Alyrpal

You just described my bike... https://www.bikester.co.uk/ortler-bozen-performance-e-trekking-bike-trapez-black-901050.html

I use cycle.travel to plan traffic free routes everywhere. It uses traffic data to plan routes. You can see the elevation data and distances, also gives turn by turn by turn data with photos. I export a gpx file into Osmand+ on my phone and that follows the route giving voice turn by turn directions. Only cost is £5.99pa for Osmand. I either mount the phone in a housing on the stem or keep it in a breast pocket.

I bought a bike labelled as Trapeze but didnt know what it meant. Later the supplier labelled it as a ladies bike. Loads of different bike makes out there meeting your spec, mainly German companies. UK based suppliers seem to think no-one wants mudguards, lights, racks or stands which seem to be standard on German bikes. Getting a test ride can be problematic because the shop or whatever may not have your size in stock. Al

Its mind boggling isnt it? All these bikes, different drive systems, different styles, different manufacturers? I winged it, it took me about 3 days to decide on the bike I wanted and buy it. Thats partially because I am a touring cyclist and I knew I wanted a strong step through touring type bike with 28 inch wheels capable of carrying me and at least 16kg of touring kit. I had been put off front wheel motors by a pal who had converted one of his bikes unsuccessfully. Rear wheel motors dont seem a good idea either to me as an an engineer... punctures! The Bosch bottom bracket mounted drive has apparently been around a long time and I am a fan of the Bosch Company, so Bosch for me. I was a CTC member and on their forum I noted someone had hired an ebike in Austria and loved it. Hire companies need strong, reliable, trouble free kit. The bike he hired was an Ortler. So, a well specced Ortler for me with decent componentry. I wanted the most powerful drive system with a big battery. That narrowed things to a Bosch Performance drive with a 500Whr battery. My budget was £1500 and thats what I paid in their last midsummer sale I bought this bike, https://m.bikester.co.uk/ortler-bozen-performance-trapeze-women-black-matt-1113173.html its beautifully built, a pleasure to ride, strong and so far practically trouble free. I lost a crank bolt and had to bleed the front hydraulic brake once. I hope my descision process enables you to devise your own.

I am quite a keen touring cyclist in my late 70's. A year ago I moved from the Chilterns to Mid Devon, I wont bore you with the reason why. I set off on my very low geared Salsa Vaya tourer into the local hinterland and immediately hit a wall of 1 in 4s and 1 in 5s. I had to walk, never had to walk up hills for years. So, I thought if I am going to enjoy the countryside here I had better go electric. Knowing a bit about the effects of electric bikes the fact that you can select the level of assistance you need and still get decent aerobic exercise appealed to me. I didnt do a huge amount of research but I knew I wanted an ebike I could tour on. Thus, a German Trekking style bike was what I was looking for. These bikes are load carriers, upright, they always come fully equipped with mudguards, strong rack, lights and stand, at least they do in Germany. I spotted a post from someone who hired an ebike in Austria made by Ortler. That was a good enough recommendation for me. Hire companies look for well made reliable strong bikes. I am a fan of Bosch as a company and the bottom bracket mounted motor seems to me as an engineer the best option for a bike. Low centre of gravity permitting the use of gears. So, I chose this Ortler Bozen Performance Trapeze black matt https://m.bikester.co.uk/ortler-bozen-performance-trapeze-women-black-matt-1113173.html and managed to buy it on a summer offer for £1500, a bargain! It has a ladies frame and so its a partial step through. On arrival I was well impressed with the construction and finish of the bike. I have 4 other bikes so I am aware of what is good and bad. The Ortler exceeded my expectations. It tackled the 1 in 4s with aplomb and even with the motor off it was a pleasure to pedal even with its 24kg weight. For the last couple of years I havent been able to ride much because of family circumstances but I have ridden the Ortler for practically a year now with no serious problems. The only fault was a loose crank bolt which untightened itself and fell out, easily solved. I have gradually kept extending my range in this hilly place riding to all the local rural population centres using cycle.travel and Osmand+ on my stem mounted phone to guide me. My longest ride has been a 40 mile round trip to Sidmouth and back, that left me 1 bar on the Purion display. I want to do Lyme Regis but its 56 miles round trip which is quite a hilly ride and beyond the capability of the Ortlers 500Whr battery. How has an ebike changed my life?... Its enabled me to get out and do long day rides in a very hilly place that would have been beyond my capability on my tourer. And, in the present lockdown that has been good for my sanity. My next step is to get a second battery so that I will be able to do all day ebike rides and in the future go on tour on the bike. A word on Ortler, a brand I had never heard of...excellent, quality, durability, attention to detail. And the Bosch, great motor and electronics a real pleasure to ride.