Staying with my Haibike...

[OxygenJames]

Well I got my license back about 4 months ago. After losing it for a long time for being very bad. And in that time I got me a very smart Haibike (see below) - as some of you will remember as I posted quite a bit about it at the time. Martin fixed me up (with one of those dongles too - darn it if I can't figure out how to turn the thing off). As he likes to do. Ridiculous price really - more than I have ever paid for a car let alone a 'bicycle' - but heck if you want something bad enough and you have the money.....

So anyway.

Although I have had my license back now 4 months - I am still using my Haibike more than any other form of transport. For a start I have not bought another car - around this part of S London cars are pretty silly really - as in the traffic is just mad - so I didn't bother with that - discovered how great the train system is in this country - but I did buy me a motorbike (ZXR400 for those in the know) - lovely little bike for sure. But still I tend to take the Haibike when I go places - because I just love how lawless one can be unlike on the motorbike where jumping red lights and going the wrong way down one-way streets etc gets you in lots more trouble than on the Haibike. Plus having a very cute dog in the basket on the front also tend to soften the policemans' attitude. But you see I always thought motorcycles were 'it' when it came to giving you that sense of freedom - now I realise that a decent electric bike is way WAY better for that. Who woulda thought?

Funny eh? People would say to me I bet you cant wait to get your license back - and I wondered. And then when I did get it back - well to be honest having had the most fantastic electric bike out there (for me) - I am not now surprised that 4 months in and its the electric bike I use the most.

Oh - and one other thing - being back on the motorbike (when I am) - I notice again the fellowship of other motorbike owners - we acknowledge eachother - nod our heads - say Hi at traffic lights. Which makes me wonder why cyclists - as a whole - are such a miserable bunch. And not just being on an electric bike which I know p***s some of them off - but cyclists don't say Hi or acknowledge eachother. Whats that all about?

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Lovely Read We have lots of people lost their licenses and continue using the eBike when they get it back.

One guy in particular, a builder, who uses the utility trailer to carry his tools to site. He has had his license back a while & continues to use his Haibike. Generally much happier and a plus point that he has lost weight too

All the best.
Martin

 

[OxygenJames]

Hey Martin.

Have you found a way around the crank-cog set-up on the post-2014 bikes? As in have you discovered anywhere that will manufacture a larger cog with more teeth to complement the Dongle once fitted?

I'd almost be tempted to buy the latest iteration of my bike - but without a larger cog up the front I dont see how there would be any advantage.

btw - for the record - since I got that bike from you in 2013 - summer I think - I have put 2500 miles on it. Thats an average of nearly 5 miles a day over 18 months.

Anybody round here beat that?

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Hey Martin.

Have you found a way around the crank-cog set-up on the post-2014 bikes? As in have you discovered anywhere that will manufacture a larger cog with more teeth to complement the Dongle once fitted?

I'd almost be tempted to buy the latest iteration of my bike - but without a larger cog up the front I dont see how there would be any advantage.

btw - for the record - since I got that bike from you in 2013 - summer I think - I have put 2500 miles on it. Thats an average of nearly 5 miles a day over 18 months.

Anybody round here beat that?

Hi James,

Yes the Gen 1 Bosch sprockets are here.
But from memory don't you already have a larger one fitted?

You are welcome over to our new center (Farnham) Still on the mainline, but that little closer to you By appointment now.

We have lots of new models in stock. My new models have 20% more torque & 25% more assistance than your current bike. They also have a small sprocket which means the chain can't come off. The front sprocket spins approx 2.45 times to every pedal rotation. So the standard sprockets will give you approx: 2.45 x 16 = 39t. But I also have bigger Bosch sprockets here right up to 20t (2.45 x 20 = 49t) which would give it much more ooomph than you are used to!

Drop me an email: martin@e-bikeshop.co.uk

Regards
Martin

 

[EddiePJ]

Martin, on that very subject of the small front sprocket. What do you think has happened here?

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Martin, on that very subject of the small front sprocket. What do you think has happened here?

Hi Eddie,

I was referring the the small sprocket Haibike have adopted after their R&D actually riding & testing testing their bikes.

It holds the chain in place at the front not allowing it to move out of place. Not yet had one drop.

It's called the S.E.S system. You can read all about it on my blog here.

Can't comment on the chain alignment / tension on your KTM bike, but it's clearly not right in your picture provided.

Regards
Martin

 

[EddiePJ]

Hi Martin,

I thought WTF when I first saw the photo, but look again from a different angle.

Not my bike BTW, just another KTM owner exploring possibilities.

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Look again from a different angle.

Not my bike BTW, just another KTM owner.

Yep, literally nothing to hold it on, particularly with that chain stay design.

Chain slap and suck will be expected.

You can see where it has hit the swingarm etc.

Same on your bike btw too.

This one has the dual ring mod!

Martin

 

[Croxden]

btw - for the record - since I got that bike from you in 2013 - summer I think - I have put 2500 miles on it. Thats an average of nearly 5 miles a day over 18 months.

Anybody round here beat that?

4649 miles average 15 miles per day since mid January.

 

[EddiePJ]

Yep the dual sprocket mod. I hadn't seen that one before. A clever idea, but not one that I think suited to an off road situation. Perhaps on a trekking style bike.

Just for ref, neither the bike above or mine, have suffered from the chain hitting the swingarm. The heli tape and dirt, just makes it look as though it has.

As for the chain suck, I reckon that if you dropped a Haibike off to me, that I could just as easily get it to suffer from it.

 

[OxygenJames]

Hi James,

Yes the Gen 1 Bosch sprockets are here.
But from memory don't you already have a larger one fitted?

You are welcome over to our new center (Farnham) Still on the mainline, but that little closer to you By appointment now.

We have lots of new models in stock. My new models have 20% more torque & 25% more assistance than your current bike. They also have a small sprocket which means the chain can't come off. The front sprocket spins approx 2.45 times to every pedal rotation. So the standard sprockets will give you approx: 2.45 x 16 = 39t. But I also have bigger Bosch sprockets here right up to 20t (2.45 x 20 = 49t) which would give it much more ooomph than you are used to!

Drop me an email: martin@e-bikeshop.co.uk

Regards
Martin

Ah Ha. So for the new bikes you can put a larger sprocket on the front meaning you're not peddling like mad if you fit a dongle huh? That is what I was wondering - when I first saw them come out I don't think Bosche supplied larger cogs.

Me yes I already have a larger cog on the front - I think its 48T or there abouts. Makes riding at 30mph reasonably straightforward.

20% more power huh? Interesting.

 

[OxygenJames]

4649 miles average 15 miles per day since mid January.

Not bad. Mind you my 2500 miles has pretty much all been done with a 7.8kg miniature schnauzer in a basket on the front (we go up to Wimbledon Common for a walk most days - 8 miles total there and back)

 

[EddiePJ]

(we go up to Wimbledon Common for a walk most days

You mean to say that the Wombles have so far resisted the urge

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Ah Ha. So for the new bikes you can put a larger sprocket on the front meaning you're not peddling like mad if you fit a dongle huh? That is what I was wondering - when I first saw them come out I don't think Bosche supplied larger cogs.

Me yes I already have a larger cog on the front - I think its 48T or there abouts. Makes riding at 30mph reasonably straightforward.

20% more power huh? Interesting.

From memory it's 46t, we can get one of my new ones spinning faster

Martin

 

[OxygenJames]

From memory it's 46t, we can get one of my new ones spinning faster

Martin

Your memory is better than mine. I just checked - yes it is a 46. But. OK so let's say you have a 48T. That is not going to make that much difference - and it will throw the geometry off that bit more - and stretch the chain that bit more (its already at its limit and more and I would need a new chain). Me peddling at my perfect max the 46T front and 11T back works pretty perfect - though I do find - and no idea really why - if I dont keep the chain perfectly lubed and particularly when its wet - something back there jumps out of place and there is slippage - and only in top gear. Which could be the chain already needing changing.... who knows - sure makes sure I keep it well looked after.

What interests me more is how you get 20% more power from the new engines.... seeing as the battery is the same size and power yes? Does that mean you get 20% less range (the dongle sure as heck pretty much halves my range so logically......). How else have they done it or is it just another example of the relentless march forward of technology?

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Your memory is better than mine. I just checked - yes it is a 46. But. OK so let's say you have a 48T. That is not going to make that much difference - and it will throw the geometry off that bit more - and stretch the chain that bit more (its already at its limit and more and I would need a new chain). Me peddling at my perfect max the 46T front and 11T back works pretty perfect - though I do find - and no idea really why - if I dont keep the chain perfectly lubed and particularly when its wet - something back there jumps out of place and there is slippage - and only in top gear. Which could be the chain already needing changing.... who knows - sure makes sure I keep it well looked after.

What interests me more is how you get 20% more power from the new engines.... seeing as the battery is the same size and power yes? Does that mean you get 20% less range (the dongle sure as heck pretty much halves my range so logically......). How else have they done it or is it just another example of the relentless march forward of technology?

Same power, more Torque & Assistance..

Drop me an email and I will explain the gearing when back on the PC tomorrow

Martin

 

[oigoi]

I agree the freedom of ebiking is great, and has resulted in a massive reduction in car use for me. I find other cyclists are usually friendly where I live (Cornwall). Have some great encounters / races with the lycra clad racer type sometimes

 

[OxygenJames]

Hey Martin. Its not the gearing that interests me - I get how that works - what I am curious about is if its the same battery but the motor is supplying 20% more power then surely the range must drop by 20%. Call me logical.

 

[OxygenJames]

I agree the freedom of ebiking is great, and has resulted in a massive reduction in car use for me. I find other cyclists are usually friendly where I live (Cornwall). Have some great encounters / races with the lycra clad racer type sometimes

I suppose since that massive bust up in 1531 (when the last Cornish invaders came to London to attempt to wrestle power from the Charming Henry 8th and got quite a bloody nose for their troubles once they got to Blackheath - and not from the King's men either so much as ordinary Londoners who had come out to 'defend the realm) - you Cornish people have become way more friendly and us Londoners remain rather confrontational (or ignore eachother).

 

[OxygenJames]

You mean to say that the Wombles have so far resisted the urge

Have resisted the urge to what? Nick my bike? Attack the dog? Not quite following you here.