Very impressed by the knowledge and helpfulness on this forum. Can I take advantage?

[Grogalogs]

So, which pedelec do I get? I am a 14 st geezer in his early 50s, very fit but with a dodgy hip, hence looking at a pedelec for my next bike. Cycling into central London twice a week 20 mile round trip, flying visit to office to pick up post. Cycling most other days, 2 or 3 miles only. Also a regular annual cycling holiday, 50 miles a day for a week, could charge up over night. Been doing tons of research so got from "totally ignorant" two weeks ago to "still ignorant but I know I want one".

Went to see the helpful Claude at TETS in North London, and he put me out on a Smarta (£1k ish, powerful but a bit of a boneshaker), then a Wisper (£1600, felt worth the extra money but still didn't feel like a normal bike to me), then a KTM mountain bike with a Bosch motor and 11 hub gears (£2250). The last one was over my budget, but it is a thing of beauty, and rode better than any bike I've ever ridden before - motor cuts out at 15.5mph but I could carry on accelerating by pedalling alone, as though it was a normal bike - only downside was those hub gears, and having to stop pedalling with every change - yuk! Today I test rode the Smart ebike, looks incredibly cool, and up to the 15mph cut off it was just brilliant, loved everything about it. However, when you reach the limit, the bike suddenly feels very heavy and on the flat with all my effort, I could barely reach 20mph. Heart says Smart (£371 deposit and £59 a month for 3 years), head says KTM, but thinking that there might be other alternatives? So, you more experienced people out there - KTM, Smart or AN Other? Hungry for your advice!

 

[Tim]

You should try a Kalkhoff Agattu Impulse

Electric Bikes | Kalkhoff E-bikes | Best Electric Bicycles UK

 

[flecc]

Try not to be put off by hub gears, the problem is probably more one of your familiarity with derailleurs. The Shimano hub gear allows you to keep spinning with reduction in pressure on upward changes, and the pause on down changes will soon become automatic with use. On the benefit side is the ability to stop in any gear and then preselect the one you want to set off with, much more convenient than derailleurs where you have to anticipate and do all the down changes on approaching a stop point. And the other benefit of hub gears is the big saving of your time otherwise spent in derailleur maintenance and adjustments, with hub gears it's very much fit and forget.

 

[JuicyBike]

Save your money: get a tried and trusted Juicy Bike with interest free credit via our website or go and visit our London dealer. See website for details. You'd save £1610 over the cost of that Smart...

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Unless you have hills, virtually any bike will suit you, so you want to get out and try a few more. Most hub-motored bikes - especially all the cheaper ones - have free-wheels in them, so it's not so much effort to pedal over 15mph or when your battery goes flat. Try some and you'll see. To be honest, I'd say that you'd be pretty happy with a Woosh Sirocco sport unless your one of those people that like to waste money on expensive things. If you do a search, you'll find a review that myself and Saneagle did on it about 6 months ago - really good value at £599. Their new Sirocco CD is going to start a bit of discussion I think too.
The Sirocco-Sport | Electric Bikes from Woosh | electric bike sales & hire

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

Both AVE and KTM have bikes with derailleurs and hub gears. There is a technique to hub gears and it is very much personal preference. There are advantages to both, hub gears can be great in the city as you can change gear without pedalling, great for the traffic lights. One of our customers had a similar experience loved the AVE with Bosch but just liked some of the others.

Welcome and good luck with the search!

 

[Cyclezee]

Welcome to the forum Grogalogs,

As you are probably already aware, there is lots of good advice to be found and knowledgeable members willing to answer most questions.

You might like to take few moments to check if one of our bikes shown here electric bikes and conversion kits - Home with 10% off in our winter sale takes your fancy.

Alternatively have you considered converting a non-powered bike that you like.

Regards

 

[Martin1]

Go and try a Pro-Connect BS10, yes it is over budget and yes it is not technically road legal but it is without a doubt the best pedelec i have ridden and has me grinning like a schoolboy on my daily commute as i tear past every other bike out there.

 

[RobF]

Top speed appears important to you, so try one of these:

Alpine Sport | UK Electric Bikes | LifeCyle Electric Bikes

It has a naughty button and really flies when you use it.

The linked one is a step-through which might suit your hip, but you can also get mountain and city styles with the same set-up.

Downside might be quality of the ride, but you won't get better performance for the money.

 

[Cyclezee]

Downside might be quality of the ride, but you won't get better performance for the money.

Unless you get one of these

 

[RobF]

Unless you get one of these

Does it have a button to bypass the speed restriction?

 

[funkylyn]

Try as many as you possibly can and enjoy it, then go with your heart....you will know for sure when you find the right bike for you.

And dont be put off by hub gears, you will soon get used to them, personally I think they are the best thing since sliced bread....well, apart from my electric blanket

Lynda

 

[103Alex1]

+1 on the hub gears. Best thing since sliced bread. Having to stop in the right gear for restarting in the middle of chaotic traffic with a derailleur bike is a constant distraction when truth be known. I find derailleur bikes are only really good on the open road or away from it.... and with an open chain it's definitely shorts all year unless you want to tuck your trousers in to your socks - or wear cycle clips !

PS - you definitely don't have to stop pedalling to change gear on mine but you can change gear when not pedalling or when stationary too. I ease back on the pedalling after changing up too late sometimes to trigger a power surge of assist from the motor .. when the speed drops just a little you can get a real burst out of the thing if you want it, especially near 15mph. It's far less frequent that I change down unless I'm slowing down / braking in which case I'm not pedalling. No worrying about being on the right chainring either.

By the time you've stopped at lights in top gear you can then think about dropping the gear down to the best one for pulling off depending on the gradient and traffic flow. It just makes so much more sense and once you get used to hub gears you wonder why they're not on all multi-purpose crank drive bikes.

 

[Cyclezee]

Does it have a button to bypass the speed restriction?

eZee bikes do not have an illegal go faster button.

The eZee Kinetic console as shown below does allow the adjustment of settings to comply with various national regulations around the world.

This also applies to eZee Mk2 conversion kits.


The mode settings are listed below.

Mode 1: Pedelec / EBike (US): Power Led Bar shows the assist power
level. When throttling, it switches to EBike mode.


Mode 2: Pedelec (EU): Power Led Bar shows the assist power level. Throttling
will be in 6km EBike mode.


Mode 3: Not in used. For future development.


Mode 4: Pedelec (EAF): Responds to throttle/EAF. Power Led Bar Bar shows the
current (amps) level.


Mode 5: EBike (Cruise): Responds to throttle (from gauge). Power Led Bar
shows the current (amps) level. ‘Up.’ button set cruise. ‘Down.’ button turn off
cruise. EBrake will also disengage cruise.

Some eZee bikes can be de-restricted for use on private land only.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

+1 on the hub gears. Best thing since sliced bread. Having to stop in the right gear for restarting in the middle of chaotic traffic with a derailleur bike is a constant distraction when truth be known. I find derailleur bikes are only really good on the open road or away from it.... and with an open chain it's definitely shorts all year unless you want to tuck your trousers in to your socks - or wear cycle clips !

PS - you definitely don't have to stop pedalling to change gear on mine but you can change gear when not pedalling or when stationary too. I ease back on the pedalling after changing up too late sometimes to trigger a power surge of assist from the motor .. when the speed drops just a little you can get a real burst out of the thing if you want it, especially near 15mph. It's far less frequent that I change down unless I'm slowing down / braking in which case I'm not pedalling. No worrying about being on the right chainring either.

By the time you've stopped at lights in top gear you can then think about dropping the gear down to the best one for pulling off depending on the gradient and traffic flow. It just makes so much more sense and once you get used to hub gears you wonder why they're not on all multi-purpose crank drive bikes.

Always advantages and disadvantages though. When you're going up a steep hill and you have to stop pedalling to change gear, it's a bit of a problem - even more so with a torque sensor crank drive without a throttle.

 

[flecc]

Always advantages and disadvantages though. When you're going up a steep hill and you have to stop pedalling to change gear, it's a bit of a problem - even more so with a torque sensor crank drive without a throttle.

Indeed, the need at times to anticipate and change gear in advance needs to be learnt, but as with all such variations, that soon becomes habit. It's little different from someone used to hub gears learning the need to anticipate the need for changing down derailleurs when coming up to a stop point.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Grogalogs....amazing name,how did you think that one? Reading through your posts it looks like you want a mountain bike with power as opposed to a dedicated electric commuter bike.
KTM advised today that they will attend the Redbridge London try an ebike day,April 7, at the cycling track in Hainault that is now over 12 suppliers and over 100 bikes to test. You will be able to compare the KTM bikes against the Tonaros against the BH bikes against the Kudos Performance bikes etc...not sure if you are in a hurry but that will be worth waiting for.
Dave
Kudoscycles

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Let's hope it doesn't pour down with rain. I can remember horizontal sleet at Easter about 10 years ago. On the other handI can also remember hot sunshine. I'm going anyway. Is there somewhere to camp in my campervan?

 

[Storcker]

So, which pedelec do I get? .

but still didn't feel like a normal bike to me The last one was over my budget, but it is a thing of beauty, and rode better than any bike I've ever ridden before - motor cuts out at 15.5mph but I could carry on accelerating by pedalling alone, as though it was a normal bike. However, when you reach the limit, the bike suddenly feels very heavy and on the flat with all my effort, I could barely reach 20mph. - KTM, Smart or AN Other? Hungry for your advice!

As you can see from my Storcker name I am biased.
When I looked for my first Ebike I wanted silence from the motor, well known gearing, a very nicely finished frame with gooood spec Shimano components. But most of all I wanted a nice to ride bike that also had electric assistance, not an electric bike that could be pedalled. There is quite a difference between the two.
If you like and value nice design go and try a Storck Raddar Multitask. Some will say they are too expensive but for me who appreciates the nice things in life over saving a bit of money it is worth it.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Let's hope it doesn't pour down with rain. I can remember horizontal sleet at Easter about 10 years ago. On the other handI can also remember hot sunshine. I'm going anyway. Is there somewhere to camp in my campervan?

Dave,the cycling centre is a big site,but I dont know if it is cleared and closed at night....from memory there is a big campsite in the Lea Valley,which is not far away round the M25.
The people at the cycling centre are really helpful,if you make direct contact with them I am sure they will suggest a place for your campervan.
Dave
Kudoscycles