What do you think ?

[One_Box]

I'm in the market for an inexpensive e-bike maybe a Woosh Sundowner.

I am 66, retired, in good health and weigh 67 Kg. I am an experienced cyclist and reasonably fit for my age.

My reason for wanting an e-bike is to experience something new, to potter around on and to use it in place of the car for shopping trips to the local supermarket. This is about 5 miles away and involves negotiating some steep but fairly short hills. It would be nice to have a little motor assistance to cope with two full and heavy panniers. I would also use it on leisure trips of up 40 miles where total climbing would be in the order of 2000 ft but without panniers.

I do not intend this as a substitute for my unassisted bikes which will still be used for club runs fitness etc.

I like the the idea of the hub gears and enclosed chain and being able to use the bike without donning my cycling clobber.

My current bikes measure the top of saddle to centre of BB 710 mm using 170mm cranks which I would want to maintain for efficient pedalling.

I have already talked to a lady in Woosh and intend to make a journey to Southend in a few weeks for a test ride when my right arm is out of plaster following a cycling accident.

I would be grateful for any comments and alternatives up to £1K I should consider.

Thanks

 

[D8ve]

The speed limit on electric bikes will take some getting used to.
If you can engage bimble mode and relax then the whoosh and similar will make local trips a sweat free experience.
Personally to maintain a bike like ride one of the second hand quality bikes like the kalhoffs with Panasonic drive will keep you going (at training speed)when your lungs and legs start to fade.

 

[One_Box]

The speed limit on electric bikes will take some getting used to.
If you can engage bimble mode and relax then the whoosh and similar will make local trips a sweat free experience.
Personally to maintain a bike like ride one of the second hand quality bikes like the kalhoffs with Panasonic drive will keep you going (at training speed)when your lungs and legs start to fade.

Thanks for your reply.
I appreciate that electric bikes are limited to approx 15 MPH in the UK but does that mean that the bikes are geared to only attain that speed?
I normally ride with a cadence of 90 RPM on the flat and adjust the gears to suit.

 

[Jonah]

Thanks for your reply.
I appreciate that electric bikes are limited to approx 15 MPH in the UK but does that mean that the bikes are geared to only attain that speed?
I normally ride with a cadence of 90 RPM on the flat and adjust the gears to suit.

Some of them are and some of them aren't. There is just as much variety in the world of ebikes as there is in non-assisted bikes.

If you want to ride just like an ordinary bike and appreciate high quality components I would agree with D8ve, look for a used Kalkhoff /Bosch/Panasonic crank drive. If you want something completely different (which I think you might be suggesting) then the Woosh should do the job. Trying it out first is definitely the best decision.

 

[JohnCade]

Thanks for your reply.
I appreciate that electric bikes are limited to approx 15 MPH in the UK but does that mean that the bikes are geared to only attain that speed?
I normally ride with a cadence of 90 RPM on the flat and adjust the gears to suit.

The gearing depends on the bike you're buying. The Woosh Sirocco is about 106" in top I think. Same as a Sport CD I was using. So plenty of room there to pedal past the cut off. They don't roll all that well unassisted at speed with the tyres they come with though.

You can make them give assist to a higher speed very easily with most Chinese bikes like the Woosh ones.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Thanks for your reply.
I appreciate that electric bikes are limited to approx 15 MPH in the UK but does that mean that the bikes are geared to only attain that speed?
I normally ride with a cadence of 90 RPM on the flat and adjust the gears to suit.

In my experience, the cheaper bikes have something like 42T/14T top gear, which gives about 15mph at a cadence of 60, so you should be pedalling 50% faster. Other bikes have any gearing, and it doesn't matter what they have because it's not exactly difficult to change it.

 

[trex]

the Sundowner has Nexus 7-speed hub gear, fast rolling 700C narrow tyres and King Meter J-LCD.
You can pedal quite fast with it.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?sundowner

 

[jackhandy]

Beware - You're at a "Funny Age" & an ebike could easily take the shine off riding your regular bikes

You're about the same age as me, but obviously fitter & quite a bit lighter, and I won't be riding a sweat-powered bike again.

I've had plenty of younger riders showing interest in my ebike lately, as I'm out on the tourist bike trails a lot; and I tell 'em all not to try an ebike until they're satisfied they need the assistance.

A decent plodder, like the Woosh - No offence intended - might be the best way to go, as it'll be totally different to your lycra bikes.

 

[One_Box]

the Sundowner has Nexus 7-speed hub gear, fast rolling 700C narrow tyres and King Meter J-LCD.
You can pedal quite fast with it.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?sundowner

Woosh have told me the Sundowner has effective ratios of 32.2" - 78.8". This will translate to approx. 21 MPH on the flat at a cadence of 90RPM which is fine for me. The gearing at the low end is slightly higher than my existing bikes so a little motor help will be needed on steeper hills.

Thank you all for your replies.

 

[EddiePJ]

Don't forget that you could be hauling up to 15kg of extra weight when compared to your club bike. And that will be before you have added any shopping.
It could be like adding a bag of cement to the club bike.

 

[Artstu]

Adding a 10 kg load to my bike evenly spread between two rear panniers isn't noticeable on the hills with assistance on my bike. I'm also the wrong side of 80 kg's at the moment.
The assist speed can be tweaked up a fair bit on the woosh too, and a simple sprocket change can up the gearing if required.

I'd suggest trying before buying, if you're used to good quality bicycles, some of the cheaper bikes may not be to your taste in terms of balance and the quality of the controls.

I like the look of the Sundowner, and it's a bike I'd try.

 

[RobF]

The OP will need to learn riding an ebike is different to riding a road bike, not better or worse, just a bit different.

High roadie cadence is not appropriate for a bike such as the Sundowner.

 

[D8ve]

Rob

why is high cadence not good on the sundowner?

 

[One_Box]

The OP will need to learn riding an ebike is different to riding a road bike, not better or worse, just a bit different.

High roadie cadence is not appropriate for a bike such as the Sundowner.

I appreciate it may be difficult to maintain a high cadence with the standard pedals but of course they can be changed to something more appropriate. Perhaps you will explain your thinking.

 

[RobF]

Put clipless pedals on and spin it at 90rpm if you want, but what's the point?

You will be attempting to propel a 20kg+ upright bike at 20mph+ with no assistance from the motor.

To me, riding an ebike like that is like hurtling down the outside lane of the motorway in a Land Rover, although of course some people do.

You would be better off with a fast hybrid such as a Cannondale Quick.

Similarly, I wouldn't buy a carbon roadie to bimble along the cycle path at 10mph.

 

[oldtom]

Put clipless pedals on and spin it at 90rpm if you want, but what's the point?

You will be attempting to propel a 20kg+ upright bike at 20mph+ with no assistance from the motor.

To me, riding an ebike like that is like hurtling down the outside lane of the motorway in a Land Rover, although of course some people do.

You would be better off with a fast hybrid such as a Cannondale Quick.

Similarly, I wouldn't buy a carbon roadie to bimble along the cycle path at 10mph.

I'm bound to say I agree with every word of that and being a Cannondale Q4 owner, I think they are excellent value in that fast hybrid sector, having a surprisingly comfortable ride thanks to great frame technology.

Tom

 

[trex]

Put clipless pedals on and spin it at 90rpm if you want, but what's the point?

You will be attempting to propel a 20kg+ upright bike at 20mph+ with no assistance from the motor.

To me, riding an ebike like that is like hurtling down the outside lane of the motorway in a Land Rover, although of course some people do.

You would be better off with a fast hybrid such as a Cannondale Quick.

Similarly, I wouldn't buy a carbon roadie to bimble along the cycle path at 10mph.

The Sundowner has the basic King Meter J-LCD, easy to change the cut off speed. You will get less assistance at high speed but it's still useful.

 

[One_Box]

Does the Sundowner detect the actual speed over the ground when working out how much power it should deliver to the motor or some other way i.e. detecting gear/cadence and then doing a quick calculation?

 

[JohnCade]

It's a speed sensor like most of the Chinese bikes. So when you turn the pedals it gives the same amount of power whether you're working hard or not. Basically the crank works as a throttle. When you turn the pedals the throttle is open all the way depending on the assist level set.

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi One_Box,

Cyclezee have couple of stepthru frame bikes that you might like to consider as they are within your budget

The eZee Sprint Primo LDS £850
http://www.cyclezee.com/ezee-sprint-primo.html

and the Ansmann Lightride £950
http://www.cyclezee.com/ansmann-lightride-pedelec.html