scottish demo day

[stevieb]

living in the central belt of scotland i don,t seem to have access to as many manufacturers as folks down south .
i know many offer good mail order and back up but trying before buying is always a good idea.
so with this in mind does anybody know of any shows in scotland where a few of the companies on this site would allow test rides?
i know that the population up here is smaller than where a lot of the companies are based so i can understand them not setting up shop here ,but if a well adverised demo day was organised then mail orders could then be an option.
scotland is a good place to try and sell electric bikes because a lot of the factors that put people of conventional cycling are here in abundance .ie hills and windy weather conditions.

 

[Jimod]

I don't know of any shows up here but there's an electric bike shop in Linlithgow which sells ebikes, they also hire them out from the shop. They also hire them out from the Helix park in Falkirk and from Beecraigs country park near Bathgate. Soon they are going to be available for hire from the Falkirk wheel. Each of these locations would be OK to try a bike from. The bike shop in Dundee which I mentioned to you before is called Electric bikes Scotland. They sell a few makes including Kudos which I have.

 

[stevieb]

thanks very much jim
i didn,t even know about this shop and i live close to it!
i don,t see the bikes they sell mentioned on this forum but i will definatley take a look and possibly hire one .

 

[Alchemist]

LMK if you're ever in the NE, very welcome to try out the Kalkhoff Impulse Endeavour 10 speed, or the Agattu i8.

 

[D C]

living in the central belt of scotland i don,t seem to have access to as many manufacturers as folks down south .
i know many offer good mail order and back up but trying before buying is always a good idea.
so with this in mind does anybody know of any shows in scotland where a few of the companies on this site would allow test rides?
i know that the population up here is smaller than where a lot of the companies are based so i can understand them not setting up shop here ,but if a well adverised demo day was organised then mail orders could then be an option.
scotland is a good place to try and sell electric bikes because a lot of the factors that put people of conventional cycling are here in abundance .ie hills and windy weather conditions.

You're absolutely correct, even worse of course in the Highlands.
The bike shops I phoned within a 150 mile range and who advertised electric bikes where a waste of time, only one bike in stock and usually too small for me, some offered to get one in for me to try, again no good at all as no comparisons available.
I would have traveled a good distance to a shop which offered a large selection of bikes to try but just having one or two in stock is playing at it and will of course give the impression that there's no demand as they won't sell many.
I realise that some companies will send bikes which can be returned if unsuitable but this is only OK when you are pretty sure of the bike you want. Its unrealistic to do this a dozen times till you find one you like and you need side by side comparison.
The only option for me was to buy a kit which for me solved the problem completely.
Dave.

 

[Tim]

We're going to have an agent in the Edinburgh area very soon, within the next week.

 

[D C]

We're going to have an agent in the Edinburgh area very soon, within the next week.

Good for you, I'm sure it will be a success.
Dave.

 

[peerjay56]

You're absolutely correct, even worse of course in the Highlands.
…
I would have traveled a good distance to a shop which offered a large selection of bikes to try but just having one or two in stock is playing at it and will of course give the impression that there's no demand as they won't sell many...
Dave.

"Och, you're the ninth caller I've told today - there isnae the demand!"

 

[D C]

"Och, you're the ninth caller I've told today - there isnae the demand!"

Exactly!

 

[stevieb]

very interested in the 50 cycles agent in edinburgh in the next week.
will definatley pay a visit if details can be provided..
i know exactly how you must feel dc [dave]
as i regularly visit your neck of the woods and someone selling or even hiring off road electric bikes would make a killing.
it,s just that folks don,t realise what they are all about , but never will unless given a try.
catch 22
every single person who has tried my conversion has been impressed [and it,s not as good as a ready made bike]
even die hard cyclists who have ridiculed these in the past admit that they were pleasantly surprised and that not at all what they expected.
as anyone in scotland will tell you hoards of bikes strapped to cars travel up here regularly for some of the best biking venues in the uk ,and i,m not just talking about hard core trail type venues.
there are many new sites for leisure cyclists.
so come on e bike sellers/manufacturers don,t miss out on this opportunity.
that,s it rant over , sorry for going on
and no i don,t work for the scottish tourist industry

 

[Tim]

There are some more details on how to contact Iain, our official Kalkhoff demonstrator agent in Edinburgh, here. It's the first time there's been an Impulse 2.0 bike available to test ride north of the border

http://www.50cycles.com/edinburgh-electric-bikes.html

 

[jdallan]

There are some more details on how to contact Iain, our official Kalkhoff demonstrator agent in Edinburgh, here. It's the first time there's been an Impulse 2.0 bike available to test ride north of the border

http://www.50cycles.com/edinburgh-electric-bikes.html

Tim, if you are thinking about sending up a Pro Connect Xion 27 or 30G in the coming months, I'd certainly be interested in trying one.

Jim

 

[stevieb]

thanks Tim for setting up this facility for people to try one of your range of bikes.
i must have misinterperated your origonal post as i got the impression that 50 cycles were having a demo day to try out your range of bikes in the edinburgh area.
still it,s a very good offer from Iain to try out the bikes listed
text on it,s way to him
thanks

 

[Tim]

Tim, if you are thinking about sending up a Pro Connect Xion 27 or 30G in the coming months, I'd certainly be interested in trying one.

Jim

Hi Jim, we're all out of them except for one remaining small step-thru X30. So it's Impulse 2.0 all the way now. Equivalent models are the http://www.50cycles.com/electric-bikes/proconnect-commuter/pro_connect_impulse_10g_xt.html & http://www.50cycles.com/electric-bikes/proconnect-commuter/pro_connect_impulse_alfine_8g.html

 

[jdallan]

Hi Jim, we're all out of them except for one remaining small step-thru X30. So it's Impulse 2.0 all the way now. Equivalent models are the http://www.50cycles.com/electric-bikes/proconnect-commuter/pro_connect_impulse_10g_xt.html & http://www.50cycles.com/electric-bikes/proconnect-commuter/pro_connect_impulse_alfine_8g.html

Thanks Tim, can I take it from your reply that you won't be re-stocking with the Xion models?

Jim

 

[Tim]

Hi Jim, not in the near future, no.

 

[jdallan]

Hi Jim, not in the near future, no.

OK - thanks. I might try an Impulse model but not yet.

Jim

 

[john h]

The bike shop in east high street FORFAR angus hires out ebikes, not sure which models they have or prices,

 

[Tim]

There's place up in Mull that has a fleet of Flyers available to hire

http://www.mullelectricbikes.co.uk/

 

[stevieb]

i have test ridden a couple of the bikes now on demo in edinburgh.
so just a quick thanks to Iain who is a nice guy and very accommadating.
the bikes are of a high build standard and responsive.
i think the gearing was a tad low for me on the step throu but that could easily be rectified.
the ride is smooth and comfortable and the 350w model appears to have a lot of power for initial accelaration.
it was great to get a chance to ride these bikes that i,ve read so much about but was previously unable to due to me not living near a supplier.
i think its a good idea Tim and i wish Iain and yourself all the best with it.
thank you.