What can we expect in 2010?

[Pedalo]

Hi, I've only been watching the electric bike market for a few months so don't really have any idea of what to expect throughout the next year.

Do manufacturers tend to refresh their range on a yearly basis? I would have thought spring/summer would be the peak time for bike buying so do the manufacturers effectively like to set out their stall early spring?

Or does the Christmas factor play a big part like it does in consumer electronics with sales reaching a peak at this time - so Sep/Oct/Nov is the time for announcing and releasing new models on to the market?

Or is it more the case that continual refinements are made throughout the year and these are applied to existing bike models on an ongoing basis and there's nothing seasonal about it at all?

Who's going to be making the news next year? Is anybody innovating - or are we now down to evolution rather than revolution?

 

[eddieo]

If E biking is anything like Biking in general the year change to 2010 models normally offer a reasonably significant upgrade from the previous year.....LBS websites usually discount 2009 models.

I have sold my 905SE and waiting for the new year for another Wisper, either a 906xc or another 905 not sure yet......or if anyone can sugest something else?

but I have the wife's 705SE to use so not desperate!

and there are the Wisper kits coming soon and the Alpino models etc......

 

[Tim]

New Kalkhoff 2010 models

Hello, we've just published more details about three key models that we'll be stocking next year.

Kalkhoff Pro Connect 9G Deore LX

I think this one is going to do particularly well. It doesn't share the 2010 Pro Connect S high power, but it does have Magura hydraulic brakes, front fork suspension with a lock out and the same sporty frame plus Kalkhoff's new look. Like almost all Kalkhoff pedelecs next year, it will offer an increased assistance in high power mode of 1:1.5 - same for the Agattu, Tasman, Pro Connect and the Sahels below

Kalkhoff Sahel Comp electric bike

Very nice looking, this one. It's based around a new frame and all the Sahels come with 26-inch wheels for a change. Highlights here are the Brooks Flyer saddle and leather handgrips. Alfine 8-speed gears as well.

Kalkhoff Sahel Pro Disc

The other 2010 Sahel comes with front and rear hydraulic Shimano disc brakes, an interesting seatpost with parallelogram suspension mechanism and DT Swiss rims.

 

[Pedalo]

Thanks Tim, that new Pro-connect looks like one to watch!

Are there any other manufacturers/suppliers who would care to show us their line up for 2010?

 

[monster]

i would like to see new folding models and new battery advances coming through to ebikes.

 

[brucehawsker]

new breed 2010

on the way from china are our so new bikes they do not have a name yet! Competitors to the wisper 905 se city they will have a larger capacity battery (36 / 17.4), full discs, full lights off the battery, shim 6 speed push button gears and retail sub £1200. Competitive we think! Please let up know what you think of our offering.

 

[eddieo]

your details are a bit sketchy,any photos and detailed spec would be nice

Any new E bike will be welcomed, and greeted enthusiastically. Especially if it offers good value.......But it needs to be well thought out and supported with a good warranty, backup and spares to be successful IMO

Has this a Dapush motor or something else? The fact that it is a 6 speed is a bit of putting as its more gears not less that is popular.

You are very quick to make comparisons with Wisper I hope for your sake you can qualify this comparison, as Wisper are very popular bikes on this forum and out in the wider world, and they have earned their excellent reputation.

 

[brucehawsker]

Whisper are the obvious ocmpetiton to our bikes whiuch are of similar build and feel.

Backup, Warranty, Spares all noted. I will post more details in due course on these matters.

On motor and gears I will revert when I have discussed your comments with my colleagues. Not sure I really accept that more than 6 are needed on such a bike. But I lack your expereince I guess. Please can you advise of why you think so?

Many thanks

Bruce

 

[Mussels]

On motor and gears I will revert when I have discussed your comments with my colleagues. Not sure I really accept that more than 6 are needed on such a bike. But I lack your expereince I guess. Please can you advise of why you think so?

Many thanks

Bruce

I find 7 gears aren't enough if the hills are fairly steep. The problem isn't so much the number of gears but the range, a freewheel just doesn't have enough range. Megarange isn't the answer as it doesn't have the gears where they are needed, if it must have a big gap it should be in the high gears like an overdrive.

 

[eddieo]

Whisper are the obvious ocmpetiton to our bikes whiuch are of similar build and feel.

Backup, Warranty, Spares all noted. I will post more details in due course on these matters.

On motor and gears I will revert when I have discussed your comments with my colleagues. Not sure I really accept that more than 6 are needed on such a bike. But I lack your expereince I guess. Please can you advise of why you think so?

Many thanks

Bruce

Like Mussels says the 7 gear limit is frustrating compared to a road bikes 27'ish? I appreciate 6 gears means a rear disk brake but a lot of cheap Chinese bikes have this arrangement already so hardly innovative or interesting. Shimano Alfina hub gear would be popular, but that means a front wheel motor.........what motor are you using?

what does the bike look like? hopefully not another Wisper clone? where is the battery housed? if a larger battery means a heavier machine , that will not be popular. wisper 14amp battery is pretty big compared to most, and gives adequate range. now if yours was a LifePo4 battery that would be welcomed and popular.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Whisper are the obvious ocmpetiton to our bikes whiuch are of similar build and feel.

Many thanks

Bruce

Lets hope this is not another rip off Bruce, it gets a bit boring!

On a positive note, Our Alpino's are now being built, here is an image of the final spec-ed bike 8 Alfine gears and all the good stuff!



Is she lovely!

If you would like to see a larger image, drop me a line miall@aol.com

All the best

David

 

[Bikerbob]

On the gearing issue I think that 24 or so gears are more of a fiddle than they are worth on an ebike. You don't need the small increments that you do on an ordinary bike. I've been quite happy riding my 7 gear ebike for the last four years or so in a very hilly area. As has been said, the main thing is the range.

A greater choice of decent quality electric bikes would always be welcome. They do need to be good quality, at an affordable price, and the supplier to have a long term commitment to quality and customer support, rather than it being a one-off container load of questionable Wisper clones. My own fixation (pause while everybody yawns) is that, being tall, I'd like to see more ebikes that offer a choice of frame sizes. I hope that you intend to build a serious, long-term, and developing business.

 

[flecc]

On the gearing issue I think that 24 or so gears are more of a fiddle than they are worth on an ebike. You don't need the small increments that you do on an ordinary bike.

I agree. One of the best gear systems for e-bikes has been the venerable SRAM P5 hub gear, five widely spaced ratios covering no less than 251%, the sort of range that one might expect from 7 or more gears.
.

 

[lemmy]

I'd like to see more intelligent control of the power assistance given. For example, if I have 15 miles to go, let a cpu meter out the maximum power available so that assistance would last for the input distance.

Obviously this wouldn't be perfect but a bit of AI applied could improve predictions over time.

It seems to me that range is the key to uptake of electric vehicles of all kinds.

 

[flecc]

I'd like to see more intelligent control of the power assistance given. For example, if I have 15 miles to go, let a cpu meter out the maximum power available so that assistance would last for the input distance.

Obviously this wouldn't be perfect but a bit of AI applied could improve predictions over time.

It seems to me that range is the key to uptake of electric vehicles of all kinds.

I fully agree with you about range being an important key to popularising e-bikes, but I don't think any range prediction system could work for two reasons.

First is that with our low powered systems there can be a very big difference in range according to terrain, easily as much as 2 to 1 between flat areas and areas with prolonged climbs.

Second is the amount of rider effort input, this varying with individuals, terrains and rider moods from nil to over two thirds of the required input for a journey.

With such wild variations a fortune teller could possibly make a better guess than AI. At the very least an AI system would require the rider to make an intelligent input at the outset of their pedal input intention, plus an assessment of the terrain to be covered.

The global warming problem will be solved before average consumers could be relied on for something like that.
.

 

[musicbooks]

compulsory helmets, throttle ban, nothing above duracell AAA, cycle ban on cycle paths, ban on flashing lights, banana coloured waterproofs on the catwalk ..more kids home in body bags banking bonuses and sonkers meltdown2 and .. oh and a Tory Governement (not that anyone will notice the difference ..)

bw
musicbooks

 

[Straylight]

I'd like to see more intelligent control of the power assistance given. For example, if I have 15 miles to go, let a cpu meter out the maximum power available so that assistance would last for the input distance.

I've got one of those, it's called a brain, which can be supprisingly effective in combination with a twist throttle, and very adaptable to terrain too!

 

[lemmy]

I've got one of those, it's called a brain, which can be supprisingly effective in combination with a twist throttle, and very adaptable to terrain too!

I agree and personally find my Agattu pleasant to ride without power assistance so I get the range I want that way. I find around London I can travel 50 miles and still have power left for the last couple of miles if I'm tired. Anything less than that would make the machine useless to me, especially with a 5 hour 'refuel' time!

But I was more referring to someone who is not interested in anything except transport, ie not an enthusiast or hobbyist. One of the biggest questions asked here by potential buyers is "what is the range?" Any 'guaranteed' range would likely be less than the rider wanted or the range they could contemplate without power assistance anyway.

If I was offered a bike with a 20 mile range that was a dog to use unpowered, I'd not consider it, since I can ride 20 miles under my own power without too much stress anyway.

My bike doesn't have a twist throttle so I couldn't use that it combination with my brain even if I wished

 

[Straylight]

Yes, it's such a pity the panasonic type bikes don't allow this option, I find it very handy, especially when going over compacted ice as I can stop pedaling and loose the side to side oscilation to get the most stability and balance control.

 

[Mussels]

Yes, it's such a pity the panasonic type bikes don't allow this option, I find it very handy, especially when going over compacted ice as I can stop pedaling and loose the side to side oscilation to get the most stability and balance control.

I've found that very helpful over the last few days, as soon as I start pedaling I lose control on ice.