nearly my perfect bike.

[nigel]

Hi folks
came across this beauty on the web Flyer T8 Biketec it seems to me to be on the same lines as the giant twist. Specs are intresting 8 hub gears latest panasonic cranksaft drive through system. Lights that run from battery Weight 24 kilos. Battery weight 2.2kilos this on paper appears to me nearly to tick all boxes. Million dollar question does anyone own one of these bikes if so please could you shed some more light on this excellent product.NIGEL.

 

[Grandad]

nigel
Is this the one you mean,

I found it on Homepage des Magazins "aktiv radfahren"
http://212.227.38.137/web/aktiv-radfahren//images/storypictures/1790.jpg
It certainly does look promising. I am sure that a larger battery could be fitted in the space available. A modification looms!

You can get the page translated from German to English on AltaVista - Babel Fish Translation
by entering the web address
(Homepage des Magazins "aktiv radfahren") into the 'Translate a Web page' box.

 

[flecc]

There is an importer but I don't know of any sold so far. They apparently cost a bit over £1400 in this country for the base model. It's still a low power system like the Twist series, basically the same unit, so you won't get anything like the performance of your Torq Nigel. It's also pedelec only like the Twist.
.

 

[nigel]

nigel

Hi guys
grandad and flecc yes thats the one i was thinking it would be a good all round bike for hills local shopping i thought it would make a good replacement for my stolen giant twist maybe at a later date it seems to tick most boxes as a good all rounder.nigel.

 

[Leonardo]

Hi Nigel, I know a bit this bicycle: I think it is one of the best pedelec available in Europe and a very good replacement for the Lafree Twist. It is quite a similar technology as flecc says, but may be slightly better that the Twist both as a bicycle and in the assistance.

There are three generations of “Flyer” with Panasonic motor: the first one (for instance the C5) is discontinued and was very similar to the Twist. The second one has an improved motor (called “Plus”), and the third one (“Premium”) is the last generation, with a bit stronger uphill assistance. The Plus motor uses a 7.2ah Lithium battery and Premium one has now a 10ah Lithium battery.

There are now three series. The versions inside the same series differ usually for brakes and gears. Series are:

C (= Comfort), with a 26” wheel as the old Twist, available both with the “Plus” (C3 and C6) and the “Premium” motor (C8) and two frames (LDS and Cruiser).

T (= Trekking), with a 28” wheel and the “Premium” motor (in two frames and three versions).

And recently the S (= Sport), a MTB style 26 wheel with the “Premium” motor and “high speed” capability, since it is possible to have it with the assistance working till 35 km/h (in three versions).

There is also a very good little folding bike with the Plus motor (Faltrad) and a Tandem.

They are very expensive bicycles, starting in my country from more than 2000 euros for the entry level C3 plus (which I think would be the perfect substitute for a Lafree) and ending at more than 3500 euros for the best S version. Their Lithium batteries are very expensive as well and their particular engineering excludes recelling, as far as I can understand.

Here you can download the catalogue in German and we speak quite a lot of those bicycles in our Italian pedelec forum.

Flyer produces also an older "F" series, with different motor and overall characteristics.

 

[nigel]

Nigel

many thanx leonardo
for a detailed report it would be good if they had a dealership somewhere in the uk i think this bike would sell quite well in the uk as to me its a good all rounder yes it would be slow but would be good on hills very much like the giant twist lite NIGEL

 

[flecc]

UK agents are Vita Electric Ltd in London Nigel, scroll down the home page to see the Flyer models. They won't have them in stock though. They are also the agents for Swizzbee, so a good place to go if you've money to burn.

For half the price you can buy the eZee Quando. That's terrific on hills and much faster on them as well. It's also a better shopper due to it's 25 kg low carrier keeping the weight low.
.

 

[nigel]

Nigel

many thanx
flecc and yes your last point well made i dont its so good to see another drive through crank again i thought after the twist that would be it finnished buts its good to know there still out there.NIGEL.

 

[nigel]

Nigel

BY FLECC
For half the price you can buy the eZee Quando. That's terrific on hills and much faster on them as well. It's also a better shopper due to it's 25 kg low carrier keeping the weight low
The quando does seem a good bike but for me i want gears i would want to be able to ride any electric bike on flat roads with power of to aid fitness also i prefer hub gears which would mean on the quando motor in front wheel and hub gears in back wheel for me that would be better also i dont want any electric bike over 25 kilos yes i can hear everyone saying dream on

 

[flecc]

Yes there's no gears on the Quando, it's capable enough to do the job on it's own. The Quando II which I meant is well under 25 kilos by the way, the weight shown on the 50cycles site is for the Quando I with the heavier NiMh battery, it hasn't been updated since the change to Li-ion, and the model one's suspension adds weight.

I agree it would be nice to have a proper Twist replacement, but that Flyer model at over £1400 is the basic one, and to get the real benefits of that range it's necessary to spend £2000 or more. I think that's a step too far for an e-bike. Then with that complex Panasonic unit, there will inevitably be failures with time as there are now with the Twist. It's bad enough having to pay £450 for a replacement unit on that, but just think what the Flyer people may charge for the unit on their models. Pro rata to their bike prices, about £700 it would seem. Ouch.

 

[flecc]

Nigel, you want a really light electric bike? No problem!

My Torq now weighs 17 kilos, my Twist weighs just 15 kilos.

Impossible? Not at all, I'm sure you'll agree that it doesn't matter what part is made lighter.

The part I've reduced in weight is ME. Like many I'd let my weight creep up gradually and had reached 75 kilos (11 stone 12 lbs), but a month ago I tackled that problem and am now at 68 kilos (10 stone 10 lbs) and still going down.

That's 7 kilos off each bike's weight when I'm riding, who cares whether that's meat or metal? It's just the same result!

Looking at many forum members declared weights, the potential for lighter bikes is definitely there for most.

How to do it? Just reduce the food intake, especially fats, and don't give in when the reduction seems to stall for a week or so, it will always continue down if you defy nature's attempt to stop you. Easiest way to achieve that? Just keep busy so you forget food.

 

[electric.mike]

very true flecc when my wife and i both road the sakuras she left me standing on all terains (not downhill though for some reason) and there was only 14kg between us.

mike

 

[Tim]

Yes there's no gears on the Quando, it's capable enough to do the job on it's own. The Quando II which I meant is well under 25 kilos by the way, the weight shown on the 50cycles site is for the Quando I with the heavier NiMh battery, it hasn't been updated since the change to Li-ion, and the model one's suspension adds weight.

Fixed! Now 24.6kg with the Li battery.

 

[flecc]

Thanks Tim.

 

[ITSPETEINIT]

very true flecc when my wife and i both road the sakuras she left me standing on all terains (not downhill though for some reason) and there was only 14kg between us.

mike

The heavier they are the harder (faster) they fall.
(old pugilists proverb)
Peter

 

[nigel]

Nigel

By flecc
How to do it? Just reduce the food intake, especially fats, and don't give in when the reduction seems to stall for a week or so, it will always continue down if you defy nature's attempt to stop you. Easiest way to achieve that? Just keep busy so you forget food
Sounds like good advice flecc been out on the torq today done 18 miles in the warm sunshine my problem is i work permament nights on my own and its when the boredom sets in i think about munchies but i am trying to control the fat intake and hopefully will get there in the end PS i still want my next electric bike to be under 20 kilos which ever way you look at it NIGEL