Another one needing help choosing - possibly eStarli e20.8 Play

[Busterdan]

Hi everyone, I'd appreciate some fairly urgent information to decide on the best ebike for my needs.

The urgency is due to buying the bike with a work/payroll Cyclescheme and I need to submit my voucher amount within the next few days.

The max I could go to is £3500 but I have been looking at the eStarli e20.8 Play which with a few extra's is roughly £2000.

My commute is only a few miles (to a train station), initially down hill then at the other end one tube journey, although in the summer I would probably cycle this part. The same route on the return although it's uphill back home.

I am currently about 115kgs and most ebike seem to max the load at 110-115kg, the eStarli is rated up to 130kgs so that is another factor. I do want to get myself fitter though and I do expect to get my weight into the 90kgs range.

So my first question.... which eBike... is the eStarli a good option? Is it worthwhile getting the £300 range extender? (does seem pricey for what it is). Also any experience of buying direct from eStarli, whats their aftersales/care like?

Are there better alternatives, I probably would have gone for a Brompton P line (non-electric) and then maybe fitted a Swytch battery but Brompton "Politely" said I was too heavy

Anyway would appreciate any help or advice.

 

[Az.]

Is it worthwhile getting the £300 range extender? (does seem pricey for what it is).

For few mile commute? No.

 

[Peter.Bridge]

Another couple of options

Wisper 806 Folding Electric Bike | Which? Best Buy Recommended

Our Wisper 806 folding electric bike is perfect for avid campers, caravanners and boating enthusiasts. 0% Finance Available. Shop your folding e-bike now!

wisperbikes.com

Max Weight Loading Including Luggage
20 Stone / 130kg

The Rambletta | Powerful Foldable Electric Bikes with 10.4AH semi-hidden battery from Woosh

The Woosh Rambletta is the most recent 20kg folding bike from Woosh, with a large 36V * 10.4AH semi-hidden battery, very easy to stowaway, perfect for camping / caravanning.

wooshbikes.co.uk

Max Weight Loading Including Luggage

• for riders 14+, 5ft2 to 6ft, up to 17 stone

Both companies offer very good customer service and support

Or maybe buy a non electric bike and convert ? (There are better options that Swytch in my opinion though)

 

[Az.]

I was just looking for links, but Peter was faster, so +1

 

[Busterdan]

For few mile commute? No.

Yes I was thinking more broadly if my use increased... for example a weekends, down the coast, that kind of thing, but primarily the bike is for commuting.

 

[Az.]

Yes I was thinking more broadly if my use increased... for example a weekends, down the coast, that kind of thing, but primarily the bike is for commuting.

Nah... not worth it. If you keep commuting to train station and keep leaving bike there, soon enough you will have only spare battery left.

 

[Busterdan]

Thanks for the replies so far and the Whoosh and Wisper suggestions.....

They do look more keenly priced than the eStarli, but the specs I'd say on the eStarli are better without adding more weight (for example a battery upgrade on the Rambetta.

I'd be interested to know what other conversion options might be worth considering.

For example if I got a Brompton P line, what would be the best option to get this e-enabled. Although the Brompton is rated to 115kg I think.... so I'd have to go on a crash diet and do some running pretty damn quick

Thanks folks, appreciated

 

[Nealh]

With any of these type of bikes one has to consider the longer term operation, the system used and whether CANbus or other comms are used such as apps.
The back up and repair available after two years of warranty finish. Right to repair doesn't exist so repairs faults will be at the dealers cost.

 

[Az.]

Woosh and Wisper are companies with good reputation and well established in our community.

Why folders?

I tell you what... if you keep your word and drop 25kg, doesn't matter how much you spend and what you buy. It will be worth it.

 

[Busterdan]

Woosh and Wisper are companies with good reputation and well established in our community.

Why folders?

I tell you what... if you keep your word and drop 25kg, doesn't matter how much you spend and what you buy. It will be worth it.

Yeah agreed.... not getting younger (53) and starting to feel my age now.

Folding is necessary as my train company doesn't allow rigid frame bikes during peak times.

 

[Peter.Bridge]

For example if I got a Brompton P line, what would be the best option to get this e-enabled.

Check with Woosh but https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?hubkits#q70kit

 

[thelarkbox]

Im unclear? do you want a foldable bike to take on the train/tube with you or an ebike to park up at the station all day while your at work?

In either case a diy conversion may be your best bet imho for a foldable bike the quality options are wider when looking at non-ebikes, and the off the shelf foldable ebikes are often a lot heavier than optimal .
edit -however the build accommodating the folding may present its own issues tho folk have been there and done it..

And if leaving all day locked to a bike rack?? a cheap and nasty LOOKING diy job will catch far less opportunistic eyes than a nice shiny new ebike.

 

[AGS]

Don’t buy an expensive e-bike if you are going to leave it at the station because it won’t be there when you get back.

 

[Busterdan]

Im unclear? do you want a foldable bike to take on the train/tube with you or an ebike to park up at the station all day while your at work?

In either case a diy conversion may be your best bet imho for a foldable bike the quality options are wider when looking at non-ebikes, and the off the shelf foldable ebikes are often a lot heavier than optimal .
edit -however the build accommodating the folding may present its own issues tho folk have been there and done it..

And if leaving all day locked to a bike rack?? a cheap and nasty LOOKING diy job will catch far less opportunistic eyes than a nice shiny new ebike.

Yes I'd be planning on taking it with me.... I wouldn't want to leave it chained up to come back and find it had been nicked! plus there is the added benefit of slinging a folding bike in the back of the car if I go somewhere. For example recently took a trip to Bruges in Belgium, would have been great to have my own bike out there.

 

[saneagle]

I don't get what you're saying about the tube train. If your plan is to fold the bike and take it on the train every day, I can't see that working. It's just too inconvenient, and even worse if you'regoing to try to take it into the office. If the tube journey is short, just get a proper commuter electric bike. 10 miles each way is no problem, even in the winter.

The 7ah battery on that eStarli e20.8 Play might be OK for a lightweight person, but it would really struggle with a 115kg rider. You'd get about 10 miles range and it would soon wear out, then be expensive to replace. Also, It would probably struggle on the hills.

In your position, I'd forget the bit about using the train and get something like a NCM Moscow, Woosh Gran Camino or any of the cheap 48v 250w bikes on Ebay (Samebike is only £675).

If you do the whole commute, you have to think about where to keep your bike when you're at work. You need somewhere secure, else it'll get nicked.

When you use any of the financial schemes to buy an electric bike, it gets you the opportunity to buy an over-priced bike and make a saving that you could have got by buying a bike at a fair price without it.

Generally, if you're over 100kg, you should be looking for a 48v system unless you're fairly fit.

 

[Busterdan]

I don't get what you're saying about the tube train. If your plan is to fold the bike and take it on the train every day, I can't see that working. It's just too inconvenient, and even worse if you'regoing to try to take it into the office. If the tube journey is short, just get a proper commuter electric bike. 10 miles each way is no problem, even in the winter.

The 7ah battery on that eStarli e20.8 Play might be OK for a lightweight person, but it would really struggle with a 115kg rider. You'd get about 10 miles range and it would soon wear out, then be expensive to replace.

In your position, I'd forget the bit about using the train and get something like a NCM Moscow, Woosh Gran Camino or any of the cheap 48v 250w bikes on Ebay (Samebike is only £675).

If you do the whole commute, you have to think about where to keep your bike when you're at work. You need somewhere secure, else it'll get nicked.

When you use any of the financial schemes to buy an electric bike, it gets you the opportunity to buy an over-priced bike and make a saving that you could have got by buying a bike at a fair price without it.

Thanks for your reply...and advice....

I live 40 miles out of London, I'm not going to be riding a bike that distrance. I'm also a motorcyclist, I've looked at that as a option.... it's not ideal in the winter and very dangerous (Blackwall Tunnel for those know is a nightmare). I sometimes drive, this means leaving home at 5:45am to try to miss some of the traffic, but it still takes 1:15 hours, plus £10 per day parking..... it's a long day.

Train, the prices have just increased so it's effectively £172 per week (for 5 days of travel), that also includes one single tube journey from the London train station to my workplace.

Whats all this got to do with e-bikes.....

It's the bit from home to the train station, it is walkable, but a long walk, good exercise. But I thought an eBike would be quicker, easier, good fun and give me the added benefit of buying a bike that could be used at other times (weekends for example) and was more convenient due to it folding. Also the part to/from the train station is either mostly downhill or mostly uphill depending on the direction of travel. As mentioned above in the summer I could dump the tube section and ride that on the ebike. This route is about 5 miles and mostly flat, so adding all that up I'd want a battery distance of at least 20 miles, but also don't want to add too much weight (beyond my own!) so the 20-21 of the eStarli 20.8 Play was really about as much as I wanted to go to.

Hope this clarifies....

 

[Busterdan]

The 7ah battery on that eStarli e20.8 Play might be OK for a lightweight person, but it would really struggle with a 115kg rider. You'd get about 10 miles range and it would soon wear out, then be expensive to replace. Also, It would probably struggle on the hills.

This worries me though... I may as well get a standard 12 speed P line Brompton and walk up the hill on the way home if I'm knackered

 

[Woosh]

The Woosh Rambletta is not good for your weight, the frame will flex too muchbecause it's a step through frame and can be dangerous if it breaks.
I would suggest converting a sturdy, good quality folding bike like the Dahon HIT with a crank drive kit like Bafang BBS01B or Tongsheng TSDZ8.
The main advantage of this is not so much it's low cost (it is, but that's not the reason), is that you can move the kit to a bigger bike like the Dahon Expresso or Montague Paratrooper later if you feel that the Dahon is too cramped.
If you don't want to do the conversion yourself, you can send the bike to us.

 

[saneagle]

Thanks for your reply...and advice....

I live 40 miles out of London, I'm not going to be riding a bike that distrance. I'm also a motorcyclist, I've looked at that as a option.... it's not ideal in the winter and very dangerous (Blackwall Tunnel for those know is a nightmare). I sometimes drive, this means leaving home at 5:45am to try to miss some of the traffic, but it still takes 1:15 hours, plus £10 per day parking..... it's a long day.

Train, the prices have just increased so it's effectively £172 per week (for 5 days of travel), that also includes one single tube journey from the London train station to my workplace.

Whats all this got to do with e-bikes.....

It's the bit from home to the train station, it is walkable, but a long walk, good exercise. But I thought an eBike would be quicker, easier, good fun and give me the added benefit of buying a bike that could be used at other times (weekends for example) and was more convenient due to it folding. Also the part to/from the train station is either mostly downhill or mostly uphill depending on the direction of travel. As mentioned above in the summer I could dump the tube section and ride that on the ebike. This route is about 5 miles and mostly flat, so adding all that up I'd want a battery distance of at least 20 miles, but also don't want to add too much weight (beyond my own!) so the 20-21 of the eStarli 20.8 Play was really about as much as I wanted to go to.

Hope this clarifies....

There's no way that the 7ah battery is going to drag a 115kg rider 20 miles when you mention hills. Like me, you have the main hill on the way home, which is the worst place for it.

If I were in your position, I think I'd go for a normal Bromton. They're quick to fold, easy to carry and fold small. Folding ebikes are mainly difficult to fold, heavy andawkward to carry, and they take a surprisingly large amount of space - not something you can tuck under your desk like a Brompton can.

I'm trying to be realistic rather than negative. Circumstances are conspiring against you. Maybe help a few more old ladies across the road or get a black cat.