Cabo

Great to know the towbar carriers are that good. Oh dear i am going to have to buy and expensive bike to put on it. Many thanks for your help

Perhaps the tow-bar carriers suitable for e-bikes are strong enough but my heart would be in my mouth with 2 to 3 grands worth of bike hanging on tow-bar. Would be happier with it permanently fixed to van door. Would still have concerns with damage to the e-bike getting jolted about.

Does carrying an electric bike (less battery) on rear mounted Strada or Thrule carrier likely to cause much damage to your bike? I ask this because i am buying a panel van conversion soon. I have a 7 year old 20" wheel folding tesco hopper, which is still going very well. Original frog battery has now bulged and cant fit on, but have a 14amp one bought 5 years ago has about 60% capacity, enough for 20-25 miles. So was thinking of buying a quality full sized e-bike to do much more touring, but am concerned of shaking it to bits, as i intend to be motorhomeing quite a lot.

p.s Gyln Nolan was the E-bike manager

Avocet Sports ltd were or are the importers. i got some spares from them about 4 years ago. they are in Worsley Manchester - Tel.0161 727 8508

i broke mine 5 years ago. Stuck it together with hot melt glue gun and amazingly it has held together after all this time. But i now slide battery slowly along its guide until i feel the prongs starting to engage and then give a final careful positive shove in. I really think it takes this two stage approach as the plastic holding the prongs are easily broken - especially with the screw hole in the middle, and the battery takes a bit of shove to engage.

Good luck with your purchase. My hopper is over three years old and still going well. If they still come with the Kenda tyres, which gave me a lot of punctures, and get them off and replace with Big Apples - have not had a puncture since. Still manage about half power with original 12v 8.5amp battery. A year after i bought the bike, sent off to BMS for 24v 20amp battery to give me a longer range. Fits straight on to original battery controller with no mods needed.

I can read the number plate from the video. I'm sure the police can too.

Brilliant. But where do you put the multimeter probes to check the voltage.

34.7 mph on 20" Tesco Hopper. Absolutely no control. But hey i would do it all over again.

Good on ya I remember my first pedelic ton up - and it still brings a smile to my face. Only regret i didn't do it 5 years earlier.

Must admit very comfy and easy to cycle. Did a 35 mile cycle today over a fairly hilly route. Had thought of adding a motor but enjoy it too much as is.

Bought a Marin Larkspur from a friend of mine. He only used it a few times. The 'hairs' are still on the tyres. Love the 24 gears - wish there were 30. 12kg. for £100. Have done 100 miles so far - mostly on fairly flat with 27 miles the best ride. Must admit the first few runs left me gasping - missed that wee on/off button.

Don't be disshearted. Had mine for 18 months and 1700 miles. Have gone from 19st. to 15st. Cycled round Islay,Jura, Isle of Skye and Mull,Lewis & Harris.Up and down mountain tracks it never was designed. Yes you will get some minor problems. But am i a happy chappy or what.

I broke the same on mine. I stuck them together with hot melt glue (araldite or superglue did not work). It has held 6 months now. A lot of these connections are breaking. The problem is the plastic holding the two pins is very flimsy. When you push the battery up the guide tracks there its a tight fit and takes a good shove. I now push the battery up slowly until the pins are only just in so they can allign. Then with both hands a slow steady firm push.

I bought one of those Velo gel saddle covers and it considerably helped the lower department. One thing i did was change the mudguards to a set of SKS full guards as i found in wet weather it looked like a muddy motorbike had driven over my back. And it kept my feet drier.

I fitted a new chain and it made no difference - same chain on the Shimano, smooth as silk. I think i was unlucky with the DNP. The teeth were very very crude, some teeth were actually pointed, and varying valleys between them.

I fitted a DNP 11-32 7 speed freewheel to mine. Bought a 7 speed Nexus twist geat shift (only cost £5). Speeded me from 12/13 mph to 15/16 mph at max. cadance. Derailleur easy enough to adjust. Pleny of good utube videos. However i found the gears especially 11T very rough. The freewheel itself was very roughly made with teeth all shapes and sizes. Mine was bought from China and possibly a friday afternoon one. Perhaps the Cycleeze is better quality. Last month i bought Shimano 14-32t freewheel 7speed. Much more smoother and quiet. The teeth are much better cut. Miss that extra speed though.

Many thanks for the offer. My hot melt seems to be holding well since the holder is glued to frame. Someone else might be in more need.

p.s. I google searched and looked up my maplins catalogue for another 'kettle' plug- to replace it, but with no result. Maybe I have the wrong name for this connector

They are the kettle type plug for the battery. The pins are big and strong, but the plastic holding them together is quite thin and only about 12mm wide. There is a countersunk screw holding it on between the pins, and its dia. is about 6mm. If you start the battery on the holder and push straight in with force, the pins can be slightly out of line and can end up stressing the plastic bracket. and can end up breaking the plastic at the screw, as mine did. That's why I think it best to push the battery along the tray easy so the tip of the pins can line up, and then push home. As there is a bit of side play on the guides.

Yes I broke the plastic bracket holding the locating pins about 2 months after purchase. It is fragile because the screw hole between the pins, holding it to the frame leaves very little plastic to the edges. I just glued it together, and to the frame with hot melt glue, and that was 14 months ago and it is still holding. I am now more careful attaching the battery. I slide it in the guides and lightly push it up until the pins are just inside the battery and then push them more firmly home. I would be more tempted for the model with gears/mudguards/rack, as I have bought these over the year and has probably worked out a bit more expensive.

The only thing i notice in the specs. is the battery is rated 5 ah. The orginal at £399 had a 8.5 ah.

No i didn't change the chain until two months after. I suppose after about 300 miles it could not bed in together.

Lucky you were not going at speed in traffic. The outcome could have been very dangerous. I have always been a bit cautious of the 11T gear when riding, and adjusted the derailleur just that bit further inboard. The rest of the gears were fairly quiet, but 11T was grindey. I noticed when backwinding the pedals with the bike up, it jumped and stuck between gear and frame. I have sent off today for a Shimano freewheel 7 speed 14-28 rather than DNP. I will loose a bit of speed and have to freewheel more, but the orginal 6 speed Shimano went without fault for 2000 miles, and the teeth still look good. Perhaps i just got a friday afternoon DNP - the teeth were very irregular in comparison.