Tonaro Compy climbs 1 in 4.

[hoppy]

Yesterday, I successfully tackled steepest local hill on my Tonaro Compy. It's over a mile long with steepest part 1 in 4. Used lowest gear with light pedalling. Sailed up at 5 or 6 mph. One month on I'm still delighted with the bike. Highly recommended!

 

[NRG]

Good result and show how driving through the gears is a benefit on very steep hills.

 

[flecc]

Brilliant, doing well exactly what e-bikes are supposed to help with, but so often fail to do. As I remarked yesterday, I'm sure Tonaro is a name that we'll be hearing very much more about in future.

 

[scarrabri]

Hi my friend, excellent results ,i have bought the Tonaro Bighit which looks superb and i am going to test run it shortly,i hope it is as good as your Tonaro compy,good for you its about time some one praised this beautiful bike ,instead of laughting at it ,very best wishes Brian.

 

[indalo]

There are lots of interesting bikes in a variety of styles emerging on to the market at the moment and that has to be good news. It disturbs me a little though that some of these "new kids on the block" seem to be just as heavy as many of the bikes from 5 years ago.

Surely we should be seeing more ebikes around the 20Kg mark, give or take? The Tonaro bikes are rather weighty in this second decade of the 21st century whereas the much vaunted Haibike does come in at around 20Kgs....but at a price!

I note that Kudos can do a carbon frame model for about half the cost of the Haibike but maybe it's only half as good...I can't say. That they can produce a lightweight bike for that kind of money suggests to me that others could source lighter materials too. Reducing weight gives batteries and motors an easier life and Cytronex seem to do quite well with a fairly low powered motor in very lightweight frames. After reading the postings in another thread about the difficulty of hoisting ebikes up to racks on cars or motorhomes, it seems obvious to me that ebike suppliers should be seeking out lighter frames and components. Car manufacturers have being doing just that for several years now, taking the lead from F1 and other motorsport.

Until we reach that stage when sub-20 Kg bikes are the norm, perhaps the suppliers should provide a diet sheet with every bike sold. The effect of battery assistance for a 70 Kg rider has to be much more dramatic and meaningful than that experienced by a 105 Kg jockey.

Indalo

 

[PJM]

I can only vaugely remember 70kg at about 18 years of age However I hope to use the bike to get rid of some of my current bulk. My Tailwind is only very low power with the 180kw motor but by remaining in the seat and keeping a steady cadence going I did get up a very steep and long local hill. I hope that if I can keep it up it will become quicker and in higher gears. I think by buying the bike I have caused the weather to change and the rain prayed for by many has come. I do not intend to ride in the rain. Bottom line is that with a normal bike I would not stand a chance.

 

[shep]

Hoppy

I think you are "peaking" just in time for the Tour De France, if you can climb hills like that, you should be an easy stage winner up Alpe D,uez this year.I reckon i could stuff those guys up there as long as i had my Tonaro with a 96V 200ah battery fitted

 

[flecc]

Obviously rider weight does make a difference, but it's not as great as the difference in kilos would suggest.

The reason is that in the normal course of living our bodies automatically adjust the muscle strengths to our weights when that body weight is within the normal range. The automatic adjustment continues into the clinically obese zone, but with decreasing compensation. Therefore the average muscle strengths of a 100 kilo man of my age are very much greater than mine at 66 kilos.

This is a major reason why door "bouncers" and bodyguards are often amply proportioned, they are muscularly stronger and able to perform their task more effectively than the lighter and apparently fitter.

 

[vhfman]

I can only vaugely remember 70kg at about 18 years of age However I hope to use the bike to get rid of some of my current bulk. My Tailwind is only very low power with the 180kw motor

Like you PJM I can just remember those feather weight days of my youth. But with a winter of ill health and inactivity my weight has climbed back up to 100Kg+. I don't think you would have any problems getting up those steep hills with your 180,000W motor you say you have!
I am just building a new bike so I should be back on the trails again soon and hope to loose a few Kg.

Chris

 

[Oiseaux]

I know we are now a bit off topic but I weighed myself the other day and came in at 62.5 kg but I have been doing a lot of renovation. I guess I am now a nine stone weakling and will have to contact Charles Atlas !! remember him anybody ??

 

[flecc]

Yes, I do!

I took one look at his image in the ads and decided nine stone weakling was a fine option, cheaper and far less trouble.

 

[indalo]

Yes, I do!

I took one look at his image in the ads and decided nine stone weakling was a fine option, cheaper and far less trouble.

It wasn't you who kicked sand in Charles Atlas' face by any chance was it flecc?

Regards,
Indalo

 

[flecc]

It wasn't you who kicked sand in Charles Atlas' face by any chance was it flecc?

Regards,
Indalo

I wouldn't bother, he was making a big enough fool of himself without my help!

How these things change over time, anyone remember one Horace Batchelor of Keynsham, Bristol, who advertised his infallible method for people to win the football pools? All it was necessary to do was send him some money for the secret I believe, begging the question why he just didn't win the jackpot for himself. If he was still around he'd probably be selling the winning Lotto numbers.

 

[Willin']

Horace Batchelor - Dearie me, I remember that. The adverts always gave out "Keynsham - spelt K E Y ...."

I must be ancient.

 

[flecc]

Horace Batchelor - Dearie me, I remember that. The adverts always gave out "Keynsham - spelt K E Y ...."

I must be ancient.

The fact that we still remember the likes of Charles Atlas and Horace Batchelor, and their products and words after so many years, should give modern advertisers cause for some serious thought. Will any of the current crop of advertising be remembered in such detail 60 and more years into the future?

 

[Jonah]

I test rode a Tonaro Bighit last week. It was ok but I wouldn't rave about it. The gears on the bike I tried weren't set-up great so it kept slipping out of 4th gear or below making major hill climbing impossible - probably not a fair test but didn't inspire confidence. Battery range over very hilly ride (Half low assist / half high assist) - 23 miles from fully charged to flat.

 

[Biged]

Hoppy

I think you are "peaking" just in time for the Tour De France, if you can climb hills like that, you should be an easy stage winner up Alpe D,uez this year.I reckon i could stuff those guys up there as long as i had my Tonaro with a 96V 200ah battery fitted

On my way to the south of France a couple of years ago (driving) i took a detour up this famous Alpe just to see what the fuss was about. Blimey! Was i impressed, it was difficult walking up some sections never mind cycling.
Had our lunch in the village at the end of the road (the road continues, but you are allowed no further) It was superb looking across at the snow covered mountains at the same height as us.
If you ever get the opportunity its well worth the extra miles and time

 

[flecc]

I test rode a Tonaro Bighit last week. It was ok but I wouldn't rave about it. The gears on the bike I tried weren't set-up great so it kept slipping out of 4th gear or below making major hill climbing impossible - probably not a fair test but didn't inspire confidence. Battery range over very hilly ride (Half low assist / half high assist) - 23 miles from fully charged to flat.

That range matches the suppliers claims of 19 to 25 miles, which with help from you limited by that gear adjustment problem is not bad for a high powered bike.

It's not unusual for ex factory bikes to have derailleur mechanisms out of adjustment, very easily corrected though.

 

[PennyFarthing]

Thank you - for once I don't feel quite SO old! ;oPm (Either that or I'm suffering degenerative memory loss!).

The fact that we still remember the likes of Charles Atlas and Horace Batchelor, and their products and words after so many years, should give modern advertisers cause for some serious thought. Will any of the current crop of advertising be remembered in such detail 60 and more years into the future?

 

[steveindenmark]

I have just ordered the Tonaro Enduro and it is winging its way to Denmark as I type this. Well that is unless the ash cloud is holding up it`s progress.

I have not read any reviews of the Enduro but it is lighter than the Bighit and has exactly the same power plant. I have yet to read a bad review on the Bighit except for Jonah`s piece in this post. Admittedly the bike was not set up correctly and it was not the best test in the circumstances.

I have read dozens of reviews on bikes but one of the biggest details missing from the reviews are details of the rider themselves. That must surely play a big part on how the bike performs.

I am totally new to the electric bike scene and will write a long rambling review on the Enduro after I have had it a couple of weeks. My other bikes are a Bacchetta Giro 26 recumbent, a TREK Lexa SL and a TREK street bike and so I have something to compare it against.

I am hoping the Enduro is going to make my 40km commute to work just a little bit easier but still providing a work out if I need it.

Steve