What on earth???

[Fordulike]

Has anyone come across one of these before?

Electric bike kit TGA 12v, complete with battery. on eBay (end time 22-Sep-10 14:51:17 BST)

 

[daniel.weck]

Forget about Wisper's Daahub...this is the future of e-biking !

 

[Scimitar]

I knew there would be a use for all those old pump motors.

 

[Rab C Nesbitt]

It's got a "Last Of The Summer Wine" feel about it . . . . three old guys going downhill in a bath and all that.

I think it could take off - BionX, watch your back !

 

[eddieo]

This kind of jerry built e bike is very common in China I believe...as the Vatican said we are now a third world country maybe we will see more of them

 

[jerrysimon]

This kind of jerry built e bike is very common in China I believe...as the Vatican said we are now a third world country maybe we will see more of them

Actually I am quite proud of my EBrompton

PS I think the Pope was referring to out spiritual wealth.

Regards

Jerry

 

[CeeGee]

It needs a longer range. Now if it was coal powered rather than a car battery the range could be limitless.
Of course you would have the extra drag and weight of a coal tender behind your bike and a few bits of additional machinery to convert the coal to power, but the ability to just pop into a convenient preserved railway line to replenish fuel stocks would far outweigh the drawbacks.
Wouldn't they?

Colin

 

[flecc]

Now then lads, TGA are one of the oldest in the business!

From the earliest years they made the TGA-electrobike, with this motor and bevel drive incorporated in a saddle panel on the down tube of the bike, bevel and chain drive onto the chain wheel. They also had the kit version.

They finally discontinued it a bit over a year ago and now concentrate on their mobility chair business.

Although not high powered, the electrobike's drive through the gears system with no limiting meant 30 mph under power was possible, no "nanny state" stuff long ago when they designed it.

 

[HittheroadJ]

I dare say,
that TGA
looks even worse then the curry electrodrive.....

I now appreciate it's graceful lines,
the elegant battery is a delight.

 

[flecc]

I dare say,
that TGA
looks even worse then the curry electrodrive.....

I now appreciate it's graceful lines,
the elegant battery is a delight.

They were brave pioneers of e-biking, long before the Chinese copies. Lead acid (SLA) batteries back in those days of course, hence the big box.

As with almost all British designs in the last century, the invention was never followed by development, allowing other nations to overtake and reap the benefit.
.

 

[daniel.weck]

...as the Vatican said we are now a third world country maybe we will see more of them

PS I think the Pope was referring to out spiritual wealth.

Actually, I read that he was referring to how "multicultural" people were (understand: colored).

Shame that the 10-12 million pounds "generously" donated by the British tax payer doesn't go to more productive cycling initiatives...


britain third world country pope - Google Search
-----
But Monsignor Oliver Lahl, Kasper's spokesman, said the cardinal considered the matter closed following a Vatican statement that claimed he was merely highlighting Britain's multi-ethnic makeup.

"Kasper meant to say there are people there from all around the world and you could be in Mumbai, Kinshasa, Islamabad or Nairobi," said Lahl.

"It was not a negative connotation, it was the opposite of racism. He meant the UK is no longer a mono-ethnic or mono-religious state, and can be a positive example for Europe."
----

 

[Fordulike]

They were brave pioneers of e-biking, long before the Chinese copies. Lead acid (SLA) batteries back in those days of course, hence the big box.

As with almost all British designs in the last century, the invention was never followed by development, allowing other nations to overtake and reap the benefit.
.

Sure wish this beauty was still alive

 

[Alex728]

I wonder if the product was deliberately sidelined to avoid a risk of cannibalising their revenue stream from the mobility scooters with higher profit margins?

I've seen several posts on here claiming that requests for information and support on TGA bikes have simply been ignored by the company and there is absolutely no mention made of these machines on their current website. Ironically if they'd held on for just a few years they could have made a fair bit of profit as lots of older folk here now ride Powabykes / Saluras and other similar lead acid powered machines..

 

[flecc]

I'm sure it was mostly that they had no chance on their small sales of solving the intrinsic problems Alex. The speed illegailty would have to be addressed with some refinements, but their motor system was very unrefined, designed decades ago. The bike and trikes were no longer attractive enough to have a market so a major investment was needed to stay in the business.

No point when their mobility business is large, growing and profitable, so I can understand why they would want out, faced with the sophistication of all the latest e-bike systems now on the market and still arriving. TGA versus Panasonic, Bosch, Siemens, Yamaha and Shimano e-systems and it's no contest.
.

 

[Alex728]

I'm sure it was mostly that they had no chance on their small sales of solving the intrinsic problems Alex. The speed illegailty would have to be addressed with some refinements, but their motor system was very unrefined, designed decades ago. The bike and trikes were no longer attractive enough to have a market so a major investment was needed to stay in the business.

No point when their mobility business is large, growing and profitable, so I can understand why they would want out, faced with the sophistication of all the latest e-bike systems now on the market and still arriving. TGA versus Panasonic, Bosch, Siemens, Yamaha and Shimano e-systems and it's no contest.
.

From what I see on the streets and at work (I work in IT for a healthcare company which deals a lot with the older generation) it looks like they certainly missed the market window and got caught out by branding - they should have set up a separate brand for the bikes.

Many of the older folk who can still ride a bike but would like some assistance wouldn't want to be associated with mobility scooters, and certainly young people would not! Even many non-cyclists know Powabyke makes "electric bikes". Most of their models are viewed as "for the middle aged/older people" but the X-series does get younger riders.

That said I think Powacycle got themselves in a similar pickle due to the delays with the Infineum, Wisper must have taken a lot of their sales!

Hmm - both are EA companies - maybe there's a lesson here that the "slower" pace of life in EA and also more rigid management structures doesn't always translate that well to todays competitive business world

 

[timidtom]

Come the revolution we'll all be travelling in bullet-proof Pope-mobiles.

 

[flecc]

Hmm - both are EA companies - maybe there's a lesson here that the "slower" pace of life in EA and also more rigid management structures doesn't always translate that well to todays competitive business world

Maybe so, but I think that now the e-bike motor system market is maturing with big names like Panasonic, Yamaha, Bosch, Siemens and Shimano entering it in strength, small companies are going to find the going increasingly tough. Remember, we are speaking of a future with EU pedelec rules spreading widely. It's not only the UK and other non-EU countries in Europe about to conform with those, Japan's are almost the same and even far away Australia is in the process of adopting the EU regulations to the letter.

Small independents simply won't be able to afford the investment to compete with the increasing sophistication of those big company designs without using those systems.
.

 

[Alex728]

Maybe so, but I think that now the e-bike motor system market is maturing with big names like Panasonic, Yamaha, Bosch, Siemens and Shimano entering it in strength, small companies are going to find the going increasingly tough..

true but I don't see the problem with the small companies realising what they are best at and simply buying the components, instead concentrating on the design of the rest of the bike?

I gather this was a kit rather than an entire bike - but according to a video I found on the link this motor was made in 2005 - I'd expect it to have dated from 1995 or even 1985 - if TGA had their eye on the ball I would have thought they'd have moved to hub motors by then!

that said around that time they crossed the Stour from Halstead to new premises near Sudbury - and by that time Powabyke and Salura/Sakura had already got dealers in EA (though one shut up shop to breed cats, others are still going across the region..).

YouTube - TGA Electric hybrid mountain bike conversion Pt.1

YouTube - TGA Electric hybrid mountain bike conversion Pt.2

OTOH I could ride alongside the docks now and would see many small boats which have Japanese or German engines, comms kit and navigational aids, but the rest of the vessel is often designed by local British companies...

 

[flecc]

I gather this was a kit rather than an entire bike - but according to a video I found on the link this motor was made in 2005 - I'd expect it to have dated from 1995 or even 1985 - if TGA had their eye on the ball I would have thought they'd have moved to hub motors by then!

It was a complete bike as I've shown in the photo flying along above, made up into 2008, but they also sold the not very popular kit version which they discontinued first.

As said, the sales were always too small for them to be bothered about e-bike development. Presumably they are businessmen, not enthusiasts, so what they've done is entirely rational. Having moved into mobility years ago and that very successful, there was no point in pursuing a lame duck.

Sadly yes, the e-bike industry in the UK has been a lame duck for almost all the years TGA existed, as a cursory recollection of the numerous failed companies involved shows. I wouldn't even call it a buoyant business area in the UK now, just showing some promise at last.
.

 

[Alex728]

I reckon the pioneering e-bikes might have been a pet project of one of the staff who retired with the move from North Essex - seems more than coincidence they were canned around roughly the same time.

mobility scooters are numerous in this region. They have track days for them at Yarmouth and Norfolk Constabulary have produced a leaflet warning their users against illegal modifications