rolando177

Old school Raleigh Dover. Shimano dynamo hub with B&M lights. Rear Light (Toplight) works only intermittently. Can measure 20 - 150 mV at rear terminals. New rear light fitted but no improvement. Have checked connections etc. I have no real knowledge of electrics so any help will be much appreciated. Thanks.

Had a similar problem last year. Bought a 24Ah Derby cycles battery from Germany. If it loses a proportion of its capacity each year, it should still be useful after 3 or 4 years. 18Ah for 325 Euros, not such a good deal since the devaluation though... http://www.akkurad.de/de/akkus/akkus-panasonic-26-v/18-ah-akku-panasonic-e-bike-motor-26-v-neueste-technologie-baujahr-2016 50 Cycles taking the piss.

Just an update: I removed the contact plate and found that due to heat the negative contact terminal had sunk into the plastic. So I removed the contact using a hot knife and reset it with a lot of superglue. It works, the bike lives again and I am very relieved. Thank you Flecc.

The battery is 2 years old (24Ah Derby). After cleaning the contacts the engine still does not start. It was the same with my second battery. Will contact Raleigh. Will also try eBay but this motor seems to have dropped out of sight. I feel rather sad about it!

Sage advice to check the battery contact. I found this, with a small (corroded/singed?) neg terminal and some slight heat damage of the black plastic surround at the battery terminal. See photos. Repairable? Can I find a new battery contact platform?

My much used Raleigh Dover has developed an electrical problem. It switches off intermittently and comes back on after a few minutes. From my reading I gather that this is unrepairable and I need a new bike. Is that correct?

In process of replacing the sprocket and chain wheel on my Raleigh Dover. Thought it would be 41/19T so ordered those. Find out that is in fact 35/20T. Last replaced by Raleigh ebike shop so pretty sure they used correct ones. Have had to buy 35T chain wheel from Germany. Annoying.

Hey, I am on your side! When you turn right in to Robertson Road it is difficult to see up Millers Road - the direction you were coming from. That is the 90 degree bend with poor visibility. I make that turn every day. I bet you will ride down that road more slowly next time. I will certainly turn right even more carefully - wouldn't want to end up on Pedelecs.

To be fair it is an extremely difficult corner. The driver was making a right hand turn up a steep incline from a stationary position. The road ahead of him turns 90 degrees left, uphill, with visibility for about 15 yards. I always expect someone to cut in front of me when I go down that hill. He is still a poor driver but you didn't give yourself much of an opportunity to stop.

Hills and trailers will drain your battery quickly. For best value, consider converting a regular bike: http://eclipsebikes.com/bafang-8fun-bbs01-drive-250w-motor-p-1102.html

There is an issue with replacement battery costs. I have just received a 24Ah 26V Derby cycle battery for my old Raleigh Dover. €620 (£450) including postage. Arrived after two days by Parcelforce with the correct packaging and labels. £695 was the cheapest I could find in UK. Is it really worth £250 to have a UK supplier?

This post asked for advice for a heavier rider - something I have a lot of experience with. It is not really an issue of the motor but the wheels. Most cheap, machine-made wheels will break if you are too heavy or the road is too rough. I had to resort to getting a rear wheel made (touring rim, extra-strong spokes etc). It cost £90 and I have not had a problem since. Other changes I made include a wide saddle, a mirror, a pannier rack and good lights. I ride across the South Downs and I couldn't do it without a crank-drive ebike. I find that I can do it two or three times per week but I don't want to do it every day. Oh....and it is fantastic,

A bit late but don't forget this wonderful Dutch company... http://www.dutch-perfect.nl/images/stories/brochures/DP-brochure-engels-2010.pdf

Sussex Downs Hi, I commute from Brighton to Haywards Heath two or three times per week, a 25 mile round trip. The hills are just too steep and too numerous to manage on a regular bike and also do 10 hours work. I have a Raleigh Dover which is fantastic. The crank drive motor works through the gears and hill-climbing is superb as a result. If hills are a problem, crank drive motors are preferable to hub motors. Kalkhoff is one major manufacturer that makes several different brands. They are expensive new but plenty on EBay - just be aware that specification changes every year. AtoB magazine is very helpful.

Similar problem with my Raleigh Dover. Bought this adapter for 99p and use my old high pressure pump. Will change to Schrader eventually when I replace tyres. Weldtite Presta/Woods to Schrader Valve Adapter

The 8 speed Dover is no longer featured in the Raleigh ebike brochure - only 3 speed Dover and 7 speed Leeds. I cycle across the Downs and find 8 speeds essential. 4th gear jumps frequently so the 7 speed should be much better.

For the last two or three years I have been commuting by car every day - 12 miles each way over the Downs. I had often thought of doing the trip by bike but there were too many hills. I could manage less than half the distance on my old Moulton. So, in a moment of mid-life crisis, I bought a Raleigh Dover on Ebay. What an extraordinary machine! I am now obsessed by cadence but keep it in the "zone" and the hills just disappear. It is a slow bike but that suits me. The gearing is so low that there is no point in pedalling fast, just relax. The riding position is comfortable, the handlebar wonderful, but the seat might be a bit narrow. Range no more than 18 miles on full power but the hills are steep and I am quite heavy. The charger comes to work with me. I have set it up as a commuter bike with Dutch Perfect tyres (skittish), a mirror and a briefcase pannier. Two trips this week, three planned for next week.