Is This A Flecc Creation?

[flecc]

Fit the eZee NiMh battery innards, there's probably room.

Or there's alway my current experimental project.
.

 

[hobo1]

As you say David Marin produce a full range, likewise with Giant and the other major manufactuters and these bikes are stocked by good bike shops.

The problem seems to be many people don't buy bikes from bike shops, preferring instead to visit the cloned sports shops and supermarkets which are springing up on identical looking retail parks all over the country and who's sole aim is to give the customer what they think they want. Such shops are full of cool looking but often impractical bikes because thats what the customers want and the staff are not knowledgeable enough, or not allowed to tell them otherwise. I was recently browsing a new outdoor leisure store in Loughborough, there were a number of bikes on display but all were fat tyred mtb types or BMX's, not a city bike, roadster or even a road racing bike to be seen anywhere.

Hi Ian.

I agree totally with all you say. I am in the very lucky possition of having many top class bike shops in my area, owned and staffed with pro cyclists. Though I doubt that I will be purchasing a new bike from them again now that the electric bike bug has bitten. (Thats even when my knees get back to 100% again: I hope!) The trouble is if you mention electric bikes to them they look the other way. That is bar one who sells Giant electric bikes, but they don't keep them on the premises; order only.

Cheers David

 

[flecc]

The problem seems to be many people don't buy bikes from bike shops, preferring instead to visit the cloned sports shops and supermarkets which are springing up on identical looking retail parks all over the country and who's sole aim is to give the customer what they think they want. Such shops are full of cool looking but often impractical bikes because thats what the customers want and the staff are not knowledgeable enough, or not allowed to tell them otherwise. I was recently browsing a new outdoor leisure store in Loughborough, there were a number of bikes on display but all were fat tyred mtb types or BMX's, not a city bike, roadster or even a road racing bike to be seen anywhere.

And given these circumstances, it's difficult to blame the e-bike manufacturers for following the trend. It's difficult enough for them to popularise these power assist bikes, without introducing another need to convince.

Such sympathy is not much consolation to those deprived of choice though.
.

 

[Ian]

I am in the very lucky possition of having many top class bike shops in my area, owned and staffed with pro cyclists.

There is a very good bike shop in Leicester (Just the one mind) staffed by pros, though it's a bit out of the way and generally only frequented by enthusiasts. The prices are a bit high and tend to put a lot of people off, who then go to Tesco to buy an MTB. They are Marin and Giant Dealers but not sure about the Giant electrics, I don't think they'd approve somehow

 

[coops]

Apologies for the "parallel thread" going on here Ian better to finish it here though now...

Fit the eZee NiMh battery innards, there's probably room.

I was a bit (incorrectly) put-off this from your discourse with
Frank, who seems to have got there way ahead of me when it was said

Taking it all into account, I think I could get 90% of what I wanted if I could get either:
1. Ezee bike with the wheels swapped over (like the T-R)
2. An NiMH for a Wisper

I don't know on that Frank, an NiMh would be a tall order and it might be difficult to fit the 30 cells into their case. You could probably do it yourself within the standard case as a one off custom job.

Re-reading it now (and with more awareness of the possibility of battery case modifications as for the T-r, if necessary) I see it probably could be done, and it should be an easier (& cheaper) task to modify a battery & charger than to change a motor, brakes & probably controller too, shouldn't it? Wisper has disc brake though too, doesn't it?

Or there's alway my current experimental project.

Hehehe! The last smiley there is me! I'm still clueless, though seen plenty of what may be red herrings, I think - like the W-bike & niagara fallsdown your local hill! That, and your comment on "pulse-charging" batteries in reply to Wayne's tunecharger post, aswell as a comment somewhere that extra cells wouldn't fit in a Twist battery case... I was starting to think it was either a water bike, hydro-charger or some kind of battery mod, but I'm probably completely wrong! .

Stuart.

 

[flecc]

Disc front brake on the Wisper 905e, V brake rear, but might be different on the se version.

No red herrings, and not long to wait now!
.

 

[coops]

No red herrings, and not long to wait now!

Hmmmmm..... all to be revealed soon then, eh?....we'll see then....

There is a very good bike shop in Leicester (Just the one mind) staffed by pros, though it's a bit out of the way and generally only frequented by enthusiasts. The prices are a bit high and tend to put a lot of people off, who then go to Tesco to buy an MTB.

The problem seems to be many people don't buy bikes from bike shops, preferring instead to visit the cloned sports shops and supermarkets which are springing up on identical looking retail parks all over the country and who's sole aim is to give the customer what they think they want...

...and at a price they like, as you say I've been thinking to start a thread on realistic prices for quality bikes/ebikes, or what you can expect to get for your money, either new or used, to get some concrete information & opinions in black & white from forum members who have experience & know the costs, since this is a major consideration for many would-be ebikers and hasn't been covered here in much detail... though I've read some accounts here of "economy" buys, with widely varying levels of contentment from the owners!

I think how much you're willing to pay for the "bike" part is a starting point, and then how much more for the motor components & battery too .

 

[Ian]

I've been thinking to start a thread on realistic prices for quality bikes/ebikes, or what you can expect to get for your money, either new or used, to get some concrete information & opinions in black & white from forum members who have experience & know the costs, since this is a major consideration for many would-be ebikers and hasn't been covered here in much detail... though I've read some accounts here of "economy" buys, with widely varying levels of contentment from the owners!

I think the £70 supermarket bikes have set some peoples expectations on price unrealistically low. The people that designed the cycle to work scheme obviously didn't think budget bikes were up regular commuting when they set the ceiling at £1000.

 

[flecc]

I think the £70 supermarket bikes have set some peoples expectations on price unrealistically low. The people that designed the cycle to work scheme obviously didn't think budget bikes were up regular commuting when they set the ceiling at £1000.

To me that £1000 is not much above the start point for a really good unpowered bike.
.

 

[JohnInStockie]

I think the £70 supermarket bikes have set some peoples expectations on price unrealistically low.

I know, when I mention I spent £1000 for my bike, people look at me like Ive grown 2 heads!!!

The people that designed the cycle to work scheme obviously didn't think budget bikes were up regular commuting when they set the ceiling at £1000.

Not completely accurate as I understand it, the ceiling is £1000 without a Consumer Credit License, then it can be whatever you wish. Isnt that correct?

John

 

[Ian]

I have a friend who would consider a £1000 pedal cycle to be a budget bike, mind you the lowliest material he'll consider for a frame is titanium.

John, the £1000 is just an illustrative figure I've seen mentioned, I don't know about the finer details of the the scheme.