Reviewer
aul Hadfield
Purchased From:Second Hand ,Ebay
Purchase Price:£1250
Time Owned:8 months
Local Terrain: Flat / Moderate Hills /
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Strengths:
Bought this bike having served my 6 month apprenticeship on a £200 full suspension electric mountain bike, proving to my wife and myself that i would use one enough to justify getting an expensive one.
6Months on a 15 mph limited sla battery bike was enough to convince me that I would never ever buy another electric bike that was a) restricted to 15mph or b)that heavy with standard bike tyres. I had major problems with punctures and exploding inner tubes. I test rode loads of bikes and the one that stood out by a mile was the a2b though far too expensive so well out of my price range.
My options seemed to be limited to the alien bikes or a second hand kalcoff with the chain wheel mod .I very nearly bought the top of the range juicy bike on the strength of it’s battery but then just on the day before I was due to buy one I found an A2B metro in black for sale just up the road from me with very little use so had to go for it.
Its very big and upright, so good for my bad back.
Looks very special and gets loads of admiring looks.
Fast enough to not annoy you.
Makes you feel like a big kid on a grfter or like you are back in the bmx bandits..
Has (so far) very reliable motorbike like tyres that show no signs of puncturing easily or wearing too fast Is made from good quality parts that inspire confidence.
Good suspension.
Good breaks when correctly set up.
Mud guards that work and don’t wreak the look of the bike.(bike still gets dirty but you don't)
Tyres give good grip in the rain but not on drain covers, gravel or ice.
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Weaknesses:
Very uncomfortable seat, seams comfortable for first 10 minutes then hurts the insides of your legs it’s not designed for peddling. (Somehow I don’t worry about it any more but it takes about 4 months to get used to it)
Horrible chain noise all the time, nothing you can do about it but you do get used to it and start to ignore it, just have to explain its normal to other people.
My boost button and throttle control have become a bit temperamental I have yet to try and strip down properly but spraying contact cleaner spray in them has improved things.
Very heavy but that is a strength when on the move seem well planted on the road .
Annoying having to hold the throttle fully open then press the boost gets tiresome over a long journey.
Full boost cuts down battery life drastically to around 10 miles and more like 8 in freezing temperatures.
Low battery life for the price of the bike 20 miles is a bit of an over estimate 18 with lots of pedalling is a bit more like it.
Can seem a bit too quick turning because of the goniometry and wheel size but that is also a strength when you are used to it.
Very bad off road on gravel paths if travelling round corners but not when you are used to it.
No lights as standard .
Horrible yellow safe stickers that are hard to get off stuck to the frame.
Mega expensive accessories, you can make a £15 mountain bike rear rack fit by bending each side out over the battery then just fit normal panniers.
Mega expensive spares.
Extremely expensive replacement battery costs I plan on attempting to make my own when the time comes from lifepo4 cells or commissioning someone else to do this (let me know if you have done this or know how)
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Summaryuts a big smile on your face every time you ride it and even though i don't fit a speed computer it doesn't have that annoying cutting in and out all the time at 15 mph that most electric bikes have and is fast acceleration .
Great bike I am pleased I have it and it is a real alternative to petrol transport but you could run a cheap car or motorbike on the amount it costs in real terms but that is true of most electric bikes, they are all well over priced this one more than most.
I would not buy one at the list price.
I feel confident I can get bits should I need them but ultimately the cost of a new battery might have me looking at selling for another bike in the future unless I can sort out a lifepo4 alternative.
I use mine at least 4 days a week to travel around 10 miles a day with the odd 20 mile trip about once a month and it will do all these things no problem it did struggle in below freezing temperatures but I think all electric bikes would .Out of interest my other transport is a 1.6 lpg astra so I have other cheap transport when I feel like it.
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Overall Rating (out of 10) :8..price, chain noise and lack of battery life stop it getting 10 for me.
aul HadfieldPurchased From:Second Hand ,Ebay
Purchase Price:£1250
Time Owned:8 months
Local Terrain: Flat / Moderate Hills /
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Strengths:
Bought this bike having served my 6 month apprenticeship on a £200 full suspension electric mountain bike, proving to my wife and myself that i would use one enough to justify getting an expensive one.
6Months on a 15 mph limited sla battery bike was enough to convince me that I would never ever buy another electric bike that was a) restricted to 15mph or b)that heavy with standard bike tyres. I had major problems with punctures and exploding inner tubes. I test rode loads of bikes and the one that stood out by a mile was the a2b though far too expensive so well out of my price range.
My options seemed to be limited to the alien bikes or a second hand kalcoff with the chain wheel mod .I very nearly bought the top of the range juicy bike on the strength of it’s battery but then just on the day before I was due to buy one I found an A2B metro in black for sale just up the road from me with very little use so had to go for it.
Its very big and upright, so good for my bad back.
Looks very special and gets loads of admiring looks.
Fast enough to not annoy you.
Makes you feel like a big kid on a grfter or like you are back in the bmx bandits..
Has (so far) very reliable motorbike like tyres that show no signs of puncturing easily or wearing too fast Is made from good quality parts that inspire confidence.
Good suspension.
Good breaks when correctly set up.
Mud guards that work and don’t wreak the look of the bike.(bike still gets dirty but you don't)
Tyres give good grip in the rain but not on drain covers, gravel or ice.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Weaknesses:
Very uncomfortable seat, seams comfortable for first 10 minutes then hurts the insides of your legs it’s not designed for peddling. (Somehow I don’t worry about it any more but it takes about 4 months to get used to it)
Horrible chain noise all the time, nothing you can do about it but you do get used to it and start to ignore it, just have to explain its normal to other people.
My boost button and throttle control have become a bit temperamental I have yet to try and strip down properly but spraying contact cleaner spray in them has improved things.
Very heavy but that is a strength when on the move seem well planted on the road .
Annoying having to hold the throttle fully open then press the boost gets tiresome over a long journey.
Full boost cuts down battery life drastically to around 10 miles and more like 8 in freezing temperatures.
Low battery life for the price of the bike 20 miles is a bit of an over estimate 18 with lots of pedalling is a bit more like it.
Can seem a bit too quick turning because of the goniometry and wheel size but that is also a strength when you are used to it.
Very bad off road on gravel paths if travelling round corners but not when you are used to it.
No lights as standard .
Horrible yellow safe stickers that are hard to get off stuck to the frame.
Mega expensive accessories, you can make a £15 mountain bike rear rack fit by bending each side out over the battery then just fit normal panniers.
Mega expensive spares.
Extremely expensive replacement battery costs I plan on attempting to make my own when the time comes from lifepo4 cells or commissioning someone else to do this (let me know if you have done this or know how)
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Summary
uts a big smile on your face every time you ride it and even though i don't fit a speed computer it doesn't have that annoying cutting in and out all the time at 15 mph that most electric bikes have and is fast acceleration .Great bike I am pleased I have it and it is a real alternative to petrol transport but you could run a cheap car or motorbike on the amount it costs in real terms but that is true of most electric bikes, they are all well over priced this one more than most.
I would not buy one at the list price.
I feel confident I can get bits should I need them but ultimately the cost of a new battery might have me looking at selling for another bike in the future unless I can sort out a lifepo4 alternative.
I use mine at least 4 days a week to travel around 10 miles a day with the odd 20 mile trip about once a month and it will do all these things no problem it did struggle in below freezing temperatures but I think all electric bikes would .Out of interest my other transport is a 1.6 lpg astra so I have other cheap transport when I feel like it.
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Overall Rating (out of 10) :8..price, chain noise and lack of battery life stop it getting 10 for me.
