Electric Bike Test rides - Bishop's Castle

[alanterrill]

For anyone living in Shropshire or the Welsh Border -you may be interested in the following:
Electric Bike Test Rides!
At The Wasteless Society Office
Saturday 10th March 10 am – 1 pm
2 Market Place
Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire
Try riding on a range of Electric Bikes – Cycling made easy!
Both ladies and gents bikes available including:
Ezee Sprint, Giant Suede, Giant Twist, Powabyke

The Wasteless Society is a local 'green' organization promoting various energy saving measures and we have groups doing household energy surveys, we sell 100% biodiesel, we promote local transport etc - as part of this we have held a green transport tent at a local festival with electric bikes, unusual bicycles, biodiesel cars, ultra high mileage cars etc, and now there's a chance to try an electric bike on Bishop's Castle High St which is one long hill. The bikes belong to members so the choice is limited, but if you live nearby and would like to bring your bike along, we'd love to hear from you.
Oh, and since I do the website -have a look at Homepage to find out more.

 

[alanterrill]

Just to report that it was great success. Lots of people turned up, and although 50 Cycles didn't come, a new local shop did - a shop selling only electric bikes has just opened in Shrewsbury, so they bought a selection of their bikes over. Unfortunately, they were mostly cheap lead acid kids type bikes with big suspension springs at the back (and so heavy, it's impossible to imagine anyone using them for stunts), and the moped type bikes with no pedals. Bishop's Castle is on a steep hill, so any bike that wouldn't go up hills was quickly eliminated. One member bought her new Ezee along, and it failed to work as soon as it arrived. My wife's Lafree Twist was easily the most popular -every one who took it up the hill came back with a big grin on their face. Of course the next question was 'where can I buy one?" and the answer had to be "they don't make them any more". One member bought his Giant Suede, and that made the hills comfortably, so maybe that's second best.
What the people who came wanted was 1) a bike that went up hills 2) a bike that's light enough to be lifted into a car or up the steps and 3) a basket or a rack for shopping and 4) somehting that looked like a bike and could be ridden with its pedals. On that basis, what would anyone recommend that's still available? (and under £1,000)

 

[flecc]

Glad it was such a success Alan, and it's good news that there's a dedicated e-bike shop, even if the stock is low end. It's a step in the right direction.

I don't know anything that can meet all the points of the spec you've given. The Quando II* will climb just about anything, it folds and will go in the car, and it's full length, though not really normal bike like. It's also got a full size rack with 25 kilo capacity, good for big shopping loads, and tows trailers well. It's not good for pedalling without power, and it's a touch heavy to lift at around 25 kilos.

With most others weighing the same or more and not folding either, there aren't many options, and none will have the normal bike qualities of the Twist series. I wish it were still available, but there it is.

The lighter models like the Powacycle Salisbury/Windsor** with the new LiPoly battery will probably be reasonable to pedal, but are low powered, so hill climbing might have limitations.

* £845 Li-ion, £745 NiMh.

** £599

 

[alanterrill]

Thanks -your review makes this sound a very practical machine for the type of people who want to make short journeys to the shops and be helped back up the hill afterwards. I don't think the slightly unusual shape will put people off - it would probably be a bonus for those who want to put it in the car. or who have trouble lifting their legs over a high crossbar -when I said 'looks like a normal bike' I meant not like a Vespa scooter or a kids scramble bike. The moped lookalikes didn't attract a single user on our test day. They're just quiet motorbikes to most people I suspect.

 

[flecc]

The Quando II certainly fits utility riding well Alan, and can cope well on steep hills even for the weakest of riders carrying heavy shopping loads.

I've also noticed how people tend to reject the motorbike/moped lookalikes, only kids up to about 12 or so seem to like them. Older than that and they think them naff, to use one of their expressions.

 

[Django]

Drat, I missed it, Alan!

I have a Torq and would be happy to give people test rides - living in Shrewsbury, I know Bishop's Castle well.

Next time perhaps.

Struan Hellier