First off all let me thank all the people who let me try their bikes. A special thanks to Neill at Edinburgh Cycle Company. He was very helpful and let me test two bikes thoroughly and they seem a very knowledgeable outfit, well recommended.
Bear with me almost there, yee haaa at long last I am at my final decision but its been an eye opener to say the least. When I came back on this forum the range of bikes has exploded. Or so I thought, they have in numbers but they really do all fall into a small range of categories.
1) Hub bikes
2) Crank Bikes
3) Electric Bikes
4) Cyclist Bikes
Now obviously there will be some overlap between each category but this is in general terms how I see it. I have managed to try out all types and I have to say that there are some outstanding models in each category. To deal with the main two category’s first, where I think there is a distinct preference.
Some bikes just look like electric bikes and make absolutely no pretense about it. But from my point of view as a keen cyclist they are far too many compromises for it to be a real option. Now do not get me wrong they have their market and they are fantastic for their target market. I am only mentioning the models I tried, there is no bias towards picking particular brands just what I have tested.
Wisper 905se: Just looking at this bike it is clearly an electric bike, very nice fit and finish to it, but most definitely not a converted cycle. You can tell that a lot of work has went into the electric side but for me the frame was all wrong and when I was cycling you could still tell it was a heavy bike underneath. The motor carried me with ease and would do for a long time but for me far too many compromises on the cycling components. But the throttle was not as much use as I had thought, without me helping the poor beast of burden was struggling on anything but complete flat, any incline then no way. Now this is not a reflection on the bike but more of an issue of me weighing 19 stone
. Overall as an electric bike it was very good and I can see the appeal but not for me.
I tried the trek FX with the bionix system today, first impressions were good, it looked like a real cycle(which it is). The bike was light compared to the dedicated electric bikes, but was rear heavy as expected. Started the test ride off with no power and it rode like a normal bike with panniers, very nice. So got to a flat section and again no power this was no problem but soon started to feel the weight of the bike(again I’m un-fit at present) . So put it on power setting one, mmm not much difference, onto power 2, now that’s better was bowling along nicely at this setting. Came to my first steep hill so put it into level 4, jeez it just floated up the hill. But very strange when the assist cut out, all of a sudden I was working hard again, so back off, ahh easy street again. Just did not want to get off this bike and was heading down towards the water and another cyclist passed on the other side. Received an smile and passed pleasantries as fellow cyclist sometimes do, he had no idea whatsoever this was an electric motor. This bike is verging on silent, now for me this is a massive plus. Anyway covered just over 7 miles by the time I took it back. Now onto the down side, the battery was verging on dead, maybe had about another mile left. But to be fair when I took it out it was just over half full so recon a range of about 14 miles with heavy use of power 4. Not great but I really do not plan using power 4 much, its certainly not a long range bike. But on the flip side if it was to run out of juice it was still perfectly useable. Overall the perfect bike for me, or should I say the type of bike is perfect for me.
As for hub or crank, I really did not have a preference either way, so not much to say I’m afraid.
I just picked the two bikes above as they are good examples of each type. But in summary I find the pure electric bikes are just too compromised they really are nothing like real bikes, and they are very noisy. But they are fantastic for getting from A to B if you are not too bothered about training or getting bike fit again. Overall they have their place and one day my time will come when I need a pure electric bike but today is not that day.
The bikes which are bikes are fantastic for getting fit, yes you need to work harder but that’s the idea. The range is poorer but then again you should be getting fit so push.
In conclusion they both have their place but they really are different beasts both good at what they do. But for me the Trek is the bike, now 4 stone to go.
PS,
Alien Aurora, mm what a bike, but illegal and its just not worth the chance on a daily commute plus I do not think I would get fit, it’s a beast. Maybe as a second bike.
Bear with me almost there, yee haaa at long last I am at my final decision but its been an eye opener to say the least. When I came back on this forum the range of bikes has exploded. Or so I thought, they have in numbers but they really do all fall into a small range of categories.
1) Hub bikes
2) Crank Bikes
3) Electric Bikes
4) Cyclist Bikes
Now obviously there will be some overlap between each category but this is in general terms how I see it. I have managed to try out all types and I have to say that there are some outstanding models in each category. To deal with the main two category’s first, where I think there is a distinct preference.
Some bikes just look like electric bikes and make absolutely no pretense about it. But from my point of view as a keen cyclist they are far too many compromises for it to be a real option. Now do not get me wrong they have their market and they are fantastic for their target market. I am only mentioning the models I tried, there is no bias towards picking particular brands just what I have tested.
Wisper 905se: Just looking at this bike it is clearly an electric bike, very nice fit and finish to it, but most definitely not a converted cycle. You can tell that a lot of work has went into the electric side but for me the frame was all wrong and when I was cycling you could still tell it was a heavy bike underneath. The motor carried me with ease and would do for a long time but for me far too many compromises on the cycling components. But the throttle was not as much use as I had thought, without me helping the poor beast of burden was struggling on anything but complete flat, any incline then no way. Now this is not a reflection on the bike but more of an issue of me weighing 19 stone
. Overall as an electric bike it was very good and I can see the appeal but not for me. I tried the trek FX with the bionix system today, first impressions were good, it looked like a real cycle(which it is). The bike was light compared to the dedicated electric bikes, but was rear heavy as expected. Started the test ride off with no power and it rode like a normal bike with panniers, very nice. So got to a flat section and again no power this was no problem but soon started to feel the weight of the bike(again I’m un-fit at present) . So put it on power setting one, mmm not much difference, onto power 2, now that’s better was bowling along nicely at this setting. Came to my first steep hill so put it into level 4, jeez it just floated up the hill. But very strange when the assist cut out, all of a sudden I was working hard again, so back off, ahh easy street again. Just did not want to get off this bike and was heading down towards the water and another cyclist passed on the other side. Received an smile and passed pleasantries as fellow cyclist sometimes do, he had no idea whatsoever this was an electric motor. This bike is verging on silent, now for me this is a massive plus. Anyway covered just over 7 miles by the time I took it back. Now onto the down side, the battery was verging on dead, maybe had about another mile left. But to be fair when I took it out it was just over half full so recon a range of about 14 miles with heavy use of power 4. Not great but I really do not plan using power 4 much, its certainly not a long range bike. But on the flip side if it was to run out of juice it was still perfectly useable. Overall the perfect bike for me, or should I say the type of bike is perfect for me.
As for hub or crank, I really did not have a preference either way, so not much to say I’m afraid.
I just picked the two bikes above as they are good examples of each type. But in summary I find the pure electric bikes are just too compromised they really are nothing like real bikes, and they are very noisy. But they are fantastic for getting from A to B if you are not too bothered about training or getting bike fit again. Overall they have their place and one day my time will come when I need a pure electric bike but today is not that day.
The bikes which are bikes are fantastic for getting fit, yes you need to work harder but that’s the idea. The range is poorer but then again you should be getting fit so push.
In conclusion they both have their place but they really are different beasts both good at what they do. But for me the Trek is the bike, now 4 stone to go.
PS,
Alien Aurora, mm what a bike, but illegal and its just not worth the chance on a daily commute plus I do not think I would get fit, it’s a beast. Maybe as a second bike.
