Hi all, I've been lurking on these boards for a while. I am fussy, so I think I will have to go down the kit route, I don't have the skills though to build one. I want it to commute and go off-road sometimes. I like American cruiser style for comfort and style. Been a user of hybrid mountain bike for commuting for ever, fed up with them now.
Hello, Looking at getting my first e-bike.
- Thread starter Deadeye
- Start date
You don't mention price range; but for a complete bike at very reasonable price see https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?crusa. If you decide on a kit then Woosh are very good as well, and will give lots of advice in choosing one and support if you have any issues fitting. https://wooshbikes.co.uk/
I'm fussy too, kits are nowhere near as neat as a dedicated manufacturers bike IMO.
Good price, I like that the frame is alloy. Not quite the look though for me. I don't mind spending more, maybe around £1300 if it had a higher spec. Yes I like your quality and support from what I've read on here from Woosh.
I'm more particular with the bikes look and feel and quality of parts, I want my own personal bike, there's always a least one thing I don't like about dedicated built bikes, judging from my searches so far. Equally the quality of the kit, battery , motor etc is important. The final neatness is a bit less importance than the right bike , the right kit.
If you buy a complete kit from one source, then it is pretty much plug and play. cable routing is something that can be refined as you go. Using spiral wrap goes a long way to keeping things neat.
If fitting a hub motor then basic bike mechanic skills are all that's needed. If fitting a rear hub on a bike with 9 or 10 gears then wheel dishing can be an issue. However many on here have sorted it themselves and there's plenty of help to be had.
If fitting a crank drive then chain line can be an issue but, again, plenty of people have self sorted.
By going the kit route you end up with a bike you know and understand well. Maintenance becomes a left hand job and, should anything go wrong, the parts are generic and self replaceable.
Besides, I would imagine you've got the time at the moment and such a project would help aleviate elements of stir craziness.
If fitting a hub motor then basic bike mechanic skills are all that's needed. If fitting a rear hub on a bike with 9 or 10 gears then wheel dishing can be an issue. However many on here have sorted it themselves and there's plenty of help to be had.
If fitting a crank drive then chain line can be an issue but, again, plenty of people have self sorted.
By going the kit route you end up with a bike you know and understand well. Maintenance becomes a left hand job and, should anything go wrong, the parts are generic and self replaceable.
Besides, I would imagine you've got the time at the moment and such a project would help aleviate elements of stir craziness.
I had no bike maintenance skills and limited dexterity on my first build but need must as I did not have the funds to purchase off the shelf - now through the exercise provided by my biking I have increase movement and dexterity not mentioning a plethora of new skills and what better time to learn and watch youtube videos than now!
Well done, I have looked at a couple of video so far. What was your biggest error you wish you'd known before? I used to build my own PC's , looked not dissimilar.
Thanks for you advice. You give me confidence. I think I'd be going for rear hub from what I've read.If you buy a complete kit from one source, then it is pretty much plug and play. cable routing is something that can be refined as you go. Using spiral wrap goes a long way to keeping things neat.
If fitting a hub motor then basic bike mechanic skills are all that's needed. If fitting a rear hub on a bike with 9 or 10 gears then wheel dishing can be an issue. However many on here have sorted it themselves and there's plenty of help to be had.
If fitting a crank drive then chain line can be an issue but, again, plenty of people have self sorted.
By going the kit route you end up with a bike you know and understand well. Maintenance becomes a left hand job and, should anything go wrong, the parts are generic and self replaceable.
Besides, I would imagine you've got the time at the moment and such a project would help aleviate elements of stir craziness.
No extra time I here, I'm NHS staff.
I got my first Woosh delivered and tried out today. My previous bike , was cheaper, cumbersome, and recently developing increasing wear and tear issues. I am truly amazed by the difference. The Woosh is just so much nicer to ride, even with the power off, which on the previous one was not really an option.
We solute you NHS worker, my sister is also working for the NHS on the admin side... Biggest error... not budgeting for the little things such as ongoing maintenance, like mentioned, substandard bike parts wear easy and not following my gut instinct, I started with a front hub for ease of installation no gears to align, no freewheel to swap over (tricky without the right tools and leverage) and easier to align brakes and for the most part it was as researched (you can not do enough of that on build one). Then I went with a rear hub, but the weight was off for me being a heavy dude and it cracked the wheel after a 1000 miles, I should of trusted my gut and stuck with front however there was not the option I desired for the front so I over volted a 36v front hub and it's perfect now (for now).
biggest error ...
Touch wood our biggest error isn't too big. We bought an XF07 (***) for the tandem. 13aH battery, partly because we wanted to keep costs down as a tester in case decided this electric stuff wasn't for us. I wish we'd bought the 17aH battery. Less range anxiety, and I suspect (not sure) less voltage sag and more power on the steeper hills.
(***) Not an error. However, it would have been good to have had a punchier motor as Woosh warned us at the time, but nothing appropriate was available right then 700c wheels.
Touch wood our biggest error isn't too big. We bought an XF07 (***) for the tandem. 13aH battery, partly because we wanted to keep costs down as a tester in case decided this electric stuff wasn't for us. I wish we'd bought the 17aH battery. Less range anxiety, and I suspect (not sure) less voltage sag and more power on the steeper hills.
(***) Not an error. However, it would have been good to have had a punchier motor as Woosh warned us at the time, but nothing appropriate was available right then 700c wheels.
Ain't that the truth. I would have had a Crusa if it wasn't for that!Sadly it's real and effects us all
Interesting to know thanks. Actually I'm NHS Grounds and Gardens, we are still going into work as normal in case needed to redeploy for Covid19 , which happened already with a days portering last week to help them out, could become more frequent due to the worsening situation. Plus we do the outside bins and litter-picking every day anyway.
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