Careless Wisper (or maybe Bittersweet Symphony!)

Gaz

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 14, 2016
720
556
54
Eastbourne
So we popped over to Hampshire at the weekend and picked up the Wisper 705SE from Spokesman on here. Got it home and out the car, and had a cup of tea as I needed to unfold from being in the car for the best part of four hours.

I gave it an obligatory once over, but really didn't need to as it's in such nice condition. Said to Sally (Wifey) that I'd give it a go around the Cul De Sac to make sure it was all tickety boo. Tried it without power just to get used to it and get the saddle height right. Switched the power on low and thought 'yeah, this is alright' :cool:

Switched it on to high and thought 'hell yeah, this is alright!' - surprising bit of grunt for only 8AH :) Continued to ride around in gradually larger circles as I got more used to it. At some point I realised I didn't actually need to pedal, just rotate the pedals. Then I started thinking how good it'd be for my four mile commute to work...... but then.......

I discovered.........

The THROTTLE :cool::):cool::):D

Oh my word, what a hoot! I spent the rest of the evening hooning around the estate hardly pedaling at all. I only came in coz it got dark. I tried to appear nonchalant to Sally and pronounced the bike 'okay'.

Come Sunday we got on with the usual housework, gardening and car washing. Mid afternoon, I suggested Sally might like to have a go on the Wisper. She agreed bit quicker than I thought she would as her back was a bit stiff from weeding (in hindsight I should have realised this was a harbinger of doom). Set the saddle height (lowest setting was begrudgingly perfect:rolleyes:) and explained the controls. After a couple of goes up and down the Cul De Sac, I suggested she try out the throttle. A few seconds later she came whizzing back around the corner with that now all too familiar tell tale e-biker's grin :D:D

Yes it's comfortable, yes she likes it, yes she wants it :rolleyes:

Now I've mixed feelings :( as I've probably just waved goodbye to my 'other' commuter bikeo_O I can see now why people say hub drives make better commuter bikes.

But then we'll probably go out together more on our bikes :), and we've another e-biker in the collective. She's not a forum junkie like me, so we won't see her on here. But I might try to get the odd surreptitious photo when we're out and about.

It might be a seven year old Wisper, but it's a cracking bike. I've been out and about on it this evening trying to flatten the battery in order to get an idea of range. I've done about 15 miles and got it down to two green LED's on the battery, but red only on the handlebar. It's back on charge now - charger's got a built in cooling fan which is a bit on the noisy side, but I think that's the only negative thing I can say about it.

Gaz
 
Last edited:

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,988
8,170
60
West Sx RH
Don't forget you will get better range by using the throttle sparingly, sounds really good.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Gaz

mountainsport

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 6, 2012
1,419
298
So we popped over to Hampshire at the weekend and picked up the Wisper 705SE from Spokesman on here. Got it home and out the car, and had a cup of tea as I need to unfold from being in the car for the best part of four hours.

I gave it an obligatory once over, but really didn't need to as it's in such nice condition. Said to Sally (Wifey) that I'd give it a go around the Cul De Sac to make sure it was all tickety boo. Tried it without power just to get used to it and get the saddle height right. Switched the power on low and thought 'yeah, this is alright' :cool:

Switched it on to high and thought 'hell yeah, this is alright!' - surprising bit of grunt for only 8AH :) Continued to ride around in gradually larger circles as I got more used to it. At some point I realised I didn't actually need to pedal, just rotate the pedals. Then I started thinking how good it'd be for my four mile commute to work...... but then.......

I discovered.........

The THROTTLE :cool::):cool::):D

Oh my word, what a hoot! I spent the rest of the evening hooning around the estate hardly pedaling at all. I only came in coz it got dark. I tried to appear nonchalant to Sally and pronounced the bike 'okay'.

Come Sunday we got on with the usual housework, gardening and car washing. Mid afternoon, I suggested Sally might like to have a go on the Wisper. She agreed bit quicker than I thought she would as her back was a bit stiff from weeding (in hindsight I should have realised this was a harbinger of doom). Set the saddle height (lowest setting was begrudgingly perfect:rolleyes:) and explained the controls. After a couple of goes up and down the Cul De Sac, I suggested she try out the throttle. A few seconds later she came whizzing back around the corner with that now all too familiar tell tale e-biker's grin :D:D

Yes it's comfortable, yes she likes it, yes she wants it :rolleyes:

Now I've mixed feelings :( as I've probably just waved goodbye to my 'other' commuter bikeo_O I can see now why people say hub drives make better commuter bikes.

But then we'll probably go out together more on our bikes :), and we've another e-biker in the collective. She's not a forum junkie like me, so we won't see her on here. But I might try to get the odd surreptitious photo when we're out and about.

It might be a seven year old Wisper, but it's a cracking bike. I've been out and about on it this evening trying to flatten the battery in order to get an idea of range. I've done about 15 miles and got it down to two green LED's on the battery, but red only on the handlebar. It's back on charge now - charger's got a built in cooling fan which is a bit on the noisy side, but I think that's the only negative thing I can say about it.

Gaz
Seven year old battery? Well done Wisper .

MS.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Gaz

Wisper Bikes

Trade Member
Apr 11, 2007
6,211
2,174
68
Sevenoaks Kent
So we popped over to Hampshire at the weekend and picked up the Wisper 705SE from Spokesman on here.

It might be a seven year old Wisper, but it's a cracking bike.

Gaz
Thanks Gaz, I am so pleased that you and your wife are enjoying the Wisper! Seven years use from a Wisper battery is not unusual. We know we are a little more expensive than others but using more expensive parts pays of in the long run. If you do have any issues, we still support this bike with batteries and spare parts.

All the best, David
 

Gaz

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 14, 2016
720
556
54
Eastbourne
Seven years use from a Wisper battery is not unusual.
Only a couple of hundred miles over the seven years, and charged every other month, so it's not really had a hard life. From a battery's perspective I don't know if that's necessarily a good or bad thing, or if there's anything I should do in particular to refresh or revitalise it. I presume a couple of brim it, then empty it cycles wouldn't be a bad idea?

Gaz
 

Wisper Bikes

Trade Member
Apr 11, 2007
6,211
2,174
68
Sevenoaks Kent
We normally find the more a battery is used the longer it lasts, as long as it hasnt been left flat for any time.

I would just use it as normal.

All the best, David
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gaz