Another newbie looking for advice please!

lynda79

Just Joined
Sep 4, 2018
3
0
45
Hello everyone, my name is Lynda and I have been looking into getting an ebike recently through the cycle to work scheme. I have tried the carrera that Halfords currently have on offer and I was quite impressed but that was the first one I have tried so don’t know really if that would be suitable.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I’m 5ft 6 and 10 stone, I live in Devon so we have lots of hills, I would like to be able to ride the bike to work which is 8 miles each way, and also to do cycle paths with the dogs at weekends.

The cycle to work scheme allows up to 1000 and I can pay up to 500 on top of that to get something a bit better.

I have also been reading on your site about buying a kit and doing the conservion to ebike myself, would that be a better option?

Any advice would be appreciated
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,405
16,386
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
Hi Lynda,

Take a look at the Woosh Santana3.
It has a step through frame, excellent motor for hills and will suit your 5ft6 height. Compared to the Halfords Carrera for women, the Woosh bike has 15AH battery (plenty for up to 5 miles), Carrera 11.6AH, so no range anxiety over your distance, stronger motor for hills and lets you pedal as much or as little as you like.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?santana3
 

Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
2,459
1,675
69
West Wales
Hi Lynda and welcome,
The Carrera's from Halfords continue to have bad write ups on here for recurring intermittant cut out problems that Halfords don't seem to be able to solve. Yet they keep selling the bikes!
Having spent a week cycling around south Devon (Kingsbridge/Slapton area) in June, I know how brutal some of the hills are. And I live in West Wales which aint exactly flat either:eek::D.
My wife and I both have front hub motored bikes. She has a Woosh Big Bear and I have a converted Carrera crossfire. They coped, just about, with a lot of work from us. They are both big motors of the Bafang bpm type, they have huge torque and handle hills well.
There will be those who recommend crank or mid drives for hill climbing. It's true they have the mechanical advantage of driving through the bikes gears. However it does make for a more technical ride, you have to be in the correct gear, for the motor. Getting it wrong on a sudden slope change can mean stalling the motor. Also most mid drives would be beyond your budget.
Finally, front hubs can be a bit tricksy on steep hills if the road surface is loose or slimey. No problem if you're a confident rider, otherwise it may be best to look at rear hub bikes.
Conversion is a great route to go, especially if you have a bike you like. You end up with a machine that you know inside out. All the parts are user replaceable (not true of the more expensive machines) and there will be plenty of help here to put it together and fault it if needed. Woosh do a variety of kits, all plug and play, have a good rep and are very helpful. Otherwise you can put a kit together from component parts if you are confident with a soldering iron and handy with the spanners.

Crossed with Tony's post.
p.s. I have no connection to Woosh
 

lynda79

Just Joined
Sep 4, 2018
3
0
45
Thanks for your response, just having a look at your range now, I see you run a different cycle to work scheme than the one used by my employer, I work for the nhs and have checked with them and they will only use the scheme they have accredited for staff use. Is there any way around this?

Hi Lynda,

Take a look at the Woosh Santana3.
It has a step through frame, excellent motor for hills and will suit your 5ft6 height. Compared to the Halfords Carrera for women, the Woosh bike has 15AH battery (plenty for up to 5 miles), Carrera 11.6AH, so no range anxiety over your distance, stronger motor for hills and lets you pedal as much or as little as you like.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?santana3
 

lynda79

Just Joined
Sep 4, 2018
3
0
45
Thank you for your advice, kingsbridge is definitely hilly!! Good on you for conquering some of them! That’s interesting about the carrera faults I don’t want to end up with problems especially if they are recurring.

I am a total newbie in the electric side of things, I have a mountain bike but find as I’ve got a big older I just haven’t got enough push in my legs and this puts me off riding it to be honest.

Another question you may know the answer to, what about when it’s raining? Are they ok to be used in the wet? Might sound a silly question but we get a lot of rain! Our bike store at work is an outside locked cage thing so if it rains bikes do get wet.

Thanks again for your advice


Hi Lynda and welcome,
The Carrera's from Halfords continue to have bad write ups on here for recurring intermittant cut out problems that Halfords don't seem to be able to solve. Yet they keep selling the bikes!
Having spent a week cycling around south Devon (Kingsbridge/Slapton area) in June, I know how brutal some of the hills are. And I live in West Wales which aint exactly flat either:eek::D.
My wife and I both have front hub motored bikes. She has a Woosh Big Bear and I have a converted Carrera crossfire. They coped, just about, with a lot of work from us. They are both big motors of the Bafang bpm type, they have huge torque and handle hills well.
There will be those who recommend crank or mid drives for hill climbing. It's true they have the mechanical advantage of driving through the bikes gears. However it does make for a more technical ride, you have to be in the correct gear, for the motor. Getting it wrong on a sudden slope change can mean stalling the motor. Also most mid drives would be beyond your budget.
Finally, front hubs can be a bit tricksy on steep hills if the road surface is loose or slimey. No problem if you're a confident rider, otherwise it may be best to look at rear hub bikes.
Conversion is a great route to go, especially if you have a bike you like. You end up with a machine that you know inside out. All the parts are user replaceable (not true of the more expensive machines) and there will be plenty of help here to put it together and fault it if needed. Woosh do a variety of kits, all plug and play, have a good rep and are very helpful. Otherwise you can put a kit together from component parts if you are confident with a soldering iron and handy with the spanners.

Crossed with Tony's post.
p.s. I have no connection to Woosh
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,405
16,386
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
Thanks for your response, just having a look at your range now, I see you run a different cycle to work scheme than the one used by my employer, I work for the nhs and have checked with them and they will only use the scheme they have accredited for staff use. Is there any way around this?
different trusts use different schemes, we work with a few of them: Cycle Plus, Cycle Benefits etc ask HR what schemes can be used, let me know.
Thanks.
Tony
 

JuicyBike

Trade Member
Jan 26, 2009
1,671
527
Derbyshire
Hello everyone, my name is Lynda and I have been looking into getting an ebike recently through the cycle to work scheme. I have tried the carrera that Halfords currently have on offer and I was quite impressed but that was the first one I have tried so don’t know really if that would be suitable.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I’m 5ft 6 and 10 stone, I live in Devon so we have lots of hills, I would like to be able to ride the bike to work which is 8 miles each way, and also to do cycle paths with the dogs at weekends.

The cycle to work scheme allows up to 1000 and I can pay up to 500 on top of that to get something a bit better.

I have also been reading on your site about buying a kit and doing the conservion to ebike myself, would that be a better option?

Any advice would be appreciated
"Before you buy you really should try" - all combinations of rider plus bike are unique and can be quite a different experience for each individual.

You'd be welcome to try at any of our stockists in the West Country - I can recommend Devon Cycle Hire in particular for a nice day out, not too far from home. And you can apply for a Cycle Scheme Quote at our website (we work with most schemes including Halfords and the (several) NHS Schemes).
 

Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
2,459
1,675
69
West Wales
Riding the bike in the rain probably not a problem, there are extra remedial steps that can be taken. However leaving an electric bike in the rain is a killer. Maybe a good cover or tarp? Definitely take the battery in with you.