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I reckon not much has changed. The Brose motor in some Levos still has a question mark over it. Shimano Steps seems reliable, as it seems to have been from day one of the latest version. Bosch is reliable in road and trekking use, but didn't like proper mud. Improved seals may have dealt...

The Crossfuse I saw was a nice, cleanly designed bike not weighed down by loads of extra equipment. Relatively narrow tyres which should mean it will bowl along nicely on road and cycle paths. Not the most powerful motor, and not the lowest first gear, so it might need a lot of rider input to...

Carbon assembly paste is not just for carbon bicycles. It does the job as I outlined for alloy and steel as well. So pmsl all you like.

Carbon assembly paste is recommended for seat tubes. It is grease with granules in so it helps grip and also prevents seizing. Ordinary grease will do the latter but might cause problems with the former.

I've only seen video, but the Flyon does look like a powerful beast. More grunt than Bosch/Yamaha/Brose which are all much of muchness. Big battery on the Flyon, although that extra power won't be free so you need to work out if it will go for long enough for your needs.

I don't doubt improvements have been made, but the Bosch equipped bikes are also a bit nicer than they were in those days. That Zephyr I tried really was a dreadful contraption. Much better was the Scirocco(?), simple rear hub battery behind the seatpost bike. I do think price movements in...

No, it's not belittling anything. You get what you pay for. A woosh is nowhere near the quality of a Scott, Cube, Trek, etc. Pretend differently all you like, but that's all you are doing.

If you are happy to have a Chinese 'no brand' bike then woosh are as good as any. A branded bike fitted with a Bosch motor will be better quality overall. But, even in a sale, that will be a few hundred more. I would pay the extra every time - if I had it.

That explains things. Both motors ride alike under power. But the now discontinued Bosch with the small chain ring is hard work unassisted.

What is a Bosch 'Step' motor? I can only speak about the Performance Line on my Riese and Muller. That is a dead loss unassisted, not least because of the extra weight of the second battery and the extra drag of the Rohloff hub. The original Bosch motor from 2010 was OK to cycle unassisted...

Cycle Republic is supposed to be Halfords but with proper cyclists on the staff. Perhaps not worth worrying about too much. The bike will arrive from Scott close to fully built, so there is limited opportunity for them to mess it up. And there's always the possibility the branch you use is...

No legal ebike is a rocket ship, so all will give you some exercise. As said, Eco on a Bosch barely does more than cancel out the extra weight of the bike which means plenty of exercise for you. I think you have a fighting chance of fitting a small. The saddle will have plenty of height...

The latest Bosch motor - with the full size chain ring - has no resistance, so is not too bad to cycle unassisted, apart from the weight. Most of the bargain Bosch bikes have the small chain ring motor which is geared up inside. They work about the same under power, but are a bit of a dead...

Not sure what your plans are, but there is a bike hire/cafe in a former station just south of Whitby, off the main road. They had Haibike eMTBs when I was in. Even if you don't hire one, you could ask the bloke there because he will have up to date intelligence on the track's condition.

Yes and no. Yes, I have used the Scarborough to Whitby track. No, it would not be suitable for a 20" folder. That is partly dependent on the weather, but stretches of the track are badly rutted. Lots of complaints locally about it, so something may have been done since I was on it. Also...

Appearance is a good guide. The useless direct drive motors are usually large in diameter, hence the term 'pancake'. Geared hub motors are usually compact, often not much bigger than the biggest cog on the gears. Don't forget you will want a rear hub drive for towing.

The Brose motor is not as common as the Bosch, which has become ubiquitous. But it's been around for a good few years, and might be a bit pokier than the Bosch, which is no ball of fire. Main thing is you've ridden it and like it.

I think the Giant may have had a 'pancake' direct drive motor. They are quick when wound up, but absolutely useless at pulling - as you found. A compact geared motor, perversely, will pull your trailer much better. There are one or two ebikes just about in your budget at Halfords. They have...

The only Decathlon bike I can see is the Rockrider MTB at £799. One of those with shallow tread tyres on would represent decent value. Standard Chinese ebike, but a lot of sellers want more than £1,000 for them. The Scott is the much nicer bike and also good value, but it is half as much...

The main snag with any ebike is the weight. It's good you've tried the model you are buying and are happy with it. The Scott is a Bosch bike, isn't it? Carbon roadie to ebike is quite a jump for your friend. Pleased you are both sorted.