Advice needed - Bike Purchase

[northumberlandlad]

Have just been banned from driving for four months.

Work is 5 miles away from home, nothing too much in terms of hills, perhaps a short one of about 1/2 mile, not too steep, but plenty of busy traffic.

I'd use my normal bike, but getting to work all hot and sweaty without shower facilites isnt appealing.

What would you recommend? Im budget limited, but also dont want to buy a heap of junk. I may to sell it after I get my licence back, or keep it if it works out.

 

[coops]

Hi Northumberlandlad & welcome to pedelecs and good luck choosing a bike!

It depends how limited your budget, how steep "not too steep" is - rather different for cycling than driving, and how much or little pedalling you want to do to subsidise the motor power, aswell as your frame size as to which is the best choice for you but on the face of it a Powacycle may do the job at around £5-600, though I don't know how much peak power it has for moderate or "not too steep" slopes without some effort from you; for higher peak power in the same price range an Ezee Liv is an option, or a Currie Izip (with external rear chain-drive motor, not the hub motor version) would also give high torque for hills (should you need it) with little pedalling and be cheaper too, but I wouldn't say its close to the quality or design of the Liv, which I've ridden, and probably not the Powacycle either, though I haven't ridden one of those.

I saw a Giant Suede for sale in my local Edinburgh bicycles, who have a national chain of stores now (not sure of the nearest to you though if you're in Northumberland, maybe Leeds? ), for £599, but I'm not sure of the peak power or ride quality of it.

If you want to spend more, there's other options from Wisper, Ezee etc.

A 10 mile round trip shouldn't be a problem at all for most bikes, except perhaps some lead acid battery ones like the currie izip its getting close to their maximum range.

I bought my bike (Ezee Torq from 50Cycles) with a specific "cross city-centre" journey of about 4 or 5 miles in mind, to cut out a 1 hour bus journey, thinking to go further afield out of the city by bike & train, but found it so useful that I now regularly use it for 30-40 mile trips to escape the city within 30-40 mins, get some exercise & explore some of the surrounding area .

I hope thats useful

Stuart.

 

[flecc]

On a budget I'd recommend a Powacycle as Stuart has mentioned, the Salisbury crossbar model or the same model as the Windsor with step through frame.

Although they are fairly low powered they have no problem dealing with normal hills if given a very small assistance from the rider, their main difference being a rather lower speed cruising at about 13 mph on just the power. £499 each with NiMh battery. Powacycle.

For more power and speed, the eZee Liv is a good choice and will cruise on power alone at 15 plus mph and climb faster, but it's £695. The agents are 50cycles.
.

 

[painter]

Have just been banned from driving for four months.

Work is 5 miles away from home, nothing too much in terms of hills, perhaps a short one of about 1/2 mile, not too steep, but plenty of busy traffic.

I'd use my normal bike, but getting to work all hot and sweaty without shower facilites isnt appealing.

What would you recommend? Im budget limited, but also dont want to buy a heap of junk. I may to sell it after I get my licence back, or keep it if it works out.

Hi northumberland lad Fergusons cycles Blyth and Gerrard cycles Bedlington stock and repair them good luck Painter