Which Electric Bike (that doesn't look like an electric bike!)

[Trem]

Hi all, new here so be gentle.

The crushing realisation that I am mortal hit me like a speeding train when I reached 40, so I want to change my ways a little. I am not allowed a Fireblade by my wife and, besides, that will not help my fitness.....especially if I end up in traction.

I want a bike that for as much as it can be does not look like it is powered. I have looked at the KTM's, the Kranium, the BH Emotion and some others I have since forgotten. They all look good but I start to get baffled by what I actually need.

I am a big lad (6'4" and 16 stone) and if I didn't smoke (I know, I know) I would be pretty fit. What I want is a bike that will help me up hills, the commute to work is pretty hilly and I don't want to arrive there sweating like a pig then spend the rest of the day smelling the same. Which bike, if any, will help me up hills as much as possible and which would be your choices for the best equipped/looking bike?

Any advice and help appreciated.

 

[D8ve]

Welcome Trem.
first thing is range? how far to work and can you recharge there?

but in general for a larger man such as myself 100kg a crank drive gets me up hills well a hub drive will stall or be inefficent on a long steep hill such as bath bristol have.

Range is dependant on battery therfore 36 volt 10 Ah is generaly minimum for round trip of 30 miles. (always overestimate battery requirement as they get old the wind blows and we age too) think 10 Watt hours per mile as minimum.
I have a BH bike for me and wife. the Crank gives moe sustained drive and range in hills.the hub drive feels pokier but kills battery fastest.

Dave

 

[melspea]

Which bike, if any, will help me up hills as much as possible and which would be your choices for the best equipped/looking bike?

That's a really good question Trem and I'd also like to hear what members think today about the best climbing but stealthy ebikes we can purchase and use legally.

Similar questions have been asked in the past but bikes, motors and batteries have moved on somewhat.

Melissa

 

[Artstu]

A 60 cm version should be big enough. KTM Macina Cross electric bikes folding bikes

A good strong bike for a big man. Just the back wheel that needs tightening carefully. mine's a 51 cm and I just fit it I'm 5'8" and it is a big bike for me. My 300wh battery lasts just 16 miles on full power in very hilly conditions. It will climb any hill with ease.

 

[Trem]

HI all, thanks for the replies.

Work is about 7 or 8 miles away so at worst a round trip of 16 miles. Lots of steady, long hills though, both there and back.

 

[D8ve]

How many hills and how High. a 50m climb is about the start of the count so a couple of 50 m or?
where in country are you? and how exposed to wind is your route
is it cycle path urban or whay? traffic lights etc cut time too and use power to restart?
otherwise any Crank drive and 36v 8amps is smallest battery that should do. but you are unlikly to kick youreslf for getting a bigger one.

 

[Trem]

I am in Newcastle-under-Lyme and the journey will be all road with quite a few traffic lights, lots of about 100m (length but not too steep) climbs and the final hill to home is about 700m (length and fairly steep), that's the one I am most worried about

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

KTM do a larger range of frame sizes which would suit. So I am sure you would find a bike to meet your needs. I would also suggest going for the larger of the two Bosch battery sizes. If you used one of the lower setting you would easily achieve 30 miles. In the top setting around 25 miles has been achieved by one of our customers.

Genrally crank drives are better on very steep hills with hub powered bike a bit quicker on moderately steep hills. The other thing to consider is your budget.

Hope this helps.
David

 

[vectra]

A 60 cm version should be big enough. KTM Macina Cross electric bikes folding bikes

A good strong bike for a big man. Just the back wheel that needs tightening carefully. mine's a 51 cm and I just fit it I'm 5'8" and it is a big bike for me. My 300wh battery lasts just 16 miles on full power in very hilly conditions. It will climb any hill with ease.

Hi.
Nice bike! Do you know the weight both including and excluding battery?

Thank you.
Regards.
vectra

 

[Artstu]

There's more detail in this document ISSUU - KTM e-Bikes 2013 by Groupe Dejour

bike including battery is 20.7 kg, batteries are 2.5 kg. a heavy clunker really compared with say a carbon racing bike at around 7 kg.

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

20.7kg is quoted weight though I would estimate a bit more for 60cm frame. Battery weighs approx. 2.5kg (slightly more if you go for 400wh battery).

DW

 

[Trem]

Another thing that is playing on my mind is, well, how do they actually work. How does it assist you? So, are you riding up a hill with assist on and you have to use little effort? What happens if you stop peddling does the motor stop as well? What happens if you slow right down to maybe 3 or 4 mph, does the assist stop?

As you can all probably tell I have never ridden an e-bike and it will be a baptism of fire when I get one. What will happen is I will decide on one, buy it off the internet and jump feet first into using it. It is how I am, I have done it with cars, motorbikes and other expensive items before. Hey, you only live once

 

[melspea]

Seems like Trem's choice, according to responses received so far, is the KTM Macina Cross or BH bikes. I'm really surprised by that. I would have thought some might have suggested their own choice of bike X but having bought one and since had the opportunity to ride bikes A, B and C, the one to go for is this or that, so much better than bike X.

The Fireblade sounds good to me!

Melissa

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Don't forget the Kudos Ariba and Tornado. They have the same motor as the original BH Emotion Neosb but are cheaper. Some of the Neos now use the Dapu motor, which is the same as Wisper and Oxygen bikes, but the Neos must run with much higher current to get their higher climbing power. On the Bosch KTMs, you have to pedal harder on the hills than the others mentioned, and if you ease off pedalling, your power goes with it, while as the Tornado can make its power with no pedal effort. On exceptionally steep hills, the Bosch motors can keep going in a lower gear, while as the others mightt stall out, but I'm talking about the sort of hills you don't normally come accross. There's a KTM with a Panasonic hub motor that was quite well reputedfrom Redbridge, but I didn't try it myself. It might be worth a try if you can find one.

 

[Trem]

The Kudos Tornado was the one I *was* looking at as well. It says on their site that it is the most powerful one. It is a bloody good price as well. It isn't the best looking out of my choices but it is getting on for a grand cheaper.

 

[D8ve]

Melspea,
is it not a good thing no one is trying to sell or push one bike. the advice is helpfull to alow Trem to chose him self. My own bike is excelent but i believe there are only two in the UK. the Whoosh CD is my budget choice bike. and going by the antipodeans the BH jumper is a best by for 2 grand then the Halibikes are all look wow. but i havent played with them.
time for Trem to thing.
Remember some top line bikes are sold after a year at much reduced prices. I got a BH Neo City for my wife with 180 Km on clock for a grand.

D8ve

 

[ghouluk]

firstly forget the fireblade, much better, much faster, much cheaper sports bikes out there

((ok ok i admit it i'm a yamaha/suzuki man))

on the ebike front - i'm slightly shorter and a bit heavier than you (6'1 and 100+ kilos) and i ride a small frame bh neo xtrem (i'm a downhiller by trade, so i'm much more comfortable on a small frame (17") with the seat high - less chance of sensitive area damage when you fall off ) the xtrem takes me everywhere, todays ride was 52 miles, and took in hills upto 17 percent, and a fair amount of variations in length and steepness. I was just two bars down when i got home.

I use the motor when i'm climbing and it gets to be a bit like hard work - its worth noting that even a month and 1000km in, i'm using the motor significantly less than i did when i first got the bike, and i've got the milage on a single charge upto >100 miles.

I was sold on the bh because of build quality, reputation and recommendation, but most importantly when i rode it, it felt right - I had an ex-demo cross first of all which fell to pieces, which bh kindly switched out for an xtrem.

In regards to how well they work, the thing i really like about the bikes with torque sensors is that they give instant power when you lean on the pedals - this is great for starting on hills, pulling out of junctions and into traffic, and for off road XC use. Its true that the motor stops assisting when you stop pedalling, but you can start it again instantly, and of course the reverse is also true, you can flick the motor on and get a burst out of it for a couple of revolutions while you have a bit of a breather

At the time kudos couldn't sell me a tornado, or give me a date when they could - but i think the value represented by the kudos is outstanding, and it rides near as dammit the same as the xtrem (at least to my amateur view)

the best piece of advice is ride everything you even vaguely like the look of, and choose the one that feels best

whatever else is true - i've hardly ridden the motorbikes since i got the pedelec, all that kevlar suited, wear a crash helmet, pay your insurance, hurts when you fall off nonsense is so last year

 

[jackhandy]

Hi Gouluk,

Just to clarify - Did you mean the Kudos Tornado rides like the Neo Extrem, or were you referring to the Arriba?

Reason I ask.... The Arriba has the Thun torque sensor & the Tornado has a speed sensor.

 

[ghouluk]

sorry - i meant the arriba....my brain is busted! (as usual)

 

[Mike63]

I got a BH Neo City for my wife with 180 Km on clock for a grand.

I tried one of these at OnBike, Kidderminster, I was impressed but too rich for me.
....If I had the opportunity at this price, I'd go for it.