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I have recently bought an electrically assisted bike; I am very impressed so far with it.
It is a fold away bike but it is quite heavy I wouldn’t recommend trying to carry it up a flight of stairs, but I don’t really need it to fold down, as I was just looking for a city bike.
Because of the bikes weight and low centre of gravity, the bike well balanced and stable in stop start conditions, this means its perfect around town when contending with traffic and pedestrians.
The bike comes with three power settings, and the ability to ride the bike easily with no power assistance. I tend to ride on either no power or the lowest level because I want to still be riding the bike , and I must say it is the easiest bike I have ever ridden.
A really nice way to travel, even on low assistance road junctions, and stop start is amazing, and of course going up hills with the wind in your face is no longer the pain the arse it was before.
The bike will glide up to about 15mph but then it tops out due to the fact my bike has only 6 gears and should really have about 8, this would have made it a full on commuter cycle and a real alternative to my car or the bus.
The battery is a little cassette type one, that is easily removed for safe storage and charging. The battery is quite new so I am getting around 1 mile per 1% on the lowest assistance setting, so obviously the higher they assistance the quicker you will run the battery down. I read on one of the reviews that when on high maximum power the battery lasts just over an hour, but on that setting the bike is just about doing all the work.
Took it work got all the usual crap about it been an electric bike, until I let them have a ride on around the yard, everyone of them to a man loved it, could hardly get the coonts back off the bike.
It is a fold away bike but it is quite heavy I wouldn’t recommend trying to carry it up a flight of stairs, but I don’t really need it to fold down, as I was just looking for a city bike.
Because of the bikes weight and low centre of gravity, the bike well balanced and stable in stop start conditions, this means its perfect around town when contending with traffic and pedestrians.
The bike comes with three power settings, and the ability to ride the bike easily with no power assistance. I tend to ride on either no power or the lowest level because I want to still be riding the bike , and I must say it is the easiest bike I have ever ridden.
A really nice way to travel, even on low assistance road junctions, and stop start is amazing, and of course going up hills with the wind in your face is no longer the pain the arse it was before.
The bike will glide up to about 15mph but then it tops out due to the fact my bike has only 6 gears and should really have about 8, this would have made it a full on commuter cycle and a real alternative to my car or the bus.
The battery is a little cassette type one, that is easily removed for safe storage and charging. The battery is quite new so I am getting around 1 mile per 1% on the lowest assistance setting, so obviously the higher they assistance the quicker you will run the battery down. I read on one of the reviews that when on high maximum power the battery lasts just over an hour, but on that setting the bike is just about doing all the work.
Took it work got all the usual crap about it been an electric bike, until I let them have a ride on around the yard, everyone of them to a man loved it, could hardly get the coonts back off the bike.
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How much did it set you back
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£600 Halfords. but got it on the cycle to work scheme so it works out a lot less in the end.
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Not bad , to save more money give your colleagues a lift for a few quid
 http://www.buybuychina.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Screen-Shot-2012-09-25-at-2.42.04-PM.png |
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Did Halfords let you have a test ride
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No I never asked, but I would fully recommend anyone having a go on one, everyone that I have let have a ride on mine have all had the same reaction, a big smile on the face when they start to peddle and the power assist kicks in.
The other morning it was like being back at school, a couple of the lads were waiting on me asking for a go my new bike. |
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 i can imagine them all waiting about the entrance im first shot |
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The best of was one of them had sl@gged it off the day before, until someone else told him how good it is to ride. I think he was secretly jealous
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People will always slag something they know f.all about , whats his opinion on it now
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They are all surprised and impressed, one lad is even thinking of getting his wife one, I said he could borrow mine for the day to see if she likes it.
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I've been overtaken by one - blooming embarrassing.
I was pedalling about 80 to the minute in a low gear up a hill , and some 60 year old woman looking a bit like Greg Davies's aunt turning the pedals about 20 to the minute, upright style, basket of shopping scootered past. A tip though for anyone trying an electric bike in town - always be doing some pedalling. If your body is still as a bolt, and with the bike so quiet, pedestrians may step in front of you as they aren't used to you and are usually scanning the road looking for movement |
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You can get souped up versions of electric bikes that aren't street legal or make your own.
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If I could change anything it would be another gear set one with eight or more gears.
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TheBaron would have to come in and have a law breaking machine wouldnt he
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Bongo should have just got of and pushed the fecker
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Do you think he was following her on his bike and lost her on the hill
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sounds like it , old granny whooosh on the hill leaving bongo for dead
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mac
Electric bike motors are limited to 15mph; they switch off beyond that. Of course, the bike will go faster than 15mph, but only under pedal power; the motor will provide power assistance only up to 15mph. |
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No its because of the gearing you really do top out 15 mph even if you peddle like mad, its like when your in too low a gear ridding down a hill, I know the motor has cut out, but the same thing happens even with the power assist switched off so it must be the gears
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Unless the gears aren't fixed and some sort of clutch slips when it hits 15 laroche's explanation sounds more likely?
By having the gearing such that the max you'd likely pedal is the same as the max motor speed at 15mph they'd achieve that effect though. If it's got a standard replacable front cog and standard chain you could just put a bigger front on it. |
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laroche
10 Jul 15 18:15 Joined: 02 Jan 02 | Topic/replies: 442 | Blogger: laroche's blog mac Electric bike motors are limited to 15mph; they switch off beyond that. Of course, the bike will go faster than 15mph, but only under pedal power; the motor will provide power assistance only up to 15mph. Just Checking 10 Jul 15 18:40 Joined: 25 Jun 06 | Topic/replies: 16,937 | Blogger: Just Checking's blog Unless the gears aren't fixed and some sort of clutch slips when it hits 15 laroche's explanation sounds more likely? By having the gearing such that the max you'd likely pedal is the same as the max motor speed at 15mph they'd achieve that effect though. If it's got a standard replacable front cog and standard chain you could just put a bigger front on it. Just had a look at the bike I already knew the motor is situated in the front wheel, but on the back wheel on the opposite side to the gears there is some sort of hub housing so I think you could right. Typical that something like an electric bike is restricted to 15 mph, when a normal push bike will surpass this speed with ease. If these bikes had a legal speed of something in the 20s then they would be a serious commuter proposition. |
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My mums wants a sybian 2000. I tried to get one in Halfords as a Mother's Day gift but they'd never even heard of it. She was furious with the plants I bought her instead. Next time I'll go to Evans Cycles.
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This from the net.....
. Karen Sybian V2000 (@sybianmaker) | Twitter twitter.com/sybianmakerCached If you love sybian riding, with anal plug, you should get my sybian video from tonight for 123tk! I **** several times and its over 20 min! |
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Why did they **** when it was only ***?
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macarony - you hit the nail on the head
everyone thinks electric bikes are rubbish until they actually ride one once they've ridden one, they rave about them. |
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Exactly.
My idea of a bike is to keep fit and go places, with an electric bike it seems you are taking out the exercise bit, but i would love them if i rode them, like i do driving 100 miles in a car. |
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for many people, a small hill along their route may put them off cycling.
The electric bike solves that problem I agree that proper cycling should keep you fit, but for some people just being out in the fresh air and getting out and about is just as beneficial |
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There are a number of different ways of speed limiting an electric bike. But I have never heard of it being done mechanically - either with gear ratios or a clutch slip device. It's too easy to do it electronically in the pcb control circuitry.
My electric bike's speed is limited by rpm. The motor has a max of 160rpm, which propels my 27" wheeled steed at 14mph. If the rpm of the wheel exceeds 160 the motor stops, restarting only when the speed of the wheel falls - all done in the pcb circuitry. The bike would go much faster were I to fit a faster spinning motor - up to 260rpm to give a max speed of 22 / 23 mph. However, there would be virtually no torque below maybe 15mph! Personally, I like torque more than pure speed - arguably, it's faster (hills, headwinds etc need torque, not a high top speed delivered from pretty low power). My kit is: Trek Fx bike with a few mods (about 11kg); keyde front hub motor 200w continuous output (legal limit is 250w) but probably more like 170w (1.6kg, including control circuitry); Bosch 2ah 36v power tool battery (x2) in a small saddle bag at the back (700g per battery, usually only carry one); motor control is by 'pedelec' - ie it will only work when the pedals are turning, though it can be switched on and off manually as well. |
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By peddling hard on your bike can you get into the 20+mph easily?
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this stuff ain't new, been around for yonks, mate of mine bought an electric chair a few years back as he felt his sitting down was a bit underpowered, haven't heard from him since mind, should give him a buzz.
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Couldn't help having a sly peek at what's on offer, and astonished with the choice!
Considering how small the market must be (I've only see a few) and yes I would recognise one if I saw one, it's hard to comprehend how the manufacturers, individually, can have a big enough slice of the market, to be viable! |
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The bikes are sold worldwide some markets will be bigger than others.
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mac
With the current setup (single 38 tooth chainwheel and 12 tooth smallest rear cog) 22mph requires a pedal cadence of 80. When fitted with a three chainwheel derailleur (48 tooth max), it'll do 27 at 80rpm. With a folding bike though, typically with 20" wheels, you will have to go well into the 50+ tooth chainwheel bracket to get into the mid-twenties mph. Small wheeled bikes are 'naturally' low geared; they're not for speed. But high speeds are not for a bike like mine either. It's too heavy (14kg or so), too un-aerodynamic (straight bars eg) and the tyres are too fat (32mm). In any case, it goes faster than everything else except the odd lycra-lout with the wind behind. |
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Anything which gets people away from the UKs obsession with cars has to be good.
No pollution no noise very little damage to roads and the infrastructure Exercise and less obesity Sociable |
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and cheaper of course.
So why don't the government do more to encourage people to leave their cars at home as they do in the rest of Northern Europe. |
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You can buy electric bikes from Tesco for £370. Good reviews.
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I've thought about an electric bike as my commute would be under 5 miles a day.
I'd like to know your experiences after a month and 6 months. I'd imagine small things going wrong would make big things in regards efficiency. BTW its only green when the energy comes from green sources. |
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BTW its only green when the energy comes from green sources.
Agreed but regardless of where the energy comes from it's a lot greener than the car. As it's rest day in the Tour de France in the highlights prog on ITV4 tonight there's a feature on cycling in Holland. Let's hope someone from UK govt. is watching. |
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The more I ride the bike the more my riding style is changing, on my other bikes I always trying to go as fast as I could, but on the electric bike I ride in a much more patient and layed back easy going style. I love it
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dont look like your enjoying it too much ,some psycho in a metal coffin will spoil your day .
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