best Vektron currently on sale, with a well regarded Bafang motor. BUT -

That said, when I was looking, in 2018 the S10 had the Bosch Active line motor (40nm torque) and the current S10 now has the Active line Plus with 25% more torque, a very well regarded motor on this forum which has a good range.

See the Bosch website software to calculate your range using all factors, fairly precisely. My guess would be that the Bafang would be better for hills ( 60nm torque) but the Bosch (50nm torque) might give a better range.

At the time I was looking, the Bafang was reduced in price by two dealers and I think that customers spending 2-3k were probably going for the Bosch.

The Reisse and Muller Tinker Vario 2019 has a 500wh battery and Bosch CX Motor (75nm torque) - the Rolls Royce of compact bikes - the handlebars fold down and the seat slides right down, by all accounts a brilliant bike. Electric Bike Review in the States has a good video review on YouTube.

 

[welly]

I've had a revelation overnight.

My main impetus for getting an electric bike is for my longer commutes in to Leeds when me and my boat are miles away, and for weekend "getaways". When I'm close to work then I'll be happy cycling in on my Brompton and there is a lot to be said about the convenience of jumping on the Brompton to the local shops and back or sticking a pizza on the rack!

So I think I'm going to look for a full sized/non-folder instead and find somewhere else to put my carbon road bike, which I only really use for things like audax and going for day rides with mates.

I'll start looking for something in my budget and see what you all think!

Cheers!

 

[welly]

Well, there has been a lot of water under the bridge since I last posted. I didn't get an ebike, but I did do my CBT, then my full motorbike licence and bought a Triumph sports bike and then replaced that with a Triumph adventure bike.

However, today I did finally buy an ebike. As much as I love my motorbike and have been all over the country with it, it's a bit of overkill to get the helmet, jacket and so on out so when I found that my work has a cycle to work scheme I decided I'd give that a go and set myself a budget of 2500, which works out at just over 100 quid a month from my salary. That is plenty.

Been looking at a few bikes and was initially set upon the Haibike Sduro Trekking 3.0. I liked it but didn't love it and the bike shop only had a large which felt a bit too big although they seemed to insist it was fine.

Then tried a Cannondale Quick Neo SL 2 which was lovely and light but hardly felt any help from the motor to be honest.

On the way home today I stopped at another shop and they had a Kalkhoff Endeavour 1b which really looks like a normal bike with a lump on the downtube. Had a ride about the carpark on it, up and down the street and thought this was the fella. Seemed to fit just right. So with my C2W voucher in hand, said I wanted it. They sorted me out with some extras such as cycle shorts, a lock, some bags etc. and I think I'm sorted!

The haibike does have better specs as far as componentry goes but it really felt chunky and heavy. I'll probably upgrade a fair bit on this Kalkhoff over time but just did a pretty quick 16km from the bike shop to home, found the bike a cracking ride. So I think I'm quite happy and finally a member of the ebike family! Hopefully my motorbike won't get jealous.

 

[welly]

Only question now is how I can get a little bit more out of the motor...

 

[soundwave]

Only question now is how I can get a little bit more out of the motor...

Bosch (Gen2 / Gen3) E Bike Tuning

Default Description

www.ebiketuning.com

 

[welly]

Bosch (Gen2 / Gen3) E Bike Tuning

Default Description

www.ebiketuning.com

Few options there! Not sure I need it to go 75km/h (the mech is wincing at the thought of that) but 35-40km/h would be ideal, not all the time just on some boring flats. Thanks for the link!

 

[soundwave]

they only remove the speed limit they wont give you any more power from the motor but top speed will be about the gearing so bigger front sprocket can sort that.

 

[vfr400]

but 35-40km/h would be ideal, not all the time just on some boring flats.

That's about what you'll get on the flat with no wind with the tuning device. As he said, it only eliminates the speed limit from your motor and keeps the power the same. It's not a new motor.