Any Recommendations for Commuter Bike?

[HarryB]

It is a bionx battery as it is on the bionx website. Range would be difficult to workout for your journey as I suspect you might just get a return journey initially but it would be tight and probably better to budget for a spare charger and charge both ways - better for the battery that way. I Still think you should test ride a wisper as it may also be suitable or or course more suitable if you don't want the hassle of charging each way. Choices, choices eh!

Ps I think the Cytronex is a cracking bike but the tongxin motor cannot compete against the bionx for reliability. There are less moving parts and there is no getting away from the fact that the tongxin's freewheel is quite fragile. I agree you get fantastic support from Winchester but the guarantee while gold plated, is for a only for a year.

 

[Barnowl]

It still wouldn't put me off though. A reasonable cyclist on a Cytronex could probably do the journey with a couple of miles assist to spare easy. I did on Sunday and Monday. A regular journey like that for a "youngster" would soon take the strain off the battery. I'm 55 and lacking horse/leg power.
I can't argue about the great Bionx or the Wisper and it's range but if I were making the choice and buying a complete bike I'd still go Cytronex.

That said, if I was going to use the bike 5 days a week (with no backup) in all weathers and riding fully kitted up with baggage and all the bells and whistles I'd be looking for something with greatest reliabilty and a bigger battery.

 

[Old Timer]

I take issue with the implication that the system somehow can't 'cut-it' with other systems. If you match the system to the intended user, quite simply, it can.
Well, if you take into consideration my age then in a way I`m probably in a better position to judge just how much help something like an alien kit gives me(your younger legs might disguise that)
I can get up a 25% hill on a 175rpm Cytronex, even with it's 'measly' 180w. I have a dual batteried, derestricted 350w Bafang-equipped Ezee that I can't.
Perhaps that`s not saying much for the Ezee?


I appreciate that this forum is intended to cater for a wide range of ages/views, but with requirements expressed so clearly, dogma-induced advice is surely impolitic?
And your advice is the best, aye! unusual choice of words! your not a politician are you?

Last I checked, Evans were a retailer, not manufacturer of bikes, so a comment like 'I do also have a superb evans MTB' is a bit short on substance?
My Evans is more than 20 years old and as far as I remember they were making frames back then and for sure i chose all the kit to go on it.
Out of interest what is the total weight of an Alien conversion kit?[/QUOTE]

Not sure what the weight is (I`ll take it down to our local greengrocers and stick it on the scales

Please don`t run away with the idea that younger people like yourself have all the answers. I was riding fixed wheel bikes for up to 100miles a day all over the country in my late teens probably when you were just a twinkle in your dads eyes

It might be correct that I`m not in any position to give advice because at the age of 30-40 I would be riding unassisted anyway.

Anyway! chill out man these are only suggestions and the guy will make his own decision in the end but if he reads all the advice he will take that with him when he tries out a few bikes and hopefully make the right choice for himself.
I can however understand why when someone finds something that fits the bill for them they can get carried away with enthusiasm wanting everyone else to join the club.

Take Care

 

[Tex]

i do like how my e-bike mates up there in the old country still have a bit of passion left in their collective souls for a spirited e-bike debate

 

[enceladus]

I really appreciate all the advice given and I can see how passionate you guys are about the subject matter! I'm thinking about everything thats been said, and hopefully I'll make the best decision for my needs. I realise my personal fitness is a big part of it and none of you can know how fit I am, hell I don't even really know what I'll be like cycling to work every day!

I see the Wisper as the option for those days when I maybe don't have the energy and this bike could carry me more. It seems the cytronex and trek bikes would demand a lot more of my energy, but they would still be more than capable of transporting me with not too much effort both ways as although hilly the slopes don't go much more than 5% max. Now its really down to me to decide arrggh.

On a budget basis it would have to be the Wisper as it comes with all the trimmings I need (mudguards) which I'd have to pay extra for on the cytronex.

On the dealer/customer service front it'b be the trek as it seems the only bike I can buy in Aberdeen.

For power/capacity it would be the wisper again.

For elegance, ride/looks like a normal bike, lightness it would have to be the cytronex.

 

[Tex]

hey. if you want a good looking "normal" bike check out the pic of my blue bionx cannondale! (boast i know but i'm a proud owner)

 

[flecc]

I see the Wisper as the option for those days when I maybe don't have the energy and this bike could carry me more. It seems the cytronex and trek bikes would demand a lot more of my energy, but they would still be more than capable of transporting me with not too much effort both ways as although hilly the slopes don't go much more than 5% max. Now its really down to me to decide arrggh.

A lot of us have faced similar problems and solved them by buying both! At one time I had three e-bikes, and Aldby in this forum has had so many that none of us have been able to keep count.
.

 

[Tex]

an excellent point: choose everything good on the menu. seriously- that's why on my trip to the UK i want to try out a crank-motor system. have something different in reserve

 

[themutiny]

Hey, oldtimer, I can't be bothered to cut and paste (it is so much more difficult on a smartphone), but I enjoyed your response to my post
No, I'm not a politician, just mischievious ...

 

[Old Timer]

Hey, oldtimer, I can't be bothered to cut and paste (it is so much more difficult on a smartphone), but I enjoyed your response to my post
No, I'm not a politician, just mischievious ...

 

[broombank]

Any recommendations for commuter bike ?

I have just taken delivery of a Wisper 905 se city from Reaction electric in Taunton. They have been an absolute pleasure to deal with . I live in Peterculter on the outskirts of Aberdeen so if you need to see one 'in person' just let me know . Took it for its first spin last night and was absolutely delighted - only the diabolical state of the roads was brought home to me with a vengeance . I think the road from Peterculter to Westhill ( Malcolm Road) which is the de facto bypass is on a par with rural Cuba and that is saying something !!

Ian

 

[enceladus]

Hi Ian,

Let me know how it goes on the wisper - I'd be interested to hear. Are you using it for the daily commute?

I fell for the cubans if they have to deal with roads as bad as we have in aberdeen.

Is this your first electric bike? Did you test ride before?

 

[enceladus]

Had a Test-Run!

Hi guys,

I had a test run of my new commute today on my kona firemountain mtb (not electric), got there (8.5 miles) in just under 1 hour, but the weather was beautiful and not a breath of wind so really ideal conditions. The hills were hard work but I was not absultely knackered as I had expected, althoug with a head wind and hammering rain this may not be so!

Anyway this has led me to believe even more the cytronex will be the bike for me as I managed most of the journey fine and would like to only use assistance on the long hills which only feature a few times, so I think I should easily manage on 1 charge per day.

Also, the weight of the bike is important here as a heavier bike would probable force me into using assistance more often.

How is the freewheel on the cytronex bikes?

Also, a 1.5 mile portion of my commute is rough gravel with some really rough patches so I think the tyres supplied with the cytronex would have to be changed out for more offroad suitable tyres. Will the power system suffer on rough terrain? Most of the journey is on road, but this section is a good short cut which I would me mad not to make use of as it avoids a fairly busy and fast twisty section of main road.

Thanks for your advice so far everyone - my trip today has encouraged me alot as I was worried about my stamina and strength, but it seems this is not so much of an issue! I'm hoping with assistance the commute will be not more than 45 minutes tops.

Hamish

 

[HarryB]

The Tongxin freewheel will not take any kind of use on off road terrain. You could get away with riding without power over the lumpy bits otherwise you will finish off the freewheel.

 

[enceladus]

Are you saying if the power was off, there would not be a problem with the freewheel during offroading? Is this just a case of powering off using a button during cycling as I come to the offroad section?

I certainly don't need assistance on the really rough section, but some power on the gravel (compacted) would be good as there is a fairly long uphill drag.

 

[Barnowl]

I can't see compacted gravel being much of a problem. The state of the roads is becoming much more of a challenge Pesonally real off road I wouldn't do on any road/hybrid bike elecric or otherwise. I try and keep the shocks down to a minimum but I've hit potholes, mounted the pavement, bounced over the pavements. taken short cuts across park grassland. My freewheel is fine as far as I can tell.

 

[HarryB]

The freewheel is fragile, end of story. I treated mine with kid gloves but I broke the freewheel riding along a traffic calmed road - it didn't take much of an uneven road service to do that. Third time the motor failed.

So to answer your question I think you will be fine unless you use power on the uneven sufaces (according to Mark at Cytronex at any rate).

 

[Mussels]

I have found Big Apple tyres help a lot to reduce shocks from poor roads but add a bit of weight to the wheels, something like that may help cusion the Cytronex motor. Unfortunately they definately aren't four season tyres and I have to run seperate winter tyres.

 

[Barnowl]

The freewheel is fragile, end of story. I treated mine with kid gloves but I broke the freewheel riding along a traffic calmed road - it didn't take much of an uneven road service to do that. Third time the motor failed.

Just reporting my own experience to date. I haven't treated mine with kid gloves but I'll no doubt be purchasing a pair.

 

[HarryB]

...and it wouldn't stop me recommending the cytronex as long as prospective buyers are away of the motor's limitations. Personally I am looking at a Bionx set up as it seems to have a lot of the cytronexes advantages without the fragility (but the cost is huge).