Wisper 905se power query

[Phil the drill]

Hi
I was wondering if you could clear up a point of some confusion for me.
I recently bought a wisper 905se, from the electric transport shop in Cambridge. At the time it was advertised as having a 250w rear hub motor. When I received it there was sticker on the rear hub stating “200w” – so apparently 50w had gone missing. I ‘phoned the shop to ask if the motor was supposed to be a 250w and they said yes, so I asked why mine said 200w on the hub. They seemed a little taken aback by this and went to check another new bike that they had just received and reported it also had a 200w sticker on the hub. They said however, that it was the same motor as on previous models, and that the sticker had probably been put on to allow it to get through import power restrictions without problem.
I’m afraid that I find this less than convincing (certainly 250w should not have been a problem), and having ridden it for a few months I am sure that they are not correct. I previously owned a powabyke with a 200w front hub motor, and weighing almost twice the amount the wisper does, and yet when it comes to the steep stuff, there is very little between them. I find that disappointing. Overall I like the wisper, and I am enjoying it, but it’s hill climbing ability is not what I had hoped for (the electric transport shop put it down as a ‘hill climber’, but I suppose being based in Cambridge, I shouldn’t have expected much from their judgement on hills).
I note that the current adverts now say it has a 200w motor so this been changed recently. It was certainly AFTER I had bought it.
Can anything be done to improve the motor’s performance up steep hills, without re-gearing the bike?
Hope you can help out with some of the answers.
Cheers, Phil

 

[poppy]

Hi
I was wondering if you could clear up a point of some confusion for me.
I recently bought a wisper 905se, from the electric transport shop in Cambridge. At the time it was advertised as having a 250w rear hub motor. When I received it there was sticker on the rear hub stating “200w” – so apparently 50w had gone missing. I ‘phoned the shop to ask if the motor was supposed to be a 250w and they said yes, so I asked why mine said 200w on the hub. They seemed a little taken aback by this and went to check another new bike that they had just received and reported it also had a 200w sticker on the hub. They said however, that it was the same motor as on previous models, and that the sticker had probably been put on to allow it to get through import power restrictions without problem.
I’m afraid that I find this less than convincing (certainly 250w should not have been a problem), and having ridden it for a few months I am sure that they are not correct. I previously owned a powabyke with a 200w front hub motor, and weighing almost twice the amount the wisper does, and yet when it comes to the steep stuff, there is very little between them. I find that disappointing. Overall I like the wisper, and I am enjoying it, but it’s hill climbing ability is not what I had hoped for (the electric transport shop put it down as a ‘hill climber’, but I suppose being based in Cambridge, I shouldn’t have expected much from their judgement on hills).
I note that the current adverts now say it has a 200w motor so this been changed recently. It was certainly AFTER I had bought it.
Can anything be done to improve the motor’s performance up steep hills, without re-gearing the bike?
Hope you can help out with some of the answers.
Cheers, Phil

Hi! i am Poppy.
Just to tell you that I noticed the disparity in the info supplied by both sites. I thought too that the good one was the Wispers´s. I currently have a clone (save the battery, which is ion lithium and 36v,.12ah) and my supplier didn´t know squat about all of this. Or so it seemed. My bike has several other problems which they couldn´t/wouldn´t solve. But then it was a clone, this is Spain where ebikes are UFOs.... But you´re British, and things like these aren´t supposed to happen!

 

[Phil the drill]

Hi Poppy
Nice to hear from you, and glad I'm not alore in noticing this.
Generally I'm quite happy with my Wisper, but I too have noticed several problems - over gearing, and brakes being the most prominent. The brake cables seem to be made of bungee cord! - they had to go. If you try gearing down on the chainring you will also find that, since the chain path is only straight in the highest gear, dropping the ring size makes it very prone to dropping the chain..... There are other isuues, but I think I should probably be on a different part of the forum for discussing them! I just remembered this page is for the Wisper guy's who, hopefully, can answer the query....
Cheers, Phil

 

[moon]

Thanks for the heads up on this, I also bought the Wisper SE and paid more than I could really afford as I thought it had 250watts, I'll check the bike and see if there are any stickers that say otherwise.

 

[carpetbagger]

Great idea,stickers for import problems ! If i can ever afford an Optibike can you send me your sticker in case i get stopped !!!!!

 

[Phil the drill]

Great idea,stickers for import problems ! If i can ever afford an Optibike can you send me your sticker in case i get stopped !!!!!

Hi,
No problem, just be sure to check your Optibike hasn't been refitted with a 50w motor........!

 

[Wisper Bikes]

200 What?

Hi Guys

This is entirely my fault, the legal maximum for the UK is 200w and 250w in Europe. In a fit of peak I suggested to the motor manufacturers it might be a good idea to simply stick a 200w label onto a 250w motor.

Of course the next consignment of bikes came in with 250w motors and 200w labels. Yet another lesson learned in dealing with China.

I can confirm that the motors are 250w.

Best regards David

 

[Phil the drill]

Ok David, and thanks for the reply.
Basically I do like my Wisper, as I said, and it is great on long inclines and moderate slopes, but it does struggle with me on the very steep stuff. I think perhaps the issue may be that for me, and my area it is a tad over geared. I experimented by putting on a 42t front ring (fitted to the inside of the crankset to stop the chain from continuously falling off) and an 11t-34t mega range freewheel. This has resulted in a marked improvement to its hill climbing ability, as well as a marginal increase in its on the flat speed. I highly recommend it as a modification to folks who are big, carry heavy loads, and/or go up very steep hills.
Please do something about the brake cables though. I found the ones fitted were so stretchy that the even with the brakes binding on the wheel, the levers could very easily be pulled back to the bars with disappointing braking performance. A simple and cheap change of cables has made the world of difference.
A couple of simple things that could make a very good bike a really great one (at least it has for me).

 

[ITSPETEINIT]

Hi Guys

This is entirely my fault, the legal maximum for the UK is 200w and 250w in Europe. In a fit of peak I suggested to the motor manufacturers it might be a good idea to simply stick a 200w label onto a 250w motor.

Of course the next consignment of bikes came in with 250w motors and 200w labels. Yet another lesson learned in dealing with China.

I can confirm that the motors are 250w.

Best regards David

You mean they "pique" at 250 w?
Peter

 

[moon]

Thanks for your reply David

I've been taking advantage of the long travel on my left brake by using it primarily to cut the motor then using it as a break if necessary, its quite useful in slow moving traffic etc etc. But i may have it tightened at some stage.

 

[ElephantsGerald]

It is great on long inclines and moderate slopes, but it does struggle with me on the very steep stuff. I think perhaps the issue may be that for me, and my area it is a tad over geared. I experimented by putting on a 42t front ring (fitted to the inside of the crankset to stop the chain from continuously falling off) and an 11t-34t mega range freewheel. This has resulted in a marked improvement to its hill climbing ability, as well as a marginal increase in its on the flat speed. I highly recommend it as a modification to folks who are big, carry heavy loads, and/or go up very steep hills.

I've always struggled to understand the terms under-geared and over-geared. Could someone explain?

Does under-geared means too many low-gear options for going slow/uphill, but not enough high gear options for going fast?

And does over-geared mean the opposite?

I believe the standard Wisper chain-ring has 52 teeth, so putting on a 42 tooth chain-ring means the chain travels a shorter distance for each revolution of the crank, thereby "lowering the gearing". So doing this would make hill-climbing easier (although you'd have to pedal at a higher cadence), but would reduce the max speed possible in high gears (hence the need to replace the standard 14 tooth top gear with an 11 tooth top gear). Have I understood all this correctly?

I assume putting on 42t chain-ring (which presumably has a smaller diameter) results in more slack in the chain - perhaps taking a couple of links out of the chain will help stop it falling off so easily.

Its obviously horses for courses, I have a couple of 15% hills on my commute, plus 13 stone of me, plus wet weather kit, laptop, lunch-box, tools, etc. and I find the standard gearing absolutely fine, although I have to put in a fair amount of effort to get up the steep hills. If anything I find the top gear is not quite "fast" enough (would that mean I find the bike under-geared?). Perhaps it would suit me better to swop the standard 14-34T megarange freewheel for an 11-34T megarange (whilst keeping the 52 tooth chain-ring). Hmm...

I agree that the brake cables are a bit pants - I have to regularly tighten them. I find the gear cable has the same problem too.

Apart from that I'm really enjoying the bike (although all the Kalkhoff lovers on the forum have got me lying awake at night wondering if I've made the right choice...).

Regards,

Elephants.

 

[Phil the drill]

Hi 'Elephants'
You got it dead right on the gearing, that's exactly what's meant. You are also correct about the chain, and I did remove a couple of links. The chain will still fall off continuously though unless the new sprocket is moved inwards as I described. This is easy to do though, and works fine. the 42t to 11/34 arrangement actually gives a slightly faster top gear, as well as lower gearing for steep hills.
To put it in context I live in mid cornwall and I am surrounded by valleys, so lots of very steep climbs (and drops, hence the brakes...). The slopes are often 1:6 or slightly more for short lengths, and can be very long. I'm just a tad under 15st. plus have to carry a load of stuff in to work (8-9 miles each way), so I think you should be able to see where I'm coming from on this issue.
I wouldn't let the Kalkhoff folks worry you. The wisper is a great bike, and 'the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence'. I'm enjoying mine, and each day it gets better and better (plus easier !). When I'm ready for a change they'll be something better than both of them available, I'm sure.
Cheers, Phil

 

[oldosc]

Apart from that I'm really enjoying the bike (although all the Kalkhoff lovers on the forum have got me lying awake at night wondering if I've made the right choice...).

Elephants..I do sympathise with you on this, as a Kalkhoff owner, I lie awake at nights..fretting that a fellow forum member has made the wrong decision.

 

[ElephantsGerald]

Elephants..I do sympathise with you on this, as a Kalkhoff owner, I lie awake at nights..fretting that a fellow forum member has made the wrong decision.

I'm not sure the knowledge that you're lying awake worrying about me is going to help me sleep any better

 

[Wisper Bikes]

2 50 or not 2 50, that is the question!

You mean they "pique" at 250 w?
Peter

Hi Pete

They opp orate at up to 460w when under load. 250w is simply the rated figure.

All the best David

 

[the_killjoy]

Can everyone please desist from criticising the wispers for the next 4 weeks until I get mine. I've made the decision and don't want to feel I have done the wrong thing.

 

[Phil the drill]

Can everyone please desist from criticising the wispers for the next 4 weeks until I get mine. I've made the decision and don't want to feel I have done the wrong thing.

Don't fret, you haven't made a bad decision. Nothing is perfect, there will always be something to criticise, (even on a Kalkhoff agadoo or whatever...), but as an overall package I reckon you'll have a blast!
Cheers, Phil

 

[moon]

The Wisper is an excellent bike, I love mine!! I do a 24 mile commute on it which I could never do on my ridgeback mountain bike.
I'm getting fitter, loosing weight, seeing loads of london, out in the sunshine and having loads of fun.

Going to work is a real joy now...

I am sure you will love your bike too...its a real work horse.

 

[Matt]

Going to work is a real joy now...

Not even a derestricted SE would make going to work a real joy for me

 

[Mandy]

Can everyone please desist from criticising the wispers for the next 4 weeks until I get mine. I've made the decision and don't want to feel I have done the wrong thing.

Trust me Killjoy
You have not made the wrong decision so don't you go worrying
I love my WisperSE bought in January, okay from Germany and not from the UK but I have nothing but praise for the bike and from Doug and David at Wisper UK who, I have to say are the most helpful and friendliest people you could ever wish to deal with!
I recieved my bike from Germany minus a battery handle and the guys forwarded a handle free of charge. I had a couple of minor problems which were answered and dealt with promptly by these guys who obviously really care about there product and the people who buy them.
I take my hat off to them and you won't go far wrong with David and Doug behind you!
Trust me
Wisper No. One Fan!
Mandy