First off let me say. Guys and Gals your all great. Until i came across this forum I have been sat on the fence, doing a should i or should I not get an ebike. Well I hope this post may help others decide, because I think its important to understand the questions newbies like myself are asking if only to themselves and maybe my answers may help some of the others 
Anyways. if you look at my other threed a couple of weeks back. I am an unfit dad (lets say carrying a few extra pounds) and I hit on this crazy idea. peddle child to nursery in jan using a bike and a trailer. distance i think is about 10-12 miles round trip (i am in a village) and to ensure i can actually get home (its mostly flat). If i went for an ebike, then I am sure it can help drag my butt home. A little assistance can go along way (hopefully 12 miles).
So, taking the advice on the previous thread. I went for a croozer trailer. Nice sturdy, shiny in all the right places, and is about the best i can afford for my kiddy.
So, then i looked at the bike...
Brain told me this.
Ebay, full of import unbranded/weird branded. potential rubbish. buyer beware.
Bike value 35-40% battery,15-20%motor, rest of cost is in the other bits.
Battery. Life Span: definately 2 years, should get 3 years. More your lucky. Expect to swop. An ebay second hand bike likely to have 50%+ of its useful battery life used. So, unless you know what your doing then buying other than a new one. at this stage in the ebike market, is going to likely cost more than you can save.
Most bikes (forgive me for this) Use the same motors. I can afford a hubmotor. SO rear hub motor 250w, Buy as big a battery as i can get my paws on. As my weight going to tax it a little more than some of you more skinnier peeps.
I looked at powerbyke, juicy bike, whisper and izip.
I am hooking a kiddy trailer. and i dont like the look of that izip mounted motor. Not going to risk it interfering so. I have ditched that one.
Powerbyke. Dont like the frames.
Whisper I like and juicybike i like. but I have decided to go the juicybike route.
Reason, juicybike seems pretty reasonable. I can feel on the forum that is it bob. really like bikes, I think juicybike seems to my untrained eye decent kit on the bike, for reasonable money, the battery is ina neat place. i really hate the look of the square battery strapped with a couple of bungee cords to a rack taped to the back of a bike, but thats just me. This forum looks like the guy gives good support and if soemthing does go wrong all the bits are there to buy of the guy
So, today. I did a mad thing. Wife jokingly said we should pay a visit next thing you know. I have done a 5 hour round trip (bridlington to buxton and back) in the car to spend 10 mins on a juicy bike sport and for me on my first go of an electric bike. those 10 mins answered all my questions.
Anyone who is ever thinking of buying an ebike for the first time. needs to go sit on one and have a go.
What 10 mins taught me.
1) forgetting the electric bit. i like the frame the handlebars and the feel of the bike.
2) I started to pedal and then the assist kicked in about 1.5 seconds after. I still do not fully understand pedal assist. But i am assuming that it senses when your peddling and trys to speed you up to the 15 mph as long as your moving them feet! stop peddling it stops. start and it attempts to get you up to 15mph.
3) throttle twist of the bike moved me forward. no wheelies but on the flat sped me up at a reasonable pace and away I was going. I assume as i peddle more and lose a few pounds this will be perkier.
4) Bob man your a genius. That was a very fun 10 mins and well worth the 40 quid in petrol and 5 hours round trip and the only reason your till not got my pennies yet, is I need to ask you a couple of questions regarding getting a 14h battery and shipping it to a dealer for assembly.
I also learned. An electric bike is not a moped. It is an assistance, there is still plenty of work that can be done. In fact for me I can see this being an aide to exercise without killing me off
The motor felt for me like i got some skinny kid about half my strength helping me along peddling, sat on an extra seat at the back.
The noise of the motor I found fun, reminded me of a quite milk float
All in all,
I have decided.....
Ebikes are cool.
I want one yesterday.
Sadly will have to wait till tommorow to order mine.
I shall post more when i get my grubby mitts on it.
Kev
Anyways. if you look at my other threed a couple of weeks back. I am an unfit dad (lets say carrying a few extra pounds) and I hit on this crazy idea. peddle child to nursery in jan using a bike and a trailer. distance i think is about 10-12 miles round trip (i am in a village) and to ensure i can actually get home (its mostly flat). If i went for an ebike, then I am sure it can help drag my butt home. A little assistance can go along way (hopefully 12 miles).
So, taking the advice on the previous thread. I went for a croozer trailer. Nice sturdy, shiny in all the right places, and is about the best i can afford for my kiddy.
So, then i looked at the bike...
Brain told me this.
Ebay, full of import unbranded/weird branded. potential rubbish. buyer beware.
Bike value 35-40% battery,15-20%motor, rest of cost is in the other bits.
Battery. Life Span: definately 2 years, should get 3 years. More your lucky. Expect to swop. An ebay second hand bike likely to have 50%+ of its useful battery life used. So, unless you know what your doing then buying other than a new one. at this stage in the ebike market, is going to likely cost more than you can save.
Most bikes (forgive me for this) Use the same motors. I can afford a hubmotor. SO rear hub motor 250w, Buy as big a battery as i can get my paws on. As my weight going to tax it a little more than some of you more skinnier peeps.
I looked at powerbyke, juicy bike, whisper and izip.
I am hooking a kiddy trailer. and i dont like the look of that izip mounted motor. Not going to risk it interfering so. I have ditched that one.
Powerbyke. Dont like the frames.
Whisper I like and juicybike i like. but I have decided to go the juicybike route.
Reason, juicybike seems pretty reasonable. I can feel on the forum that is it bob. really like bikes, I think juicybike seems to my untrained eye decent kit on the bike, for reasonable money, the battery is ina neat place. i really hate the look of the square battery strapped with a couple of bungee cords to a rack taped to the back of a bike, but thats just me. This forum looks like the guy gives good support and if soemthing does go wrong all the bits are there to buy of the guy
So, today. I did a mad thing. Wife jokingly said we should pay a visit next thing you know. I have done a 5 hour round trip (bridlington to buxton and back) in the car to spend 10 mins on a juicy bike sport and for me on my first go of an electric bike. those 10 mins answered all my questions.
Anyone who is ever thinking of buying an ebike for the first time. needs to go sit on one and have a go.
What 10 mins taught me.
1) forgetting the electric bit. i like the frame the handlebars and the feel of the bike.
2) I started to pedal and then the assist kicked in about 1.5 seconds after. I still do not fully understand pedal assist. But i am assuming that it senses when your peddling and trys to speed you up to the 15 mph as long as your moving them feet! stop peddling it stops. start and it attempts to get you up to 15mph.
3) throttle twist of the bike moved me forward. no wheelies but on the flat sped me up at a reasonable pace and away I was going. I assume as i peddle more and lose a few pounds this will be perkier.
4) Bob man your a genius. That was a very fun 10 mins and well worth the 40 quid in petrol and 5 hours round trip and the only reason your till not got my pennies yet, is I need to ask you a couple of questions regarding getting a 14h battery and shipping it to a dealer for assembly.
I also learned. An electric bike is not a moped. It is an assistance, there is still plenty of work that can be done. In fact for me I can see this being an aide to exercise without killing me off
The motor felt for me like i got some skinny kid about half my strength helping me along peddling, sat on an extra seat at the back.
The noise of the motor I found fun, reminded me of a quite milk float
All in all,
I have decided.....
Ebikes are cool.
I want one yesterday.
Sadly will have to wait till tommorow to order mine.
I shall post more when i get my grubby mitts on it.
Kev
