Very lightweight e-bikes

[Kudoscycles]

There is a range of electric bikes manufactured by Annad of Hangzhou (aside,the nicest of the Chinese cities on the eastern seaboard,especially the west lake region)
This company seem not interested in volume sales so they would be a limited quantity import but they have some unique features that is not easily found elsewhere.
D8veh has noted these bikes at the Shanghai show,has anyone ridden one?
They use the very light Keyde motor and light tubular battery,the battery comes in 9 Ah or 10 Ah battery,the difference in cost and weight is small,so it seems sensible to go for the bigger battery.
Their website is somewhat out of date,the difference in models seems largely about gear type and front fork type. The road bike series seem to weigh about 11-12 kg and the mountain bike series about 13-14.kg.
Really interested what pedelecs members think about these bikes.
Which bike would be the most attractive comparing gearing-forks-price.
Road series,WEIGHT ABOUT 11 KGs
RNL1....Shimano Claris gears,ally forks......£1480.00
RNL2....Shimano Sora gears,carbon forks...£1580.00
RNL3....Shimano Tiagra gears,carbon forks...£1730.00
RNL4....Shimano 105 gears,carbon forks.....£1980.00

Mountain bike series,WEIGHT ABOUT 14 kgs
MNL1-26.....Torney gears,Suntour XCM forks....£1230.00
MNL1-29......Tornet gears,Suntour XCM forks....£1240.00
MNL2-26......Altus 24 gears,Suntour XCM forks,....£1210.00
MNL2-29......Altus 24 gears,Suntour XCM forks. ..£1220.00
MNL3-26.....Acera 27 gears,Suntour XCR forks....£1380.00
MNL3-29.....Acera 27 gears,Suntour XCR forks....£1390.00
MNL4-26.....Alivio 27 gears,Suntour Epicon forks...£1530.00
MNL4-29......Alivio 27 gears,RST first forks.........£1570.00
MNL5-26.....Deore 30 gears,Suntour Epicon forks....£1740.00
MNL5-29.....Deore 30 gears,RST first forks........£1770.00
MNL6-26.....SLX 30 gears,Manitou R7 forks.......£1960.00
MNL6-29.....SLX 30 gears,Suntour Epicon forks.....£1980.00
MNL7-26.....XT 30 gears,Rockshox REBA RL forks.....£2260.00
MNL7-29.....XT 30 gears,Manitou R7 forks...........£2260.00

All prices would be plus 20 per cent VAT. Delivery foc mainland UK
The spread of spec and price is such that I think each bike is individually built to order.
Could be interested in importing a small number of bikes if Pedelecs members think that the lightweight and specification is worth the price.
Which bike is the most attractive?
Website......www.annad.net
KudosDave

 

[trex]

I think the stated weight is a bit on the low side, especially when the bikes are fitted with suspension forks. The motors from keyde are not that good. Batteries are slotted inside the frames, recipe for condensation problems. Batteries are also known to swell over time. What happens if you cannot pull the pack out for servicing?
It's probably better to offer kits with fitting service by approved LBS.

 

[EddiePJ]

On the e-MTB side of things, I'd opt for the MNL7-26.....XT 30 gears, Rockshox REBA RL forks.....£2260.00. But I don't buy into the low weight of the bikes. A regular MTB must weigh approx 13kg. I assume that the last part of the code refers to the wheel size. A 29 wheel and tyre is going to add more weight, but I've never been convinced that 29 is the way to go anyway. Some of those cheaper forks also weigh over 2.6kg.

Without making major component changes including wheels on the BH, I've struggled to loose just 1.5kg from the overall weight.
The motor and rear wheel alone weighs 4.58kg, and the battery weighs 2.72kg

 

[Kudoscycles]

Perhaps D8veh could comment on the accuracy of the weights, I'm visiting their factory in April.
Kudosdave

 

[flecc]

I think those weights are without batteries.

 

[EddiePJ]

Still very interesting in respect of a kind of stealth like fixie/cruiser that I'd Iike to one day build. http://www.keyde.com/?do=product&lang=en&event=list_2 The site does show the weight.

I've been slowly collecting the cycle parts, and their kit could quite possibly be the answer.

KD, you will have keep us informed if you do decide to bring their kits etc in.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

At the Shanghai show, there was one with an info plaque on it that said it weighed 15kg. I picked it up to test, and I'd say the weight was about right. I had a go on one with a single rear motor. It had a surprising amount of torque.

That was a year ago, and Annad are still trading, I think by now someone would have exposed them if they were trying to deceive anybody with the specs.

There's an Australian company that was selling them a while back under their own brand name, but I can't remember the name. If you search for Annad on ES, you'll find some details. There was a lot of scepticism there as well, but the Australian guy didn't help by making extravagant claims for range.

 

[flecc]

At the Shanghai show, there was one with an info plaque on it that said it weighed 15kg. I picked it up to test, and I'd say the weight was about right.

I can easily believe that. But 11 kilos with battery?

Not impossible with paring a road bike's materials to the minimum, but I'd be wary of riding it on our UK roads.

 

[Geebee]

On another bike forum I frequent 7 to 8 kg seems the weight of a road bike for the in crowd (7kg or just over being the expensive ones) so 11 kilo with battery should be doable.
Those bikes at those weights were recreational ride bikes

 

[melb-ourne]

There's an Australian company that was selling them a while back under their own brand name, but I can't remember the name. If you search for Annad on ES, you'll find some details. There was a lot of scepticism there as well, but the Australian guy didn't help by making extravagant claims for range.

http://www.reefbikes.com.au/categories/electric-bikes/

 

[Artstu]

On another bike forum I frequent 7 to 8 kg seems the weight of a road bike for the in crowd (7kg or just over being the expensive ones) so 11 kilo with battery should be doable.
Those bikes at those weights were recreational ride bikes

I know riders with sub 6 kg bikes! they're amazingly surreal to lift up, they only use them for time trials and hill climbs.

 

[flecc]

On another bike forum I frequent 7 to 8 kg seems the weight of a road bike for the in crowd (7kg or just over being the expensive ones) so 11 kilo with battery should be doable.
Those bikes at those weights were recreational ride bikes

True, but not so likely at the proposed prices for these Annad alloy frame e-bikes without paring the materials to a very low safety factor minimum. Not a problem on the best road surfaces, but those are very rare in the UK these days.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Quick glance and some review homework,I think the following looks to be best value.
Road bike.
RNL2....Shimano Sora gears are reviewed by bike radar as having 90 per cent of the quality of the 105. £1580.00 plus vat.

MTB bike.
I think a combination of the Shimano Alivio gears plus Rockshox RTL forks would be good. I have good experience with the Alivio gears and do you really need 30 speed on an e-bike.
But good forks are very important on a mountain bike.

Would very much welcome others opinions.
Have to check out the weights but such low weights are possible with the Light Keyde motor and light frame.
KudosDave

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Their lightest motor with controller is 1.4 kg, their lightest battery is 1.2kg,which makes 2.6kg. As far as I can see, road bikes on Eay in the price range £800 to £1000 are about 9kg, so the weight of 11kg doesn't seem far off to me. Maybe they rounded down. Who knows, but the main point is that it's very light. Are we going to argue over 1kg?

 

[patpatbut]

Hi KudosDave

How about hybrid bike? I am looking for a good suspension fork for it. It is 700c but can I get 29er fork and use it without affect much of the geometry?

Patt

 

[Artstu]

The bikes look a bit odd in the pictures, the geometry mainly.

I like the concept though, one of those road versions could suit me better than my current bike. You really need to try before you buy.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Might bring over a few bikes if I like the look of them,their factory at Hangzhou is not far away from my route.
I assume we would want straight handlebars on the road bike?
With regards to weight they are so far away from 20 KGs plus that 1kg either way is not critical. My 17 stone 'sir been weightlifting' frame should be a good test of strength and torque.
KudosDave

 

[Artstu]

I like the idea of going back to a bike with drops, but imagine the market for that type of bike will be tiny compared to straight bars.

 

[flecc]

The bikes look a bit odd in the pictures, the geometry mainly.

Many of the smaller photos are laterally compressed, the wheels oval and much higher than wide. Clicking the final enlarge option corrects that and makes the road bikes look typical.

 

[flecc]

I assume we would want straight handlebars on the road bike?

Definitely, Cytronex have been in this light sport e-bike market for a long time now and only have drops on one of their fourteen models, the Super Six.