Whats the best bike for off road use

[Griswold]

Hello,
Any idea on what is the best bike for off road use.
I want something that has some speed!
I note that the ezee torq is good - what about the wisper 905e?
Can anyone tell me performance figures for the 250 watt 905e?
905e is more in my budget.
I currently own a Powabyke 24 speed Commuter - which is good for general commuting etc - no need for a shower when I get to work.
Regards

 

[coops]

Hi Chris .

I take it by "off-road" you mean "doing more than 15mph on private roads" rather than "rocky tracks & mountains" type off-road? its so confusing when the same word's used for both & when I saw the thread title I thought it meant the latter... maybe that's what's on my mind right now?!

Anyway, the only bikes, not including kits, that go over 15mph available right now (officially - not counting that many do ~16-17mph on a fresh battery) that I know of are the Ezee Torq & f-series: forza & forte, which go up to 20-22mph, though at somewhat lower range at those speeds (about half, maybe a bit less) than you'd get at 15mph even on the flat, maybe less than that in hills (a third), but those are increasingly veering away from your budget...

I think you must mean the Wisper 905Se, which its said will have an off road setting but is not yet available to my knowledge. The 905e does the regular 15mph I think, so do you still want those performance figures? Any Wisper owners here who have answers? I haven't a clue myself, those figures sadly aren't made readily available to us, for either the 905e or Se.

Stuart.

 

[Ian]

Electric bikes are not generally suited to off road use Chris, batteries and motors can suffer internal damage when subjected to heavy shocks, and the weight of batteries can and does damage the mountings.

 

[flecc]

None of those is suitable Chris. The manufacturers often warn against off road use, the battery mountings in particular not withstanding impacts with the sheer weight of the battery. The motor and battery weight also puts huge strain on the frames in off road conditions. Also, the Torq lacks hill climb ability for much off road use, particularly at less than 12 mph, it's peak torque speed

The 905e is just a 15 mph legal bike, though powerful enough for hills. the new se version will be faster when derestricted at 22 mph probably, like the Torq.

A BMX e-bike special doing stunts at the New Milton show was more suitable for off road. That had a high power Crystalite rear hub motor kit and the battery in a rucksack on the riders back with long cables connecting. That takes the battery weight impact from the bike frame.
.

 

[Miles]

Maybe we should adopt "Offroad;-)"

 

[Griswold]

Thanks

Thanks for the information.
I really meant for use on private roads etc.
Does the wisper 905e with the 250 watt motor approach the ezee torq for speed?
I like the styling of the 905e better than the Torq!
Ive been fairly happy with the Powabyke but want something different now.
Regards

 

[flecc]

Maybe we should adopt "Offroad;-)"

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[flecc]

Thanks for the information.
I really meant for use on private roads etc.
Does the wisper 905e with the 250 watt motor approach the ezee torq for speed?
I like the styling of the 905e better than the Torq!

No, it's still a roughly 15 mph bike Chris, just the power change. Only the se version will have the higher speed option and restrictor, that and the Torq alone in this capability, and could be the last ones ever with present trends. There will always be high speed kit motor options though.

We're always nervous when someone mentions offroad, as it often means boulder strewn tracks!
.

 

[Griswold]

So is the 905e 250w restricted?
Any idea why there are 2 versions? ie 200W and 250W
Also does the Torq work on throttle only? or do you have to pedal as well?

Many thanks for the earlier responses.

Regards

Griswold

 

[Ian]

Yes, the 250w is restricted like the 200w version.

The two different models are an attempt to supply bikes for both the continental EU and the UK where confusing differences in the law apply.
In practice it is unlikely there would much, if any noticable difference between them in terms of power, and certainly no difference in maximum speed.

The Torq can be used either as pedelec or throttle control, there is a handlebar mounted switch to change modes.

 

[flecc]

Adding to Ian's answer Griswold, fast bikes like the Torq have motors that are higher geared internally, and that's how they reach 20/22 mph.

Standard UK/Euro legal models aren't geared like that and often aren't restricted, just having motors internally geared to reach maximum revs on the supplied voltage at around 15 mph.

The three e-bikes I've owned illustrate the different cases.

The Giant Twist is restricted to 15 mph.

The eZee Quando has no restrictor but is geared to be roughly legal. It runs to 17 mph on a fully charged battery and 15 mph when the battery is low, so the speed depends on how many volts the battery is delivering.

The eZee Torq has an optional restrictor which, if disconnected, is geared to reach around 25 mph with a fully charged battery but is naturally limited by the available power, wind resistance etc to about 22 mph maximum.
.