I'm onto my third e-bike in two years following the theft of my traditional bike in early 2017. The first two were a cheapie folder from Halfords and then a secondhand five year old German AVE TH9 with one of the first Bosch centre motors. The former introduced me to the benefits of e-cycling but the bike had far too many limitations. The latter seemed a good idea at the time (its original price had been £2500+) but it had become outdated with the huge advances in battery performance and Bosch e-bike engines. Them in October, after getting a bit of a windfall I went for what was in specification terms an updated version of the AVE - step through frame, Shimano hub gears but with the latest Bosch Active Line Plus motor. The model was the Cube Town Hybrid PRO 400.

 

A critical part is the frame design with the battery not located on the rear rack but behind the seat post. This means that the weight is much lower and the bike feels so much more stable and handles better. The big revelation is the motor which is almost totally silent and gets me up to the 15 mph legal maximum quickly and then is very easy to ride without assistance at higher speeds. The motor is much lighter than on the AVE and because it is so efficient and requires a much lighter battery. The Bosch display system is superb.

 

A key part of my choice was that my local bike shop in Bedford is a Cube dealer and I've long advocated supporting local bike shops. If there's an issue then it can be fixed easily and quickly. With a hub gearing system and a fully enclosed chain the bike isn't going to require much maintenance. The one thing I've found a bit of getting used to are the hydraulic brakes

 

I'm 72 and cycle to maintain my fitness level and have been averaging 50-60 miles a week doing trips that I wouldn't have considered on the other bikes. With my old bike I used the Sport power setting. On this one I find the Tour setting, which offers a much greater range, is sufficient.

 

I was fortunate to have had the windfall that allowed me to spend so much and it has been worth it. E-bikes are developing fast. Get the newest model of the range you can afford.

 

 

Edited December 31, 20187 yr by Mikes245

Hoping your enjoying the new bike. I really like the seat post mounted battery design which some think as outdated now, so it is good to see it on a new bike.

I would have thought the best strategy is to buy a new bike every 3 years.

You'll get a balance of low depreciation and still take full advantage of advances.

Low depreciation.....on an ebike after 3 years. I somehow doubt it.

Low depreciation.....on an ebike after 3 years. I somehow doubt it.

comparatively speaking. If you sell the bike earlier than 3 years, the TCO per mile would be higher.

The best way to minimise TCO per mile of any bike is to run it into the ground until it's no longer economically viable to fix.

 

Then sell it.

Sorry folks but 'TCO'? Does it mean Total Cost Overall?

Buy good quality, read the manual, keep it serviced, keep it clean, swap out worn parts.

 

I plan to keep my Cube Kathmandu for 7 years 11-12 K

 

I've got a Honda lawnmower that's 26 years old, cuts just the same.

I would have thought the best strategy is to buy a new bike every 3 years.

You'll get a balance of low depreciation and still take full advantage of advances.

What is it you do for a living again lol

Our non e-bike is a 25 year old Giant hybrid, still going strong. I had done the basic keeping brakes and transmission going but no real work on it. We decided to give it a treat of a real service; £100 at the local community bike hub, plus quite a bit on parts. My son is still riding my approximately 40 year old Claud Butler, though very few of the parts are original.

 

I don't anticipate I'll still be riding when our electrified tandem and Raleigh Motus reach that 25 years and I reach around 95, but I certainly hope to get 10 years out of them (and 10 years more out of the Giant) . We may change them if there is a huge advance in ebike technology.

The secret to reducing depreciation is to pay the very lowest you can for the bike when buying new. Then, sell it within the warranty period (so that the 2nd hand buyer has some assurance). See my post here, I reckon I've got depreciation down to about £100 per year on a new ebike

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/how-long-do-you-expect-an-ebike-to-last-before-needing-replacement.30358/post-421942

Sorry folks but 'TCO'? Does it mean Total Cost Overall?

I guess they mean Total Cost of Ownership.

 

Why people insist on using TLAs is beyond me ;).

Ebikes are not developing fast.

 

The current centre motors from Bosch and others are not very different to the original Bosch motor introduced 10 years ago.

 

Same applies to batteries.

 

A decade ago you could get a 400-500 wh lithium battery.

 

The majority of ebike batteries are still lithium and still 500wh.

 

There may have been tiny advances in the chemistry, but not so as you'd notice.

Choose carefully, buy from a good dealer, maintain and look after it. ride the wheels off it.

I don’t have experience of earlier equipment but based on reviews the current Bosch Active Line motor does appear to be a worthwhile advance on earlier Bosch motors. It certainly is very quiet and smooth in operation. I get the impression that motor efficiency and the way the sensors are used to provide the right amount of support for the rider have also improved. It would be interesting to compare a 2019 ebike with an equivalent 2014 bike.

I think the biggest advancement has been the mainstream companies including ebikes in their range. Where once we where limited to fitting kits or buying online from smaller companies now you can find ebikes in most bike shops. I always received great service from the smaller companies but it is nice to look/try before you buy and to know there is a big company in the background. Mountian biking in particular seems to have embraced the Ebike and the future looks interesting with lightweight bikes with small batteries that just give you a wee helping hand to monster full suspension bikes with high torque motors, 750wh batteries and huge range. Its a great time to be riding an Ebike