Ok, just a bit of fun: If you were designing an Ultimate E-Bike (legal), what components would you use if money was no object ?

 

Wheel size, motor (crank/front or rear hub), which motor, what system, front or rear suspension, gears..how many, what set, seat, post, frame material and design

 

I guess there maybe a Haibike already out there with many of the best components but I bet it could be improved.

ultimate and legal at the same time? it can't be done.

Pick your prefered 8kg road bike drop a Vivax in and sorted, a sub 10 kg assisted bike.

Low powered but on a light road bike it would be magic on steeper hills, the current version is apparently very quiet.

 

http://www.vivax-assist.com/en/unternehmen/index.php

A nocom is about the fastest commercial recumbent.

The VK3 is a nice blend of performance and practicality (bit of hight and suspension).

Oh I suppose a rohloff hub would add to the weight but improve reliability and usability too.

If fitted with a crank drive. On the flat it would cruse at +20 and assist would only cut in uphill or starting out. It would have an incredible range and a high average speed for all day crusing.

 

My current best on an unassisted touring bent is +15mph for over 100 miles to have Sunday dinner with mother Inlaw.

Is that close to ultimate? What performance comfort mix do you expect?

Edited December 15, 201411 yr by D8ve

Things I would like now as standard on road bikes and could happen now if the will was there, Most bikes come with lights why not indicators as well?

E bikes are heavy a double kickstand fitted as the norm, wireing and battery hidden away as much as possible.

As a city commuter my ultimate a lightweight bike style wise similar to a Goped with a higher voltage battery more range and a throttle and with 24 inch wheels and puncture proof tyres. I suppose what I am after is a bike/scooter hybrid that that allows me to pedal when I want exercise but has the convience of a scooter when I dont.

Haibike Carbon Ultimate.

Not exactly a Road bike, but couldn't resist, considering its name!

 

Martin

Haibike Carbon Ultimate.

Not exactly a Road bike, but couldn't resist, considering its name!

 

Martin

But no mudguards!

But no mudguards!

 

These can be organised

Haibike Carbon Ultimate.

Not exactly a Road bike, but couldn't resist, considering its name!

 

Martin

 

Certainly the ultimate price.

 

Haibike really are taking the wotsit when you realise you can buy a full sus carbon frame for £700.

 

A £750 crank drive kit and battery will blow the Bosch system out of the water.

 

Another grand or so for good quality wheels, tyres, and finishing kit, £500 for forks, and a few hundred for contingency, gives a budget of about £3,250, against the Haibike at £12,000.

 

The £3,250 bike would wipe the floor with the Habike, not least because it would have more power and a decent size battery, or there's plenty of money in the budget for a spare.

 

You could buy a van to take the bike to the trail centre with the £8K+ saving and still have money left over.

Edited December 15, 201411 yr by RobF

 

Haibike really are taking the wotsit

 

Really, why am I selling them then?

In fairness you could only just buy the wheels alone (ones fitted to the Haibike) within that budget. You are comparing a Micra to a Mercedes in respect of the quality of components / build.

In fairness you could only just buy the wheels alone (ones fitted to the Haibike) within that budget. You are comparing a Micra to a Mercedes in respect of the quality of components / build.

 

Not really.

 

A modern Micra is nicely built, and in any event that would depend on the builder.

 

You and I both know there are people on here who can build to factory quality.

 

As regards the components, many could be identical/superior - fork, tyres, groupset.

 

The wheels is an interesting one, and I like the idea of five spokes if they could be made to ride OK.

 

But a few hundred will get you a top notch wheelset, particularly if it's built by a proper wheel builder.

In the interests of accuracy.

 

Looks like those trick wheels are about £2,500 to buy retail, and the electronic groupset is another £1K.

 

Adding those to my notional ultimate kit bike would up the parts budget to nearer £5K.

give d8veh £5k to play with, he'll produce a better e-bike than the Haibike Carbon Ultimate.

Tubamanandy.....you specified a road e-bike,I always think of Haibike as being primarily off road e-bikes,with off road requirements you can spend a fortune on suspension but with road e-bikes I find it difficult to spend more than £2k and the KTM bikes at slightly less than that figure seem difficult to improve on,whatever budget you reach up to.

I was tempted to stock the new Haibike XDuro Trekking RX,I think it is a very good looking bike,priced £2800.00

Spec

Bosch performance line motor

400 Wh Bosch battery

Suntour forks

Tektro hydraulic brakes

Price,£2800.00

But if you compare it with the KTM Macina Fun 9,almost identical spec.

Price £1899.00

I hope someone at KTM has got their sums right,it is not surprising that many of the KTM dealers are low on stock even at the 'quiet' time of the year.

KudosDave

Edited December 15, 201411 yr by Kudoscycles

Tubamanandy.....you specified a road e-bike,I always think of Haibike as being primarily off road e-bikes,with off road requirements you can spend a fortune on suspension but with road e-bikes I find it difficult to spend more than £2k and the KTM bikes at slightly less than that figure seem difficult to improve on,whatever budget you reach up to.

I was tempted to stock the new Haibike XDuro Trekking RX,I think it is a very good looking bike,priced £2800.00

Spec

Bosch performance line motor

400 Wh Bosch battery

Suntour forks

Tektro hydraulic brakes

Price,£2800.00

But if you compare it with the KTM Macina Fun 9,almost identical spec.

Price £1899.00

I hope someone at KTM has got their sums right,it is not surprising that many of the KTM dealers are low on stock even at the 'quiet' time of the year.

KudosDave

Nobody has mentioned mudguards still,I for one hate that streak of incontinence up me jacksie!

give d8veh £5k to play with, he'll produce a better e-bike than the Haibike Carbon Ultimate.

If somebody gave me that much money, I'd be on the first plane to Cuba or wherever all the gangsters retire to.

 

.A £750 crank drive kit and battery will blow the Bosch system out of the water.

.

 

If your referring to the Bafang bbs02 kit, then I'm not sure it will fit a carbon frame, as the BB shell is likely to be to thick.

 

I'm hoping somebody on here with more knowledge than me can clarify this point for me.

But no mudguards!

 

 

And still the 'minor' on going detail of no confirmed bike weight either.

 

The Haibike looks lovely, but my choice would be a high end, low weight sportive style drop bar bike, with an indestructible light weight seat tube mounted motor and battery unit. Range wouldn't particularly matter, as the motor would be used as a last resort mode.

Edited December 15, 201411 yr by EddiePJ

My design for an ebike would be: Crank drive, bottle battery, front suspension, lights, proper mudguards, rear rack, 700 wheels, pedal sensor, suspension seat post and a rack bag.

If somebody gave me that much money, I'd be on the first plane to Cuba or wherever all the gangsters retire to.

 

...Scunthorpe?

...Scunthorpe?

Nope! Some new town in the Midlands , Telford?

 

Not really D8veh

stay where you are, we need you on this forum

Edited December 15, 201411 yr by robdon

I actually thought that the question was best road bike, as in drop bar road bike.

 

If it is just the best bike for road use, I already own and ride close to it

My GLR trike with BBS01, light, very fast, superb braking and handling and can climb anything.

If I was healthy I would probably swap out the drive for a torque sensing one, but then maybe not as it would be hard to improve.

I dont think I would ride it in London though as my head is around knee height.

Edited December 16, 201411 yr by Geebee

I actually thought that the question was best road bike, as in drop bar road bike.

 

If it is just the best bike for road use, I already own and ride close to it

My GLR trike with BBS01, light, very fast, superb braking and handling and can climb anything.

If I was healthy I would probably swap out the drive for a torque sensing one, but then maybe not as it would be hard to improve.

I dont think I would ride it in London tough as my head is around knee height.

Riding the Greenspeed in London! Eeeeek! Soon be looking for you under some artic trailer, mind you you might choose to take that route as a short cut.

I reckon it would be this :

 

http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/diverge-expert-carbon/34087/15diverge

 

Fitted with this :

 

http://www.vivax-assist.com/en/produkte/vivax-assist-4-0/vivax-assist_4-0.html

 

I don't know if it would be compatible, but if it were, would be a total £5,800 price tag with the bottle battery. I reckon it would make a lovely package you could happily go light "off-roading" on whenever you wanted.

 

The US-supplied comp carbon is a grand less and probably far more sensible as an all-rounder with 105 instead of Ultegra, but it's not available to the UK market.