Cricket

Have fun test riding & let us know how you get on. My folder is an A2B Kuo, which has since been discontinued/upgraded to the Kuo+ (and has subsequently gone up in price). It's a great little bike with a handy throttle but the 24v battery definitely doesn't get you as far as the 36v. I have a non folding bike with a 36v battery and I see a big difference.

Yes, you'll probably need to decide between weight, power & wheel size. I spent ages looking for a light folder so I know how confusing it can be! My bike handles the small hills round here ok - low gear, high assist & then gentle pedalling is all that's needed but it's not like a moped, you do have to pedal a bit. And that's with a 250w motor. Also, you definitely want to think about comfort as small wheels make for a bumpy ride...20" wheels are more comfortable if you'll be doing a fair few miles. Hopefully you can find a nearby dealer to test ride a few, otherwise the try before you buy offer on the Secret sounds good. Good luck!

Hi Sarah, The 10kg weight is very impressive but according to the spec it has a 24v battery & 160w motor (rather than the more commonplace 36v battery & 250w motor) so you'd want to check it could manage a 10 mile hilly commute and give you all the power you require. I don't know that particular bike but I have a folding bike with a 24v battery (albeit with a 250w motor) and the battery drains very quickly. Suits me as I only use it for a spin in the park but if you are relying on it getting you to work & up lots of hills then that might be a different matter...

Had a look at the wheel and it seems to be spinning freely. Maybe slightly off. The mech hanger is definitely bent. Thanks for that pointer Rob. The only other thing my OH forgot to mention is that the rear mudguard practically bent over double when this happened and the stay cord is bent. He adjusted that mudguard very slightly last week as there was a scraping/rattling noise and the adjustment seemed to solve it. No idea if that had anything to do with it. Can't say enough good things about Oxygen after service (I'm out of warranty). They're sending the replacement parts free (P&P only) and it turns out our local bike shop is more than happy to fit it for £20. They actually sell a few ebikes so might see if they can give it a full service. It's coming up to three years old. Appreciate the help & fingers crossed the bike can be easily fixed...

Hmmm, it's unlikely to be wear and tear as the bike is still in pristine condition and only gets used occasionally on short gentle rides. Will take a look at the wheel spin tomorrow in the light and see if there's any wobble...

Thank you Rob. You are a star. That info is so helpful, including the approximate cost of a bike shop repair (if we can find one that will touch an ebike!). It confirms what my husband thought had happened. He just isn't sure how the cage attaches to the rest of the derailer. The cage has a prong/arm & combined with the spring it looks like this just sort of 'slots' into the other part. But you're right - we need to find a bike shop to do this. And a full new part.

Think maybe I should have posted this in technical or FAQ's...sorry, not sure how to move it there!

Hi guys, Excuse the non technical description. I'll try to add a photo to show what's happened... My OH was just out on the Diva taking it for a spin when he heard a clattering noise. Seems like part of the rear derailleur (think it's a shimano acera) came loose and is just hanging down dragging on the ground. The plate holding the two pulleys has come away from the rest of the mechanism and is now bent out of use. He found the spring that goes from the plate into the other part somewhere up the road. Can I assume that I need to replace the whole derailleur mechanism or just the plate? Does anyone have any idea how the plate fixes to the other part - is it likely to have snapped or is it a screw in? Any idea if this a standard bike repair or is it specific to an ebike?

Cheers. I'll add them to a growing list and try to find some reviews...Jumpin Jack, Knobby, Holy Rollers, Little Joe. So many to get confused over!

Thanks for the feedback Jonah. I was all set to order some but will hold off for now. I can't stand the feeling of poor grip on a loose surface...impossible to relax and enjoy the ride. I've got 20"x1.75" Kenda Khan on the bike atm. They're ok but a little narrow I think, especially on a small bike as it tends to be a bit skittish. Does a comfortable 20" tyre that grips well on gravel exist...surely it must!

Always

Now, what about Schwalbe Big Apples - anyone tried them on an electric or non electric bike & recommend them?

Well, thank you very much for that! After some tape measure action & a closer inspection I see there are some markings on the bottom of the post and it says 31.8mm. I assumed it would be 27mm for some reason. If I can't get a bouncy seat post in that size I'll look into the shim link...

LeighPing, when you say a regular seat post do you mean the pogo stick type ones? I've just looked on Ebay and seen one for £12.95. Cheap as chips. There are different sizes with only a mm or two between them - call me daft but do you just measure the diameter of the tube as accurately as possible? I can't see any measurement marked on the post itself...

Hi Guys, A couple of months ago I treated myself to a second electric bike as I needed one that was portable. Got a pretty good deal on an A2B Kuo and it's thus far proved to be a great little bike. I've mainly used it on grass, tarmac & fairly smooth paths but it has no suspension at all and I'm hoping to use it on gravel tracks & towpaths too. I have ME/CFS so comfort is a big priority whilst also keeping the bike as lightweight as possible. I've searched through the forums and am thinking that Big Apple (20"x2.0") or Fat Frank tyres might be a good place to start to make the bike more comfortable? Assuming they'll fit as the forks are fairly narrow. Do either of these have reasonable grip or are they more of a road tyre? Also, I've got a Velo Plush saddle on my other bike (Oxygen Diva) and that's more comfy than the one on the Kuo but am wondering if a sprung/suspension type saddle would be worth considering? I'm possibly thinking of a suspension seat post tho not sure if the tyres & saddle would be enough and a springy post would be overkill? Possibly the cheaper zoom style? Am not sure how I'd get on with the movement of the well reviewed Suntour NCX...and also, I'm short in the leg so don't want anything that raises the saddle too high. Lastly, I'd like to add some soft gel handlebar grips, the flat type that you can rest your hands on. Any suggestions? And can they be cut down as I've got a twist throttle on the RH side? Thanks

Glad you're enjoying the new bike SteveMcG. She is indeed a beauty. Agree with you 100% about the excellent service from John at Oxygen. My Oxygen Diva was purchased 3 years ago so is well out of warranty. It's a fantastic bike but recently the power had started cutting out and John was more than happy to help. He pinned it down to the battery, ran tests on it for free that revealed it was finished & then offered a replacement for half the usual price as a goodwill gesture. The battery had declined mainly due to my lack of use & attention, especially in the last year. Oxygen had no obligation whatsoever at this point. So, yes, very impressive service. Anyway, have fun on the S-Cross!

Thanks John. We did keep on the case of the dealer (bet they love us!) to nudge things along but regardless it all went well in the end. Oxygen couriered the replacement out sharpish and Rami at E Bikes worked late to get it assembled and ready. So thumbs up on all counts.

Hi guys, my replacement Diva was collected today. Looking good leaning jauntily against the bookcase in the lounge. It arrived at E Bikes yesterday and was assembled as asked. Everything seems fine. OH just took it for a spin in the rain and came back with a very muddy bike and a very large grin. Thanks all. This was a long thread but got there in the end and hopefully lots of happy ebiking ahead! Cricket

Thanks John, good to know. I've no real complaint yet - Oxygen are sending a replacement bike which is the best one can ask for. I didn't see it as a warranty issue as such as the bike was obviously broken from the get go which is why I wasn't happy to wait for parts to ship from abroad to fix it. I want to at least start with a perfectly functioning bike! As for John Lewis - I normally find them superb on the customer service front. We had an oven arrive once from them with smashed glass and had a new one by the next day...but then again it wasn't 'the most magical time of the year' and it couldn't really be fixed in situ! Good luck and hope it's done in time for your roast turkey...

They didn't check anything but I admit we were silly not to insist on that. They said they would originally but maybe they were busy or thought we weren't bothered and as my OH didn't push the issue it didn't get done (he's only used to standard bikes so probably thought it wasn't a big deal). This time we have insisted and I'm sure they won't want any more hiccups so all should be ok..

Hi Rob, Think that was a bit of a communication breakdown as initially they said they would assemble it but then when they called to say it was in and we asked about putting it together they just said it'll come 'in a box' :-) We should have insisted on it but with one thing or another it didn't happen. Won't be making that mistake second time round...not least because my parents won't appreciate doing another set of round trips to drop it off and collect it! Perils of a small car. I know what a great bike it is and how much Frankie (and you!) love it so I'm sure it will be a lot of fun once we get it sorted. Hope it's not too cold for you to get out for a daily spin and Frankie will join you again soon. Watch out for another diva on those local towpaths next year... Cricket

After profuse apologies from E Bikes Direct they promised to look at the bike yesterday and if it couldn't be fixed get a new bike sent over if any stock left. Surprise surprise...heard nothing so chased them up today and they're just too busy to look at it...that old chestnut :-) Feeling a bit grouchy today so after an email to say not happy and a refund politely suggested they sprung into action and checked it over. It is the connection to the controller which is failing. They will fix it but the part from Oxygen would take a couple of weeks. It must have been that magic word refund as they acknowledged that would not really be acceptable after spending £1,300 on a new bike and have asked the manufacturer to send another bike which should arrive in the next day or so. This time they have agreed to fully assemble and test the diva before we collect it. Can't say fairer than that so hopefully all will go well this time. And at least there was one still in stock.

I hope that won't prove to be a problem as I do really like the diva. Maybe it'll be something as simple as a loose cable and the bike can come straight back!

Well, my first foray into ebiking has hit a hurdle. After an afternoon assembling the diva and a full charge of the battery we discovered a problem with the power - you turn it on and it cuts out. A throttle attempt up the garden and the bike gave up the ghost making a noise akin to a cats chorus. No minor adjustments solved the problem so it had to go back today. These things happen and I must say Rami at E Bikes Direct has so far been very apologetic and assures us he'll get it sorted or order another bike which will be fully assembled and tested. The only problem may be stock if this bike can't be mended as Oxygen are pretty much down to the last one with no idea when the next batch are due. Fingers crossed it can be fixed.

Thanks everyone, glad you all think of it as a solid choice. It certainly looks good sitting in the lounge but OH and my Dad are having a problem assembling it. Nearly there but seems the front mudguard is not curving up high enough so the wheel is catching/rubbing. They've tried everything and are now looking for a washer to push it up in place. Any advice please!?