EV4 Electric bikes.

[Homebrewed]

Been looking at the EV4 range of e bikes. Particularly the Bike and Semi- Recumbant as they are the only ones to conform to uk law for roaduse.
Made in Poland by an aircraft company, they appear to be well made if not a little quirky.
Does anyone here have experience of the bikes or actually ridden one. Seems they are only available to order direct from EV4.
I have emailed the company for prices etc, but thought it worth asking on here for comments.

 

[flecc]

Here's a link to the above.
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[BornAgainCyclist]

The amount of brand name dropping in marketing material plus it having something to do with aircraft is shouting out expensive. What has drawn you to them? The electric rollerblades concept looks 'exciting' - http://www.ev4.pl/en/electric-rollerblades.html

 

[oyster]

Been looking at the EV4 range of e bikes. Particularly the Bike and Semi- Recumbant as they are the only ones to conform to uk law for roaduse.
Made in Poland by an aircraft company, they appear to be well made if not a little quirky.
Does anyone here have experience of the bikes or actually ridden one. Seems they are only available to order direct from EV4.
I have emailed the company for prices etc, but thought it worth asking on here for comments.

Looks interesting in many ways. But some parts also have a certain "I made this out of Meccano" look.

 

[Homebrewed]

I have a balance problem ( old age 65 ) that comes ang goes and also a spinal problem ( from age ten ). I already have two e-bikes, one a full susp mountain bike and the other a trike with no suspension.
Riding the mtb is fine most of the time but if I get a balance problem while out on it can be a real problem.
Riding the trike is no problem in respect of balance, but it has no suspension so is very uncomfortable on my back/neck, and obviously being a trike wants to fall over on corners.
I see the EV4 as a combination of the best of both current bikes, Has good suspension, and should be a lot safer on the corners.
My balance probleem is not serious but it just makes me feel a bit unstable on two wheels so I think the tilting trike should help.
I know it looks like some parts came out of the Meccano box but I don't care what something looks like if it does the job, anyway I quite like the quirky look.
I have read somewhere that the bikes are around 2000 euros and the quads around 4000 euros which doesn't seem too bad to me. I am waiting for a reply from EV4 with prices.

 

[oyster]

I know it looks like some parts came out of the Meccano box but I don't care what something looks like if it does the job, anyway I quite like the quirky look.

My comment was more of an observation than a criticism - in reality it might actually look quite good.

Looking forward to you posting more information. It could be of interest to me, depending on the answers.

 

[BornAgainCyclist]

One thing I did notice above the brand names was the claim of comfort. I cannot see that seat being comfy for someone without back problems let alone someone who would need extra support. I would seriously suggest trying one out on non airfield tarmac pre buying. Are they going to any UK trade fairs which will have UK standard car parks with potholes and bumps?

 

[Benjahmin]

Have you thought of a tapole trike?
http://www.laidbackcycles.com/recumbent-types-tadpole-delta-trikes/

 

[Homebrewed]

I have to agree the seat on the semi-recumbent does not look as if it would be any good for me.
I would be petrified to ride a full recumbent in my area, even riding a normal bike car drivers pretend I don't exist, ignore hand signals and cut me up despite hi-viz and a flag.
Being that low I think they would just run over me.

 

[anotherkiwi]

I have to agree the seat on the semi-recumbent does not look as if it would be any good for me.
I would be petrified to ride a full recumbent in my area, even riding a normal bike car drivers pretend I don't exist, ignore hand signals and cut me up despite hi-viz and a flag.
Being that low I think they would just run over me.

I find they leave me a lot more space - probably because they think I have a handicap of some sort. English roads are probably not fit for purpose when it comes to cycling they are so narrow compared to the ones here. Most roads have a hard shoulder plenty wide enough for a trike, the narrow Basque Country back roads are very popular with roadies for training so cars are more careful there. Where a full recumbent is dangerous is in town - you are totally invisible to traffic in front of you. Flag or no flag!

The other day I crossed a Lotus Elise, he was as low as I was and didn't have a stupid orange flag despite being just as invisible to the cars in front of him...

 

[oyster]

I would be petrified to ride a full recumbent in my area, even riding a normal bike car drivers pretend I don't exist, ignore hand signals and cut me up despite hi-viz and a flag.

In another part of the UK, I used regularly to see two recumbents. Both ridden by skilled and strong riders at speed. One of them had done a spectacularly good job of adding lighting - mostly orange and greeny - which made it visible at several thousand paces. Side-on, in the dark, it was more noticeable than almost any other vehicle.

 

[Homebrewed]

I have been to Goa a few times and drivers of all vehicles seem to think it is their duty to pass the one in front of them despite it possibly going faster than they are and with no regard to what is approaching from the other direction, as long as they have sounded their horn they will go for it.
But riding a bicycle there is a different story, all drivers will give you plenty of room and never try and overtake if it means coming too close to you, I never felt unsafe there when riding or walking.

Had reply from EV4. Prices of the Bike are 2036 euro or £1800 and the semi recumbent is 2395 euro or £2124 both plus vat. Shipping is approx 200 euro and they are sent fully assembled in a crate.
These prices are discounted from normal because they don't have a distributor in the UK at present but will go to 2715 euro and 3195 euro plus vat when they do.

 

[flecc]

Had reply from EV4. Prices of the Bike are 2036 euro or £1800 and the semi recumbent is 2395 euro or £2124 both plus vat. Shipping is approx 200 euro and they are sent fully assembled in a crate.
These prices are discounted from normal because they don't have a distributor in the UK at present but will go to 2715 euro and 3195 euro plus vat when they do.

Those current prices are a bargain for what is on offer.
.

 

[Homebrewed]

Deposit paid on a EV4 Bike. Now a few weeks to wait while it is built to order.

 

[Gubbins]

I would say that on the road you should be a bit safer than on a normal bike if only because of its unusual uniqueness of it. Bit of a head turner/traffic stopper..

 

[Homebrewed]

Bright GREEN too . No excuses for not seeing it.

 

[flecc]

Bright GREEN too . No excuses for not seeing it.

No colour blindness test in the Driving Test though!
.

 

[oyster]

Deposit paid on a EV4 Bike. Now a few weeks to wait while it is built to order.

I am very interested in this.

Shame you are so far way!

[Seriously, however much I'd like to see it, there is no earthly reason anyone should ever feel that they should make them and their bike available to random strangers on the internet.]

 

[oyster]

No colour blindness test in the Driving Test though!
.

With the advent of LED traffic lights, I wish they had gone further and made them different shapes as well as colours. For example, red octagon, orange vertical bar, green circle. And wherever there is any form of turn, use an arrow shape. No - I haven't thought it through fully, but some sort of grammar of lights which is consistent, universally applicable, and simple.

 

[johnekaes]

I'm in the U.S. and early in 2018 I ordered a bike from Jacek Skopinski and Aero-Servuces in Poland, The bike was to be a 48volt model with matching green air pump and lock. When it arrived I noticed that the motor and controller both said 36 volts and the lock and pump were pink and red. I contacted Mr. Skopinski by email and he said the labels were wrong and that they were 48 volt units. I then noticed the charger also said 36 volts. He then said that he would have to shiip me a new battery and charger for 48 volts. I contacted the manufacturer of the control unit and motor. It seems that they are made for 48 volts also but they have to move a jumper on the inside of the units-that's why they were labled the way they were. I paid extra for the 48v unit and also sent additional money for the fenders that he said he was making in the fall. He's not making the fenders. So the overpayment for the 48v motor and money for the fenders comes to $678. He refuses to give it back and made me an "offer" of $200. Not only did he ship to me something that I did not order but he refiused to pay the shipping back as I paid the shipping to me ($1400). He constanly lied in his emails to me. The bike stopped working after 3 hours of use and he gives no support, no parts list, no wiring diagram or anything else that would help me fix it. Jacek Skopinski is a not trustworthy. I'm likely to file in court to fix this. Beware of Aero-Service and Jacek Skopinski. As for the bike, it is harder to steer than a regular bike and feels top heavy when it leans over. I'm going to manufacture a fix for this and will update this in the future.