What's happened to Powacycle?

[UrbanPuma]

I noticed Powacycle's website has changed and there's no sign of the bikes. Are they still selling bikes and accessories?

 

[sjpt]

Most odd. http://www.powacycle.co.uk took a time then redirected to something totally different. http://www.akhter.co.uk/

 

[Woosh]

Most odd. http://www.powacycle.co.uk took a time then redirected to something totally different. http://www.akhter.co.uk/

Akhter (used to be called Akhter Instruments in Harlow, my old competitors in computers) owns Powacycle.

 

[flecc]

Just checked and that redirection makes it look like they may have given up on their Powacycle subsidiary. That wouldn't surprise me, they haven't been doing well for a long time, their service has always been very poor, and others have been struggling too, such as Freego Cycles packing in.
.

 

[Ajax]

Just checked and that redirection makes it look like they may have given up on their Powacycle subsidiary. That wouldn't surprise me, they haven't been doing well for a long time, their service has always been very poor, and others have been struggling too, such as Freego Cycles packing in.
.

I won't have it said their service was poor. My first ebike was the Salisbury which i had a cycle store order on my behalf. When i needed support they were more than helpful, supplying me with parts at no cost and great correspondance on how to effect repairs. No, i can't fault them on service.

The motor on those bikes were 200w, which is what the legislation allowed for at the time. This might have made them seem less competitive when the standards changed. The bike itself came with a torque PAS sensor, a design choise which was ahead of its time - as well as throttle. The in-pedal torque sensor meant great control, however compared to the bike it was replaced by, it was under powered.

The bike still goes, although i may swap out the controller to provide more power to the 26v motor. If only there was a way to increase this to the more normal 36v, then this unit would fly.

I suspect Powercyle had so much tided up in their inventory that they failed to evolve their designs. At one point I suggested they changed the decals which are easily removed. That said you can still find new units if you know where to look.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Powacycle-Salisbury-LPX-Electric-Bike-x/dp/B0011F1PRA

Does anyone know of a controller which would take the battery's 26v and produce a varying 36v... now that would be something.

 

[flecc]

I won't have it said their service was poor.

To use an old saying, one swallow doth not a summer make Ajax.

I'm pleased for you that you had a good experience, but over the 12 year history of this forum we have a litany of incidents of very poor service from Powacycle. From time to time they've employed someone to deal with service issues and for a period then the service was fine, but they never seem to stay very long and service then failed again each time. The throttles on some models were a persistent problem for years before any cure was found.

Years ago they opened a clinic in this site like the Wisper and Woosh ones, but after a very short time no-one was getting any answers from them in it so it had to be closed down.

So my comments on service stand, since they are based on all 12 years plus of posting experience in here.

I have no criticism of some of their bikes, the Salisbury and Windsor models were fine and the little Puma had its fans, so I agree with you about your bike.
.

 

[vfr400]

I won't have it said their service was poor. My first ebike was the Salisbury which i had a cycle store order on my behalf. When i needed support they were more than helpful, supplying me with parts at no cost and great correspondance on how to effect repairs. No, i can't fault them on service.

The motor on those bikes were 200w, which is what the legislation allowed for at the time. This might have made them seem less competitive when the standards changed. The bike itself came with a torque PAS sensor, a design choise which was ahead of its time - as well as throttle. The in-pedal torque sensor meant great control, however compared to the bike it was replaced by, it was under powered.

The bike still goes, although i may swap out the controller to provide more power to the 26v motor. If only there was a way to increase this to the more normal 36v, then this unit would fly.

I suspect Powercyle had so much tided up in their inventory that they failed to evolve their designs. At one point I suggested they changed the decals which are easily removed. That said you can still find new units if you know where to look.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Powacycle-Salisbury-LPX-Electric-Bike-x/dp/B0011F1PRA

Does anyone know of a controller which would take the battery's 26v and produce a varying 36v... now that would be something.

The motor might have 200W stamped on it, but it's exactly the same as any 250W one. Bikes like that can be transformed into really nice bikes by upgrading the battery and controller. If that's a plastic case, you'd have to get it re-celled if you want it in the same place, otherwise there's nothing stopping you from fitting a downtube battery, which will make it even better.

 

[Ajax]

The motor might have 200W stamped on it, but it's exactly the same as any 250W one. Bikes like that can be transformed into really nice bikes by upgrading the battery and controller. If that's a plastic case, you'd have to get it re-celled if you want it in the same place, otherwise there's nothing stopping you from fitting a downtube battery, which will make it even better.

That space where the battery sits is just a tad too tight for normal bottle battery.
I was looking for a screw based tool to exand that space, but could i find one?

Does anyone know what you'd call something like that. It would have to work on the principle of car screw jack to expand that space.

Speaking of really nice upgrades...

 

[vfr400]

Oh dear. If only you'd asked first. I hate to have to say this to such a nice bloke, but it's going to be terrible. With the weight and speed, your brakes will melt in seconds.

If I had bought that kit, I'd be looking for a donor wiith a steel frame and disc brakes. It must be a hardtail too. With the motor and battery at the back, it's going to wheelie like crazy, so don't fit the battery on a standard rack in the standard position. You need to find a way to get the battery as far forward and low as possible.

You have level 0 on the LCD, so you can switch off the PAS. It'll be better using the PAS than the throttle. Your old controller was a crappy one that gave full power when you pedalled. Modern ones aren't like that.

 

[RossG]

Five hundred quid for a battery! I wonder if he knows how much it costs to produce one of those in China.
I can't for the life of me understand this conversion thing, I don't always agree with vrf on technical things but on this he's spot on. £500 Christ, a mate of mine has just paid £200 for an old car with 67k on the clock. Makes regular trips to Scotland in it, runs a dream.

 

[vfr400]

Just an idea. You could upgrade at least the forks to disc forks. It's not clear what size steerer tube you have to show you exactly which ones.

 

[MartinsBart]

Years ago they have opened a clinic in this site like the Wisper and Woosh ones, but after a very short time no-one was getting any answers from them in it so it had to be closed down.
So my comments on service stand, since they are based on all 10 years plus of posting experience in here! I have no criticism of some of their bikes, the Salisbury and Windsor models were fine and the little Puma had its fans, so I agree with you about your bike.

 

[flecc]

Years ago they have opened a clinic in this site like the Wisper and Woosh ones, but after a very short time no-one was getting any answers from them in it so it had to be closed down.
So my comments on service stand, since they are based on all 10 years plus of posting experience in here! I have no criticism of some of their bikes, the Salisbury and Windsor models were fine and the little Puma had its fans, so I agree with you about your bike.

MartinsBart, why have you copied and pasted my above post as coming from you, and also altered the 12 years to 10 years?
.

 

[Nealh]

MartinsBart, why have you copied and pasted my above post as coming from you, and also altered the 12 years to 10 years?
.

A new user flecc who hasn't got anything new to add, he has quoted me exactly in another thread.

 

[flecc]

A new user flecc who hasn't got anything new to add, he has quoted me exactly in another thread.

Thanks Neale, I got the new user bit, but was baffled as to why he changed my "over 12 years" experience of forum posts to "over 10 years", since as a new entrant I couldn't see how he would have 10 years of viewing all the forum posts.

10 years lurking would be remarkable!
.

 

[UrbanPuma]

I've always found Powacycle's service to be really good, as I always deal with them on the phone. It looks like their website is up and running again