Advice re kalkhoff sahel compact

[fishman]

I am looking to buy my first electric bike and was attracted to the kalkhoff sahel compact. I need a small bike that I can carry up stairs and store in a spare room when not in use. I am 6' 3" in height and have an inside leg measurement of 35". Has anyone of a similar size tried one of these bikes, if so can you describe your experience to me. I am very fussy that the seat post is long enough to give me the correct slight leg bend when the pedal is fully extended. I stay in Scotland and cannot make the journey to 50 cycles to test one of these bike. Does anyone else supply these bikes in the UK.

 

[Cyclezee]

Hi Fishman,
Welcome to the forum.

If you are looking for a non folding compact with lots of grunt for a tall guy, you might want to consider the eZee Street, I'm only 6'1" and my little legs measure 33", but the Street would be suitable for a taller rider.

You see the specification here http://www.cyclezee.com/ezee-street-mk2.html

 

[Kudoscycles]

I am sure that 50 cycles or pedelec member Jonah can advise whether the Sahel Compact will be ok for a guy 6' 3" tall. My advice would be to look at the weight of the bike as much as the wheel diameter.
A small wheeled heavy bike would be just as difficult to carry up stairs as a29" light bike. I have a customer on this forum who has a Kudos Typhoon 29er,it's a bike for a tall guy,he is in the area of Linlithgoe,near Edinburgh.
I am 6'1" tall ,31" inside leg,and regularly use my Kudos Secret 20" wheeled folder,weight 18 kg,we put a double height seat post on the bike this year,you would have to have a trial ride to see if it would suit your height. All these small folders are better carried with the handlebars folded down and the seat post at its lowest point but left unfolded,folding them makes them unbalanced to carry-the folding is more about stowage than ease of carry.
My own opinions but based upon a lot of experience with these small folders.
The fold on the Brompton is the best as a normal bike,not sure how the Nano conversion affects the easy fold,are you too tall for a Brompton?
KudosDave

 

[RobF]

I am looking to buy my first electric bike and was attracted to the kalkhoff sahel compact. I need a small bike that I can carry up stairs and store in a spare room when not in use. I am 6' 3" in height and have an inside leg measurement of 35". Has anyone of a similar size tried one of these bikes, if so can you describe your experience to me. I am very fussy that the seat post is long enough to give me the correct slight leg bend when the pedal is fully extended. I stay in Scotland and cannot make the journey to 50 cycles to test one of these bike. Does anyone else supply these bikes in the UK.

The three points of contact - seat, pedals and handlebars - on a 20" wheel bike are in the same place as on a full-sized bike.

What we don't know is if the Sahel saddle will go high enough to fit you.

My AVE MH7 is a very similar design.

There is a clear maximum extension mark on the seat post.

With the saddle fully extended, the distance to the ground is about 43 inches.

The distance from the saddle to the pedal, with the pedal at its lowest point, is about 38 inches.

I reckon an MH7 would fit you, with a bit to spare on saddle height.

As Dave says, forum member Jonah is our Sahel correspondent, so he might be able to carry out a similar measurement on a Sahel.

Handlebar height is another point to consider, there's no adjustment on the MH7, so it is what it is.

A Sahel might be a better prospect because I believe you can get one with a Speedlifter quick release handlebar height adjuster.

http://www.electricbikesales.co.uk/shop/electric-bikes-trikes/bosch/bosch-ave-mh-7-electric-bike/prod_810.html

 

[Jonah]

I make the equivalent measurements on the Sahel Compact about 42" to the ground and 37" to the pedal. As RobF says, the handlebars also raise up to 6". I have had some pretty tall people hire them and they have been comfortable.

There is a Kalkhoff demo / agent person in Edinburgh I think although they probably don't have s Sahel Compact - worth checking with 50Cycles to see.

 

[fishman]

Thanks to all who responded. It appears that the Sahel Compact would probably fit me. Does anyone know of a bike show next year where electric bike dealers will exhibit there bikes under one roof.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Thanks to all who responded. It appears that the Sahel Compact would probably fit me. Does anyone know of a bike show next year where electric bike dealers will exhibit there bikes under one roof.

Fishman.....places to test electric bikes.
Unfortunately the number of venues to test e-bikes appears to be reducing not expanding,it is difficult to attract enough customers to justify the cost and effort involved.
In time order.
The London Excel Cycle Show,usually February,it has a wonderful indoor test track but only attracts about 6 e-bike suppliers.
Kudos/LEBC test day at Redbridge....our own show usually April/May....we can exhibit KTM,Kudos,Haibike....not sure we will organise in 2015. The test track is probably the best circuit to test bikes but it just does not attract enough interest.
The Cycle Show at the NEC,usually October/November time,the test track is very short a small ramp,has most of the e-bike industry there but the test track is so limited and busy that it is hard to get a good idea of the bike.
In all honesty your best option but may seem a lot of effort is to travel to London....50 Cycles are located in Hampton Wick,they are the importers of the Kalkhoff into the UK,you can test the Sahel Compact there....only 200 metres down the road is the London Electric Bike Company,you can test the Kudos Secret there,together with the complete Kudos range and many of the KTM models...both premises use the beautiful Bushy Park ( part of Hampton Court Palace),it has a 4 km traffic free bike ride,the nearby Holiday Inn is a good one,I stay there often.
However,when making a long trip it would be sensible to book ahead an appointment and make sure all your possibles are available to test.
A long trip but I don't know anywhere else that has about 40 plus bikes to test,that part of London is very nice alongside the river so it would make a nice weekend break.
Hope that helps
KudosDave