Kudos Sonata

[Paul J]

After lots of help on this forum I decided to buy the Kudos Sonata ex-demo as offered by Kudos Cycles. I had narrowed down to a few bikes, some were over budget a couple were second hand and others just didn't fit the bill. I looked at a second had volt that was quite high spec and advertised with 15 months remaining warranty but after a quick call to Volt as I suspected the warranty is not transferable.

I settled on the Kudos Sonata because it offered the BPM motor 30 speed gears and hydraulic disc brakes.

I am writing this after returning from a 12 mile ride around the local roads, this is my third outing having now clocked up 20 miles in total.

The Plus Points
The Sonata looks much better in the flesh than in the web site picture and I was pleasantly pleased with the overall look. I tightened the handlebars fitted the pedals, checked as best I could and was soon off into the sunset. So what can I say about the Sonata? It does what it says on the tin and does it very well. Everything works just as it should, plenty of power. The gears are fine although I am tending to only use three off the them. The brakes are certainly the best I have ever had on a bike.

The Negative Points
No real negatives so far but a couple of small observations. There are no instructions of any kind with the bike or the motor system, a brief safety checklist and a quick start guide would have saved some head scratching especially operating the King Meter.
Kudos cycles offer a registration for their bikes that requires the frame number, unfortunately the pedal sensor covers the middle part of the number so it is not possible to record it without removing the crank.

Conclusion
Very early days so far but I am more than happy with my choice. I will report again when I have some reasonable miles on the clock, now I just want some nice sunny days to get into the New Forest. I would like to thank all the members of the forum who gave me some very good advice and to Kudos Dave for the excellent service and advice.

 

[anotherkiwi]

To be conform to EN 14764 and EN 15194:

"As for instructions, the vehicle must be provided with a set containing the following information:
a) preparation for riding — how to measure and adjust the saddle height and handlebar height to suit the rider, with an explanation of the insertion-depth warning marks on the seat-pillar and the handlebar-stem, and clear information on which levers operate the front brake and which lever operates the rear brake;
b) recommended tightening of fasteners related to handlebar, handlebar-stem, saddle and seatpillar, and wheels;
c) the method for determining the correct adjustment of wheel quick-release mechanisms, such as, “the mechanism should emboss the fork ends when closed to the locked position”;
d) the correct assembly of any parts supplied unassembled;
e) the permissible total weight of the rider and luggage;
f) lubrication — where and how often to lubricate, and recommended lubricant;
g) the correct chain tension and how to adjust this;
h) adjustment of gears;
i) adjustment of brakes and recommendations for replacement of the friction components;
j) care of the wheel-rims and a clear explanation of any danger of rim-wear;
k) appropriate spares, i.e. tyres, tubes, brake friction components;
l) accessories — where these are offered as fitted, details should be included such as operation, maintenance required (if any) and relevant spares (e. g. light-bulbs);
m) safe riding — regular checks on brakes, tyres, steering, caution concerning possible increased braking distance in wet weather;
n) the type of use for which the bicycle has been designed (i. e. the type of terrain for which it is suitable) with a warning against the hazards of incorrect use;
o) an advisory note to draw attention to the rider concerning possible national legal requirements when the bicycle is to be ridden on public roads (e.g. lightning and reflectors);
p) the importance of using genuine replacement parts for safety-critical components.
q) Concept and description of electric assistance;
r) Recommendation for washing;
s) Control and tell tales;
t) Specific EPAC recommendations for use;
u) Specific EPAC warnings;
v) Recommendations about battery charging and charger use as well use as well as the importance of following the instruction contained on the label of the battery charger."

 

[Paul J]

Hmmm, very interesting!! Kudos do say on their web site that all bikes conform to EN 15194.
Thanks for the info, I did call Kudos but they said they don't have any such info, I asked if there was a manual of any kind.
Thanks for pointing this out.

 

[Jimod]

You can find the instructions for the king Meter on the Internet. I can't remember the website but I think it's king meter.com. Google should find it.

 

[Paul J]

Thanks, yes I found it. It was a laugh because I didn't even know how to turn the bike on till I downloaded the manual!!

 

[Jimod]

Remember the old advice: if in doubt just keep pressing buttons.