Back-up bike!

[WALKERMAN]

I was wondering what forum members think about having a back-up bike.

Mine is a Giant Lafree Comfort ST which I used for just over a year before I bought a Pro Connect.
I do 13 miles a day to and from work but was thinking about selling the Giant and getting an Agattu because it will have the same battery and charger as the Pro Connect therefore giving me interchangeability between the two bikes.

Is there another cheaper ebike which uses the same battery and charger as the Pro Connect? This may be a better idea as I think the Kalkhoff is very expensive.

All comments would be much appreciated

 

[flecc]

Here's the full range using the Panasonic new unit now, some are cheaper, some dearer, but not all are available here in the UK:

BH

Biketech Flyers

Calvin Traveller

Gazelle Easy Glider

Gitane

Helkama

Kalkhoff ( Derby Cycle Group)

Kettler Layana

Monark

Puch

Raleigh ( Derby Cycle Group)

Rixe

Simplex E4500

Technium Privilege

Victoria Frankfurt

Check out the Raleigh Leicester E with Hilderthorpe Cycles, since its a rebadged Agattu and is sometimes cheaper.

The BH E-motion City 650 is only £1415 with the 10 Ah battery or £1350 with the 8 Ah battery, both substantially less than the £1595 Agattu C, and the Monark Eco bike with 10 Ah battery is only £1350 and I think the cheapest around, but it only has a 3 speed hub gear.

However, when buying, present the options to a preferred supplier and ask for a discount to meet a cheaper bike's price.
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[Phil [OnBike]]

E-motion Electric Bikes...

Hi Walkerman,

The E-motion bikes may be of interest to you?

They use the Panasonic system and come in a wide range starting from £1350 and utilise the Panasonic 8Ah and 10Ah batteries.
For a mini review see HERE

Feel free to take a look at the range: OnBike Electric Bikes UK - The Electric Bicycle Specialist

Any questions, just let me know!

Cheers

 

[WALKERMAN]

Thanks for the feedback Flecc.

I like the look of the E-motion City Deluxe 700 [Crossbar]

It has a gear change which I prefer, compared to the twist type of the Agattu, but I see it also has derailleur gears.

My Proconnect has hub gears but in the light of the recent discussions on this website about the cost of replacing the rear wheel and hub of an 18 spoke Proconnect, is the derailleur set-up a safer bet?

 

[flecc]

My Proconnect has hub gears but in the light of the recent discussions on this website about the cost of replacing the rear wheel and hub of an 18 spoke Proconnect, is the derailleur set-up a safer bet?

The Pro Connect has been changed to the more sensible 36 spoke wheels now so it's hub gear wheels are no longer a potential problem.

The derailleur use with a modified Panasonic unit has been well established by BikeTech on their Flyer models for some years, so there's no need to be nervous about it. It mostly comes down to the usual choice, derailleurs for higher efficiency and gear changing while pedalling but with somewhat more maintenance, or hub gears, meaning slower changes but the ability to select any gear at a standstill and less maintenance.

There is one added and important difference with the Panasonic unit though. If you want to gear up the bike for higher assist speeds, with a hub gear it's just a simple matter of reducing the rear hub sprocket at minimal cost, and large changes in the assist speed limit are possible. With a derailleur gear it's not possible to get much of a change since it's smallest sprocket on the cassette is the highest gear. You may find a cassette with a slightly smaller top gear sprocket, but the alteration will be very small and it could be more costly than just one sprocket for the hub gear.
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[WALKERMAN]

Flecc,
What I meant was that if a wheel needed replacing then there is a lot more expense to have the hub gear fitted into the new wheel whereas a wheel fitted with a derailleur gear is much easier and cheaper because it is simpler to do.
Am I correct in assuming this?

 

[flecc]

Flecc,
What I meant was that if a wheel needed replacing then there is a lot more expense to have the hub gear fitted into the new wheel whereas a wheel fitted with a derailleur gear is much easier and cheaper because it is simpler to do.
Am I correct in assuming this?

It's usual to build on a new rim when it's worn, so it doesn't matter what the hub is, geared or gearless, both are as easy to build on. Any decent cycle shop will do either at the same reasonable cost. Only if buying a completely new wheel is there a cost advantage for derailleur.

However, bear in mind what I added about changing the gearing, a derailleur could frustrate doing that very popular modification.
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