Trying ebikes

[trex]

One of the problems in the UK is there are too many e-bike sellers relative to the size of the market, I heard it mentioned that there are now 140 sellers supplying an annual market of 20,000. ..
KudosDave

We don't make e-bikes in the UK.
The absence of indigenous producers leads to an under-developed local market.
When one of the leading UK e-bike companies bites the bullet and invests enough resource to create a respected range of products that the world would want to buy, the local market will grow.
Just like Brompton or Dyson, successful designs lead to a growing marketplace.

 

[RobF]

I admire the guy who bought the Big Bear within a day of posting.

Too many prospective customers allow themselves to be drowned in a sea of information of variable quality and provenance.

We've seen what bike? threads on here go one for weeks, with the OP swinging from self-build to ready made and back again, then this model or that model.

It is only a bike, and if you are not fascinated by all the different models (I am), there's no point in agonising over websites for hours and hours.

I ventured £2.5K on the Rose without seeing or trying it.

At the time, I don't think I fully grasped the difference between crank and hub drive.

That purchase turned out OK, as did the AVE.

I did try that one, but only because the shop let me.

Having gone 60 miles out of my way to get to the shop, I was more or less having it anyway.

 

[Cyclezee]

While trying first is always advisable, that buyer was hardly buying blind. A fair number of forum members have bought the model in question and been very happy with it. In addition, some of this forums most experienced members have recommended this model on many occasions from knowing it and it's capabilities well. Those greatly reduce the risk of error.
.

Do we know who Dave was referring to and what bike they bought

 

[RobF]

Do we know who Dave was referring to and what bike they bought

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/first-electric-bike-few-to-compare-up-to-£2000.20267/page-2

 

[Cyclezee]

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/first-electric-bike-few-to-compare-up-to-£2000.20267/page-2

Hi Rob,
Dave up to now Dave has not been specific as to the member or the thread, not sure if you read my post number 18 in this thread.

 

[Croxden]

While trying first is always advisable, that buyer was hardly buying blind. A fair number of forum members have bought the model in question and been very happy with it. In addition, some of this forums most experienced members have recommended this model on many occasions from knowing it and it's capabilities well. Those greatly reduce the risk of error.
.

Like a mail order bride then.

 

[flecc]

Hi Rob,
Dave up to now Dave has not been specific as to the member or the thread, not sure if you read my post number 18 in this thread.

I think we've all assumed the "next day" was an error.
.

 

[Cyclezee]

Like a mail order bride then.

So can you return for a full refund after riding for a couple of weeks, if so where can I get one?

 

[Cyclezee]

I think we've all assumed the "next day" was an error.
.

Ahh, I'm a bit slow on the uptake

 

[RobF]

I've just noticed Croxden's signature.

I see a Haibike Xduro All Mtn Pro has been added to the fleet.

Some piece of kit, that.

Do tell us more.

 

[Kudoscycles]

I am involved in a number of products from race car parts to tools to e-bikes to exhibition truss systems,every product now has its own forum with a degree of self promotion about a traders own product.
Usually a particular product is discussed openly and the merits of one product over a rival are discussed and the conclusions are always varied.
This forum is unique in that someone comes onto the forum,openly admits they no nothing about e-bikes,we all make valid contributions to help the OP make a decision about a particular bike and yet within hours the OP makes a decision,with no recourse to our comments.
It sort of suggests that we should not bother with constructive comments as the OP had made up his mind before the posting.
The credibility of such a posting is discounted when the poster seems to appear,buy a bike,then disappear.
The cynic in me says the poster was signed in to promote a particular range of bikes,made the decision to buy that range,then is killed off when he has done his job. It's not always the same bike range,it varies according to the energy of the OP,but the credibility of the forum is undermined by such tactics.
Before 'sour grapes' springs to mind I ( and many others in the trade) have for some time formed the opinion that the Pedelecs forum has evolved into those primarily self building or a marketplace for a limited product marque,maybe only one!!!!!
KudosDave

 

[flecc]

Can we know for certain which buyer you are referring to Dave?

If it's Justin Fleming who bought a Woosh Big Bear without trying one, his posts are certainly not as you suspect. They are very obviously genuine since the Big Bear was not the one he was specifically showing interest in at first and only changed to it as a result of advice on suitability for purpose. He also posted "likes" against other mentioned suppliers and brands.
.

 

[Kudoscycles]

So can you return for a full refund after riding for a couple of weeks, if so where can I get one?

Try Russia or Thailand,but chargeback refund may be more involved,especially if you subject it to undue wear and tear.!!!!!!

 

[Kudoscycles]

Can we know for certain which buyer you are referring to Dave?
.

No....my comments are intentionally kept general,but the possibilities seem to be more regular.
KudosDave

 

[flecc]

No....my comments are intentionally kept general,but the possibilities seem to be more regular.
KudosDave

Perhaps you need a lobbyist in here Dave.
.

 

[trex]

@KD Justin may want to come and tell you himself why he made his choice, I am sure if you know Hatti better, you'd know she would never use that kind of tactics.

 

[Croxden]

I've just noticed Croxden's signature.

I see a Haibike Xduro All Mtn Pro has been added to the fleet.

Some piece of kit, that.

Do tell us more.

I have not ridden on it yet, just bought it blind.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Anyway,I feel I have distracted the posting away from the OP's original posting of where can he try e-bikes. As I mentioned before the number of possibilities to test ride e-bikes is diminishing,the events list on this forum only has the LEBC event on March 29,does anyone know of any other try an e-bike day that Paul can attend????
KudosDave

 

[RobF]

As with all conspiracy theories, Kudos Dave's doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

Woosh, as he has observed, already enjoy a good reputation and many recommendations on here - they don't need more.

The guy has only just bought the bike, if he comes back with a too glowing review there may be a question to be asked.

If, as often happens, we hear no more after the purchase decision has been made, the quality of the bike is still open to question.

A casual reader might think the bike was rubbish and the OP was too embarrassed to come back to say he made a mistake.

I've only dealt with Hatti over a couple of loan bikes.

There's no doubt she can, to coin the phrase, charm the birds from the trees, but creating a forum ringer is just not her style.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Perhaps you need a lobbyist in here Dave.
.

Tony,the last thing we need on this forum are lobbyists. I have a friend who is a paid lobbyist for the Sugar Foundation,lobbying government. It is a well funded and powerful lobby group,decisions about sugar in our foods are based upon many factors but few of them are about our health!!!!
The reality is that very few e-bike customers buy based upon the info they may glean from this forum. Most e-bikes are a local purchase based upon the advice of a local dealer,whether that advice is sound or otherwise. This can be seen by the strength of e-bike sales are in pockets....around On-bike near Birmingham,near Just e-bikes in Suffolk,near 50 cycles and LEBC west of London,Atmosphere bikes in Bristol,e-motion in Swindon,all have strong local market,self generated. Areas which are very poorly e-bike represented,Scotland or the extreme South West for example have very few e-bikes.
KudosDave