Hi there, another ebike newbie in need of advice here! My budget is basically the standard £1000 cycle to work one, plus a bit if needed, but with the ability to upgrade parts if needed from time to time if I feel the need.
I'm 5'11", about 14 stone and 43, and currently not too fit, although I walk about an hour a day. I live in Sheffield, which is entirely made of hills, and I live at the top of one of them. There’s currently a massive resurfacing project going on city wide which is converting pothole covered hellroads into billiard tables, but it’s a year from finishing...
Also, I’m a bit of a scaredy cat generally with bikes on roads, it’s been a long time, and I’ve not really felt comfortable on a bike since I had a BMX in the 80s! Maneuverability appeals to me...
90% of my use will be commuting and short distances, 2-3 miles each way, with laptop and associated stuff, uphill all the way back.
However, to complicate things, the other 10% is likely to be out into the Peak District, with a camera, lenses and tripod. All the kit can be carried in a rucksack if needed, but I'm guessing strapping it to the bike is preferable for weight distribution. Some of this will be off road, mostly on paths, bridleways etc. 10-30 mile round trips, which I can probably plan a recharging break in a pub in if I have to
As far as I can tell, Woosh bikes seem to give you the best bang for your buck and have a good reputation round these parts, even if they seem a little slow replying to emails requesting sample contracts
My shortlist is currently the Rio, Bali or Zephyr B. The Bali seems the most practical and best for climbing road hills, but going down them on a heavy bike I like the hydraulic brakes on the other 2. And I prefer the more sporty look, but that’s not a deal breaker. I don’t really need a folder, but it could well come in handy for occasional car boot or train use if I’m not compromising elsewhere.
Does anyone have any thoughts? Or any alternatives I should be looking at? I do like the roodog bikes, but their batteries seem a little small, same with the Kudos’s.
I'm 5'11", about 14 stone and 43, and currently not too fit, although I walk about an hour a day. I live in Sheffield, which is entirely made of hills, and I live at the top of one of them. There’s currently a massive resurfacing project going on city wide which is converting pothole covered hellroads into billiard tables, but it’s a year from finishing...
Also, I’m a bit of a scaredy cat generally with bikes on roads, it’s been a long time, and I’ve not really felt comfortable on a bike since I had a BMX in the 80s! Maneuverability appeals to me...
90% of my use will be commuting and short distances, 2-3 miles each way, with laptop and associated stuff, uphill all the way back.
However, to complicate things, the other 10% is likely to be out into the Peak District, with a camera, lenses and tripod. All the kit can be carried in a rucksack if needed, but I'm guessing strapping it to the bike is preferable for weight distribution. Some of this will be off road, mostly on paths, bridleways etc. 10-30 mile round trips, which I can probably plan a recharging break in a pub in if I have to
As far as I can tell, Woosh bikes seem to give you the best bang for your buck and have a good reputation round these parts, even if they seem a little slow replying to emails requesting sample contracts
My shortlist is currently the Rio, Bali or Zephyr B. The Bali seems the most practical and best for climbing road hills, but going down them on a heavy bike I like the hydraulic brakes on the other 2. And I prefer the more sporty look, but that’s not a deal breaker. I don’t really need a folder, but it could well come in handy for occasional car boot or train use if I’m not compromising elsewhere.
Does anyone have any thoughts? Or any alternatives I should be looking at? I do like the roodog bikes, but their batteries seem a little small, same with the Kudos’s.
