Which cheap bike?

[UrbanPuma]

Mmmmm. After two years riding a Powacycle Puma, I'd probably lose the will to live.
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There is nothing wrong with the powacycle puma. Its a great bike and suits my needs. I think that was very harsh flecc Dont knock it until you try it!

Good luck with the test ride on the electro-city cocodude and do let us know your thoughts afterwards.

UrbanPuma

 

[flecc]

There is nothing wrong with the powacycle puma. Its a great bike and suits my needs. I think that was very harsh flecc Dont knock it until you try it!

I have, plus others like it!

I agree that for what it is it's ok and I didn't knock it, just stated my preference that I couldn't live with it. It's not true though to say there's nothing wrong with it since it suffers the usual faults of almost all 16" wheel small folders, undergeared, poor geometry for efficient cycling and poor steering self centering.

However, at the £399 Cocodude is about to pay it's probably about as good as it gets, but there's better bikes at the Puma's present £699 price, including from Powacycle.

Hence my original comment that more like double the £299 / £399 that Cocodude was looking at was necessary to be really serious.
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[Tolstoy62]

Should I conclude the Synergie Mistral the best value for money and service ? Can I speed up the machine to 18+ mph by changing the rear sprocket. I think many people who would like to hear various opinions on the idea.

 

[flecc]

Should I conclude the Synergie Mistral the best value for money and service ? Can I speed up the machine to 18+ mph by changing the rear sprocket. I think many people who would like to hear various opinions on the idea.

At the £499 it currently is from Synergie I'd say it's by far the best buy out there.

The rear sprocket makes no difference to a hub motor bike driven speed since the hub motor drives it's wheel direct. Only the rider gearing is changed with the sprocket change.

It's only when the motor drives the bike's chain before the rear hub that the sprocket affects the speed the motor drives the bike at.
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[UrbanPuma]

It's not true though to say there's nothing wrong with it since it suffers the usual faults of almost all 16" wheel small folders, undergeared, poor geometry for efficient cycling and poor steering self centering. Hence my original comment that more like double the £299 / £399 that Cocodude was looking at was necessary to be really serious.
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Yes, the gearing is low but this can also have advantages, less strain on the knees when riding. It would be ideal if the gears were spaced out, higher towards the top end, but thats something i can quite happily live with

I've heard the gearing on a brompton is about right but for me it is too high, so it really depends on how comfortable a rider feels with any particular bike.

 

[flecc]

Yes, the gearing is low but this can also have advantages, less strain on the knees when riding. It would be ideal if the gears were spaced out, higher towards the top end, but thats something i can quite happily live with

I've heard the gearing on a brompton is about right but for me it is too high, so it really depends on how comfortable a rider feels with any particular bike.

Even the Bromptons are low geared as standard where top gear is concerned, but their position is complicated by mostly not having enough gears, which limits the use of the optional large chainwheels. At least you've got enough gears, though as you said, it would be better if they were wider spaced. Actually that's true on many e-bikes.

The current Brompton "bodge" is having twin rear sprockets on a three speed hub to give six gears, but the gear range is still not too good. It's just the inherent problem with 16" and smaller wheels. The odd wealthy owner has had an extensive frame conversion and the Rohloff 14 speed wide range hub gear added, but that spoils the fold and that hub gear alone is over £600 now.
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[robert letts]

a bike for the rector

I have a trek cytronex -still very good - and I was showing it to our Rector, who is interested in a good but inexpensive e bike to get him around his four parishes. He had a motorbike accident (I hope he wont mind me mentioning) a while ago so he has less muscle power in one leg. I noticed this thread and though he can join and have a look. I have sent him the link, plus 50 cycles link (expensive bikes but good I guess) and alien (inexpensive but look ok - I rather like the idea of the rector cycling around on an alien) What does everyone think?

 

[flecc]

Great idea! He won't be the first, but the more who will give their blessing () to e-biking, the better.
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[rooel]

"Can I speed up the machine to 18+ mph by changing the rear sprocket?"

Tolstoy62 -there is no need to "speed up" the Mistral: just ride it as it comes, with the two tiny blue wires in the control box (behind the bottom bracket) disconnected. If you want to be strictly legal connect them together to restrict the speed to 15mph.

 

[The Maestro]

Should I conclude the Synergie Mistral the best value for money and service ? Can I speed up the machine to 18+ mph by changing the rear sprocket. I think many people who would like to hear various opinions on the idea.

I think the Synergie is a good buy at 499 going off what I've heard - a relatively decent sized group of owners and minimal complaints. I'm not sure about derestricting - its a hub motor so you would have to derestrict it electronically rather than with a cog change. It most probably is possible since most generic hub motors seem to have an 20mph max rpm (in my experience - flecc disagrees I think, and hes probably right) which gives realistic assistance up to about 18mph. The ALien Lynx will be derestricable but I've no experience with that bike and its only 24 volts so it won't be that powerful. Pity you can't really try them.

 

[cocodude]

Well, I bought the Electro-city (i.e. Powerbyke Puma) in the end and have given it a few runs. It all seems pretty good so far, and I understand what flecc is saying regarding the low gearing. Still, the throttle gets my speed up.

One question for the moment though. I'm only managing about 7 miles before the battery runs out after a full charge. Is it likely that this will increase after a few charge cycles?

Thanks again all for the advice - I'm happy so far!

 

[flecc]

Glad the bike is ok for you cocodude. With these batteries it's important that you condition them first to achieve full capacity.

To do that, ride the bike to battery empty and then fully recharge, then do that for a second time.

That will maximise the capacity and range, and from then on, charge at every opportunity after any part use, since they don't like always being emptied.

However, these low geared bikes are heavy on the batteries since it's difficult to help them much with pedalling when at full speed, so the motor is doing most of the work. If you use a bit less throttle and travel a bit slower so that you can help on the pedals more, the range will increase quite a lot.
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[wotwozere]

Hi

The izip seems to have alot of problems my first faulty bike

thx

Bob

 

[keithhazel]

Hi

The izip seems to have alot of problems my first faulty bike

thx

Bob

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how many faulty bikes have you bought Bob ?

thx

Keith

 

[Kal]

Should I conclude the Synergie Mistral the best value for money and service ? Can I speed up the machine to 18+ mph by changing the rear sprocket. I think many people who would like to hear various opinions on the idea.

Yes, I think the Mistral is one of the best value for money electric bikes at £499 + £20 delivery charge. It gives good assistance up all but the steepest of hills, but it's not a fast bike. It's best to just pedal gently otherwise you make it hard work for little reward pedaling against the gears in the brushed geared motor fitted to this e-bike. Also the hub gears hold back the speed to around 25mph going downhill.

My Synergie Mistral is one year old this month and in that time I've ridden it over 1500 miles, trouble free, at an average speed of around 10-11 mph.. hilly terrain.
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[winterdog]

shame about the brushed motors holding things back as
i was about to say dam i could by three of them for what i was going to get charged for a 2009 wisper 905 se
but i guess there is a difference mistrial after all

 

[Rod Tibbs]

Mistal value

I have had a Syngerie Mistral now for about a year and used it a lot. As one corresondent said 'just buy it and ride it' and I am sure it will suit very well.

I did have some strange problems which turned out to be the throttle circuit but in the process the motor and control unit were replaced, unnecessarily as it turned out, but I had the impression that Synergie and the Electric Transport Shop do their best to provide good service.

If you can get this bike for less than £500 I would say it was excellent value for money and I cannot see that more expensive bikes like the Wisper offer any real advantage over it. Both are 36 volt systems and the Synergie offers a very genuine 20 miles range. In addition you can spend over a grand on other bikes and still not get the mudguards, luggage carrier and other items that I consider essential for practical cycling.

The Mistral lighting system is rubbish and you will have to fit your own lights

But if you can get a Synergie Mistral at the prices mentioned, go for it. I am certain you wont be disappointed.

Rod