Three years now since I bought my first ebike. I hadn't ridden a bike for 30 years and although I had seen a few electrics about I didn't know anyone who owned one. I had looked at a few Powerbyke shoppers in a local mobility shop but they didn't allow test rides so that was that.
To cut a long story one Sunday I drove down to ETS, who had just opened their Bristol shop. After trying a few bikes I bought a Smarta LX8. Smarta is ETS's own brand. It is a fairly standard 36v step-through, but with an 8 speed Nexus hub. It cost, with kevlar tyres, about £1100, rather more than I had intended to spend.
Well, this bike is probably one of the best things I have ever bought. it has, quite literally, changed my way of life. It is now my main form of transport. I feel physically fitter than I have for years. The bike has covered about 9,500 miles, mainly on a 23 mile a day commute .
As for the bike, the words that come to mind are solid, reliable, comfortable.It has never failed to start. Other than a second battery and one new tyre, it has had only routine maintenance from ETS and the LBS. It has fallen over several times (occupied and not), been run into, been used as a sackbarrow, been ridden in rain, hail and through floods. It is not terribly fast, but can climb hills like a slightly overweight goat. (I believe a Smarta came second in the Bristol World championships hill climb).
On the downside, it is heavy and very difficult to pedal any distance with a flat battery; 4 mile is about my limit. The paintwork is not great, easily chipped. But above all it is noisy, thanks to a brushed front hub motor. Those of a respectable maturity will remember the sound of milk floats in the morning. Well, sometime my bike sound like the Co-op Dairy's annual outing, circa 1964. It is also not very nimble for pootling around the back streets, so i bought a folder for that.
Oh, and i have gained over a stone in weight, but still have a 32" waist. Not sure how that happened.
I have tried several other bikes in the last few years, some excellent (Raleigh Leeds), some not (Ebco Eagle), some just too big (all Kudos, circa 2011), a lot too expensive. But I haven't yet found any compelling reason to replace the Smarta - but I could be persuaded to swap the motor for something quieter.
Happy Birthday, Smarta
Bill
To cut a long story one Sunday I drove down to ETS, who had just opened their Bristol shop. After trying a few bikes I bought a Smarta LX8. Smarta is ETS's own brand. It is a fairly standard 36v step-through, but with an 8 speed Nexus hub. It cost, with kevlar tyres, about £1100, rather more than I had intended to spend.
Well, this bike is probably one of the best things I have ever bought. it has, quite literally, changed my way of life. It is now my main form of transport. I feel physically fitter than I have for years. The bike has covered about 9,500 miles, mainly on a 23 mile a day commute .
As for the bike, the words that come to mind are solid, reliable, comfortable.It has never failed to start. Other than a second battery and one new tyre, it has had only routine maintenance from ETS and the LBS. It has fallen over several times (occupied and not), been run into, been used as a sackbarrow, been ridden in rain, hail and through floods. It is not terribly fast, but can climb hills like a slightly overweight goat. (I believe a Smarta came second in the Bristol World championships hill climb).
On the downside, it is heavy and very difficult to pedal any distance with a flat battery; 4 mile is about my limit. The paintwork is not great, easily chipped. But above all it is noisy, thanks to a brushed front hub motor. Those of a respectable maturity will remember the sound of milk floats in the morning. Well, sometime my bike sound like the Co-op Dairy's annual outing, circa 1964. It is also not very nimble for pootling around the back streets, so i bought a folder for that.
Oh, and i have gained over a stone in weight, but still have a 32" waist. Not sure how that happened.
I have tried several other bikes in the last few years, some excellent (Raleigh Leeds), some not (Ebco Eagle), some just too big (all Kudos, circa 2011), a lot too expensive. But I haven't yet found any compelling reason to replace the Smarta - but I could be persuaded to swap the motor for something quieter.
Happy Birthday, Smarta
Bill
