I've lurked on this site for some time and found it incredibly useful in getting information on the pros and cons of the various e-bikes on the market. One of the things I've found most helpful has been people's accounts of the way in which they've come to make a choice about which to purchase. So, in the hope that it will be of interest to others, here's where I'm up to...
I want the bike to replace the car on a 7 mile urban commute with some fair sized hills. I used to cycle about 5 miles to work, but that was some years ago, and in terms of time and effort, I think that an e-bike will mean I am actually motivated to leave the car behind. I'd also like the option to do longer leisure rides.
I have owned an e-bike before - a Giant Lafree Sport, and I confidently expect that any decent bike on the market now will be superior!
I pretty quickly narrowed the options down to four, Wisper, Agattu, Cytronex and X-byke.
Wisper clearly have very good customer support, and I think the bikes look great, however I'm not convinced that they'd be big enough for me, as I'm 6' tall. Shame, because the range is good.
Agattu has pretty universal good reviews, and despite some apparent glitches, the customer support seems pretty good on the whole. My main issue is that I'm not sure about how it will ride because of the reported undergearing.
Cytronex looks good, but there don't seem to be many out there yet, and I think I want the option of more range than it provides, and the fact that you don't appear to be able to buy spare batteries is concerning. It would, I suspect, be perfect for my other half, who is a regular cyclist with a big f**k off hill on the way home, and is looking to somehow 'flatten' it.
X-byke should have good dealer support (although the links on the Powabyke site for dealers near me are all broken or out of date!), and comes from a long established company. However, I can't get past the look of the thing - the 'rocket launcher' and that weird box on the carrier. Again, range is a possible issue.
One really frustrating thing is that, living in Leeds, test rides of the Wisper and Cytronex just aren't practical. Even test riding the Agattu has had to wait until I could combine it with visiting family near Loughborough. I am planning to do this over the new year, and will report back once I return.
If money was no object, I'd take a punt on an Agattu and a Cytronex, as I suspect they are quite complementary in terms of strengths and weaknesses.!
I want the bike to replace the car on a 7 mile urban commute with some fair sized hills. I used to cycle about 5 miles to work, but that was some years ago, and in terms of time and effort, I think that an e-bike will mean I am actually motivated to leave the car behind. I'd also like the option to do longer leisure rides.
I have owned an e-bike before - a Giant Lafree Sport, and I confidently expect that any decent bike on the market now will be superior!
I pretty quickly narrowed the options down to four, Wisper, Agattu, Cytronex and X-byke.
Wisper clearly have very good customer support, and I think the bikes look great, however I'm not convinced that they'd be big enough for me, as I'm 6' tall. Shame, because the range is good.
Agattu has pretty universal good reviews, and despite some apparent glitches, the customer support seems pretty good on the whole. My main issue is that I'm not sure about how it will ride because of the reported undergearing.
Cytronex looks good, but there don't seem to be many out there yet, and I think I want the option of more range than it provides, and the fact that you don't appear to be able to buy spare batteries is concerning. It would, I suspect, be perfect for my other half, who is a regular cyclist with a big f**k off hill on the way home, and is looking to somehow 'flatten' it.
X-byke should have good dealer support (although the links on the Powabyke site for dealers near me are all broken or out of date!), and comes from a long established company. However, I can't get past the look of the thing - the 'rocket launcher' and that weird box on the carrier. Again, range is a possible issue.
One really frustrating thing is that, living in Leeds, test rides of the Wisper and Cytronex just aren't practical. Even test riding the Agattu has had to wait until I could combine it with visiting family near Loughborough. I am planning to do this over the new year, and will report back once I return.
If money was no object, I'd take a punt on an Agattu and a Cytronex, as I suspect they are quite complementary in terms of strengths and weaknesses.!