robgul

I'm pondering buying the supplementary battery for my Gain BUT £549 is a lot of money - has anyone seen any discounted anywhere (UK or EU) or knowledge of any supplier that gives a discount to BC members or vouchers etc? Thanks Rob PS: please don't suggest the DIY batteries that are in other threads

Price hikes are probably to do with a import duty increases on Chinese e-bikes - all part of anti-dumping legislation from the EU Rob

It doesn't say it was sold on ebay with the successful bidder etc. but that the listing was "ended" I'd suggest that it may not have sold but was withdrawn - possibly as the seller may have had an "off ebay" offer and taken that to avoid the fees - or that it wasn't close enough to what the seller wanted so withdrew it saying that it was "sold". But perhaps I'm just a cynic? Rob

No problem. Depending where you are you're welcome to look at mine (Warwickshire) Delivery is very extended but I work in the trade and may be able help with supply of Orbea and a couple of other quality brands. Rob

It didn't! - after much research and a couple of trial rides I decided that the conversion was too much of a compromise - old bike, wires all over the place, big ugly battery ... In March I bough a brand new Orbea Gain e-Road Bike - absolutely brilliant. There are other threads here about the Orbeas. I realise that the costs are rather different with the Orbea costing about 2.5 times the conversion but I have the money to do it, and looking ahead I have something of value should I want to sell it ..... and I still have my beloved Galaxy which gets ridden from time-to-time. Rob

Any indication of price/availability for the bottle battery?- couldn't see anything on the Ebikemotion site - it's aimed at OEMs Rob

Was that by any chance the Audax at Honeybourne/Evesham? - I was entered to ride (planning to use my Gain) but didn't as it was too hot for comfort. If I had, I'd have ridden there from home and back again after the ride adding about another 20 miles or so. Some interesting facts there on engine use and battery - I'm consciously mixing and matching my bike usage, out on the Van Nic Yukon for 40 miles or so of self-powered riding tomorrow! Rob

I bought mine in late March 2018 and was told I had pretty much the last one in the UK (it certainly disappeared from being offered on the dealer's website shop the next day) Even working in the trade I was forced to pay retail from Tredz which is part of the Halfords empire That said I'm delighted with it. Rob

At the moment it seems like the Orbeas are like rocking horse droppings . . . a friend who is a dealer keeps getting his delivery date for an order of about 6 put back and put back. Rob

First off I'd worry about buying a secondhand ebike on ebay! - and also thought the Giant was ugly ( a friend's wife has one - it's also very, very heavy) As for hills - using the full power (button on red) and just fairly gentle pedaling gets up a 1 in 7 hill very easily (and I'm pulling along about 15 stone) - what I'm still experimenting with is the optimum relationship between gear selection and power levels to suit my cadence. Having looked at loads of ebikes (and selling them in the bike shop I manage) I've yet to see anything that's a patch on the Orbeas at the price range. Rob

I bought a Gain back in March this year and would agree with all the positive stuff up-thread - just fantastic. I ride it as a normal bike as much as I can and just flick the power on for the bigger hills or if I'm very tired. I added mudguards (and have a rack that I fit when away on tours) - also changed the OEM tyres for 32mm Marathon (NOT PLUS) for a tour with panniers etc but have reverted to 28mm Marathon for normal use - oh, and of course a Brooks B17. As suggested, if mine was stolen or damaged I'd buy another instantly (although they do seem to always be in short supply) Rob

My comment about Kenda tyres (assuming that's what they are) applies - they are tyres BUT quality/durability/p-protection is limited for ROAD use. . but they are round, black and made of rubber! That said some of the Kenda MTB tyres are a bit better. Rob

My Gain came with Kenda tyres (pretty much a mid-range OEM brand) - I upgraded to regular Schwalbe Marathon 700x32 and they're fine for touring - for general road use without luggage I'm about to fit the same tyre in 28mm. Rob

I've been using towbar mounted racks for about 20 years (I think I've had 4 different ones - changes have simply been for improvements rather than anything else (I've sold on the previous iterations) Having used a two bike model until about 3 years ago I upgraded to a 3 bike model, not that I very often carry 3 - it's just a lot easier to fit two on the inner and outer channels leaving the middle free. My bikes are all 60cm frames so BIG and the other bike I usually carry is a 58. I have found that clamp arms on the Thule racks are bit short to reach the toptube of the big bikes so have extended them (very simple with a length of M8 stuffing and the lockable knobs still work.) My recently acquired Orbea Gain e-machine is happy travellng on the rack. Ro

There's not a massive amount of difference riding with the power off - I wouldn't say there's much "motor drag" - just a little more weight to pull along (wlthough not much) - I'm used to riding any one of my : 1975 Galaxy steel tourer or 2014 Van Nicholas Ti Yukon tourer or 2015 Van Nicholas Ti Ventus road bike. The "human engine" is the main factor in my riding :-) I've been out on the Gain for 35 miles or so this morning and only put the power on for a 12% hill .. and that was then effortless. Countryside was fairly undulating at the edge of The Cotswolds. [The pint and a half of beer slowed me for the final 8 or 9 miles!] Rob

I have had one for a few months - very please with it (the blurb in the ad link in the OP describes the reasoning for the bike) I ride it like my road bike with the power off - switch it on for hills, and then off at the top - or if I'm tired I'll use the power. Being the now required "pedal assist" you have to turn the pedals for the motor to work - stop pedaling and the motor stops (there's a very clever magnetic sensor of the cassette lockring) There are 3 levels of power, plus 8 gears. With the power on it rides to 25kph and then the motor stops - but you can ride as fast as you like (or are capable of!) - it's not designed to be a "moped" Rob

I did get to 16 at one time but sense prevailed ... past interests back in the 1980s were with Land Rovers when I managed to accumulate 5 at the same time, oh and a little grey Ferguson tractor too :-) Rob

Yes - that's about it - my additional personal concernwith the Gain is that I get out of the habit of riding my other bikes with just leg-power .... currently 8 conventional tourers/road-bikes + a Brompton! Rob

That's pretty much the story - I have a friend that's an Orbea dealer (he couldn't supply me - I had to pay full retail at Tredz despite the fact that I also manage another bike shop) - he's had 6 Gain machines on order for customers since the beginning of the year with delivery being pushed out from April to May to June to possibly July. Another dealer I know had one machine "on approval" but it was snatched back very quickly by Orbea to sell elswhere I bought mine in mid March and I think I may have had the very last one that Tredz had in stock. The one I have is about 13kg and was just under £2,000 (it's the base model of, I think, 3 Gain road bike derivatives) Rob

Ah - it's not just me then! I might try asking Orbea (or a dealer that I know) about it - as you say it's a minor issue in the scheme of things. Rob

I've now ridden a few hundred miles on my Gain and it's great ... one question for other users. I pretty much ride it as a road bike with the electric switched off .... just switching on when I want some help on a hill or am flagging a bit. When I switch off the power (long press) there seems to be a bit of a lag before the motor disengages and I'm back on my own leg-power. Is that how it is or am I imagining it? Rob

Yep, I did that first - there's millions of them BUT what do I need to know to buy the correct one? ... which was the original question.

My usual research (and lack of understanding of such things) has left me bewildered ..... I have a car and I have an ebike (Orbea Gain) .... I am wondering about the reality of an inverter that plugs into the cigar lighter in the car and then for the ebike's charger to plug in and charge [i would expect to do this when driving and thus generating electricity] Is it feasible? Is it going to blow the car or ebike electrics? What do I need to get? [As an aside I saw a picture of one of the Team Sky cars that had a twin outlet 13amp socket in the side panel of the boot - pretty cool!] All guidance appreciated. Rob

I've just bought an Orbea Gain D40 - only ridden about 60 miles so far but very pleased - basic machine has had mudguards, rack and Brooks B17 Imperial added. I too was disappointed at the lack of the auxiliary battery yet although a price around £600 has been suggested !!!!!!! Rob

https://www.cyclerepublic.com/roux-big-slick-electric-bike.html - seems like quite a few places sell them. Rob