Hi folks,
I'm a cyclo-tourer in heart, and I tend to make yearly trips that last for a month or so, exploring a country or a region.
I'm wrapping up my Spain/Portugal tour (1600 km on various roads, moderate daily climbing) and I've started thinking intensively about buying a second-hand pedelec, price range 1000-1500 EUR.
On local ads I've found one VSF Fahradmanufaktur P-1000, battery needs to be replaced, as I don't want a second-hand 300 Wh, no matter the mileage on it and I would go for 400 Wh battery to give me a better range. I can get it without the battery which I can buy on my own.
I have a soft sport for VSF, as I've wanted one since the last year's tour, when I saw standard models in their shop.
This one is S-Pedelec, and while I will not be able to fit 500 Wh battery on it or Nyon dsiplay (I'm a gadget guy), I like the fact that it's 3x9 bike, that should save me from battling any future uphill more than I do it now, in case my battery dies and I'm not in a position to charge it for a day or two.
I've found out that it uses Bosch Classic+ system of engine and battery, an engine that corresponds to current Bosch's Active line of engines.
I was considering also Stromer ST1, found two of them for 2800 EUR (asking price for a pair), as I cycle with my girlfriend, at some point before the next trip we will have to address her bike as well. I like the regenerative breaking, although learned today that it's not used all the time, only when battery is nearly depleted. ST1 range is shorter, even though the battery is 522Wh, but that might be because their assistance modes are very generous. With tweaking those (and one can tweak them, in contrast to Bosch's pre-Nyon systems) one can get a much better range. I also liked their 3x27 speeds and almost uncapped top speed. However, I'm still not really sold on them. Cannot pinpoint why.
As a third option there is possibility to buy Decathlon's Riverside 700 sport with Bosch's Performance engine and 500 Wh battery. It's practically new, used as a demo bike. That one has 10 speeds only, but again that battery should offer a good compensation for 2 days worth of riding with the assistance. Also, being 2016 model, it gives me a chance to upgrade it at some point with Nyon display.
The price of this one is 1200 EUR.
I live on the constant move between Serbia and Romania, and the distance between the cities I commute to (using a car) is 140-150 km. My idea is to have an e-bike that would help me get to the other city on one charge (once a month perhaps), using me as the main engine, and assisting with perhaps 50% of power. Just to give me a nice kick. That and aforementioned yearly cycling tours through Europe. I don't see myself using it in the city that often. As this would be a new toy that usage patter might temporarily change, as with all the new toys
My dilemma is whether to go with VSF and have a superb quality with a bit older tech (and get 'stuck' with it) or go with a bike that I don't particularly like (that first impression is also important to me and this one does not speak to me...yet ), that has better tech (when it comes to build quality, I think they might actually be the same, as the Decathlon model is also made in Germany), but 10 speeds.
What would be your thoughts on my dilemma?
Thanks in advance.
I'm a cyclo-tourer in heart, and I tend to make yearly trips that last for a month or so, exploring a country or a region.
I'm wrapping up my Spain/Portugal tour (1600 km on various roads, moderate daily climbing) and I've started thinking intensively about buying a second-hand pedelec, price range 1000-1500 EUR.
On local ads I've found one VSF Fahradmanufaktur P-1000, battery needs to be replaced, as I don't want a second-hand 300 Wh, no matter the mileage on it and I would go for 400 Wh battery to give me a better range. I can get it without the battery which I can buy on my own.
I have a soft sport for VSF, as I've wanted one since the last year's tour, when I saw standard models in their shop.
This one is S-Pedelec, and while I will not be able to fit 500 Wh battery on it or Nyon dsiplay (I'm a gadget guy), I like the fact that it's 3x9 bike, that should save me from battling any future uphill more than I do it now, in case my battery dies and I'm not in a position to charge it for a day or two.
I've found out that it uses Bosch Classic+ system of engine and battery, an engine that corresponds to current Bosch's Active line of engines.
I was considering also Stromer ST1, found two of them for 2800 EUR (asking price for a pair), as I cycle with my girlfriend, at some point before the next trip we will have to address her bike as well. I like the regenerative breaking, although learned today that it's not used all the time, only when battery is nearly depleted. ST1 range is shorter, even though the battery is 522Wh, but that might be because their assistance modes are very generous. With tweaking those (and one can tweak them, in contrast to Bosch's pre-Nyon systems) one can get a much better range. I also liked their 3x27 speeds and almost uncapped top speed. However, I'm still not really sold on them. Cannot pinpoint why.
As a third option there is possibility to buy Decathlon's Riverside 700 sport with Bosch's Performance engine and 500 Wh battery. It's practically new, used as a demo bike. That one has 10 speeds only, but again that battery should offer a good compensation for 2 days worth of riding with the assistance. Also, being 2016 model, it gives me a chance to upgrade it at some point with Nyon display.
The price of this one is 1200 EUR.
I live on the constant move between Serbia and Romania, and the distance between the cities I commute to (using a car) is 140-150 km. My idea is to have an e-bike that would help me get to the other city on one charge (once a month perhaps), using me as the main engine, and assisting with perhaps 50% of power. Just to give me a nice kick. That and aforementioned yearly cycling tours through Europe. I don't see myself using it in the city that often. As this would be a new toy that usage patter might temporarily change, as with all the new toys
My dilemma is whether to go with VSF and have a superb quality with a bit older tech (and get 'stuck' with it) or go with a bike that I don't particularly like (that first impression is also important to me and this one does not speak to me...yet
), that has better tech (when it comes to build quality, I think they might actually be the same, as the Decathlon model is also made in Germany), but 10 speeds.What would be your thoughts on my dilemma?
Thanks in advance.
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