Another Tonaro variation

[Geebee]

Specifications
SKU RECHIANTI1
Manufacturer Cheetah
Product name Chianti Electric Bike
Features
Full chain guard
Front handle basket and rear rack
Frame Wanli Chianti Alloy step-through.
Motor Tonaro 200W Brushless.
Full Charge Distance 40-60KM
Colour Pear White
Stem Promax Adjustable Stem
Suspension Front fork.
Derailleurs Shimano Nexus Inter 8-spd Derailleur
Brakes Tektro V-brake
Brake levers Tektro EL520 Brake Lever
Saddle Velo Retro
Grips Velo Retro
Pedals Wellgo C33.
Chain KMC Z410.
Tyres CST CS869
Speed 25/32 Km/h
Range Up to 60km.
Battery Tonaro Li-polymer 36V 10AH
Gear Shifter Shimano Nexus Inter 8-spd
Reducer Tonaro 36V200W
Voltage 36V

 

[flecc]

Nice one, a neat utility bike with a sensible economic specification.

Yamaha must be wondering how and why they went wrong. They had this motor system from 1999 onwards but were beaten in the market by Panasonic, so they replaced it with a Panasonic imitation which has also failed in the marketplace.

But now a decade later this copy of their original motor system is succeeding in Europe and the USA under various marketing names. I guess they were just too early in 1999, the market not very well developed back then and too small for more than one good system.

 

[funkylyn]

That looks to me like the re badged OLD model Tonaro Esprit without the hub gears and with the smaller 200 motor.
The recent model like mine has hub gears and a 250 motor.
And not only that...the new version costs much less than that one.....so not really a sensible economic spec .....anyone interested in the newer better model contact Phil at
Home Page of Powerpedals electric bicycles

This system is a good no nonsense system which, yes, probably was before its time......however...

Its time is now !

After all.......you dont necessarily have to be younger to be better

Lynda

 

[Geebee]

It's an 8 speed internal hub, the 200w is to make it legal in Oz, price at most places is pretty much the same as the Powerped one I just grabbed the first photo I came across to post
One was on sale down here for $1200 aud (765 gbp) but the weight is a worry, especially when you compare it to something like the Pana e in my other post at 16 kg.

 

[eddieo]

well...at least it looks like a proper bike

 

[flecc]

Yup, it has the 8 speed Shimano hub gear. I wouldn't be surprised if the 200 watt is just labelling to widen it's market into the 200 watt regions like Oz. That's what most makers do, change the specification text, not the controller.

 

[funkylyn]

Yup, it has the 8 speed Shimano hub gear. I wouldn't be surprised if the 200 watt is just labelling to widen it's market into the 200 watt regions like Oz. That's what most makers do, change the specification text, not the controller.

Ah....I thought it had said deraillier....and so does that mean that the motor is really the 250 watt ?

A lot dearer in Oz though than here, I wonder why as they are nearer the manufacturers....must be their tax maybe.

As I have said before , this is a lovely bike, I am still well pleased with mine...... it is effortless to ride, climbs hills well, and at 25kgs.....not too heavy for a recreational bike (there are plenty around heavier) .... feels safe and is capable of traversing very rough tracks/forests/fields

Lynda

 

[flecc]

There's a real lack of e-bikes listed as the 200 watts that Australia demands Lynda. For example they are denied the Panasonic and Bosch equipped bikes since they're listed as 250 watts in accordance with Japanese and EU laws. That mean this Tonaro motored bike should be well received and be accepted at a slightly higher price than in other markets.

One state in Australia, Victoria, is trying to adopt EU law so they may eventually get into line at 250 watts. It will still leave New Zealand out of line in that area though; just to be different their limit is 300 watts.

 

[mike killay]

Nice one, a neat utility bike with a sensible economic specification.

Yamaha must be wondering how and why they went wrong. They had this motor system from 1999 onwards but were beaten in the market by Panasonic, so they replaced it with a Panasonic imitation which has also failed in the marketplace.

But now a decade later this copy of their original motor system is succeeding in Europe and the USA under various marketing names. I guess they were just too early in 1999, the market not very well developed back then and too small for more than one good system.

To have a successful export trade you need a good home market. With the odd Japanese laws which badly restrict e-bike performance, Yamaha and Panasonic probably had too small a domestic market to share between them.
Contrast this to the huge, largely unrestricted Chinese market of the time.
Although I have no knowledge of the original Yamaha design, I bet the Chinese engineers stripped it down to its bare essentials, freeing up the restrictions and producing an effective motor.

 

[funkylyn]

There's a real lack of e-bikes listed as the 200 watts that Australia demands Lynda. For example they are denied the Panasonic and Bosch equipped bikes since they're listed as 250 watts in accordance with Japanese and EU laws. That mean this Tonaro motored bike should be well received and be accepted at a slightly higher price than in other markets.

Ah, interesting, so of course, that explains the higher price .....good thinking batman


Lynda

 

[flecc]

To have a successful export trade you need a good home market. With the odd Japanese laws which badly restrict e-bike performance, Yamaha and Panasonic probably had too small a domestic market to share between them.
Contrast this to the huge, largely unrestricted Chinese market of the time.
Although I have no knowledge of the original Yamaha design, I bet the Chinese engineers stripped it down to its bare essentials, freeing up the restrictions and producing an effective motor.

The Japanese home market for e-bikes has always been strong Mike, easily supporting both. The Yamahas sold in Europe didn't rigidly stick to Japanese law in the way the Panasonic one originally did, indeed they were criticised at times for being moped-like.

The Yamaha failure was in two stages and due to market preferences at the time, the Panasonic unit being preferred in it's Giant Lafree and Biketec Flyer guises. In contrast, Yamaha sold theirs as complete Yamaha e-bikes. Outsold by the Panasonic equipped bikes in the tiny UK market at that time, they withdrew very early in the last decade. In Europe they hung on much longer, France being their best market, but by the end of 2005 they gave up there as well.

Within two years they copied the Panasonic unit with a near clone for other bike makers to use, but only Hungary's Gepida have used it to date. Yamaha still have a healthy market for their own e-bikes in Japan where they give Panasonic good competition, both producing ranges of crank and hub drive models from roadsters to sport e-bikes.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

There's a real lack of e-bikes listed as the 200 watts that Australia demands Lynda. For example they are denied the Panasonic and Bosch equipped bikes since they're listed as 250 watts in accordance with Japanese and EU laws. That mean this Tonaro motored bike should be well received and be accepted at a slightly higher price than in other markets.

One state in Australia, Victoria, is trying to adopt EU law so they may eventually get into line at 250 watts. It will still leave New Zealand out of line in that area though; just to be different their limit is 300 watts.

I heard that the law in Australia has changed and that they've now adopted EN15194 as the standard
Australian Government Clarifies Ebike Import Laws | Bicycles Network Australia

 

[flecc]

I heard that the law in Australia has changed and that they've now adopted EN15194 as the standard

I haven't heard that's approved yet Dave, and GeeBee's post above seems to confirm that 200 watts is still in force at present. I usually get a tip-off of any change from a contact there who is a lobbyist for e-bike legal change, which is why I knew of the State of Victoria attempts. He hasn't informed me about this being in force though.

 

[mike killay]

Thanks Flecc,
Strange that Yamaha gave up so easily then.
Or, is there some sort of tie-in between Yamaha and Tonaro?

 

[flecc]

Not that I know, either the Chinese maker has copied the design or possibly bought the rights for a nominal amount, The same has applied to many Oriental cars, makes like Kia, Hyundai and Proton using old Japanese and GM designs to establish themselves initially.

I think Yamaha gave up because a minority of a tiny market just didn't pay. To give some idea, the market leading crank drive Giant Lafree only sold 20,000 worldwide in the seven years it was on sale in Taiwan, Europe and the USA and never made a profit in any one year, so even Giant gave up and withdrew it. Yamaha's much smaller sales wouldn't have had a chance of paying.