Disabled cyclist; with one bad choice behind her, needs help with a new bike

[Katymac]

I know what I don't want (I already have that)

I need a low step through, with shedloads of power to take me not very fast, everywhere, even up hills

I needs to be light, with big wheels, suspension, very sit up and beg

In fact a complete cross between the 2 bikes I have

The crusa is too heavy and all the weight is at the back so it's unstable when I walk with it or load it on the train

The fazua is too big for me I can't get my leg over the bar and my legs aren't strong enough to register on the torque/motor

 

[Katymac]

Would that work like the crusa?

 

[Peter.Bridge]

Would that work like the crusa?

I think it has a torque sensor, so you would probably want to install the throttle as well as per the Woosh page

"Please note that with torque sensor, the motor output is proportional to your pedalling. You have to pedal harder when climbing a hill.
If you have some physical issue, add the throttle kit."

 

[Baz the balloon man]

Hi I have a brand new Raleigh Array Step Through not used .

And I am building a new Arrary with stripped out Suntours system.

Planning a Bafang Rear Drive hub choice of Two with 48V HL Battery with 17amp KT Controller and screen .

EX Display bikes unused but may have the odd mark or scuff post pictures later of the step through .

Step Through I think would be good for disabled riders but the Array in the picture is low to solid bike but I have already stripped out the Suntours components

 

[Katymac]

OK

I am now pretty set on buying a lightweight stepthrough/low step (god they are hard to find) and adding a motor

My favourite is an Islabike Joni, followed by an Islabike Janis

However I can't find a Joni in my size!

I've been having lovely conversations with a bike shop in "Scotland" who will sell me one but can only give me a photo from a magazine I didn't fall for that!

 

[Katymac]

You guys have all been amazing so far - do you want to hear more planning/building in the future or shall i wait till I have a bike that works?

 

[thelarkbox]

plan away...

 

[matthewslack]

Always both interesting and useful to hear real world experiences, all the way from research/choice to riding experience, so post without limits!

The Isla models you mention look somewhat delicate in frame design to me. Not much meat in the bottom of the step on the Joni, and rather slender upper member(s) on the Janis. I'd be staying away from the more powerful conversion kits with those bikes.

 

[Katymac]

Apart from the "can't afford it anymore" but

What's wrong (for me) with this one

Cube Kathmandu Hybrid C:62 SLT 400X stellar´n´origanogreen

Carbon sophistication, Bosch power and CUBE practicality in a light, easy-to-ride package

www.cube.eu

 

[matthewslack]

Apart from the "can't afford it anymore" but

What's wrong (for me) with this one

Cube Kathmandu Hybrid C:62 SLT 400X stellar´n´origanogreen

Carbon sophistication, Bosch power and CUBE practicality in a light, easy-to-ride package

www.cube.eu

They've tried really hard and succeeded in keeping the weight down. Only 16.5kg, impressive.

A lot of that is the carbon fibre, and a little is the use of expensive components that are a bit lighter than lesser versions i.e. Shimano XT.

I'd be disappointed with only a 400Wh battery, but that is only a problem if it can't manage the range you need. Small saves weight, but probably only half a kilo compared to 500Wh.

You'd have to think about the motor: it is only the 55Nm Performance SX, presumably chosen for lightness. Not as beefy as the CX.

Biggest gripe of course is the £4500 price. For me I'd say 'well done guys, impressive weight' and then buy a heavier 625Wh, Performance CX bike for probably not much more than half the cost.

 

[Katymac]

Yeah £4k!!


I really need to get something sorted

I want a bike shaped bike otherwise I'd be sorted - I'm going to be a long time in a wheelchair/scooter so I want my pretty bike now

A trike would be heavy as * so it won't increase my mobility & now I can't even open the sodding car door, so driving will only work if there is someone there to let me out ffs

Sorry pity party!

Seeing/testing a joni at the beginning of July & spending far too long each evening googling bike weights and arguing with idiots who think showing me a bike picture from a magazine (or even the manufacturer's webpage) will make me believe they are actually selling a physical bike!!

 

[matthewslack]

Yeah £4k!!


I really need to get something sorted

I want a bike shaped bike otherwise I'd be sorted - I'm going to be a long time in a wheelchair/scooter so I want my pretty bike now

A trike would be heavy as * so it won't increase my mobility & now I can't even open the sodding car door, so driving will only work if there is someone there to let me out ffs

Sorry pity party!

Seeing/testing a joni at the beginning of July & spending far too long each evening googling bike weights and arguing with idiots who think showing me a bike picture from a magazine (or even the manufacturer's webpage) will make me believe they are actually selling a physical bike!!

Good luck.

 

[Giraffe]

Apart from the "can't afford it anymore" but

What's wrong (for me) with this one

Cube Kathmandu Hybrid C:62 SLT 400X stellar´n´origanogreen

Carbon sophistication, Bosch power and CUBE practicality in a light, easy-to-ride package

www.cube.eu

I have a horrible feeling this will have exactly same problem as the expensive bike you couldn't ride.

This appears to be a bike for people who just want fairly light assistance. The system is torque sensing and fairly low torque. Like the other lightweight systems in its class like Fazua.

Based on what you've posted I suspect you want 1/ lots of assistance and 2/ a legal throttle. If possible the bike should be lightweight but most lightweight bikes are light assistance which is no use to you. So you (probably) need to compromise on weight to get heavy duty assistance and legal throttle.

But the main thing is try before you buy.

 

[Peter.Bridge]

I have a horrible feeling this will have exactly same problem as the expensive bike you couldn't ride.

This appears to be a bike for people who just want fairly light assistance. The system is torque sensing and fairly low torque. Like the other lightweight systems in its class like Fazua.

Based on what you've posted I suspect you want 1/ lots of assistance and 2/ a legal throttle. If possible the bike should be lightweight but most lightweight bikes are light assistance which is no use to you. So you (probably) need to compromise on weight to get heavy duty assistance and legal throttle.

But the main thing is try before you buy.

Trek FX3 push bike bicycle medium

Trek FX3 medium bicycle with stand Red Hydraulic disc brakes Lightweight aluminium frame Carbon fork Bontrager Tubeless Ready wheels 700 x 32 tyres Duo trap speed and cadence sensor with computer...

www.facebook.com

Trek fx3 low step (this one is medium -not sure what size you need) 11.5kg

Add akm100 hub motor (2.1kg) and say 36v 15 amp battery (bag battery 2.4 kg, or rack battery 3 -3.5 kg) + KT controller, LCD, PAS and throttle

Probably around 18kg in total, maybe a little less if you use a bag battery)

 

[Peter.Bridge]

Apart from the "can't afford it anymore" but

What's wrong (for me) with this one

Cube Kathmandu Hybrid C:62 SLT 400X stellar´n´origanogreen

Carbon sophistication, Bosch power and CUBE practicality in a light, easy-to-ride package

www.cube.eu

Battery range ? 36V 11.1 Amps

 

[AndyBike]

What's wrong (for me) with this one

Nowt. I think thats an excellent choice.

 

[saneagle]

Nowt. I think thats an excellent choice.

Yes, for you that might be an excellent choice, but you seem to have forgotten the history in this thread. I would say, "out of the frying pan, into the fire" with that bike.

 

[Nealh]

People tend to forget that adding a battery and drive system to a bike adds weight, not only that the bike design itself will also in most cases be more sturdier then a push bike.
Lightweight bikes are available but these tend to be sportu road type bikes with minimal battery size and small hubs for the fitter rider who usually only wants light assisstance now and then.

 

[Katymac]

"Lightweight bikes are available but these tend to be sportu road type bikes with minimal battery size and small hubs for the fitter rider who usually only wants light assisstance now and then"

this is a missed market, the disabled rider, the older rider, the smaller rider even the pregnant rider need light weight bike - it's about wasting energy for the rider with a chronic illness

My daughter riders everywhere, but when she was pregnant, when she is travelling home from a performance/dance show she just wants to whizz home (not speed just ease/lack of effort)

 

[guerney]

"Lightweight bikes are available but these tend to be sportu road type bikes with minimal battery size and small hubs for the fitter rider who usually only wants light assisstance now and then"

this is a missed market, the disabled rider, the older rider, the smaller rider even the pregnant rider need light weight bike - it's about wasting energy for the rider with a chronic illness

My daughter riders everywhere, but when she was pregnant, when she is travelling home from a performance/dance show she just wants to whizz home (not speed just ease/lack of effort)

Your needs are more niche than hers. In addition: more even weight distribution and larger wheels than your Cruza, and it must be step through. I can't find a reasonably priced lightweight step through bike or bike frame (custom built titanium would be too expensive) which can have a middle-ish mounted large capacity battery easily fitted, for an overall lightweight rear/front hub cadence sensored conversion, which would be lighter tham mid-drive.

 

[Peter.Bridge]

"Lightweight bikes are available but these tend to be sportu road type bikes with minimal battery size and small hubs for the fitter rider who usually only wants light assisstance now and then"

this is a missed market, the disabled rider, the older rider, the smaller rider even the pregnant rider need light weight bike - it's about wasting energy for the rider with a chronic illness

My daughter riders everywhere, but when she was pregnant, when she is travelling home from a performance/dance show she just wants to whizz home (not speed just ease/lack of effort)

More powerful bikes have heavier motors. Longer range bikes have heavier batteries. Beyond a certain point (10-11 kg ) reducing the weight of the non e-bike specific components is chasing diminishing returns. The lightest conversion kit I've fitted had a 1.6kg AKM 75 motor and a 1.8 kg 36v 10Ah bag battery but isn't massively powerful and doesn't have a huge range if you use all the power.

That's the beauty of building a bespoke bike, you can choose what's important to you and fit a conversion kit to suit, but if you want lots of power and lots of range using that power it's not going to be light