Is there a lightweight folder out there?

[richardmu]

I have recently bought a Wisper 806fe folder and I am very pleased with it. In fact I prefer it in many respects to my 905. It gets a lot more outings.

It is surprisingly quick and with the motor switched off rides very well with no noticeable drag. Much as I expected after reading all the blurb.

The problem is the weight and difficulty getting it in and out of the VW boot. I have the proverbial bad back and it does not appreciate the effort getting the bike in and out of the boot. It doesn't fold particularly well and is awkward to heave in and out at around 20kg.

I love the Wispers but is there anything else on the market that weighs a lot less? I do not need much more than 10 miles per charge so a big heavy battery is not necessary.

 

[jerrysimon]

Brompton with a Nano (Tongxin) motor.

See my DIY thread here

The bike weighs around 14kgs with motor and bag about 3-4kgs with controller and 1kg battery in it.

I use a home made battery (A123) 36v 2.3Ah that gets me 10 miles of commute to work and home, but pretty flat in Cambridge. All the details are in my thread.

If you don't do DIY you can buy a complete one from electric wheel company

Regards

Jerry

 

[richardmu]

Thanks for the suggestion Jerry I will look into it.

The beauty of the Wisper folder is that it can almost be used as a normal bike because of the 20" wheels and 16 gears. My wife zips about at incredible speeds on our countryside rides and I sometimes struggle to keep up on the 905!

The Bompton makes a superb commuting bike but would it hack it in the ups and downs of the Avon countryside I wonder?

 

[Tex]

this is a brilliant combination:

JV Bike -- Dahon + BionX ...

 

[richardmu]

Nice bike, high price!

 

[Ultra Motor]

Hi Richard,

Your other choice is a Go Cycle: Gocycle weighs about 16kg, range of about 10 miles (I think- via boost button). Rides well.

Is more of a collapsible rather than fold able, but should be good for your application.

Cheers
Mark

 

[daniel.weck]

The Bompton makes a superb commuting bike but would it hack it in the ups and downs of the Avon countryside I wonder?

Many Brompton owners would tell you that they use their beloved bike for more than just commuting. I ride mine for everything *but* commuting (seriously)

You'd feel the limitation of the 16" wheels when hitting potholes, but the beautifully-engineered frame, great geometry and low rolling resistance mean that you will keep up with most riders in most conditions.

As for the hills, well the Brompton Wide Range 6-speed setup offers plenty of range, and small wheels are actually quite good on the ascent.

Cheers, Dan

 

[richardmu]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

I've now got some new options to consider when looking for another lighter folder to possibly replace the 905. Another 'investment opportunity' to discuss with my wife!

Richard

 

[Patrick]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

I've now got some new options to consider when looking for another lighter folder to possibly replace the 905. Another 'investment opportunity' to discuss with my wife!

Richard

How about rolling the folded Wisper up a loading ramp?

GMX aluminium folding motorcycle loading ramp - Bike Ramps - Ghostbikes.com


Buy Tri-Fold Pet Ramp. at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for .

 

[richardmu]

Thanks for the suggestion.

However, much as the 806 is great on the go, as a folder it leaves a lot to be desired. When folded it is a heavy, awkward and unwieldy beast to move about and rolling is out of the question. Even trying to carry it up or down steps is a big effort.

 

[jerrysimon]

If portability is what you want then I still think you won't get better than a Brompton. With a decent sized battery hills should not be a problem.

Regards

Jerry

 

[daniel.weck]

Thanks for the suggestion.

However, much as the 806 is great on the go, as a folder it leaves a lot to be desired. When folded it is a heavy, awkward and unwieldy beast to move about and rolling is out of the question. Even trying to carry it up or down steps is a big effort.

Most folding bikes are actually very awkward to carry or even wheel around.

The Brompton is an exception, thanks to design genius to start with, then perfected over many years of mostly hand-crafted production. It's not a particularly light bicycle, but when it comes to portability there's is no competitor (unfortunately). And like I said before, it may be only 16" wheels but it rides brilliantly.

Cheers, Dan

 

[flecc]

Most folding bikes are actually very awkward to carry or even wheel around.

And e-folders are usually even worse, not just to carry but often difficult to lift into a car boot as well.
.

 

[Andrew harvey]

I am building a light weight folder for a customer, hopefully all the bits should be here before Prestigne, she wants to try it on the Mondays ride.
Will post an update when it's finished.
I've got to pick up the motor kit today from DHL in Telford, build the wheel and drop it into the frame, (which I hope should be here in the morning). The battery is on it's way but not sure when it will arrive yet.

 

[eddieo]

I am building a light weight folder for a customer, hopefully all the bits should be here before Prestigne, she wants to try it on the Mondays ride.

Hi Andrew, what donor bike are you using and what do you estimate the weight will be.......

 

[Andrew harvey]

An Airnimal Joey if it gets here, a SWXH rear wheel motor, the customer lives on top of the Witch Cutting on the Malvern Hills and has some serious switch backs to contend with, but wants a light weight battery pack for hills only.
The motor I'm using is geared for a 700 wheel but will be fitted into a 24" to give extra hill climbing ability, Hopefully it should be well under 17Kg with the battery, but it depends on the weight of the battery pack which |I haven't got yet. The motor should weigh around 3/3.5 kg, it may be possible to fit an 8 speed but I'm having trouble sourcing an 8 speed freewheel with a 32/4 tooth big sprocket so it might end up with a mega range as a last resource.

 

[Andrew harvey]

Picked up the motor kit Wednesday evening, built the bike up Thursday.
The motor weighs in at just over 3kgs the battery arrived Friday, it's just 5/6Ah but tips the scales at 4lbs, thats under 2kgs.
The SKWH takes a 7 speed with ease, but an 8 speed would have meant spreading the frame but only by 5mm, OK on your own frame but not for someone else's.
Running the 700c motor in a 24" wheel has meant a lower top speed, down from the normal 17/8 mph common on SB motors to around 14 mph, not to bad though.
The power control is through the push button display in the attachment, a neat little unit that removes the need to hold onto the throttle whilst still giving manual control of the power levels. It also has a walk alongside function, pressing the 6km/h button allows you to use the throttle for climbing really steep hills.
I took it for a test Thursday night a 1 in 7 was despatched with ease the only hill steeper locally is an unadopted road which hits 1 in 5, not only did it climb this short hill it also enabled a restart from rest.
All in all not to shoddy, for a total weight of around 16/7kgs.
The battery and rack in the photos are temporary whilst I make up a custom battery holder, the battery used for the road test was a 4 year old spare NimH unit. The new battery has been tested on my bike to see how it works and it performs well, but I cann't give a figure for range yet.
I'll update with a photo or two when I'm happy that it's finished.