Introducing the Woosh Faro

[Woosh]

Do let me know what you think.

Woosh Faro:

Matt black modern road frame, 25-30 miles on flat roads with internal battery, 70 miles with external battery.
Natural ride feel. Hydraulic brakes, 8-speed, KD58C LCD.

20" frame, 700C 28mm tyres.
Aikema 85SX motor, 15A controller.

Very lightweight:

16.5kgs with internal 36V 8AH battery, 18.5kgs with 17AH external battery.

On sale from 07-November .

Only £899 with 8AH in-frame battery.
Only £1,099 with 17AH HL downtube battery.
including delivery.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?faro

 

[Wicky]

Like it - Would have been on my shopping list a couple or 3 years ago if available then. I had a Giant Escape before changing to a pedelec and that would have been a good progression. Well kitted and a great price.

Does that matt black make it invisible to thieves ? ;-)

BLACK 2.0 - The world's mattest, flattest, black art material by Stuart Semple

BLACK 2.0 LEGACY VERSION This was the most pigmented, flattest, mattest, black acrylic paint in the world until we made 3.0 Even though we've produced Black 3.0 now, we continue to offer 2.0 and support it. It's still an amazing paint if you need a one coat application on almost any surface...

culturehustle.com

 

[vfr400]

It looks very good for the price. The only way independent brands can compete against Halfords and the big players is to be innovative and up-to date. With that in mind, I'd go 48v, small motor, hidden battery and light-weight. You scored 75% so I give you a C. My scale is A to F, where F is a fail.

 

[vfr400]

Does that matt black make it invisible to thieves ? ;-)

Only if you park it next to a black wall, but it has another advantage. Black doesn't reflect light, so it slips through the space-time continuum with less energy.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

Looks good and it's nice and light, 25-30 miles on flat roads with the internal battery alone should suit many users I think but if they want to go further now and then there's that external battery available.

Well done.

What's involved in replacing the internal battery?

 

[Amoto65]

Could do with a choice of frame size, otherwise very nice.

 

[vfr400]

You could probably get down to at least 17kg to make a light-weight version. Remove the rack, put on a conventional seat-pin and light-weight saddle, and change the crank, BB and pedals to light-weight ones. The owner can then choose to dump the stand and lights for another 1/2kg or so. I could do all those mods for about £100 retail, so you should be able to do it for a lot less because you get the credit on the parts you're replacing and you pay wholesale prices. Add £100 to the price for even more profit.

 

[grldtnr]

I would keep the rack, looks usefull, the one size fits all policy is a fallacy ,it clearly doesn't. But I would give it 6 points on its current form.

 

[Woosh]

You could probably get down to at least 17kg to make a light-weight version. Remove the rack, put on a conventional seat-pin and light-weight saddle, and change the crank, BB and pedals to light-weight ones. The owner can then choose to dump the stand and lights for another 1/2kg or so. I could do all those mods for about £100 retail, so you should be able to do it for a lot less because you get the credit on the parts you're replacing and you pay wholesale prices. Add £100 to the price for even more profit.

I put these accessories on because it's easier for customers to take off something rather than shop around when they modify the bike to suit their needs.
The saddle is Selle Royale Freccia, seat post is Exa. The Ounce cranks and Wellgo pedals are modern lightweight versions.
The main objective is to keep it under the Cycle to Work £1,000 voucher limit.

 

[Woosh]

With that in mind, I'd go 48v, small motor, hidden battery and light-weight. You scored 75% so I give you a C. My scale is A to F, where F is a fail.

wait until I introduce my new folding bike next month!

 

[Nealh]

20" frame is a bit large but that I suspect is down to the length required for the int battery, would be a possible candidate to replace my town bike one day once my batteries are of no more use, though would make changes.
For me that horrible generic stand would go I had a very similar one on my current bike but it was never happy fixed to the stay, so replaced it with a Pleischer twin footed kick stand, the other option would be nice swept handle bars like the Geoffs.
Rear rack is in my view essential for a town/short commuting bike to take work stuff and shopping with panniers.

 

[egroover]

I like it.
The flat bars might be a bit low down for me, I'd of gone with a slight rise and sweep, or possibly an adjustable stem, but can be swapped out at low cost.
Agree about the £6.99 ebay kickstand, I tried one, could never get it tight enough to stop it flopping down, shame you couldn't of got a proper mounting holes built into the frame.
I think the cheapo suspension seatpost would not be on my list. I can see why you have added it, not much additional cost, and ticks a box, but not everyone wants one, and I'd argue if you do, you'll most likely to shell out for a decent Suntour one and bin this.

Can the external battery be added to the internal to give extra range, or are the bikes totally different, do you order either internal OR external battery options? If the former, then you are onto a winner..use the internal for short commutes during the week, then easily add the external for greater tours at the weekend
Oh and it looks great

 

[Woosh]

For me that horrible generic stand would go

yes, it's a rather horrid kickstand. I'll take it off.

 

[Woosh]

The flat bars might be a bit low down for me, I'd of gone with a slight rise and sweep, or possibly an adjustable stem, but can be swapped out at low cost.

yes, it may be style over substance. I'll try an X-riser bar later to see how it looks.

 

[Woosh]

I think the cheapo suspension seatpost would not be on my list. I can see why you have added it, not much additional cost, and ticks a box, but not everyone wants one, and I'd argue if you do, you'll most likely to shell out for a decent Suntour one and bin this.

I need some sort of suspension, the problem is how to balance weight against functionality.

 

[Woosh]

Can the external battery be added to the internal to give extra range,

If you look at the position of the water bottle holder, it's placed unusually higher up than normal, that's because the bolts are for fitting an HL battery in place of or in addition to the in-frame battery.

 

[egroover]

If you look at the position of the water bottle holder, it's placed unusually higher up than normal, that's because the bolts are for fitting an HL battery in place of or in addition to the in-frame battery.

For me that's the USP of this bike, and I'd promote it based on that. Is there some kind of battery switch between internal and external when both are fitted ? Presumably you'd use the standard HL battery mount, you'd need a waterproof cover for that when the external battery is not attached.
17ah and the internal 8ah, that's quite a range busting combo, if you could market that double battery model in at about 1200 quid you'd be onto a winner

 

[EddiePJ]

Really like it, except to say that the brake hose routing for the rear brake doesn't look great, and the cable to the motor sadly looks even worse. Both need to be tidied up, as they currently look self build.

 

[soundwave]

that power cable should be routed through the frame just so it rules out any damage to that connector and cable and does not look shite lol

 

[Nealh]

With out the stand the motor cable as with my AKM128 can neatly be tied to the inside of the stay, on my Boardman it is tightly held with Velcro ties so as not to pinch/damage the cable. It needs to be external in case of wheel removal or owners could pay a few more quid, the fact that a Presta valve is used a Gaadi fitted by the user would save wheel removal.