Folding electric bikes for the Tube?

[Monkeyfeatures]

Apologies if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find much with the search feature...

I've been toying with the idea of "going electric" for a while, but in particular I need to be able quickly fold up my bike to get it on the train, including London Underground.

I've been having a tough time trying to find a bike that will fold down small enough and fast enough to make it viable to take on a train commute whilst still giving a reasonable ride at the other end.

Does anyone have any models to suggest that would suit well here?

Thanks!

 

[eddieo]

Brompton...But I think e bikes are banned on the tube? so if battery in ruck sack probably better chance. but any bike in rush hour is surely going to be a major pain and hassle

 

[Monkeyfeatures]

Brompton...But I think e bikes are banned on the tube? so if battery in ruck sack probably better chance. but any bike in rush hour is surely going to be a major pain and hassle

Hmm, yes good point. I had not considered they might be treated differently from an unpowered bike.

Well, in theory I could cycle the tube leg anyway, so I would just need something that can fold up nicely (and quickly) for the overground trains...

Something else you reminded me of with the ruck sack thing- are there any decent ebikes that bag up and become more obviously "just luggage"? I've seen a few chinese models that do that but they don't look too great to ride.

Thanks again for the help

 

[EdBike]

I say go try one or three in a shop. Look out for how much it weighs unless you're Hercules!

 

[eddieo]

a bag is just more hassle, no getting away from the fact that any bike, even folded is a heavy awkward lump on a train....Again the best IMO being a Brompton. My 20inch Dahons fit in bags but are a lot bigger then a Brompton. I worked on the underground for years any they where a common sight

Brompton picture below:

 

[jerrysimon]

I've been having a tough time trying to find a bike that will fold down small enough and fast enough to make it viable to take on a train commute whilst still giving a reasonable ride at the other end.

Does anyone have any models to suggest that would suit well here?

My vote is a Brompton converted with a Nano/Tongxin

I have used mine on trains with no porblems. Battery and controller in the bag

You can either have a go at doing your own DIY conversion see this thread or check out EWC who will do it for you

To keep the weight down you should choose the right size battery to match your commuting distance (2.3Ahr 5-10 miles, 6Ahr 25-30 miles, 10Ahr 40+ miles) all of course dependant on terrain and the amount of assistance you require. Remember you can always charge at both ends if you get a couple of chargers.

PS the bike weighs just under 14kgs (managable but gets heavy if you go up more than a couple of flights of stairs) and the bag about 2-3kgs incl battery (2.3Ahr), more if you put your stuff in it. This way it splits weight between bike and bag when you carry it.

Regards

Jerry

 

[shemozzle999]

Or a Brompton Sparticle electric conversion (shown folded).
Currently still available for sale in the Classifieds section.

 

[Monkeyfeatures]

My vote is a Brompton converted with a Nano/Tongxin

I have used mine on trains with no porblems. Battery and controller in the bag

That post in particular is really helpful, thanks

Brompton + conversion seems a pretty expensive route. Is there a way to obtain a bike with conversion already done? Perhaps a reliable second hand route or a dealer that does the mod as part of the bike order at a discount?

 

[eddieo]

buy a used Brompton on gumtree or ebay

 

[jerrysimon]

Brompton + conversion seems a pretty expensive route. Is there a way to obtain a bike with conversion already done? Perhaps a reliable second hand route or a dealer that does the mod as part of the bike order at a discount?

The cheapest route is DIY as per my link. Its quite a challenge though great fun

EWC sell a new bike and conversion I think, or will do the conversion for you on a bike you purchase.

Contact them and have chat.

Regards

Jerry

 

[Monkeyfeatures]

Well, I've looked at a few videos and pictures linked around this forum and youtube and the Brompton Nano definitely looks like the most useful for a train commuter.

The EWC bike at http://www.electricwheel.co.uk/products/electric-bikes/nano-brompton-m3l.html seems just what I need although it is a little pricey. I guess you get what you pay for though.

My biggest concern about spending that much money on a bike is not really the initial expense - I don't own a car, and this is still a fraction of that cost - but the cost of replacing it when it gets stolen!

Do people have any good tips about securing the bike if you need to park on the street to go shopping etc. and taking it indoors with you is not an option?
Can you get decent insurance cover on these things?

p.s. in response to eddieo, my reason for wanting a bag is more to "disguise" the bike than making it easier to carry... if it looks like luggage then I expect there would be less problems getting it on trains or perhaps dragging it into shops if there's nowhere safe to chain up...