Ten years with Kalkhoff Panasonic

Kenny

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 13, 2007
383
111
West of Scotland
Shortly after I joined this forum in 2007, Kalkhoff launched their Pro Connect and Agattu models which quickly became very popular with forum members.

When the S version came out in 2008 I took the plunge and ordered one at £1900.
It was a lot of money for me but the day I ordered it I decided to stop smoking to pay for it. I didn’t really think I would succeed but I never touched a cigarette again, so buying a pedelec has probably saved my health never mind the £££’s.

I’ve done about 6000 trouble free leisure miles on it, including camping and towing the excellent Burley Piccolo tag a long. There’s some great, quiet, cycling routes where I live but most are fairly hilly so the electric bike has been a real necessity for me.

I did think about upgrading to the Impulse model and I’m so glad I didn’t as the Panasonic motor has proved much more reliable.

I have since purchased a second hand step through Panasonic Agattu for my daughter which I now use myself when out collecting for my local Hospice Charity.
I’ve also acquired a 36v 350w Pro Connect S which is superb.
It has XTR components instead of the already good, XT on the earlier model.
The power is amazing and I can take my steepest hills at 10mph as opposed to 6mph on my original bike.
Although when used liberally I can drain the 504ah battery in 20 miles.

The batteries (I have six) are all doing well, even my oldest at 8 years doesn’t seem to be down much in range. I do store them all at 50% charged and swap them about so they’ve not had hundreds of charges.
The 36v batteries charge twice as fast as the 26v ones which is very handy.

Sadly my original Pro Connect doesn’t get out much now as my 36v newer model has so much more power and speed, which although I don’t use much, is good to have for certain situations.
I’ve done a few mods over the years including changing the 36v bike from a 10 speed to a 8 speed as I think 8 gears are plenty on an ebike, plus the chain is stronger.

Although Bosch has taken over as the main propulsion I’ll be sticking with my Panasonic bikes as I don’t think the latest bikes offer any significant advance and even after ten years, are no lighter.
I’m turning 60 this year and wouldn’t be surprised if they outlast me.




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vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
9,822
3,985
Basildon
Why oh why didn't Kalkhoff put the 36v Panasonic motor in their Agattus and Pro Connects instead of that stupid Impulse motor?
 
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Kenny

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 13, 2007
383
111
West of Scotland
Why oh why didn't Kalkhoff put the 36v Panasonic motor in their Agattus and Pro Connects instead of that stupid Impulse motor?
As Flecc has said previously it was probably a cost cutting exercise which badly backfired.
The 36v Panasonic motor is superb. I went for a quick ride on my old 26v bike, to keep it turning over, and it felt very limp as I’m used to the fast and powerful 36v motor.
 
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,763
30,349
Why oh why didn't Kalkhoff put the 36v Panasonic motor in their Agattus and Pro Connects instead of that stupid Impulse motor?
Sadly the Daum designed 26 volt Impulse motor came well before Panasonic produced their 36 volt version. The Daum was Germany's first crank drive motor, released long before Bosch et al.

I think costs and German national pride also played a part, since Kalkhoff had earlier stopped getting the Panasonic units complete with battery, instead getting German battery company BMZ to make batteries for the Panasonic units they bought. Looking for a German crank motor probably seemed a logical next step at the time.

As the old saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
.
 
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georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,425
1,251
Surrey
When I bought my first electric bike, an Oxygen Emate City from 50 cycles in Richmond I test road a few of the Panasonic Kalkhoff's as well as the Oxygen in Richmond Park and was actually not that impressed by the standard 250w ones, (felt a bit flat), but did take out a 350w Pro Connect S which I was very impressed by but could not justify the difference in price at the time between it and the Oxygen.

I also knew that I would take whatever bike I bought on canal tow paths and bridal paths with some water, mud, sand, and rightly or wrongly thought the Oxygen more suitable for rough ish tracks as well as road work.

I am still using and enjoying that first Oxygen Emate I bought in 2011.

I think for fast road commuting that Kalkhoff 350w Pro Connect S would have been pretty good.

You pays your money and make your choice but on that occasion I sometimes think that it would have been interesting to have owned what has turned out to be an iconic electric steed.
 

nemesis

Esteemed Pedelecer
Mar 14, 2011
521
343
My first e-bike years ago in 2011 was a Kalkhoff pro-connect 36v S model,great bike and motor combination.All the new models these days are not the same and i`ve tried them all so i built my own bike using the Bafang motor.
 
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Kenny

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 13, 2007
383
111
West of Scotland
When I bought my first electric bike, an Oxygen Emate City from 50 cycles in Richmond I test road a few of the Panasonic Kalkhoff's as well as the Oxygen in Richmond Park and was actually not that impressed by the standard 250w ones, (felt a bit flat), but did take out a 350w Pro Connect S which I was very impressed by but could not justify the difference in price at the time between it and the Oxygen.

I also knew that I would take whatever bike I bought on canal tow paths and bridal paths with some water, mud, sand, and rightly or wrongly thought the Oxygen more suitable for rough ish tracks as well as road work.

I am still using and enjoying that first Oxygen Emate I bought in 2011.

I think for fast road commuting that Kalkhoff 350w Pro Connect S would have been pretty good.

You pays your money and make your choice but on that occasion I sometimes think that it would have been interesting to have owned what has turned out to be an iconic electric steed.
Glad to hear your still enjoying your Oxygen EMate George.
From the posts I’ve read on the forum it’s a very good bike.

For years I thought my 2008 Kalkhoff had plenty of oomph but I had nothing to compare it to.
I found it a big step up in power when I acquired the 36v version.
If I remember correctly my 26v Pro Connect gives 1.5 x rider input, my 2011 Agattu x 2 input and the 36v S is 3 x rider input.

I’ve changed the motor sprocket from 14t to 12t for even stronger hill climbing and it still gives a 24mph top speed which is as fast as I can spin the pedals anyway.

As a leisure cyclist my bikes have seen very little rain but by all accounts the bikes handle commuting fine with 20k mileages not unusual.
 

theabsurdman

Finding my (electric) wheels
Dec 15, 2020
15
1
I just bought a Raleigh Dover (rebadged Kalkhoff Agattu) - great bike, even in 2023.