Lightweight bikes needed..

[katy dee]

Hi there, I know my questions will be pretty much the same as "how long is a piece of string?" but given that the posters on these threads are so knowledgeable, I thought I'd give it a try...
My husband and I are looking for a couple of lightweight e-bikes that we can carry on the back of our motorhome. The weight is a definite consideration.
We'd originally seen the gtech (website and marketing only) and were impressed by its weight and also its simplicity.
We are both early 50's and he is fit and I am less so - but nether of us overweight for frame.
I really want something that is easy to charge, that makes it easy to cycle on a hill and am fine pedalling as if on the "flat" so don't necessarily mind having to pedal.
I have read lots of threads here but am so confused now about what would or wouldn't be best.
I literally want a get out and get on it bike for a bit of sight seeing and maybe take us to the nearest supermarket when the M/Home is parked up.
Today I also came across the aero-bike which seems a lot cheaper than the gtech.
Give our requirements above, would either of these suit? Our budget is £1000 per bike and we cannot stretch to more.
Your thoughts would be really helpful.

 

[Jimod]

My husband and I are looking for a couple of lightweight e-bikes that we can carry on the back of our motorhome. The weight is a definite consideration.
l.

You'd be best to try a few and see if they suit. How much weight can your motorhome take on its cycle rack?
Kudos do a bike called 'Stealth' it weighs 19.2kg including the battery. If you took the battery off and put it inside the van, the bike would probably weigh 17kg
Could your motorhome carry 2 of those? They're less than £1000 each.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

If you come on an electric bike forum, you'll find all the enthusiasts arguing about the finer points and technicalities or trying to convince people why their bike is best.

There's hundreds of bikes to choose from. They all work and most people are pleased whichever one they buy.

I would have thought that you could get a pair of just about all but the heaviest ebikes on a towbar rack on the back of a motorhome. You can always save a bit of weight bu taking the batteries off, though it might be a good idea to protect the bare connections from rain and spray.

Think about a folding bike, which can be carried inside the motorhome. The ones with 20" wheels can normally climb hills a bit better than the 26" wheeled ones.

 

[trex]

if you are looking for a lightweight bike that is easy to pedal unassisted and long range, I recommend you check out the specs of the woosh Karoo.13AH or 15AH battery, 8-speed, GXP crankset, 700C wheels.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?karoo

for rugged terrain, the lightweight woosh Sport. It has Bafang SWX02 motor, 18A controller, 8-speed, 13AH or 15AH battery. £869.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?sport

 

[oldtom]

Our budget is £1000 per bike and we cannot stretch to more.

Presuming that you already have a cycle rack fitted through the rear bodywork of your truck, the manufacturer, Fiamma or whoever, will have provided a maximum limit per channel and a total overall weight for the rack. It is not smart to overload such a rack. However, Fiamma began producing alternative channels about three years ago specifically for Ebikes.

Those channels can support bikes up to 20 kg, rather than the standard 15kg per channel. I bought a pair and was the able to attach two Ebikes, one of just over 20kgs, the other about 16kgs, both with batteries removed. The SWL of my Fiamma rack was 65kgs.

The alternative is a towbar-mounted cycle carrier as 'd8veh' referred to. If you have one of those already, the weight becomes irrelevant but I'm conscious of your maximum budget and if you have to have a towbar fitted and buy a good quality cycle carrier, that would impinge on your bike-buying budget.

The weight factor only becomes an issue if you need to lift heavy bikes up and on to a raised carrier but 20 kgs shouldn't be too difficult for reasonably fit people. As an aside, I have a new estate car on order and could fit bikes on the roof. Rather than do that, I have ordered a towbar with electrics and I shall purchase an Ebike-specific cycle carrier for that. It make life so much easier and probably safer.

Tom

 

[trex]

the £999 woosh Krieger is the only CD bike that fits the OP's budget and climbs like a goat. A bit heavier than the Sport though.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?krieger

 

[Danidl]

Hi there, I know my questions will be pretty much the same as "how long is a piece of string?" but given that the posters on these threads are so knowledgeable, I thought I'd give it a try...
My husband and I are looking for a couple of lightweight e-bikes that we can carry on the back of our motorhome. The weight is a definite consideration.
We'd originally seen the gtech (website and marketing only) and were impressed by its weight and also its simplicity.
We are both early 50's and he is fit and I am less so - but nether of us overweight for frame.
I really want something that is easy to charge, that makes it easy to cycle on a hill and am fine pedalling as if on the "flat" so don't necessarily mind having to pedal.
I have read lots of threads here but am so confused now about what would or wouldn't be best.
I literally want a get out and get on it bike for a bit of sight seeing and maybe take us to the nearest supermarket when the M/Home is parked up.
Today I also came across the aero-bike which seems a lot cheaper than the gtech.
Give our requirements above, would either of these suit? Our budget is £1000 per bike and we cannot stretch to more.
Your thoughts would be really helpful.

Hi all the advice you have got so far is sound. What type of bike you get really depends on what you want to do. If your interest is just pottering into town from a campsite 2 miles out then anything will do and the small wheeled foldable s are perfect Many of the large supermarkets have such folders from 500 upwards. . If you want to go off road then you need MTB types , . I f you want to do touring on hilly areas then you will need gears. if you want road touring then anoth shape is more suitable.
Where would you intend carrying the bikes inside or outside on a rear carrier ? If one is already fitted then use it otherwise it becomes an expensive accessory. If the bikes are going outside the batteries must be taken off and carried inside. They are typically 30% of the bike cost and the catches holding them to the frame are not designed for the forces of highway speeds. Think of the potential damage of two bricks each 2kgs flying at 60 mph.
If the bikes are to be carried internally you need to make provision for securing them ... Hit a bump or brake suddenly and they will damage the nice veneers in the cabin. Foldables are the only realistic option for internal carriage. The doors on campervans are rather narrow.

So it really is as you say as long as a piece of string. There is one certainty irrespective of the selection you make, ebikes are more fun than ordinary bikes

 

[trex]

their budget is a big constraint.

 

[Croxden]

So it really is as you say how long is a piece of string.

Twice the distance from the centre to either end.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Twice the distance from the centre to either end.

According to the MENSA book, it's somewhere between 2 cm and 2 miles.

 

[Izzyekerslike]

According to the MENSA book, it's somewhere between 2 cm and 2 miles.

If it stops being string after 2 miles then what does it become ? Heavy is not an acceptable answer.

 

[trex]

a superstring.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

If it stops being string after 2 miles then what does it become ? Heavy is not an acceptable answer.

It doesn't stop being string, but it stops being a piece of string. Instead, it becomes a roll, a drum, a ball of string or something like that.

 

[JuicyBike]

It generally becomes a tangle...

 

[Kudoscycles]

Our Kudos Secret e-bike is often purchased by a couple for use on a motor home.
KudosDave

 

[flecc]

If it stops being string after 2 miles then what does it become ?

String theory.
.