Raleigh eBike Test Day, 21st April

[Lloyd]

On the 21st April, we will be holding a one day Test-Fest in Petersfield, where anyone can come along and try the new 2011 raleigh ebike range.We will be there with Petersfield Cycles, who are the authorised Raleigh ebike dealer for the area. We will have a fleet of Dovers and Leeds Tours for people to try out, but the big news is that you can come and try out the very first Velo-Trail and Velo-Cite models in the UK!

The Velo range of eBikes has been a top-secret development here at Raleigh for the last 12 months, but you can see what all the fuss is about first hand in Petersfield Town centre on the 21st.

The bikes are not even on our website yet, so this really is a sneak preview.

The range starts at £1099 for the Velo-Trail, and goes up to £1999 for the Leeds Tour.

All test rides are free, just bring along photographic proof of ID (drivers licence or Passport) and a smile.

If you would like to pre-book a test ride please email or PM me, as it looks set to be a busy day with a limited amount of bikes available on the day.

More info can be found on the link below:

Testday

Hopefully see you on the day!

 

[Biged]

Hi Lloyd, that's a hell of a way from where i live, which just happens to be 3 miles from your factory at New Eastwood, are you not doing anything nearer home?

 

[Lloyd]

Hi Ed,

We will be doing test days all over the UK, it's just that Petersfield is the first of many this year!

We have a "Big Electric Bike Ride" planned for Sherwood Pines later in the year. Exact dates are TBC at present, but I'll make sure we book the sun.

 

[mike killay]

Lloyd,
Will you publish the other venues when available please?
I am torn between the Panasonic system and a full power system such as Torano.
Living in South Wales, I have serious doubts that the Panasonic system will adequately climb hills of 10 or 20% because of its 1:2 limit on assistance. Just as your legs weaken on a long hill, so the Panasonic system delivers less assistance.
Or am I wrong?

 

[tillson]

Lloyd,
Will you publish the other venues when available please?
I am torn between the Panasonic system and a full power system such as Torano.
Living in South Wales, I have serious doubts that the Panasonic system will adequately climb hills of 10 or 20% because of its 1:2 limit on assistance. Just as your legs weaken on a long hill, so the Panasonic system delivers less assistance.
Or am I wrong?

The Panasonic system is one of the best, if not the best, hill climber. As your legs fade and pedal cadence falls, the system seems to deliver more assistance. And because the motor drives through the gears, there is virtually nothing that will stop it in low gears. I certainly have not found a hill that has defeated me......yet.

 

[mike killay]

I live in Wales.
What size hills are you talking about?
I need to get up 20% (1in 5) hills.
I am 68 and have slight arthritis.

 

[NRG]

You need a motor bike....seriously...the Panasonic system is great at steep hills (+20%) but it relies on you the rider providing a proportion of the power required. If for some reason you can't do this then the system will not get you up the hill.

It's also worth pointing out and this gets missed a lot, the Panasonic system is limited in the amount of power it can produce meaning even if the assist ratio is 2:1 the max power is limited to around 400w or so... as the system drives through the gears the available power is multiplied by gearing but even so the system has it's limits and thes should be taken into consideration.

 

[Blew it]

I live in Wales.
What size hills are you talking about?
I need to get up 20% (1in 5) hills.
I am 68 and have slight arthritis.

Mike,

I too am 68 years of age, weighing 77 Kgs, with reduced circulation in my left leg, but a 1:5 up-slope is no problem on my Panasonic powered Kalkhoff Sahel. Gradients of around 1:5 are easily climbed providing the correct gear is selected, and no attempt is made by the rider to 'spin' the pedals.

Here in Swindon, I have a half-mile climb of 1:6 which I use for demonstrations of center-drive versus hub-motored machines. Be assured, on a hub-motored machine I am off the bike and walking on that hill, compared to a steady climb at seven mph on the Panasonic powered machine in third gear, with little complaint from my dodgy leg.

For those who live in moderately flat areas there is no requirement to understand how the Panasonic system works, just switch it on and forget it. In hilly areas where greater demands are made on the climbing ability, it really pays to learn how to get the best from the system. This brings us to another point regarding test rides by prospective purchasers.

The usual spin around a car park may be acceptable to those who have no special requirements regarding hill-climbing, but if this is a definite requirement then the prospective purchaser should be allowed to take the machine for a two or three hour test-ride. After all, if you're about to part company with a couple of thousand quid you have the right to at least ensure the machine can satisfy your needs. Needless to say, dealers would need to be furnished with credit card details to ensure the return of their demo bikes.

I speak as one who was a devotee of hub-motored machines for three years, but I found the conversion to a center-drive machine surprisingly easy, and the reasons for this deserve a separate thread which I will post shortly

Regards
Bob

 

[tillson]

I live in Wales.
What size hills are you talking about?
I need to get up 20% (1in 5) hills.
I am 68 and have slight arthritis.

I live in a hilly region of Derbyshire. I am reasonably fit and fortunately have no ailments and use the bike to make the commute to work more enjoyable.

My Pro Connect, which is very similar to one of the Raleighs, will easily cope with a 1:4 hill, but that is with me on it. I don't think that I have ever needed to use a gear lower than third. Whilst experimenting with the gears, I have tried first on a 1:4 and there is virtually no pedal resistance. You more or less just turn the pedals to keep the motor going.

As I said earlier, this is my perception with me riding it. You must try it for yourself over a decent time period in an area which replicates the type of area where you want to use it. I think On Bike are somewhere in Wales or close by. They sell Panasonic driver bikes, so it might be worth trying the system there. If you like it, you will just need to decide which brand of bike you want. Personally, I very much like a bike with the Alfine hub gear, purely for the low maintenance and the ride and forget it factor. It complements the durability of the Panasonic system very well.

 

[mike killay]

NRG, Blewit, Tillson.
Thanks ever so much for your help. I like the look of the Raleigh Dover and your comments have put to rest some of my doubts. I cannot use a moped because I want to take the bike inside my campervan as I tour France and Belgium. Besides all the hassle of 3rd party ins and MOT there is the question of not wanting a tankful of petrol inside the living space. Electric bikes offer a much cleaner alternative and even the noisiest is comparatively silent compared to a motor bike. I suspect that one of my doubts was caused by long ago experience of single geared mopeds like the old Raleigh one. As you started to climb a hill and slowed down, so the revs dropped and the petrol engine power dropped. Electric motors produce most torque when nearly stalled, hence the different response of an elecric bike to a moped confronted with a steep hill.
I have an electric boat with a 480 watt motor. Allegedly this is only 2/3rds of a HP, yet it pushes the boat along much the same as the 2HP petrol outboard

 

[AndyOfTheSouth]

Mike

As tillson says, it is essential that you try out a bike on a hill equivalent to the one that for which you need it eg Killay.

The shop tillson's referring to is Onbike's branch in Presteigne. This has the sort of terrain nearby that you need. You should phone in advance to check that they have the tyoe of bike that you want. Their other shop in Kidderminster is bigger but doesn't have such demanding gradients nearby.

If you could wait until May 8th, you could go to the tourdepresteigne.co.uk where there will be a number of retailers and manufacturers whose bikes you could try.

Motorboat? Hmmm... Freewheel down the hill... Gentle and sunny ride along the Swansea Cycle Path... Cappuccino and ice cream at Verdi's... Ah, I can see it now!

Best wishes

Andy

 

[Lloyd]

Lloyd,
Will you publish the other venues when available please?
I am torn between the Panasonic system and a full power system such as Torano.
Living in South Wales, I have serious doubts that the Panasonic system will adequately climb hills of 10 or 20% because of its 1:2 limit on assistance. Just as your legs weaken on a long hill, so the Panasonic system delivers less assistance.
Or am I wrong?

I will indeed. I am working on a mini-roadshow this year, which will visit most areas in the UK with free demo bikes, and incorporate group ebike rides for owners of any ebike brand. These will be led by British Cycling qualified ride leaders. I have confirmed the dates so far, and will be working on exact venues this week. The Closest to South Wales will be Bristol, but we do have several dealers in South Wales, so there may be a standard test day closer to you. Drop me a PM or email (preferable) and I will have a look for you.

With regards to hill climbing I can only confirm what has been said so far. I have climbed the Alp d'Huez mountain pass, made infamous by the Tour de France stage, on a Raleigh Dover. I am admittedly a cyclist, but a 16 stone cyclist whose chosen format is downhill. A sport where they tow you to the top of a hill in a gondola/7.5t truck and you race back down as fast as possible. I don't do hills

What was more remarkable about my last climb, was that it was done sub 1hour, and my rather fit cycling friend took over 1hr20 to do the same on his carbon road bike. Luckily for me he has a sense of humour....

 

[PennyFarthing]

Funnily enough I've just seen the Velo Cite looking rather groovy on an E-order bike website (did wonder if that is 'the' dodgy e-order bike order company or not - haven't doubled checked yet...). I have to say the pale yellow on the Velo Cite looks fab!

 

[PennyFarthing]

That is a fair point. I would like to try out the Raleigh's but I would need a hill to try them out on. No point trying it out on the flat only. Is there a hill near the Petersfield test site?

 

[mike killay]

Mike

Hmmm... Freewheel down the hill... Gentle and sunny ride along the Swansea Cycle Path... Cappuccino and ice cream at Verdi's... Ah, I can see it now!

Best wishes

Andy

How did you know? This used to be my favourite ride for years, but the long slog back up Clyne valley bike path followed by Killay Hill gets more daunting as the years pass. That is why I want an electric bike rather than a moped. My fear is that the Panasonic system, basically designed to cope with quirky Japanese laws, would bring me up the slight hill in the valley without problem, but as soon as it tried Killay Hill, it would unnecessarily reduce assistance at the point where it is most needed. Although I have not seen it, the Tonaro seems to offer full throttle power through any gear. On the US Endless sphere site, no mention is ever made of reducing power when hill climbing.

 

[tillson]

How did you know? This used to be my favourite ride for years, but the long slog back up Clyne valley bike path followed by Killay Hill gets more daunting as the years pass. That is why I want an electric bike rather than a moped. My fear is that the Panasonic system, basically designed to cope with quirky Japanese laws, would bring me up the slight hill in the valley without problem, but as soon as it tried Killay Hill, it would unnecessarily reduce assistance at the point where it is most needed. Although I have not seen it, the Tonaro seems to offer full throttle power through any gear. On the US Endless sphere site, no mention is ever made of reducing power when hill climbing.

Quite the reverse. The Panasonic system will provide more assistance on the steepest sections of the hill. It will cope with just about anything.

 

[Lloyd]

Yes, we haven't officially launched the Velo range yet, as the first shipment is on it's way over to us. We have launched them to our dealers, so you may see some images appear on websites across the UK. Our website will be having a major overhaul, and all 2011 models featured as soon as the bikes are in stock.

For now, here's a sneak preview of the Velo-Cite (700c hybrid) and Velo-Trail (26" wheel MTB)

Velo-Cite low step

Velo-Cite Crossbar

Velo-Trail Crossbar

Velo-Trail Low step

 

[Lloyd]

Also Pennyfarthing, I have checked with Martin from our Petersfield dealer, and he says that the town square immediate area is quite flat I'm afraid. There are some good test hills within a short ride from the site though, we can point you in the right direction on the day, and I have no problem with you taking a bike out for a longer ride to really test the hill climbing abilities!

 

[PennyFarthing]

Also Pennyfarthing, I have checked with Martin from our Petersfield dealer, and he says that the town square immediate area is quite flat I'm afraid. There are some good test hills within a short ride from the site though, we can point you in the right direction on the day, and I have no problem with you taking a bike out for a longer ride to really test the hill climbing abilities!

Okay, that is great. How far is a 'short ride' in a cyclists books? If its not too far then I might well consider it.

 

[PennyFarthing]

The Velo Cite looks lovely! It looks pale gold now......so am intrigued what colour it really is.......cue drum roll.......

Yes, we haven't officially launched the Velo range yet, as the first shipment is on it's way over to us. We have launched them to our dealers, so you may see some images appear on websites across the UK. Our website will be having a major overhaul, and all 2011 models featured as soon as the bikes are in stock.

For now, here's a sneak preview of the Velo-Cite (700c hybrid) and Velo-Trail (26" wheel MTB)

Velo-Cite low step

Velo-Cite Crossbar

Velo-Trail Crossbar

Velo-Trail Low step