Just a quick update. I've now had a really good test ride on the Agattu Impulse. Its the 1st time I've ridden a pedelec as opposed to a bike with a hub motor and the difference in the riding experience is huge. . It -the Agattu - is a beautifully engineered bike which oozes quality and seems to glide over bumps . There are no rattles , everything feels really tight and it is extremely comfy. Its also as near to silent as makes no difference . However it is definitely much harder work than my 4 year old Wisper and I didn't get the same sense of sailing along effortlessly with a smile on my face, although maybe that would come as I got more used to the way the Impulse system works.
I've had a look at the websites mentioned by you eddieo. Thanks for that .I think you're probably more of sporty rider than I am so I think my choice is more limited than yours but there was at least one good looking stepthrough with the Bosch drive , from Merida I think . Not that easy though to find out much more about them. I also looked at the AVE website and funnily enough one of the stepthroughs which caught me eye is I think the same bike as the Ebco Urban Traveller which I tried last year and liked a lot, really well made and so comfortable but not a huge range.
Anyway, I think I've now decided to either get my depleted Wisper battery topped up if possible by Wisper support - who apparently have a super-duper charger which might do the job-or get a new one , and wait and see what comes along in the next few months . Or I might go for the Tonaro (sorry to those for whom that word is a red rag to a bull
By the way I tried the Agattu out at the Edinburgh Cycle Co and they couldn't have been more friendly or accomodating. Got there about 3.30 they wheeled the bike out and simply said " we close at 6"!They have also offered to let me take it home to try or to go back and take it out for the day.