Reunited at last

[Caph]

I picked up my Galileo at the weekend after PoweredBicycles fixed it for me and it is such a relief.

Commuting on a normal bike in windy conditions has just been a grind for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm fit enough and physically it's not a problem but mentally it has been draining especially after a long days work when I'm absolutely knackered and just want to get home. If I didn't have an electric bike I would definitely get a car again.

It turns out the crack in my frame was due to, of all things, a bike stand! I didn't give it a second thought but it was clamped to the bottom and the top tubes of my rear triangle which on a normal bike would be fine but on a full suspension bike prevents the rear triangle from moving freely. I feel like such a mug. Anyway Hamant got it TIG welded for me, and a very good weld it is too. The rear suspension works way better than it used to. I was wondering why people were saying that rear suspension saps rider input, now I can see how it would. That said, it is now the smoothest, most comfortable ride I have ever experienced on a bicycle so I am well happy especially having just spent the past four weeks commuting on a bone shaker and having my wrists pounded to bits.

The biggest thing for me though is that Hamant fitted a throttle and I now get power up to 15mph at the push of my thumb. This is the icing on the cake that makes this bike perfect for me since I can now nip home and back in my lunch half hour with a few minutes to spare rather than always being a few minutes late. It seems weird speeding up a steep hill at 11mph. I must say, now that I have joined you "proper" ebikers, it definitely seems more mopedy (if that's a real word!) than when I was pedal assit only. I really struggle to resist the temptation to press that lever now!

 

[AndyOfTheSouth]

Hi Caph

Is this your bike?

Electric Bikes ,Trikes and Bicycles - Aluminium Alloy Frame - Lightweight - Electric Bikes 26 inch wheel - Galileo Hybrid Electric Bike ( Free Shipping UK)

If so, looks interesting...

 

[Caph]

Hi Andy, yes it is and in fact the two photos taken in the car park are of my actual bike. Hamant decided he liked the look of it all kitted out with the mudguards so he took a couple of photos of it just before I took it away with me.

Mine originally was pedal assist only until Hamant fitted my thumb throttle but the 2009 model has the throttle and brake cutouts as standard. In practice I've found the throttle increases my average speed from 10.5 mph to 12.5 mph. Doesn't sound a lot but it feels a lot quicker.

If you like MTBs then I think you'd be hard pushed to find a better looking EMTB on the market (but then I would say that wouldn't I!!!). I've always wanted a decent MTB with suspension, disk brakes, decent gear shifters etc and when I decided to take the plunge with an electric bike after my car was written off this just seemed the perfect fit for me.

I used to get heckled by the kids around my way when I rode a not too masculine looking hybrid bike. Now I just get admiring glances!

I'm approaching 2500 miles after about a year and a quarter so it's had a fair bit of hammer. I wouldn't be without it for love nor money now though.

 

[Caph]

Hi Andy, yes it is and in fact the two photos taken in the car park are of my actual bike. Hamant decided he like the look of it all kitted out with the mudguards so he took a couple of photos of it just before I took it away with me.

Mine originally was pedal assist only until Hamant fitted my thumb throttle but the 2009 model has the throttle and brake cutouts as standard. In practice I've found the throttle increases my average speed from 10.5 mph to 12.5 mph. Doesn't sound a lot but it feels a lot quicker.

If you like MTBs then I think you'd be hard pushed to find a better looking EMTB on the market (but then I would say that wouldn't I!!!). I've always wanted a decent MTB with suspension, disk brakes, decent gear shifters etc and when I decided to take the plunge with an electric bike after my car was written off this just seemed the perfect fit for me.

I used to get heckled by the kids around my way when I rode a not too masculine looking hybrid bike. Now I just get admiring glances!

I'm approaching 2500 miles after about a year and a half so it's had a fair bit of hammer. I wouldn't be without for love nor money now though.

 

[AndyOfTheSouth]

Thanks for this. I can see why you are enthusiastic about it. What sort of terrain do you cover? Steep hills? Off road?

I chatted to Hamant on the phone when I was looking around for a bike. I was impressed with his enthusiasm. Not so impressed with the way the website emphasises the pre-vat price, though that's me being pernickety. But the off-putting aspect was the distance - I live in the southwest.

I very much like the way the design is MTB rather than electric bike. Looks like you made a good choice!

 

[Caph]

I commute weekdays which is all on-road but some of it feels more like off-road.

Through the summer I go mainly off road and it's a pretty even mix of steep hills and level ground. Some of the steeper hills I would really struggle to get up on a normal bike but dropping down in to first I can get up pretty much anything on this bike, irrespective of ground surface. The full suspension is a godsend on really rough downhills. If you're considering serious off-roading then I think your choices are either full suspension or getting used to standing while riding.

I managed a 50 mile round Nottingham 90% off road circuit last year. It was meant to be 40 miles but I kept getting lost. It just about killed me. I'm going to give it another go this summer.

I've swapped out the stock disc brakes for BB7s but the stock disc brakes are pretty good. I really noticed the difference when I went back to rim brakes while my bike was being repaired although this was probably more to do with the quality of the brake blocks on my partner's 15 year old MTB. I got a shock when I tried to stop down a steep hill at 30mph and found nowhere near the stopping power of my disc brakes. I certainly can't brake downhill with the back brake only whilst signalling right with rim brakes whereas it's no problem with my discs.

Other than the brakes and adding some bar ends with integral fold out mirrors I haven't really haven't found anything else that needed tinkering with on the bike.

 

[Caph]

I commute weekdays which is all on-road but some of it feels more like off-road.

Through the summer I go mainly off road and it's a pretty even mix of steep hills and level ground. Some of the steeper hills I would really struggle to get up on a normal bike but dropping down in to first I can get up pretty much anything on this bike, irrespective of ground surface. The full suspension is a godsend on really rough downhills. If you're considering serious off-roading then I think your choices are either full suspension or getting used to standing while riding.

I managed a 50 mile round Nottingham 90% off road circuit last year. It was meant to be 40 miles but I kept getting lost. It just about killed me. I'm going to give it another go this summer.

I've swapped out the stock disc brakes for BB7s but the stock disc brakes are pretty good. I really noticed the difference when I went back to rim brakes while my bike was being repaired although this was probably more to do with the quality of the brake blocks on my partner's 15 year old MTB. I got a shock when I tried to stop down a steep hill at 30mph and found nowhere near the stopping power of my disc brakes. I certainly can't brake downhill with the back brake only whilst signalling right with rim brakes whereas it's no problem with my discs.

Other than the brakes and adding some bar ends with integral fold out mirrors I haven't really haven't found anything else that needed tinkering with on the bike.