Help! New e-bike for 16 mile commute

[pgallego96]

Hi all,

I've recently moved to a new area, very rural and very car dependent (no public transport to get to work). We already have one car and while we did think to get a second car, I thought why not look into an e-bike to save a lot of money on all the costs that come with car ownership.

My commute will be about 16 miles each way, quite hilly in both directions. It would probably take me about 1h15 ± 15 minutes each way realistically to begin with. I wouldn't really mind the length of time as I'm doing physical activity, and I could cycle onto a train if I'm ever feeling a bit more tired which would shorten the commute time (Northern trains so I can just pop on without booking).

In terms of e-bikes I'm looking for something in which the battery should hopefully last at least most of the journey, can fit paniers on, is reliable and won't be too obscure to have it repaired. Some of the route might have some gravel on drier days, but more rainy days I might stick to roads.

Price wise, I'd like to keep it on the more affordable side, while avoiding the cheap things that might not last long. If I could get away with 1500-2000 that would be optimal, but I'm not too familiar with e-bike pricing to be honest.

Hopefully this is enough info to get some help with ideas, but otherwise just ask!

 

[soundwave]

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Our most popular motor by far! 750W pedal assist, with an added throttle bursting up to 1000W of amazing power. Conquer any hill, and have the time of your life. Don’t confuse this with a 250W prebuilt electric bike – this thing has serious POWER. Please note that this kit is for the motor...

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Haibike Trekking 3 2024 Crossbar eBike – e-bikeshop.co.uk

The Haibike Trekking 3 Crossbar 2024 electric bike is the mid spec model in the Trekking range, with a Bosch Performance eBike motor and 500Wh battery.

www.e-bikeshop.co.uk

 

[saneagle]

Hi all,

I've recently moved to a new area, very rural and very car dependent (no public transport to get to work). We already have one car and while we did think to get a second car, I thought why not look into an e-bike to save a lot of money on all the costs that come with car ownership.

My commute will be about 16 miles each way, quite hilly in both directions. It would probably take me about 1h15 ± 15 minutes each way realistically to begin with. I wouldn't really mind the length of time as I'm doing physical activity, and I could cycle onto a train if I'm ever feeling a bit more tired which would shorten the commute time (Northern trains so I can just pop on without booking).

In terms of e-bikes I'm looking for something in which the battery should hopefully last at least most of the journey, can fit paniers on, is reliable and won't be too obscure to have it repaired. Some of the route might have some gravel on drier days, but more rainy days I might stick to roads.

Price wise, I'd like to keep it on the more affordable side, while avoiding the cheap things that might not last long. If I could get away with 1500-2000 that would be optimal, but I'm not too familiar with e-bike pricing to be honest.

Hopefully this is enough info to get some help with ideas, but otherwise just ask!

If it's a bit hilly, you'd be better with 48v than the more common 36v. The NVM Moscow from Leon Cycles would be perfect or the Wisper Wayfarer hub version not far behind it. There are also a load of similar bikes on Ebay and Amazon that are a bit cheaper, but adequate for the job, but make sure they're labelled as 250w unless you don't care about legality.

NCM Moscow Electric Mountain Bike,E-Bike, 250W, E-MTB, 48V 13Ah 624Wh Battery

NCM Moscow Electric Mountain Bike,E-Bike, 250W, E-MTB, 48V 13Ah 624Wh Battery an NCM battery kit for the NCM London Ebike. Buy yours now!

www.leoncycle.co.uk

Fit your own mudguards for about £10

Zefal Trail Mudguards Mountain Bike Front Rear set Full wrap 26" 27.5" 29" 700c 5034327123888 | eBay

Zefal Mudguard set. Front & Rear Mudguards. DOES NOT FIT EVERY SINGLE BICYCLE IN THE WORLD. Front fits to hole through forks. Ideal MTB/ Hybrid mudguard for good wheel coverage. Rear: 660mm x 55mm. New and improved design with Adjustable rear clip.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[egroover]

another vote for NCM

NCM Venice Plus Trekking E-Bike, City-Bike, 250W, 16Ah 768Wh Battery, [Black 28]

NCM Venice Plus 28’’ 48V 16Ah Battery Trekking Electric bike, a versatile ebike with ebike lights, mudguards, and kickstand. NCM bikes Australia for sale!

www.leoncycle.co.uk

on offer at the moment at £1199 - 768wh battery will get you to work and back easily on a single charge and I think the Das Kit hub motors are pretty pokey so no problem with hills

 

[Bikes4two]

I note that you will be using panniers - in the bikes posted above, one brand doesn't have a pannier rack (so maybe after market?), and two do BUT one of them is secured to the mudguard rather than the other one which is secured to the seat stays - stay clear of mudguard fixed versions if you want to carry anything meaningful in panniers as the fixing point won't hold firmly enough an will break.

 

[Peter.Bridge]

Hi all,
...
My commute will be about 16 miles each way, quite hilly in both directions...

In terms of e-bikes I'm looking for something in which the battery should hopefully last at least most of the journey, can fit paniers on, is reliable and won't be too obscure to have it repaired. Some of the route might have some gravel on drier days, but more rainy days I might stick to roads.

Price wise, I'd like to keep it on the more affordable side, while avoiding the cheap things that might not last long. If I could get away with 1500-2000 that would be optimal, but I'm not too familiar with e-bike pricing to be honest...

A pedelec sounds ideal for your commute

Can I ask how heavy you are ? Also what sort of gradient are the hills ? - the "predictor" tool on the Woosh bikes website is useful eg


Possibly https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?santana3 or https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?camino

 

[graywok]

Hi all,

I've recently moved to a new area, very rural and very car dependent (no public transport to get to work). We already have one car and while we did think to get a second car, I thought why not look into an e-bike to save a lot of money on all the costs that come with car ownership.

My commute will be about 16 miles each way, quite hilly in both directions. It would probably take me about 1h15 ± 15 minutes each way realistically to begin with. I wouldn't really mind the length of time as I'm doing physical activity, and I could cycle onto a train if I'm ever feeling a bit more tired which would shorten the commute time (Northern trains so I can just pop on without booking).

In terms of e-bikes I'm looking for something in which the battery should hopefully last at least most of the journey, can fit paniers on, is reliable and won't be too obscure to have it repaired. Some of the route might have some gravel on drier days, but more rainy days I might stick to roads.

Price wise, I'd like to keep it on the more affordable side, while avoiding the cheap things that might not last long. If I could get away with 1500-2000 that would be optimal, but I'm not too familiar with e-bike pricing to be honest.

Hopefully this is enough info to get some help with ideas, but otherwise just ask!

A Woosh Gran Camino would seem to fit the bill being fully equipped with powerful motor and 20a controller with a substantial frame mounted carrier for you panniers. I can personally recommend their bikes having bought a Rio MTB in 2020 and a Santana for my wife in 2022. My Rio has a 17ah battery and I regularly travel over 30 miles with plenty of charge left in battery. ( Max distance test was 60miles approx)
Their aftermarket support is top notch too

Gran Camino MTB electric bicycle from Woosh

The Woosh Gran Camino, a 27.5 electric mountain bike with hydraulic brakes 36V 15AH/17AH battery from Woosh. Price range: £1379-£1459. Great bike for trails.

wooshbikes.co.uk

 

[pgallego96]

Thanks for all the replies so far, already noting down a few bikes and things to look out for

A pedelec sounds ideal for your commute

Can I ask how heavy you are ? Also what sort of gradient are the hills ? - the "predictor" tool on the Woosh bikes website is useful egView attachment 53811


Possibly https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?santana3 or https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?camino

Thanks for the suggestions on these as well, I've put down the gradient underneath to see if that helps. I weight 75kg without breakfast

 

[Peter.Bridge]

.. Thanks for the suggestions on these as well, I've put down the gradient underneath to see if that helps. I weight 75kg without breakfast
View attachment 53814

View attachment 53813

I think any of the bikes mentioned would be able to cope with your weight on those hills with you adding some pedalling effort.

 

[Nealh]

Just a word of warning , LBS that don't supply the EAPC often won't work on them. Also LBS that are non electric also likely will not work on them as well, any that do work on them and then a fault develops will likely wash their hands of any consequences so best stick to a brand that offers CS and back up .
There are two bike types/EAPC to think of; the closed non generic type brands mostly with mid drive like bosh. yamaha steps,ect,etc for which one must use a dealer and more generic type brands that use hub motor.
The former need dealers to upgrade firmware and to carry out diagnostic checks should a fault develop and the latter which are easier to self diagnose with the aid of forums like this..

 

[pgallego96]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I'm quite liking the look of the Woosh bikes, seems to have good customer support and long term reviews seem to be positive too. There are a few local bike shops in town that supply e-bikes so hopefully they might be helpful, and we get some people coming to work every week where you can take your bike and they can have a look at it too if I ever need that.

At this point it would be choosing between the Faro, the Camino or the Santana. I like how light the Faro is, but not sure how that would cope on any gravel or roads in worse condition.

 

[Saracen]

Yesterday at 10:38 PM

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pgallego96 said:
Hi all,

I've recently moved to a new area, very rural and very car dependent (no public transport to get to work). We already have one car and while we did think to get a second car, I thought why not look into an e-bike to save a lot of money on all the costs that come with car ownership.

Yesterday at 10:38 PM

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• Add bookmark
• #3

pgallego96 said:
Hi all,

I've recently moved to a new area, very rural and very car dependent (no public transport to get to work). We already have one car and while we did think to get a second car, I thought why not look into an e-bike to save a lot of money on all the costs that come with car ownership.

My commute will be about 16 miles each way, quite hilly in both directions. It would probably take me about 1h15 ± 15 minutes each way realistically to begin with. I wouldn't really mind the length of time as I'm doing physical activity, and I could cycle onto a train if I'm ever feeling a bit more tired which would shorten the commute time (Northern trains so I can just pop on without booking).

In terms of e-bikes I'm looking for something in which the battery should hopefully last at least most of the journey, can fit paniers on, is reliable and won't be too obscure to have it repaired. Some of the route might have some gravel on drier days, but more rainy days I might stick to roads.

Price wise, I'd like to keep it on the more affordable side, while avoiding the cheap things that might not last long. If I could get away with 1500-2000 that would be optimal, but I'm not too familiar with e-bike pricing to be honest.

Hopefully this is enough info to get some help with ideas, but otherwise just ask!
Click to expand...

If it's a bit hilly, you'd be better with 48v than the more common 36v. The NVM Moscow from Leon Cycles would be perfect or the Wisper Wayfarer hub version not far behind it. There are also a load of similar bikes on Ebay and Amazon that are a bit cheaper, but adequate for the job, but make sure they're labelled as 250w unless you don't care about legality.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Surely it is the Motor that makes a difference not the battery voltage ?

 

[Saracen]

DO NOT reject the idea of an older bike in good condition with an E Upgrade

I am having my Saracen (and next month Sanderson 853 steel frames bike) converted to E with Bafang and largest battery mid drive colour display, fitting and all needed extras £850

Bafang Conversion gallery → Cogs Y Gogs - eBike Workshop Supplier & Installer

Our eBike Updates Offer: Faster Bike, Less Strain, Rechargeable & more.

www.cogsygogs.co.uk

 

[Woosh]

.I like how light the Faro is, but not sure how that would cope on any gravel or roads in worse condition.

The 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, 16.5kgs with internal battery, 18.5kgs with 20AH external battery easy to lift 14.5kgs with the 20AH battery removed.

 

[flecc]

Surely it is the Motor that makes a difference not the battery voltage ?

Keeping it simple as you request, these motors are slaves. They can only do what the controller tells them to do, and that is limited by the voltage and the current the battery can deliver.

More of either is a good thing when you need to get up hills, more of both even better.

That's because Volts multiplied by Amps (current) equals Watts, and Watts is the power you need to climb.
.

 

[Saracen]

Thank you, and yes SIMPLE English please not as some patronising

Therefore you say a 20 amp hour batter is better than a 10/15 NOT just because of the battery "life"

 

[flecc]

Thank you, and yes SIMPLE English please not as some patronising

Therefore you say a 20 amp hour batter is better than a 10/15 NOT just because of the battery "life"

Not quite in respect of my previous reply. Although a 20 ampere hour battery will deliver longer than a smaller one, there's also the question of the rate it can deliver at, and that varies.

So if the controller of the motor can deliver at a rate of 20 amps, but the battery can't issue the current as fast as that, the power will not be as much as it could be.

So it's necessary to know the voltage and capacity in Ampere hours of the battery and also its current rate (issuing speed) ability.
.

 

[pgallego96]

The 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, 16.5kgs with internal battery, 18.5kgs with 20AH external battery easy to lift 14.5kgs with the 20AH battery removed.

Thanks for the video link! I had come across it while looking around online as well. I have ended up between the Camino and the Santana just for extra comfort over the Faro, and a bit more flexibility with road options.

I am 175cm tall, would the Santana be more comfortable to ride long distances in my height? I'm not sure if being on the lower height of the Camino will make me have to reach forward too much while riding.

 

[Peter.Bridge]

Looking at the Camino, the handlebars look quite high, looks like a quite upright position to me. The motors are slightly different specs, @Woosh would I be correct speculating the Camino is a slightly better hill climber , when the speed drops ?

 

[Woosh]

@Woosh would I be correct speculating the Camino is a slightly better hill climber , when the speed drops ?

The Faro has 40NM Aikema 85SX motor, the Camino 45NM Shengyi DWG07, the Satana has 50NM Bafang SWX02 and the Gran Camino has 55NM Shengyi DWG22. The controller on the Faro has 14A max, the Camino 16A, the Santana 18A and the Gran Camino 20A.
Hill climbing at relatively low speed: best is the Gran-Camino.