Brelades

Thank you, Trex. Fitted and working, but the lead from the controller is designed for a cross bar, and my wife has a folder so I will need to insert some extra wire. I wonder if you can suggest the type of wire, 3 core but quite thin, and also reccomend the type of joiners most suitable. I can get to Maplins tomorrow !

Hi. I seem to have lost the written part of my post. I want to connect a three wire throttle control to the box under the rear mounted battery of my Avocet Viking folding bike, the one without suspension. The box has three unused connectors. One with three wires as shown which I hope is the one to use, one with four holes on a thick white cable, and one with two contacts. Sorry yhis is not a follow on from my earlier post, but I hope those knowledgeable members who kindly replied before can put me straight this time.

Thanks, gentlemen. I have indeed got the box full of wires below the battery above the back wheel behind the seat post. As I am not expecting delivery from China to be rapid, may I ask if, when it does arrive, you would be kind enough to advise me on the connections. I will take and hopefully post pictures of the inside of the neath-battery box. The controller comes with a fairly long flex which should be O.K. to follow the existing wires from handlebar to seat post. The model is the E-Motion, the non rear sprung model. Actually had a dry day yesterday and gave it a quick try. Seems pretty good, but not too powerful when it comes to more than a slope. Can't expect more at the price, though, and we use bikes when travelling in our camper van so try to avoid hilly areas. Holland was the best. A country that actually gives intelligent care for the cycling population. Even found a few round-abouts where we actually had priority over cars ! And mostly flat.... I do appreciate your patience. Peter.

Just checking in case of replies and wondered whether Neal and Alan mean the control already on the bike or on the hand control ordered. On the bike, the control has off and on, lights for battery state, and a "1-2-3" setting for level of power assist but certainly no throttle control input. The awaited controller has a cable with the three wires. My problem will be where to put them.

Thanks for replies. It's a cheap controller from China, not yet received, silver and black with a cable, three wires with spade connectors, red, black, green. Under a fiver on e-bay, so I don't mind if it doesn't work. Weather is so awful here in Cornwall that we are in no hurry to try out the bike. I am thinking of buying another small folder for myself, as we have down sized our motorhome to a camper van and my big and beautiful hub motored Tonaro is way too big to fit inside or carry. Time to put it on E-Bay too, I think. Peter.

Just bought a folding electric bike for my wife. It needs to be pedalled for the motor to assist, which is a shame as her knees are not too good, and I thought the twist grip meant a throttle, not a gear change. So I have ordered a cheap thumb throttle which has three wires. I don't know how to fix it, being well past my three score years and ten, but a fairly experienced bodger. I would like some advice if anyone can help. The bike is an Avocet Viking, selector switch on the left, Revoshift gear selector on the right. Thanks in advance. Pete.

Brelades, down in sunny Torquay...and it was, to-day . TQ2

Can't understand the extra length claim on the Whoosh.... Battery seems to go in the usual extended frame section. I can see a case for a carrier carried battery reducing overall length and making a bike more like a non-pedelec, but does the higher centre of gravity cause a more "tippy" situaation ?

Appreciate the thought of a three wheeler, but our bikes hang on the back of our motorhome. We take the batteries off and have built a hangmans scaffold on the roof of the motorhome with a pulley system to hoick up the bikes onto the rack. My Tonaro is around the 28k. mark, too heavy for me to lift that high. Batteries are re-charged whilst driving. Normally spend an Autumn and a Spring month touring mainly in France. Such a pleasure to have motorists treat cyclists with respect. In Holland, we even found many roundabouts actually gave us priority over motor traffic ! And frequently there are so many wide well-maintained cycle tracks. Makes coming back to the UK like entering a third world country where road courtesy is concerned.

Has anyone any experience with the Pro Rider E-tourer bike ? Has a 36volt 10 AH battery, seemingly comprehensive controls, and rear servo disc brake. Advertised as having a RRP of £1500, which makes it sound a bargain at under £600. Nothing better than warnings or plaudits from owners, so I hope I'll be lucky with some replies.

After viewing all the above suggestions and spending hours on line, I think it could be worth going to Southampton for a look and test of the E-Tourer Pro Rider. Weighs 18k., has rear disc brake, 36v. 10 amp battery, costs £579, and the ad. says the RRP is £1500....a claim I find surprising.... They also do a folder for similar money, so my Boss can see if she prefers that. Your comments, especially if you have one of these models, would be very interesting.

We all used to ride no hands when I was a kid, but try doing that on a modern bike. And I thought it was just me getting frightened with the passing years. Not riding between 19 and 70, I suppose it should have been obvious that riding dynamics may have altered, but I honestly never gave the balance of the bike a thought, blaming myself for the inability to sit up and let go, as in days of old. Seems I want to find a good bike tinkerer down here in Devon. Fork-changing sounds daunting.

Many thanks for all the interesting answers. My wife fell off whilst almost stationary. She let go of the handlebars which swung round, as they do, tipping her sideways. I think stabilizers are not such a bad idea, but worry that on cornering they might tip you over. We did have a smaller folder she rode. As in the comments above, the low position meant pedaling for any distance was inefficient, and ruts and pebbles tended to push her off track. I have just repaired the battery on her Windsor (blown fuse) and been out riding it. We live in Torquay, which has very steep hills and a sea-front one can not cycle along as the Council say they could lose their Blue Flag status. It seems a cycle track would be deemed a hazard to pedestrians. ( Insane rules ! ). The Windsor felt perfectly stable, but not very powerful. I did let the handle bars swing round to feel the effect and it does encourage a tumble if there is a steep camber. I weighed the bike and it is around twenty kilos without the battery, hence pretty light as the average bike goes. Hardly seems worth changing to gain just one or two K. I do keep telling my better half it was her own fault she fell over, but she is hard to convince. I feel sure the first dealer to sell a smaller framed ladies bike will do very well. Pre-electric, my wife rode a nice light Dawes Red Feather. Should have bought the electric wheel for that one, but I really am not much of a mechanic and fear it could be beyond my capabilities to install. Again, many thanks.

I have a Tonaro and my wife has a Windsor. Both are over 25k. in weight. Not a problem for me, but my wife finds if she lets the bike lean, she falls over. We are both the wrong side of 70 plus. We do not, for safety's sake, cycle on main roads, mainly tow paths and cycle tracks. I want to get her a reasonably priced but lighter bike. I do not like the small wheels of folders, but can't find a medium size low weight model. Perhaps some-one here can suggest one ? Peter.