About to purchase Kalkhoff Agattu 8 - advice appreciated

[Manchester Lass]

I was about the place my order for a Kalhoff this morning and found this forum. I'm a little unsettled by the Kalkhoff motor discussions and also wasn't aware of the vast range of bikes on offer. But my requirements are quite specific so I'd really appreciate the views of any experts out there.

My daily commute is 25 miles; on roads and canal tow paths and I usually travel on to the gym after work which would add another 15 miles. Ideally I'd like a range of 60+ miles.
I live at the top of a big hill - and although I'm a reasonable cyclist, I want the power so I don't face a miserable final 2 miles when I go home. I also want to arrive at places without having a major workout, I'll go to spin classes for that!

I'm just 5 feet tall - so need a step through with a small frame and wheels. The Kalkhoff with a 46cm frame and 26 inch wheels with a solid seat post was ideal but the seat post with suspension was too big.

I want an easily detachable battery, I'll be leaving my bike in central Manchester.
Due to an eye problem, I can't drive for 12 months, so this bike will be my main transport. It'll need decent panniers to accommodate work & gym stuff - and possibly a basket (for fun) and be comfortable.

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[derf]

I was about the place my order for a Kalhoff this morning and found this forum. I'm a little unsettled by the Kalkhoff motor discussions and also wasn't aware of the vast range of bikes on offer. But my requirements are quite specific so I'd really appreciate the views of any experts out there.

My daily commute is 25 miles; on roads and canal tow paths and I usually travel on to the gym after work which would add another 15 miles. Ideally I'd like a range of 60+ miles.
I live at the top of a big hill - and although I'm a reasonable cyclist, I want the power so I don't face a miserable final 2 miles when I go home. I also want to arrive at places without having a major workout, I'll go to spin classes for that!

I'm just 5 feet tall - so need a step through with a small frame and wheels. The Kalkhoff with a 46cm frame and 26 inch wheels with a solid seat post was ideal but the seat post with suspension was too big.

I want an easily detachable battery, I'll be leaving my bike in central Manchester.
Due to an eye problem, I can't drive for 12 months, so this bike will be my main transport. It'll need decent panniers to accommodate work & gym stuff - and possibly a basket (for fun) and be comfortable.

Any advice gratefully received.

this is second hand: i have a close friend who has one and have triedit many times. It' a small frame, but stillto me seems pretty large (and i'm 1.8M). i woudl buy one: the positives is the geometry (i love it, very relaxed, but one can put power down), teh 8 speed nexus (indestructible, she abuses it, much, and cheap to replace and easy to adjust), the hydraulic rim brakes (very very good and easy to replace cheap long lasting blocks). the one BIG negative is teh crank drive - it's greta when it works: but hers has packed up once. However, kalkhoff/50cycles replaced it without any quible, afetr i think 18 months or so ownership. If it were me id say you may well be safe even longer under teh Consumer Rights Act(2015) than teh two years warranty (it says goods have to be durable, and it stands up well in small claims courts)

 

[RobF]

Sixty-plus miles in a hilly area is a lot for a single battery.

Kalkhoff is one the few recognised makes that offer a 17ah battery, which ought to be big enough.

The reliability question is a difficult one, there's no doubt a lot of Impulse motors have failed.

On t'other hand, Kalkhoff/the importer seem to be saying the failures were confined to certain model years, and the current Impulse bikes have been modified.

A Bosch powered bike would be a safer choice, but even the biggest 500wh battery would struggle to reach 60 miles.

It would if you used the lowest eco setting for the entire distance, but you might find the amount of assistance on eco to be lacking.

Then there's fit, there are not so many bikes with a small frame and 26" wheels.

An Agattu could be your best option.

 

[Manchester Lass]

Thanks RobF & Derf - I hadn't realised my requirements would narrow the field quite so much and so I really appreciate your views and experience. I've been looking at the Volt Kensington today but struggling to find one I can go and ride so I think I may go with the Kalkhoff and have the reassurance of the range!

 

[PH001]

You could just add an additional battery of course - maybe one on the frame and one on a pannier rack. You might have to get an ebike shop to help modify the wiring to suit but it's not difficult or complicated at all.

 

[dinger19]

You could just add an additional battery of course - maybe one on the frame and one on a pannier rack. You might have to get an ebike shop to help modify the wiring to suit but it's not difficult or complicated at all.

That's not a bad idea however the simplest solution would be to buy a spare battery and carry it in one of the panniers fully charged the only downside of either idea is the weight of 2 batteries you would have to carry when you leave the bike in central Manchester otherwise they would get stolen.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

That's not a bad idea however the simplest solution would be to buy a spare battery and carry it in one of the panniers fully charged the only downside of either idea is the weight of 2 batteries you would have to carry when you leave the bike in central Manchester otherwise they would get stolen.

or just get a spare charger and keep it in work?

 

[D8ve]

Thanks RobF & Derf - I hadn't realised my requirements would narrow the field quite so much and so I really appreciate your views and experience. I've been looking at the Volt Kensington today but struggling to find one I can go and ride so I think I may go with the Kalkhoff and have the reassurance of the range!

Range is not guaranteed by any seller.
60 miles is a long way if you youse the assist for lots of stops and hills.
Do you already do 16 mph on the flat. If not you will be draining the battery all the time.
If you do ride quickly then the drain will only be on starts and hills then you can get great range. The normal rule of thumb is 1mile per 10watt hour of the battery.
But the kalkoff is a nice bike to ride, and should do the range but YOU will have to sweat to get it.

 

[Manchester Lass]

I hadn't even thought about the additional battery idea, or the extra charger! And as I've tracked down a Volt Kensington in Preston I may go and take a look at it as it's a lovely looking bike. And at half the price of the Kalkhoff I could justify buying the extra kit.

As for maintaining 16mph under my own steam - that's probably a tad faster than I'd go on my Giant road bike, and faster than my Trek MTB.....so I'm going to be relying on the motor for a sweat free commute! The motor might be more of a consideration than I had realised.....

I really appreciate the input though, I really wouldn't have considered all of this on my own.

 

[PH001]

I'm not sure how configurable any of those bikes are, but on mine I can specify a lower speed for the motor cutoff. This might sound disingenuous but having a lower cutoff speed (say 10-12mph) means most of the time (like on the flat and gentle inclines) you will be pedaling over that speed and using no battery.I then set the assistance level quite high so that when I do hit a very obvious hill it goes up with ease. I find that works better then constantly fiddling with the assistance level and gives me slightly better range.

 

[Ray Breen]

I'm not sure how configurable any of those bikes are, but on mine I can specify a lower speed for the motor cutoff. This might sound disingenuous but having a lower cutoff speed (say 10-12mph) means most of the time (like on the flat and gentle inclines) you will be pedaling over that speed and using no battery.I then set the assistance level quite high so that when I do hit a very obvious hill it goes up with ease. I find that works better then constantly fiddling with the assistance level and gives me slightly better range.

ah thats a very interesting idea. You are the first person to mention lowering the maximum assist speed, rather than highering it!

 

[Tomwal]

I have just bought an Agattu and I am getting about 70 miles using mainly Eco I use Power on steeper hills and then switch back to Eco. I always free wheel when I can. My bike has 28 inch wheels and I keep the tyre pressures to 50 psi. It seems to freewheel much faster than my 26" wheel mountain bike.
Mine is a step through and the ergonomics - seat, handlebars etc are just right. It is such a comfortable bike. Expensive but worth it.

 

[anotherkiwi]

ah thats a very interesting idea. You are the first person to mention lowering the maximum assist speed, rather than highering it!

Nope! I highered then lowered for the same reasons as the OP and wrote about it too

But I disagree on the use of assistance. For me the assistance button replaced the front derailleur. I use it as if I was changing chainrings. Result: a regular 70 km from a 10.4 Ah battery which gives about 5.35 Wh per kilometre. I am always switching between assistance levels depending on the slope.

 

[JuicyBike]

I think you may also benefit from a try on the Wisper Torque bikes and if you're south Manchester then we have one available at New Mills.
Two batteries is not a great solution as each will need to be used in equal measure. The better and cheaper solution is the second charger to keep at work.

 

[dinger19]

The downside of charging at work is that the life of the battery is reduced by 50% as your doing this twice a day having said that by having 2 batteries the cost is more short term and the weight of the extra battery you would have to carry,but the longer term will save you money however that also depends on how long you keep the bike before you change it for another.

 

[Angelnorth]

I think you may also benefit from a try on the Wisper Torque bikes and if you're south Manchester then we have one available at New Mills.

Or just hop on a train at Piccadilly if you're not already south of Manchester - New Mills is only half an hour and once you're out of the city you can just watch the scenery!

 

[RobF]

Juicy would be worth a look.

Not least because the OP was thinking about a Volt Kensington and Juicy offer something similar.

 

[PH001]

Two batteries is not a great solution as each will need to be used in equal measure.

How would you not use them in equal measure - they are in parallel !!

 

[JuicyBike]

How would you not use them in equal measure - they are in parallel !!

Batteries perform best when used loads. What worries me about having 2 batteries is that one of them becomes forgotten. Better to use one bigger battery.

 

[Artstu]

I'm not sure how configurable any of those bikes are, but on mine I can specify a lower speed for the motor cutoff. This might sound disingenuous but having a lower cutoff speed (say 10-12mph) means most of the time (like on the flat and gentle inclines) you will be pedaling over that speed and using no battery.I then set the assistance level quite high so that when I do hit a very obvious hill it goes up with ease. I find that works better then constantly fiddling with the assistance level and gives me slightly better range.

Bosch bikes have a hand little switch pad easily accessed by your thumb to turn the power up and down or off as you please.

At a terrible angle in this photo

Which such a low setting on the assist speed a pedelec is a waste of time in my opinion.