Woosh Bikes

[Andy88]

I read on the Woosh website that the big bear has the most powerful motor in their range but aren't all 250w hub motors equal?

The weight limit is 18 stone but not clear how this works if over a bit and on the flat?

The throttle is restricted to 4mph? How can this be deristricted for use on private ground?

Thanks

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[D8ve]

The 250watt regulations have a bit of a loop hole. The test is can the motor deliver that without burning out. So a 1000 watt capable motor can deliver 250 and the manufacturer can label it 250 watt and its legal250 watt motor.
At first motors were small but in the desire to win the our bike is better race the motors have got more capable.
The sellers also limited the power by limiting max current and the big bear is the least limited of their range.
And one of the more powerful British buys. The others like whisper have been more cautious about pushing the legal boundaries.
So not all motors are equal.
There is a down side that a more powerful motor flattens the battery fastwith the common 25kph speed cap they all work about the same.
It's just less work to get to speed and reduced range with the big bear.
(But you can turn the assist level down and get greater range, you can't uprate others as easy)

 

[Andy88]

Thank you for this D8ve helps me make a purchasing decision, appreciated.

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[RobF]

No doubt the BPM is an excellent motor.

It's the rest of the bike I'd worry about.

 

[IR772]

No doubt the BPM is an excellent motor.

It's the rest of the bike I'd worry about.

Strange reply as I have not seen criticisms on here about the bikes, the opposite really.

 

[RobF]

Strange reply as I have not seen criticisms on here about the bikes, the opposite really.

You could ask member Warwick, or search for his recent posts.

Leaving that aside, the bike parts on a woosh are mostly low quality, we know why - the price - but it doesn't alter the fact.

Lots of owners report having to change the front brake, tyres, and some other components.

An upgraded and fettled woosh bike would be a decent bike.

Fine if the owner is prepared to do that, but the OP doesn't appear keen on fixing a puncture so a woosh might not suit him.

Some cost involved, too,

A woosh bike is now £1,000+.

Spend a couple of hundred quid on it, and there's an argument for saying it's a better overall proposition to buy a better quality bike in the first place.

 

[D8ve]

I have to think that whoosh current bargin bin components would have been seen as miraculous fantastic high performance components when I was a lad.
Yes you can improve simply. But marathon plus tires are almost a standard improvement to any shop bought bike.
The disk brakes are ok as disk jobs but comparing them with rim brakes on a wet day?
I want a rohlloff and unless I go for the rise and muller that's an upgrade too.

 

[Andy88]

I think whatever you buy with mechanical parts is going to go wrong, I currently ride a yamaha 125cc scooter here in the Philippines, I maintain it regularly the bugbear is dreaded punctures but here there is a roadside shop every half mile so even you have to push it no big issue, cost last time to repair the puncture, took the guy 90 minutes charged me a £1, doubt its that price in the UK

Im returning to the UK soon after living in Asia for 30 years, guess I'm in for a few shocks.

Under normal circumstances I would have opted for a 100cc moped but not having a full uk licence means taking a cbt and on the sight test doubt I can read a numberplate at 20 meters so that's out.

With a budget of 1500 quid buying a bike at a grand and then upgrading everything maybe the way to go selling the old parts on ebay for washers.

Most hub drives are banfun? Can anyone tell me the crucial components for upgrading to make the bike as comfortable as possible?

Andy

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[IR772]

For £1500 you will get a lot of bike.

One you just get on and ride.

My advice, stay in the warm do not come back,.

 

[oldtom]

Even at the new price, I'm bound to say the Big Bear model has a lot going for it, especially for heavyweight riders.

Unfortunately, it is a very heavy bike at around 26kgs so it isn't the easiest machine to manoeuvre on to high-mounted cycle carriers, even if the weight is within the permissible limit.

If that isn't an issue, and the bike will only ever be used to and from garage or shed, then why not? At the asking price, it's a little unreasonable to expect top quality components or a 'Kia'-type warranty. Also, spare parts from Whoosh are reasonably priced compared to some other suppliers.

Tom

 

[RobF]

I have to think that whoosh current bargin bin components would have been seen as miraculous fantastic high performance components when I was a lad..

Some truth in that.

I did have a word with Hatti - who owns woosh - a while ago about producing a better quality bike, a woosh+ range.

She is a shrewd and successful businesswoman and explained to me her market is very price sensitive - even to the point of customers complaining about paying £25 for delivery.

My notional woosh+ bike would have to sell for £1,400+, but Hatti knows it wouldn't sell at that price.

I expect she's right.

Trying to sell a woosh against established big brands would be a hard task, even though the bike would be of equal quality.

 

[Andy88]

Most comments on the more recent woosh bikes that I've seen are mostly positive.

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[trex]

You could ask member Warwick, or search for his recent posts.

warwick compares his £350 second hand CDL, which is the cheapest woosh bike, to his Oxygen. As I posted before, that's not as fair as comparing the woosh Sport against his Oxygen.
Warwick is on his fourth bike in about a year. He does not use the same yardstick.

...
Leaving that aside, the bike parts on a woosh are mostly low quality, we know why - the price - but it doesn't alter the fact.

Lots of owners report having to change the front brake, tyres, and some other components.

An upgraded and fettled woosh bike would be a decent bike.

upgrading the bike components is precisely what I have been doing for woosh.
If you put a woosh bike against any Chinese bike, side by side, component by component, you will see that a woosh bike is better equipped than most models out there, nevermind the price.
The disc brakes have been upgraded over the years from zoom to Tektro Novela and since last year, to SRAM Avid. I've repeated this on many posts and you still choose to ignore my protest. People are not buying a 2013 woosh.
The crankset has also been upgraded from no name to Neco, then Prowheel and now to Ounce.
I will upgrade all the derailleurs and forks in 2017 models and move more models to hydraulic brakes.

 

[mike killay]

As I have said before, I have had a Woosh Gale folder for a few years now and given it terrible abuse, yet it still keeps going just fine.
As said above, todays 'low quality' components would have seemed state of the art years ago. Mine work OK

 

[trex]

@RobF here are a few improvements on the Big Bear compared to the one you reviewed in 2012 or 2103, I can't remember.

Exa seat post and clamp:

Ounce forged alloy crankset:

Derailleur with crash protector:

Avid disc brakes with 180mm rotor:

leather covered soft grips:

other improvements include Jagwire teflon cables, Jagwire compression-less outercables, new rack design and soft grips.

 

[oldtom]

I did have a word with Hatti - who owns woosh - a while ago about producing a better quality bike, a woosh+ range.

There could be some merit in that notion - Toyota does it with Lexus, (and gets away with it!), Nissan does it with the Infinity brand though perhaps less successfully.

The alternative is to become multi-franchise and move away from the 'one trick pony' set-up. I guess, though, that Hatti, being nobody's fool, knows her trade well enough so I can't argue with her business model.

Tom

 

[Benjahmin]

My wife has a Big Bear LS. The only thing I have had to replace (in two years) are the brake cables. Tyres are fine, gears work well and the rear rim and front mech discs work well. Whiilst my wife is not what you would call an adventurous cyclist,(60's latter leisure cyclist) we do live in West Wales and I have led her up and down some pretty vertiginous hills, without drama. The motor is impressive and is mostly ridden in power setting 2/5 with occasional use of 3 or 4/5. The range on the 15Ah battery has always been plenty for us, 36 miles around Penzance being our max, still battery left. My own Ezee is faster on equivalent setting level but on hills, when she ups the level, I will be left behind. I suspect that the Bear, being a 26" wheel, develops more torque than my 28" conversion.
The frame and battery rack are solid, handlebars too. The front forks are a little clunky but work well enough. (They are probably the part I would have wanted to change if it was my bike. But then I'm an ex-motorcyclist and just don't like the feel). The only component that has broken is a crack in the chain guard, fixed with a peice of Gorilla tape.
All in all for the price point and Wooshes' service, I think you can't go wrong.

 

[RobF]

I don't doubt trex is designing the best quality bike possible for the budget.

But that quality is still what it is, budget at best.

The nearest equivalent to my woosh+ bike is probably the Wisper Torque.

But with a Big Bear sized big battery it's £1,700.

You get what you pay for - as ever.

https://amps.bike/product/wisper-905-torque/

 

[Andy88]

Great Post

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[trex]

The nearest equivalent to my woosh+ bike is probably the Wisper Torque.

https://amps.bike/product/wisper-905-torque/

are we talking about bike components here?
OK, what do you think the Wisper Torque has that the Big Bear doesn't besides a preload adjust on the fork?

I have also thought about improving the forks, the current Woosh model has Suntour XCM with remote lockout,

the next model from woosh has RST Omega forks, a bit lighter than the Suntour NEX on the Torque.