Which one

[scarrabri]

Hi to everyone ,there are two electric bikes that i have read about that i really like ,but cant make my mind up which one to buy,i want a bike that will cope with steep hills and will do a good distance before the battery gives out ,i can assist the cycle but i have been a Diabetic for many years and my leg power is not what it used to be ,
i am 57yrs old and weight is just under 12st and 5.5 inches tall ,the two bikes i am looking at are the Tonaro Bighit and the wisper 905se sport ,any help please ,very best wishes Brian.

 

[flecc]

It's obviously best to try before buying Brian, but your choice will depend on how steep the hills really are since your fitness isn't optimal.

Basically the Wisper can be faster up the hills if they are not too steep, say up to 10% gradient.

If the hills are steeper than that, the Tonaro having motor-drive through the gears is able to cope without increasing the effort from you. However, since that's achieved by changing down gears, the climb can be slower.

 

[scarrabri]

It's obviously best to try before buying Brian, but your choice will depend on how steep the hills really are since your fitness isn't optimal.

Basically the Wisper can be faster up the hills if they are not too steep, say up to 10% gradient.

If the hills are steeper than that, the Tonaro having motor-drive through the gears is able to cope without increasing the effort from you. However, since that's achieved by changing down gears, the climb can be slower.

Hi flecc,thankyou for your reply, and you are right i need to try them really .the wisper i can try this weekend but not sure about the Tonaro Bighit ,but i sure like what i read about this bike ,i am not sure how steep the hills or roads are in Buxton,but they look never ending ,i know in my camper i have to take a real good run up ,so maybe it will be the Tonaro Bighit ,it will be another week before i buy any thing,so i will let you know .very best wishes Brian.

 

[flecc]

Yes, from memory the hills round there can be quite steep and they certainly do go on for longer than is welcome. If you can, try the Wisper on a typical hill to give an idea of the pedal input you'll need to maintain. If you find the effort too great, the Tonaro will be the better choice.

 

[allen-uk]

Well, if you're going to be in or around Buxton, you must ride a JuicyBike (based in Buxton) to compare it with the Wisper. Wispers are more expensive, but of a similar style.

A

 

[eddieo]

I like the wisper bikes...Good performance, excellent support and strong residual value. Put my wifes bike up for sale at the weekend and the interest is astonishing......

 

[scarrabri]

Well, if you're going to be in or around Buxton, you must ride a JuicyBike (based in Buxton) to compare it with the Wisper. Wispers are more expensive, but of a similar style.

A

Hi thank you so much for your reply,i have indeed taken a look at the JuicyBike web page ,the specs look very good ,but i am not sure about the style of the bikes , i will certainly keep them in mind,thank you and very best wishes to you Brian.

 

[scarrabri]

I like the wisper bikes...Good performance, excellent support and strong residual value. Put my wifes bike up for sale at the weekend and the interest is astonishing......

Hi,and thank you for your reply,and i have to agree they are very good bikes which is why i cant make my mind up lol but i have taken note of your comments,my very best wishes Brian,ps i am sure i have been taking a very keen interest in your wifes cycle on ebay if that is the one . bye for now Brian.

 

[funkylyn]

Hi to everyone ,there are two electric bikes that i have read about that i really like ,but cant make my mind up which one to buy,i want a bike that will cope with steep hills and will do a good distance before the battery gives out ,i can assist the cycle but i have been a Diabetic for many years and my leg power is not what it used to be ,
i am 57yrs old and weight is just under 12st and 5.5 inches tall ,the two bikes i am looking at are the Tonaro Bighit and the wisper 905se sport ,any help please ,very best wishes Brian.

Hi

I love wisper bikes.....however I tried a Tonaro compy last week up a very steep hill and it flew up it quickly and quietly, plus I do prefer the crank motor system......and of course the other important thing is money.....theres a huge difference between them pricewise......Tonaro do seem to be very good value for money......as said before.....you really must try them if you possibly can

Lynda

 

[Jon]

Hey a fellow Stokie i have just bought an Oxygen Race and i use it over Parkhall Hills. Where abouts are you your would be welcome to come look at mine just send me a message

 

[Mussels]

I like the wisper bikes...Good performance, excellent support and strong residual value. Put my wifes bike up for sale at the weekend and the interest is astonishing......

They do seem to sell easily, my 905 sold after someone on here saw I had got a 906. I wasn't intending on selling it at the time so hadn't even put up an ad.

The 905 can be hard work on steep hills. I found reducing the gearing helped a lot, then it was much easier as I wasn't stamping on the pedals.

 

[allen-uk]

The 905 can be hard work on steep hills.

How so, Mussels? At a glance, the power spec seems similar for the 905 and 906? Was it just because your 905 was getting on and the 906 was newer, or what?

A

 

[Mussels]

How so, Mussels? At a glance, the power spec seems similar for the 905 and 906? Was it just because your 905 was getting on and the 906 was newer, or what?

A

The motor power is fine but I found the gears much too high for steep hills, on my 905 I fitted a smaller chainring (and got rid of the horrible megarange thing) to reduce the gearing. The 906 has a wider gear range so the bottom gear was just low enough for my riding.

Over the years the 905 gearing has varied so I don't know what the new bikes are like.

 

[allen-uk]

Well, there is a real 'grandpa' gear at No.1, when you're going so slowly that you've got a choice of falling off or just moving, and it works for that. On the flat and downhill, of course, the gearing is still far too low, so if you want to pedal hard over about 15mph, it's virtually impossible as your legs are going round like windmills.

A

 

[scarrabri]

Hi

I love wisper bikes.....however I tried a Tonaro compy last week up a very steep hill and it flew up it quickly and quietly, plus I do prefer the crank motor system......and of course the other important thing is money.....theres a huge difference between them pricewise......Tonaro do seem to be very good value for money......as said before.....you really must try them if you possibly can

Lynda

Hi Lynda thank you so much for your reply ,it is difficult to know which one is best ,and i am real glad you had a go on one of the ......Tonaro range as i am pretty sure that it is the Bighit that i would like ,but as for trying one ,i am not sure that will be possible, i have read so much about the Bighit and indeed the compy and have not heard any thing to put me off so shortly i will order one ,thats if powerpedals will answer my emails and my many phone calls,very best wishes Lynda,Brian

 

[scarrabri]

Hey a fellow Stokie i have just bought an Oxygen Race and i use it over Parkhall Hills. Where abouts are you your would be welcome to come look at mine just send me a message

Hi jon a huge hello to you my friend always a treat to speak to another stokie ,always friendly and eager to help ,i trust you are well ,and not too dissapointed our proud football team Stoke city did not win the FA cup,maybe next time , i think i have made my mind up about which bike and have settled for the ......Tonaro Bighit ,thanks for the invitation i may just take you up on your kind offer ,oh by the way i live in the longport area,originaly Bradwell is where i grew up ,take care my friend Brian.

 

[Jon]

Ok Brian no probs but the offer stilll stands as i think this Race is fab.

Not that disappointed as i do think the better team won on the day and they did very well to get there. i went to the Semis though where we thrashed Bolton and that was fab

 

[Mussels]

Well, there is a real 'grandpa' gear at No.1, when you're going so slowly that you've got a choice of falling off or just moving, and it works for that. On the flat and downhill, of course, the gearing is still far too low, so if you want to pedal hard over about 15mph, it's virtually impossible as your legs are going round like windmills.

A

The Megarange freewheel is a compromise to give a greater gear range with few gears, as with most compromises it's not very good. I ride up steep hills and want to use all gears, if I use the largest cog on the megarange then I can never get out of it as the step up to second is huge and I go from legs spinning madly to almost a crunching stop. So I chucked out the Megarange and installed a normal freewheel so I can use the gears properly, then I found 1st gear was too high so I had to drop about 10 teeth from the chainring to correct it.
The top gear is too low and was made worse by reducing the chainring but when it's a choice of having the correct low gears or correct high gears then I'll go for the low ones, I find them much more important.
This was improved greatly by changing to the Alfine hub, the greater range almost gives me the right bottom gear and the right top gear. Then the problem is the greater step between gears but as the steps are more evenly spaced it works much better than the Megarange.
The only way to improve on it is to get a very expensive hub but they have other issues apart from the price, or to fit a front mech but that doesn't work well with the battery position.