Cyclamatic Power Plus Electric Bike £399

[flecc]

I stand by my original postings here and here.

We've seen various sports shops and the like with e-bikes at low prices in the past and they never keep going with one. The only exceptions have been the odd all steel bikes with lead acid batteries like the Izips under various names.

At this price this bike is either a sell-off of surplus or it's using cheap substitute components, but it could still be a good buy if the battery lasts and is replaceable. More commonly though these cheap lithium batteries fail fairly early and no replacements are available.

Given the patent lies and nonsense in the publicity though, the prospects are not good.
.

 

[Old Timer]

I think SB motors are less than $50.00.The lithium batteries the most expensive,around $150 for 24v to $200 for 36v

I agree, like most things from China if you are prepared to spend a few grand you would be surprised just how cheap you can buy components. As I said in an earlier post my son negotiated a per unit price for an engineering item for £1.75 each delivered half way around the world. The unit on sale in the UK, all boxed up and pretty pretty retailed for near to £40 and was to the same spec (we tested one to distruction)
Mind you he had to lay out £7,000 to get that price but in the first week got his money back and has copious amounts left for the future. He had to pay his air fare to and from China but the group of manufacturers put him up in a penthouse apartment all in for free and put a Merc + driver at his disposal throughout his 3 day stay.
I think that things will change in the future as the country grows and it`s people want a fair crack of the whip which they certainly deserve BTW.

 

[JohnInStockie]

I think that things will change in the future as the country grows and it`s people want a fair crack of the whip which they certainly deserve BTW.

Cant disagree, its China's 'communist' governments ambitions that scares me, their pursuit of wealth at almost any expense doesnt bode well for anyones future in my eyes. When the tables have totally turned, and not only manufacturing but all services too have moved out of the UK, Im not sure where we will be

 

[Straylight]

Well, seems to me that China is following a very western tradition of wealth accumulation, but where we did it by subjugating whole nations within the empire, they have the land mass and population to do it internally. It wasn't so long ago that here in the UK we were ripping off large parts of the world for our own comfort and prosperity, and indeed even enslaving parts of the global population. Who are we to sneer at the notion of communism, when historically we have done worse in the name of civilisation?

China's current political system is an infant by comparison to ours, so I don't think we can judge it by our lofty standards, given that in relatively recent times, we didn't even have anything like equality within our own society.

My personal view is that things will calm down over time, much as they did after the economic rise of Japan was considered a major threat. It's also not in China's interest to bleed the west dry, particularly as they hold a significant proportion of the U.S. national debt etc., and that no supplier wants an impoverished customer base.

As far as our future here in the UK goes, maybe we should get back to doing what we've done best, that being invention and innovation.

 

[eddieo]

My wife works in education and has been on 2 trips to Beijing in the last few years. From what she saw and the pictures she brought back, The colleges she visited and the standard of equipment in them where so advanced of the group she represents in London as to make her feel the poor/backward relation and not as you would expect the other way around.

But what they want is the depth of educational experience and to develop the high standard of courses delivered here.......

 

[onmebike]

More info on Cyclamatic.

For anyone who's interested I've a little more info on the £399.00 Cyclamatic folding bike as SportsHQ info is misleading.
It comes with a 10ah battery and not 8ah as stated. The Battery manufacturer is the Zhejiang Zhenlong Battery Co. Wheels are labelled Champion. Tyre's Kenda. Front and rear brakes are V type and name on levers is Wuxing. Gears Shimano tourney. Motor carries a CE label and looks to be a Suzhou Bafang but can't be sure. Full aluminium mudguards aren't labelled neither is stand which has a spring loaded locking mechanism.
It also has a sturdy rack and bike is surprisingly large for a folder and should accommodate a + 6 footer.
Finish of frame is laquered aluminium and mudguards/rack are painted.
Basic toolkit and paperwork are supplied.
There is quite a lot of welding on the frame especially around the folding mechanism but it is very tidy and uniform.
I'd say its a good budget machine for the occassional user but at around 23kg its not something you'd want to carry very far.
It appears that many of these motor hubs are rated at 24-36volt so I wonder if power can be upgraded? I suppose the controller is the governing factor.

 

[Ken Standen]

I bought a Cyclematic Power Plus on 25 August 2011 and received it within 2 days. Easy to put together and easy to ride. So far I have covered 700 miles with a regular 8.5 miles weekly 5 day commute plus some rides out at weekends. It has worked well with never a problem even in very wet and windy weather. Only one puncture so far but this was in the back wheel and there my problem happened. I could not figure out how to take out the back wheel as I did not want to damage anything. Sports HQ, the supplier, said just unplug the electric cable which feeds into the back axel and the wheel would come out. NOT so simple! You can certainly remove the black plug cover but are then faced with wires feeding into the hollowed out axel. Sports HQ said you can disconnect the cable at a point where it is fastened to the chain stay. However, I could see that even then something would need to be done to disconnect the rear drum brake and it is not clear how to do this. I was able to mend the puncture as there is plenty of room to take the tyre off the wheel and extract the tube. I could also find the thorn which had punctured the tyre and seal the hole.
My question now is does anyone know how to safely take off the wheel as I would like to change the tyre to one with a Kevlar puncture repellent strip. Believe me it would be no fun trying to mend a puncture at the side of the road on a dark and wet night. I much prefer to just put a new tube in and mend the puncture later.

Comments and help please.

 

[Fordulike]

I bought a Cyclematic Power Plus on 25 August 2011 and received it within 2 days. Easy to put together and easy to ride. So far I have covered 700 miles with a regular 8.5 miles weekly 5 day commute plus some rides out at weekends. It has worked well with never a problem even in very wet and windy weather. Only one puncture so far but this was in the back wheel and there my problem happened. I could not figure out how to take out the back wheel as I did not want to damage anything. Sports HQ, the supplier, said just unplug the electric cable which feeds into the back axel and the wheel would come out. NOT so simple! You can certainly remove the black plug cover but are then faced with wires feeding into the hollowed out axel. Sports HQ said you can disconnect the cable at a point where it is fastened to the chain stay. However, I could see that even then something would need to be done to disconnect the rear drum brake and it is not clear how to do this. I was able to mend the puncture as there is plenty of room to take the tyre off the wheel and extract the tube. I could also find the thorn which had punctured the tyre and seal the hole.
My question now is does anyone know how to safely take off the wheel as I would like to change the tyre to one with a Kevlar puncture repellent strip. Believe me it would be no fun trying to mend a puncture at the side of the road on a dark and wet night. I much prefer to just put a new tube in and mend the puncture later.

Comments and help please.

No need to remove the wheel completely, or mess about with the motor cabling.
Remove the 2 bracket screws on the servo brake, and also the brake cable attached to the lever on the servo brake. Just loosen the nut.
Then you can pull the wheel just far enough out of the dropouts to replace the tyre and inner tube.
It's a bit of a pain in the bum and requires a bit of brute force and jiggling, but is well worth the effort.
Just take your time, be patient and it will slot back in ok. You may need a rubber faced hammer, just to gently knock the axle back into place

 

[Deleted member 4366]

My question now is does anyone know how to safely take off the wheel as I would like to change the tyre to one with a Kevlar puncture repellent strip. Believe me it would be no fun trying to mend a puncture at the side of the road on a dark and wet night. I much prefer to just put a new tube in and mend the puncture later.

Comments and help please.

To remove the back wheel completely:
Undo the connector that's hidden behind the chain-stay and wrapped in heat-shrink tube
Loosen the axle nuts
Undo the cable clamp at the end of the little lever on the brake drum
Undo the screw that holds the brake torque arm to the chain-stay
Slide out the wheel downwards

You have to re-adjust the brake cable when you re-fit the wheel.
As you've figured out, it's best to try and fix punctures by only removing one side of the tyre and sliding the tube out - as long as the puncture isn't so bad that you have to replace the tube

 

[Biker44]

I bought a Cyclematic Power Plus ...covered 700 miles ... one puncture so far but this was in the back wheel and there my problem happened. .. I much prefer to just put a new tube in and mend the puncture later. Comments and help please.

I bought one a month ago, a folder. Sports HQ delivered very quickly.

I bought it for my beloved as a replacement for her much beloved Gazelle, the bicycle she uses every day. But until I can get her to actually try it, then it's mine and only used for leisure!

When she does take to it, as I'm sure she will presently, then I'll take it back to use as a spare/in the car. Then, in the summer, I'll get her a much better one, full size. Though I must say, I'm very pleased with the folder, it rides very well.

I'd not worry about changing the tyre, punctures are easy to fix in situ.

Most of the tips I have only apply to the folder, change the carrier for one that's wider and takes throw-over panniers better. Fit a wire-less cyclometer on the top tube, the handlebars are too far away from the small wheel for the sensor.

Other tips? Use cable-ties to keep the quick-release front wheel and seat safe. (You'll have to drill a hole in the lever for the seat).

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Other tips? Use cable-ties to keep the quick-release front wheel and seat safe. (You'll have to drill a hole in the lever for the seat).

Good tip. I like that. Thanks.

 

[Biker44]

Good tip. I like that. Thanks.

After I wrote and posted that tip, I realised that I'm regularly using the quick-release on the seat all the time, folding and unfolding. So I've abandoned using the cable-tie on the seat-post.

But I still use a cable tie on the front wheel to keep it safe.

I've also taken to cable-tieing all the pumps on all our bicycles into place. I have a penknife to free them if I need!

 

[Mussels]

After I wrote and posted that tip, I realised that I'm regularly using the quick-release on the seat all the time, folding and unfolding. So I've abandoned using the cable-tie on the seat-post.

But I still use a cable tie on the front wheel to keep it safe.

I've also taken to cable-tieing all the pumps on all our bicycles into place. I have a penknife to free them if I need!

Things I should have cable tied...

Pumps
Cheap watch on handlebars
Bell
Brake calipers !?!

I never leave the seat in place if it's parked in public though on my last bike I replaced the quick release catch with a nut & bolt.

 

[Ajax]

Still on sale.... now at £599

Cyclamatic Power Plus Electric e Bike: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

 

[tillson]

Still on sale.... now at £599

Cyclamatic Power Plus Electric e Bike: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Also £599 at The Sports HQ, but 10% off via Top Cashback = £540. It has been a lot cheaper than this when The Sports HQ have had a sale on.

 

[smudger1956]

Also £599 at The Sports HQ, but 10% off via Top Cashback = £540. It has been a lot cheaper than this when The Sports HQ have had a sale on.

Yes, brought mine at £399, then the price went up to £499,now £599.!!

 

[Edvin]

A pile of rubish.. it is not possible to find the bottom bracket for this bike as it looks like it's ancient. was hoping maybe someone here has any ideas? I found a bit weird that all the parts are mentioned except bottom bracket and I have been looking for this information for a week now;///

 

[Deleted member 4366]

It uses a standard BB. You can buy a cartridge one as a replacement that you can get from Halfords for £10.

 

[Edvin]

thanks! Do you know the name/number/code of this cartridge by any chance?

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You take your BB out and measure the length end to end. that's the only thing you need. The replacement doesn't even need to be exactly the same length. Slightly longer will work, and if you look at yours while everything is assembled, you can see whether there are any gaps inside the cranks, which will allow a shorter one.