Hello Alan, welcome to the forum. I think the Twist Freedom must be the new slightly sporty looking one, as opposed to the Twist 1 and 2 utility models. It's still the same motor/battery/controller setup though, more a change of image than anything. These new Twist bikes haven't reviewed very well, being a bit slow and having lots of motor drag on the overrun due to it's regeneration system which unfortunately doesn't work well. It remains to be seen whether they've been able to perk up the performance of the Freedom
Otherwise the downsides are that slightly lacklustre performance and difficulty of pedalling without power, plus the high cost of replacement new batteries which are in pairs, £600 the pair last time checked. The positive side is that they climb moderate hills ok and like most Giant products, they are good quality.
However, the hill climbing on these hub motors isn't like that of the drive through the gears Lafree, so if you ride in the southern alps of the island or the steeper hills around Yarmouth, the steepest hills could mean hard work for you. Certainly it's best to try one out before buying.
Otherwise there's only the mainland choices. Powabyke are bringing out new models which are said to cope with the notorious hills of Bath, and they aren't the old heavy tanks but stylish modern jobs. Since there are Powabyke agents in Lymington, Southampton and Gosport, you would have the ferry trip option open, and one each in Lymington and Southampton are approved service centres. Heres their
dealer page for Hampshire.
This other page shows their
new X bike.
To get the latest Panasonic powered motor type in a bike like the lafree means buying a Gazelle Easy Glider or a Kalkhoff online, or from the odd mainland dealer who might have them.
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