£3K to spend, what would you recommend?

barclay

Pedelecer
Dec 12, 2012
26
0
London
Thanks everyone for your responses! I wasn't expecting so much so soon!

Perhaps I should narrow down my criteria:

-Fast commuter bike
-Lights, rear rack ready to go
-Front suspension ideally
-Long range and plenty of power
-Rear hub or crank drive

So far I have these on my shortlist:

Grace Easy
Kalkhoff Endeavor
Rose Xtra Watt
KTM
Neo Nitro
Cube EPO

Anyone else with a useful shortlist? And of course if I can, I'd like to get something Dutch style for my wife - she likes baskets and that sort of thing!

Barclay.
 
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RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
2,311

103Alex1

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 29, 2012
2,228
67
Dutch bike doesn't mean baskets and tulips ...

Here's a piccy of the Agattu out on test and a review to go with it ...

electricbikemag.co.uk::Review: Kalkhoff Agattu C11 Impulse Premium (mid 2012)

You mentioned comfort in your OP and this is about as comfortable as bikes get. The C11 has the Alfine hub with 11 gears rather than 8 on the standard model, and basically comes with a fantastic on-board display with large LCD output of just about everything you can think of bar cadence. I tried both and this was very instrumental in my initial choice of it over the 8sp version but after riding it every day for 2 1/2 months now, I appreciate the extra gears just as much. Try one - you'll realize enough on the comfort stakes. What will blow you away is the speeds you can ride it at unassisted :).

If your wife wants a bike without a horizontal bar, here's a real-life piccy of my own out on a ride last weekend (travelling 'light' as ever !) having just climbed the most fiendish gradient hill within 20 miles. I got a step-through as one of the ladies in my life likes to be able to borrow my bike when I'm not looking to nip to the shops round the corner but doesn't like long rides in the country :rolleyes: ... the Continentals call step-through bikes Unisex. Man must have horizontal bar is very much a British thing ... it takes a real man to ride one here (a bit like wearing Rapha pink lol).

20121208_145658.jpg
 

RobF

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2012
4,732
2,311
Thanks everyone for your responses! I wasn't expecting so much so soon!

Perhaps I should narrow down my criteria:

-Fast commuter bike
-Lights, rear rack ready to go
-Front suspension ideally
-Long range and plenty of power
-Rear hub or crank drive

So far I have these on my shortlist:

Grace Easy
Kalkhoff Endeavor
Rose Xtra Watt
KTM
Neo Nitro
Cube EPO

Anyone else with a useful shortlist?
Barclay.

You mention fast commuter, so one you could consider is a Lifecycle City Sport.

It has an off-road 'naughty' button and if you are prepared to use that, it doesn't half go.

I've tried a fair few bikes over the last six months and the Lifecycle is the fastest by far.

The naughty button lets the motor run on past 15.5mph.

I found myself keeping ahead of traffic which would have been trying to barge past were I on any other bike.

It also has a 17ah battery, which is bigger than most.

On the downside, while it's quite nicely made for a Chinese bike, the quality is some way short of others on your list, such as Kalkhoff and Rose.

City Sport Electric Bicycles | LifeCyle Electric Bikes
 

Hugh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 22, 2009
290
44
You could add the Haibike EQ Trekking to your list - Bosch drive, quality kit in various levels of spec, and the 2013 models have the bigger battery so should manage your distance easily.

Haibike

The Kalkhoff Pro Connect S is also excellent as a primarily road bike.

Good hunting!
 

barrycoll

Pedelecer
Sep 14, 2009
235
10
you are spoilt for choice Barclay, and you should be relieved that Eddie is in India

everybody has their own personal axe to grind, and wishes for their own personal preference to rise to the top....which really just reflects our individuality and differing needs, as well as the brain fag and effort that all have gone through during there own purchases
your job now is separate the wheat from the chaff (as Eddie might say), and having an extended budget makes life more, not less, difficult...
you asked about the support that is on offer from a European purchase, and I have found it impressive, so have added the link to my first thoughts on the KTM...
I suppose that I have turned a sporty bike into a Trekking model, by adding a rack, and full mudguards, but have avoided internal gears to un-complicate (!) any possible future problems.....derailleurs are easy to service and cheap to replace, but 11 speed Alfines are into BMW territory
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/13373-thoughts-new-ktm.html
 

Tor Atle Lunde

Pedelecer
Oct 5, 2011
32
1
Oslo, Norway
Quality full suspension "trail" bikes are very comfortable in urban environments too. They offer an upright sitting position and absorbs kerbs and potholes easily. Haibike have (Bosch equipped) bikes in this category. Due to the quality of components these bikes are more costly but still within your budget.

Trail bikes are not normally as efficient as say trekking bikes, but as long as you have the range needed then no problem. I have a Haibike Xduro FS and it is my first choice for most types of biking, both on and off road.
 

eddieo

Banned
Jul 7, 2008
5,070
6
I'm here! In Fact in Delhi...absolutely crazy city. If its fast commuting your after and have a healthy budget
I would consider the new Panasonic rear hub drive from KTM (P650 ?) ....and others with this motor (look on German forum) or a direct drive bike, most have go swiss drive. I nearly bought a cube epo this year as it was on discount but after a bit of reading discounted it for us....

The green mover range of direct drive bikes interesting but many issues with reliability so a risky purchase..a crying shame as they have a hell of a range of bikes. But without UK support I wouldn't risk it.
 

Storcker

Pedelecer
Nov 24, 2012
46
0
My choice

Thanks everyone for your responses! I wasn't expecting so much so soon!

Perhaps I should narrow down my criteria:

-Fast commuter bike
-Lights, rear rack ready to go
-Front suspension ideally
-Long range and plenty of power
-Rear hub or crank drive

So far I have these on my shortlist:

Grace Easy
Kalkhoff Endeavor
Rose Xtra Watt
KTM
Neo Nitro
Cube EPO

Anyone else with a useful shortlist? And of course if I can, I'd like to get something Dutch style for my wife - she likes baskets and that sort of thing!

Barclay.
After looking for a few months I chose a Storck Raddar Multitask as an allround Ebike.
It is at the top end off your budget but combines good performance unpowered with instant drive under power from stationary unlike the Kalkhoff C11 tested by Electric Bike magazine.
You would probably need to recharge the battery at work depending upon the terrain and effort you supply yourself on your commute.
It all depends on what you are looking for in an Ebike, myself I wanted a nice bike to ride that I could turn on the electric assistance on the up hill sections but was primarily a good hybrid cycle.
 
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103Alex1

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 29, 2012
2,228
67
Quick question on the Storck Raddar (hub drive) ...

I looked briefly at this when I was considering bikes a few months ago on account of the high-torque motor and smooth progression. However, I was put off partly by the disc brakes (prefer rims although as these carry hydraulic rather than mechanical disc brakes perhaps less so), but mainly by the battery which was cited as being 25.2v 10Ah Lithium Polymer battery. 500 load cycles. Am I correct in assuming the battery life is estimated as 500 complete charges/discharges ?

The Kalkhoff came with a 36v 15Ah 504Wh battery rated to 1100 charge cycles which if I read the Storck info correctly is more than double that of the Raddar - so presumably performance loss much later and far longer lasting on a bike that is £1k cheaper. Do Storck intend to keep using these batteries on their bikes ? They seem to be a seriously weak link in an otherwise very nice bike.
 

barclay

Pedelecer
Dec 12, 2012
26
0
London
You could add the Haibike EQ Trekking to your list - Bosch drive, quality kit in various levels of spec, and the 2013 models have the bigger battery so should manage your distance easily.

Haibike

The Kalkhoff Pro Connect S is also excellent as a primarily road bike.

Good hunting!
Nice suggestions Hugh. The Pro Connect is an S-Pedelec. Legalities aside perhaps I should be considering these too?
 

barclay

Pedelecer
Dec 12, 2012
26
0
London
you are spoilt for choice Barclay, and you should be relieved that Eddie is in India

everybody has their own personal axe to grind, and wishes for their own personal preference to rise to the top....which really just reflects our individuality and differing needs, as well as the brain fag and effort that all have gone through during there own purchases
your job now is separate the wheat from the chaff (as Eddie might say), and having an extended budget makes life more, not less, difficult...
you asked about the support that is on offer from a European purchase, and I have found it impressive, so have added the link to my first thoughts on the KTM...
I suppose that I have turned a sporty bike into a Trekking model, by adding a rack, and full mudguards, but have avoided internal gears to un-complicate (!) any possible future problems.....derailleurs are easy to service and cheap to replace, but 11 speed Alfines are into BMW territory
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/13373-thoughts-new-ktm.html
A very fine choice. Having the flexibility to go off road is clearly a bonus. Maybe the ideal bike for me would be a 29er with racks/mudgaurds, high-power and slick tyres with the option to convert and a Rohloff hub? Does it exist?!? Am I being a unrealistic. The headache of choice is certainly mounting!
 

barclay

Pedelecer
Dec 12, 2012
26
0
London
Quality full suspension "trail" bikes are very comfortable in urban environments too. They offer an upright sitting position and absorbs kerbs and potholes easily. Haibike have (Bosch equipped) bikes in this category. Due to the quality of components these bikes are more costly but still within your budget.

Trail bikes are not normally as efficient as say trekking bikes, but as long as you have the range needed then no problem. I have a Haibike Xduro FS and it is my first choice for most types of biking, both on and off road.
I'm beginning to think in this direction.
 

barclay

Pedelecer
Dec 12, 2012
26
0
London
I'm here! In Fact in Delhi...absolutely crazy city. If its fast commuting your after and have a healthy budget
I would consider the new Panasonic rear hub drive from KTM (P650 ?) ....and others with this motor (look on German forum) or a direct drive bike, most have go swiss drive. I nearly bought a cube epo this year as it was on discount but after a bit of reading discounted it for us....

The green mover range of direct drive bikes interesting but many issues with reliability so a risky purchase..a crying shame as they have a hell of a range of bikes. But without UK support I wouldn't risk it.
Thanks Eddie, I'm researching the Pansonic rear hubs as we speak. What do you mean by direct drive - crank/rear hub? I looked at Cube which looked nice but with very little after sales UK support so a no no for. Green Mover looked interesting also and I agree too risky at this time.
 

barclay

Pedelecer
Dec 12, 2012
26
0
London
Good Morning: Storck Raddar bikes are built to a high degree of function rather than built to a Price point. Hence Shimano Hydraulic disc brakes. Much more efficient than rim brakes and more progressive than cable disc brakes.
You are correct with the information about the battery. Many testers have commented that the Raddar system delivers like a 36volt with brillaint torque, silent motor and smoother power delivery. All I will say about other battery rated 'Claims' is that there is an aweful lot of Marketing Hype around and be careful of this Hype.
Do Storck intend to keep using these batteries? We will make some announcements early in the new year :)
Cheers,
Ian