London cyclist tempted to join the fold - Gocycle GS?

[Funinhounslow]

Hi. I have been regularly cycling in London for 20 years for commuting and general errands. I've always been happy with my CX but have recently been intrigued by electric bikes, purely for that much needed boost at lights and junctions - especially now autumn is round the corner...


I see that the Gocycle GS had just launched and is £300 off if ordered in October...


https://gocycle.com/models/gocycle-gs/


At the current price if it's a tempting proposition as it is comparable to the electric Brompton, and I think worth the extra over something like this


https://wisperbikes.com/e-bikes/806-torque-folding-bike/


Lack of maintenance, ability to fold for occasional trips in the car and the space age looks and technology are what are drawing this to me. It would make the perfect companion to my aging CX I think.


I was wondering if any owners of Gocycles would like to share their experiences? It seems to have been marketed to boat and caravan owners, and I was wondering if this was its natural habitat rather than doing the daily grind through a London winter?

 

[flecc]

It doesn't really fold of course, only comes apart into sections so doesn't suit as a commuting folder, hence less London appeal.

A style machine and not my type of bike, I prefer more practicality, proper carrier, mudguards etc, but they do seem to have refined it well. D8veh in this forum has rated it very highly and he has very wide experience of all kinds of e-bikes.

Security might be a problem with such an attractive machine used for commuting, would you have a secure location for it at work end?
.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I don't own one, but I have ridden both the mk2 and mk3. They're very good bikes - very light, surprisingly powerful and pretty fast when derestricted.

 

[mike killay]

Watch the payload, not suitable for larger riders (Me!)

 

[Funinhounslow]

Thanks - security at work isn't an issue and I would only be breaking it down for the very occasionsl trip out of town.

In all honesty I don't "need" one but I've always found them intriguing as a bike designed from a clean slate. Everything just seems so well thought out - those wheels for example...

I would never have paid £3.5 for a G3 but the current price for the GS is much more appealing - if at the limit of affordability for me. The discount is only for online orders and I wouldn't test one in a shop only to buy it online.

So basically that's why I'm looking for reassurance that I could use this as a winter commuter. Grinding up and down the A4 in the wind and rain is a far cry from popping from the campsite to the cafe...

 

[topographer]

With all accessories it's £2995. They take the BMW approach to pricing.

 

[mike killay]

The problem with nice looking things is that often they are just that.
I do a lot of traditional dinghy sailing, and when the wind and waves get up and the old boat begins bouncing about, your only concern is just how seaworthy it is not how nice it looks.
It is the same with an ebike, you only want to commute, not go MTB riding etc. so you do not need a high spec bike.
Think of a late, dark November evening going home, it is raining and miserable.
No-one else will even notice how nice your bike looks and you will be thinking that you could be riding a full sized bike at a third of the cost.

 

[flecc]

No-one else will even notice how nice your bike looks and you will be thinking that you could be riding a full sized bike at a third of the cost.

That's a good point. Funinhounslow could have the 806 folder he mentioned for his trips with the car and a full size good weather protected e-bike for the commute, both for the same amount or less. It's a solution I'd prefer.
.

 

[Funinhounslow]

Think of a late, dark November evening going home, it is raining and miserable.
No-one else will even notice how nice your bike looks and you will be thinking that you could be riding a full sized bike at a third of the cost.

That's a good point. Funinhounslow could have the 806 folder he mentioned for his trips with the car and a full size good weather protected e-bike for the commute, both for the same amount or less. It's a solution I'd prefer.
.

In what way is the Gocycle not "full sized"? It has the same wheelbase and geometry as a regular bike (with the advantages of smaller wheels and a step through frame).

 

[Wave]

I have bought a G3 recently (with a nice discount).

Considering it's weight (6k less than average ebike), automatic gears, portability, ride & dynamics, app integration, range etc. is not a bad value proposition at all.

Many ebikes in the 3k price range do not offer many of these advantages.

The GS, while missing a few things, is a competitive price for a great ebike.



Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I wonder if the people commenting on the Gocycle have ever ridden one. I would guess not. Apart from it's other superlative attributes, the G3 is the only bike with automatic gears that actually work. If I could afford one, I'd have one. The GS is tempting, but I have too many other electric bikes at the moment.

 

[flecc]

In what way is the Gocycle not "full sized"? It has the same wheelbase and geometry as a regular bike (with the advantages of smaller wheels and a step through frame).

Mainly the wheels. Most of my riding over the last decade has been on my 20" wheel bike with similar attributes, low step over but long wheelbase, but I don't see 20" wheels as having advantages. Like most cyclists I prefer the riding attributes of larger wheels overall. The other GoCycle aspects that come with the design and don't suit me are lack of a large and robust enough carrier and unstayed mudguards when those are fitted.

Each to his own though, if you find 20" wheels preferable and the package adequate, that's fine by me.
.

 

[mike killay]

Sorry to have been negative, but when people ask about a new bike, it seems only right to point out the downsides because throughout life I have been frequently disappointed by pretty faces! (make what you will of that)
Undoubtedly the Gocycle is a good bike that will suit many people, but as Flecc points out, the lack of a strong carrier and properly fitted mudguards can be negative points in certain circumstances.
I have to say that I am beginning to enjoy my 20 inch wheeled Whoosh folder, but still prefer the riding experience of my 26 inch wheeled Tonaro.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Sorry to have been negative, but when people ask about a new bike, it seems only right to point out the downsides because throughout life I have been frequently disappointed by pretty faces! (make what you will of that)
Undoubtedly the Gocycle is a good bike that will suit many people, but as Flecc points out, the lack of a strong carrier and properly fitted mudguards can be negative points in certain circumstances.
I have to say that I am beginning to enjoy my 20 inch wheeled Whoosh folder, but still prefer the riding experience of my 26 inch wheeled Tonaro.

The trouble is when people pass opinions based on nothing other than a picture, it can be very misleading. I have no connection with Gocycle other than I've ridden them a few times. I like to promote them because they're a very nice bike in many aspects. They do indeed have a rack now and I can't see any problem with un-stayed mudguards, as I have them on 26" bike that work perfectly. Like the rest of the bike, the mudguards for the Gocycle are exquisitely designed to work with the bike.

 

[Woosh]

The trouble is when people pass opinions based on nothing other than a picture, it can be very misleading.

the best way to judge a bike is how long it can be ridden without any service whatsoever. That was not my idea, I haste to add. One customer came to the shop some months ago with his bike covered in about 3mm of thick London's black dust. I asked when did you maintain your bike last time. He said that he did not expect to look after his bike while it's still under guarantee. I can't say that he has a point but he does point to the way bikes should be judged.
Last week, we serviced a Zephyr B that did 2,500 miles without service. I think the record was one Sirocco CDL that did just under 4,000 miles.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

the best way to judge a bike is how long it can be ridden without any service whatsoever. That was not my idea, I haste to add. One customer came to the shop some months ago with his bike covered in about 3mm of thick London's black dust. I asked when did you maintain your bike last time. He said that he did not expect to look after his bike while it's still under guarantee. I can't say that he has a point but he does point to the way bikes should be judged.
Last week, we serviced a Zephyr B that did 2,500 miles without service. I think the record was one Sirocco CDL that did just under 4,000 miles.

That's a big advantage for the Gocycle, as everything is enclosed - suspension, drive train, electrics and hydraulic brakes - so nowhere to get any muck except on the outside of the frame. It's a very well thought out bike.

 

[Woosh]

That's a big advantage for the Gocycle, as everything is enclosed - suspension, drive train, electrics and hydraulic brakes - so nowhere to get any muck except on the outside of the frame. It's a very well thought out bike.

I agree, however, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Without the experience of people who ride several thousands miles a year, we don't know how good the product is.

 

[Funinhounslow]

[snip]
Like the rest of the bike, the mudguards for the Gocycle are exquisitely designed to work with the bike.

The example of mudguards is a good one. Considering the grief I've had getting mudguards to fit (and stay!) on my cyclocross, watching how to fit mudguards to the Gocycle was so simple - it all snaps together like Lego.

The feedback from those who have actually ridden the G3 is overwhelmingly positive - in fact I have struggled to find any negative comments anywhere (apart from carping about the electronic limit).

I will sleep on it for a bit, but I think this is too good an opportunity to miss.

Thanks for your help all

 

[MikelBikel]

Take a Zephyr B frame, fit a Bafang BBS02, 20in wheels with Wide rims, Fat tyres, Full mudguards, 'Scooter' type double seat/rack sits on double shocks direct off back wheel, 8sp Shimano Alfine disc hub in rear, a Hebie Chainglider (if full chaincase not possible) and re-cell the battery with 3.5Ah cells (how many cells possible in that frame?).
How's about that for a cool, economical and true, if not the lightest, folder? ... I'll get me coat!

 

[topographer]

Last week, we serviced a Zephyr B that did 2,500 miles without service

What were the main problems it had? I assume the older model at that mileage. Was the folding mechanism and latch OK?