Thanks for sharing. What's the torque like?
The rear wheel on the brompton is small enough so you can actually get the bike rolling without pedaling. But it's not enough torque (could be traction) to start quickly. So I find myself shifting to lower gear at traffic stop, so I can get start with my own power and get it going quicker.
That said, the motor is completely fine getting me up to speed, it just starts off a bit slow. As the rolling reistance gets lower, it picks up speed very quickly.
Have you tried the roller for wet conditions?
went through a couple of puddles, but not in the rain yet. Can't comment on this.
Not enough time on the bike yet.
The noise is there. Much quiter than I expected. Outdoor, it's drown out by the wind noice quickly.
Has the throttle got a spring return?
No it does not have return spring. In fact you really have to learn how to use it. When you are about to pull a full stop, you MUST remember to turn the throttle off. It's a safty factor I think. I noted this and suggested they should add a sensor at the brake level to cut off the power when the brake is pulled in. The motor will jerk and rattle when the tire is not moving. I've not dared to try test the limit of that by holding the wheel shut and run the motor.
Does it negate the use of all six gears?
I have a 6 speed reduced gear. I don't really use the hub gears (3) any more. Just toggling the other lever from high to low at stops is enough. Once the bike is at speed, the other gears are not really useful. I live in a really flat area, I only had to 'climb' a bridge over pass. Does not feel like the motor was struggling at all, partly because I had lots of momentum... Can tell
If you use the bike for communting only, 3 gears is probably enough. But I need my bike for touring too, and I plan on using it without the motor as well.
