Which bike to buy?

[Woosh]

sorry, pants = bad as in 'that's totally pants' or pants'd.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pants

Beside low yield at low speed, DD motors are heavy and placed far from the centre of gravity, making the bike feel the exact opposite of nimble.
It's fine if you roll at 30mph but rubbish at stop/start traffic lights. That's why I said they are pants.

 

[Mac_user82]

View attachment 18121 View attachment 18121

if that is fast enough any bosch or Yamaha bike will do it with a dongle fitted climb any hill and i get about 25-35 miles range depending on what setting i use.

What setting are you using to get 25 miles range

 

[Nealh]

How about this one at around 1500 pounds? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Voodoo-Bantu-27-5-Electric-MTB-1500W-models-shown-Offer-40-Off-Free-Del-/222426776981?hash=item33c9ab4595:g:vBgAAOSw6n5XsKyz

Go for it and let us know how it performs. Feed back is good at 100% but only 17 buyers and 4 of those are from the same buyer.

 

[Nealh]

That guy seems to be on the level. He even has a clip on his youtube channel where he made an appearance in a morning talk show in Ireland and talked about one of his bikes.

However, aren't his claims of ~50mph somewhat outlandish, especially given the price of the bike? (~1500 pounds)

What's price to do with it, if the components are all compatible then the speed can be got.

I have a £500 kit on a bike that can do 24mph, in most cases it goes quicker then a 2- 4k oem bike.

 

[minime]

What's price to do with it, if the components are all compatible then the speed can be got.

I have a £500 kit on a bike that can do 24mph, in most cases it goes quicker then a 2- 4k oem bike.

I don't know how to assess the quality of this e-bike or any other e-bike for that matter.

I assume there is some correlation between price and quality and because I also assume that most high-powered e-bikes cost more than 2k, I conclude that this one is on the budget side and the claims of high top speed and great range might not be entirely truthful.

EDIT: They have a website, aside from the ebay store, and it seems professionally-made, although I did spot a few glaring spelling mistakes that are sometimes an indicator of negative things to come....

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The only problem I see with that bike is the gearing. It's definitely a 14T top gear and looks like a 42T large chainring. That means that you run out of leg speed when you reach 20 mph. After that. you'll be on the throttle looking like a motorbike. You need something like 11T/48T for a bike like that, so that you look like you're pedalling.

 

[RobF]

The only problem I see with that bike is the gearing. It's definitely a 14T top gear and looks like a 42T large chainring. That means that you run out of leg speed when you reach 20 mph. After that. you'll be on the throttle looking like a motorbike. You need something like 11T/48T for a bike like that, so that you look like you're pedalling.

Cadence would be a problem for most of us, assuming the bike requires some effort.

At 14/42, anything over 25mph is 100rpm+, which takes some doing.

http://www.bikecalc.com/cadence_at_speed

 

[minime]

The only problem I see with that bike is the gearing. It's definitely a 14T top gear and looks like a 42T large chainring. That means that you run out of leg speed when you reach 20 mph. After that. you'll be on the throttle looking like a motorbike. You need something like 11T/48T for a bike like that, so that you look like you're pedalling.

What if you set the bike to the lowest assistance level, will you run out of leg speed when you reach ~20mph?

Also, can I not use the throttle at all but rather just the PAS function? For example, if you pedal, the motor is engaged and produces power (based on the assistance level), otherwise, you remain stationary.

Am I making sense?

 

[Nealh]

For any high speed above 25/30 you will be looking at the throttle to propel you, though the bike still needs to be geared correctly to get to 30 under pas conditions and by a fit regular rider.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

There's no problem with the motor going. You'll be using the throttle. The only thing you can do to make it look like you're pedalling is air pedalling, but that just doesn't look right.

The problem is that a lot of motorists don't like cyclists and a lot of cyclists get jealous when they see you come steaming past without pedalling. It only takes one person to figure out that your bike is going loads faster than it's supposed to, so they ring up plod and tell them that every day, this guy rides an illegal bike up whatever road, then, the next day, they'll be waiting for you, and you'll get a prohibition order.

As long as you can pedal in a meaningful way and keep the speed to around 20 mph, nobody can tell that you have an illegal bike, but the faster you go and the less pedalling you do, the more obvious it becomes.

If you really need to go 30 to 40 mph, why don't you get a 100cc scooter? It'll be much cheaper even when you include tax and insurance, and you don't have to pedal at all.

 

[minime]

There's no problem with the motor going. You'll be using the throttle. The only thing you can do to make it look like you're pedalling is air pedalling, but that just doesn't look right.

The problem is that a lot of motorists don't like cyclists and a lot of cyclists get jealous when they see you come steaming past without pedalling. It only takes one person to figure out that your bike is going loads faster than it's supposed to, so they ring up plod and tell them that every day, this guy rides an illegal bike up whatever road, then, the next day, they'll be waiting for you, and you'll get a prohibition order.

As long as you can pedal in a meaningful way and keep the speed to around 20 mph, nobody can tell that you have an illegal bike, but the faster you go and the less pedalling you do, the more obvious it becomes.

If you really need to go 30 to 40 mph, why don't you get a 100cc scooter? It'll be much cheaper even when you include tax and insurance, and you don't have to pedal at all.

I said I wanted to do 30/40 mph because I didn't really know what is realistically achievable, under what conditions and budget, etc, so I went with those numbers.

The more we talk about it, the more I think that a top speed of 20-25mph is right for me (preferably with some assistance from me).

 

[minime]

For any high speed above 25/30 you will be looking at the throttle to propel you, though the bike still needs to be geared correctly to get to 30 under pas conditions and by a fit regular rider.

Is this true for all riders, irrespective of their leg strength?

 

[minime]

@d8veh and @Nealh

What's your opinion about the Voodoo Hoodoo bikes https://www.thesmallgreenroom.com/high-performance-electric-bikes? Do you think their claims +50mph top speed and +60 miles range are gross exaggerations, downright lies, typos?

 

[soundwave]

not going 50mph you wont get 60 miles, no where even near it with a 20ah batt.

you need more like 100ah to get that speed and range.

 

[Nealh]

Everything quoted has to be taken with a pinch of salt as we don't know how they achieved their claims.
The rider could have been a Wiggy, the quoted range probably on low assist and certainly in 250w mode and the speed could be furious peddling down hill who knows ?

I can go 45mph down hill .

To be honest the only way you and we will know is if you buy one and tell us .

 

[minime]

Everything quoted has to be taken with a pinch of salt as we don't know how they achieved their claims.
The rider could have been a Wiggy, the quoted range probably on low assist and certainly in 250w mode and the speed could be furious peddling down hill who knows ?

I can go 45mph down hill .

To be honest the only way you and we will know is if you buy one and tell us .

I think I might do that. The Pedalease guy hasn't replied to my e-mails.

 

[Nealh]

The basic bike is a Halfords bike about 500/600 quid so bike spec can be got from their site. However any warranty will be with the conversion company as Halfords won't touch it with a barge pole.

 

[Woosh]

Do you think their claims +50mph top speed and +60 miles range are gross exaggerations, downright lies, typos?

You won't get 60 miles at 50mph. You'll get about 15 miles at 30 mph, 33 miles at 25mph, 60 miles at 15mph.

 

[minime]

You won't get 60 miles at 50mph. You'll get about 15 miles at 30 mph, 33 miles at 25mph, 60 miles at 15mph.

33 miles at 25mph or ~46 miles at 20mph? I can live with that.

 

[Woosh]

minime, would you answer this question for me?
Now you know you need 600+Watts to hit 25mph, 1,200+Watts to hit 30mph and that the same 30mph kit can be used at lower speed for better range.
How much money would put you off going from 25mph to 30mph?
In other words, what would be your ball park price for a 25mph bike and for a 30mph bike?