Whyte Coniston Ladies-Shimano Steps System.

[vectra]

Hi.

My wife and I have been viewing the Whtye Coniston. Unfortunately, apart from sitting on one, we have not ridden one! Spec' and weight, riding position all seem fine. We have one question:

The Steps system is situated within the "bottom bracket" and we need some idea of what this bike is like to ride with the power shut off and/or freewheeling. Is there any additional friction experienced through the bottom bracket other than that normally associated with a non electric bike?

Thank you to anyone who can assist.

Regards.
vectra

 

[Deleted member 4366]

There's a tiny bit of resistance, but not enough to notice when you're riding the bike.

Is your wife already a regular cyclist? If not, she'd probably find a hub-motor better.

 

[vectra]

There's a tiny bit of resistance, but not enough to notice when you're riding the bike.

Is your wife already a regular cyclist? If not, she'd probably find a hub-motor better.

d8veh. Thank you for your helpful response. She is a regular occasional cyclist and has recently sold a rear hub drive conversion with rear battery pedelec as a consequence of problems with weight distribution (she, herself is 8 stone!). The STEPS system and location of the battery on the Whyte Coniston seems to be a far better option partly because of the low centre of gravity and weight distribution. Another factor is that the weight should enable me to lift it onto our bike carriers! She wants to be able to ride the bike with power off and select power assistance when she wishes hence the need to have little or no resistance through the STEPS system.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I only mentioned it because I know many females have trouble starting on hills on such bikes, and also when they have to stop quickly and get stuck in a high gear. I know a couple who have permanently left their rather expensive CD bikes in the garage and resurrected their old hub-motor bikes.

There's lots of hub-motored bikes with down-tube batteries.

 

[Woosh]

d8veh. Thank you for your helpful response. She is a regular occasional cyclist and has recently sold a rear hub drive conversion with rear battery pedelec as a consequence of problems with weight distribution (she, herself is 8 stone!). The STEPS system and location of the battery on the Whyte Coniston seems to be a far better option partly because of the low centre of gravity and weight distribution. Another factor is that the weight should enable me to lift it onto our bike carriers! She wants to be able to ride the bike with power off and select power assistance when she wishes hence the need to have little or no resistance through the STEPS system.

Have you considered a front wheel conversion with a rear rack battery?
Something like an XF07 front hub kit with 13AH rack battery would cost you less than £500.
Something like this lightweight £400 step through bike would be a good partner, the total weight of the converted bike is less than the Coniston.
https://foffabikes.com/shop/bikes/plume-ladies-bike-range/foffa-plume-ladies-lightweight-bicycle-matte-black/

 

[Gaz]

I have a gents Whyte Coniston, with the STEPS E6010.

I've had to ride it a couple of miles without power. I wouldn't choose to again. It's not the resistance, it's the weight, and you certainly know you're pedalling a heavy bike. The Whyte has been my first e-bike and I've done just over 2500 miles on it. I came from an analogue Claude Butler urban 500 hybrid. The CB wasn't a lightweight, but it was definitely a lot easier to ride, unpowered, than the Whyte.

Two positive points though: The Whyte is a fantastically well balanced bike and I still love riding it. If anything untoward happened to it, I'd not hesitate to replace it like for like, same day if I could. And secondly, you can ride it without power, but it has a torque sensor and Eco, Medium and High settings, so why would you? I tend to flick between all four settings, although even on flat smooth tarmac, I still have it on Eco, rather than off.

Gaz

 

[Trevormonty]

The STEPs is great drive, 5000kms on wife's which we've just changed to Bosch Gen2 activeline (small chainring). The change was more about better spec bike plus I've Bosch drive so we can swap batteries.

The STEPs is definitely quicker and better climber, about 10-20% faster than Activeline. On paper they both have similar torque 50vs 48nm. The bosch does have nexus hub vs Steps derailleur which may account for little power loss but not all.

The Nexus 8spd hub is well worth paying extra for, being able to change gears when stopped is very big plus.