which one, guess you have seen this thousands of times?

[poptop]

Hi ALL, been reading the posts for a while now and still seem to be going round in circles. Off to Scotland for 6 weeks next weekend and was hoping to simply buy a folding electric bike and take it.....not so easy, i go round in circles trying to find best for approx 1k.
Brompton nano, kudos secret,woosh, and so many others. 16" or 20" wheels. Presently have a 26" mountain bike, normal folder so used to bikes and differance between wheel sizes. BUT big question is what do i go for. Need to travel along canal tracks, fit in or on vw camper, go on a boat, good for up hills, i live 1000ft up a mountain. Travel around scotland, though that may not happen this year now.
Considered 2nd hand nano brompton for ease of folding. Folding not to important as dont commute on trai or bus in any city, though may travel to scotland from wales with it. I am a ski instructor so fairly fit. Also 63 yrs old this year, but then your as young as you feal.....lol
Any thoughts please? I`m really struggling.
cheers
Pete.

 

[Croxden]

1001 times now.

You will have to go and test some, look here for some thoughts http://totalwomenscycling.com/commuting/urban-bikes/10-best-electric-bikes-2015-folding-42616/2

Ignore the sexists title, typical women.

 

[poptop]

1001 times now.

You will have to go and test some, look here for some thoughts http://totalwomenscycling.com/commuting/urban-bikes/10-best-electric-bikes-2015-folding-42616/2

Ignor the sexists title, typical women.

thanks, only problem is in north wales, Bangor there isnt any one selling them, have thought about starting up.....

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi Pete,

We have the Ansmann FC5 Compact which is mentioned in the link provided by Croxden, priced from £995 so within budget, 20" wheels and low centre of gravity for better stability, German quality and the best electric bike warranty available, 3 years battery, 4 years motor and 5 years frame.

Full details here http://www.cyclezee.com/ansmann-fc-5-compact.html

 

[trex]

woosh zephyr-cdn
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?zephyr-cdn
it folds and it's crank driven, suits mountain roads and canal tracks and it's well under your budget. If you have more storage space, go for the bigger Zephyr-B.

 

[5threeone]

That Ansman FC5 looks good. I too wrestled with indecision on what to buy and finally settled on a Qwic Smart 4 Urban 7. Outside your budget maybe but I have to say I am very pleased. Getting 100+ kms from a charge with something left over. Quality is what I went for and quality is what I got. http://qwicgb.com/electric-bicycles/smart-e4-urban-7
When you do start using, post your experiences. Many of us are interested in growing our knowledge.

 

[poptop]

thanks for replies, i like the shape of the Zephyr cdn, but wonder about battery power, and max range? Any one using one? whats it like?
The FC5 also looks better powered, and maybe engineered, though its german is it also a foreign "put together bike" and I guess the higher power battery is worth having? Any one using one of these?
I also like the secret [i do like the idea of battery hidden away in frame"] but without knocking the guys who sells these bikes, they obviously do have invested interest, dont they? Do they? They appear to use them themselves [ didnt i read Dave has 4 secrets????]
Wish i lived near London at times like this....
cheers
Pete

 

[Kuorider]

This is my territory ,I've been running a Kuo for a year now with no problems on these very roads and tracks. Nothing broken or fallen off. I would not even consider a Brompton as suitable. I know they are good but it's horses for courses. The others I don't know but this is bike breaking stuff here in places and a bike with mostly common parts can be more easily maintained.

Apart from the Crinan and Caledonian Canals the rest are in the Central belt. Routes need planned on these as most run through the post industrial badlands at some point so can be risky. The surfaces vary from good to completely hopeless depending who maintains them. Some of the Sustrans tracks are dire varying from smooth tarmac to rutted danger in a few yards.

Watch the weather forecasts as all four seasons in one day is not unusual .
Another approach if you have a camper van is to hire locally,there are lots of hire places in the best biking spots with different bikes to suit your use. Good spots are the Trossachs and around Aviemore . Lots of maps and info on google.

Cities are a mess for biking, nice parks mixed with miles of so called cycle track right in the door zone of cars. Most start and finish no where in particular and the Glasgow speciality of flights of steps has to be seen and tried to be fully appreciated. Don't miss the Clyde tunnel one with it's 5 feet deep dirty water in the middle. Otherwise you will enjoy your trip.

 

[Kudoscycles]

thanks, only problem is in north wales, Bangor there isnt any one selling them, have thought about starting up.....

We have a dealer in North Wales,named Motorsport Tools. They don't hold bikes but the Secret is not an expensive bike to send up ,because of its light weight and small folded size.
Somewhere on this forum I did a report of myself and my son using a pair of Secret bikes out in the Ionian isles,there are no steeper climbs than the terrain on those islands....maybe someone can find that report.
The Secret will continue exactly the same for 2016,don't fix what don't need fixing,it is a good all round bike.
I don't have 4 secrets,I have 2,they are on my boat and actually are the older model,we upgraded the spec with a 52 tooth chainring and double height seat post last year,mine are now 3 years old.
It would be hard to find anyone truly independent and impartial on this forum,even those who appear independent may not be so....that is with the exception of d8veh and fleck.
Hope that helps
KudosDave

 

[poptop]

well its either kudos secret or Zephyr CDN? Just making that final decision, so any thoughts on these 2 if you have 1 on of them? Which has better drive, gears, better for hills, one gears one hub? decisions decisions....lol