Hello...Please can you help a newbie with some questions ?

[Phil_P]

HI folks...been lurking around the forums for some time thought it was about time to introduce myself and place my first post.

Ok..I am a middle aged guy who is not at all fit and does not currently cycle anywhere. I had a hip replacement 2 years ago at a very young age (42) due to arthritis. One of the things I was really looking forward to following my operation was to get back on a bike - something i had not been able to do for many years. So i got myself a cheap conventional cycle went for a spin. It was really hard going for me and by the time I got back home I was tired and sore and fed up. The bike went in the workshop and has been gathering dust for months.

I recently tried a cheap single speed (very small 16" wheels) folding bike from china (sunlova). It was a a real cycle revolution for me. I could not believe what a difference it makes to the cycling experience for me. I have to admit it was almost impossible to pedal this bike on the flat as the speed of the motor meant peddling at a rate I could not sustain for more than a a couple of minutes. Uphill however was great. I was happy with the help I was getting from the motor and did not have to put in too much effort to get me up the short sharp hills around here. covered about 4 miles which was more than enough on a cycle like this !

So now I am pondering - just think how much better a good quality bike would be !

So I have been reading reviews here etc and been thinking about what the next step should be. As with most things in life you I realise you get what you pay for but jumping in at the top end feels a little silly given the £2500 price tag of the pro connect S. At the same time I don`t want to spoil the whole experience by getting a bike that does not do justice to what the electric cycle experience has to offer.

I don`t expect that I will be doing any 50 mile trips any time soon - probably a slow Sunday afternoon ride of about 12-15 miles will be the most I would attempt and possibly on a hot summers day a gentle commute into work (5 miles each way). I need to consider what I am going to do if the battery fails and i am still some way from home. Unlike you super fit regular cyclists this might be a real problem for me if the bike i choose is very difficult to ride unassisted.

I am fortunate in that I don`t really have a budget but I think an investment in the top of the range bikes would be better maybe a year or so down the road once I am more knowledgeable and sure I can justify. I live in Norfolk so not particularly hilly but i will want plenty of help initially - hopefully reducing as my legs get stronger and my fitness improves. I absolutely want to pedal most of the time but at a gentle comfortable rate. I should say that i am 5ft 8 tall so i would not expect the larger frame of the Alien to pose any particular problem.

So the million dollar question is how much do i need to spend to get a bike that delivers an experience close to the top end and what makes and models would you experienced people suggest I look at ?
As a starter here are some of the ones that have caught my eye thus far :

Alien Gents II - Looks good but might be a little heavy to ride for me when not assisted fantastic price and is the pro connect S really 5 times as good ?
Cytronex Powered Ridgeback Cyclone - A little concerned about the small battery and low amps but guess i could always get a second battery to increase range if necessary.
Cytronex Powered Cannondale Capo - I like the style but put off by the fact it does not appear to have any gears and I prefer to pedal slow and hard rather than fast and easier ...
Kalhhoff Pro connect - At £1500 this is a little more that i really want to spend but if it is so much better i than the others then i may be persuaded - Is it really £1000 worse than the pro connect S ????
Wisper 905 city
comments, suggestions and advice all greatly received and if anyone knows of a reliable dealer in the east of England that would also be helpful.

Happy days !

Phil

 

[lemmy]

Hi Phil. It might be worth thinking about one of the cheaper Kalkhoffs. I have a Tasman, very similar to the Agattu.

The difference is these are 'upright' bikes in the continental tradition and have suspension and hub gears by Shimano. They offer more than enough range for what you want and a choice of power assistance levels with the relaxed pedalling style you say you like.

I'm not advocating one of these as such for you since the Agattu and Tasman are all I have experience of but they are very well made and have a nice 'in a piece' feeling. The Panasonic system is well developed too, which was an important factor for me.

Flecc has more experience and I expect he will give you some good guidance - I imagine you've read his tests and remarks already.

 

[HarryB]

I think you have got a good list to go and start test riding bikes with. Only you will be able to tell what sort you like riding. There is a clear distinction between the hub motors and the crank drive bikes and you have to test them. Again there is a difference between the wisper/cytronex - the cytronex really is for the reasonably fit as it is not a powerful system (great as it is). Also the Capo is great as it is so trouble free and easy to ride and unless you are going more than 20 mph your legs don't move like whisks. Not so good if you want to climb steep hills though.

If you decide you like the ride through the gears system then there are other makes other than Kalkhoff so the choice is wider than you think. I personally don't think as a starter, the S is worth such a price premium although you might like the front suspension on today's roads. My only advice is to avoid the horrible 7 speed nexus gears and go for the 8 speed alfine equiped bikes eg as lemmy says the Tasmin.

 

[HarryB]

​

Cytronex Powered Cannondale Capo - I like the style but put off by the fact it does not appear to have any gears and I prefer to pedal slow and hard rather than fast and easier ...

As it hasn't got gears you may spend a lot of your time pedalling slow and hard!

 

[eddieo]

I think you would be better of with a throttle, so probably an Alien or Wisper would be a good fit. You need to try before you buy

 

[Rach]

I can't say I'm very clued up on the technical aspect of e-bikes, but I got myself a Synergie Mistral back in March and I reckon it's the best purchase I ever made!!!
I've used it for work ever since (even in the recent snow), and actually prefer it to the car, it's such a pleasure to ride. I can put as much or as little effort in as I like (dodgy back, so the throttle comes in very handy now and again). It's cheap as far as ebikes go, but if you're thinking of upgrading in a year or two I reckon you really can't go wrong with it. £550 odd quid now I believe.

Rach

 

[tonio]

Go for a throttle whisper/Alien as Eddio says or any such bike with good after sales service. Ive arthritis after 2 back operations and find the throttle most comfortable as sometimes the back needs rested. I do peddle too and use the pedelec but the choice is good to have. I agree ebikes are a revelation for those with chronic pain, i hadnt been able to ride a bike for 15yrs.
Now ice and snow at-10 is fun! followed by codeine and dont fancy falling off though.

 

[JohnInStockie]

A lot depends on what you wants the bike for Phil. The Wisper is an excellent bike, and it has a throttle, which is great if you dont want to pedal. If you want to force yourself to pedal (I have mild arthritis in my back), then go for a panasonic equipped bike, check out the eMotion series at the onbike link.

Best of all is go and try them on a day out, and try to imagine how you would feel on your home patch.

John

 

[NRG]

I think you would be better of with a throttle, so probably an Alien or Wisper would be a good fit. You need to try before you buy

I agree, the throttle is one useful feature, so Alien, Wisper, eZee, or Powabyke would all be good choices IMHO...

 

[Scatty]

I'd have a look at poweredbicycles in the midlands thats where i bought my bikes from the owner is very passionate about electric bikes & has a very good range starting from the cheap to the resonable priced & lets you test them before you buy which is the only way you'll know for sure which bike would suit you.

 

[Phil [OnBike]]

Hi Phil,

Phil from OnBike here - You're welcome to come and try our range of bikes; no obligation - we've currently got about 17 models on demonstration including the E-motion range on demo (that uses the popular Panasonic system) along with the Wisper range and eZee range (both throttle based). We also have Powabykes and Monarks and more to try. You can try them all in one place, one after the other and we have some hills and country lanes near by.
I'm not sure where you live, but we get people from all over the UK visit us to try out all the various technologies one after the other.

Anyhow, no pressure, but if you fancy coming in just to try some bikes or have any questions, then feel free to drop me an e-mail phil@onbike.co.uk

Cheers
__________________

 

[flecc]

Nothing I can add to the good range of advice already given above, except to say you should make your own decision on the type of system you like, hub motor or crank drive, throttle or pedelec.

These are all very personal with regard to preferences and the only way to be sure is to try the different types. However inconvenient and costly at the time, it really is worth travelling to try them out before making an expensive final decision.
.

 

[Caph]

I'd have a look at poweredbicycles in the midlands.

I'd second that. I bought my bike from there and the after sales service is fantastic. They also carry a large range of bikes in stock from different manufacturers. It's just a couple of minutes drive off junction 25 of the M1. They have just released the 2010 models of a few of their own bikes which include features like adjustable front suspension forks and torque sensors.

At the very least you will be able to test drive a few and see what works for you and what doesn't.

 

[Phil_P]

Thanks to all

Hi ,

Thanks to everyone who has volunteered advice, suggestions and opinions. Its refreshing to see so many people prepared to offer genuinely helpful good quality advise.

The overwhelming consensus is that the only way to know what is best is to try before you buy.

So….. I will make a shortlist of from the information I have gained from the reviews threads and advice given here and as soon as the weather cheers up a little get myself along to test a few.

Thanks to everyone for your help and when I finally make my decision I will post an update here to let you know how I got on.

In the meantime have fun and stay safe

Happy Days..
Phil

 

[fishingpaul]

Try as many bikes as you can,the tour de prestigne electric bike rally in wales is a great event to see most of what is available, if you cant wait till then try a shop with three or four makes of bike available,the main difference in the price of electric bikes is in the quality of components used,however even the most expensive bikes can require battery replacements costing up to £500 every two years or so,a bike with bigger wheels will give you better speed on the flat,but you may be dissapointed with climbing ability.