Sorry folks - another newbie looking for some guidance !

[pichipedals]

I'm looking for my first pedelec, for short town trips of 2-4 miles each way and maybe in time some longer cycle path rides for a bit of fitness. Im on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, so I have a few hills around, but my initial local routes will only be smaller, short inclines. I'm a5'7" tall female - maybe I can look at unisex designs as well as 'ladies' models ?

I've read a load of reviews, a load of threads (thanks to Lancslass and the contributions from the dealers on here), got confused, taken a breadth and read more. There's nothing like seeing and trying so Saturday I'm planning on visiting a few dealers in Bristol to look/try? a few bikes on my current short list...

Giant Prime E 2015
Juicy Classic Lite or Grande
Oxygen Diva
Smarta LX7 or LX8
Freego Hawk / Regency
Kalkhoff Groove

As you can see its a right mix of front, crank and rear drive , (as well as low and high battery placement) but might give me an idea of the different balance and feel each bike offers. At least they are all step-through designs ! I realise the law changed at the start of the year ref throttle actions, althoguh I'm not averse currently to a 'used before end 2015' demo/hire bike if a throttle start would help stability when starting off.

I've not been on a pedal bike for 30years, any test rides could be interesting

My local trips will be for shopping / banking purposes so I'll probably be looking for rear panniers (adding to weight at the rear) to carry my bargains back home. I intend to use the bike in all weathers for these trips, it seems ludicrous to use my car when it takes longer to park and walk from the car park to the shops than it would to cycle.

Any comments / experiences with the above from members here most welcome.

 

[JuicyBike]

You'll get a lot of information from your first few rides PP and you're doing exactly the right thing by trying a number of different makes and types.
Hope you enjoy the process (I'm certain you will).

 

[pichipedals]

Thanks Bob - let's hope i stay upright !

 

[Electric Transport Shop]

Hi Pichipedals Looks like you'll be visiting us to test ride the Smarta LX models. We look forward to meeting you.
If you have time you can test ride the Bosch and Impulse crank drives too. Both are available on bikes that would possibly meet your requirements.
The store manager is Chris and if you let him know you are a pedelecs.co.uk forum member you'll get a very special deal.
The address is 35A Lower Redland Rd, Bristol, BS6 6TB. Tel: 01179 734046.

 

[pichipedals]

Hi Pichipedals Looks like you'll be visiting us to test ride the Smarta LX models. We look forward to meeting you.
If you have time you can test ride the Bosch and Impulse crank drives too. Both are available on bikes that would possibly meet your requirements.
The store manager is Chris and if you let him know you are a pedelecs.co.uk forum member you'll get a very special deal.
The address is 35A Lower Redland Rd, Bristol, BS6 6TB. Tel: 01179 734046.

Indeed, you are stop #2 on my 'bike trail' ! Thanks for the 'very special deal' offer

#1 Giant Store - Giant Prime E+

#2 ETS - Smarta LX (I'll have a closer look at the other suggestions online this evening, but i think the Raleigh Captus and the Gazelle Impulse are a little beyond my budget)

#3 50cycles - Kalkhoff

#4 Atmosphere - Oxygen Diva, Juicy Classics, Freego Regency

At least that's the current plan (I do need to call #3 and #4 to check whats available to view/try)

 

[pichipedals]

On the subject of budget, I'm sort of thinking £1000 +/- £100. Obviously that might have to flex a little for some customisation but would hope that's minimal.

 

[acm2000]

best part of losing your ebike virginity is the "ebike grin" the first time your set off

 

[Lancslass]

Good luck with the bike testing and do get back to the forum to let everyone know how the bikes compared. Most of us amateurs on here (that'll be me) only know what their one bike feels like and it would be interesting to hear about the others. Hope you get to ride the Juicy Classic but then I'm awfully, naively biased!

 

[pichipedals]

Good luck with the bike testing and do get back to the forum to let everyone know how the bikes compared. Most of us amateurs on here (that'll be me) only know what their one bike feels like and it would be interesting to hear about the others. Hope you get to ride the Juicy Classic but then I'm awfully, naively biased!

I will indeed although I could probably describe five different boxes of wood screws more accurately than 7 or so electric bikes

I doubt I will be able to ride the Giant (its their only showrrom model) but as its my first port of call (and i could call in again on the way home) it will be my test bed for asking good or dumb questions, seeing how a step through feels (my last bike was probably a Raleigh Chopper back in the early eighties !) and giving a mental reference to judge the other bikes against.

 

[Lancslass]

I wouldn't assume that because of your height, you need the Juicy Giant. Whilst I am only 5 ft 3, my saddle on the Classic is right at the bottom of it's saddle stem and the stem has a good few inches on it. Also my feet only just touch the ground on both sides to the extent that I feel happier stopping with my bike tilted to one side and just one foot firmly on the floor. At 5 ft 7 you may well find the Classic fits you perfectly.
Bear in mind also that Juicy has quite a few male customers on their step thru's (men go Dutch as well as women!) hence the Giant, which can fit men as well as taller women.
So when you try them out, look at the saddle adjustment as well as the frame size. Any retailer worth their salt will note your height and sort that out for you.

 

[5threeone]

I'm looking for my first pedelec, for short town trips of 2-4 miles each way and maybe in time some longer cycle path rides for a bit of fitness. Im on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, so I have a few hills around, but my initial local routes will only be smaller, short inclines. I'm a5'7" tall female - maybe I can look at unisex designs as well as 'ladies' models ?

I've read a load of reviews, a load of threads (thanks to Lancslass and the contributions from the dealers on here), got confused, taken a breadth and read more. There's nothing like seeing and trying so Saturday I'm planning on visiting a few dealers in Bristol to look/try? a few bikes on my current short list...

Giant Prime E 2015
Juicy Classic Lite or Grande
Oxygen Diva
Smarta LX7 or LX8
Freego Hawk / Regency
Kalkhoff Groove

As you can see its a right mix of front, crank and rear drive , (as well as low and high battery placement) but might give me an idea of the different balance and feel each bike offers. At least they are all step-through designs ! I realise the law changed at the start of the year ref throttle actions, althoguh I'm not averse currently to a 'used before end 2015' demo/hire bike if a throttle start would help stability when starting off.

I've not been on a pedal bike for 30years, any test rides could be interesting

My local trips will be for shopping / banking purposes so I'll probably be looking for rear panniers (adding to weight at the rear) to carry my bargains back home. I intend to use the bike in all weathers for these trips, it seems ludicrous to use my car when it takes longer to park and walk from the car park to the shops than it would to cycle.

Any comments / experiences with the above from members here most welcome.

 

[5threeone]

Qwic Urban folding electric bicycle. Now in my sixth month of use. 2500 kms and not a fault. I can put panniers on the front carrier and its ready for touring. Never less than 80 kms on a charge even in the colder winter months
Highly recommended. Its designed, not just made.

 

[flecc]

Qwic Urban folding electric bicycle. Now in my sixth month of use. 2500 kms and not a fault. I can put panniers on the front carrier and its ready for touring. Never less than 80 kms on a charge even in the colder winter months
Highly recommended. Its designed, not just made.

Seems to be discontinued, no longer in their range of models in their website:

Qwic bicycles
.

 

[RobF]

Seems to be discontinued, no longer in their range of models in their website:

Qwic bicycles
.

Comes up as 'sold out' on the urban.ebikes site.

I think, a bit like 50 Cycles for Kalkhoff, urban.ebikes is the only UK dealer for QWIC.

Way over the OP's budget anyway.

http://urbanebikes.com/collections/ebikes?page=2

 

[pichipedals]

Well I'm back, 9 hours out n about, but a succesful trip !

So first call Giant store - the only remaining sale bik ein the Prime E+ 2W was the showroom model - size medium but it was huge, the staff admitting it was probably better suited to a man c 6' tall. I did sit on a smaller framed Prime E+ 3W but as this was 2016 model at £1800 it was outside my budget - I did much happier on the small sized frame though. The staff were great, even looking where else in the country I might get a small sized 2015 model (Julies cycles in Coventry for anyone interested) at £1199. Of note was the very high qulity of finish on the paintwork of the Giant bikes. No test ride but came away happy that I'd not been too daunted by the whole bike shop experience.

Onto Electric Transport Shop - of interest were the Smarta LX7 / LX8 but also the Gazelle Impulse and Raleigh Captus suggest above ny Eddie. The Gazelle were all sold out but I was able to compare the Smarta and the Captus. Maybe not too fair a compariosn given one was almost twice the price of the other but after some discussion I managed a tentative ride around the little test route encircling the shop. Having not been on a bike for nigh on 30 years it was abit unnerving but off I went, on full turbo assist on the Captus with its Bosch crank drive, What a lovely smooth ride, loads of power and a nice ride. In comparison I found the Smarta to be more squat, felt small under me (it is a lower more stretched out frame to me eyes) ans the more pronounced curve on the handlebar made the bike less stable in my arms - a little more twitchy to steering inputs - perhaps a more experienced rider wouldn;t see this as an issue but the bike just didn't feel right for me. I couldn't fault the time and patience from Chris the manager though, we were well looked after.


So onwards 50cycles to look at the Kalkhoff Groove, the base model in the Kalkhoff range. Front motor Anthony gave us a good introduction to the bikes and had me adjusted and sitting happily on the medium size frame, The frame geometry and 28" wheels gave a similar riding position to the Raleigh Captus (albeit with a very low step over). I liked the clean looks providd by the very low step over frame and the absence of a rear derailleur hanging down (7 speed hub). With my partner loaned a Kalkhoff Pro Connect 10 we headed off in near monsoon conditions across the main shopping area in Bristol and onto the neighbouring park with its numerous cycle lane loops and a variety of slopes to test the bikes. I absolutely loved the Groove, I could happily motor along in a couple of gears, the slopes being of no concern whatsoever. I had a play around with the different assist levels and on the top level there was a slight sense of pulling from the front motor but the overall balance and fit was fabulous for me. In honesty as a novice to all the technology I couldn't tell anydifference between the mech crank motor drive of the Raleigh and the front motor of the Groove. The twist grip gear shifter isn't every ones choice but I preferred the less cluttered control layout, the gears changing smoothly. I Would have been happy to buy right then, but we decided to move on to Atmosphere to check out a few more bikes,

5 minute ride on the #9 bus, followed by an error reading our GPS device meant we spent 10 minutes walking in the wrong direction, then retracing our footsteps and a further 15 minutes walk. The weather was attrocious, rain hosing down so we were soaked when we arrived at Atmosphere - at 4:33pm - 3 minutes after they closed lol!

So a swift half pint in the nearby pub while we waitied for a taxi back to 50 cycles. Anthony already had the bike in the workshop with Harry, getting things checked over.

I was offered £50 discount without asking and Anthony threw in the Bern Lenox helmet I'd borrowed earlier (loved the helmet as much as the bike !), a mirror (not sure I'll use it but time will tell) and a reflective rucksack cover.

The Groove is now sat in our lounge,lookign lovely after my other half cleaned and waxed it, plus added some protective film added to stone vulnerable areas.

I made good use of his distraction by jumping on the internet and treating myself to some natty looking rear panniers

Can't wait to get it out on it tomorrow- yey I have an e-bike !!

So thank you all for you inputs and guidance, sorry Lancslass that it wasn't the Juicy but in hindsight I think if I had managed to try one at Atmosphere I probably would have felt similar thoughts about it as the Smarta. Its a great quality bike I'm sure and hope it gives you and other owners much plesure over many years.

Today made me realise..

1. dont be daunted by the bike shops - they are manned by experienced staff who want people to enjoy their purchase rather than only taking their money

2. do try a variety of styles, I didnt think there was much difference in the step over models but today I realised some are more upright, higher riding than others.

3. no matter what the weather a 5 minute test ride can tell you a lot, 30 minutes sells you a bike !

4. I didn't quite convert my other half from his full suspension MTB, but I did catch him looking rather too cloely at the Focus Thron Impulse 2.0 e-MTB

 

[Lancslass]

You sounded like you had a great time despite the weather. Glad you had chance to ride a few bikes and that you are happy with your choice. Now you need some decent weather so that you can get out on your new baby!
Have fun with it, in fact, have a, eh erm, GROOVY time

 

[Lancslass]

Just had a quick internet peek at your Groove - very pretty I must say.

 

[pichipedals]

You sounded like you had a great time despite the weather. Glad you had chance to ride a few bikes and that you are happy with your choice. Now you need some decent weather so that you can get out on your new baby!
Have fun with it, in fact, have a, eh erm, GROOVY time

Not the best weather, but hey you can't wait for the sunshine in this country !

Just had a quick internet peek at your Groove - very pretty I must say.

Thank you - I'm very happy with my smooth groove. He looks lovely in the lounge this morning, the latest man in my life lol!

 

[Lancslass]

Not the best weather, but hey you can't wait for the sunshine in this country !



Thank you - I'm very happy with my smooth groove. He looks lovely in the lounge this morning, the latest man in my life lol!

Not the best weather, but hey you can't wait for the sunshine in this country !



Thank you - I'm very happy with my smooth groove. He looks lovely in the lounge this morning, the latest man in my life lol!

Oh, very handsome then in that case!
PS: Spoiling him a bit isn't it, letting him live in the lounge?

 

[JuicyBike]

All men should live in the lounge. Heck, and the women too for that matter.
Pleased you've got the bike PP! Riding is so much more fun than choosing.