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They've even got a couple of free ones but I'm leaning to a front hub conversion Electric Bikes | E-Bikes | Halfords UK

Thanks for sharing this . Something similar on the Clubman if done well could even enhance the look. The silver front hub would fit in well in proportion and complementing the crank and other chromed parts and the controller could go in the existing bag on mine. As you mentioned adding a lightweight kit to an already lightweight racer/ road bike of this type is unlikely to affect the feel/ handling to any significant degree and could add an extra dimension in terms of usability in a package that comes in at a very low weight for an ebike. The cost of the entire kit although important may be less of an issue to a point as you would be converting something you have and perhaps could say are emotionally attached to. However with the market now offering cheaper and cheaper perfectly usable bikes e.g. since starting this thread the Apollo Phase which seems quite popular and reliable has gone down to 499 (and with a couple of combined discount vouchers £400 for me) Apollo Phaze-E Electric Mountain Bike 20" | Halfords UK it may even be feasible to buy something similar at a lower cost than a kit and utilise some or all of the parts somehow coming in at a lower cost than the kit.

Hi, when we bought ours actually must have been 5+ years ago I intentionally sought out a model with the suntour hesc torque system after buying the Raleigh Array with it. I had tried cadence sensor bike at the time in Decathlon and the unnatural and delayed "turbo surge" when just turning the cranks was offputting and thought would present issues with fine control at low speed. I didn't spend too long testing so perhaps a different technique would have worked. However the hesc system was a delight to use delivering the power in a far more natural refined way. Halfords were using both the cadence and hesc systems at the time for different models but the womens e vengeance had the hesc system at the time. I think it is now sold with the simpler cadence system possibly due to more demand for this or possibly less to go wrong or a combination of the two. We initially even used the bikes on light mountain bike trails for some time but when I read about the potential fragility of some of the e parts e.g. the little plastic torque sensor exposed on the crank we have been using them on river paths, gravel and roads since . I commuted occasionally from Kent to London on the Array in all weathers and neither of the bikes have ever let us down and the battery from the Array which I used on the Carrera yesterday got me from the Thames Barrier to Chiswick and back with 1 bar remaining (outgoing on a mix of economy & mid and return on high power). I do longer runs on a non assisted Giant Revolt gravel bike but yesterday was just not feeling up to cycling without assistance so having the ebike got me out and definitely still got some exercise. The only issue we had was when I mishandled the Carrera during transporting it and the chain came off when wheeling it backwards cracking the guard of the torque sensor. I patched this up with some araldite although you have to be careful not to get it on the thin rubber surround of the crank as it could tear it when the crank rotates. Perhaps the materials used were necessary from some sort of safety aspect or just to reduce cost. Last time I asked Halfords a few months ago they said they could source parts e.g. the whole crank assembly if required and sell the 313 watt battery for the Carrera at the moment for £400 (which works on the Array). My branch lets me use multiple discount vouchers combined also which other branches say they shouldn't be doing. At the moment for a few hundred more than the battery you can get the new Array with the larger battery and the hesc system for £700 and I would still buy it (it is the price I paid 5 years ago for mine under cycle to work) if I didn't have one. Although they are the same systems my Halfords branch confirmed they will only repair the electrical parts for the Carrera as I bought it from Halfords but not the Array. However the branch checks over my Array and fine tunes the mechanicals without charging if I ask. (they also fitted the Marathon plus tyres on it).

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I was out for a long fun on my wifes Carrera e vengeance today and have never ridden it properly before. I took it because needed to take it somewhere in the car first and only had access to a supermini (no rack) and was the Array wouldn't fit in it. also it is fitted with Marathon plus as well as tyre anti puncture liners which have needed in now and work well and didn't want a puncture on this run. The Argos folder would have fitted but didn't have the range needed. I really enjoyed riding the Carrera mtb and got to thinking each of the bikes has its own character and electrifying the 531 racer especially would be like replacing the engine in a Testarossa with batteries and take away from its soul especially the sort of bodge job I would probably end up doing.

That would have been perfect but I set a very strict budget and unfortunately that kit exceeded it by a fiver

Thanks for sharing, a front wheel motor in silver with a bottle battery or a small friction drive may work best for a little bit of boost and maintaining the look

Thanks, Thanks for sharing, I was thinking something low powered like this may be ideal

Thanks for the suggestion

something low power and discreet like this Apollo Phaze Mens Electric Mountain Bike - M, L Frames | Halfords UK

Thanks for the replies. It would only be for preserving the knees uphill/ along the straights is fast enough so something lightweight and low power which is unlikely to impact safety of the brakes. The black bag/ bottle could be used to hide some of the electrics

Hi, the era of the Ferrari Testarossa which are now in some peoples opinions controversially being converted to ev. How would you convert this ? Thank you.

I am just about to go and do the Christmas Shopping on the Argos special and was working out how to secure the turkey on top of the rear rack to leave the other bags free. The car parks in the supermarkets have been clogged and it is a relief I will be using the bike. Went outside and feels particularly cold with a biting wind but I am getting layered up and have heated clothing so don't mind the occasional longer runs also. How much of a demand do you think there is/ really could be for using these regularly in the U.K. spending that amount I would prefer an enclosed quadricycles like the ami for regular runs at those sort of ranges. Back in the day I used to commute 16 miles each way on a 531 racer but in the cold wet winters nearly getting knocked off twice in the morning (car windscreen misted up turning left in a rush ). We have more safer networks now like cycle paths though. You see the occasional illegal e bikes bikes on them but you also get the legal heavyweight ebikes e.g. the icebreaker design cargo/ family bikes bombing down them hardly pedalling (cadence sensor) and almost got hit by one the other day around a tight corner where I used the bell but they didn't. It is going that way though . I think there is now also a consultation to increase power to 500 watts. Last time I asked the technical team at the DVSA about where you could use throttle bikes (in 2022 when the word got around you could type approve them) they emailed me to confirm their opinion was once type approved they could not be used legally on cycle paths. They were aware of opinions that the Dft may interpret this differently ( we were discussing my area). It is a bit of a mute point though in my opinion if all you have to do to bomb along (possibly with a 500 watt if it becomes legal) on cycle paths is just go through the motions of turning the pedals with no effort occasionally.

Thanks, if you bought one of these Argos special ebikes and are not in a desperate hurry to get a spare battery it may be worth waiting for the next special they do for around the £200 mark and you've then got yourself the spare with the bike thrown in for £100

BTW I rang the technical helpline number in the manual that came with the book and was informed they could recommend suppliers of batteries in the future if required so will probably ask them about this one. They also advised using a 24 volt battery. In the q&as on the Argos website someone asked whether they could use a 36v or 48v and was advised it could cause damage the controller/motor. I thought about it further and as already have 3 ebike batteries in the house now may not get a spare just yet. I enjoy taking the Raleigh Array on longer trips with the Carrera battery in a pannier bag as a spare. When I switched to Marathon plus tyres on the Array was advised to go for slightly narrower ones than the the tyres it came with it which added a bit of speed as well as making cycling without the motor more enjoyable also. The Argos folder obviously for me isn't the ideal touring bike because I have the Array but for for the local area is fine and is already substituting for the car for shopping trips. Its surprising how much you can load onto it now I have a front bag, two recently acquired twin Basil pannier bags (the ones which are curved on one side to give pedal clearance) and also on top of the pannier.

Hi, now the battery has been charged three times the range is improving. When I receive the bike it was completed discharged so may have been in storage for some time. On the same runs that previously depleted it it now still shows 2-3 bars on the handlebar display and 2 on the battery after 10- 15 miles using at full power on the roads here which have quite a few gentle inclines is realistic. There is a 24v 10ah with charger for £112 on ebay currently (without charger £100) which I am thinking of buying. 24V10.4Ah Rear E-bike Electric Bicycle Lithium-ion Battery for e+ City Folder | eBay They are a lot lighter than the Array/ Carrera batteries so taking a spare if needed is easier. Also I want to avoid putting the battery on charge overnight if possible (I often cycle in the evening). The battery is now charged in the stove though and have been able to close the stove doors also without damaging the lead. On the subject of battery powered assistance does anyone wear heated clothing. I committed to continue to cycle for several hours in very cold weather and in addition to wearing multiple layers a few years ago when Regatta still had shops bought a heated jacket and carry three 10,000 ah powerbanks which last a couple of hours each when the jacket is on full power. This model the Voltera 3 has a large heated panel in the back and 2 in the front bottom pocket areas and was designed for watching football matches etc where you could put your hands in the pockets to keep you warm . The model before this the Voltera 2 which I could not get had the two front panels in the chest area which I would have preferred.

Thanks

Thanks Saneagle and Nealh. That is good to know. Btw I had to go back to Sainsburys because I forgot the tuna (they do alcacore in glass jars) only to discover they had run out. The battery bars started dropping on the way back and I thought of checking how far it would go making my way to Asda to pick up some bottles of their 50% juice squash. The battery suddenly cut out on the way to Asda. The indicator was initially dropping up hills but then regained the bars on the flat. I think it cut out suddenly when hanging around a bar or 2 so in total it was good for about 10 miles on full power which for local shopping is ok. When I received the bike the manual mentioned the battery would be partially charged but it was completely discharged. It took about 5- 6 hours to charge. I expect it to improve a little as it is charged more times. If I need more range getting another one isn't such an expense and it much lighter and cheaper to buy/ source than the ones used in the Array/ Carrera however those even after 8 years have 3-4 times the range at least but then you are paying 3-4 time the price for one if you can source it. The Array/ Carrera batteries give you a fair warning before cutting out where the indicator on the handlebar display starts flashing slowly then after say 5 odd miles flashing fast in combination with dropping power output significantly (a sort of limp home mode).

Mainly to keep all the parts clean. You could clean out the firebox . Particles/ bits do fall down from the chimney. The anti arson letterbox SURE24 Slimline Anti Arson Post Box - L30466 - LockMonster.co.uk Similar ones have what looks like a a small piece of silicone tube containing an heat activated extinguisher. I guess this is designed to deal with something smaller scale than the potential of several large ebike lion batteries stored together where one of them goes wrong and it spreads. Obviously I am no expert at all and it is just an idea that lining a metal box with fire bricks and placing some underneath in a specific area away from flammables and main exits as well as adding a powerful automatic fire extinguisher inside with a heat alarm outside may buy you more time than leaving them next to a sofa by the curtains

A year or 2 ago I started getting battery messages on my Dell laptop which was probaby about 4 years old indicating if I remember correctly the battery was due for replacement. As it was only being used plugged in at home I decided to remove the battery. This wasn't a pop out battery. The laptop needed to be taken apart. I discovered the whole battery had puffed up like the michelin man. The e bikes I have would all be considered to be from proper retailers. Two of them (from a Raleigh Array & Carrera e vengeance womens) are about 8 years old now though. They still hold good charge and have never been knocked. I decided not to store them in an unheated outbuilding as thought this could cause problems and they are stored in one of the living rooms. I now have another Argos Ebike which came with the standard type rack battery. Have been thinking more about this recently and although not necessary today bought this with the intention of lining it with fire bricks and hanging one of those ufo type automatic for extinguishers inside (probably space for 1 or 2kg powder) from the top. Total cost would be about £40 and it would be used to store them. Small Filing Cabinet Mobile Office Pedestal | eBay We have a large multifuel stove with double doors which is unused and could take an ammo box or two easily and could be used to charge them. Will probably go ahead with this prompted by the overall issue around e bikes but in the house there are multiple devices by all the family now which use li ion batteries.

Hi, I took the bike out on the first shopping trip covering at least 4 miles in total on full power all the way with quite a few inclines and t is still showing full battery. Over this run it felt just like the other 2 electric bikes I have which have the suntour torque sensor. When I bought th Raleigh Array about 8 years ago I initially tried some cadence sensor bikes and the unnatural sort of turbo boost when you turned the pedals really put me off them and could see it being an issue at lower speeds with fine control. The hesc system in contrast with its natural ride was a delight and you still got gentle exercise with significant fine tuned assistance if required. The Argos bike has a cadence sensor but feels the same and you have fine control at lower speeds. Perhaps the lower power battery in combination with advances in e bike technology contribute to this feel but to me it is a sort if sweet spot that has been reached. The other thing I noticed was the motor is effectively silent compared to the Array and the Carrera. The ride is like a Citroën car where the suspension forks soak up urban bumps and the seat is ultra padded. Being used to riding on marathon plus tyres the lower psi tyres that came with the bike probably also contribute to feel. The only mod I made was swapping out the seat post for chrome 60cm one. The original post seemed quite short and for me at about 511 and someone who wants just the tips of my boots which are also large touching the ground when seated the original although rideable was not ideal. It is perfect for the other half though.

The bike was delivered today. Everything works including gears etc set up perfectly out of the box and looks like it was built to be a workhorse. Just took it up and down the road for a few minutes and it has some punch but yet to test inclines . I can see it being a lot easier to haul the shopping than a similar non electric folding bike I use sometimes (the btwin 120).

It will be. I have previously ridden a Btwin tilt. 120 folder which and shifts well. I take it from the Thames barrier to Kew Gardens and back along the river as much as possible. It clearly needs more effort than the other bikes but these mini bikes are fun to ride in its own way the Tilt handles well. If the Argos bike which is 8kg heavier is even 25% easier to ride than the Btwin will be happy. I can see it being useful for shopping trips. In the end will probably end up adding the higher psi marathon plus tyres especially if taken out of the local area which may help to make it feel nippier as well as protecting from punctures.

Thanks for all the replies. For the two ebikes we have , a Raleigh Array and Carrera Vengeance E Womens the only changes I made was swapping the tyres for marathon plus. After reading about the potential fragility of the hesc torque system we also stopped riding them on muddy very rugged mtb trails. We still had a puncture on the Carrera caused by a safety pin of all things and I think perhaps the marathon plus mtb tyres with widely spaced knobs are not as effective. After this I added tyre inserts from Halfords also and no more punctures although the bike now rides rock hard making handling in some situations potentially dicey and detracting somewhat from the enjoyment. We have always kept the bikes in a shed and the batteries themselves in a living room. I am very careful about handling the batteries making sure they don't get knocked about. The argos bike will be handled in the same way. I have thought about keeping and charging the batteries in an unused multi stove cast iron burner we have in one of the living rooms but as the bikes are from reputable companies have never thought it was necessary. Perhaps as they get older or if further down the line I get a replacement battery I may do this. I know you can also get automatic fire extinguishers which will trigger the powder when a temp over 65c is sensed so one of my thoughts was to store/ charge them in a steel cabinet lined with fire bricks in a tiled area with an automatic fire extinguisher in there also. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks, will read the threads in more detail. I am unlikely to spend money on it for a while. I may add a basket to the front and back and just use it for local shopping and going to the pub. If I bash the deraullieur beyond repair leaving the pub for example then could gearing can upgraded. If the battery goes further down the line due to the valid concerns in my opinion about fires etc I would have some reservations in buying even a replacement without guidance from Argos/ the manufacturer. I noticed on the Q & A for this bike on the Argos site someone asked about what to do if the battery goes in a few years and Argos staff replied saying the supplier has advised "the battery on this bike is a standard 24v type widely available". I wouldn't know where to get one from a reputable seller or place (Amazon/ Ebay?)

sorry where I could do without the extra strain of this type of bike on the knees. These folders also seem less threatening when you see someone "riding" them on a pavement where the road is perhaps very busy an the rider may consider it unsafe. They often just push them along slowly with their feet and it is easier to stop with control of the bike if needed , whereas a full size bike being ridden on the pavement can sometimes feel a bit more intimidating. I have ridden non electric 20 inch folders and find they can be also be just as much fun in their own unique way as full size bikes. I have also ridden a Brompton which is perfect for the niche but like being able to get off the seat up sometimmes especially on inclines which is easier on the 20 inch and the wider 20 inches can handle gravel better. Will report back on the Argos special